Pictures of Christ

The place in the Old Testament that tells of Christ is in Malachi.  Here Christ is prophesied of.  The Old Testament should be used to understand Jesus because it prophesies of Him and describes His purpose.  The painting shows the suffering of the Jews and a need for a Messiah.  Mark refers back to Isaiah and explains Jesus and His purpose.  

Jesus and John Comparison

           Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are all accounts of the same story.  This is the story of Jesus.  In religion this week we are talking about Luke's account of Jesus's and John's births.  I especially like Luke's point of view, because he goes into more detail then the other doctrines.  
           In Luke, he gives a comparison of John the Baptist and Jesus.  Both Elizabeth, John's mother, and Mary, Jesus's mother, are very faithful women.  They both except their roles when the angel Gabriel tells them they are to bear these great men.  Both in essence are born to save souls.  John is born to baptize children of God who wish to repent and Jesus is here to save them.  
           Luke talks about both of these men's humble beginnings, their trials and their temptations.  

Just a Savior, or Something More?

          Since I was a little girl, I have been going to Sunday School.  For the most part, every lesson has had something to do with Jesus.  For most Christians, Jesus is the cornerstone of their religion.  In these lessons at church, I learned about how Jesus died for us, how He suffered on the cross, how He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and how He taught in parables.  I learned all about acts He performed, lessons He taught, miracles He astounded people with, but I never really had lessons about who Jesus was.
          So, who is Jesus?  Ask any Sunday School teacher, church authority, or parent, and they will probably say a teacher, a leader, a savior, and an example.  In Matthew chapters one through four, Jesus is introduced.  At the beginning, His lineage is  described. You find out that Jesus is a descendant of King David and among other important Biblical figures. With further reading you discover, Jesus is the Son of God. This shows that while Jesus is mortal, He is also divine.
           Jesus Christ, we discover is a savior. He is the Savior of the world. Even though He is such an important figure He is still persecuted and tested. Throughout these trials, He remains true and is revealed as the ultimate example. He reinstates this fact when He is baptized. Jesus who is perfect and has no need to be baptized, still performed the act. He is also a preacher and a leader.
          Jesus is the only truly perfect person to walk on this earth. He is everything we hope and strive to be. He is love personified. In Matthew 1-4, He is introduced to us. This passage describes the humble beginnings of the most important being to ever exist.

Cruelity of a Pagan people

         The Roman people were an extremely cruel people.  Their punishments for crimes were severe and swift.  The Romans wrongly accused Christians of crimes they did not actually commit. 
          Certain symbols in Christianity, such as partaking of the blood and body of Christ and brotherly love confused the Romans and made them think Christians were perverted and blood thirsty.  Romans considered Christians as superstitious. Romans did not care for Christians and used them as scapegoats and punished them severely. 
          Being persecuted and blamed for things that they did not do, is something that still happens today.  Many groups are used as scapegoats for problems that they had nothing to do with. 
       
 

Judas

Christmas Tree (: