|
Question 21. What did God do
to bring them back to the covenant?
Although God judged the people when they sinned, God still
loved them and remained faithful to them. God sent them prophets
to speak God's word. God gave them priests to make sacrifices
for their sins. God called kings to protect the needy and guarantee
justice. At last God promised to send the Messiah.
1 Sam. 3:19-20 "As Samuel grew
up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to
the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that
Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord."
Ex. 28:1 "Then bring near to you your
brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites,
to serve me as priests."
1 Sam. 16:13 "Then Samuel took the
horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers;
and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that
day forward."
Jer. 23:5 "The days are surely coming,
says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous
Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall
execute justice and righteousness in the land."
Is. 9:1-6 "For a child has been born
for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace."
Acts 3:18,22 "In this way God fulfilled
what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah
would suffer Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up
for you from your own people a prophet like me."
Heb. 4:14-16 "Since, then, we have
a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus,
the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we
do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been
tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach
the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
John 18:33-37 "Then Pilate entered
the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, 'Are
you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, 'Do you ask this
on your own, or did others tell you about me?' Pilate replied,
'I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests
have handed you over to me. What have you done?' Jesus answered,
'My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from
this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from
being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is
not from here.' Pilate asked him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus
answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I was born,
and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.'"
Question 22. Who was sent to be the Messiah?
God sent Jesus to be the Messiah. Messiah means "anointed
one." The New Testament word for Messiah is Christ. Jesus
is called the Christ, because God anointed him to be the Savior
who would rescue us from sin and death.
Luke 2:26-38 "It had been revealed
to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before
he had seen the Lord's Messiah."
Luke 3:22 "The Holy Spirit descended
upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from
heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'"
Luke 2:10-11 "Do not be afraid; for
see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the
people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord."
Phil. 3:20 "But our citizenship is
in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ."
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to
the poor."
Question 23. How did God keep the promise
to Abraham by sending Jesus?
By sending Jesus, God opened up the covenant with Abraham
to the whole world. God welcomed all who have faith in Jesus
into the blessings of the covenant.
Gal. 3:6-7 "Just as Abraham 'believed
God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' so, you
see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham."
John 8:56 "Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced
that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."
Matt. 1:1 "An account of the genealogy
of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
Question 24. Was Jesus just another human
being?
No. Although he was truly human, he was also God with us.
As someone who was truly human, he could share all our sorrows.
Yet because he was truly God, he could save us from all our
sins.
Matt. 1:22-23 "All this took
place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through
the prophet: 'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,' which means, 'God is with
us.'"
John 1:1, 14 "In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
And the Word became flesh and lived among us."
Matt. 26:38-39 "Then he said to them,
'I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay
awake with me.' And going a little farther, he threw himself
on the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, let
this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.'"
John 14:11 "Believe me that I am in
the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then
believe me because of the works themselves."
Col. 1:15,19-20 "He is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation For in him
all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through
him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether
on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of
his cross."
Question 25. What was Jesus like?
When Jesus spoke, he spoke with God's authority. When he acted,
he acted with God's power. The people were amazed. He was also
gentle and loving. He cared for us in all our needs as a shepherd
cares for the sheep.
Mark 1:27 "They were all amazed,
and they kept on asking one another, 'What is this? A new
teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits,
and they obey him.'"
Mark 4:41 "And they were filled with
great awe and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that
even the wind and the sea obey him?'"
Luke 15:6 "And when he comes home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them,
'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'"
Matt. 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Question 26. What did he do during his life
on earth?
He called disciples to follow him. He fed the hungry, healed
the sick, blessed children, befriended outcasts, required people
to repent, and forgave their sins. He taught people not to fear,
but to trust always in God. He preached the good news of God's
love and gave everyone hope for new life.
Luke 5:9-11 "For he and all who
were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had
taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who
were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not
be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.' When
they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything
and followed him."
Mark 6:41-42 "Taking the five loaves
and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and
broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before
the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And
all ate and were filled."
