

The Gospel

of Jesus

 in Simple English

Stan Paregien
**This is the DIGITAL VERSION of Stan's 20** th **book.**

It is absolutely free.
**C** **opyrighted 2020 - by Stan Paregien**

ISBN: 9781370758555

1127 48th Ave. East - Bradenton, FL 34203

Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.

Distributed by Smashwords.com

and other fine retailers.

All rights reserved. Book reviewers and those doing scholarly research have permission to quote brief passages. Otherwise, no part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means. That includes, but is not limited to, information storage and retrieval systems. Before you use anything but short quotes, you must obtain – before any such use – written permission from the author. Contact Stan Paregien at:

stan-usa@outlook.com

Scripture quotations marked "ERV" have been taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 1987, 2004 by Bible League International. Used by permission. The ERV has been independently rated at a 3rd grade reading level. That is fine, for the gospel itself is not complicated. Microsoft Word's review of this manuscript rated it at a 6.8 grade reading level.
Important Notice

This eBook is not for sale. The author considers this his personal testimony to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to change lives. **IT IS FREE TO ONE AND ALL**.

Later, there will be a **paperback edition** of this book. It will be with full-color graphics and on premium paper. There will be a Chapter 11 containing "A Gallery of Inspiration" featuring dozens of photos and graphics. There will be a reasonable charge for that version.

### Materials Used in

### This eBook

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Any undocumented photos, graphics or quotes used in this book are believed to be in the " **Public Domain"** status. As such, anyone may use them. They are not required to document that source.

Most writers, including the author of this book, graciously allow others to use short quotations of their work without having to secure in advance from them a written permission. We appreciate and honor that philosophy.

Fair Use Domain

In some instances, we have made reasonable and limited use of the copyrighted work of others without their written permission. We have done so for the purpose of scholarly research, education, criticism and/or commentary. We believe our limited use will have virtually no effect upon the potential market for or value of the original copyrighted work. In fact, the opposite seems true. Our minimal use of such work, with the best documentation at our disposal, is more likely to send new readers to the original documents. Our use under such circumstances falls into the so-called **"Fair Use Domain."**

Copyright Domain

Regarding other materials which appear to be under a valid and current copyright, we have tried to cite those as completely as possible. And, if needed, we wrote to the creator or publisher of such materials for their permission.

If there are errors or omissions, please contact the author at his email address: stan-usa@outlook.com.

Valid issues will be addressed in any future edition.

### Our Target Audience

This "Simple English" book is aimed at all those who speak English. That audience is almost too large to comprehend.

So, primarily, the folks we want to reach are native English speakers. That group is an extremely large number, as well. That includes such people in this list of nations:

The United States of America, the United Kingdom (in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand.

Those are the big ones. But it also includes the countries and territories of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Guyana, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.

And to break it down even further, we have designed this book specifically for English speaking people who have limited knowledge or understanding of the Christian faith. I like to think of it as one person introducing a friend to another friend. In this case, it means that I have the honor of introducing you, my readers, to my friend and Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, we take a moment to just say a friendly " **Hello** " those folks . . . and to the thousands of others who don't fit into those categories. Thank you for taking the time to explore this little book. By design, there are only about 50 pages of text. It contains the soul-saving essentials of the Gospel. And it is presented in plain, simple English.

Happy reading.

Stan Paregien – January 14, 2020

Bradenton, Florida

### Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Important Background Stuff

Chapter 3: Getting to Know God

Chapter 4: A Father's Love

Chapter 5: Death and Resurrection

Chapter 6: The Rest of the Story

Chapter 7: By Faith, Through Grace

Chapter 8: Starting Your Christian Life

Chapter 9: Resources for You

Chapter 10: Stan's Bio & Books

## Chapter 1

## 

## Introduction

Many people today have a burning desire in their hearts to improve their lives and find God. They have a deep need to find their spiritual roots. They long for a solid standard of morality. They want this themselves. They also want it for their children and grandchildren.

However, many people are frustrated in that search. They can't unravel all the complicated religious terms they encounter. They are confused by so many church divisions. They can't understand all the wordy denominational creeds. They are weary of organized religion's demands that they be in attendance every time the church doors open. They can't keep up with all the fads or gimmicks which church growth experts push on them. It all smacks of hyper voodoo religion.

Whew. Where is the simple Christian life when you need it?

Heck, no wonder so many searchers just give up. They just plod along. They live quiet lives of hopelessness.

Hold on. There is some really good news.

God wants to change all that for you. He loves you. He is searching for you. You can find God's will for your life. You can easily understand the basic gospel message. Our goal is to tell you all you need to know in order to become a Christian. And we want to tell you in clear, simple English.

Think about this. Almost everyone today will spend at least three or four hours a day watching sports, talk shows, reality shows or movies on TV. Right? Sure.

Okay, then, we promise to keep each sharing session (i.e., chapter) as short as possible. That's our part of the deal. And, as your part, will you promise to really focus on this material for that brief time?

You have gotten this far into this book because you are a searcher, right? But if you don't focus your attention, you just can't find God's blessing that are waiting for you.

Made your decision?

Now, friend, if you did not commit to reading this book with an open attitude and a focused mind, . . . well, you might as well close this book and turn on your TV, again. If that is your situation, we thank you for coming this far. We will welcome you back when your heart and mind are ready. We will miss you.

Well, . . . that probably thinned the crowd. And that is okay.

We thank those of you who are still reading. We thank you for your open mind. Congratulations on your eagerness to move closer to God.

There is one more thing you can do to get the very most benefit from this book. Simply bow your head right where you are. Pray to the God who loves us and longs for us to love him back.

Make this brief prayer your own. Make it personal. Not a canned prayer. Not something you're chanted for years in some cathedral or mosque or temple. No. No. No.

Keep it simple. Talk with the Ruler of the Universe just as you would a close friend or relative. And do it now. Pray for God to help you follow him every day.

Congratulations. You are on your way to a better life. Oh, yes, you'll see. Grab a drink and get comfortable. Then go on to Chapter 2.

## Chapter 2

##

## Important Background Stuff

Thousands of years ago, God spoke dealt directly with the fathers of the Jewish clans. He also spoke to men and women who were prophets. They all often warned the Jews against turning away from the one true God.

God delivered his "Ten Commandments" to the Jewish nation through a leader named Moses. There were literally hundreds of other rules about daily living and the proper way to worship.

No normal person could go through life without breaking some of the rules. Of course, that didn't keep people from believing they could be saved by law-keeping. And that only resulted in deep guilt.

Living by faith was the only way for a Jew to have any hope of pleasing God. That's why Abraham, a known rule-breaker, was called the "father of the faithful." When God spoke to him, Abraham believed him. When God told him to do something, he did it.

Please understand, though, that sometimes his actions were less than perfect. But God understood. God took care of Abraham's sometimes poor performance of his good intentions. The writer of Genesis stated the key to Abraham's relationship with God when he wrote that he "believed the Lord, and because of this faith the Lord accepted him as one who has done what is right (Genesis, Chapter 15 and Verse 6, ERV).

It was not that Abraham was actually righteous (spiritual good) up to that point. But God showed grace (or mercy) because of the man's deep faith. God pronounced him righteous in his eyes. That wonderful principle of God's grace responding to our faith is the hope offered today to each of us through Jesus.

The fact is the story you need to know is short and sweet. You don't need a Ph.D. in Sociology to get it. You don't need a Doctor of Divinity degree in Religious Studies to understand it. You don't need any degree at all. None. Just know and believe that God has been reaching out to people for thousands of years. He is still doing that today.

You do not have to know anything about the **Hebrew** language. That was the language mostly used in writing the documents in the "Old Testament" part of the Bible.

You don't have to know the **Greek** language. That was the language mostly used in writing the documents in the "New Testament" part of the Bible.

Just know that God has directly spoken to various men and women. And they wrote down that message for us.

Here is a simple way to think of the Bible. All the books or documents found in the Old Testament tell us "Someone is coming **."** The four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- in the New Testament tell the good news that "Someone has come **."** And the rest of the New Testament encourages us with the news that "Someone is coming, again."

That "Someone" was the Messiah (Christ; "the anointed one"). The prophets in the Old Testament period revealed only a little about him. They said he would come and bless them.

That "Someone" was Jesus the Christ. His life changed the world. His life was so important to human happiness that our ancestors developed a calendar with Jesus as the center of it. So, we speak of David having become King of all Israel in about 1003 B.C. (i.e., before Christ). The United States was founded in 1776, and they will celebrate their "Tri-Centennial" (300th year) in 2076 A.D. (the initials "A.D." are for Latin words ( _anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi_ ) which mean, "In the year of our Lord.").

And, yes, Jesus really is coming back to reward his people and to punish those who have heard his gospel but rejected it and him.

People have called Jesus "The hinge of history," because his life and teachings have had such an impact on people around the world. Just look around at all the good that has been done in Jesus' name.

It was Christians – not atheists or agnostics -- who built countless orphanages for children. They have built hospitals for the sick. They have established great universities to educate the mind and heart. Christian men and women legislators passed government laws to protect the weak, elderly, mentally ill and the poor.

Take all those influences out of a city or a nation and you would not want to live in such a miserable place.

The Bible, you see, is a collection of 66 documents (often called "books" or "letters") which have stood the test of time. They can be trusted as expressing God's will for his people. It is important that you study one of the easy-to-read modern translations of the Bible. See **Chapter 9** for some suggestions.

Read the Word for yourself in your own Bible (or a Bible app, etc.). Make your own decisions about how to apply those principles. Millions of people around the world enjoy that freedom. You can, too.

We always know our decisions are on solid ground if we accept what the Bible says. The big question is not what a TV evangelist wants you to do. It is not what your parents want you to do or what they have taught you.

You want to rest your faith on what the Bible says. Not on what your friends on Facebook say. Not on what your gang at the coffee shop or the hair salon may advise you to do. If it is a choice between what your church's official creed or book of doctrine says and what the Bible says, we recommend the Bible.

The first response to any question should be this one:

What does God, through his Word

the Bible, say about it?

Unfortunately, early on some church leaders decided the ordinary people were not able to study the Bible for themselves. Indeed, it was true that few people could read and, back then, there were very few copies of the Bible. Those were hand-written copies and often in a language most people did not know.

So, these church rulers wrote creeds to put their own denominational spin on what the Bible itself states. That eventually led to the clergy forcing those creeds on members and searchers. Those creeds became the authority, rather than the Bible. If someone didn't accept the official creed, then they could not be a member of that church. In that way, the priests used their power to keep ordinary people in the dark. They kept them from living as free people in Christ. Pretty bad, right?

Once a searcher becomes a baptized believer, it is time to move on toward Christian maturity. That's where other parts of the Bible provide valuable teachings (doctrine). Those insights will help you on the exciting road to maturity.

Don't worry about all that for now. None of that is needed until you have actually committed yourself to imitating Jesus. We imitate the life of Christ by loving God. By loving others. And by serving others and by telling them the Good News about Jesus.

Right now, let's agree that we should base our beliefs only on what God wants us to do. We don't have to accept what some TV personality says. My opinion or your opinion about any question is not the final word on it. Let's strip away our opinions and our denominational creeds and go back to the Bible. Let's discover the answers for ourselves.

Do you think that is a good idea?

Millions of Christians around the world strongly believe that absolutely nothing should be required of anyone wanting to live for God except those **commands clearly stated in the Bible**. If an idea or act is not clearly stated as a command in the Bible, then we have no right to force it on anyone. No right to withhold fellowship from them if they don't comply with our personal understanding. We each will answer to God for our actions. In a way, we simply follow the common sayings: "Live and let live" and "Treat others the way you want to be treated."

What we can read in the Bible, we accept as the truth. A friend of mine often said, "If the Bible says it, I believe it. And that settles it." Every part of our life involves some faith. When we press the brake on our bicycle, we know a little bit about the mechanics of how it works. And we ride the bicycle with faith that the brake will stop us.

In the same way, our relationship with God involves not only logical evidence – such as Bible teachings -- but our heart-felt belief that God knows best. We are sure he will always apply justice with a big dose of mercy. That is faith.

Some people have worked extremely hard to discover the same ideas. Lee Strobel is such a man. He received his law degree from Yale University's School of Law in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1981, he worked as the Legal Editor for the _Chicago (Illinois) Tribune_ newspaper. Oh, one more thing: he was a dedicated atheist.

Strobel decided to write a book to prove the Bible wrong. He wanted to show that it is just a collection of ancient legends. He was both a scholar and an honest man with an open mind. Strobel decided to let the evidence lead him to his conclusions. He was willing to go wherever the evidence led him. So, he began a serious investigation of the Bible, but with the goal of proving it unreliable.

The end result was that the evidence led him to accept the Bible as true. More than that, it led him to an unshakable belief in a living, personal God. Later, you may want to read his remarkable story in his book, The Case for Christ.

Friend, are you willing to set aside your natural prejudices and consider the evidence with an open mind? Will you go where the clear Bible facts lead?

Yes?

Good for you. Be sure to take a well-deserved break from reading this book. Then move on to Chapter 3.

## Chapter 3

##

## Getting to Know God

Some people don't like to discuss politics or religion. They have seen such discussions lead to heated arguments. And those heated arguments sometimes have led to broken relationships. The problem is that each of us thinks we are experts in these two fields.

