From ChildrensMinistryFreeStuff.org Part of PotofOil.org Pouring out what God pours in Myth or Truth? A Christmas PowerPoint Presentation By Catherine Slight and Lin Pearson Notes: The symbol is the cue to advance the slide. If the cue is in [italics and brackets], do not read it aloud. Read only those headings which are unbracketed. To play the presentation in your computer, double click on the file called Myth_Truth.pps. This will open up the presentation in full screen mode. To exit from this, click Esc [Escape]. In the section Transformed Lives we have quoted from our own experience and that of people we know personally. You may use these examples or, better still, use other examples from your own experience and knowledge of others you know personally. The Powerpoint for this presentation may be found at www.childrensministryfreestuff.org/christmas/free_downloads.html We kindly ask that you respect our copyright. All material by Catherine Slight and Lin Pearson is copyrighted. However, these materials may be freely downloaded, copied and distributed unaltered for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to others free of charge, and the copyright is included. This does not include hosting or broadcasting the materials on another website, although linking to the resources on our site is permitted. These materials may not, in any manner, be sold or used to solicit donations from others, nor may they be included in anything you intend to copyright, sell, or offer for a fee. This copyright is exercised to keep these materials freely available to all. Any exceptions to these conditions must be explicitly approved by the authors. Catherine Slight and Lin Pearson Email: contact@childrensministryfreestuff.org
[Street of shoppers] One Christmas, researchers went into a shopping mall to sound out the opinions of the public. [Lady with parcels] Among shoppers interviewed was one lady who said [ I love Christmas quote] I love Christmas...the family time, the peace and goodwill bit [ I just don t believe...]...i just don t believe in all that Jesus stuff. [Baby on the hay] Is what she called that Jesus stuff a... [TITLE ]...Myth or Truth? Was the baby in the manger really Jesus Christ, God s Son, the promised Saviour? Let s WEIGH THE EVIDENCE: The prophets [ Old prophet sitting] Hundreds of years before the coming of Jesus to Earth, prophets made over 300 predictions in meticulous detail, concerning the PROMISED SAVIOUR. FIRST of all his - Birth [List] o He d be Born to a virgin o King David would be among his ancestors o Although there were a number of Bethlehems the SPECIFIC Bethlehem was named BETHLEHEM EPHRATA. [Back to prophet and birth heading] Ministry Many expected the promised Saviour to come in military power, but prophets predicted that he would... [List] o Preach and teach o Care for the poor and oppressed o Heal the sick All this Jesus did. [Back to prophet and birth/ministry heading] Death They also predicted in DETAIL THE MANNER OF HIS DEATH [List] He would be... o Treated as a criminal and he was. o That his Hands and feet would be pierced o That they would share out His clothes and gamble for them. Myth and Truth - 2
o That He d be Buried in a rich man s grave although he had no property of his own. All this was predicted hundreds of years before this happened. [Back to prophet and birth/ministry/death heading] Something else predicted was his... Resurrection [Empty grave] It was predicted that the true Saviour would come alive again, [Resurrected Christ] the grave would be empty and his body would not decay. jesus was seen alive after the resurrection by hundreds of people. [Back to Weigh the evidence/ prophets] We know it all came true in Jesus because of the evidence of. Eye-witnesses (Luke and Peter) They said that they themselves were eyewitnesses of many of the events they described. In addition, if they hadn t seen something themselves, they fully investigated the accounts of other eye-witnesses, and recorded only what was proven to be true. [Back to Weigh the evidence/ prophets/ eye witnesses] God s declaration [ Christ s baptism picture] The meticulous Dr Luke records that at the baptism of Jesus they actually saw the Holy Spirit, descend bodily like a dove upon Jesus - signifying him to be the promised Saviour.(Luke 3.22) And heard the Father declare from heaven: This is My beloved Son. I am well pleased with him. Listen to him! [Back to Weigh the evidence/ prophets/ eye witnesses/declaration] Christ s enemies The actions of Christ s own enemies is evidence to consider. At the Cross, Mocking Religious leaders shouted out: If he is God, Let him save himself! Hundreds of years before, it had been predicted that these very words would be used against the coming Messiah. At Calvary, the behaviour of Christ s enemies was proving him to be the promised Saviour. [ Tomb and soldier] Myth and Truth - 3
On the resurrection morning the Guards at the Tomb saw An earthquake The stone rolled back An angel The tomb was empty [Text - Religious leaders etc] But when they told the authorities, they were bribed (Matt 28:12-15) by religious leaders, to lie about the resurrection by saying that they had all fallen asleep on duty and that the body had been stolen. This would have carried the death penalty. So admitting to this, and still being alive to tell the tale, is very suspect, and proves that the authorities were covering up the fact of the resurrection. [ Back to Weigh the Evidence summary list] Transformed lives In our church we have heard many people tell their stories. Healed physically Lin was wonderfully healed in a moment from osteo-arthritis. The two replacement hips she was told she would need went to someone else! Karen from Greenock had lived all her life with a built-up shoe. But the power of Jesus Christ had healed her pain, and caused the short leg to grow to the correct length. Healed from mental illness This young man looks happy. Our friend George Marshall would identify with that. He told us how the manic depression that was ruining his life was wonderfully healed, in answer to prayer. He went from being unable to study and research, to a professor in his field. Set Free from Phobias - Abnormal fears that rule the life Some of our church have been wonderfully set free from phobias. Karen from Cumbernauld suffered fear of needles, but not any more Pauline was gripped by fear of heights, but not any more. She even went to the top of theis tower in London and revelled in the view! Pete had a fear of flying, but not any more. He regularly flies on business with no qualms. They were set free through the PRESENCE AND POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, in answer to prayer. Myth and Truth - 4
Set Free from Addictions - There are people today, many in our own church movement, who have been freed from addictions that have ruled their lives and they have been transformed through the Lord Jesus Christ! So people have known total freedom Some from the place of very deep need, all because of the presence and power of the living Lord jesus Christ. [Peace] Despite stress and turmoil, uncertainties and problems, young and old have experienced the peace of God that has carried them through. The greatest peace, that of having our sins forgiven, through trusting in Jesus, has transformed countless lives. That s wonderful evidence of the reality of the living Christ. [ Weigh the Evidence title only this time] The weight of evidence is overwhelming. Prophets the tiniest details of their predictions concerning the coming Saviour were fulfilled in Christ. Eye-witnesses told it exactly as they saw and experienced it God himself declared Jesus to be his Son, the promised Saviour Christ s enemie fulfilled prophecy, proving Jesus to be the Saviour Transformed lives are evidence today of the power of the living Lord Jesus Christ, to save, heal, help and deliver. [Baby in the manger] Was the baby in the manger Jesus Christ, God s Son, the Promised Saviour? Is it a myth or Truth? [The Truth Title] It is not a myth! It is true! The baby whose birth we celebrate truly was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Promised Saviour. [Stable scene] And he came to earth so that each of us could know him personally, as the awesome God and yet our closest Friend. And that s no myth! [ Fade to black] Myth and Truth - 5