Luke 5:13 "Then Jesus stretched out
his hand, touched him, and said, 'I do choose. Be made clean.'
Immediately the leprosy left him."
Luke 5:20 "When he saw their faith,
he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven you.'"
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am
the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.'"
Matt. 6:25-34 "Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you
will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not
life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look
at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather
into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you
not of more value than they?"
Question 27. How did Jesus Christ prove to
be our Savior?
He sacrificed his life for us by dying on the cross. He showed
his victory over death by rising from the dead. He removed our
guilt and gave us new, unending life with God.
2 Cor. 5:19 "In Christ God was
reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation
to us."
Is. 53:5 "But he was wounded for our
transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the
punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed."
Rom. 4:24-25 "It will be reckoned to
us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised
for our justification."
Question 28. How do we know that Jesus is
Lord?
After he died and was raised from the dead, he appeared to
his disciples, both women and men. He revealed himself to them
as our living Lord and Savior. Through the Bible, he continues
to reveal himself to us today.
John 21:12-14 "Jesus said to
them, 'Come and have breakfast.' Now none of the disciples
dared to ask him, "Who are you?' because they knew it
was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to
them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third
time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised
from the dead."
Luke 24:38-39 "He said to them, 'Why
are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch
me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you
see that I have.'"
1 Cor. 15:3-4 "For I handed on to you
as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ
died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that
he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in
accordance with the scriptures."
John 20:15-18 "Jesus said to her, 'Woman,
why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?' Supposing
him to be the gardener, she said to him, 'Sir, if you have
carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will
take him away.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and
said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbouni!' (which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her, 'Do not hold on to me, because I have not
yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say
to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to
my God and your God.'' Mary Magdalene went and announced to
the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'; and she told them that
he had said these things to her."
Luke 24:44-49 "Then he said to them,
'These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still
with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses,
the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.' Then he opened
their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them,
'Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to
rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and
forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all
nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these
things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised;
so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with
power from on high.'"
1 Cor. 15:5-7,11 "He appeared to Cephas,
then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred
brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive,
though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to
all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he
appeared also to meWhether then it was I or they, so we proclaim
and so you have come to believe."
Question 29. What does it mean that Jesus
ascended into heaven?
After his work on earth was done, he returned to heaven to
prepare a place for us and to rule with God in love. He will
come again in glory, and remains with us now through the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:6-11 "So when they had
come together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when
you will restore the kingdom to Israel?' He replied, 'It is
not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has
set by his own authority. But you will receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth.' When he had said this, as they were watching,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven,
suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said,
'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?
This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will
come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"
Luke 24:50-53 "Then he led them out
as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was
carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned
to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in
the temple blessing God."
John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,
so that where I am, there you may be also."
John 14:16,26 "And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all
that I have said to you."
Question 30. When was the Holy Spirit given
to the first Christians?
On the day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:1-4 "When the day of Pentecost
had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent
wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit
gave them ability."
Question 31. What happened on the day of Pentecost?
When the first Christians met together in Jerusalem, the Holy
Spirit came upon them like a mighty wind. They all began to
speak in different languages. A crowd gathered in astonishment.
Peter preached to them the gospel.
Acts 2:1-4 "When the day of Pentecost
had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent
wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit
gave them ability. "
Acts 2:14-24 "You that are Israelites,
listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested
to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that
God did through him among you, as you yourselves know--this
man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and
foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands
of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed
him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held
in its power."
Question 32. What is the gospel?
The gospel is the good news about Jesus. It promises us the
forgiveness of our sins and eternal life because of him. Forgiveness
and eternal life with God are what we mean by salvation.
Rom. 1:16 "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone
who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
John 3:15 "That whoever believes in
him may have eternal life."
Acts 2:38 "Peter said to them, 'Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
Rom. 6:23 "For the wages of sin is
death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
Question 33. What were the results of Pentecost?
The Holy Spirit filled the first Christians with joy by revealing
what Jesus had done for us. The Spirit inspired them to understand
and proclaim the gospel, and to live a new life together in
thanksgiving to God.