Oh, yes, some will argue they know all there is to know about God. Those are often the ones who have never studied theology in college. And often they have had limited real experience in talking with God or worshiping him. But, **Shazam!** Somehow, they are "experts."

Well, we need to shut out all the shouted opinions. We need to put aside doctrinal creeds. Let's move the conversation forward to the important question below.

What does God's own message, the Bible,

tell us about the Ruler of Heaven and Earth?

Please understand we are summarizing large portions of the Bible. When you finish this little book, you will want to go back and leisurely read those wonderful Bible documents for yourself.

We are simply pointing out the highlights of God's message. And, yes, you do need to trust the Bible not necessarily what we tell you about it. We gladly refer you to the Bible for what you really need to help you accept Jesus as Lord of your life.

Early on, the writers of the Old Testament revealed that God is a spiritual being. He is the one who has lived forever. Forever and ever, amen. And the documents of the New Testament confirm it.

Skeptics have repeatedly challenged the authority of the Bible. Many who did an honest search came out as strong believers in the Bible as an accurate document and in the personal, living God the Bible reveals.

The God we worship created our world and all the worlds around it. Next, he created someone he called "Man" and gave him the name Adam. Then he created a companion for Adam called "Woman" and named her Eve. The two had an ideal life in the Garden of Eden, but in time they sinned against God and were punished by him. And their tendency toward sin became a kind of genetic legacy. It has passed down to every one of us (Genesis 2 and 3).

One of my favorite writers is the late William Barclay. He was a popular author, a pastor of a congregation of the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), and a professor of theology at the University of Glasgow. He was skilled at taking complex statements and restating them in simple words.

For example, Barclay pointed out that when we sin, we break God's heart and not just his Law. Think about that. It is a profound idea. Yet is was stated in a way we can understand it with both our legal minds and our emotional hearts.

It is sort of like when your child does something you had forbidden. That act not only challenges your role as a parent but really does impact you emotionally.

We have all broken God's heart many times, haven't we? That means we are sinners in need of salvation. That leaves us in a terrible situation. Because we cannot save ourselves.

In the Old Testament, we read where this loving God made many efforts to help his favored people. He repeatedly told them what to do. But, time after time, they goofed up and sinned even more.

That was a time when the prophets in the nation of Israel received direct messages from God. He said he would send to them a Messiah (Christ or Savior; the anointed one). And that Messiah was the Son of God. He was the one who left the right hand of God the Father to come to our earth as a God but in a human body. He was born of a virgin named Mary. She was a Jew. And he lived about 38 years as a Jew.

Jesus worshiped in Jewish synagogues. He kept the Jewish rituals. He loved this nation of people. We will see in the next chapter how his perfect life and his forceful teaching of God's message caused some evil people to hate him. They eventually killed him. More about that, later.

Here is where some people are really confused about God. You see, God is often called the "triune God" (meaning three parts). Some refer to the three personalities of God as "the Trinity." That's okay, if we understand the Bible doesn't use the terms "Godhead," "Trinity," or "Triune" to describe God. So, we need to be careful about it.

The Bible says God is One, yet Three. Those three distinct personalities are God the Father (sometimes called Jehovah, Elohim or Yaweh); and God the Son (called Jesus or The Christ or The Word); and the Holy Spirit (also called Spirit of God or Comforter).

It is a complex truth which many Christians find hard to understand. But we accept it by faith. And we are tolerant toward any who are still working on that.

In Genesis (Chapter 1, Verses 1-2), the writer states: "In the beginning, when God created the earth and sky, the earth was without life and not yet useful for anything. Deep waters covered the earth, and darkness covered the water. God's Spirit was moving like a storm over the surface of the water" (Genesis Chapter 1, Verses 1-2, ERV).

That text specifically mentions "God" and then "God's Spirit" (or Holy Spirit.) as being present and the ones who did the creation.

Then in the Gospel of John, the apostle John stated: "In the beginning, before the earth was made, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was there with God in the beginning. Everything was made through him, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life, and that life was light for the people of the world. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not defeated it" (John 1:1-5, ERV).

John was writing about Jesus, or God the Son. The Word. The point is this: all three facets or personalities of God existed from the very beginning. And all three participated in the creation process. They are separate but still One.

The Holy Spirit is the Eternal Being who enables Christians to better understand the Bible (John 16:13). He gives Christians greater strength to walk in God's way (Acts 8:29; Romans 8:14; Luke 4:1). He gives Christians comfort in trying times. And in those hard times when Christians don't even know what to pray for, he relays our thoughts and needs to God the Father (see Romans 8:26). Note that the Bible does not refer to the Spirit as an "it" but as a person, "he").

In other words, the Holy Spirit is the one who fills Christians with amazing love and courage. He gives Christians the desire to serve others and to share their faith with others (Matthew 12:28). The Bible teaches the Holy Spirit himself baptizes new Christians into the body, the family or church of God (1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:38).

Plus, the Spirit works to keep unity and peace among the Christian family of believers (1 Corinthians 12:13). And then the Spirit continues blessing us with all that we need to enjoy our present salvation and to walk in the grace of God (Ephesians 5:18).

We trust you are beginning to better understand how the Christian message really is "good news." And lots of it.

There is much more good news in Chapter 4.

## Chapter 4

##

## A Father's Love

You probably already know the Bible account of the birth of Jesus. He became human by becoming the firstborn son of a young Jewish woman named Mary. The best estimate is that Jesus was born in the winter of 5 B.C. The "B.C." means "Before Christ."

Well, that's sorta confusing. Was Christ Jesus born 5 years before he was born? What's the deal?

Okay, there have been dozens of calendars over the years. The one our calendar is based on is called the Gregorian calendar. It was first calculated many centuries ago. They did the best they could with their primitive math, telescopes and scientific theories. They missed the actual year of the birth of Jesus by about five years. Oops.

Back to our story.

In the winter of 5 B.C., Jesus was born to Mary in the village of Bethlehem. That town is about 93 miles (150 km) north of Jerusalem or about 15 miles (24 km) east of Haifa.

The Bible says Mary and Joseph had not yet had sex together. It was the Spirit himself who somehow helped her become pregnant. And she gave birth to a boy child they named Jesus (Luke 1:26 to 2:40). We call that unexplainable event a "miracle." The Bible says it. We believe it. And, for us at least, that settles it. That is faith.

Another element of the Good News is that this baby grew up in the town of Nazareth. That town was 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Bethlehem. There Jesus kept himself pure. And he kept all the Jewish regulations. He was, after all, born of a Jewish mother and was reared in a Jewish family, a Jewish community and a Jewish nation.

Christians, of all people, should never say bad things about Jewish people. They were and are dear to God's heart. And right now, there are many thousands of "Messianic Jews" in the world. They are practicing Jews who have accepted Jesus as Lord. They now serve and worship God as Jewish-born and newly-born-again Christians. Some of them still observe some of the Jewish rituals and special days. They do so, not to earn points from God, but to honor their heritage.

Jesus was tempted in all the ways we 100% human folks are. But he never did sin. Not ever. The Bible says it. We believe it. That settles it.

In about 29 A.D., Jesus began teaching about the mission given to him by God the Father. Many scholars think he was about 34 or 35 at the time, though there are other opinions.

Let's be clear about the central message Jesus had for the people of his day and for us today. One day, a group of Jews who were well-versed in Jewish law tried to expose Jesus as a fraud. They asked a hard question in hopes of making him look dumb. The question they asked was "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

"Jesus answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.' All the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands" (Matthew 22:37-40, ERV).

Don't skip over this. Lock your eyes on his point. _Christians are created for loving God and loving others_. Friend, if you miss that fundamental idea, you will be standing on the dock eating a candy bar when the gospel ship leaves port.

Being a Christian is not about being religious. It is not about acting more holy than other people. It is not becoming a robot-like "Bible thumper" quoting verses at people. It is certainly not about earning points with God based on rule-keeping.

Christianity is simply and humbly loving God with your heart and mind. And from that flows a sincere love for and concern about other people. Poor people? Yes. Rich people? Yes. Politicians and prostitutes? Yes. Rocket scientists, college dropouts and illiterates? Homeless people and convicts? Yes, that is amazingly true.

Love is the foundation of life, the "secret" of joyful living. When it comes to loving other people, we can do that with "brotherly" love – that is, sincerely praying for the best for them and using every opportunity to do things to bless their lives.

Clearly, **love must be the motivation for all that we do**. We cannot please God by just going through the motions and keeping a few rules. We cannot enjoy the Christian life, nor can we please God by asking "What is the minimum I can do to get by?" "What is the minimum contribution I have to give each Sunday?" "What is the minimum number of good deeds I absolutely have to perform to keep everybody off my back?"

Think of it this way. Part of the oath required of a physician is, "Do no harm." Well, that is only half of what Christians are called to do. In a sense we could "do no harm" by never interacting with other people or never talking about Christ for fear they might be offended in some way. No, that is not a workable plan.

For Christians are called upon to **do no harm** and, at the same time, they are to **do good** in their own communities. Such as being hospitable, visiting the lonely or the sick, encouraging those who are struggling with other issues, and sharing the Good News about the way of salvation through the work of Jesus.

Well, another thing Jesus did while living on earth was to show people what God is really like. God is not some hard-nosed dictator. He does not enjoy punishing people who break his rules.

He is not a grandfather-like old man with a long beard. He does not nap most of the day. He does not have a "hands-off" policy when it comes to disciplining his children and grandchildren. Not quite.

"What, then, is God really like?" you ask.

Jesus answered that in a story we often call, "The Parable of the Prodigal (or Lost) Son." It has to do with a rebellious son who demands his inheritance, then wastes it. You've seen that or something similar, haven't you?

Broke and hungry, the young man finally changes his direction and his life. We call that "repentance." And he walks all the way back home. He is lonely. He is full of remorse. He is carrying a heavy load of guilt. He is awfully nervous about how his father will receive him. Maybe he will reject him and yell at him to hit the road and keep going.

As you read the Bible text below, keep in mind Jesus is saying that God's attitude and actions toward us are like the father in this story.

"There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to his father, 'Give me now the part of your property that I am supposed to receive someday.' So, the father divided his wealth between his two sons.

"A few days later the younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country, and there he wasted his money living like a fool. After he spent everything he had, there was a terrible famine throughout the country. He was hungry and needed money. So, he went and got a job with one of the people who lived there. The man sent him into the fields to feed pigs. He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.

"The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, 'All my father's hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat. I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.' So, he left and went to his father.

"While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and felt sorry for him. So, he ran to him and hugged and kissed him. The son said, 'Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and good sandals on his feet. And bring our best calf and kill it so that we can celebrate with plenty to eat. My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!' So, they began to have a party.

"The older son had been out in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called to one of the servant boys and asked, 'What does all this mean?' The boy said, 'Your brother has come back, and your father killed the best calf to eat. He is happy because he has his son back safe and sound.'

"The older son was angry and would not go into the party. So, his father went out and begged him to come in. But he said to his father, 'Look, for all these years I have worked like a slave for you. I have always done what you told me to do, and you never gave me even a young goat for a party with my friends. But then this son of yours comes home after wasting your money on prostitutes, and you kill the best calf for him!'

"His father said to him, 'Oh, my son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But this was a day to be happy and celebrate. Your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found'" (Luke 15:11-32, ERV).

Please read the story, again. As you read, name what you see as the major characteristics or virtues of the father. We'll wait.

Okay, probably you named some characteristics much like these we listed below.

1. The father had a deep love for his son. He showed that God has a deep love for his people.

2. The father was eager to welcome his changed son home. He showed that God stands ready to welcome back those who have wandered away and then come to their senses.

3. The father proved his love for his son in many ways, such as hugging him around the neck, kissing him, throwing a homecoming feast for him, giving him a ring and a robe and sandals to signify his status, again, as a son and member of the family. All this shows how happy God is when anyone turns from sin and comes back home to him.

4. The father loved both of his sons and treated them justly. That shows us that God accepts all who seek him. He does so without regard to social status, educational level, wealth, race, or nationality.

Years ago, I came across a fine little book written by a man named Charles B. Hodge, Jr. It is available on Amazon.com even today. This Texas preacher had chosen an unusual title for his 1965 book: Will God Run?

He told the story of the Prodigal Son. And he stressed the point of how the father reacted when he saw his youngest son walking toward home on the distant horizon. The father did not remain seated, sipping on a tall jug of iced tea. No, not at all. In fact, since the day that boy arrogantly left home, the father had been watching for some sign of his precious son. Day after day. Month after month.

Then it happened. He recognized the general shape of his son while he was still far, far off in the distance. He knew that walk. It was his younger son. Bursting with excitement, he jumped out of his chair. He ran as hard as he could to greet him.

When he got up next to his son, the father did not bawl him out for leaving home. He did not sneer at him and mutter, "Hah, I told you how you'd come home with nothing in your pockets." Or "I told you so, but you always were dumb as a tree stump." Or "Who do you think you are, just parading in here like the Prince of Cairo or something?"

Some fathers are so crude they would have rubbed the boy's face in his sins. Not this man. This wise father threw his arms about this way-too-thin young man in ragged clothes. The kid didn't smell too nice, either. Still, the father hugged him so hard it almost took his son's breath away.

Then the father kissed the young man on his forehead, on his hair, on his nose, on his ears and on his neck. Not once, but many, many, many times. It was him. This really was his son. He was alive, and he would soon be better. This father was absolutely thrilled beyond words. He loved that boy with all his heart.

