Moral Story

Jesus Compassionate God | Bible Story

Jesus Compassionate God | Bible Story People were fascinated by the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings. He spoke of Heaven and God as if they were accessible to all. “You will find it if you seek it,” he said. “Ask for what you want, and you will get it! If you knock on God’s door, he will let you in. God is not a distant and frightening being who only punishes us. He is like a father who gives a child food when he is hungry and shelters him from the wind and rain. “But don’t swear in God’s name or in the names of Heaven, Earth, or any of God’s creations,” said Jesus. “That shows disrespect for Him.” He told them the story of a man who tossed seeds on his land. Some fell on the ground and were eaten by birds; some landed on hard ground and didn’t sprout;

Jesus Spreads God’s Word | Bible Story

Jesus Spreads God’s Word | Bible Story “Let your light shine before men in the good works you do for the glory of God!” said Jesus. “I have not come to destroy the law or the prophets.” I came to fulfill them. Do not break the commandments! But he warned them that they must not follow the law merely by talking about it or carrying out rituals. Their righteousness must be greater than that of the Pharisees and scribes. They merely followed the rituals they had gotten used to but had not understood the great compassion and love with which Jesus spread the word of God. “Obey God’s laws righteously with your heart. Please don’t take what belongs to another or injure him, or you will be judged by that person someday. Forgive anyone who hurts you instead of trying to return an eye for an eye and a tooth

The Sermon on The Mount | Bible Story

The Sermon on The Mount | Bible Story Jesus had begun to spread God’s word through parables and stories among his disciples and others. “Let your light shine forth among men!” he told his disciples. Don’t hide God’s light! Hold it high to spread it over many people! Whoever follows me will not walk in the dark. His disciples understood him, and John said that Jesus was the light for men who would dispel the darkness. Jesus led the multitudes that followed him once to a mount, and there he spoke to them. He told them that they were blessed. If they were poor, they would find the Kingdom of Heaven. If they mourned, they would be comforted. They would be fulfilled if they searched for truth. They would receive mercy if they were merciful to others. If they were peacemakers, they would be called the children of God, and

Jesus Begins His Mission | Bible Story

Jesus Begins His Mission | Bible Story Two things began to happen almost at the same time. Jesus had begun to collect his disciples and spread the word of God among the people, telling them that the Kingdom of Heaven was near. Secondly, as miracles began to be performed by him, people started to come to him to be healed. They stayed to hear him talk about God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Once, Mary was invited to a wedding. Jesus and his disciples also accompanied her. At the wedding, Mary found that the wine would fall short of a large number of guests. She asked Jesus to help. However, his mother protested, “I have not yet begun the work of my heavenly Father.” However, Mary insisted that he help. Jesus turned towards six large stone pitchers in the yard for water for the guests to wash before the feast,

Jesus Begins God’s Work | Bible Story

Jesus Begins God’s Work | Bible Story Jesus returned to Nazareth to begin the task God had sent him for. He went to the synagogue and read the passage that narrated the coming of the Messiah, prophesied by Isaiah. And he claimed to be the one God had sent to fulfill that prophecy. The priests and elders were shocked. They whispered, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph, the carpenter?” “How can he dare to claim that he is the Messiah!” And they thrust him out of the city, intending to kill him, but Jesus left them, saying that a prophet is never believed in his own country! He was waiting beside the Sea of Galilee; he saw two fishing boats, one of which he saw Andrew and Simon setting off. He called to them and, boarding the ship, asked them to take it further into the sea. That day, they

Jesus Defeats Satan | Bible Story

Jesus Defeats Satan | Bible Story Soon after this, John was arrested by the soldiers of the King, Herod’s son, and was thrown into prison. He knew his work was done as the Son of God had arrived to carry out God’s work. Jesus left John after he was baptized and went into the wilderness to pray to God and learn about his mission. He fasted for forty days without eating or drinking. He was exhausted and weak by the end of the period. That was the best time for Satan, the enemy of God, to tempt Jesus and draw him away from God. He went up and taunted him, saying, “If your God is so powerful, why doesn’t he turn the stones into loaves of bread?” “God has told us in the scriptures that man doesn’t live by bread alone!” replied Jesus. “Man needs the words of God to

