jesus and salvation: biblical passages and...

Jesus and salvation: biblical passages and evidence

A seminar on salvation and eternal life (Bible version: New International Version)

Seminar main topics

• Session 1: Eternal life, heaven and the fall

• Session 2: God’s plan for man’s salvation

• Session 3: God’s solution for man’s salvation

• Session 4: The full picture from the New Testament

SESSION 1: ETERNAL LIFE, HEAVEN, THE FALL (BACK TO MAIN SEMINAR TOPICS)

God

• Was there before creation – Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the

heavens and the earth.

• Created man – Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make

mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,

and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Man

• Was to rule over all creation; He is holy – Genesis 1:26 “rule over all creation” – Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them” – Genesis 1:31 “…it was very good”

• Was to live in Eden forever, if … – Genesis 2:8 “Now the LORD God had planted a garden

in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”

– Genesis 2:17 “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

But man disobeyed = sinned

• Disobedience = mortal and death – Genesis 3:6-7 … She also gave some to her

husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

– Genesis 3:19 … to dust you will return.

• Banished from the perfect world – Genesis 3:23 So the LORD God banished him from the

Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Human nature = evil

• First murder (eldest murders the younger)

– Genesis 4:8 …While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

• Man’s heart is evil all the time

– Genesis 6:5-6 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled

God’s justice and love

• God’s judgment on man – Genesis 6:7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face

of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

• Noah – Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of

the LORD. – Genesis 6:9 Noah was a righteous man,

blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.

God’s judgment

• The flood

– Genesis 7:17-23 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth ...18 The waters … 19 rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 21 Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind… 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out;

– Years after the fall = 1,656 years

God’s covenant

• The covenant (Genesis 8:20-22) – Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some

of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

– 21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

– 22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

The repopulation of the earth

• Noah’s sons - Genesis 10-11 – Shem: from where the Jews will come (through

Arphaxad) – Ham: from where the Canaanites will come – Japheth: from where the rest of the world’s

population will come (including us)

• The different races/tribes as we now know them – Genesis 11:9 … it was called Babel—because there

the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Kingdoms, civilization timeline

http://www.ddplnet.com/Timeline_world.pdf

Man’s problem: he cannot reach God

• All fall short: Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

• Man’s way: Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

• Satan owns man: Luke 4:5-6 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

• None qualified: Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one;…

From the “Four Spiritual Laws” ©Campus Crusade for Christ

Romans 1: 18-32 commentary on man’s nature

• 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

• 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.


• 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him,

• 23 … exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles

• 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

• 25 worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.


• 26 … God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.

• 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

• 29 … filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.


• … full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.

• … gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;

• 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.

• 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them

The final destination

• Revelation 20:11-15 – 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was

seated on it ... 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life.

– The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 each person was judged according to what they had done.

– 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Man’s attempts to reach God Passage The efforts

Genesis 4:3-5 Sacrifices to God were made

Genesis 10:8 Nimrod, tower of Babel

Genesis 14:18 Melchizedek

Genesis 30:27 Laban - divination

Genesis 31:19 Rachel stole her father’s gods

Exodus 6:11-12 Egyptian secret arts

Judges 6:25-26 Gideon’s father – Baal worship and Asherah poles

Judges 16:23 Dagon, god of the Philistines

1Samuel 28:7-12 Saul consults a witch

Google images

SESSION 2: GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN’S SALVATION (BACK TO MAIN SEMINAR TOPICS)

God and the chosen people

• Abraham’s call and charge – Genesis 12:2-3 “I will make you into a great

nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

• Abraham’s descendants = the future “Israelites” – Genesis 12-50/15:13 Then the LORD said to him,

“Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own …

Abraham’s lineage Noah (502 yrs old)

Shem (100 yrs old)

Arphaxad (born 2 yrs after the flood)

Peleg (born 101 yrs after the flood)

Serug (born 163 yrs after the flood)

Nahor (born 193 yrs after the flood)

Abraham (born 292 yrs after the flood)

Terah (born 222 yrs after the flood)

The chosen people

• Genesis 15: God’s covenant with Abraham • Genesis 17: The covenant of circumcision

– Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, his male people and later Keturah’s sons

• Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorrah • Genesis 21: Isaac • Genesis 27: Jacob and the birthright • Genesis 37: Jacob is renamed Israel • Genesis 37: Joseph • Genesis 47: Jacob and the family live in Egypt (=582

years after the flood)

The chosen people

• Exodus: Moses

• God’s plan for the Israelites

– Exodus 19:5-6 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

Moses’ lineage

Levi

Gershon, Kohath, Merari

Kohath

Amram Jochebed, sister of Kohath (his aunt!)