Now that, Jesus said, is what your heavenly Father is like. If you have wandered away from him, that is how he will receive you when you change the direction of your life. That, dear friend, is a picture of how much he loves . . . **you**. Isn't it about time for you to love him back, that same way?

## Chapter 5

##

## Death and Resurrection

The best way to understand God the Father is to study the life of Jesus. On one occasion, Jesus told his disciples the time would soon come when he would leave them. And he also revealed his relationship with Jehovah God.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father too. But now you know the Father. You have seen him."

Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need."

"Jesus answered, 'Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So, you should know me. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don't come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done" (John 14:6-11, ERV).

Or to put it even more simply, Jesus told his followers to believe in him because of the evidence.

1. He was in God the Father and God the Father was in him.

2. His teachings were true and consistent.

3. His good works and mighty miracles were seen by large numbers of witnesses.

Near the end of his visit to this earth, Jesus was betrayed by one of the men in his inner circle. Judas took a bribe from the Jewish leaders to reveal where Jesus could be captured.

The high leaders of the Jews collaborated with the Roman army which occupied Israel at the time. The Jews despised the Roman invaders and the feeling was mutual. But they made a temporary exception to plan an illegal execution. The two groups planned and carried out his capture in a garden area called Gethsemane. Then they had an unfair trial for Jesus. After convicting, beating and belittling Jesus, the Romans took him outside the city to kill him.

They found a usable spot on a hill called Golgotha (meaning "Place of the Skull"). As they arrived, everyone could see two known thieves who had already been crucified and were still writhing in pain. The soldiers used large spikes to nail the hands and feet of Jesus to the cross.

(Stylization of a historic painting by Diego Valázquez. This version was created by and copyrighted by Stan Paregien in 2019.)

Then they set the cross up in its place. They jokingly placed a sign over his head. The sarcastic words were, "King of the Jews." Hours later, after he died, a Roman soldier shoved his spear point up and into the side of Jesus. That caused his body to spill blood and water.

Several people who loved Jesus were right there at the end. There were three women named Mary: Mary the mother of Jesus; Mary the wife of Cleopas; and Mary Magdalene. The men included John the apostle; Joseph of Arimathea; and possibly Nicodemus.

Then his followers took down his bloody body from the Roman cross. A member of the powerful Jewish Sanhedrin took charge of the body of Jesus. That was a man named Joseph from the village of Arimathea who "was waiting for God's kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus" (Luke 23:50-51, ERV). He was a disciple of Jesus, but this man was still too afraid of his own people to go public with his faith.

Joseph wrapped his Lord's body in traditional linen cloth and placed it in a small cave. And Joseph and Nicodemus treated his body with various spices. You may read this whole account in Luke 23 and John 19.

This happened late Friday afternoon on April 3, 33 A.D., but before the beginning of the Sabbath Day (6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday).

And here is the whole point of his death. Jesus himself said:

"Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world. He did not send him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. People who believe in God's Son are not judged guilty. But people who do not believe are already judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son.

"They are judged by this fact: The light has come into the world. But they did not want light. They wanted darkness, because they were doing evil things. Everyone who does evil hates the light. They will not come to the light, because the light will show all the bad things they have done. But anyone who follows the true way comes to the light. Then the light will show that whatever they have done was done through God" (John 3:16-21, ERV).

The Rocky Mountains in the western United States are a line of rugged mountains which formed long ago. They run from the Canadian border down to California, Arizona and New Mexico. Along their tall ridges is a line called "the continental divide." Moisture which falls on the east side runs downhill toward the Gulf of Mexico. But moisture falling on the west side runs downhill toward the Pacific Ocean.

The death of Jesus is in some ways like that continental divide. When presented with the gospel facts, some people are drawn closer to believing in Jesus. And some people, looking at the same facts, reject him and go their own way.

Perhaps those who reject him just don't see that Jehovah God charged our sins to Jesus' credit card, so to speak. Our sins rightly separated us from this holy God. We were helpless, hopeless and penniless because we had nothing of value with which to buy our way out of our self-created mess. Only the holy and sinless Jesus could come to the rescue. And he did just that. He died for and because of our sins. He died to redeem us from the hands of the Evil One. That is, Satan or the Devil.

It was in his death and resurrection that Jesus won the battle for the souls of all men and women. He literally broke the grip the Evil One had on our necks. He won the war with sin (Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14; Ephesians 1:20-23).

The Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of God the Son/Jesus from the dead was another important part of the good news. It was good news in the first century. And has been good news for everybody from that day to right now, today.

The followers of Jesus were confused and depressed by his death. That just didn't understand how this could happen to their promised Messiah.

Jesus had clearly told them his enemies would kill him and then he would live, again. But they hadn't really processed his message. And here he was lying in a tomb outside of Jerusalem. Governor Pilate even had some of his soldiers placed there to guard against anyone removing the body and falsely claiming he was "resurrected."

Early on the following Sunday morning, April 5, 33 A.D., Mary Magdalene and another woman also named Mary walked to the closed cave just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. To their amazement, a severe earthquake shook the area. And an angel came down and moved the rock away from the entrance, then sat on it like it was just another day at the office.

However, it was not another day at the office for the Roman guards. The Bible says, "The soldiers guarding the tomb were very afraid of the angel. They shook with fear and then became like dead men" (Matthew 28:4, ERV).

These two women then heard the words that would continue to be proclaimed in every nation. The angel said of the crucified Jesus, "He is not here. He has risen from death, as he said he would" (Matthew 28:6, ERV).

"He has risen!" Praise God for that fact!

Satan's one trump card, the thing that gave him power over us, was the fact we were guilty of sin and guilty as sin. Guilty as charged. Desperate. Afraid. We were slaves to his evil ways. We listened to his evil philosophy, "Do whatever feels good. You'll never please God or other people, so do what you want and live for yourself."

Then Jesus proved by his resurrection that he – not the Evil One – was King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His resurrection certified he really is the Savior for those who trust in him and will accept his offer of salvation. The offer or invitation was signed by Jesus, sealed by God and delivered to you.

All that prevents a large-scale celebration in heaven is your decision to accept your pardon. Will you do that? Or will you shut this book and leave that pardon on the table with it marked, "Rejected. Return to sender"? It really is a decision only you can make. And now is the time.

## Chapter 6

##

## The Rest of the Story

After returning from the dead, Jesus appeared to a large number of people.

Then he nearly gave two disciples heart attacks. He suddenly appeared to them on the lonely road to Emmaus. His resurrected body still had the wounds where the Roman soldiers had nailed his hands and feet to the wooden cross. One of the disciples was named Cleophas and the other is unnamed. Jesus spent the night as their guest in a local house.

Later, Jesus appeared in Jerusalem to the two men, plus the eleven remaining apostles. Judas, the betrayer, had committed suicide. Jesus had a fish dinner with them. He reminded them of his past and told their future. Here is that account from the Gospel of Matthew:

"Jesus said to them, 'Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything written in the Law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.'

"Then Jesus helped the followers understand these Scriptures about him. Jesus said to them, 'It is written that the Messiah would be killed and rise from death on the third day. You saw these things happen—you are witnesses. You must go and tell people that they must change and turn to God, which will bring them his forgiveness. You must start from Jerusalem and tell this message in my name to the people of all nations. Remember that I will send you the one my Father promised. Stay in the city until you are given that power from heaven" (John 24:44-49, ERV).

In the Gospel of Matthew, we have more of what Jesus said. Here it is:

"All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So, go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time" (Matthew 28:16-20, ERV).

Jesus did not stutter when he spoke these works from John 24:44-9 and Matthew 28:26-20. He forcefully reminded them of the many references in the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament) to his coming and his work in dying for the sins of the world.

Then Jesus gave them some direct orders to obey. He did not give them some mere suggestions where they could choose Option A, Option B or Option C. These were clear commands from the Son of God.

1. **Jesus told them to stay in Jerusalem until God gave them a great power**. What if someone like Peter had said, "Guys, the crowds are too big for us to preach here in Jerusalem. Instead, let's all rent donkeys and go preach up at Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. Hey, maybe we could get in some beach time, too." The others would have ripped into him for even suggesting they disobey a clear command of their Lord. We, too, should be careful to do whatever Jesus tells us to do. Jesus told them to "stay." They believed him. And that settled it.

2. **After they received that power, they understood the order from Jesus was to hit the streets and tell the Jews his story.** This direct command is often called "The Great Commission" in that he clearly wanted the apostles to go, . . . to preach the gospel to the Jews, . . . and to baptize all adults who expressed their belief in Jesus. That was the direct command. No alternate plans. No discussion needed. Jesus said it. They believed him. And that settled it. They went out and did it. And, oh my, they did it with gusto!

3. **Jesus told them to not only preach to the Jews, but that later they were to go and preach to all people in all nations.** The offer of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit himself was something which could not just stay within the borders of Israel. It was going to be carried to all the nations of the world. Eventually, messengers would carry it to the far corners of the Seven Continents.

4. **Jesus commanded them to do more than preaching and baptizing. He ordered them to also teach those brand-new converts more about Jesus and to explain their mission**. These converts – the first of multi-millions to follow – needed to be taught about The Greatest Commandment (just as Jesus had taught them; Matthew 22:37-40). They needed to be taught about Christian ethics and morality. And much more, for they were the founding members of the Christian family or church.

They would need to catch the Spirit-filled enthusiasm of the apostles so they, too, could be messengers. They would need to preach the gospel. They would need to baptize those who believed in Jesus and repented. They would need to lead them to greater maturity by teaching their new converts what the apostles had taught them. **"Each one win one,"** is a work for every Christian; either as one who goes out to preach or the one who sends and supports an evangelist. That is the master plan of the Master himself, and it is why Christianity spread so quickly.

He had spent 40 days with them in his resurrected body (Acts 1:3). After blessing them, Jesus went back to be with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Those disciples had their divine game plan. Wow, what a grand agenda it was. They had to sit and wait for that extraordinary gift of power, then they would preach the gospel to the Nation of Israel and then, eventually, to all people everywhere.

Okay, so where and when did this great event take place?

Remember how Jesus told the Apostles to stay put in Jerusalem until they received some special power?

That is the picture we see in the opening two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. The city of Jerusalem was overflowing with faithful Jews who had come for the Feast of Pentecost (also called the Feast of Weeks). Many of these people had come from nations far away, places where their native languages were something other than Greek or Hebrew.

The festival was in memory of the time in about 1446 B.C. when Moses received the 10 Commandments from God there on Sinai Mountain. Later, you will want to read about that traumatic event over in Exodus 19:1 to 20:26.

Anyway, the apostles were all together and waiting for something dramatic to happen. Those present included Mary, the mother of Jesus and her six other sons (half-brothers of Jesus), and "other women" who were probably wives of some of the men (Acts 1:4; Mark 6:3). They were all there waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

And then, . . . **Wham!**

Something powerful did happen. Here is how the writer of Acts described the event:

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to do this" (Acts 2:1-4, ERV).

Amazing, right?

Here are the elements of that event:

1. A violent rushing wind came from heaven, filling the upper room of a house where the Apostles were staying.

2. Tongues, sort of like the flames of a fire, hovered on each of the men.

3. They began to speak in different "tongues." Most likely they were able to speak in languages other than those they already knew. That made it possible for them to speak to the Jews from different nations who spoke languages common to where they lived.

The apostles couldn't keep this exciting event to themselves. They hurried out into the streets at 9 a.m. It seems they spread out to reach more people, with each apostle speaking to his own large group of people.

They first gave a summary of how God had blessed Israel over the centuries. Then they each told the story – the gospel or good news – of Christ.

Here is the account of how the writer of Acts summarized Peter's message:

"Jesus is the one God raised from death. We are all witnesses of this. We saw him. Jesus was lifted up to heaven. Now he is with God, at God's right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to him, as he promised. So, Jesus has now poured out that Spirit. This is what you see and hear. David was not the one who was lifted to heaven. David himself said,

'The Lord God said to my Lord:

Sit at my right side, until I put your enemies

under your power' Psalm 110:1

"So, all the people of Israel should know this for certain: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Messiah. He is the man you nailed to the cross!" (Acts 2:32-36, ERV).

It has been said that good preaching comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. That was certainly the case here. First, they talked about how much God had blessed the Jewish people for so long.

And then they abruptly accused these Jews (i.e., their leaders) of being guilty of executing their own Lord God and the very Messiah ("Anointed One"). He was the one the nation had been expecting for so long. They had believed this Messiah would drive the hated Roman army out and restore Israel to its former glory. Instead of honoring him, they hatefully murdered him. Instead of placing him on a throne, they hung him on a cross.

How did the Jews take this "in your face" preaching? Well, they could not deny the boldly presented evidence. It was like each man had a "Guilty" sign hung around his neck. They were lost and drowning in their own sins. They were ashamed and stunned. Shocked.

"When the people heard this, they felt very, very sorry. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" (Acts 2:37, ERV).

That was the cry of broken hearts. Their sorrow was clear. They begged to know how to get right with the God they had so terribly offended. They were desperate for an answer.

" **What should we do?"**

Do you see yourself in that very same situation? Do you understand how your personal sins have piled up to your ears?

Can you see yourself as a lost sinner in God's sight? Do you realize that God's sense of justice demands his satisfaction, but you have nothing in and of yourself to offer?

