Lesson 3 begins with verses that make up the Roman Road. Read or quote them along with two new ones.* Mark them in your Bible. Romans 3:10 Romans 3:23 Romans 6:23 Romans 10:9,10* Romans 10:13* LIFEBUILDER BOYS Explain why a righteous judge can t just dismiss a wrong doer. In Lesson 4 we learned that Jesus accomplished four things for us on the cross. Can you explain them in your own words? What does it mean to be a new creature in Christ? Jesus not only wants to make our lives, He wants to make them (pg7) Lesson 5 states that Faith is only as good as! That means that some people may believe in something with all their heart but, in the end, it may lead to and. (Find answers in Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25) What s wrong with this cup? Will it still hold milk or juice? So, is it ok or is it still a broken cup? Explain how this illustrates why everyone (even good people ) need Jesus! Lesson 6 makes the statement It does not take faith to know God exists! Can you explain what that means? And what does take faith in order for you to be in a right relationship with God? Having saving faith, then, is not just that you believe in God, but that you know God in you; that He you, you, and plans to you! Truth is, there are to turn down God s great gift!! Lesson 1 Your Name People Need The Lord!! WHY DO WE NEED THE LORD? Most people say, To go to heaven when this life is over! After all, nobody wants to go to that other place! That is, if they really think about it. But then, nobody is really thinking about it, are they? At least not right now when there are so many more important things to think about! Or so they say!! But that s the point. Even those things are reasons why people need the Lord - right now! There is too much to face alone! We all need God s help...in all kinds of ways...every day!! PEOPLE ARE IN ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE! We must be if the Son of God Himself had to leave heaven to come to our rescue. [Read Luke 4:16-21] When Jesus announced to his home church at the beginning of his ministry what he was about to do, he read from Isaiah 61:1-3. There it tells us that, to save us, Jesus would proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (salvation has come) and the day of vengeance of our God (punishment to those who refuse to repent.) But there it also says that he came to: Open prisons of the bound Preach good tidings Proclaim liberty to captives Joy for mourning Praise for the spirit of heaviness Give beauty for ashes 12
What God wants for us is best for us - but most people don t even know it. Why? Well, for one thing, a lot of people just think that all God wants is to take away all our fun. Really?? Jesus said, I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10) Not a bigger life... but definitely a better one!! But this is where we sometimes get things a bit mixed up. What is really most important in this life is not what we get now but where we go next! And so Jesus also says, For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? (Mat 16:26) When the Bible sadly informs us that All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) it s not just talking about your neighbor next door, or the bully at school, or even your little brother. It s talking about you! We all need Jesus in our heart and in our lives! PEOPLE NEED THE LORD BECAUSE THE LORD HAS WHAT PEOPLE NEED!! In the next five lessons you are going to learn how Jesus has provided something so wonderful for you and for all you share Him with. News this good [ Gospel means good news ] needs to be passed along and spread around. Proverbs 11:30 says,...he that winneth souls is wise. Learn carefully and share prayerfully - then watch what great things God will do! <<< MEMORY VERSES: Romans 3:23 & Matthew 16:26 >>> Also, memorize the saying Learn carefully and share prayerfully Practice these verses each day so you can say them without effort. Also, learn where they are located in the Bible. This will be important if someone asks you to Prove it! But that excuse doesn t hold up because Jesus himself said whosoever! Truth is, there are no good reasons to turn down God s great gift!! Everyone just needs to be honest about their need...not let another day get away...make things right with God...now! Your last two memory verses say it simply: Open the door of your heart and tell the Lord you re sorry. Invite Him in and let your new life begin! <<< MEMORY VERSES: John 1:9 and Revelations 3:20 >>> Lesson 7 Sowing Seed & Reaping Hearts In the Parable of the Sower {Mat 13} we are told how the seed {God s word} that you sow {share} may fall upon different ground {hearts/attitudes.} Doing your sincerest best is still not a guarantee that the results will be the best - that is up to them! But we must give as many as we can the chance to decide for themselves, always ready to use every opportunity to share Jesus and His wonderful gift of everlasting life! Let s try some review exercises and see how well you can apply what you ve learned. Quote your memory verses from Lesson 1, Romans 3:23 & Matthew 16:26. Now, respond to the comments below with those scriptures - but put them in your own words: Ah, c mon man. I still got so much stuff I wanna do Yeah, people are bad! Not me. I m good most of the time Lesson 2 discussed four strikes against all unsaved people. Tell how these images represent them. 2 11
