1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'" 4And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" 15But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. 16Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

 

What Does It Mean to Repent?

 

To repent means to feel sorrow about something we did or did not do, and there is a desire in our hearts to do better and we want to do right the next time. To repent means to turn away from doing bad and do good. The bad things we do are called sins. In fact, anything that does not please God is sin. True repentance always brings a change in our hearts. One little girl once said: "To repent means to be sorry enough to quit." If we pray to Jesus, He will help us to have power to quit. He can change a sinful heart into a clean heart. He will take away our sins and put His Spirit in our hearts. Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to come into your heart?

 

This little girl is praying to Jesus. She is confessing or telling Jesus how sorry she is for her sins. She is sorry for all the bad things she has done. Jesus will hear her prayer and forgive her. He will help her to do only the right things. He will give her a clean pure heart. Praying to Jesus every day will make her strong to do those things which please Him.

 

Unusual Witnesses

 

 The Godhead was present at the special baptism of Jesus Christ: (1) God, the Father, who spoke from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (2) God, the Son, who was being baptized by John the Baptist. His human name was Jesus because He came to save us from our sins. (3) God, the Holy Spirit, who came down from heaven like a dove, resting upon Jesus.

 

How wonderful the love of God is toward us that He should show Himself to us in these three ways!

 

 

 

 

LESSON 4. JESUS IS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL

 

Matthew 4:1:11

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command  that these stones become bread." 4But He answered and said, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by  bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 5Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge concerning you,' and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" 7Jesus said to him, "It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" 8Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." 10Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" 11Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

 

 

B. Learn this verse: "‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" —Matthew 4:10b

 

Jesus Does Not Obey the Devil

 

The devil tried to get Jesus to obey him. Jesus knew the voice of Satan. (Another name for the devil is Satan, which is used in Lesson 4.) The devil tried to get Jesus to use His power in a wrong way. This is called a temptation. He tried to tempt Jesus to do wrong. But Jesus did not obey the devil. In this way Jesus overcame the devil and did not sin. Three temptations came to Jesus, but Jesus did not obey any of them. Just think, the devil even wanted Jesus to bow down and worship him! We must never worship the devil! It is very wrong. Jesus could have been rich in the things of this world if He had listened to Satan, but Jesus did not want to be rich if it meant listening to Satan and serving him. So we must be careful, too. We must not try to get riches by doing wrong, such as cheating or stealing or by denying our Lord Jesus Christ. We

must always put Christ first in our lives and do His will even if it means we must be poor. Jesus became poor for you and me so that we could have everlasting life and someday go to live with Him forever (2 Corinthians 8:9).

 

We must never use power in the wrong way, either. We should always try to keep all the laws of nature and keep good care of our bodies. Jesus taught us this when He would not throw Himself down from the dizzy height of the pinnacle. We must never harm or hurt our bodies on purpose.

 

A Secret Jesus Used

 

Every time the devil tempted Jesus to do wrong, Jesus used the WORD of GOD. This is what you and I must do. God has given us the Bible to read. The Bible is the Word of God. Reading the Bible makes us strong. We should learn many Bible verses to help us overcome the devil. When a temptation comes to us, it is not yet a sin. If we obey the temptation, then it is a sin. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:15b that Jesus "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Jesus never obeyed any temptation of the devil.

 

Remember This

 

Any voice that comes to you to try and get you to do wrong is the voice of Satan. It is not God's voice! Right away pray to Jesus to make you strong so that you will not obey the voice of Satan. When Satan sees that he cannot tempt you to do wrong, he will go away and leave you just like the devil went away and left Jesus.

 

 

 

 

LESSON 5. JESUS CHOOSES HELPERS

 

Matthew 4:17-22

17From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 18Now Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20Then they immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And He called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

 

 

LESSON 6. WHAT CHRIST TAUGHT

 

Matthew 5:1-12

1And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. 2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

 

Blessed Are the Merciful

 

One day a man was traveling over dangerous land when he met a dog with a wounded foot. This man took time to look at the dog's foot and found a thorn in it. He carefully took the thorn out, washed the dog's foot, and bandaged it with his own handkerchief. The dog then went its own way.

 

Some time later, it happened that this man was captured by some Indians. He was held a prisoner and was to be killed. All at once the Indian chief's dog ran to this man and began to lick his hands and show all kinds of affection and love for him! The Indian chief found out his dog had been saved by this very man. He was so thankful for this kind act that he set this man free.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." —Matthew 5:7

 

The Beatitudes

 

In Lesson 6 there are nine "blesseds." We call these the Beatitudes. Although God gave us ten commandments, Jesus gave us only nine Beatitudes. However, in Revelation, chapter 22, verse 14, another "Blessed" has been given to us — "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."

 

 

 

 

LESSON 7. JESUS TEACHES US HOW TO PRAY

 

Matthew 6:5-15

5"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

 

 

LESSON 8. GOD'S DAILY CARE

 

Matthew 6:25-34

25"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘What shall we wear?' 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

 

 

 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." —Matthew 6:33

 

The Lesson of the Birds

 

Have you ever watched the little birds flying through the sky? They are happy. They have no worries. They are not afraid. Every morning they wake up singing. Each day they are thankful for the food they find to eat. They do not worry about food for tomorrow. They know there will be food for them tomorrow. They trust God to take good care of them.

 

You and I must be like the birds. We must be happy and sing praises to God every morning, every day. We must not worry about our food for tomorrow. God, who made the birds and helps them find food each day, will help us to have food each day also. We must trust Him. We are worth much more than many birds.

 

The Lesson of the Lilies

 

Have you ever seen lilies? They are beautiful cuplike flowers that often grow in the fields. They have lovely petals. Sometimes these flowers are pure white. Jesus said these lilies are clothed more beautifully than the great rich King Solomon was! Yet the lilies do not worry what they shall wear or what they shall put on. God has given them their beauty and dressed them in pretty colors. You and I must learn to trust God for our clothes. He made us and He wants us to trust Him for things to wear. We are worth much more than lilies.

 

The Most Important Thing

 

God's promise to you and to me is found in the verse to learn. We must seek God first. He must be first in our thoughts, first in our hearts, and first in our lives. We must live for Him and love Him best of all and better than anything in the world. When we let Him be first, He will take care of us much better than we could ever take care of ourselves!

 

 

 

 

LESSON 9. GOD'S GOODNESS TO US

 

Matthew 7:7-12

7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 

Lessons From the Scripture Above

 

1. God answers prayer and it is our Father in heaven to whom we must pray.

2. The love of our heavenly Father for us is much more than even the love of our earthly parents. Therefore He will give us good things, or things that are good for us.

3. The earnest seeker after God will be rewarded.

4. All the teachings of the Bible bring out this one great truth — to do unto others as we would have others do unto us. "Others" means every living person and not just a person of your own race or creed.

 

hatever you want men to do to you, do also to them." —Matthew 7:12a

 

What the Golden Rule Has Done

 

When men and women live the Golden Rule and follow what it says, wonderful things happen. Here are some of them:

1. Hospitals are built for the sick.

2. Homes are built to help the poor, for children without parents, or for old people who have no one to take care of them.

3. Prisons have been improved and made cleaner.

4. People have been made free. They are no longer bought or sold as slaves.

5. Food and clothes are sometimes given out to the poor.

6. People love each other and try to help make burdens lighter and easier to bear.

7. Leaders try to make laws or rules to protect those under them.

8. People are given freedom to worship God as they feel they should.

 

 

 

LESSON 10. THE TWO BUILDERS

 

Matthew 7:24-29

24"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  25and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

 

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only." —James 1:22a

 

LESSON 11. THE WINDS AND THE SEA OBEY JESUS

 

Matthew 8:23-27

23Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 26But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

 

A Storm at Sea

 

Jesus and His disciples were in a big ship out on the water. Jesus was tired and had fallen asleep. While He was sleeping, a big storm or tempest came up and the waves of water got so big that they covered the ship! The disciples were afraid, so they woke Jesus up. Jesus must have been surprised that the disciples were afraid when He was with them. But when He saw their faith was so small, He got up and told the winds and the sea to be quiet. The waves of the sea became peaceful and calm. The disciples realized that here was a Man different from any man they ever knew. Truly, this Man was the Son of God! Even the winds and the sea obeyed Him!

 

 

Years ago a mother and her two little daughters were on a big ship in the sea. Something happened to the ship, and it began to sink. Some of the people on the ship were afraid, but this mother and her two daughters loved Jesus and trusted in Him. Do you know what the oldest daughter said? She said to her mother, "Mama, the sea is His, for He made it, and so we are not afraid to go down, for we shall not be beyond His care." With shining faces they met death in the deep sea. Remember this, my dear friend, that "NO REAL HARM CAN COME TO US WHEN JESUS IS WITH US."

 

 

 

 

LESSON 12. WE MUST TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS

 

Matthew 10:28-33

28"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

 

Confession of Christ Is Necessary

 

Jesus Christ has promised us that if we confess Him before men here, He will also confess us before God in heaven. This is very wonderful. To confess Him means to stand up for Him in our actions and in what we say. Are you telling others about Jesus and His great Power to save us from our sins? Are you telling other people what He has done for you and how He has saved you? These are some of the things we must do if we want to confess Him before men. However, if we are ashamed of Jesus and do not speak up for Him, and if we fail to do the things He is asking us to do for Him, then we are denying our Lord before men. This is very serious and makes the heart of Jesus very sad. We must ask Jesus to forgive us and we must trust Him to help us do those things which are pleasing in His sight. Then we will never know what it means

for Jesus to deny us before God in heaven.

 

We Need Not Fear Man

 

Some men are very wicked. They do terrible things. Sometimes they kill people. But they can kill only the body; they cannot kill the soul. The soul is that part of us which never dies. When our body dies, our soul goes back to God who gave it. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27b). You and I will have to give an account of our actions to God. Romans 14:12 says, "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." It is God that we must fear. See Ecclesiastes 12:13b and 14. "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil."

 

God has told us not to be afraid what man can do to us. They may say evil things against us falsely; they may hurt us; they may even kill us, but God says we are still to trust Him. God knows all things! He even knows how many hairs are in our head! God knows all things! He even knows when a little sparrow or bird falls to the ground. We are of much greater value than many, many sparrows! He will never forget us! In Hebrews 13, verse 5b, God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

 

 

 

 

LESSON 13. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

 

Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23

1On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  3Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  6But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  8But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" "18Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

 

What Is a Parable?

 

A parable is a short story to illustrate or make clear a moral or religious truth.

 

 

 

The Meaning Of The Parable Explained

B. Read the lesson again for the meaning of the parable and fill the blanks with the correct words.

1. The seeds that fell by the wayside are like the people who hear theof the kingdom of God but do not_it (19). Then the wicked one comes and takes away the truth from their hearts.

2. The seeds that fell on stony places are like the people who hear the  and receive it with joy (20). But because there is not much room in their hearts for the Word, the Word cannot take root, and as soon as tribulations or persecutions come along they_(21).

3. The seeds that fell among thorns are like people who hear the Word, but they get too busy with the cares of this  _ such as housework, cooking, sewing, business, or seeking pleasure. Also the riches of this world deceive them and choke the _, and they become (22).

4. The seeds that fell on good ground are like people who hear the Word, and understand it. They receive it into their hearts gladly and keep putting God first in their lives. Even the trials and tests and persecution cannot drive them away. They do not let the daily cares of life come in to choke them, and they do not have their hearts set upon riches. They are awake and watching and praying and trusting God to help them. Therefore, they bring forth much , some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty (23).

 

Question: What Kind of Hearer Are You?

 

If you have not been like the seeds that fell into the good ground, go to the Lord Jesus in prayer and let Him come into your heart and life. He will help you bear much fruit.

 

 

 

 

LESSON 14. THE CROSS AND THE CROWN

 

Matthew 16:24-28

24Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 

A Cross for Everyone

 

 If we want to follow Jesus, we must be willing to deny ourselves and take up the cross Jesus has for us. Jesus had a cross to bear for you and me. He left all His glory and riches in heaven to come to this earth to save us from death, hell, and the grave! He endured much suffering for us. Hebrews 12, verse 2b, tells us that Jesus, "for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Yes, Jesus is now gone back to heaven where all is glory and joy. He wants you and me to come and be with Him. In John 14, verse 3, Jesus tells us, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

 

What does it mean to deny yourself? It means to do without something in order that others might have something more important. Jesus might ask you to do without your pennies and give them to help spread the gospel message to people who have no Bible or who have never yet heard of Jesus properly! Maybe He will ask you to go without food for awhile and pray for someone's soul or for someone who is very sick. Maybe He will ask you not to buy something you could really do without and help the poor and hungry. It might be that Jesus would ask you to go to a certain place and tell the people about Jesus. Sometimes He asks us to help take care of little children who have lost their parents, or even take them into our homes and help raise them. There are many ways in which we can deny ourselves to help others.