John The Baptist, And Jesus | Bible Story

John The Baptist, And Jesus | Bible Story The people of Israel said that a strange wild man lived on the banks of the river Jordan. He wore a dress made of camel hair and tied it with a leather belt. He ate wild honey and locusts to live. They went to the river and found John, the son of Elizabeth. He was a cousin of Jesus. He called out to the people to repent for all their evil ways and wrong-doing. He asked them to confess their sins, and he baptized them with a dip in the Jordan as a token of washing away their sins. He said he would baptize them to prepare the path to salvation. That was possible only after their sins were washed away. I have come to tell you that someone who is mightier than I will come. “I am not fit to unlace

Jesus in Jerusalem | Bible Story

Jesus in Jerusalem | Bible Story It was the custom among the Israelites to go to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to celebrate the Passover at the Temple. When Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph and Mary, too, decided to go with all the pilgrims from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the Passover. They worshipped at the temple and set off home after the feast. Jesus lingered on in Jerusalem, unknown to his parents. After a day’s journey, they suddenly realized that Jesus was not seen anywhere in the caravan they traveled with. Frightened, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. They searched for three days, and then, to their amazement, they found him sitting in the temple surrounded by learned men and scholars, discussing things, asking and answering questions. All the people seemed to be deeply impressed with his knowledge and understanding. Mary went up to him and admonished him,

Return to Nazareth | Bible Story

Return to Nazareth | Bible Story When Herod died, the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream as promised and asked him to return to the land of his forefathers. Joseph was afraid of the new king, the son of Herod, so he thought it would be better to settle down somewhere far from Bethlehem or Jerusalem. The last time Jesus was taken to Jerusalem was when he was an infant. His parents had taken him there to present him to the Lord. A just and devout older man of Jerusalem named Simeon was touched by the Holy Spirit. He had been told that he would definitely see the Lord’s Christ before he died. When he saw the child with Mary and Joseph in the Temple, he came forward to bless him, for he recognized the Saviour. He told them their child had come to show people the right path

The Birth of John | Bible Story

The Birth of John | Bible Story Elizabeth gave birth to her son soon after Mary had returned. There was great rejoicing at the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth. On the eighth day, they were to name the baby. Names were suggested. Elizabeth said their child was to be named ‘John.’ When Zacharias was asked, he too wrote the name ‘John.’ And so, John was named. Immediately, Zacharias got back his voice and could speak again! The people who saw this were awe-struck! They wondered what kind of a child this was, for it seemed strange things were happening at his birth. Zacharias felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and raised his voice in praise of God. He said that God had visited his people and would now redeem them, saving them from their enemies as he had promised in his covenant, if the people of the land lived

Jesus Is Born | Jesus Story

Jesus Is Born | Jesus Story Joseph of Nazareth was a descendant of the house of David. He had heard about the angel’s visitation to Mary, whom he was betrothed. It was said that she would give birth to the Son of God. He wondered if it was right for him to marry her. He received his answer from an angel who came to him in a dream. The angel reassured him that he was right to marry Mary, who had received the grace of God and was blessed. The son should be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from sins. This was the fulfillment of an old prophecy. When Joseph awoke, he felt comforted. He married Mary and was very happy. The Roman Empire was ruled by Augustus Caesar. He wanted taxes to be collected from all the people, and people had to return to their places

The Three Wise Men of the East | Bible Story

The Three Wise Men of the East | Bible Story Three wise men traveled to Jerusalem from the East. They went to Herod, the king, and asked him, “Where is he who was born as the King of the Jews?” We came here to worship him after spotting his star in the East. Herod was very disturbed by this news. How could there be another king in his place? He called all the priests and advisers to consult them. One of them told him there was an old prophecy that the Saviour would be born in Bethlehem. When the three wise men learned this, they went to Bethlehem. There they found the beautiful child and gave him the three treasures they had brought as gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They had been warned by God in a dream not to return to Jerusalem with news about the child, as Herod