48. Jesus Is the Promised Messiah

What the Story Says

1. What was the world like when God created it?

   Everything was perfect, and there was no sin, sickness, or death. Adam and Eve loved each other and they loved God (#48-01).

2. Why do people die?

   Everyone dies because Adam and Even sinned against God (#48-02).

3. What did God promise that the Messiah would do to Satan?

   God promised that the Messiah would take away Satan's power forever (#48-04).

4. What did the sacrifices that priest offered to God accomplish?

   These sacrifices showed people that they had sinned, and that they deserved for God to punish them (#48-06).

5. Who did God say he would bless through Abraham?

   God said he would bless all the people groups on earth through Abraham (#48-07).

6. Why do we call Jesus the "Lamb of God?"

   God gave Abraham a lamb to sacrifice instead of his son, Isaac. In the same way, Jesus died in our place as a sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is called the "Lamb of God" (#48-08).

7. How is Jesus like the Passover lamb?

   Just as God spared the Jews who put the blood of the lamb on their doors, he will not punish the person for whom Jesus shed his blood (#48-09), (#48-10).

8. Why is Jesus a greater prophet than Moses?

   Everything Jesus did and said were the actions and words of God (#48-12).

9. Why is Jesus able to rule forever?

   Jesus is the descendant of King David and also the Messiah. Therefore, he will rule forever (#48-13).

What the Story Means to Us

1. Why is there evil, suffering, and death in the world?

   People do evil things, suffer, and die because Adam and Eve sinned against God. They became sinners because of that, and so did all of their descendants. As a result, every person in the world is a sinner.

2. Why is there no peace between God and people?

   When Adam and Eve sinned, they and their descendants became enemies of God. Therefore, there is no peace between God and people.

3. Why did God require sacrifices if they cannot save people from their sins?

   God required sacrifices in order to show them that only Jesus, the perfect high priest, could offer a sacrifice that would take away their sins. Any other sacrifice does not save us, but only shows us that we need to believe in Jesus.

4. Who does God want to save from their sins?

   God wants to save people from every people group from their sins. Therefore, we must proclaim the message about Jesus to every people group so they can believe in Jesus and be saved.

5. How does the Lamb of God keep God from punishing those who believe in him?

   Jesus was perfect, and never sinned. Therefore, when he shed his blood, he died to pay the penalty for our sins, and not for his own. We can be confident, then, that God will not punish us, since Jesus has already paid for our sins.

6. How does a person accept the New Covenant?

   The New Covenant that God made with us means that anyone who believes in Jesus belongs to God. It is no longer necessary to obey the Law—that is, the Old Covenant—in order to be saved. Jesus already completely fulfilled the Law. We only need to believe in him in order to be saved.

7. How is Jesus a greater king than King David?

   King David ruled over Israel. But Jesus will rule over the entire universe. Therefore, he is a greater king than his ancestor, King David.

Summary

The world was perfect when God created it. But Adam and Eve sinned against God. As a result, they and their ancestors became sinners and enemies of God. But God chose to make a way for there to be peace between God and people. He sent his Son, Jesus, as a great high priest to sacrifice himself as the Lamb of God to pay for our sins. No other sacrifice could do that. Everyone who believes in Jesus then belongs to God, and God will not punish them. God wants people from every people group to believe in Jesus and be part of his kingdom when he will rule over the entire universe with justice and peace.