Let me ask you a very personal question. How many times must God give you a command before you are willing to believe he means it? Ten times? Five times? Once?

Doesn't it make sense that if God tells us we should do or not do something, then that should be enough? Even if it just stated one time.

Right? Certainly.

Let's look carefully at this question, again.

" **What should we do?"**

It is a haunting question. But, praise God, there is a simple answer. Peter and the other ten apostles pointed their fingers at these large groups and told them what to do in their awful position:

"Peter said to them, 'Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the people who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself'" (Acts 2:38-39, ERV).

Oh, no, the apostles were not finished with them. Not yet. Notice their final warning and the fantastic response of a humbled people:

"Peter warned them with many other words; he begged them, 'Save yourselves from the evil of the people who live now!' Then those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. On that day about 3000 people were added to the group of believers" (Acts 2:40-41, ERV).

Now, that was what I'd call a revival service!

Over 3,000 people stepped forward as believers in Jesus. They asked to be baptized. Probably after the apostles and other disciples personally dipped two or three dozen beneath the water in the nearby pools, those who had just been baptized did the same for others. And they all pitched in and helped. That was repeated until all who wanted to be saved by grace that very day had done so. The Christian church, the earthly and world-wide family of God, had just kicked the doors wide open for all believers.

Let's look at the key words a little more closely.

Repentance

In the Bible, the verb "repent" most often means "change your mind." It is not a mere regret or casual feeling of having made a wrong decision. Instead, it involves a heart-and-head decision to reorient your life. It means you turn around, leaving sin as a way of life behind, and begin walking forward as one committed to following God as a way of life.

Keep in mind that coming to a state of belief in Jesus naturally flows into a desire to be more like him. That means repenting of our past sinful life and pledging our lives to him.

Belief and repentance, then, are sort of like the three sides of a pyramid. Sometimes in the discussion of salvation, preachers in Bible times would just mention belief – but with repentance and baptism implied. Sometimes they just mention repentance, but logically with belief preceding it and baptism following. And sometimes they just mention baptism, but certainly that act must be preceded by belief and a willingness to repent.

Baptism

Scholars agree that the baptism practiced in the early church, starting on Pentecost of 33 A.D. in Jerusalem, was an act in which the baptizer dipped a confessing, repentant believer under the water and then helped the person back up. This simple, beautiful act is a symbol of several changes.

Believer's baptism is a symbol that the baptized person pledges allegiance to Jesus as the Son of God. The Jews on the Day of Pentecost were old enough to understand the gospel and for each to make a personal commitment to Jesus. Infant baptism does not meet this requirement. An infant or young child has neither the capacity to make such a decision nor the need. Parents of such young ones have good intentions in publicly confirming their own hope that the child will grow up to love and serve God. But the infant and young child are safe in God's love. Likewise, neither the unborn nor the mentally impaired can make an informed decision about spiritual matters.

Believer's baptism, with **total immersion** of the person, is clearly a symbol of identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord himself (something neither sprinkling nor pouring portray nearly so well).

[Stylization of an original painting. Created by and copyrighted  
by Stan Paregien in 2020.]

Believer's baptism is a symbol and seal that the person welcomes the presence of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.

Believer's baptism is a symbol that the person's salvation experience or process is complete. It was preceded by the person having acquired faith in Jesus, having confessed that faith, and by having repented of one's past sins. Then, just as Jesus arose from the grave to a new life, the baptized believer rises from the watery grave of baptism to enjoy newness of life and purpose.

Believer's baptism is a symbol of that person having been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of (or by the authority of) the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:11). It is not a sacrament. The water itself is not a magic cleanser. Believer's baptism is a striking symbol of the new birth and the actual reception of the Holy Spirit into one's life.

Believer's baptism is a confirmation that God has granted forgiveness to the person. It cannot be a "work" by that person, because it is an act of and a gift from God. Jesus did the work, not the person being baptized. God the Father provided the grace and forgiveness, not the person being baptized. In fact, the very act of baptism has someone else performing that act while the person being immersed is submissive. There is no human work, no earning a position in the family of God.

Let's notice a few other examples of how people in the very first years of the Christian church responded to the preaching of the gospel. It was a very productive period for preaching the gospel.

We are told, "The believers shared a common purpose, and every day they spent much of their time together in the Temple area. They also ate together in their homes. They were happy to share their food and ate with joyful hearts. The believers praised God and were respected by all the people. More and more people were being saved every day, and the Lord was adding them to their group" (Acts 2:47, ERV).

Their telling the story of Jesus resulted in immediate, positive responses from many who heard it.

By Acts 4:4, the group of 3,000 converts on Pentecost had already risen to 5,000. And that only counted the men, though many women no doubt believed and were baptized into Christ.

The apostles and many of those new Christians spread the message about the Savior: "Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save anyone. We must be saved through him!" (Acts 4:12, ERV).

Philip, a Witness for Christ

Philip was an early convert in Jerusalem. He and six other men were chosen for the office and work of "deacons" (i.e., servants) to get them better organized. When persecution came on these Jewish Christians, the hardship led to a scattering of all those who had come from far away for the feast of Pentecost.

For some unknown reason, Philip went to a town north of Judea in the province known as Samaria. Most of the Jews in that area, unlike those in Judea, had not been enslaved in 733 B.C. when some 27,000 Jews were forced to go to Assyria. These Jews in Samaria had, much against God's warnings, intermarried with non-Jews. So orthodox Jews had nothing but scorn for them.

Apparently, Philip had no hesitation about preaching to those mavericks. They needed to hear the good news, too. We are told that "Philip told the people the Good News about God's kingdom and the power of Jesus Christ. Men and women believed Philip and were baptized" (Acts 8:12, ERV). Here we see it, again. When the basic gospel of Christ was preaching, people believed in Jesus and quickly responded by being baptized.

Are you noticing the clear pattern of how people back then responded to the preaching of the gospel?

One more conversion account, though the Acts of the Apostles has many more.

This time, an angel orders Philip to hit the road between Jerusalem and Gaza. The angel spoke God's order, and Philip did not question why. Instead, "he got ready and went" (Acts 8:26, ERV). And here is the rest of that thrilling story:

"On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia. He was a eunuch and an important official in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. Now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot reading from the book of Isaiah the prophet.

"The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it.' So, he went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked him, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'

"The man answered, 'How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me.' Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. The part of the Scriptures that he was reading was this:

'He was like a sheep being led to the butcher.

'He was like a lamb that makes no sound as

'it's wool is being cut off.

He said nothing.

'He was shamed, and all his rights were taken away.

'His life on earth has ended.

'So there will be no story about his descendants.' [Isaiah 53:7-8, ERV]

"The official said to Philip, "Please, tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?'

"Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus.

"While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The official said, 'Look, here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized?' The official said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"

"Then the official ordered the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the official went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the official never saw him again. The official continued on his way home. He was very happy. But Philip appeared in a city called Azotus. He was going to the city of Caesarea. He told people the Good News in all the towns on the way from Azotus to Caesarea" (Acts 8:27-39, ERV). There you have it. Same story, same results.

Someone shares the gospel story about Jesus. Another person hears that information, decides he needs to get right with God and get away from sin. And that person gladly repents and accepts Jesus as his Lord . . . and obeys his Lord in being baptized as soon as possible.

That brings up a few especially important questions for you to please consider. Remember, we're talking about a believer and Christian baptism. Ready? Okay.

Why would anyone who claims to have faith in Jesus refuse to do something that even the Lord himself underwent? Why would a believer refused to do what Jesus instructed his apostles to require of those who heard the gospel? (See Matthew 3:13-17; 28:16-20)

Why would anyone with real trust in Christ refuse to follow his direct command to allow another believer to perform baptism? We know Jesus commanded it. So, we better believe him. And we can settle it by obeying him.

Why would anyone want to delay this act of trust and obedience? In Scotland way back in 1971, a man named John Drane was involved in getting a series of live Christian lectures shown on TV throughout that nation. The speaker was William Barclay, a popular pastor with the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), an author and a professor at the University of Glasgow.

One of the people watching in that auditorium was a young scientist with a Ph.D. He naturally had a lot of questions in his search for a way to get right with God.

After the very first TV show, he walked up to John Drane and gratefully shook his hand. He told Mr. Drane that Barclay's lecture on Jesus had convinced him that he needed to become a Christian. And the next words out of his mouth were, "When can I be baptized?"

" **When can I be baptized?"**

His statement was not, "I'm not really required to be baptized, am I?" Nor was it, "Why don't I just wait to be baptized until I know a whole lot more about the Bible?" And it certainly was not, "Why should I be baptized, when no one in my family has ever done that?"

That young man heard the gospel story from Barclay's lips. Like this book, Barclay's telling of the gospel was a short message. The young man believed in his mind and heart that Jesus was the Savior. He was willing to change his life to conform with God's wishes. And, therefore, he understood his need to publicly certify his faith by being baptized.

Counting the Cost

One more thing you need to know about those who follow Jesus: it can be a hard and costly life. There is a woman in Texas who can stand up and testify as to the truth of that statement. She grew up as a Catholic. Today you can find her every single Thursday morning teaching a Bible class. You see, this woman is prisoner # 00786238 in the Texas prison system.

Here is what happened. Lucinda Wilson grew up in a rough part of town. She joined the U.S. Navy to escape that life, but after she was discharged, she got caught up in it, again.

On Oct. 27, 1995, she and a brother of hers and a cousin of hers kidnapped and viciously murdered a 25-year old woman who had two children. Before long, all three were arrested and charged with the crime. Lucina was finally released from jail due to a lack of evidence.

She was free as a bird. Well, no, not really.

Just 27 years old herself, **Lucinda Wilson** was an attractive woman with a big emptiness in her life. She decided she needed to get close to God. She asked for help at a church in San Antonio. There, she gladly participated in a general Bible class. The group met for two-hours each Thursday for ten weeks.

On Sept. 13, 1996, she happily accepted Jesus. The preacher immediately baptized her. Like every such disciple, she received an unconditional pardon from God. And the comforting guidance of the Spirit of God.

That was the good news.

The not-so-good news, from a human point of view, was that her new status as a child of the King called for her to **repent**. There were things she needed to clean up. Really bad things she had done in the past. And she took it seriously.

Lucinda Wilson bravely walked into the police station one day. She freely confessed she had helped kidnap and kill that younger woman a year earlier. She testified honestly about her role in the murder. She also knew she faced years in prison.

In a courtroom on March 5, 1997, Lucinda Wilson pled guilty to capital murder. They put her in prison at age 27. The judge gave her no hope of parole until at least 2036. She will be 67.

When a Christian reporter interviewed Lucinda in 2017, she said: "I don't deserve to have a second chance, really. I just want to try and do as much as I can to bring the Lord the glory he deserves because it's not about me. It's about what we can do for him and how many souls we can lead to him as well" (Bobby Ross, Jr., "A baptism, then a murder confession," _The Christian Chronicle_ , May 2017, p. 24. Fair Use Domain).

Yes, Lucinda Wilson finally found peace in her life and a reason for her existence. Real repentance takes great faith and can be hard, but always works to the glory of God.

## Chapter 7

##

## By Faith, Through Grace

The Bible makes it clear that God the Father came up with a way for his sense of justice to be satisfied. That way involved God the Son (Jesus) giving his life on a Roman cross to save us. We were the ones who sinned. We were the ones who disappointed God, not Jesus. We should have been punished. Not Jesus. But he took our place. He took upon himself our selfish sins.

It is in that story of good news where we find hope, purpose, motivation, and empowerment. The apostle Paul, while on his way to Jerusalem, wrote a letter to the Greek Christians in Rome, Italy. We know that letter as the "Book of Romans" in the New Testament portion of the Bible.

Paul reminded them in Chapter 1 about the gospel story of Jesus. And, because of its influence on him, he was eager to get to present it himself to those people in Rome. Paul explained it this way:

"I am proud of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and now to save those who are not Jews. The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself. God's way of making people right begins and ends with faith. As the Scriptures say, 'The one who is right with God by faith will live forever' (Habakkuk 2:4).

"God shows his anger from heaven against all the evil and wrong things that people do. Their evil lives hide the truth they have. This makes God angry because they have been shown what he is like. Yes, God has made it clear to them.

"There are things about God that people cannot see—his eternal power and all that makes him God. But since the beginning of the world, those things have been easy for people to understand. They are made clear in what God has made. So, people have no excuse for the evil they do" (Romans 1:16-20, ERV.)

Friend, please get this straight in your mind: God's anger and judgment are reserved only for those people who have rejected the amount of light (spiritual discernment) shown to them. That applies to when the "light" (knowledge of him) comes from the glory of nature or the specific words of the gospel. Those who say "No, thanks" to those things bring disaster upon themselves.

God in his love and justice does not condemn a person who has never heard the gospel or is incapable of understanding (as in the case of children, the severely mentally challenged and others). It is only those reject God's offer of grace who will be sent away and into hell itself. (Later, you'll want to study such verses as Psalm 19:1-6, dealing with the light of nature; Psalm 19:7-9, the light of God's word; and Psalm 19:11-14, the light of human nature. And John 15:22; Acts 17:26-27; Romans 1:20; 2:15; 2 Corinthians 8:122 Thessalonians 1:8; Revelation 21:8.)

