Chapter 23

Jesus grew up in the small town of Nazareth.

For thirty years he lived an ordinary life with his

family and friends.

Everyone knew him as the son of a carpenter.

Then one day, Jesus left his village and his

ordinary life and stepped out into the world to do

amazing things in the name of God Almighty.

Just like all the other babies in the world,

baby Jesus grew up. He played in the streets of

Nazareth with neighborhood boys and girls. He

had brothers and sisters and learned how to get

along with them. He watched Joseph in his

workshop and became a carpenter just like his

father. On the outside, he was like all the other

Jewish boys in the village. But on the inside, he

was very different. He was God’s Son.

When Jesus was a grown man, he traveled to

the Jordan River where his cousin John was

teaching and baptizing people. John’s strange

appearance and important message were the talk

of the countryside. “Be baptized and turn your

hearts to God!” John would preach. And many

would listen and obey.

The banks of the river were covered with

John’s listeners when Jesus joined them. Jesus

made his way through the crowd. He walked to

the shore of the river. He stepped into the deep

blue waters of the Jordan and muddied his toes in

the soggy riverbed.

Jesus asked John to baptize him. John

protested, “No, you should baptize me!” Jesus put

his hand on John’s shoulder and calmly replied,

“It’s OK. It is good for us to do this.” So there in

the Jordan River, John baptized Jesus while all

the other men and women watched from the

shore.

While Jesus stood in the water, he began to

pray. The heavens opened up. The Spirit of God

came floating down like a dove and rested on

Jesus’ shoulder. Then a voice from heaven

boomed through the countryside: “This is my Son

whom I love. I am very pleased with him.”

God spoke. He called Jesus his Son. Now the

people knew what God had known all along-this

carpenter from Nazareth was very, very special.

Crowds grew quickly when word spread that

Jesus was coming. He was becoming well known

as a great teacher and healer. Everywhere he went,

people gathered to hear his message. And they

brought their sick friends and relatives, hoping

Jesus would heal them.

In Cana, Jesus made a rich man’s son well. At

the pools of Bethesda, Jesus healed a man who

couldn’t walk. In Jerusalem, his touch made a

crippled woman well.

In many places, Jesus saw the pain of those

who were sick, and he showed his power by

healing them.

People who witnessed these miracles saw the

power of God, and they believed in Jesus as the

Promised Savior. No one else could heal with a

touch or a word like Jesus could.

Sometimes the crowds were so large, not

everyone could get close enough to hear and see

Jesus. Once he preached in a house. It was very

crowded. People listened at the doors and

windows. A group of men brought their sick

friend, hoping Jesus would heal him. But they

could not get inside.

The men wouldn’t let that stop them. They

climbed up on top of the house and cut a big hole

in the roof so they could lower their friend down

to Jesus.

“Your sins are forgiven,” Jesus said to the

sick man. “Get up, take your mat, and go home.”

The man was immediately healed! Everyone who

saw the miracle was amazed.