Creation to Return

At the very beginning of time, God was there, and there was nothing else, only God. He spoke, and when He did, He created the universe and everything in it. Then He decided to make a special creation—man. So, God created man and woman. He had a perfect relationship with them—and they were at peace. He walked with them, talked with them, and took care of them in a beautiful garden—until one day, the man and woman disobeyed God, and they broke their relationship with God. They were separated from God and thrown out of their peaceful garden.

The man and woman had children, and their children had children, and their children had children, but they all had evil in their hearts and were separated from God. But God still wanted a good relationship with them, so one day, He spoke to a man named Abraham, and He told him, “I am going to give you many descendants. I am going to make a huge people group out of them—set apart just for me. And I will bless the whole world through you and your descendants.”

Even though Abraham was a very old man, he believed God. God considered Abraham to have a good relationship with Him because of his belief.

God kept His promise and did make a huge people group out of Abraham’s descendants. Sometimes they followed God, but most of the time they were disobedient, just like the first man and woman. Their lives were full of evil and unrest. So, God would send spokesmen to the people to show them how they could have a good relationship with Him and live in peace. One of these spokesmen was named Isaiah. Isaiah brought Abraham’s descendants a message of hope about a Promised Savior who would come to earth to reign as Prince of Peace over the entire earth. He said, “We have all gone away from God and His ways. We sin. But God says, ‘I am sending you a Savior who will take all of your sins on Himself. He will be whipped and beaten. He will die because of your sins. But, I will give Him life again, and He will reign as Prince of Peace. And, because of Him, you can have a good relationship with Me.’”

From that time on, they waited expectantly for this Promised Savior. And they waited, and they waited.

God did keep His promise to Abraham’s descendants. He sent this Promised Savior, Jesus—God’s very own Son. Jesus proved that He was indeed the Savior and Prince of Peace. He brought peace in the midst of violent nature, physical need, and horrible evil. Not everyone recognized who Jesus was, but many people did follow Him. Jesus taught His followers and told them that He could give them eternal life with God forever. He said that He came to bring them peace in their hearts. Those who did not believe in Jesus became very angry. So, they convinced the government to have Him executed. And, just as God had said, Jesus was whipped. He was beaten. And, He died. But, just as God had said, Jesus was given life again!

Afterward, Jesus showed Himself to His followers, and He proved beyond a shadow of doubt that He had come back from the dead. He told His followers, “I will leave you soon, but when I do, I will send God’s Spirit to you. And when you receive God’s Spirit, you will receive power—power to tell everyone about Me. So, go into the whole world and tell people about Me. And, when they believe in Me, baptize them. Have them undergo this symbolic washing in water to show that they have become My followers. They have turned from their sins and turned to God through believing in Me.”

One day, Jesus did leave them. He went up into the clouds right in front of their eyes. As they were watching all of this, two angels appeared and asked them why they were looking up into the sky. “Jesus will come back one day the same way He left,” they said.

From that moment on, the followers of Jesus waited expectantly for Him to return. And they went everywhere telling people about Jesus. And when people believed in Jesus, they were baptized. They underwent a symbolic washing in water to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God through belief in Jesus. This is what followers of Jesus do to this day. They tell everyone about Jesus. When people believe in Him, they are baptized—symbolically washed in water—to show that they have turned from their sins and turned to God through believing in Jesus. Followers of Jesus then gather together. They meet together to worship God, learn about Jesus and take care of one another’s needs. And they wait together for the day that Jesus is coming back to reign as Prince of Peace. When He comes, there will be a great celebration and He will take us to live with Him forever. Tears and suffering will disappear!

 

Drawing Elements: Man & Woman, Sin, Path, Peace, Jesus, Stars, Whipped, Killed (cross), Resurrection, Angel, God’s Spirit, Baptism, Teaching, Fellowship and Prayer (three petal flower)

Path – Everyone continued to go away from God Peace – Promise of blessing to whole world, promise of Prince of Peace
Stars – Descendants Cross (on index finger) – Stands for death in this story
Angel – represents going up into heaven

c2r1