O k,... I b e l i e v e... i s t h a t i t? Lesson 6 God So Loves Me Well, it should be asked, Believe what? Remember, believing that God exists is not what we re talking about ( the devils also believe and tremble James 2:19). It does not take faith to know God exists (read Psa 19:1-3) Everything God made proves He exists!! Even Jesus, his life and death, are a matter of historical record with overwhelming evidence! What requires faith is trusting that, in the end, God will accept us - not for our own righteousness, but for the righteousness of Christ in whose hands we have placed our lives. The best statement of true saving faith, by someone who put himself wholly upon the mercy of God, is by the Apostle Paul in 2Timothy 1:12, I know in whom I believe... [Not religion but relationship] and am persuaded [My mind is made up I am committed ] that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him [Heb 7:25 to save...to the uttermost (me) that comes unto God. ] Having saving faith, then, is not just that you believe in God, but that you know God believes in you: that He wants you, loves you, and plans to keep you! This is why, in John 3:16, before talking about us believing in Him, it says that God so loves us!! So much so...he gave His own Son to die for us!! That whosoever believeth in Him...shall have everlasting life. Think about this: if God is offering such a wonderful gift, why are so many men and boys not willing to accept it? Maybe they don t understand God s offer, or perhaps they just feel God wouldn t want them? Lesson 2 Four Strikes -You re Way Out! First and foremost is that sin separates us from God, like a partition or wall. Put a high enough fence between you and your neighbor and you can eventually forget they are there! But what about the time when you need your neighbor s help? God tells us in Isaiah 59:1,2 that He can hear us and help us but, instead, He must hide His face from us because of our sins. God hates sin (though He still loves sinners) and that s why He won t look upon us while we are covered in that awful stuff. We need to turn to him! We need the wall torn down so we can find help in time of need. (Heb 4:16) Think About This: There are people angry with God because He didn t answer some prayer of theirs (even though they will admit their life is not right with Him.) This scripture in Isaiah explains why God has to choose not to answer. But Romans 2:4 does tell us that sometimes God will answer a prayer for someone who would otherwise not deserve it just so that, by showing His goodness, He may lead them to repentance! That s bad, but so is this - sin blinds sinners! (2Cor 4:3,4) They can t see the wall that separates them or any of the other problems caused by the accumulation of evil as their years pass by. A captive to sin can t even change if he wanted to because of his ongoing struggle with his own fleshly desires ( Rom 7:18-25) Without the Lord, people are in darkness (though not even know it) and fighting a war within themselves!! Even worst yet - a person in sin is at war with God!! (And God is someone you really don t want to pick a fight with!) Check out these scriptures: James 4:4...a friend of the world is an enemy of God Phil 3:18,19...enemies of the cross... their belly is their god Col 1:20-23...you were enemies - but now He hath reconciled you... 10 3
And just how can Jesus do that? He does it...through the blood of his cross (Col 1:20) with his flesh through death (v. 22) But don t forget - it only works if we...continue in the faith... (v.23 ) That means to remain faithful and follow Him! STRIKE FOUR??? That s bad!! The Bible says everybody who sins sells themselves into slavery. They become a prisoner of Satan, bound to serve him (whether they know it or not, whether they want to or not.) Jesus said, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34) But he also promised that If the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed! (v.36) People today deny that they are in bondage just like the religious leaders Jesus was speaking to did back then (see v.33) The fact is, we all serve either one kingdom or the other [study Rom 6:16-18] You are either on God s side or on the side that is against Him - there is no middle ground!! [read Mat 12:30 & Luke 16:13] But what about those who are just trying to straddle the fence? Well, Rev 3:15,16 says that God is going to spit out all who are lukewarm! This is why everyone (you too) needs the Lord! <<< MEMORY VERSES: John 8:34 & 36 and Matthew 12:30 >>> Lesson 3 Justice For All! Man s situation is not a good one! The Bible says, There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10) and that All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) Sin is like snowflakes - just one seems insignificant. But if you keep adding to it, soon you can stop all traffic on a major highway! Read Rom 6:23. It tells us Payday is coming but nobody will want those wages!! Man needs a miracle and that miracle is in the man Christ Jesus! Well? Why won t works work?? Most people ask that question and the answer is simple: no matter how hard you try you can never be good enough! Sorry!! A lot of folks are trying real hard, but dig all they want, a chest of gold is not under all their dirt. Why call it dirt? Because the Bible tells us that (compared to God) All our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) Also, it says in James 2:10,11 that even if you re doing pretty good keeping most of the commandments if you break one, then all is considered broken!! A cup with a broken handle may still hold coffee but that doesn t change the fact it is still a broken cup! It goes like this: God is watching not just our actions but our attitude (not just what we do - but why we do it!) Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, used as an example almsgivers who only gave to others to be seen of men (Matthew 6:1-5) He then says of them, they have their rewards. Some of the most charitable giving has, at its roots, a selfish motive such as popularity or praise from men. So, it is not what others think of you (or you think of yourself) but what you think of the Lord and what you re willing to turn over to him! We should always be willing to begin our prayers with something like What do you think of me today, Lord? with the faithful hope that His answer will be, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil (Jeremiah 29:11) <<< MEMORY VERSE: Ephesians 2:8,9 >>> 4 9
