Sample Bible Lesson

"The Chieftain" Series COURSE ONE THE PATH OF LIFE Lesson 1     This course was written by:  PASTOR RUSSELL EDMONDSON      Dear NATIVE AMERICAN FRIEND.        Welcome to the Bible study lessons. We hope that you will enjoy doing each lesson. The lessons are easy to do if you read each one carefully. At the end of the lesson there will be an answer sheet for you to fill in the blank places.       The answer sheet will be corrected and sent back to you with the next lesson. The lesson will not be given a grade, or percent mark.  Any word that is wrong will have the correct word put in its place.       After you finish the ten lessons of Course One you will receive a certificate.  Then if you want you can go to Course Two. We will be waiting to get your answer sheet, so send it back as soon as you can. God bless you, and keep walking each day with God. Sincerely,  All of us here at Bible Mission to Native Americans and Native Islanders.     THE PATH OF LIFE COURSE ONE • LESSON ONE   Every man, every woman, every boy, every girl is traveling the path of life. Some day every one will come to the end of this earthly life. For some it will be while they are young - like my one brother who died 30 minutes after he was born; or like my 12 year old grandson. For some it will be when they are older like my wife Claire at 66 years of age. like my father at 78 years of age like my mother at 92 years of age One thing is sure - one day we will all come to the end of life's earthly path.   What comes next – Nothing?  Or something? ? ? When the heart stops beating, when a person stops breathing, THE BODY DIES. But every person has a body! Every person has a soul Every person has a spirit The body may die and be put in a grave. BUT the soul and the spirit live on forever! ! ! To find out if this is true we must come to the only book that gives us the true answer. This book is the Bible. Page 1 ------------------------------------------------- This book, the BIBLE, is GOD'S Word to every person. GOD'S Word does not speak with a “forked tongue”. It gives us the true answer as to what happens after the body dies.   Matthew 4:4 says "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 24:35 says –“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."   Hebrews 9:27 "And it is appointed unto man once to die, BUT after this the judgment."   The word "appointed" means that God has determined that man will die.  This is because man is a sinner.. "After this the judgment.”   If when our body dies that ends everything, then God would not have said, "After this the judgment".   After the body dies, the soul and the spirit live forever and ever.   If a person has trusted JESUS CHRIST, GOD  THE SON, as Saviour, then that person’s soul and spirit go to heaven to be with JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON.   2 Corinthians 5:8  "...To be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord".   Page 2 -------------------------------------------------   One of these days JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON is coming from heaven and is going to call all who have trusted Him as Saviour to be with Him. If they have died, they will be raised from the dead.  They will be given new, resurrected bodies and will have their souls and spirits once again.   The believers who are living when JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON comes will also be given new,  resurrected bodies. With their soul and spirit they will go to be with JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON.   After that takes place all who have trusted JESUS CHRIST, GOD the SON as Saviour will stand before the "Judgment Seat of Christ".   The "Judgment Seat of Christ" will deal with how faithfully the believer has been in obeying God's Word. It will have to do with how the believer has lived and served the Lord Jesus Christ.   At the "Judgment Seat of Christ" the believer who has been faithful will be rewarded for living and serving the Lord Jesus Christ.   God's Word says in 2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all (every believer) appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that every one (every believer) may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad."   I Corinthians 3:11-15  "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's (every believer’s) work shall be made manifest (known)." Page 3 ------------------------------------------------- BUT what happens to the person  who  has  never trusted  JESUS  CHRIST, GOD THE SON AS SAVIOUR?   The Bible teaches that the body will be placed in the grave, but the soul and spirit continue to live in a place called hell. The Bible also uses the word hades. In Luke 16:19 to 31 we read about a rich man and a beggar.  Verse 23 tells us about the rich man - "And in hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments".  Then in verse 24 he cried "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."       So after the body dies there is judgment. But one day the body will be raised and joined with the soul and spirit once again.       Then comes the last judgment.  It is called in the Bible - The Great White Throne Judgment.  Revelation 20:11 to 15 tells us about this judgment. Verse 15 says "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."      Why should a person be cast (thrown) into "the lake of fire"?  Because that person has never trusted JESUS CHRIST, GOD the SON, as his or her Saviour! Page 4 ------------------------------------------------- The Holy, righteous, just and only true GOD requires that sin be punished. And when a person will not believe what GOD has provided - then that person will have  to take GOD'S punishment for sin. What is sin? Sin is breaking Holy GOD'S perfect law. Sin is failing to be what GOD'S perfect law says we should be and do.  The Bible, GOD'S Word says "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD." It does not matter what the color of a person's skin may be. GOD'S Word says "ALL HAVE SINNED." In Romans 6:23 we read "For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our Lord." ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE THIS LIFE? ARE YOU READY FOR GOD'S JUDGMENT? Will you trust the LORD JESUS CHRIST, GOD the SON as your SAVIOUR and receive GOD'S gift? REMEMBER -a gift is given to you by someone who cares about you. GOD'S gift cannot be earned GOD'S gift cannot be bought If YOU had only three minutes before your body dies - do you know where you would spend eternity?  Would it be heaven  or hell? Trust JESUS CHRIST, GOD the SON, as your Saviour and have your name written in GOD'S "Book of life". Page  5 ------------------------------------------------- In this lesson we have learned that every person has: ·        a body ·        a soul ·        a spirit   We have learned that when the body dies, the soul and spirit of that person keep on being alive.   We have learned that some day the body will be raised from the dead by the power of Holy GOD.  The body, soul and spirit of a person will be together again.   We have learned that every person will be judged by GOD - ·        some persons at the "Judgment Seat of Christ". ·        some persons at the "Great White Throne” judgment.   We have learned that all will live forever and ever.  Some will live in heaven.  Some will live in the "Lake of Fire".   The next lesson will teach us how great is GOD'S love for us.  It will teach us how GOD has made it possible for us to live in heaven with Him forever and ever.   So send back your answer sheet right away so that we can send you the next lesson. Page 6 ------------------------------------------------- Answer Sheet