 

Your Soul Is Worth More than the World

 

If you should work and work until you were the richest man in the world, but you did not love and follow Jesus and did not trust Him to be your Savior, you would be very foolish indeed. Your soul would be lost! No gain here can repay for the loss of eternal life! What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? One man wanted to please people and his family more than he wanted to please God. In this way he exchanged or traded his soul for popular opinion. No enticements of the world or rewards offered by wicked men are equal to the value of a human soul. We must never do anything which will take us away from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

LESSON 15. JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE ONES

 

Matthew 18:10-14

10"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

 

What This Story Teaches Us

 

1. Little children have angels. These angels behold the face of God in heaven. Therefore we must be careful how we treat a child. We must help a child to do right.

2. The Son of Man is another name for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is sometimes called the Son of Man because He was born of the Virgin Mary and He is often called the Son of God because God is His Father.

3. The purpose of Christ coming into this world is to save the lost.

4. Just as the man who went out to find the one lost sheep, so Jesus Christ has come to seek us.

5. Just as the man rejoiced and was made glad when he found his lost sheep, so Jesus Christ is made glad when we let Him find us!

6. Jesus is especially happy when He finds a sweet trusting child who believes in Him. He does not want one of these dear little children to be lost. He wants them all to be saved.

7. This shows us how important it is to teach the children about Jesus and to lead them to Jesus.

 

 

JESUS WANTS THE CHILDREN TO COME TO HIM

 

Mark 10:13-16

13Then they brought young children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." 16And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

 

 

 

LESSON 16. WE MUST FORGIVE OTHERS

 

Matthew 18:21-35

21Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!' 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

 

This Lesson Teaches Us Many Things

 

1. The expression "up to seventy times seven" is an expression used to show that our forgiveness must be never ending.

2. The servant who owed the king ten thousand talents was greatly in debt! One talent alone was worth a very big amount of money, and to think this servant owed the king ten thousand times this amount! It would have been a very hard thing to ever pay the king what he owed him.

3. When the servant asked the king to have patience and he would pay it all, the king showed his great love and compassion by forgiving him the whole debt!

4. This servant showed his unthankfulness for this kind deed by going out and demanding his felIow servant to pay  what little he owed him. A hundred denarii was not very much in Roman money. How unjust the first servant was to take his fellow servant by the throat and demand this money! God watches all our actions and He could see that this first servant had not treated his fellow servant in the same way the king had shown love and mercy to him!

5. The first servant would not listen to the poor man's plea but threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. If he had such a hard time trying to pay while out of prison, he would surely have a harder time trying to pay while in prison.

6. This evil deed was told to the king. This made the king very angry because he saw how ungrateful the servant was when he had been forgiven. The servant should have been willing to forgive all those who also owed him!

7. Because this wicked servant did not forgive, he himself had to be thrown into prison and tormented until he should pay all that he owed to the king.

8. Jesus says this will also be done to us if we do not forgive others from our hearts!

9. God's Word tells us in Romans 3:23 that we are all sinners. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We could not pay the debt for our sins, for we were unclean before God. But Jesus, the Pure and Holy One who had no sin, came and paid the debt for us by dying on the cross for our sins. He set us free! 1 John 3:5 tells us, "And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin."

10. Therefore, because God for Jesus' sake has forgiven us our sins and has taken them away, He wants us also to forgive other people for all their wrongs to us. In forgiving others, we show God how thankful we are in our hearts that He has forgiven us all our wrongs and let us go free.