In July of 2019, my wife and I made a special trip to Charlotte, N.C. We diverted from our vacation plan so we could spend about three hours at the Billy Graham Museum and Library. Billy Graham was one of the best-known preachers in the entire world. For decades, he led world-wide efforts to tell people the Good News about Jesus. His museum is right next to the house where his parents raised he and his sister, Ruth.

As we walked through the beautiful displays of photos of Billy and quotes by him, several times we saw where he made a point of confessing, he was often nervous and anxious before his big crusades. He freely admitted he was not the drawing power which got people to come to the crusades. He said he was not really the one who got thousands of people to walk down the isles to confess faith their faith in Jesus. He often said the power was absolutely in the message of the gospel itself. He was just the newsboy. The Spirit of God worked through the words about Jesus to bring people to God.

Any of us who have been Christians for long certainly know that is true in local congregations, too. The gospel story is, in fact, the engine which propels the salvation express. The gospel is "the power of God," no doubt about it.

When we accept Christ's blood sacrifice for us, then God can pronounce us as "righteous." That happens by his grace acting on our faith in him. Or to put it in accounting terms, he is able to put us down on the credit side instead of the debit side. All because of the work of Christ; not because of us at all. We were dirt poor, spiritually. We had empty pockets. God's grace (Greek, _charis_ ) – his mercy -- flows like a river when repentant believers come to him through Jesus.

It is kind of like a judge presiding over a case where a young man, let's say, is clearly guilty of breaking the law and of being very foolish. The judge might take all extenuating circumstances into consideration and say, "In the interest of the greater justice, I pronounce you innocent. Case dismissed."

That's exactly what God is happy to do for each repentant sinner who accepts Christ. He understands that we broke his law and his heart, but he extends mercy (i.e., grace) to us and says, "I pronounce you righteous." We can hardly believe our ears.

Us, righteous? No way. We are actually guilty as . . . well, . . guilty as sin.

But God's wonderful grace changes our status from unrighteous to righteous, from sinner to saint, from lost to saved.

God said he would do it. We believe it. And, friend, that settles it. Then it is time to praise his name and to celebrate with a happy dance.

Your past sins? _Hey, forget about it!_ God forgave and forgot, and so should you.

Wow. That is the terrific news, isn't it?

Hold on just a minute. Some of those Christians in Rome came up with a truly weird idea. They argued that the thing to do, after being saved, is to go and sin even more than before – so God would pour out more of his grace. That way, they foolishly said, God would get more praise and honor.

Yikes! That is weird thinking right from the Devil himself.

Well, Paul thought it was crazy, too. And here is what he told them:

"So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace? Of course not! Our old sinful life ended. It's dead. So how can we continue living in sin? Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life.

"Christ died, and we have been joined with him by dying too. So we will also be joined with him by rising from death as he did. We know that our old life was put to death on the cross with Christ. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. Then we would not be slaves to sin. Anyone who has died is made free from sin's control.

"If we died with Christ, we know that we will also live with him. Christ was raised from death. And we know that he cannot die again. Death has no power over him now. Yes, when Christ died, he died to defeat the power of sin one time—enough for all time. He now has a new life, and his new life is with God.

"In the same way, you should see yourselves as being dead to the power of sin and alive for God through Christ Jesus.

"But don't let sin control your life here on earth. You must not be ruled by the things your sinful self makes you want to do.

"Don't offer the parts of your body to serve sin. Don't use your bodies to do evil, but offer yourselves to God, as people who have died and now live. Offer the parts of your body to God to be used for doing good. Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God's grace" (Romans 6:1-14, ERV).

Can you imagine a dead man getting up out of his coffin at the mortuary and going to a bar and getting drunk? Can you imagine a dead woman sneaking out of the morgue to have a sexual affair with a guy across the street in a motel? Can you see a dead man getting up from the grave and robbing a bank?

No. That is flat out impossible. It is even unthinkable, isn't it?

Alright, now you've got it. That is exactly the point Paul made. We are dead men and women – that is, dead to sin – if we have identified ourselves through faith and baptism to have died with Jesus. Thank God, Jesus didn't stay dead. And we don't have to, either. We are now alive. Alive to doing good, not to wallowing in sin like a hog in mud.

The Core Gospel

On Dec. 3, 2019, I wrote this personal statement of what I believe is the basic gospel story in a truly short form. I hope it blesses you and helps you see how simple God's way for us is.

The heart of the gospel, God's good news for humanity, is simple. God the Son came to earth in human form. He was known as Jesus. He fulfilled the predictions of the Old Testament prophets, including being in the lineage of King David. He voluntarily submitted to death on a Roman cross. That was so God would accept his sinlessness (righteousness) to save us from the punishment we all deserve. He was buried in the earth, in a cave, for three days.

Then by the power of God, Jesus came back to life. He walked among the people for 40 days. Next, he returned to heaven. There he reigns as God the Son at the right hand of his father. And Jesus will return at an unexpected hour to take the true believers to heaven with him, along with those who never had a chance to know him. He will punish those who had a chance to accept him, but instead rejected him. Those he will send to an existence of total separation from God and everything holy. Their hell will be with Satan himself and everything evil.

However, the Believers from all ages will be welcomed into the presence of God. We will have no fears, no pain, no tears and no regrets. We will enjoy a "New Heaven" with God, his angels and his people. We will be transformed and changed from a human body to something far different. (For further study: Matthew 6:9; 11:25; 26:29; Luke 10:20; 20:34-36; Ephesians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Peter 1:4; and Revelation 21:1 to 22:5).

_That's what the Bible, the word of God, says. We believe it. And that settles it._

There you have it. A summation of everything previously stated in this little book. The gospel represents the word of life. It represents a way of escape from God's punishment. It shows God's sweet, abiding love for his people and his hope that all will choose to be saved through his Son.

The gospel of Christ is God's road map for us to find our way back to him. The only way we may stand blameless before our Maker is to depend entirely on what Jesus did. It will not be due to any work or action we could do.

Friend, we are nearing the end of this book.

And now, as tennis players like to say, the ball is in your court. What are you going to do about it? You have a life-changing decision to make.

You have just finished reading the simple story of Jesus the Christ, the Savior of the world. You now know all that God requires of you to cross the line . . . from unbeliever, to believer . . . from searcher, to disciple.

You know enough now to go from researcher, to Redeemed . . . from lost, to saved . . . from onlooker, to Christian . . . from a visitor on the outside looking in, to a member in good standing of the world-wide family of God.

Look at the image, above, of the front side and the back side of a quarter coin issued by the United States mint. Each is quite different from the other. Regarding our salvation, there are also two sides. First, there is what our loving God does – offering us salvation by grace because of what Jesus did on the cross. Second, there is our response. We accept his offer of grace with no merit on our part. But that acceptance includes changing our lives (constant repentance), a one-time-only baptism and then living a life of loving service to God and others – none of which earns our eternal salvation.

Or you can think of it this way. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus is recorded as saying, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If a person hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person. And that person will eat with me" (ERV). Here are the "two sides," again. In this, Jesus is standing on the outside of the door asking to be let in. That is the offer of undeserved grace. However, the person on the other side of the door must make a choice and do something. Either he opens the door in response to the call of God and embraces Jesus. Or he ignores the offer and walks away as one who has in unbelief rejected God's offer.

No matter what, we must act (respond) to enjoy blessings which are made available to us. For example, each of my parents grew up living in houses in rural Oklahoma which did not have indoor plumbing. Their respective "restrooms" were outhouses at least 30 yards behind their parents' homes. Now, when they got married and moved to California, they had modern plumbing. That is, it was available to them. They had the blessing of indoor plumbing available, but if they had not taken action to have the city turn the water on, they never could have enjoyed it. An offer, and a response.

Please don't make the mistake of believing you have to know all about the Bible before you can accept Jesus as your Master. No, that is not necessary at all. You don't have to know and understand all the church doctrine taught in the back half of the New Testament (Acts of the Apostles through Revelation). Not at all. Those are all things you will slowly absorb as you live out the Christian life and enjoy your walk with God.

There is only one thing you need to know right now: **you need to know Jesus as your Savior**. Commit yourself completely – 100% -- to trusting God to save you through his grace.

We honor and respect the Bible as the written word of God. But you can never be made whole and right by centering your faith in the Bible. You cannot get to heaven if your faith is centered in a parent, a teacher or a TV evangelist. You cannot be welcomed into the church or family of God if your faith is just in baptism, as though the water itself had some magical power. It does not.

You cannot qualify to walk with God if the real center of your faith is in your performance. That's your supposed ability to live a perfect life. Because, frankly, **you just ain't that good**. None of us is. Not by a long shot.

It all comes down to having faith in . . . a person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So right now, humble yourself. Confess your faith in him, repent of your life of sin and, complete this process of salvation by faith through grace. Arrange to be baptized by immersion as soon as possible. When you talk with a Christian about baptizing you, tell them right up front that you want to be baptized just like the 3,000 people did on the birthday of Christ's church. Don't settle for anything less.

Then, with the personal help of the Spirit, live a life where each day sin will be less and less attractive to you. Because Jesus will fill your life with joy and service to others.

(Both photos courtesy of the Carter Center.)

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Roslyn in 2018 working on "Habitat for Humanity" projects together, as well as on church missions.

## Chapter 8

##

## Starting Your Christian Life

This chapter, as the name indicates, is only for those who took the action steps mentioned in Chapter 7.

If you have not completed that process, you might as well stop right here. To read further, while in an unsaved position, would be like reading somebody else's personal mail.

Need to repent? Do it.

Need to be baptized like the people in the first century were? Do it.

Please get that settled and then come back to this page.

Okay?

So, . . . we are glad to assume that you have already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have repented of your sins and have been baptized by total immersion. And, having received both God's forgiveness and the supportive presence of the Spirit, you are eager to get on with a great adventure.

Congratulations, dear brother or sister. We love you in the Lord. Welcome to his family.

As you begin your Christian walk, keep in mind you are to make every attempt to live a good, sinless life. You are to live at peace with all people of goodwill. That is, so much as it depends upon you.

But, just as in the Old Testament and New Testament days, not even one of us is able to do that. Oh, yes, we'd like to; but it ain't gonna happen. Not perfectly, to be sure.

Sometimes we stumble and say, do or think things that are wrong and hurtful. Even stupid. When that happens, don't give up or dwell on your guilt.

Remember, God loved you enough to allow Jesus to die on a cross for you. And, like any caring father, he wants his children to follow his teachings. But God knows that imperfection is just a part of being human.

Confess your sins to him and to others, if appropriate, and ask for his forgiveness. You don't ever need to be baptized, again. When you sin as a Christian, you just need to confess it, repent and keep moving toward heaven's gate. Keep your head up and walk under the umbrella of his grace each day. As an old gospel song said, "Keep your eyes upon Jesus."

The Christ life is sometimes thought of as a race. That's okay, but it is better to think of it as a "cross-country race" rather than a "100-meter dash."

We want to be energetic and enthusiastic in living for God. Just don't forget we are in this for the long haul. You won't achieve Christian maturity in a matter of months but a matter of several years.

Here is a warning from none other than the apostle Peter. He knew a thing or two about sinning. During the trial of Jesus, it was Peter who three times denied even knowing "that Jesus."

Well, Peter wrote these following words of advice years later. He did so with the maturity of a long-time Christian leader:

"Dear friends, you already know about this. So be careful. Don't let those evil people lead you away by the wrong they do. Be careful so that you will not fall from your strong faith. But grow in the grace (kindness) and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him, now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:17-18, ERV).

Here are a few ideas to help you love Jesus

tomorrow even more than

you do right now.

1. Meet regularly with a group of Believers.

God called you to be a participating member of his _f-a-m-i-l-y_ , not to be a hermit hiding in your closet. Christ does not intend for any Christian to become a "solo act." We are not individual performers; we are mutual participants in God's work. We are family, and you will be missed if you are not with your group.

(Public domain photo via Piqsels.com)

In a family, each member is important to the family. When you meet with members of your spiritual family, you will be an encouragement to them. And they will be an encouragement to you.

That group may be a home-church. It could be a small congregation. Or a smaller Bible class within a larger congregation. Find a more mature Christian of your own sex to be a close mentor for you for the next six months or so.

If needed, discover other individual Believers in the area. And consider starting a house-church in your home, in a condo clubhouse or in a pavilion in a public park. Pray. Share. Buy the proper ingredients and celebrate communion together on a regular basis.

Study the Bible together. Allow for differences of opinion. Go out and give help to people who cannot pay you back. Discuss worthy projects. Support them financially. Do all in the name of Christ and for his honor.

2. Make sure you have your own Bible to study.

Choose something like the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) used in this book, the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), the New King James Bible (NKJV), The Contemporary English Version (CEV) or another that is a modern translation.

Select a paper copy of the Bible or download one of the fantastic digital Bible apps. They often have dozens of modern versions available for free. And you can use them on a large range of digital devices.

Read and reread one-after-the-other, "The Gospel of John" and then the "Acts of the Apostles." The first will remind you that the Christian life is all about Jesus. And the second will show how the first Christians lived and worshiped. It will inspire you to be both a giving person and a forgiving person.

3. Treat as fellow Christians all those who confess a love for God and who state a belief in Jesus as their Lord.

Ignore denominational lines, church creeds and such. Share your personal conversion stories with one another. Isn't it better, when asked "What are you?", to simply say: "I am a Christian," instead of "I'm a Baptist" or "I'm a Methodist" or I'm Church of Christ" or "I am a Catholic." Denominations, by their origin and nature, are divisive; Jesus himself unites.

