Gospels & Acts · 16 stories
Stories
The Birth of Jesus
This arc opens with Matthew's formal genealogy tracing Jesus through three sets of fourteen generations from Abraham to Joseph—a list rather than a story, yet the foundation on which the story rests. The narrative then begins in earnest: Joseph, discovering Mary is pregnant before their marriage, resolves to let her go quietly, until an angel appears in a dream and commands him to take her as his wife and name the child Jesus—which he does at once. Wise men from the east follow a star to the child, worship him with gifts, and slip home by another road, leaving Herod furious; an angel warns Joseph to flee, the family escapes to Egypt while Herod's soldiers kill Bethlehem's young sons, and only after Herod's death does another dream send Joseph home—settling at last in Nazareth.
12 parts
John the Baptist Preaches
John emerges in the wilderness, drawing crowds to repentance-baptism while boldly challenging religious leaders and heralding a mightier one to come.
3 parts
The Baptism of Jesus
Jesus comes to John at the Jordan, overcomes his hesitation, is baptized, and receives the Spirit as a heavenly voice declares him God's beloved Son.
4 parts
The Temptation of Jesus
Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus fasts forty days and then faces Satan's three escalating challenges — to turn stones to bread, to throw himself from the temple, and to worship Satan in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world — answering each with Scripture until Satan departs.
8 parts
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
Jesus launches his Galilean ministry and calls four fishermen who immediately leave everything to follow him, as crowds from across the region gather around him.
6 parts
The Sermon on the Mount
On a mountain, Jesus sits and teaches: he blesses the poor in spirit, the mourning, and the meek; calls his followers salt and light; declares he has come to fulfill the law, not abolish it — sharpening it so that even anger brings judgment and a broken relationship must be mended before any offering is made. He teaches his disciples to pray in private using a model prayer to their Father in heaven, urges them not to worry since God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies, presses them toward the narrow gate, and closes with a parable: the one who hears and obeys is a builder on rock whose house survives every storm, while the one who only hears builds on sand and falls — leaving the crowds astonished at his authority.
12 parts
Healings and Harvest Call
A series of healings — a raised girl, a cured woman, two blind men, and a mute man — sparks both crowd wonder and Pharisee opposition, moving Jesus to call for harvest workers.
10 parts
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Jesus appoints twelve apostles, sends them to Israel with authority to heal and preach, and prepares them for opposition, cost, and courage.
7 parts
Feeding the Five Thousand
Shaken by news that Herod thinks Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead, Jesus withdraws by boat—yet compassion overtakes his solitude and he feeds thousands in the wilderness with five loaves and two fish, filling every mouth and filling twelve baskets with the leftovers; that same night, walking on the storm-tossed sea, he calls Peter out onto the water, catches him when Peter's courage fails and he sinks, and when both climb into the boat the wind dies and the disciples fall at his feet, confessing him as the Son of God.
10 parts
The Transfiguration
Jesus is gloriously transformed before Peter, James, and John on a mountain — his face blazing like the sun, Moses and Elijah at his side, and a heavenly voice commanding them to listen to him — and as they descend he both silences them about the vision and answers their puzzled questions about Elijah, telling them Elijah has already come, and they understand he means John the Baptizer.
9 parts
Teaching on Forgiveness and Humility
Jesus uses a child, a lost sheep, and a parable of debt to teach his disciples that kingdom life means humble welcome, bold confrontation of sin, and limitless forgiveness.
8 parts
The Triumphal Entry
Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem as crowds hail him king, stirring the whole city to ask who this prophet from Nazareth is.
4 parts
Jesus Confronts the Temple Leaders
Jesus confronts temple corruption, silences challengers with parables and counter-questions, and debates religious leaders on authority, taxes, resurrection, and the law.
14 parts
The Olivet Discourse
Jesus warns against religious hypocrisy, pronounces woes on the Pharisees, predicts the temple's destruction, and teaches his disciples to watch and serve faithfully as judgment draws near.
10 parts
The Passion of Jesus
From conspiracy and betrayal through a last supper, arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus moves steadily toward death and burial while his disciples scatter and fail him.
29 parts
The Resurrection of Jesus
From a sealed tomb to a Galilean mountaintop, the risen Jesus appears to the women and disciples, while authorities bribe guards to deny it, and Jesus sends his followers to all nations.
8 parts