 

Something to Remember

 

To return evil for good is wicked and bad; to return good for good is what most people do; but to return good for evil is to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus even prayed for His enemies and for those who made Him suffer. In Luke 23:34b, we read the prayer of Jesus: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

 

 

 

 

LESSON 17. A SAD RICH MAN

 

Matthew 19:16-26

16Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " ‘You shall not murder,' ‘You shall not commit adultery,' ‘You shall not steal,' ‘You shall not bear false witness,' 19‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" 20The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

 

LESSON 18. CHRIST TELLS HIS DISCIPLES AHEAD OF TIME WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM

 

Matthew 20:17-19

 

 

17Then Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

 

Christ's Death Was Not an Accident

 

Long before Christ was taken away by cruel men to crucify Him or to put Him to death on the cross, Jesus told His disciples what would happen to Him. His death on the cross was a part of His plan to save us from our sins. John, chapter 3, verses 14 and 15, tells us: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Every one of us should be very thankful that Christ died for us. It does not matter what color our skin is nor to which country we belong.

HE DIED FOR ALL. (See 2 Corinthians 5:15.)

 

The word "whoever" means you or anyone who believes! If YOU believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross  to save YOU from YOUR sins, then YOU shall have ETERNAL LIFE!

 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." —John 3:16a

 

 

 

 

LESSON 19. CHRIST IS TAKEN

 

Matthew 27:11-26

11Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." 12And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" 14And He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. 15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him. 19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." 20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the  multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" 22Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!" 23Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!" 24When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it." 25And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children." 26Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

 

 

LESSON 20. A CROWN OF THORNS IS GIVEN TO JESUS

 

Matthew 27:27-30

27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

 

How Christ Was Treated

 

Terrible things were done to Christ by cruel men. In this world we can expect to suffer for Christ also. Cruel men do not love God. They do not love Jesus Christ and they do not love people who try to be good. Jesus told us about this in John, chapter 15, verses 18-20a: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." Jesus has a wonderful secret to share with us in John 16, verse 33: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

 

 

 

LESSON 21. JESUS IS PUT TO DEATH

 

Matthew 27:31-38 and 50-54

31Then when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. 32Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. 35Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." 36Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 50Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. 51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54Now when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the  earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 

Who Was It?

 

1. Who was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus? _(32).

2. Who were crucified with Jesus, one on the right hand and one on the left?

two(38)

3. When the centurion and the people with him who were watching Jesus saw the earthquake and the other things that were done, who did they say Jesus was? the  _ (54).

 

 

 

 

LESSON 22. JESUS IS BURIED

 

Matthew 27:57-66

57Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. 62On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.' 64Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." 65Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." 66So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

 

Joseph's Love for Christ

 

Joseph, a rich man, loved Jesus and wanted to bury Him in his own new tomb. Joseph had planned to be buried in this place when he died, but now he wants his dear Lord to have this special resting place. True love for Jesus is never selfish. Love always shares. Love always finds a way to serve. Do you love Jesus? Have you found a way to serve Him? What are you doing for Him?

 

Jesus Laid Down His Life

 

Jesus, of His own free will, laid down His life to save you and me from our sins. It took His death and the shedding of His sacred blood to atone for our sins. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without shedding of blood there is no remission or taking away of sin. Jesus became our perfect sacrifice because He had no sin of His own. John 1:29b tells us: "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" No other person could have died on the cross to take away our sin, and nothing else like silver or gold or cows or any other animal or living thing could take away our sin. See 1 Peter, chapter 1, verses 18 and 19: "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, ... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

 

How do we know that Jesus laid down His life of His own free will? John 10:18a says: "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again." JESUS HAS ALL POWER! Also see Matthew 28:18.

 

When Jesus was standing before Pilate to be crucified, Pilate thought he had the power to crucify Jesus or the power to release or set Jesus free. But notice the words of Jesus in John 19:11a. "Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.'"

 

Christ laid down His life for all races, and some from every race and nation will believe on Jesus Christ and be saved. Be sure YOU are one of those who BELIEVE on the LORD JESUS! Read Revelation 5:9. "And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'"

 

The Enemies of Jesus Try to Keep Him in the Tomb

 

The chief priests and Pharisees who were the enemies of Jesus wanted to make sure the tomb was shut tight so no one could steal the body of Jesus. This makes the resurrection of Christ even more wonderful, for we know it was made impossible for anyone to steal His body! Even guards or keepers were set to watch the tomb. In Lesson 23 we will see the miracle that happens!

_

 

The Marred Hands

 

"Why celebrate Calvary?" was a question asked me not long ago by one who seemed to think it unnatural and was horrified at the thought. "Think," said he, "of celebrating a Roman crucifixion; of all deaths a man could die that was the most horrible. The cross was laid upon the ground, the victim was placed upon it, great spikes were driven through his hands and feet to hold him fast; the cross was then lifted and plunged into a hole prepared for it and there the victim hung until he died. And that is what Christians celebrate in the Lord's Supper. I tell you the thing is unnatural, it is horrible, I cannot see how it can be explained."

 

"Ah, my friend," I replied, "you are thinking of the event without thinking of that for which it stands. You are not properly connecting it with Him who died. Let me tell you a little incident I once heard.

 

"There was a beautiful lady, but her hands were fearfully marred. For a number of years her little daughter had wondered what had made her mother's hands so deformed that she could not look upon them except with a feeling of abhorrence, so one day she said: "‘Mother, I love your face, your eyes, and your hair. They are so beautiful, but your hands, they are so ugly I cannot bear to look at them. Why are they so twisted and scarred?'

 

"‘Listen to me, my child,' she said. ‘I will tell you about my hands. I always thought I would not tell you, but it is best that you should know. It is almost ten years ago now. You were a little baby girl then — how I loved you, but not more than I do now. You were only three months old. It was a busy morning. I had fed you and tucked you away in your little crib for your extra nap and had then gone to do some work in the kitchen, keeping my ear open for your cry or for any movement you might make. I stayed away, not long, but longer than I thought.

 

"‘All of a sudden I heard a call and looked out: I saw the neighbors running toward our house with the cry of fire. I ran from the kitchen to the dining room and then to the hall. I saw the nursery door all ablaze; great tongues of fire were leaping up about the stairway. The neighbors came in to offer their help. I was stunned, my mouth was parched, I could give forth no utterance. A big shawl was hanging near the stairway. I seized it, threw it about my head and shoulders and ran amid the flames to the nursery door, opened it, snatched you from the crib with the bedclothes all about you, pressed you to my breast, and ran with you out of the house. My head, face, and shoulders were spared, but my hands and arms were burned until the flesh

afterwards dropped from the bones. This is the story of my hands and why they are so ugly.'

 

"Now what of this little girl. She was just a natural child. Nothing was unnatural about her. She grasped her mother's scarred hands, patted them with her shapely fingers, kissed them with her tender lips and looking up into her mother's face said: ‘Oh, mother! I love your beautiful face, your eyes, your neck, your hair, but these dear hands, I love them best.' So we should think of Christ's death, even His death on Calvary." —Adapted from Presbyterian Banner

 

Duties to God

1. We must confess our sins to Christ to be forgiven (1 John 1:9).

2. We must believe on Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:31).

3. We must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).

4. We must confess Christ, God's Son, before men (Matthew 10:32).

5. We must live our lives to please God (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

 

 

 

 

LESSON 23. JESUS COMES UP FROM THE DEAD

 

Matthew 28:1-10

1Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

 

 

LESSON 24. THE LAST WORDS OF JESUS

 

Matthew 28:16-20

16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

 

When a dear friend of ours is dying, we are anxious to carry out his last wishes and desires. The last words stay in our memory and we know that whatever a dying person says just before he or she leaves us is very important! Other last words of Jesus, our Savior, before He went back to heaven were: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15b).

 

Are you doing your best to carry out these last words of Jesus?

 

Why Must We Tell Others?

 

Acts 4:12 says: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." This shows us JESUS is our only HOPE of eternal life!

 

John 14:6 says: "Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" Again we see that JESUS is the only WAY to the FATHER!

 

The Test of a True Follower of Christ

 

Jesus says: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The first and great commandment is found in Matthew 22:37b. It has to do with our duty to God. Here it is. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second greatest commandment has to do with our duty to mankind everywhere. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39b). "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40).

 

 

 

 

LESSON 25. JESUS IS COMING BACK AGAIN

 

What Are the Signs of His Coming?

 

Read chapter 24 of Matthew to get a clear picture of the signs of the coming of Christ. Below are some of the things mentioned.

