THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE - Old Testament, God Makes Everything

The First Disciples

Just before John the Baptist was taken prisoner, he had told two of his men to go and follow Jesus. One man was called Andrew. When he and his friend found Jesus, they started walking behind Him. Jesus turned and said, "What do you want?"

They asked if they could go to where He was staying that evening. They wanted to listen to Him teach. Jesus said yes.

John's followers had learned from John how important it is to listen to the truth. John had said, "One greater than I is coming soon. Follow Him."

As Andrew listened to Jesus, he thought to himself, "I must tell everyone I know that this is the man John was talking about."

Andrew went to find his brother. "Simon! he called. "Simon, we've found the Messiah! Come, Simon, come and we'll take you to Him."

Simon did not know what to think. When Jesus saw him, He said, "You are Simon the son of John. You will be called Cephas or Peter." The names Cephas and Peter both meant "Rock." This was the first time Jesus met Simon. Because of this meeting, Simon soon came to be called Simon Peter. Later he was called Peter.

The next day Jesus went to Galilee. There he saw a man called Philip. "Follow Me," He said, and Philip did.

Philip went to a friend called Nathanael. He said, "We've found the One Moses and the prophets spoke about. It's Jesus from Nazareth!"

Nathanael laughed. He said he did not think there were any good people in Nazareth. But when he actually saw Jesus, Jesus said, "I know you, Nathanael. You believe in God. You try very hard to do what He wants. Just now, I know you were sitting under a fig tree, thinking, when Philip called you."

Nathanael was amazed that Jesus would know what he had been doing. Nathanael said, "I believe. You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel."

Jesus smiled. "Do you believe so easily? I tell you, you will see greater things than these."