Aaron Miriam Moses

Jacob Leah

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun

@2000BC

@1527BC

God’s way to heaven

• The Ten Commandments (=Exodus 20) • The Laws of Living (=Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) • The Sacrifices (=Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

– Exodus 31:24-29 foretold of the people’s disobedience and its consequences

• The chosen people’s response – First generation was wiped out in the desert except Joshua and Caleb – Joshua:

• The people obeyed God (=second generation) • Took the promised land, had peace

– Judges: the third generation forgot God • Turned to idolatry and pagan form of living • A roller coaster relationship with God, mostly going downhill

– The kings and the prophets – The Fall of Israel and Judah

Sacrifices in Genesis Act/person Sacrifice/Offering Purpose Reference

Ate from tree of good and

evil; realized they were

naked

God made garments

of skin – was an

animal sacrificed?

Proper covering of

nakedness?

Genesis 3:21

Cain – some fruits of the

soil

Offering To God -

Thanksgiving?

Genesis 4:3

Abel – fat portions of

firstborn of the flock

Offering To God -

Thanksgiving?

Genesis 4:4

Noah – built an altar;

some clean animals and

birds

Burnt offering To God –

Thanksgiving?

Genesis 8:20

God told Abraham to get

a heifer, a goat, and a ram

(3 yrs old), a dove, and a

young pigeon

A smoking firepot

and blazing torch

passed through the

halves of these

animals

After this – God made

a covenant

Genesis

15:9-17


Go to Mt. Moriah Isaac – the first born son God testing

Abraham if he

fears God and not

withhold his son

from Him

Genesis

22:1-19

Isaac after God appeared

to him telling him not to

be afraid for He is with him

Isaac built an altar and

called on the name of the

Lord

Praise and

thanksgiving?

Genesis

26:25

Jacob – after agreement

with Laban; place called

Mizpah

Sacrifice done by Jacob

(=not clear what)

Agreement?;

thanksgiving?

Fellowship?

Genesis

31:54


Eve of exodus: Lamb (one

year old male without

defect) may also take a

goat

Slaughter at twilight;

blood (from bunches of

hyssop) on doorframes of

houses where lamb is

eaten; leftovers to be

burned

Passover Exodus 12

Old Testament Sacrificial System (as instructed by God to Moses)

Sacrifices in Leviticus Act/person Sacrifice/Offering Purpose Reference

Sins unintentionally and

does what is forbidden in

the Lord’s commands

Sin offering Forgiveness Leviticus 4:1

Anointed priest sins Young bull without

defect

Sin offering Leviticus 4:3-

12

Whole Israeli community

sins

Young bull Sin offering Leviticus

4:13-21

Leader sins Male goat without

defect

Sin offering Leviticus

4:22-26


Member of the community sins • Does not testify or speak

up • Touches anything

ceremonially unclean • Thoughtlessly takes an

oath; careless swearing

Female goat without

defect Sin offering

Leviticus

4:27-34 Lamb – female

without defect Sin offering

Cannot afford a lamb –

two doves or pigeons Sin offering

Leviticus 5:1-

13 Cannot afford doves or

pigeons: a tenth of an

ephah of fine flour

Sin offering


Commits a violation and sins

unintentionally in regard to

any of the Lord’s holy things

Ram without defect

from the flock;

Slaughtered on altar of

burnt offering; blood

sprinkled on the sides

of the altar; eaten in a

holy place

Guilt offering =

most holy Leviticus

5:14-19;

Leviticus 6:1-

6

Sins and does what is

forbidden in any of the Lord’s

commands even though he

does not know it

Deceives his neighbor

Cheats his neighbor

Finds lost property and lies

about it

Swears falsely

Leviticus 6:1-

7

Tabernacle (Moses)

Google images http://av.goodseed.com/tabplace/images/tabernacle-painted.jpg

Tabernacle layout (Moses)

