The Big Picture
Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. He was tempted by the snake in the wilderness for forty days. (And he didn’t give in!) Then, after John was arrested, Jesus walked up to a place called Galilee and he said and did a lot of things there. Like? He preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). He called his first followers and they followed. He “cast out many demons” and “healed many who were sick with various diseases” (1:34). He prayed to his Father in heaven. He cleansed a leper. He forgave the sins and healed the body of a paralyzed man. He dined with tax collectors and sinners and shared the good news with them. He taught large crowds, often using parables—those simple, short (but symbolic!) stories we learned about last lesson. Wow, that’s a lot to say and do! And it all drives us to a very important question: Who is Jesus? Do you think the disciples ever asked that question? In today’s story, we’ll find out what Jesus said and did that made them ask: Who is Jesus?
