Showing posts with label Require brochure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Require brochure. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

What is God's Kingdom Lesson 6

Lesson 6
What Is the Kingdom of God?
Where is the Kingdom of God located? (1)
Who is its King? (2)
Do others share in ruling with the King? If so, how many? (3)
What shows that we are living in the last days? (4)
What will God’s Kingdom do for mankind in the future? (5-7)
1. When he was on earth, Jesus taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom. A kingdom is a government that is headed by a king. God’s Kingdom is a special government. It is set up in heaven and will rule over this earth. It will sanctify, or make holy, God’s name. It will cause God’s will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
2. God promised that Jesus would become the King of His Kingdom. (Luke 1:30-33) When Jesus was on earth, he proved that he would be a kind, just, and perfect Ruler. When he returned to heaven, he was not enthroned as King of God’s Kingdom right away. (Hebrews 10:12, 13) In 1914, Jehovah gave Jesus the authority He had promised him. Since then, Jesus has ruled in heaven as Jehovah’s appointed King.—Daniel 7:13, 14.
3. Jehovah has also selected some faithful men and women from the earth to go to heaven. They will rule with Jesus as kings, judges, and priests over mankind. (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9, 10) Jesus called these corulers in his Kingdom a "little flock." They number 144,000.—Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1-3.
4. As soon as Jesus became King, he threw Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven and down to the locality of the earth. That is why things have become so bad here on earth since 1914. (Revelation 12:9, 12) Wars, famines, pestilences, increasing lawlessness—all these are part of a "sign" indicating that Jesus is ruling and that this system is in its last days.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8, 12; Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
5. Soon Jesus will judge people, separating them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The "sheep" are those who will have proved themselves his loyal subjects. They will receive everlasting life on earth. The "goats" are those who will have rejected God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-34, 46) In the near future, Jesus will destroy all goatlike ones. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) If you want to be one of Jesus’ "sheep," you must listen to the Kingdom message and act on what you learn.—Matthew 24:14.
6. Now the earth is divided up into many countries. Each has its own government. These nations often fight one another. But God’s Kingdom will replace all human governments. It will rule as the only government over the entire earth. (Daniel 2:44) Then there will be no more war, crime, and violence. All people will live together in peace and unity.—Micah 4:3, 4.
7. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will become perfect, and the whole earth will become a paradise. By the end of the thousand years, Jesus will have done everything God asked him to do. Then he will hand the Kingdom back to his Father. (1 Corinthians 15:24) Why not tell your friends and loved ones about what God’s Kingdom will do?
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Under Jesus’ rule, there will be no more hatred or prejudice

Lesson 5 Require Brochure The Earth

Lesson 5
What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?
Why did Jehovah create the earth? (1, 2)
Why is the earth not a paradise now? (3)
What will happen to wicked people? (4)
In the future, what will Jesus do for the sick? the elderly? the dead? (5, 6)
To share in the future blessings, what do you need to do? (7)
1. Jehovah created this earth so that humans could enjoy living on it forever. He wanted the earth always to be inhabited by righteous, happy people. (Psalm 115:16; Isaiah 45:18) The earth will never be destroyed; it will last forever.—Psalm 104:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4.
2. Before God made man, He chose one small part of the earth and made it into a beautiful paradise. He called it the garden of Eden. It was here that he put the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. God purposed for them to have children and fill the whole earth. Gradually they would have made the entire earth into a paradise.—Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 15.
3. Adam and Eve sinned by deliberately breaking God’s law. So Jehovah put them out of the garden of Eden. Paradise was lost. (Genesis 3:1-6, 23) But Jehovah has not forgotten his purpose for this earth. He promises to make it into a paradise, where humans will live forever. How will he do this?—Psalm 37:29.
4. Before this earth can become a paradise, wicked people must be removed. (Psalm 37:38) This will happen at Armageddon, which is God’s war to end wickedness. Next, Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years. This means that no wicked ones will be left to spoil the earth. Only God’s people will survive.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 20:1-3.
5. Then Jesus Christ will rule as King over this earth for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:6) He will gradually take sin away from our minds and bodies. We will become perfect humans just as Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Then there will be no more sickness, old age, and death. Sick people will be cured, and old persons will become young again.—Job 33:25; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:3, 4.
6. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will work to turn the whole earth into a paradise. (Luke 23:43) Also, millions of dead ones will be resurrected to human life on the earth. (Acts 24:15) If they do what God requires of them, they will continue to live on earth forever. If not, they will be destroyed forever.—John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:11-15.
7. God’s original purpose for the earth will thus succeed. Would you like to share in these future blessings? If so, you need to keep learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements. Attending meetings at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses will help you to do so.—Isaiah 11:9; Hebrews 10:24, 25.
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Paradise lost
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After Armageddon, earth will be made into a paradise

Lesson 3 - Require - Who Is Jesus Christ

Lesson 3
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Why is Jesus called God’s "firstborn" Son? (1)
Why is he called "the Word"? (1)
Why did Jesus come to earth as a man? (2-4)
Why did he perform miracles? (5)
What will Jesus do in the near future? (6)
1. Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. He was God’s first creation, and so he is called the "firstborn" Son of God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself. Jehovah used the prehuman Jesus as his "master worker" in creating all other things in heaven and on earth. (Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:16, 17) God also used him as His chief spokesman. That is why Jesus is called "the Word."—John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13.
2. God sent His Son to the earth by transferring his life to the womb of Mary. So Jesus did not have a human father. That is why he did not inherit any sin or imperfection. God sent Jesus to earth for three reasons: (1) To teach us the truth about God (John 18:37), (2) to maintain perfect integrity, providing a model for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21), and (3) to sacrifice his life to set us free from sin and death. Why was this needed?—Matthew 20:28.
3. By disobeying God’s command, the first man, Adam, committed what the Bible calls "sin." So God sentenced him to death. (Genesis 3:17-19) He no longer measured up to God’s standards, so he was not perfect anymore. Slowly he grew old and died. Adam passed on sin to all his children. That is why we also grow old, get sick, and die. How could mankind be saved?—Romans 3:23; 5:12.
4. Jesus was a perfect human just like Adam. Unlike Adam, though, Jesus was perfectly obedient to God under even the greatest test. He could therefore sacrifice his perfect human life to pay for Adam’s sin. This is what the Bible refers to as the "ransom." Adam’s children could thus be released from condemnation to death. All who put their faith in Jesus can have their sins forgiven and receive everlasting life.—1 Timothy 2:5, 6; John 3:16; Romans 5:18, 19.
5. When on earth Jesus cured the sick, fed the hungry, and calmed storms. He even raised the dead. Why did he perform miracles? (1) He felt pity for people who were suffering, and he wanted to help them. (2) His miracles proved that he was God’s Son. (3) They showed what he will do for obedient mankind when he rules as King over the earth.—Matthew 14:14; Mark 2:10-12; John 5:28, 29.
6. Jesus died and was resurrected by God as a spirit creature, and he returned to heaven. (1 Peter 3:18) Since then, God has made him a King. Soon Jesus will remove all wickedness and suffering from this earth.—Psalm 37:9-11; Proverbs 2:21, 22.
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Jesus’ ministry included teaching, performing miracles, and even offering up his life for us