• A Guide to the Bible• There are 65 books in the bible. They have been written between 1500BC and 100AD.

They all consistently evidence (from different perspectives) God’s sovereignty and power over all things, culminating in his remedy for sin through the messiah Jesus. There are many ancient writings that are not included in the bible. The bible consists of those books which have been authenticated over many centuries as the inspired word of God.

• The old Testament consists of 39 books which include the books of:

• Moses ( Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

• The Historical Books (Joshua,Judges,Ruth,1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings,1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.

• Spiritual Writings (Job, The Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon.

• The Prophets ( Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel and the 12 minor prophets.

• The New Testament consists of 27 books and consists of

• The four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

• Acts of the Apostles

• Letters from the Apostle Paul

• Letters from James, Peter, John, ,Jude

• Letter to Hebrews

• The book of Revelation

Abrahams journey from UR to Canaan. The starting point for biblical understanding is Gods promises to Abraham

Abraham Isaac Jacob ( =Israel ) to Egypt. Joseph and 11 brothers. 12 tribes go from Egypt to Canaan

1) The land of Canaan for ever 2) a great nation to

come from him3) To be the father

of many nations4) To bring blessings

to all nations through his special ‘seed’ (descendant) Gen 12:1-5, 13:14-18

• What was the promise to Abraham?

• The initial promise given at UR – Genesis 12:2-3 Abraham would become a great nation and a great name.

• God would bless those that blessed him and curse those that cursed him• That in Abraham eventually ALL nations will be blessed.

• After entering the land God was to show him Abraham was then given the following promise – Genesis 12:7 Abraham would have children (seed) who would inherit the land. This promise required obedience to God in order to be fulfilled.

• This promise to Abraham is described by Paul as the gospel (good news)And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all Nations be blessed. Galatians 3:8 Abraham was promised a special descendant or ‘seed’ ( Jesus) who would eventually bring blessing to all nations.

Exodus from Egypt to Canaan and journeys of 12 tribes of Israel

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 )

Israel’s beginnings• From Abraham to Isaac and then Jacob with

his 12 sons going down into Egypt to follow Joseph, God used Moses later in taking the people of Israel out of Egypt into the land of Canaan (Palestine). God went with them -made himself visible as a firry pillar to lead them through the desert.

God instructed them for their good with

hygiene rules - as a close knit community sharing food and drink they were at risk from transmittable diseases. Leviticus chapter 13,14,&15 . are rules of Hygiene and Sanitation date back 3000 years but only in recent times have been understood by modern science as being the basis for fighting transmittable diseases.

The people once settled however soon forgot Gods commands and descended into idolatry and immorality of the surrounding nations. God after periods of judgements against them, was merciful to them, and provided a means of them returning to Him and eventually providing the promised anointed one spoken by Moses in [Deuteronomy 18:15. 18-19 God speaking through Moses - 'I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him ( Jesus)

The divided Kingdom- after the time of Solomon the people rebel, the result is the nation splits into two parts - Judah and Israel. They fall from Gods ways. In time,

punishment comes for turning from God - each part is taken away separately into captivity at different times as a punishment but also to eventually restore.

Who is GOD?

• God is a Creator –Psalm 19 states “ the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament his handy work”

• He created the first man and woman without sin. They - acting as representatives of mankind, disobeyed His instructions, forfeiting the way of continuing without sin. They received the punishment which all mankind now inherits. This punishment is death. Returning to the ground from which they were made. ( Genesis 3;19 ) To the serpent who deceived, God declares the following “ he will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: he shall bruise your head and you (serpent) shall bruise his heel”. In other words Satan shall bruise Christ but it is a heal wound ( not fatal) in the sense that Christ dies but rises from the dead. Satan is bruised fatally as Christ wins the victory of man’s soul over Satan’s hold upon him for those who trust in him. (Genesis 3:15 )

• God has revealed himself in the scriptures as ‘one’ - the I AM. This oneness describes three personages - Father, Son and Holy Ghost whose essence is one. The trinity has been a stumbling block to many. It shouldn’t surprise us that we can never fully comprehend God (otherwise we would be God) Christ's essence with the father is seen in Johns Gospel 1:1-18 Colossians 1:15-23 , Hebrews 1:1-14

God is Eternal the one true God. God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth ( Genesis 1 )

Did God speak through Prophets, are they genuine ? –how do we know who to believe ?

` But it is not enough that he is recognised as a prophet – what he says must be checked against scripture. All the prophets point to Christ - Notice also the following:

• 1) "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' — which you have not known — 'and let us serve them,'

``````2) you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

• So, if the prophet does not keep and advocate keeping God's commandments, he is also false.

In the Old Testament, the Bible gives two fairly easy to understand passages about determining if someone is a false prophet. One is making specific predictions that do not come to pass:(Deuteronomy 18:21-22; And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?‘ 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

• 1) Born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 ( approx year 730BC )

• 2) Descended from Abraham - Genesis 22: 15-18 ( time of Moses writings 1560BC )

• 3) From the tribe of Judah Genesis 49:10

• 4) In the Royal line of David 2 Samuel 7:12 , Isaiah 11:1-10

• 5) Born in Bethlehem Micah 5 :2

• 6) Rejected by his people, Israel Isaiah 53

• 7) Pierced with nails, in his suffering Psalm 22 ( time of David approx 1000BC )

• 8) Numbered with transgressors Isaiah 53

• 9) Raised from the death, without corruption Psalm 16

• 10) Exalted to God’s right hand Psalm 110

What are the Prophecies in the old testament that declare what to expect of the promised Messiah (the anointed one )

• Before the birth of Christ the Jews lived under the authority and subjection of Rome. They expected the ‘anointed one’ to come as a mighty King who would overturn their oppression under Rome.

• While many followed Jesus and saw his wondrous sign and miracles many of the Jewish leaders looked down on Jesus. “The son of a carpenter” they thought, he was not their idea of a King and therefore sa his miraculous healings as demonic or Satanic. His claims to forgive sins were seen as blasphemy ( as only God could forgive sins). Jesus thereafter spoke to them in parables for the reason that they might be ever seeing but never perceiving true spiritual things.

• Jesus taught the people what God wanted them to know and as that famous verse from John’s gospel puts it 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. These acts of love where rejected by the leaders which fulfilled prophecies made hundreds of years earlier -that he would suffer and die on the cross. ( psalm 22)

• Jesus was then put to death for the charge of blasphemy the details are described in Psalm22 ( written 1000 years before Christ)

• But God the Father raises Jesus from the dead and ascends to the right hand of God and now intercedes for his people Acts 2:29-39, 3:11-26

What did the Jewish religious leaders think of Jesus ?

What did Jesus come to do?

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Jesus Christ came into the world to call sinners to repentance.Mark 2:17, "When Jesus heard it, he said unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Jesus Christ came into the world to do the Will of His Father. John 6:38, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." Jesus Christ came into the world to be a Light in the world. John 12:46, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Jesus Christ came into the world that men might have the

Abundant Life. John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

• Does the message of Jesus have meaning for us today ?

• The main titles given to the Lord Jesus show us his importance.

• 1) Marks gospel starts with the words “ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. This shows us that Jesus is the Christ (anointed one) the title son of God describes his position within the triune nature of God. It also shows us something of what the father is like and what the father wants his children to be.

• 2) Jesus has many titles a) Saviour - through whom our sins can be forgiven b) The ‘seed’ of Abraham - the heir to the promises made by God c) The son of David – the one to reign in righteousness d) The Messiah - The anointed King of Israel. e) The lamb of God - who died for us and who can take away our sins, if we ask him. f) Our one mediator – now at Gods right hand through who’s intercession we can pray to our heavenly father. g) The coming King - who will be seen by all and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

• 3) Gods justice has been satisfied, his wrath and punishment against sin accomplished as that wrath was poured out upon his son Jesus Christ who stood in our place to receive the punishment due to us. For all who would call upon him in faith not in their own merits but solely on the merits of Christ he gives eternal life. Those who reject his sacrifice for them face eternal judgement.

• 4) There is no annihilation ( a non existence) after death, all will have eternal life but some to eternal bliss and some to eternal damnation, and there lies the challenge to us all to accept his offer of grace while we have time. There will be no purgatory no second chance after this life.

• 5) One of the most telling phrases in the after life might be “ Why didn’t you tell me about what Jesus did for me on the cross”

The teaching of Christ is a challenge to us all. It is Christ who mentions Heaven and Hell more than anyone else, and that there will be a judgement day for us all.

What should our response to his call be ?

• 1) Humble ourselves and seek him with all our heart

• 2) A genuine repentance before God of our sins

• 3) Hearing his call with believe and being baptized

• 4) Walk in faith - looking to Jesus in all things and experience his assurance in our hearts

• 5) Read his scriptures regularly to grow and let his light shine through in our hearts

• 6) Seek to do good - do not do evil to our neighbours

• 7) Forgive -without forgiving those who sin against us we have no claim to ask God’s forgiveness for ourselves.

• 8) Control – seeking God’s help to control our mouth and anger and growth in grace

• 9) Serve - our desire should be to remember that we are servants in God’s kingdom

• 10) Watch - Jesus taught us to be living in expectation of his return – he is coming again

What is the Christian Church and Faith like ?

The true Church ( scripture describes as the bride of Christ) will always be made up of sheep and goats through all ages. The parables confirm that to us. This means we should not be surprised to see the church ( general) either embarrassing itself at times or on the other hand where truth lies, suffering persecutions for their faith. Some have used this to remove themselves from church life but this is not the biblical principle. We should be seen as the body of Christ here on earth striving to build up the body, ( Ephesians 4:12) expressing our love to all.

• Jesus promised us that he would send the ‘comforter’ the Holy Spirit to live within his people. We are not left bereft. A real relationship begins and never ends. ( I Corinthians 3:16) “I will never leave you nor forsake you” ( Hebrews 13;5)

• It is the Messiah Jesus who is interceding on our behalf before the Father ( Romans 8 v 34)

• Our faith is God given,( Not man made) and looks outwardly to the person of Christ ( never inwardly to ourselves) that we might trust him wholeheartedly. In return, as we walk in this faith and experience his dealings with us we gain personal assurance and this is affirmed internally and lies within the soul. This faith establishes an eternal hope - as the scriptures states “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” ( Titus 1:2 )