Google images; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Tabernacle.png

Temple (Solomon)

Google images; http://sacredsymbolic.com/files/2009/02/solomons_temple_jerusalem.jpg

Temple (Solomon)

Google images; http://warnock.templebuilders.com/Solstem.gif

Temple (Herod, Jesus’ time)

Google images; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Jerus-n4i.jpg/350px-Jerus-n4i.jpg


Google images

http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2008/images/her_tem_plan.jpg

Punishments Act/wrong Death penalty Cut-off Reference(s)

Gives children to Molech Yes – stoning Leviticus 20:1-2

Approves of the sacrifice to Molech Yes Leviticus 20:3-5

Turns to mediums and spiritists Yes Leviticus 20:6

Practicing as a medium or spiritist Yes - stoning Leviticus 20:27

Curses father and mother Yes – stoning Leviticus 20:9

Commits adultery with another man’s

wife

Yes – stoning; For

both of them

Leviticus 20:10

Sleeps with his father’s wife

(=dishonors the father)

Yes – stoning; For

both of them

Leviticus 20:11

Sleeps with one’s daughter in law

(=perversion)

Yes – stoning; Both

of them

Leviticus 20:12

Man lies with another man as one

lies with a woman (=detestable)

Yes – stoning; Both

of them

Leviticus 20:13

Punishments Act/wrong Death penalty Cut-off Reference(s)

Man marries both the woman and

her mother (=wicked)

Yes – burned in the

fire

Leviticus 20:14

Man/woman has sexual relations

with an animal

Yes- stoning? both Leviticus

20:15,16

Man marries his sister (=disgrace) Yes Leviticus 20:17

Man lies with a woman during her

monthly period

Yes; both Leviticus 20:18

Sexual relations with the aunt or

uncle (=dishonor a close relative)

None – just a “Don’t” Leviticus 20:19-

20

Man marries his brother’s wife (=act

of impurity)

None – will be childless Leviticus 20:21

SESSION 3: GOD’S WAY TO HEAVEN (BACK TO MAIN SEMINAR TOPICS)


• The Savior will come • The perfect sacrifice for sin for all men • Fulfilled all requirements for the salvation of His own

creation • The prophecies:

– Crush Satan’s head (=Gen 3:15) the Fall @2,000 yrs before flood – Virgin birth (=Isaiah 7:14) @730BC – Born in Bethlehem (=Micah 5:2) @700BC – From the tribe of Judah (=Gen 49:10) @1400BC – Descendant of King David (=Jeremiah 23:5) @617BC – When he will come (=Daniel 9:24-26) @600BC – The Lamb as the perfect sacrifice (=Exodus to Leviticus)

@1530BC


• Prophecies: perfect sacrifice and future glory – Guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10) @740BC – Lamb led to slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19/Isaiah 53:7) @740BC,

670BC – Hanged on a tree; crucifixion scenes (Deuteronomy; Psalms 2,

22, 34) @1530BC/@1000BC – Redeemer (Ruth) @1200BC – Resurrection (Isaiah 25,26) @740BC – The only Savior (Isaiah 43,45) @740BC – Blessing to all nations (Psalm 72, 88) @1000BC – He is God (Genesis1, Micah 5:2, Psalm 90:2) @1530BC/ 1000BC/

750BC – Will establish an everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 9:7) @730BC

The Savior came

• Jesus is born (@2,460 yrs after the flood)

– Conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35) • Virgin birth

– Announced by the angels (Luke 8:10-11) • Good News: the Savior is born! • Great joy to the people • Angels are ecstatic

– Seen by: • Shepherds • Magi • Chosen people

Jesus’ Ministry

• Baptism in the Jordan river by John the baptizer: – God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit were there

(Mark 1:10-11; Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 3:21-23; John 1:29-34)

• The four gospels tell of his teachings, miracles and claims about himself – 30 years old; – Three (3) year ministry – Start from Galilee area – Ends in Jerusalem - suffered (crucified), died,

resurrection)

• Born in Bethlehem • Grew up in Nazareth (30

yrs) • Baptized in the Jordan

river (=Bethany in Perea; Bethabara)

• Started ministry in the Galilee area

• Passed through Samaria • Finished ministry in

Jerusalem

Map of Israel during Jesus’ time

(Including the roads)

Google images; http://www.bible-history.com/maps/ Map -Palestine-New-Testament-Times.jpg

Jesus’ words on His ministry

• Luke 4: 18-21 (in Nazareth) – 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to

him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

– 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

– 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”


• Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or

the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them

• Mark 2:10 – But I want you to know that the Son of Man has

authority on earth to forgive sins.”

