1. Jesus began teaching people and gathering disciples who would follow him. He taught them about relationships with God and others. 2. Jesus performed many miracles that amazed people but concerned religious leaders, who saw him as a threat. 3. Jesus was arrested and crucified due to political and religious reasons, as the religious leaders pushed for his execution. He died to take the punishment for humanity's sins and break the power of sin and death.

1. THE STORY OF THE WORLD (AND US) ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE (5) Someone Special

3. God take things into his own hands: God God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Jesus Anyone who believes in him will not really die, but will have eternal life. John 3:16 Forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, peace, life

5. He began to teach them: 1. When you give to needy people… What relationship is Jesus talking about here? Jesus talks about three of our relationships: “ Don’t announce to everyone what you do for needy people.” Why wouldn’t Jesus want us to do that? Does Jesus expect his disciples to help people who are in need?

6. He began to teach them: 2. When you pray…. What relationship does Jesus have in mind here? Don’t pray in front of people so that they can see how religious you are. Why not? Does Jesus expect his disciples to pray? What is prayer?

7. He began to teach them: What should we pray for? Our Father in heaven, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Your kingdom come . hallowed be your name.

8. He began to teach them: (For yours is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever. Amen.) Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. and forgive us our debts (sins) as we forgive our debtors (those who sin against us). Give us today our daily bread,

9. He began to teach them: 3. When you fast…. What relationship is Jesus thinking about here? What is fasting ?

10. He began to teach them: Everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house, but it does not fall. It is built on the rock. What does the “house” stand for? What do the rain and the winds stand for?

11. He began to teach them: But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash! The choice is ours.

12. What happened to Jesus? Jesus was in a synagogue (the Jewish place of worship) when a man who was controlled by an evil spirit, cried out: What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: you are the Holy One of God! Be quiet! Jesus said firmly. Come out of him!

13. What happened to Jesus? The evil spirit shook the man wildly. Then it came out of him with a scream. All the people were amazed. They asked each other, What is this? A new teaching? And with so much authority! News about Jesus spread quickly all over Galilee. -Mark 1:21-28

14. What happened to Jesus? Another time Jesus went into a synagogue. A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. Some religious leaders watched Jesus closely. They wanted to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath day. Jesus looked at them and said: What are we supposed to do on the Sabbath day: good things or evil things? The religious leaders didn’t answer.

15. What happened to Jesus? That made Jesus angry. Stretch out your hand, he said to the man. The man stretched it out and his hand was as good as new. Then the religious leaders went out and began to make plans with some political leaders to kill Jesus. -Mark 3:1-6

16. What happened to Jesus? Many of the Jews…put their faith in Jesus. Then the religious leaders called a meeting of the entire religious council. What can we do? they asked. This man is doing so many miracles! If we let him keep on doing them, every one will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away our Temple and our nation!

17. What happened to Jesus? Then Caiphas, their leader, spoke up. Don’t you see? Wouldn’t it be better for one man to die than for the whole nation to be destroyed? From that day on, the Jewish rulers planned to kill Jesus. -John 11:45-53

18. What happened to Jesus? One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas, went to the religious leaders. He asked, What will you give me if I hand Jesus over to you? They counted out 30 silver coins to give to him. From then on, Judas watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them. -Matthew 26:14-16

19. What happened to Jesus? Some time later, at night, when Jesus was with his disciples, Judas came with a large crowd of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the religious leaders. (Earlier, Judas had told them, The one I kiss is the man; arrest him. ) Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Teacher! and kissed him. The crowd took Jesus away. Matthew 26:47-50

20. What happened to Jesus? The entire religious council wanted to put Jesus to death but they couldn’t find anything against him that deserved death. Finally their leader said, I command you under oath, by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God! Yes. It is just as you say, Jesus replied.

21. What happened to Jesus? Then their leader said to them, You heard him say this evil thing! What do you think? He must die! they answered. Then they spit in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. -Matthew 26:59-67 Pilate, the Roman governor, had Jesus whipped. His soldiers made fun of him, spit on him and beat him. Then they crucified him. -Matthew 27:27

22. Why did Jesus die? Political reasons: Pilate, the Roman governor, wanted to maintain good relations with the Jewish leaders. When they insisted that he have Jesus crucified, he did so. Religious reasons: Jesus said and did many things that the religious leaders said were wrong (healing people on the Sabbath day, saying that he came from God, etc.). Many people began to follow him. He was seen as a threat to what the religious leaders taught.

23. Why did Jesus die? Deeper reasons: 1. Jesus came to destroy the devil’s work. 1 John 3:7 According to the Bible, we, the world, and God have an enemy who wants to destroy everything that God has made. Filled with hate, this enemy wants to destroy our relationship with God and with one another.

24. Why did Jesus die? Jesus came “ to drive the prince of this world out!” -John 12:31 Jesus came to break the power of sin over us and to transform the reality of death for us. The consequence of our sin is death —just what the enemy wants! The power with which this enemy holds on to us is sin. (We sin so easily.)

25. Why did Jesus die? 2. Jesus came to die for us, in our place. He suffered the things we should have suffered. He took on himself the pain that should have been ours. We thought God was punishing him; we thought God was wounding him and making him suffer (because he deserved it). But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil.

26. Why did Jesus die? All of us are like sheep: we’ve wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the sins of all of us. -Isaiah 53:4-6

27. Why did Jesus die? God is love! How did God show his love for us? He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through him. What is love? It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins. -1 John 4:8-10