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Jesus Nearing Jerusalem
One day Jesus and his disciples were on their way to a great city.
This city was Jerusalem. Jesus told them that there many cruel things would be done to him and that he would be killed.
The disciples did not think this would happen to Jesus. They thought he would be a great king and sit on a throne. Two of these men were James and John. They came with their mother and bowed before Jesus as you see in the picture. James and John wanted to be great. They asked Jesus to let one of them sit on the right side and the other on the left of his throne. Jesus told them that the way to be great was to do good, kind deeds.
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Jesus was the greatest person who has ever lived, and he spent all his life doing good to those who were in need of help.
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As Jesus and his men went toward the city, many people went with him.
Two blind men were sitting by the road. They heard the crowd coming.
When they knew that Jesus was coming, they asked him to open their eyes. Jesus was always ready to help those who were in trouble. He opened the eyes of the two blind men so they could see.
Jesus Changed
Many little boys and girls kneel down at mama"s knee or by the bed in the evening and pray to G.o.d. Often Jesus went up on a high hill to pray. In the picture Jesus is on a hill-top. He went there to pray. He took three of his disciples with him. They were Peter, James, and John.
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See the two men by the side of Jesus, and see how bright Jesus looks.
The two men came from heaven to talk with Jesus. Peter, James, and John had never seen Jesus look so beautiful before. The Bible says that his face shone like the sun and that his clothes looked bright like snow when the sun shines upon it.
The three disciples heard G.o.d"s voice. The voice said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." When they heard it, they fell on their faces, for they were afraid.
Soon the two men went away, and Jesus looked as he did before. He touched his disciples and told them not to be afraid.
Then they went down the hill. They found many people. They saw a poor boy who was sick, and Jesus made him well.
Feeding the Mult.i.tude
When Jesus was here on earth, he preached to the people, and many listened to his words. He went from place to place talking of G.o.d, healing the sick and lame, and doing much good everywhere he went.
At one time when he had been preaching to about five thousand people for a long time, they all became hungry. There was no food for the people to eat, except five small loaves of bread and two small fishes.
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But Jesus blessed the bread and broke it and gave it to the people.
They all had all they wanted, and there was a good portion left.
Jesus was the Son of G.o.d, and anything he said would be done. So it was with the bread. He multiplied it, so that the people were all satisfied.
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In the Bible we read: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." This means that he has just as much power today and can do as much for us as he did when he was here upon earth.
The Death of Jesus
Many were the good deeds done by Jesus while he was here on earth, and many people believed on him and followed him.
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Some very wicked men did not like Jesus and abused him whenever they could. Just before they killed him, they put a crown of thorns on his head, and the sharp points pierced his brow and were very painful.
He was nailed to a large cross, and was left there until he died. Some good men buried him in a stone tomb, but in three days he arose and afterwards he went up to heaven.
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He died for our sins, so that we can be saved from our sins in this life and go to live with him when we die.
Jesus Our Savior
Our Savior is Jesus. He died to save us from our sins in this world, and to save us from eternal death when we die.
Suppose that a girl should be out on the water in a boat and should fall out of it into the water, and some men close by with a large boat would get to her right away; they would save her life, would they not?
Yes.
Just so Jesus came to save us. We were lost because we all have sinned and disobeyed G.o.d, but we can be saved from our sins if we ask Jesus to forgive us. He will forgive our sins and will not hold them against us any more.
When our sins are forgiven, we are Christians, and Jesus will help us to live right from that time on.
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We shall not have a desire to do the bad things which so many boys and girls do, but we shall want to live right and be good.
He can keep us from sin every day and hour if we trust him. So Jesus is our Savior.