• John 5:24 – “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and

believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life


• John 11:25-26 – 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the

life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

• John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and

the life. No one comes to the Father except through me

Jesus declares He is God

• John 1:18

– No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, …

• John 5:37

– “And the Father himself, who sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.”

Jesus declares He is God

• John 8:23-24 – And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am

from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

• John 12:44-45: – “Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in

Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.”

• John 14:9 – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”

God the Father’s affirmation

• Matthew 17:2-3,

– 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

– 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Jesus’ sacrifice

• Betrayed • Abandoned by His friends • Unjustly judged • Flogged • Crowned with thorns • Spat at, sneered, mocked • Via Dolorosa • Nailed to the cross • The ultimate humiliation • Died a most difficult

death

God’s love for the

world ↓

(Jesus had no sin yet He suffered the full penalty

of sin)

Google images; http://scripturechildren.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/maps-jerusalem-33ad.jpg

Golgotha traditional site

Golgotha? Google images

Looks like the skull The top is the calvarium

Google images; http://www.covenantkeepers.co.uk/images/golgotha.jpg

Jesus’ words on His work of salvation

• Luke 23:43 – Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you

will be with me in paradise.” (=after death man either goes to paradise or to the place of torment)

• Matthew 27:46 – About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a

loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (=God the Father placed the sin of man on Jesus – cut off the relationship with His Son)

Jesus’ words on His work of salvation

• John 19:29; Mark 15:36; Matthew 27:48

– Drank (wine vinegar) from stalk of a hyssop plant

• John 19:30

– When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (=Jesus’ work of salvation is done)

The perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 9)

Elements Old Testament New Testament

High priest Imperfect people Jesus, the sinless man

Tabernacle Man-made Perfect, not man made – It is heaven itself

The sacrifice Bulls, calves, lamb, goats

Jesus himself

Entry; # of sacrifices

Several times Only once

Means of entry Blood of bulls and calves

Blood of Jesus

Redemption Temporary Eternal

At Jesus’ death

• Darkness in the afternoon (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45)

• An earthquake (Matthew 27:51) • Veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom

(Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45) • Tombs open and holy people raised to life (Matthew

27:52) • Centurion: “He is the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54;

Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45) • Women watching from a distance; support group

(Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:40; Luke 23:49)

Parallels in the Old Testament and Jesus’ sacrifice

Guilt offering: ram, unblemished Offering: Jesus without sin

Passover process 1. Unblemished lamb (ram) 2. Blood placed on the

doorframes with hyssop plant

Sacrifice for sin once for all: 1. Jesus (without sin) 2. Sin of man placed on Jesus 3. Blood shed for the

forgiveness of all sin (debt is paid in full)

4. Drank from hyssop pole

5. “It is finished”

God passed over Israelites – sparing them from death

Veil of temple rent – man can now access God directly because of Jesus’ sacrifice

Sabbath: God rested from His work of creation

Sabbath: Jesus, God, rested from His work of salvation


Google images; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Jerus-n4i.jpg/350px-Jerus-n4i.jpg


Veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom

Google images

http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2008/images/her_tem_plan.jpg

Why “It is finished!”?

• Jesus, the man without sin, made the perfect sacrifice – Hebrews 9:22 … without the shedding of blood there is no

forgiveness – Hebrews 10:12-14 12 But when this priest had offered for

all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

– 1Peter 1: 18-19 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Why was Jesus crucified outside the city walls?

• Hebrews 13:11-14 – 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into

the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.

– 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.

