+ + + JOHN THE BAPTIST + + +
John the Baptist was still preaching. "The Kingdom of God is at hand," he said. "Be sorry for your sins." He dared to tell the new King Herod he had no right to take his brother's wife, Herodias, to be his own wife. Herod was furious and sent soldiers to arrest John and put him in prison.
+ + + JESUS + + +
When John was put in prison, Jesus began to preach. The time has come," He told people, "and God's Kingdom is very near. Be sorry for your sins, and believe this Good News."
He went all through Galilee preaching and doing wonders. Crowds of people followed Him to hear Him and see the wonderful things He did.
+ + + The APOSTles + + +
+ + + SIMON, JAMES, AND JOHN + + +
One day He preached by the Sea of Galilee. The great crowds were almost pushing Him into the lake. There were two boats drawn up on the beach. One belonged to a fisherman called Simon. Jesus asked Simon to launch his boat. He sat in it and to the crowds from there.
When He had finished, He said to Simon, "Take the boat further out and let down your fishing net."
Simon answered, "Master, we fished all night long and caught nothing, but we will do as You say." As soon as he let his net down, it filled with so many fish that it began to break.
His partners, James and John, were in the other boat and came to help him. Both boats could hardly hold all the fish he had caught!
Simon was overcome with astonishment. He knelt down at Jesus' feet and said, "Leave me to myself, Lord. I am a sinner." "Do not be afraid," said Jesus.
"From now on, you will be a fisher of men."
That day Simon and James and John left everything and followed Jesus.
+ + + MATTHEW + + +
The apostle Matthew was a publican.
Publicans collected taxes for the Roman government. They had to send a certain sum of money to Rome, but they often collected extra money and kept it for themselves. The other Jews hated them.
Jesus saw Matthew sitting collecting taxes. "Follow Me," He said. Matthew got up at once and followed Him ever after.
Matthew gave a great dinner for Jesus and His disciples, and many tax collectors and sinners sat at the table with Jesus; for there were many of them among His followers. The Pharisees saw this and asked Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat with publicans and sinners?"
These Pharisees were rich, learned men and most of them thought they were very good; they made a show of their goodness and despised other people. Jesus heard their question and answered, "It is not healthy people who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have come to call sinners, not the just."
+ + + THE TWELVE + + +
Jesus had many disciples who followed Him to hear all He taught. After spending the whole night in prayer, He called them together and chose twelve to be His Apostles: Simon to whom He gave the new name Peter, which means rock, Simon's brother Andrew, John and James the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, another James, Thaddeus, another Simon and Judas Iscariot, the traitor.
He began to train them, for it was His Apostles that Jesus would send to teach the whole world about Him.
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