Lesson 5 Saving Faith Contrary to what some people think, having faith is a very normal thing. We all use it everyday. Like when you came in for this session. I m sure you just sat down on your chair without first inspecting it to see if someone had removed its screws or sawed its legs. And if you brought a beverage with you it s not likely that you first had a chemist test it for foreign substances. Neither did you look under the hood of the car or bus you were about to ride in to this meeting to check if the motor was still there. Placing our trust in something, or someone, is a matter of life. Everybody uses faith everyday, whether they think about it or not. But remember: faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed! You may believe with all your heart that you can flap your arms and fly. But you ll find out quickly enough that your faith is in the wrong thing just as soon as you step off a tall building! However, it s not the fall but the landing that hurts!! People who follow false beliefs are happy for now - but one day there will be a landing! [see Pro 14:12 and 16:25 - a double warning!!] The greatest statement of the role of faith in salvation is in Ephesians 2:8,9. We are saved by God s grace and it s God s gift, but He only does it for us when we are willing to trust [have faith in ] Him! Titus 3:5 says it is not by works of righteousness...but by his mercy that he saves us! Not what we do - but He has done!!! Grace is getting that which we don t deserve - Mercy is not getting what we do deserve 8 5 This whole thing is even more important when you understand that sin is breaking God s Law. And once it is broken, God has to avenge it ( deal with it.) If He doesn t, then God himself will be guilty of violating His own righteousness. A judge, no matter how compassionate he wants to be, cannot just dismiss a criminal s crime without doing an injustice to the laws he is sworn to keep. Even our own conscience has a sense of justice. This is why a concept of right and wrong is universal, found in every culture of the world! In movies, we always want the bad guy to get caught in the end, don t we? Just don t you be the bad guy!! So, what happens after the bad guy gets caught? The Bible makes it real clear that after this life comes judgment (read Heb 9:27) There are those who believe nothing will happen, that everyone experiences the same thing! Well, ask them, Do you really think that you and the most evil man ever should spend eternity in the same place, rather than one in heaven and the other in hell? Or ask, What about any of the most terrible people in history? Murderers, rapist, terrible people! Should your fate in the next life be the same as theirs? And what about reward for people like Mother Theresa, the nun who sacrificed so much to help the impoverished of India? Should she get nothing more than any common criminal will? Most people cannot bring themselves to believe such a thing because their spirit knows the truth, even if their mind tries to deny it! They can feel there must be some kind of justice (but just don t know where it will come from!)
Justice (and consequent judgment) are very much a part of our nature! We know we should get what we deserve! But the Bible says that Jesus, standing before an unjust judge (Pilate), took our place, paid our penalty, and purchased our freedom with His blood. (Read Isa 53:4-6) <<< MEMORY VERSES: Romans 6:23 & John 3:16 >>> Lesson 4 Jesus Our Only Hope! Yes...the only Answer, just as Jesus said of Himself, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. (John 14:6) Only through His perfect life could Jesus be for us the perfect sacrifice! He paid our penalties so we can be set free!! See below all He did for us on the cross and why we should want to do all we can for Him: Jesus took our place in punishment [substitution - Isaiah 53:4-6] Jesus paid for our sins to buy us back [redemption - Gal 4:4,5] Jesus satisfied the requirements of the Law [propitiation - 1John 2:2 & 4:10] Jesus broke down wall separating us from God [reconciliation 2Cor 5:18,19] It may seem like a neat little package (well...it is His gift to us), but there was nothing neat about it: Despised and rejected...a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief as a lamb to the slaughter is how the prophet Isaiah said it would be for our Lord! (Isaiah 53:3,7) Yet Jesus did it...for the joy that was set before him (Heb 12:2) What was that joy? It was seeing the day when you, me, and all those who believe in him are transformed by his grace and made into new creatures in Christ (2Cor 5:17) It means literally a new work of creation - like a potter taking clay and forming something wonderful from it. Old things will be passed away - all things made new!! The best illustrations of the joy that Jesus then has with us is in the story of when a good shepherd found his lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7) and a father had his prodigal son come home (Luke 15:11-32). The Apostle Peter says that we, too, were like sheep gone astray. But now we are healed by his stripes and have returned to the shepherd of our souls (1Peter 2:24-25) That is why with joy we can draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3) This is the invitation Jesus gives to all when He says, If any man thirst, let him come unto me (John 7:37,38) and Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...learn of me...and ye shall find rest for your souls. (Mat 11:28-30) Jesus not only wants to make our lives better, He wants to make them the best they can be - not just for now, but for all eternity! Helpful Hint: When sharing Jesus with others, tell one or both of the stories from Luke chp 15 above, using yourself as the lost character. Make it personal. Jesus did it all for you, too! <<< MEMORY VERSES: John 14:6 & 2Corinthians 5:17 >>> 6 7