– 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Jesus shows He is God

• Luke 24:4-7 =The Resurrection – 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly

two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Jesus shows He is God

• John 20:26-27 = after the resurrection; closed room

– 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Jesus shows He is God, the Savior

• Matthew 28: 18-20 = before ascension

– 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus shows He is God, the Savior

• Mark 16:15-16 – 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach

the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

• Luke 24:50-51 (The Ascension, 40 days after the resurrection) – 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of

Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

• Born in Bethlehem • Grew up in Nazareth (30

yrs) • Baptized in the Jordan

river (=Bethany in Perea; Bethabara)

• Started ministry in the Galilee area

• Passed through Samaria • Finished ministry in

Jerusalem • Resurrection • Ascension

Map of Israel during Jesus’ time

Google images; http://www.bible-history.com/maps/ Map -Palestine-New-Testament-Times.jpg

Jesus’ warning

• Matthew 10:32-33 – 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will

also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

• Mark 8:38 – “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this

adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Jesus’ warning

• Matthew 12:32

– Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Jesus will be back

• Acts 1: 10-11 (The angels tell of Jesus coming back, immediately after He ascended to heaven)

– 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

– 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Jesus said He will be back

• Luke 21:27

– 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory

• Mark 13:26-27

– 26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

Jesus said He will be back

• Matthew 25:31-46 – 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will

separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

– 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, …

– 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…

– 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

SESSION 4: THE WHOLE PICTURE FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT (BACK TO MAIN SEMINAR TOPICS)

The explanation from the gospels and the letters

• Jesus is God, He is the creator – John 1:1-4 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the

Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

• Jesus became man – John 1:14 14 The Word became flesh and made his

dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth


• Man rejected Him – John 1:10-13 10 He was in the world, and though the world

was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

• Jesus is God’s love – John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


• God’s purposeful love – Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in

this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled scripture – John 3:14-15 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the

wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

• He died for sin once for all – 1Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the

righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.


• Jesus made the perfect sacrifice; He had no sin – Hebrews 9:22 … without the shedding of blood there is no

forgiveness – Hebrews 10:12-14 12 But when this priest had offered for

all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

– 1Peter 1: 18-19 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.


• The meaning of the cross – Colossians 2:13-14 13 When you were dead in your

sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

• Only Jesus can save – Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there

is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

How can we be saved?

• Acts 2:38 – Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you,

in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

• Acts 16:30-31 – 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I

do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

• Romans 10:13 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be

saved.”

How can we be saved?

• Ephesians 2:8-9

– 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

• Romans 10:9-10

– 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved

What will we do?

1. Recognize our sins and be sorry

2. Confess these to the Lord (1John 1:9)

3. Believe in the Lord Jesus as the only way to heaven and He is Lord of all

4. Make Him the Lord of your life from now on

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all

unrighteousness

A suggested prayer of faith

• Lord Jesus, I need you.

• Thank you for dying on the cross and saving me from the fires of hell and painful torment forever. Thank you for giving me eternal life.

• I am sorry for my sins and confess them to you.

• I ACCEPT YOU AS my LORD AND SAVIOR.

• Do with me according to what your plan for my life.

• Amen.

Who empowers us to live the Christian life and share this great news?

• Acts 1:8

– 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (answer=the Holy Spirit)

Who empowers us to live the Christian life and share this great news?

• Acts 2: 17-20 (= Peter quoting the prophet Joel) – “‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

What happens to us when we die?

• We face judgment – Hebrews 9:27 Just as people are destined

to die once, and after that to face judgment, (=there is no soul sleep or annihilation)

• There are only two places where we will go – Luke 16:19-25 In Abraham’s bosom or in Hades

where one is in torment in the flames

– Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (=Abraham’s bosom is now called Paradise)

What will happen to the Christians when Jesus comes back?

• On the second coming:

– 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 The dead in Christ will rise first … we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (=we will meet the Lord in the air and will be with Him forever)

What will happen to the Christians when Jesus comes back?

• 1Corinthians 15:51-54 – 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but

we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

– 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (=we will have new bodies similar to the resurrected body of Christ)

My confidence in the Bible

• Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never

pass away

• 2Timothy 3: 16-17 – 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,

rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any

double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”

The answer

• Why do we need Jesus? – Without Him man has no hope

– Without Him all men will end up in hell together with Satan and his followers (imagine having Lucifer or Satan as your next door neighbor, both of you suffering forever and ever)

– We need Jesus to have salvation and to end up in heaven with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in perfect joy and peace forever and ever

GOD BLESS YOU (BACK TO MAIN SEMINAR TOPICS)

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