after escaping from king Herod in Egypt mary and Joseph took their little son Jesus back to Israel
they traveled to a town called Nazareth mary's family lived in Nazareth
Nazareth was a small town with houses for families to live in the houses had white walls and orange roofs
joseph set up a workshop and he carried on with his profession
we don't know much about Jesus when he was a child
we only know that he was a kind and good child who knew that God was his father in a special way
mary's relatives also had a son named John
John and Jesus were friends, John and Jesus grew up to be good and kind young men
John loved God but he worried about what God had planned for him he prayed every night in his house
on this night as he prayed John could hear the voice of God talking to him inside his head
god's voice told him that he had a plan for john
god told john to walk through Nazareth over the green hills and out into the desert
there if john thought and prayed some more he would find out what God had planned for him
the next morning john walked out of Nazareth over the hills and into the desert
he took nothing with him he knew God would provide for him
he would miss his family in Nazareth and his friend Jesus
but he knew that God had a plan for him he trusted in God
so for years, john walked all over the desert visiting different small towns and villages
he had no home of his own
he slept outside he ate the things he could find in the desert-like locusts and wild honey
he made his clothes from camel hair
he told everyone he met about god
he wanted all the people to hear about god's plan
years past john had been in the desert for a long time
the townspeople thought he was probably never coming back
one day the town's people of Nazareth were down by the river of Jordan just outside of Nazareth and near the green hills
they were washing their clothes and collecting water from the river
suddenly a man appeared from over the hill
the townspeople gasped and muttered to themselves who was this man where had he come from
as the man got closer they began to recognize him
it was john he was a little older dressed in a thick brown coat made of camel hair
around his waist was a dark brown belt made from camel too
I have returned from the desert god provided me with camels for clothes
for meals god provided wild honey and locust I have prayed and thought and learned so much from god
in the desert, he spoke to me
what did God say to you
repent for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand
prepare for the way of the lord and make his paths straight
with these words, john meant that God was sending a special person to the world the special person would be god's king
John wanted to help the people get ready for the king's arrival
he asked them to pray to god and tell him of their sins and mistakes god would forgive them
John told the people that God had asked him to wash them in the river to cleanse away their sins
and they would be ready for god's king to come and teach them
the town's people of Nazareth weren't sure about John's plan to cleanse them in the river
they thought they were already god's chosen people and they had heard his word why did they need to be washed
was there really a king coming to see them
we have all done evil things and let god down
we have been greedy we have been mean we have been selfish God has told us how we should live
we must clean away the bad things we have done and live the way God wants us to live
then his king will come to us
come into the water and I will wash you this will be your baptism
the townspeople thought and murmured to each other
each and every person could think of something bad they had done
or a time they hadn't lived like God had asked them to live they felt ashamed
they decided John was right
if it was god's will for everyone to be washed clean of their sins and start a new life as god's forgiven children
they would be good and kind and ask God for his forgiveness they would be ready for his king
John waded into the waters of the river of Jordan
he was ready to help the town's people wash away their sins and be cleansed for god
one by one the town's people got cleansed by john
they patiently awaited their turn at the riverbank
news of john and his baptists had spread across the land
some people called Pharisees and Sadducees who did not follow God and his teachings came to see John in the river too
and so john carried on baptizing the people who came to him that loved God and wanted his forgiveness
some people asked if John was the king that God was going to send to save them
John told them that he was just a simple man I will baptize you with water for repentance
but he who is coming after me is mightier than I am not worthy to carry his sandals
he will baptize you with the holy spirit and with fire
for days john baptized the people of Nazareth in the river of Jordan, the water was cool and clear
it washed away all the sins of the town's people as they asked God for his forgiveness
the townspeople thanked god they were excited to start afresh life free of sin
after days of baptisms
all the townspeople and everyone who came to see john to ask for god's forgiveness had been washed clean
the town's people had gone home and John was about to get out of the river
then suddenly someone else appeared
Jesus walked into the river with John and asked John to baptize him
John had known Jesus since he was very young
Jesus was always kind and good he had never disobeyed God or doubted his plans
John thought that Jesus was a better more faithful person than him
Jesus had no sins to wash away
it is I who needs to be baptized by you yet you come to me
let it be like it should be so we can fulfill god's righteous plan
John trusted in Jesus so he took Jesus in his arms and baptized him
when Jesus came back up out of the water
a dazzling light appeared in the sky and shone its light down onto Jesus and john
a tiny white bird fluttered out from the light and landed on Jesus the bird was a dove
it sat there for just a second then the bird disappeared
this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased
now john understood his old friend Jesus was the king sent from god
now that Jesus had been baptized Jesus knew it was time to start spreading the word of his father
he felt the holy spirit speak to him
the holy spirit told Jesus to go out into the wilderness of the desert there he would find god's next plan for him
there was still so much ahead for Jesus he was going to face many tests in the desert and on his journey
this is only the beginning of this story