The
Bible Teaches Faith in Jesus the Savior
By
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Non-Profit,
Public Domain
Illustrated
by Norma A. Boeckler
2019
Publishing
Information
The Bible Teaches Faith
in Jesus the Savior has been written, first of all, for the
Lutheran Mission in the Philippines, Pastor Jordan Palangyos. The plan is for
Pastor Palangyos and associates to translate the English version into the
language of his people. However, the booklet may also be used in English or
translated into other languages without asking permission from the author. The
illustrations may also be used for world missions or seminary training. Simply
give credit to the original book, author, and illustrator.
Contents
The Bible is the work
of the Holy Spirit, who guided many human authors in revealing His loving
nature and His Will.
The Bible is also
called the Word of God, the Scriptures, and the Book of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible contains 39
books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
The Bible has two
natures, human and divine, much like Jesus. The Scriptures have the personality
of its human authors, and the inerrancy of God, the Holy Spirit.
God gave us the
Scriptures for one reason – to create and build faith in His Son, Jesus the
Savior. That is the purpose of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament prepared the world for the Savior
He revealed His Promises, and told what would happen in the mission of His Son.
The Scriptures reveal
the Three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are Three Persons, but
One God. We can see this Unity of the Three Persons from the beginning in
Genesis 1. The Father commanded, and the Son carried out the commands. The Holy
Spirit witnessed to Creation and to the Father/Son relationship.
John 1:3 teaches us
that the Word – the Son – created every single thing in the universe – sun and
stars, planets and comets, animals and plants, minerals and metals, Adam and
Eve. We see the creating power of the Word everywhere.
God created Adam and Eve,
who lived in a beautiful Paradise. However, they sinned when Satan talked them
into disobeying God. God forced them to leave that perfect garden because of
their sin. Adam would have to work and sweat to support himself. Eve would
suffer in childbirth. From Adam we have that sinful nature in being selfish,
uncaring, and rebelling against God.
God cursed the serpent,
the disguise of Satan. But He also promised the Savior, who would crush the
head of the devil. The Savior would pay for our sins, defeat death and Satan.
Jesus is the
only-begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin
Mary. He took on our human nature and kept His divine nature.
The Son obeys the
Father’s will and teaches in harmony with the Father. The Holy Spirit witnesses
to this harmony. Therefore, we know the grace, mercy and forgiveness of God the
Father through the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of God the Son. When Jesus
speaks, God the Father is speaking to us. The Holy Spirit teaches us through
the Bible, God’s Word.
God’s Spirit spoke
through prophets, who told people to turn away from pagan gods, human
sacrifice, and immoral religion. God promised His Savior in the Psalms and the
prophetic books.
Isaiah 53 showed such a
clear picture of the cross of Christ that people call it the Old Testament
Gospel.
Isaiah 53:3 He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
Isaiah 53:5 He was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:7 He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as
a lamb to the slaughter…
Isaiah 53:11 11 He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many…
This short chapter
revealed how the Savior would die for the sins of the world, so we would have
forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Him.
Baptized by John, Jesus
called His twelve disciples. He taught them for three years as He traveled on
foot. Jesus healed many people and raised the dead, showing His divine power
with His powerful teaching.
The Savior revealed His
power as the Creating Word. He changed water into wine, quieted the storm,
walked on water, and fed the crowds with only a few fish and bread. He did this
to show God’s help in time of need and to prove His divine message. He raised
the dead, which showed Jesus to be the Promised Savior and Son of God.
Jesus raised the widow’s
son and the official’s daughter from the dead. The biggest excitement came from
Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, dead and buried in a tomb. Friends and relatives
came to the funeral and stayed for days, mourning him. When Jesus came, He told
the sisters, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though
He die, yet he will live.” He called the dead man to life, and Lazarus came out
of the tomb with burial clothes on.
Fear and opposition
were building about Jesus. Lazarus came to Jerusalem with Jesus and the disciples,
a short distance away, as a sign of God’s miraculous power. Roman authorities
feared Jesus as a new king. Jewish authorities were afraid of His power and
angry about Him being the Son of God. Jesus entered Jerusalem with crowds
shouting and palm branches spread before Him. They cheered Him as the Son of David,
the Messiah and Savior.
Judas, a disciple of
Jesus, turned his teacher over to the authorities. The armed men fell over
backwards when Jesus said, “I AM,” which is the Name of God. They took Him to
be tried, where He was denounced by the religious authorities. The soldiers
insulted and slapped Him. Worst of all, they whipped Him with leather attached
to metal. “By His stripes we are healed.” They condemned Him to death, and He
carried His own cross to the place called The Skull.
The authorities nailed
Jesus to the cross, a cruel and painful way to die. He quoted the Psalm, “My
God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?” Jesus felt the wrath for the sins of
the world and died being mocked by the same crowd that cheered him as Messiah
days before. The soldier pierced His side, and He was taken down for burial, a
rich man’s tomb, carved into the rock.
The women came to honor
the death of Jesus, to finish the preparation of His remains. Instead, the
angel told them, “He is not here – He is risen from the dead.” Followers on the
road to Emmaus walked and talked with the Risen Lord. He appeared to the
disciples that evening and a week later. Jesus told them they would fulfill His
first Promise – to become fishers of men.
Jesus appeared to 500
believers, who carried His Gospel message across the Roman Empire, using the
Roman roads and shipping lanes. Persecution only expanded their reach.
Jesus ascended to
heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, sending the Spirit to help
Christians in every way. The Spirit plants faith in our hearts through the
Gospel Word. The Spirit dwells in us through Holy Baptism and helps us to pray.
