Fellow Church People

[MartyMuppets]

Incidentally I am currently endeavouring to read through the Book of Revelation in my study Bible to conclude the New Testament.

 

[Beakerfan]

Ooh! My church is just completing a study on Revalation! It's been really good!

 

[MartyMuppets]

Yes it is a wonderful book of the Bible fersure.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

That's my favorite book.

 

[MartyMuppets]

It is a close favourite of mine too.

 

[MartyMuppets]

Since I just finished off my studies of The New Testament at home in my Catholic Access Study Bible I thought I'd begin posting the introductions to each of the New Testament books in a Good News New Testament that my sponsor for membership in the Catholic Church gave me when I was going through the process of becoming a Catholic.

 

[MartyMuppets]

The Gospel according to Matthew

The Gospel according to Matthew tells the good news that Jesus is the promised Saviour, the one through whom God fulfilled the promises He made to His people in the Old Testament. This good news is not only for the Jewish people, among whom Jesus was born and lived, but for the whole world.
Matthew is carefully arranged. It begins with the birth of Jesus, describes His baptism and temptation, and then takes up His ministry of preaching, teaching and healing in Galilee. After this the Gospel records Jesus' journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and the events of Jesus' last week, culminating in His crucifixion and resurrection.
This Gospel presents Jesus as the great Teacher, who has the authority to interpret the Law of God, and who teaches about the Kingdom of God. Much of His teaching is gathered by subject matter into five collections:
1. the Sermon on the Mount, which concerns the character, duties, priveleges and destiny of the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven(chapters 5-7)
2. instructions to the twelve disciples for their mission(chapter 10)
3. parables about the Kingdom of Heaven(chapter 13)
4. teaching on the meaning of discipleship(chapter 18) and
5. teaching about the end of the present age and the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven(chapters 24-25)

 

[MartyMuppets]

The Gospel according to Mark

The Gospel according to Mark begins with the statement that it is "the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God". Jesus is pictured as a man of action and authority. His authority is seen in His teaching, in His power over demons, and in forgiving people's sins. Jesus speaks of Himself as the Son of Man, who came to give His life to set people free from sin.
Mark presents the story of Jesus in a straightforward, vigorous way, with emphasis on what Jesus did, rather than on His words and teachings. After a brief prologue about John the Baptist and the baptism and temptation of Jesus, the writer immediately takes up Jesus' ministry of healing and teaching. As time goes on, the followers of Jesus come to understand Him better, but Jesus' opponents become more hostile. The closing chapters report the events of Jesus' last week of earthly life, especially His crucifixion and resurrection.
The two endings to the Gospel, which are enclosed in brackets, are generally regarded as written by someone other than the author of Mark.

 

[Flavio]

I belong to the Pentecostal church. Royal Ridge Church of God.

 

[MartyMuppets]

The Gospel according to Luke

The Gospel according to Luke presents Jesus as both the promised Saviour of Israel and as the Saviour of all people. Luke records that Jesus was called by the Spirit of the Lord to "preach the Good News to the poor," and this Gospel is filled with a concern for people with all kinds of need. The note of joy is also prominent in Luke, especially in the opening chapters that announce the coming of Jesus, and again at the conclusion, when Jesus ascends to Heaven. The story of the growth and spread of the Christian faith after the ascension of Jesus is told by the same writer in the book of Acts.
The parts about the birth and childhood of both John the Baptist and Jesus and Jesus' journey from Galilee to Jerusalem contain much material that is found only in this Gospel, such as the stories about the song of the angels and the shepherds' visit at the birth of Jesus, Jesus in the Temple as a boy, and the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Lost Son. Throughout the Gospel great emphasis is placed on prayer, the Holy Spirit, the role of women in the ministry of Jesus and God's forgiveness of sins.