When asked "What church are you a member of?," just say "I am a member of the body of Christ," or "I am a member of the family of God," or "I am a disciple of Jesus the Christ." The aim is to be more Christ-centered and inclusive, rather than denomination-centered and exclusive.

Many Christians and groups have used this moto: "We are Christians only; but we are not the only Christians." That idea stands on a rock foundation. It has the ring of truth.

4. Remind yourself from time to time of the three goals or jobs which God gives his people – including you.

The Great Commission

First, God gave his people **"The Great Commission.** " Jesus told the eleven apostles, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So, go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20. ERV).

It is true that in the words of Jesus, above, he was speaking specifically to those eleven men. Those eleven were to leave their homes and/or businesses and go from one nation to the other spreading the wonderful gospel story about Jesus being our Lord. Because these ordinary men eagerly wanted to tell people far away about Jesus. There were plenty of dedicated men and women, mothers and fathers, who had responsibilities right there.

But just as some who are called by God to mission work usually need money with which to go, those not called away were happy to help these eleven (and later, many others) by sending them away with both their love and their financial support. God's work always needs a balance of those who can send and those who are able to go. That is God's missionary plan, and you should prayerfully seek to find your role in it (Romans 10:13-17).

Occasionally someone will say, "Maybe we shouldn't go around telling the gospel to people because then if they reject it, they will be lost." Please don't worry about those who have a heart open to God and doing what is right. They will be open to further "light," or drawing closer to their Creator.

Those who reject whatever light is given and then reject the gospel will just continue in their state of lostness. We never do harm by teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ. Ever. We simply offer to help anyone who is searching. We help those folks to find a closer walk with God. We plant the seed and leave the results to God.

One more thing about evangelism. **Be sure of your motivation.** Recently, a good friend who is Jewish complained that over the years several Christians had tried to proselytize her (her words). A few had been very assertive, and one had been rude and accusatory. She also said, "Jews don't do that. We don't confront people and try to proselyte them away from their church."

I apologized to her for her unpleasant experiences. I suggested some might have been people who lacked empathy or social skills. Then I shared this idea with her. I said it might be compared to a man who went to a new doctor and came away singing her praises. "She pays attention to what I say. She is glad to consider alternative solutions to my problems. She is cheerful and has a great bedside manner." So, the man was telling all his friends about his new doc. And that, I said to my Jewish friend, is what motivates most Christians to mention Christ to their friends. He has made a life-changing improvement to our lives and we invite people to find out more about him. In other words, love and genuine concern are the real motivators.

The late James L. Lovell was a highly successful businessman who became a wonderful, solid Christian leader. He often made people stop and think about the importance of Christian evangelism by saying, "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." So far as I can determine, Canadian preacher and author J. Oswald Smith (1889-1986) originated the statement. Regardless, the idea conveys how urgent the need is to tell others the Good News about salvation through Jesus. "Each one tells one," is a good motto, too . . . if you don't stop with one.

The Great Commandments

Second, God gave his people **"The Great Commandments."** There was a point in the work of Jesus on this earth when some religious leaders despised him. They tried to embarrass him or worse. A certain leader of the Pharisee sect of Judaism tried to trip him up by asking, "Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?" Yes, it was a trick question.

Still, "Jesus answered, 'You must love the Lord your God. You must love him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and the most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'You must love other people the same as you love yourself.' All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands" (Matthew 22:37-40, ERV).

Love is the central theme of the entire Bible. Jesus clearly stated his followers must have a love which surges upward toward God, outward toward every human being, and inward toward ourselves. That love is a spiritually empowering quality. It is mentally healthy. And it is physically challenging, urging us to get up and do something good in the name of Jesus. That love is, in fact, the heart of the gospel and the foundation of Christianity. Without that kind of love in your heart, it really doesn't matter how or if you worship or how many times you read the Bible "from cover to cover." So never, ever let go of that intense love for God, for others and for yourself (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

The Great Compassion

Third, God gave his people **"The Great Compassion."** The Bible tells us that as Jesus moved among the people of his day he had great compassion for them (Mark 6:34). My dictionary defines "compassion" as "The deep feeling of sharing the suffering of another, together with the inclination to give aid or support or to show mercy" (American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd Edition, 1985, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., p. 300. Fair Use Domain).

The powerful motivators of love and compassion are why we want to be more like Jesus each day. Love people more. Especially the poor and the unlovely. Be hospitable to the lonely. Do good, not harm. And whatever good you do – whether by your words or by your actions -- do it in honor of Christ. Don't worry about whether anyone even notices your quiet, good works. Be joyous in the certainty that God notices.

Final Words

Please use my following email address to contact me if my little book has helped you become a Christian . . . or if, because of it, you are now much more active as a Believer. That address is: stan-usa@outlook.com.

I close with part of the Apostle Paul's closing thoughts when he wrote his first letter to God's people in Corinth, Greece: "Be careful. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage and be strong. Do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).

## Chapter 9

##

## Resources for You

Alexander, M.D. Eben. Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Paperback, 2012.

American Bible Society

1865 Broadway

New York, NY 10023

Phone: 215-309-0900

Web site: www.americanbible.org

The American Bible Society was founded in 1816. It is a Christian ministry with the mission of engaging people with the life-changing message of God's word. It is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

Anderson, Leith. Jesus: An Intimate Portrait of the Man, His Land, and His People. Minneapolis, MN.: Bethany House, 2005.

Batten, Don (Editor) with Ken Ham, Jonathan Sarfati and Carl Wieland. The Revised & Expanded Answers Book: The 20 Most-asked Questions About Creation, Evolution & the Book of Genesis Answered! Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Revised Edition, 2000.

Bibles.org

www.bibles.org

Bibles.org is a robust online Bible application offering a clean, ad-free interface for reading and studying the Bible. Currently there are almost 800 different languages. It supports both desktop, mobile and tablet devices. The user interface has been written in over 15 languages with many more on the way. Users can add notes and tags to their favorite Bible passages, as well as save their preferred Bible version. BibleSearch offers one of the most advanced search engines for many languages and focuses on proper rendering, formatting, and display of the Bible text. To select the language of a Bible, go to: **http://m.bibles.org/versions**

Biblica, the International Bible Society

1820 Jet Stream Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921 USA

800-497-1121

www.biblica.com

Formerly called the New York Bible Society. In 1967, the IBS formed a main committee of 15 translators from the U.S. Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. They were assisted by a larger number of translators from these denominations: Anglican (i.e., Church of England or Episcopal), Assemblies of God, Baptist, Brethren, Christian Reformed, Church of Christ, Evangelical Free, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Wesleyan and others. It was created to be "an accurate translation and one that would have clarity and literary quality and so prove suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing and liturgical use." The NIV was first published in 1978. It was written at the 7.8 grade level.

In 1996, the IBS published an "easy-reader" version which had been written at the 3rd grade reader. They called it the **New International Reader's Version** (NIrV). The ISB moved from New York to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1988. They changed their name to "Biblica" in 2009.

Booher, Dianna. The Little Book of Big Questions: Answers to Life's Perplexing Questions. Nashville, TN: J. Countryman, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2001.

British and Foreign Bible Society

Stonehill Green

Westlea, Swindon

SN5 7DG

Registered charity 232759 operates in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. They also work with a network of local Bible Societies around the world. Works under the general umbrella of the United Bible Societies, found at this website:

https://www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/bible-societies/.

The Christian Appeal

2310 Anna Street

Amarillo, Texas 79106

This small, 20 page, full-color Christian magazine is free for the asking. They will even send a bundle for you to distribute to families in your congregation or Bible study group. The articles are all inspirational, informative and ecumenical in their tone. The editors are friends of mine and are excellent writers who love to talk about Jesus. They are Gene Shelburne, his brother Curtis Shelburne, and Dr. David Langford.

Christianbook.com

140 Summit St.

Peabody, MA 01960

800-247-4784

Outside the United States and Canada Call: 978-977-5000)

"Everything Christian for Less" Established in 1978.

The Christianbook.com is the largest Christian catalog company in the world. They send out over 65 mailings of unique catalogs to millions of customers each year. Customers have access to a selection of over 300,000 books, Bibles, DVDs, CDs, gifts, toys, games, and more.

The Christian Chronicle

P.O. Box 11000

Oklahoma City, OK 73136-1100

This free newspaper-type magazine started in the 1950s. Their mission is stated as, "Inform, inspire, unite." Their news items are largely about congregations in what is often called "The Stone-Campbell Movement" or "The Restoration Movement." Mainly, their focus is on and they receive contributions from Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches and Disciples of Christ. The monthly paper is like that of most newspapers, but the size of each of the 36 pages is about 10.5 X 10.5". Many of the photos are in color. The articles usually have applications for most Christian people regardless of their denominational affiliation. For several years, it has been published by and a subsidiary of Oklahoma Christian University. The paper's President and CEO is Erik Tryggestad and the Editor-in-Chief is Bobby Ross, Jr.

Christian Standard

This is a fine Christian magazine. For over 150 years it was published as a paper magazine out of Cincinnati, Ohio with a normal subscription fee. Now it is available online for free. Just go to www.christianstandard.com and sign up for it. I have written scores of articles for them over the years.

Colson, Charles with Ellen Santilli Vaughn. The Body. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1992.

Eckstein, Stephen D. From Sinai to Calvary: An Autobiography. Self-published in 1959. This captivating book shows how young Eckstein grew up as a devout Jew in Russia. He immigrated to the United States, where he met a group of Christians. They patiently taught him about Jesus. He not only became a Messianic Jew, but he understood how he had an obligation to share that good news with others in the Jewish community. It shows what strong faith he had in the face of being shunned and despised by many Jews. His son Stephen D. Eckstein, Jr., also became a Christian. Dr. Eckstein served for many years as the head of the Religion Department at Eastern New Mexico State University in Portales.

FaithGateway.com

FaithGateway is an online community which features Christian content in many different forms: daily blog posts, book excerpts, devotionals, free downloads, videos, giveaways, contests, author chats, etc. The FaithGateway store is the online destination for all books, Bibles, and products published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing and its imprints, including Zondervan and Thomas Nelson.

George, Bob. Classic Christianity: Life's Too Short to Miss the Real thing. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1989.

Goff, Bob. Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. Foreword by Donald Miller. Nashville, TN: Nelson Books, 2012. Caution, Bob Goff's Spirit-driven enthusiasm for improvisation in Christian living can be dangerous for detail-oriented, highly structured Christians. Don't miss this book. It will leave you breathless. You will also be inspired to go and do likewise.

Jews for Jesus

www.jewsforjesus.org

These are Jewish folks who have come to believe in Jesus. They focus on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone, but especially with those Jews who are not yet believers. The organization started in 1973. It is now operating in 24 cities and 13 nations.

Kaiser Jr., Walter C. and Peter H. Davids, F.F. Bruce and Manfred T. Brauch. Hard Sayings of the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Keller, Timothy. Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010.

Kennedy, D. James. Why I Believe. Revised and Expanded Edition. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999. First published in 1980. For many years, he was the preacher at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida. He wrote over 40 books, including his best-selling Evangelism Explosion (1962).

Köstenberger, Andrea and Darrell Bock and Josh Chatraw. Truth Matters: Confident Faith in a Confusing World. Nashville, TN: B& H Publishing Group, 2014.

The Lookout

This Christian magazine was published for decades as a regular paper magazine out of Cincinnati. It is now available free as an online digital magazine. Just go to www.lookoutmag.com and register.

Lucado, Max. Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2014. He entered the preaching ministry in 1978. He preached for congregations in Miami, Florida; in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and in San Antonio, TX. He has retired from many years as the teaching minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is by far America's bestselling inspirational author with more than 130 million books in print. Follow his website at www.MaxLucado.com.

Lucado, Max. When Christ Comes: The Beginning of the Very Best. Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999.

McDowell, Josh and Bob Hostetler. 13 Things You Gotta Know to Make It as a Christian. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1992.

McGuiggan, Jim. Where the Spirit of the Lord Is . . .. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Co., 1999.

McKenna, David L. The Jesus Model. Waco, TX: Word Books Publisher, 1977.

McKnight, Scot. A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God's Design for Life Together. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. Holy smokes, this book will knock you off your pious patoot and shake up your view of "church." I give it five stars, three blue ribbons and a genuine imitation gold Medallion. Seriously, you must read this book and then immediately share it with another Believer. It is that good.

Messianic Jewish Alliance of America

PO Box 274

Springfield, PA 19064-0274

www.mjaa.org/messianic-movement/

They are working towards the Day when all of Israel recognizes Yeshua, the Savior of the Jewish People and the entire world. Their members believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah of Israel, the one of whom the Jewish Law and Prophets spoke.

Morison, Frank. Who Moved the Stone: A Skeptic Looks at the Death and Resurrection of Christ. Foreword by Lee Strobel copyrighted 2002. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1958. First published in 1930 in London, England by Faber & Faber.

Murray, Andrew. Waiting on God. New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1981.

Paregien, Stan. The Day Jesus Died: Revised Version.

Bradenton, FL: Paregien Publications, 2019; paperback. First edition published by Firm Foundation Publishing House in Austin, Texas in 1970. The eBook version was created by Paregien Publications in 2011 and distributed by Smashwords.com.

