Before we begin , we need to overview plot diagram.
Exposition= The beginning of a story,
Indicating event= The event that introduces the conflict.
Rising Action= The events that the hero tries to solve our conflict
Climax= The most exciting part of a story, the turning point
Falling Action= the main character is winning, and things are looking good again.
Resolution= The conflict is resolved and all is good again
If we look at Genesis 1:1, it says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." After the 6 day creation, God saw that it was good. On day 7, He rested. Now I want you all to think of the opening to The Lion King. Beautiful, powerful, all is good.
Unfortunately, we cannot stay here, we must move on.
Before I quote this scripture, this is a part of a larger passage about a taunt for the king of Babylon, but a lot of people, myself included, also believe that this is about the fall of Satan. Isaiah 14:12-14 "“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’" You see, what is happening here is Lucifer, or Satan is plotting to conquer heaven and serve himself rather than God. Lucifer (in Hebrew) means 'son of the morning'. And Satan tried to rebel against God and take His throne as seen in Revelation 12.
Ezekiel 28:13-16 "13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. 14 I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. 15 “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. 16 Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire." But that's not the worst part. Satan decides to take us with him.
Genesis 3:3-7, and then 22-23 "3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made."
But, the God gives us hope this early. Genesis 3:14-15 "14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” And if we look in Romans 5:14-19 "14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous." Mind you, Jesus is (geologically speaking), a descendent of Adam. So Jesus here is being greater than Adam, because Adam failed, but Jesus didn't. Jesus was the only person to be perfect. Jesus is the only way.
Noah got drunk
Abraham lied about his wife
being his sister twice
Moses doubted God
Gideon had a gold ephod made for him, that people worshiped
Samson intermingled with pagan women
David committed adultery with another man's wife
Peter denied Jesus 3 times!
Paul murdered Christians
So because no one wants me to read 54 books, here is an oversimplification:
So about 1 1\2 thousand years after Adam died, he had a descendant named Noah, Noah built an ark and stayed in there for about 6 months. After that, Noah's sons had babies, and more babies, and more babies. A few thousand years later, a man named Abraham lived, and he moved a lot. Abraham had 2 sons and followed God. After a few hundred years, the people of Israel were in slavery. Then God told Mosses his name (Yahweh). After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Mosses died. After Moses died, Joshua lead the Israelites into the Holy Land (the geographic region of Palestine). Over the next 910 years, the people of Israel constantly strayed away from the LORD, so God set up Judges and later Prophets. During the reign of Kings, there was a king named David. David was a man after God's own heart. So God promised that the Messiah would cone from David's life. During the days of the Roman Empire. Jesus preached a message of Faith, Hope, Love, and Salvation. But the Romans and Jews didn't like His message.
Now, let's talk about the climax. So after the last supper, Jesus was arrested, brought before Pilate, and then Pilate decided to give the people a choice. Banaras (a murderer), or Jesus. So when the people say to release Banaras, can you imagine how that made Jesus feel? So afterwards, Jesus is brutally beaten by Roman Soldiers. Biblical experts believe that they beat Him so badly, that they ripped His back out. I kid you not, His spine was exposed. And as He carried that cross out for you, Jesus was thinking of you.
Mathew 27:45-50 "45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit." Jesus is dead now................ Wait, that's not how the story ends.
Matthew 28:2-7 "2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” This is why we have Church, why we do what we do! Let's move on....
The falling action is from Acts- Revelation 20. Mathew 28:18-20 "18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Here is what we are commanded to do by God. Acts 2:1-4 "1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability." This is what we get as believers, He us our guide, He is the one who convicts you of sin. He is the one empowering me to preach as I speak.
We are living in the last days (not Revelation,) so what I'm going to do is explain the defeat of Satan using scripture. And as I'm reading this to you, I want you to think of the last battle in Avengers: Endgame. Revelation 20:7-10 "7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. (Play 2:28-3:02) But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. 10 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." The creature that has caused humanity's suffering, the serpent who tempted Eve, the Devil. He has finally been defeated.
This is our happy ending! What was supposed to happen 6000 years ago in Genesis is finally happening! Darkness is defeated, heaven has won! Families will be reunited, long lost friends will be reconciled! There won't be a single ounce of Anger, Hate, or Bigotry remaining!
Now, what does this mean? Is the Bible just an old book that doesn't apply anymore? Are there many ways to get to heaven? Should we just go home and not do anything? Of course not!
John 14:6 "Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth, and the light, no one gets to the Father except through me." There are people who are not saved, and it's our job to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As now, are you doing good works? Are you following Christ? Or are you just not caring?
Do you listen to songs with curse words? Do you curse? Are you looking at inappropriate content? If you don't know what im talking about, don't find out. But if you do, and you are looking at that, I wanna know why you love your sin more than God! Why is it so important that you must look at what the LORD has declared wicked? Now I also ask you, are you looking at the Bible through the lens of the culture, or are you looking at the culture by the eyes of scripture? Is Christ the center of your life? Or is it pleasure? Is it the culture? What are you puting before Christ? If it is so important, that you are putting it before Christ, I want you to announce it. But if your ashamed of what you've put before you Lord and Saviour, then get on your knees and turn back to God. Our God, is a God of Mercy. But do not forget that He is also a mighty warrior! The saddest verse in the Bible, Revelation 20:15 "15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire."
I now ask you to get on your knees and pray. Maybe you have been putting God first in all you do, even so I want you to pray. And if you haven't, I want you to pray.