Acts 4:31-35 "When they had prayed,
the place in which they were gathered together was shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the
word of God with boldness. Now the whole group of those who
believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private
ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was
held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was
upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for
as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the
proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet,
and it was distributed to each as any had need."
Question 34. How do these results continue
today?
The Holy Spirit also moves us to understand and believe the
gospel, gives us strength and wisdom to live by it, and unites
us into a new community called the church.
Acts 9:17-19 "'Brother Saul,
the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has
sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with
the Holy Spirit.' And immediately something like scales fell
from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up
and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained
his strength."
Rom. 8:11 "If the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ
from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through
his Spirit that dwells in you."
Eph. 4:4-6 "There is one body and one
Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all."
Question 35. What is the church?
We are the church: the people who believe the good news about
Jesus, who are baptized, and who share in the Lord's Supper.
Through these means of grace, the Spirit renews us so that we
may serve God in love.
Acts 2:38-47 "Peter said to them,
'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for
your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom
the Lord our God calls to him.' And he testified with many
other arguments and exhorted them, saying, 'Save yourselves
from this corrupt generation.' So those who welcomed his message
were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were
added. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe
came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being
done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had
all things in common; they would sell their possessions and
goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and
generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all
the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number
those who were being saved."
1 Cor. 12:4-7, 12-13 "Now there are
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties
of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of
activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them
in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit
for the common good. . . . For just as the body is one and
has many members, and all the members of the body, though
many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves
or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."
Eph. 3:14-19 "For this reason I bow
my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven
and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the
riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened
in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are
being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have
the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love
of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God."
Question 36. What comfort does the good news
give you?
That I belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who died
and rose again for my sake, so that nothing will ever separate
me from God's love.
Rom. 8:31-32 "If God is for us,
who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but
gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give
us everything else?"
Rom. 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Question 37. How do we know this good news?
Through reading the Bible and hearing it taught and preached.
The Holy Spirit inspired those who wrote the Bible, and helps
us rely on its promises today.
2 Tim. 3:16 "All scripture is
inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness."
Eph. 6:17 "Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
John 14:26 "But the Holy Spirit will
teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said to
you."
2 Peter 1:20-21 "First of all you must
understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter
of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came
by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit
spoke from God."
Question 38. What else does the Holy Spirit
do for the church?
The Spirit gathers us to worship God, builds us up in faith,
hope and love, and sends us into the world to proclaim the gospel
and to work for justice and peace.
Rom. 8:15-16 "When we cry, 'Abba!
Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit
that we are children of God."
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth."
John 15:26-27 "When the Advocate comes,
whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You
also are to testify because you have been with me from the
beginning."
Question 39. Why do Christians gather for
worship on the first day of the week?
Because it is the day when God raised our Lord Jesus from
the dead. When we gather weekly on that day, the Spirit makes
our hearts glad with the memory of our Lord's resurrection.
Matt. 28:1-10 "After the sabbath,
as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was
a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from
heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.
But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid; I know
that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not
here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place
where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He
has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead
of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message
for you.' So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great
joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them
and said, 'Greetings!' And they came to him, took hold of
his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do
not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there
they will see me.'"
Luke 24:1-2 "But on the first day of
the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the
spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled
away from the tomb."
Acts 20:7 "On the first day of the
week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion
with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued
speaking until midnight."
Question 40. What do we do in Christian worship?
We adore and praise God. We pray, sing hymns, and listen to
readings from the Bible. We also give offerings to God for the
work of the church, and commit ourselves to serve God and our
neighbors. Above all, we hear the preaching of the gospel and
celebrate the sacraments.
Acts 2:43-47 "Awe came upon everyone,
because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute
the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they
spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at
home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising
God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by
day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved."
Eph. 5:19-20 "You sing psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody
to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father
at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
1 Cor. 16:2 "On the first day of every
week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra
you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come."
Ps. 92:1-4 "It is good to give thanks
to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to
declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness
by night, o the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody
of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy."
Questions 21-40
Questions 41-60 |