Pioneer Bible Translators

7255 West Camp Wisdom Road

Dallas, TX 75236

(214) 699-4300

Website: www.pioneerbible.org/

It is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) mission organization. They are a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Forum of Bible Agencies International. Their mission is to transform lives through God's Word being available in every language. It is a non-denominational mission, with roots in the "Restoration Movement" led early on by Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone. Free newsletters, etc.

Rainer, Thom S. and Eric Geiger. Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2006.

Roper, David. Growing Slowly Wise: Building a Faith that Works. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 2000.

Russell, Bob with Rusty Russell. When God Builds a Church: 10 Principles for Growing a Dynamic Church. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing Co., Inc., 2000. This is the story of Russell's ministry with Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. It started in 1962 with 50 people and grew to more than 16,000 meeting on several campuses in northern Kentucky and southern Indiana. Bob is now retired from that ministry.

Rutz, James H. The Open Church: How to Bring Back the Exciting Life of the First Century Church. Forewords by Ray Stedman and Jim Hayford. Auburn, Maine: The SeedSowers, 1992. Someone jokingly said _status quo_ is Latin for "the mess we are in right now." Rutz gives insights into how the simple first century church got derailed over the years and ideas about how to restore that simplicity today.

Sasser, Sam and Judson Cornwall. The Priesthood of the Believer. North Brunswick, NM: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1999.

Seay, Chris. The Gospel According to Jesus. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016. According to Chris, "righteousness" ain't what your grandpa thought it was at all. Very insightful.

Sheler, Jeffery L. Is the Bible True? How Modern Debates and Discoveries Affirm the Essence of the Scriptures. New York, NY: HaperSanFrancisco, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1989.

Shelly, Rubel. Falling in Love with Jesus' People: Studies in the Book of Acts. Joplin, MO.: College Press Publishing Co., 1998.

Stern, David H. Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Old and New Testaments. Clarksville, MD: Messianic Jewish Publishers, updated edition in 2017.

Stern, David H. Messianic Jewish Manifesto. Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., 1988. Dr. Stern was the great-grandson of two of the original 20 Jews to live in Los Angeles, CA. He was, by trade, a Professor of Economics at UCLA.

Stern, David H. Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel: A Message for Christians. Clarksville, MD: Lederer Messianic Publications, revised edition in 2010.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Easter: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Resurrection. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

Stott, John R.W. Basic Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1st edition 1958; 2nd edition 1971.

Stott, John R.W. Christian Basics. 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.

Tippens, Darryl. Pilgrim Heart: The Way of Jesus in Everyday Life. Abilene, TX: Leafwood Publishers, 2006.

Walling, Jeff. Until I Return: 12 Things Jesus Wants Every Believer to Know. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing, 2000.

Warren, Rick. God's Answers to Life's Difficult Questions. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA: Daily Hope with Rick Warren, 2006. He founded the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., in 1980 and in 2017 it had more than 22,000 attending at several area campuses and four outside the U.S. His books are regularly on the _New York Times_ "Best Sellers" list.

Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002. The best-selling book is intended to be read as a daily inspiration, with each of the 40 short chapters read on consecutive days. Each chapter contains a personal application section at the end with a "point to ponder," a verse to remember, and a question to consider over the course of that day. Rick Warren described his book as a quest for personal fulfillment, satisfaction, and the meaning which can only be found in understanding and doing what God placed you on Earth to do.

Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006. Originally published in 1981 as Personal Bible Study Methods.

Wright, N.T. After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2010.

Wycliffe Bible Translators

11221 John Wycliffe Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32832 USA

Or: PO Box 628200 - Orlando, FL 32862

800-992-5433 - www.wycliffe.org/

Founded in 1942. Wycliffe completed their first translation in 1951 and their 500th translation in 2000. Around the same time, Wycliffe adopted a new challenge — a goal of seeing a Bible translation project started in every language still needing one by 2025. As of 2019, some 2000 languages still need the Bible translated.

Yancey, Philip. Where Is God When It Hurts. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977.

Zacharias, Ravi. The Logic of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019. Zacharias, a former skeptic, has written over 25 books on religion and philosophy. The back cover of this book says, "This book will take you on a journey for answers about what exactly you believe, what you don't, and how you can reconcile your real-world doubts with genuine faith."

Zacharias, Ravi. Cries of the Heart: Bringing God Near When He Feels So Far. Foreword by Max Lucado. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 1998 and 2002.

Modern Bible Translations

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Published by the American Bible Society.

1865 Broadway

New York, NY 10023

"In 1991, the 175th anniversary of the American Bible Society, the CEV New Testament was released. The CEV Old Testament was released in 1995. In 1999, the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books were published. It was a new translation designed for a lower reading level than the GNB. The American Bible Society continues to promote both translations. The translators of the CEV followed three principles. They were that the CEV: (1) must be understood by people without stumbling in speech; (2) must be understood by those with little or no comprehension of 'Bible' language, and (3) must be understood by all. "The Contemporary English Version is a simplified version of the Bible designed for children and uneducated adults (at a fourth-grade reading level)" (Fair Use)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Holman Bible Publishers

127 9th Ave North

Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 251-2520

Some 100 translators from 17 denominations worked on this version. The principal contributors seem to be of the Baptist persuasion. It was completed in 2018. "The goal of this study Bible is to provide you with tools for engaging God's Word on a deeper level, so that you experience life transformation and true knowledge of God. . .. May all who use this Bible hear the voice of Christ and faithfully follow him as King." Lavishly illustrated, often with unusually large and full-color photographs. Written on a 9th grade level.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Published in 2001 (revisions in 2016) by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. It is based on the Revised Standard Version (RSV) of 1971. It is written on the 8th grade level.

New Century Bible

aka The Everyday Bible

Originally published by the Word Publishing Company in Dallas, Texas (USA) in 1987. They had two goals: (1) to produce a complete Bible that was "faithful to the manuscripts in the original languages"; (2) to make the language simple enough for anyone to read the Bible and understand it for himself" (Fair Use) The "Max Lucado Bible" makes use of the NCB version.

New International Version (NIV)

Zondervan Publishing (Grand Rapids, MI 49530 USA) partners with Biblica as the North American publisher and licensee of New International Version (NIV) Bibles. - www.thenivbible.com/.

Zondervan, since the 198s, has been a part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Their address is HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA. The International Bible Society completed their NIV version of the bible 1978. It was revised in 1984 and in 2011. It is written on the 7.8 grade level. It claims to be "the world's best-selling modern-English translation of the Bible that delivers the best combination of accuracy and readability" (Fair Use)

New King James Bible (NKJV)

Thomas Nelson Publishers is a publishing firm that began in West Bow, Edinburgh, Scotland in 1798 as the namesake of its founder. It is a subsidiary of HarperCollins, the publishing unit of News Corp. - Nashville, TN USA - 800-834-7828

The translators wanted to update the vocabulary and grammar of the King James Version of 1611 A.D., while retaining the literary beauty of that earlier version. The complete NKJB was published in 1982. It was written on a 9th grade level.

Today's English Version Bible (TEV)

aka The Good News Bible

Published originally by the American Bible Society in the USA in 1976, then updated in 1992. It "seeks to state clearly and accurately the meaning of the original texts in words and forms that are widely accepted by people who use English as a means of communication" (Fair Use). Done in cooperation with United Bible Societies.

Free Bible Correspondence

Courses

Agape Bible Studies Online

http://www.agapebiblestudiesonline.org/

"We are non-denominational. We follow the Bible only. As the Bereans in Acts 17:11, the Bible is our only standard because it is from God. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

"You may want to really know the Bible, but don't know where to start. We offer a free, 6-course non-denominational Bible curriculum online. You can study in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace, at times you select. Agape Bible Studies Online is a study of basic Bible doctrine which provides you with a solid foundation of Christian knowledge. If you have a desire to know the Bible and about Jesus Christ but do not know where to start, this curriculum is for you.

"Each course is presented in sections. You read the section and then answer the questions for that section. Your answers will be automatically graded, and you will be given the correct answers for any questions you have answered incorrectly once you have submitted your answers for that section. Once you have completed a course, you are awarded a beautiful certificate which you can print. You then move on to the next course" (Fair Use Domain)

Our Daily Bread Ministries

PO Box 2222

Grand Rapids, MI 49501 USA

616-974-2210 - www.odb.org/

"Our Daily Bread University is a premier provider of free biblical online courses to students all around the world. Whether you are new to studying the Bible or are a seasoned Bible student, we have something for you! In keeping with our mission, we make our entire course library available to you. Over 170 courses are available with no cost or obligation.

"We want to make the truth of the Bible understandable and accessible to every person around the world. That's why we offer quality courses that you can do at your own pace for free.

"Try us and see. Our student enrollment continues to expand, with over 30,000 new enrollments per year. We invite you to join the one-quarter of a million students who have registered with Our Daily Bread University and deepened their understanding of Scripture" (Fair Use)

World Bible School (USA)

www.worldbibleschool.org/

"WBS offers a core set of free lesson booklets and online lessons known as the Master Series. The Bible-based lessons teach the fundamentals of God, His grace and love, Jesus, the Gospel message, the church, and Christian living. WBS courses are designed to increase your knowledge and faith in God by seeing for yourself what the Bible says.

"WBS courses are available by: printed booklets that are exchanged by postal mail; text-based lessons that are exchanged by email; and online, Web-based lessons. All Bible passages are included in the lessons so that access to a Bible is not necessary to complete them. A good site for online Bibles and study resources is www.biblegateway.com" (Fair Use Domain)

World English Institute

1525 NW Division Street

Gresham, Oregon 97030 USA

www.worldenglishinstitute.org/

"World English Institute has a dual mission and purpose. Our mission is to teach English to people, **free of charge** , in order to help them communicate effectively and to gain upward mobility in a world market using the English language.

"Our mission is also to lead people to higher ground spiritually by using Bible stories to illustrate English grammar. Our purpose is to replace violence with peace, corruption with integrity, division with unity, evil with good, and hatred with love for peoples throughout the world by sharing this Good News to all of humankind.

"Our lessons will help you improve your English skills. All you need is Internet access and an email address where we can send the lessons. Each grammar lesson is illustrated with reading assignments taken from the Easy-to-Read English Version of the Bible" (Fair Use Domain)

The above correspondence courses are also available in Spanish or French.

## Chapter 10

##

## Stan's Bio & Books

Stan Paregien was born in Wapanucka (Johnston County), OK. He and his parents moved to Santa Paula (Ventura County), Calif., a year later. He enjoyed spending several of his formative years living on the historic Newhall Ranch west of present-day Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County). He and his sister Roberta rode their horses for miles along the Santa Clara Valley.

Paregien graduated from Fillmore (CA) High School. He received his B.A. from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN with a major in Speech Communication and minors in History and Bible. Stan began working on an M.A. in Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico in the fall of 1965. Peggy worked full-time as for the Bank of New Mexico. After completing his course work in the spring of 1966, Stan and Peggy moved to Las Cruces.

There he served as the preaching minister of the University Church of Christ. Their son was born there. Stan received his M.A. from UNM in the summer of 1968. Then they moved to Oklahoma City for him to begin work on a Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma. He was an associate minister for the Mayfair Church of Christ in Oklahoma, while he attended classes half-time. He completed all the class work (60 hours) toward a Ph.D. But he dropped out to work full-time as a college textbook salesperson for the Macmillan Company.

Over the years, Stan Paregien worked as a minister; salesperson; newspaper reporter and editor; as a radio talk show host; and as director of mental health facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. Also, he has been a freelance writer since 1967. His non-fiction articles and poetry have appeared in scores of magazines.

His nonfiction, printed books include The Day Jesus Died (Austin, TX: Firm Foundation, 1970), Thoughts on Unity (Joplin, MO: Mission Messenger, 1971), and Twenty-six Lessons on the Gospel of John (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1977). In 2017, the latter book was translated into a dialect in India and published there.

He was also the editor and webmaster of his web site, "The Cowboy Directory," for over 15 years. It was the largest database of biographies and photos of cowboys and Western entertainers in the world.

Stan became a member of the Western Writers of America in 1986. From 1988 to 1992, he served as the part-time historian and publicist of that professional group of writers. In 1988 he earned the prestigious Stirrup Award from WWA for a series of articles he wrote profiling several Western writers.

Paregien began writing cowboy poetry and stories in 1990. That was while living in Snyder (Scurry County), TX. It was Alvin Davis, founder of the National Cowboy Poetry Seminar & Celebration, who first encouraged him to start performing cowboy poetry. And it was Rudy Gonzales, a cowboy poet and magazine editor up in Idaho, who also gave him a shove up that trail.

He has performed his original cowboy poetry and stories at schools, civic clubs, and at major Western events across the country - from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and the annual National Cowboy Symposium & Celebration in Lubbock, (some 27 years), to the Great Pikes Peak Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Colorado Springs, CO and the Charlie Russell Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Great Falls, MT.

A few years after retiring, Stan and Peggy in 2013 moved from Edmond, OK to Bradenton, FL. Since that time, Stan had spent a lot of time writing poetry and books on different subjects.
Stan's Books

Here is a chronological list – oldest to the most recent -- of his books. They are available on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com, plus other retailers.

