| JOHN THE BAPTIZER ~ 2 |
| John the Baptizer got his name because he baptized people in the waters of the Jordan River. John told people to make friends with God by telling God they were sorry for bad things they did, and promising to try to quit doing them. That is what it means to repent. There was a king named Herod who took a man's wife away from him. John the Baptizer sent word to King Herod to let her go back to her husband. One day Jesus came to John. "Baptize me," Jesus said. John did not want to because Jesus was so good. But Jesus convinced him because he wanted to be a good example to us all. Then John announced to everyone that Jesus was the Son of God and they should follow him. A few weeks later, some soldiers came from King Herod. The king did not want to let the other man's wife go like John said. He had the soldiers put John in chains. Then, to keep John quiet, King Herod threw John into a dark dungeon where he couldn't preach any more. Herod had never met John in person. He was curious. So sometimes he sent for John and asked him about the new Kingdom of God John said was coming soon. Mostly John stayed in that dark dungeon in the basement of King Herod's castle. While there, Jesus sent him a message assuring him that he was performing miracles to prove he really was the Son of God. That helped John when he was alone and wondering if he had preached the right things. Then one night King Herod had a birthday party. His new wife was as bad as Herod; so was her grown daughter. Her daughter asked Herod to kill John to get him to quit telling him to let his new wife go back to her real husband. So Herod had John killed by some soldiers in the dungeon. But he did not stay alone, for angels were there too. Even though he was now dead, John could suddenly see the angels. They walked together right into heaven, and John lives there even today. |