The Root of Christianity

His story is our story

If you could pick any moment from Jesus’ ministry to witness, what would it be? (2 min)

Luke 24:25–27 ESV

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

“Quinten Tarantino” this story for a minute

The Lord Jesus is the eternal Son of God.

The scriptures declare (Family Feud):

His virgin birth Luke1:31

Luke 1:31 ESV

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

2. His sinless life 1 Peter 2:21-22

1 Peter 2:21–22 ESV

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

3. His miracles Acts 2:22

Acts 2:22 ESV

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

4. His substitutionary work on the cross 1 Corinthians 15:3

1 Corinthians 15:3 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

5. His bodily resurrection from the dead 1 Corinthians 15:4

1 Corinthians 15:4 ESV

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

6. His exaltation to the right hadn of God Hebrews 1:3-4

Hebrews 1:3–4 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Okay, he is the answer… to what question?

The Fall of Man

Man was created good and upright: for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.

The garden of Eden was human’s training ground for knowing how to define good and evil by God’s terms and then take the knowledge He was giving us to the rest of the world and multiply His goodness.

We decided that we would prefer to define good and evil for ourselves (which always seems to lead to deceit, untrust, and hurting/killing others when it benefits us).

Genesis 3:14–15 ESV

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

So the search for seed of Eve begins, aka- who will kill the snake and save us? (genealogy chapters)

Abraham (a nation to bless all the nations)

Isaac (chosen seed to carry the blessing)

Jacob (the seed that lies to steal the blessing)

Moses (the prophet that rejects his full calling)

David (the king that unites Israel only to fall and see it

Downward spiral

OT ends with God saying, “He’s coming.”

Malachi 4 ESV

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

The Salvation of Man

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

As a kid, I was always doing the prayer of salvation.

Titus 3:4–7 ESV

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Conditions of Salvation

1. Repentance

What does that word mean?

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Repentance in Greek

The Greek word for “repentance” derives from a verb meaning “to radically change one’s thinking.”

2. Renewing of the Holy Spirit

He gives to us what is of Jesus

The Evidence of Salvation

The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit.

Romans 8:16 ESV

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.

Titus 2:12 ESV

training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

When a fellow high school student asked me if I was Christian.

Call to Action

If you have ever felt that this world does not seem the way it tries to make itself out to be or if you have ever felt that you are not really what you put yourself out to be, then this story (Bible) should be a part of your story.