**1.** The Day Jesus Died

Published as a hardback book in 1970 in Austin, Texas by the Firm Foundation Publishing House (Reuel Lemmons, Editor). It contained 18 essays on such topics as "The Problem of Unbelief," "The Peace of God," "The Day Jesus Died," and "The Importance of Truth." Revised and published via Smashwords.com as a 100-page, 46,350-word eBook on Jan. 4, 2013 (ISBN: 9781301302468.). In August of 2019, Stan did a complete revision and added more graphics. He released it as a 220-page paperback on Amazon.com as a "Revised Edition." That was some 49 years after it was published in print the first time.

**2.** Thoughts on Unity

1971 – Stan Paregien, Editor. First published as a 321-page hardback book (St. Louis, Missouri: by W. Carl Ketcherside, editor and publisher of Mission Messenger magazine). Stan saw it as an effort to get Christian people to work closer together, especially those within the various factions of the Church of Christ, Christian Church and Disciples of Christ. Stan got 18 Christian writers, representing many different divisions, to contribute articles. In 2013, after being out of print for decades, the Ketcherside family made it available as an eBook in the Kindle format on Amazon for only 99 cents.

**3.** Twenty-six Lessons on the Gospel of John

Joplin, MO: College Press, 1977. Don DeWelt, owner of College Press asked Stan to write this 220-page commentary. It was used as a supplement in Bible classes in several Christian colleges, as well as in regular church Bible classes. After a few years, it was no longer in stock. Then, in 2017 or so Don's son, Chris DeWelt, notified Stan a church leader in India wanted to translate it into a local dialect and print it for distribution. Stan gladly agreed to that. Now he has an India version of his book . . . and all he can read is the author's name . . . "Stan Paregien."

**4.** Woody Guthrie: His Life, Music & Myth.

Published as an eBook on Sept. 29, 2012. ISBN: 9781301025206. Approximately 110,670 words. Category: Nonfiction, Americana, history, music, biography of Woody Guthrie, Oklahoma history. This eBook is a carefully researched study of the life, music and myth of famed singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie was born and reared in the hardest of times. But as he became an adult, he took advantage of America's eagerness to mythologize the working man into a grassroots hero (as in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath). He adopted the persona—the music, the speech, the look and the habits--of the poor working class he observed in his travels. He died way too young, but he left a treasure chest filled with his songs and poetry, his books of fiction, his cartoons and artwork, and his large number of audio recordings. Without question, he was the most prolific writer of folk songs America has ever seen.

**5.** Rootin' Tootin' Cowboy Poetry.

Published as an eBook on Oct. 03, 2012. ISBN: 9781301972388. Approximately 33,350 words. Category: cowboy poetry, humor, storytelling. Stan Paregien Sr has been writing cowboy poetry and stories since 1990. He has given live performances at schools, civil clubs, churches, and private parties. And he has performed at some of the largest cowboy events in America. This eBook has 100 of his best original poems. There are also 30 photos of folks and friends he has met along the cowpoke trail.

**6.** Jim Shoulders: King of the Rodeo Cowboys

Published as an eBook on Jan. 8, 2013. ISBN: 9781301972388. Approximately 5,640 words. Category: Nonfiction, biography. This eBook tells about the life and rodeo career of the legendary Oklahoma cowboy Jim Shoulders. He was born in Tulsa but lived most of his adult life in tiny Henryetta, Okla. Shoulders was tough as a boot until the day he died. That is how he won an astounding 16 world championships in rodeo competition. I was the last reporter to interview and photograph Jim Shoulders just before he died in 2007. His rodeo accomplishments still inspire youngsters today.

**7.** Clara Luper: Civil Rights Pioneer.

Published as an eBook on Jan. 9, 2013. ISBN: 9781301688357. About 7,260 words. Category: Nonfiction, biography, Oklahoma history, racism, Civil Rights. Though a schoolteacher by profession and proud of it, Clara Luper courageously began early in her career a life-long battle against racism. She made local and national news in 1958 when she organized a small group of teenagers (including her own children) and led them in a sit-in a drugstore diner which did not serve Black people. They persisted, day after day, and were successful. She walked in the March on Selma (Alabama) and the March on Washington, D.C.

**8.** Guy Logsdon: Award-winning Folklorist.

Published as an eBook on Jan. 12, 2013. ISBN: 9781301633302 About 17,390 words. Category: Nonfiction, biography, Folklife studies, Oklahoma history, Woody Guthrie, Bob Wills, Western swing music, and old-time cowboy music. Guy Logsdon graduated from Ada High School and from East Central State University, each in Ada, Okla. Then he worked in two of the family businesses in Ada. He married Phyllis and they became owners of the former Stall Photography Studio. He went on to earn a doctorate and to become a folklore professor at the University of Tulsa. He was widely recognized as a leading authority on Woody Guthrie's life and music, Western Swing and cowboy music. He was a technical consultant for the movie, "Bound for Glory." In addition, both he and his wife were accomplished musicians and singers. Guy was the father-in-law of Baxter Black, one of the most popular of the modern crop of cowboy poets and humorists.

**9.** Oklahoma Almanac of Facts & Humor:
Part 1 - Achille to Nowata.

Published as an eBook on May 21, 2013. ISBN: 9781301400683. About 42,460 words. Category: Nonfiction, humor, geography, Oklahoma history. It is not your grandpa's boring history book. Foreword by the Honorable George Nye, former Governor of Oklahoma. This eBook is Part 1 of 2 containing facts about the state of Oklahoma. Part 1 covers such towns as Achille, Ada, Atoka, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Chandler, Claremore, Clinton, Del City, Durant, Eufaula, Elk City, Erick, Lawton, McAlester, Midwest City, Moore, Norman and Nowata. Lots of photos, biographical sketches, history and humor.

**10.** Oklahoma Almanac of Facts & Humor:

Part 2 - Okarche to Zafra.

Published as an eBook on May 21, 2013. ISBN: 9781301271443.

Words: 43,700. Category: Nonfiction, Oklahoma history, humor. Foreword by the Honorable, George Nye, former Governor of Oklahoma. Part 2 continues telling the unique towns such as Okarche, Okemah, Okmulgee, Pawhuska, Pawnee, Ponca City, Seminole, Shawnee, Stroud, Tulsa, Weatherford, Waynoka, Wilburton, Woodward, Yale, Yukon and Zafra.

**11.** The Austin Chronicles, Book 1: Boggy Depot Shootout.

Published as an eBook on Feb. 25, 2014. ISBN: 9781310788215 Approximately 71,280 words. Category: Fiction (Western novel with adult situations and mild language.) Boggy Depot Shootout is the first in a series of novels about the Austin family. It shows how they coped with the unique challenges of living in the West just after the end of America's Civil War in 1865. The main character in this book is young Daniel Austin, a Confederate veteran. Their trials climax with a shootout at Boggy Depot, Indian Territory.

**12.** The Austin Chronicles, Book 2: The Abilene Trail.

Published as an eBook on March 24, 2014. ISBN: 9781311101624. About 73,880 words. Category: Western Fiction (adult situations and mild language). The Abilene Trail is the second in a series of novels about the Austin family and how they coped with the unique challenges of living in the West. Here in Book 2, Daniel Austin, his younger brother David and their uncle Frank Austin start an adventure traveling from Arkansas northwest toward wild and beautiful Oregon. Challenges abound.

**13.** A Rainy Day Reader: 100 Poems for Your Enjoyment

Published as an eBook on April 3, 2014. ISBN: 9781310912474. About 23,920 words. Category: General poetry; humor; storytelling. The 100 select poems range from the serious to the hilariously funny, from those with an academic bent to those with little redeeming social value (except for a smile or two). Great for that rainy day read. Poems include "N. Scott Momaday: A Literary Legend," "Had Any Lately?," "My Banker Ain't No Friend of Mine," "Cat Heaven," "Smart Pills," "The Origin of NASCAR," "Garage Sale Blues," "That Damned St. Francis Dam" and many more.

**14.** The Cajun Cowdog: 15 Cowboy Stories for Adults.

Published as an eBook on April 16, 2014. ISBN: 9781311267405. About 25,110 words. Categories: Humor, storytelling, Americana, cowboy culture. These stories are "for adults" only in the sense that the stories are probably above the reading or understanding levels of most children under 12 years of age. The book contains such storytelling jewels as "What Dead Cowboys Do," "My Most Unforgettable Christmas," "The Story of Juan Cordova," "The Angel & the Bad Man," "The Urge to Kill," "Romeo & Juliet: Cowboy Style," "Cowboys & Parrots Don't Mix," "How One Cowboy Got Rich," and the laugh-generating story chosen for the title of this eBook, "The Cajun Cowdog."

**15.** Cowboy Earmuffs: 15 Cowboy Stories for Adults.

Published as an eBook on April 16, 2014. ISBN: 9781311267405. About 25,110 words. Categories: Humor, storytelling, Americana, cowboy culture. These 15 stories are just a few of those which he has written and performed, starting in 1990. This eBook contains such storytelling jewels as "The Cajun Submarine," "My Cowdog Named 'Sex'," "The Grey Ghost," "The Christmas Spirit," "A Patoot Salute," "A Lot of Bull," "Reincarnation Blues," "Cowgirl Smarts," and Stan's signature story, "Cowboy Earmuffs."

**16.** Manatee County, Florida: Facts, Folks and Photos

Published as an eBook on May 5, 2017. ISBN: 9781370532858.

It is a combination of one part travel guide for the beaches and other attractions in Manatee County, one part who's who of today's leaders and yesterday's heroes, one part family photo album, and one part a history book containing over 450 photos and 470 biographical sketches. It is written in a conversational style with touches of wit, wisdom, mystery and spice.

**17.** S. Omar Barker: Las Vegas, New Mexico's Legendary Cowboy Poet.

Published as both an eBook (ASIN: B07VJWXTL7) and as a large format paperback (ASIN: 1078301980). This biography is the very first in-depth telling of the life of New Mexico's celebrated cowboy poet, S. Omar Barker. He was an amazing man who became not only widely known but greatly admired and loved. He managed to achieve that status even though he seldom left his beloved retreat in the mountains of northern New Mexico. His secret was that he made his living through his mailbox. Writing in virtual isolation, Omar sold his poetry, articles and novels to many different publishers. That was from 1926 until his death in 1985. This biography contains 50 complete poems of his, but it is much more about his unusual life and the people and the culture of San Miguel County. Omar Barker was born in 1894 on a ranch up in the mountains 26 miles northwest of Las Vegas, N.M. He was a child of and a product of that time of great social changes in a lifestyle previously dominated by the Spanish culture. Barker's life is an inspiring story about a local boy who made it big without leaving home and who never lost that common touch.

The PAPERBACK version is ISBN-13: 978-1078301985.

It is a total of 367 pages long (including the front material). It was published on July 17, 2019. It is on premium paper and in full color. The format is 8 X 10, and it weighs 2 pounds. Through Amazon.com, it is $54.99.

**The eBook version is ISBN-10: 1078301980**. Like the PAPERBACK version, it was published on July 17, 2019 and is in full color. This eBook has a whopping 578 pages and sometimes takes longer than usual to download. The price on Amazon.com is $16.99.

**18.** The Day Jesus Died: Revised Version.

Published on Aug. 12, 2019 as a 216-page, 6 X 9" paperback on Amazon.com. ISBN-13: 978-1799145066. It weighs 13.6 ounces and retails for $33.99. It is on premium paper and is in full color. Stan first authored this inspirational book in 1970. After a 2nd printing, it went out of stock . . . for about 41 years. That's when, in 2011, Stan revised it and issued it as eBook.

Some 49 years after it was printed in 1970, Stan published it on Amazon.com as a paperback. The topics discussed in the illustrated book are just as current as today's morning newspaper. One of the most important of the 18 chapters deals with "The Problem of Unbelief". The author examines the meanings of "unbelief" and "faith," and talks about ways that Christians and unbelievers can better communicate and help each other to understand their respective positions. Two other challenging chapters discuss the various forms of prejudice and discrimination, including racial tensions, and shares ways for us to reduce the friction between the elements of our multicultural environment.

**19.** Big Book of Manatee County, Florida: Amazing Facts & Photos.

Bradenton, FL: Paregien Enterprises, 2019. ISBN: 9781699013083.

Published as a "Print-On-Demand" paperback through KDP, a division of Amazon. This 8.5 X 11" paperback has 383 pages containing 430 photos, some 500 biographical sketches and 148,384 words.

In this book, you'll find the highpoints of the history of the Manatee County, Florida area dating back to 1513. You'll find information about our beautiful beaches, our politicians and community leaders, and our school system run by the Manatee County School Board. And you'll find biographical sketches of the high and mighty as well as of those of ordinary folks with great servant hearts and little desire for publicity. You'll find all of that a much, much more. This book is printed in full color, meaning that any color graphics or photographs have been reproduced in color.

Photos by Stan

**Stan "The Storytelling Man" Paregien** has posted over 40,000 personal and professional photos on his Flickr account. You may also follow him online through his web site, _The Paregien Journal_ _(www.paregienjournal.com)_. There he occasionally posts blogs, articles, photos, poetry . . . and more.

Please use a Google search periodically to discover new books by Stan. Or just send your name and email address (and your reason for writing) to Stan at:

stan-use@outlook.com. He will make sure to email you a notice whenever a new book of his is ready. Thanks.

The end of this book.

But not the end of the story.

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