1. Many false Christs will arise and say they are Christ and deceive many. We must not go after them (verses 5, 23, 24 and 25).

2. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom (verses 6 and 7).

3. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in many places. These are only the beginning of sorrows (verses 7, 8).

4. Christians will be delivered up and afflicted, killed, and hated by all nations because they bear the name of Christ (verse 9). Christ came to this earth to suffer for our sakes, that we might have eternal life, and now we shall have a chance to prove our love to Him by suffering for His sake.

5. However, many Christians will be offended and will not follow Christ any more. They will tell on each other, betraying one another and hating one another (verse 10).

6. Many false prophets will rise up, and deceive many. They will have power given them to do great signs and wonders, trying to deceive even the very best Christians (verses 11 and 24).

7. There will be much eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage just as in the days Noah lived on the earth (verses 37-39).

8. After much tribulation and great sufferings, the sun will be darkened, the moon will no longer give light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken (verse 29).

 

How Is He Coming?

 

1. His coming will be sudden. Matthew 24:27 says, "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."

2. He shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory. Matthew 24:30 tells us about this.

3. "Every eye will see Him..." (Revelation 1:7).

4. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

5. "This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11b).

 

How to Keep Ready for Jesus

 

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

 

Do You Want to Go to Heaven?

 

Color the boy who is on the right road.

 

Psalm 86:5 — "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You."

John 14:6 — "Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"

 

 

How To Get There

 

Step 1 — Be Sorry for All Your Sins

 

One little girl said, "To be sorry for your sins means to be sorry enough to quit."

 

Satan uses bad habits to bind people in sin. He chains us so we cannot free ourselves.

Come, chains and all, to Jesus. He can set you free.

 

Step 2 — Repent and Confess to God

 

1 John 1:9 — "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

 

Tell Jesus All About It — He Will Hear Your Prayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow the dots to find who can break the chains of sin.

 

Step 3 — Believe on Him and Accept Him into Your Heart and Life

 

Open the door of your heart and let Jesus come into your heart right NOW!!

Revelation 3:20a — "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."

We shall have the assurance that we belong to Him when we truly repent and believe.

Romans 8:16 — "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."

 

HAVE YOU BELIEVED upon the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?

 

Doing God's Word

1. After we have repented of your sins, and

2. After we have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior,

3. Then — we must do God's Word.

We must keep walking in the light and following Jesus in our daily lives. Read 1 John, chapter 1,verse 7.

 

Step 4 — Continue Living For Christ Daily

 

John 8:31b and 32 says, "If you abide [continue] in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

 

Praying to God Daily Will Make You Strong

 

 

Genesis 1:1-25

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. 6Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." 7Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. 9Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. 12And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13So the evening and the morning were the third day.  14Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. 16Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens." 21So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

 

GOD MADE MAN

 

Genesis 1:26-31

26Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." 29And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which

is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. 31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

 

Genesis 2:7

7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

 

Something to Remember

 

Man is different from any other living thing. We are not like the animals. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:39 this great truth: "All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds." Man's flesh is not only different from other living creatures but man was made a living soul. Once we are born, we shall always be somewhere. The people who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior shall have everlasting life, but those who refuse to receive Christ into their hearts shall have everlasting damnation! John 5:28 and 29 says: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice, and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

 

All of us shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Hebrews 9:27 says: "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." Romans 14:10b-12 says: "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.'  So then each of us shall give account of himself to God."

 

The above verses also show that we are different from animals. It is true that animals die and return to the dust of the ground, but Ecclesiastes 3:21 clearly points out the difference between the spirit of man and the spirit of animals. It says: "Who knows the spirit of the sons of men which goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, which goes down to the earth?"

 

Therefore, we see the spirit of man returns to God who made it. Ecclesiastes 12:7 tells us: "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."

 

Man Needs a Savior

 

Romans 3:23 — "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 5:12 — "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

John 3:5b — "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

 

God Provides the Savior

 

Romans 5:6-11 — "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."

 

John 3:16 and 17 — "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

 

We Must Believe on Christ to Be Saved

 

John 3:18 — "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Acts 16:31b — "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

John 5:24b — "He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

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