Eighteen more years had passed. I was thirty. It was then that John was going about his ministry of preaching, warning people, and baptising those who repented of their sins. In fact, he was sent by me as my forerunner who would prepare a way for me so that people will identify me, though not all, as the promised Prophet that Moses spoke about long back. When I came to him, he announced publicly, “Behold the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world”. He had so much reverence for me that he hesitated to baptise me. However, he did it at my insistence. I got baptised because I wanted to fulfil all righteousness as a man in the likeness of sinful flesh. The Holy Spirit of God descended on me like a dove when I came out of the waters of Jordan. My Father testified of me there that I AM His beloved Son and that He was well pleased in me. The Spirit would be with me all along enabling me to accomplish the purpose on earth for which I had come.

A couple of John’s disciples held on to me. Andrew was the first. He brought his brother Simon (later Peter), a fisherman, to me. I told him that I would make them fishers of men from then on. I called Philip to follow me the next day. All of these belonged to Bethsaida of Galilee. I had shifted there from Nazareth sometime back. Philip introduced Nathaniel to me not knowing I knew him already. In fact, I knew and know every one of those I would call to be my disciples. I saw James and his brother John by the seashore mending their nets. I called them. They left their father and their livelihood behind to follow me. Mathew was collecting tax when I called him. I had Simon the Canaanite as one of my disciples. Thomas, the one who confessed I the Lord am his God was another. My circle of disciples grew to twelve with James (Jr), Thaddeus and Judas Iscariot, the thief, traitor, and son of perdition. Satan would keep watch on me through him and a few others to tempt, trouble, and torment me until it was time for my final encounter.

I turned water into wine in a wedding at Cana. It was nothing new to me though it was a great shock to the chief of the servants of the bridegroom. I had turned water of the river Nile into blood in Egypt long time ago. I had also turned sweet, the bitter water of Marah for my people in the wilderness. And with just a green twig, I had removed the poison from water for Elisha’s disciples to drink.

I was consumed by zeal for my Father’s house when I visited the Jerusalem temple. I saw people had perverted the temple complex into a marketplace. I took a whip to drive the merchants and moneychangers away. When they asked me a sign about the one who authorised me to do this ‘cleansing’. I told them, “Destroy this sanctuary and I will raise it up in three days”. I was talking about my body, but they did not understand it. Two false witnesses used this statement against me when I was being tried by the High Priest’s council, shortly before my death.

I taught my disciples how to pray to my Father. I showed them what humility is by washing their feet one day. I told them that he that humbles himself to be a servant would be the leader. I advised them that they should accept the kingdom of God as an innocent child would.

I was with them in a boat one night, fast asleep when they rushed to me panicking. They thought they would drown in a storm that had erupted in no time. I stilled the storm and calmed the wind. After all, they are my creation. However, they were taken aback seeing that the wind and the seas obeyed me. Did they not know that I had parted the Red sea for my people to walk on dry ground when they came out of Egypt long years ago? I had also rolled back the waters of Jordan for them to walk across it as they entered the promised land.

My disciples also watched me drive away demons and heal the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the lame and maimed and cleanse lepers. Even Peter’s mother-in-law was immediately healed by me of her fever when we visited her. One day, I appreciated the faith of a centurion. I healed his servant who was in his death bed. I even raised up the dead – one of which was my own friend Lazarus, and this after four days of his death. His sisters Martha and Mary fed us and lodged us a few times in Bethany. There were other women too who helped us with their substance. Salome, wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John was one. Mary, mother of James (Jr) and Joses was another.