Good News ^

Introduction

[NOTE to the recordist: This script is for Muslims.]
Hello, my friend, and welcome. What you are about to hear are some of the most important words you will ever hear in your life. They explain the relationship between God and man.

A series of pictures can accompany this recording, but it is not necessary to have it. If you do, it may help you to remember the information you are hearing.

The recording can be stopped at any time to think about these things. We suggest that you listen all the way through, the first time. Then, go back and listen again, stopping the recording from time to time, to think more deeply about the things you are hearing.

When you hear music (music sample), it is time to look at the next picture. Let’s start now with the first one.

Picture 1: In the Beginning

Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 90:2

In the beginning, only God existed. There was nothing else. God made the world and commanded the light to shine. He made the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night. God is good, and He rules over everything.

Picture 2: The Word of God

Isaiah 45:18-19; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 19:7-10

The information you are hearing comes from God's book. This book is the Word of God and it tells us about God and His ways. It contains the writings of many well-known Prophets. God loves all people. This book explains why God had to separate Himself from the people He loves so much. It also explains how God made a plan to bring the people back to Him, to be His friends and His children. This book is called the Bible.

Picture 3: Creation

Genesis 1:1-25

God made everything by the words that He spoke. He said, "Let it be," and it was as He said. He spoke, and made the sky. He spoke, and made the sea. He spoke, and land was made. Then He created all living things in the same way: the fish in the water, the birds in the air, and all the animals. In this way God spoke everything into being. God was pleased with all that He made. Everything that God made was good. It was all very good.

Picture 4: Adam and Eve

Genesis 1:26-31, 2:7 - 3:24

God made the first man from the dust of the earth and the first woman from the rib of the man. He called them Adam and Eve. God loved Adam and Eve. He gave them authority (control) over everything He had made. They were God's friends. God made a beautiful garden for them to live in. God spoke with them there. He gave them permission to eat any of the fruit in the garden except for the fruit from one tree. But they chose to disobey God, and they ate the forbidden fruit. They sinned against God. They broke their friendship with Him, and He had to punish them. God hates sin. He sent them out of the beautiful garden. Since that time people have had to work hard to get the food they need to eat. Sin also brought pain, suffering, and death.

Picture 5: Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-16; Romans 3:23

Adam and Eve had two sons. Their names were Cain and Abel. Cain was jealous of Abel, and one day Cain killed his brother Abel. God punished Cain for doing this wicked thing. God is very grieved when people sin. Sin is what has separated us from God. God and man could no longer have the close friendship that God wanted.

Picture 6: Noah's Ark

Genesis 6:1-22; 2 Peter 3:9

Adam and Eve had other children, and many generations (years) went by. Now there were many people, all descendants of Adam and Eve. Each of them disobeyed God. They were becoming more and more wicked. Their sin became so great that God decided to destroy them all in a great flood. There was only one man who loved and obeyed God. His name was Noah. God told Noah to build a large ship called an Ark. God was going to save Noah and his family in this ship. It took Noah many years to build the Ark. All during that time Noah warned the people about their bad ways, and the punishment that God was going to send. The people would not believe Noah's warnings. They did not want to turn from their evil ways.

Picture 7: The Flood

Genesis 7:1-24

God brought animals of every kind to Noah, and Noah took them into the ship. Then Noah and his wife, and their three sons, each one with his wife, also entered the ship. There were only eight people in the Ark, with the animals. Then, God closed the door. After seven days, God sent very heavy rain and brought water from under the ground. In forty days God flooded the whole earth. It was too late for everyone outside the Ark. They all drowned. But Noah and his family were safe in the Ark because they had believed and obeyed God.

Picture 8: Abraham, Sarah and Isaac

Genesis 9:18-19,17:1-8, 21:1-7; Matthew 1:1-16

Many years went by and the descendants of Noah became many tribes. Abraham was one of these descendants. He was a man who also loved and obeyed God. God promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great people. Abraham and his wife Sarah did not have any children at that time, but they still believed God's promise. When they were very old, they had a son whom they called Isaac, who was born by a miracle. God promised to do something very special through Isaac and his descendants. Abraham had children by other women. One of those children was named Ishmael. He became the father of the Arab nations.

Picture 9: Moses and the Law of God

Exodus 19:1-25, 34:27-32

The descendants of Isaac also became a great people, called Israel. One of the descendants of Isaac was Moses. He also believed and obeyed God. God called Moses to a mountain where He spoke with him. God gave him laws to teach to the people. Moses came down from the mountain with the laws of God written on stone. God's laws are for all people. His laws are good.

Picture 10: The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-17

The laws that God gave to Moses are for the good of all people. These laws tell us that we are to love, worship and obey the one true God. We are not to make idols or bow down to them. We should not use God's name in a disrespectful way. All people should set aside one day each week to rest and worship God. Children should obey and honor their parents. We must not murder. We must not commit adultery. We must not steal. We must not make false statements about other people. And we must not desire the things that belong to others.

Picture 11: Sacrifice for Sin

Leviticus 4:27-35; John 1:29

In those days, when a person sinned by breaking God's laws, he had to sacrifice a lamb to God. The lamb died in place of the offender. This would remind the offender that it was wrong to break God's law and that it was very displeasing to God. The lamb was a symbol of a much greater Sacrifice that would be made later, a Sacrifice that God Himself would make. It would take away the sins of all people who would accept God's Sacrifice as the sacrifice for their sins. God was planning to send Jesus into the world to become the Sacrifice for the sins of all people. God told this to several of His Prophets, and they wrote about this in the Bible. It was said of Jesus, "Look, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."

Picture 12: A Saviour Promised

Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25

Jesus was born in a very special way. An angel from heaven was sent to a young virgin named Mary. Mary was engaged (promised in marriage) to a man named Joseph. The angel told Mary that God was going to cause her to become pregnant without having contact with a man. Mary knew that God had the power to make the heavens and the earth by saying the word. She knew that God could do what He said He would do, and she believed Him. In a very special way, God was the Father of Jesus. The angel also appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel explained to Joseph that Mary had not been with another man, but that God was doing something special in her. He instructed Joseph and Mary to name the child, "Jesus," which means, "Savior." Joseph obeyed God, and did not sleep with Mary until the baby was born.

Picture 13: The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-20

About this time, the king required all people to return to the town of their ancestors, so he could keep an account of the people. Mary and Joseph had to travel to the town of Bethlehem. When they arrived there, no one had room for them. All the houses were full of people, so they had to stay where the cattle were kept. It was there that Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus.
That night, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were watching their sheep in a field nearby. He told them that this special Child, who was to be the Saviour of the people, was born nearby. Then, suddenly, many angels appeared in the sky, singing and praising God. The shepherds went to see this special Child. They told the people all around there how the angels had appeared to them.

Picture 14: Jesus the Teacher

Luke 2:41-52; Mark 6:34

We are not told very much about the early life of Jesus in the Bible. We are told that Mary and Joseph took the Baby Jesus to Egypt when someone was trying to kill the Holy Baby. Then they returned to Israel to the town of Nazareth. Jesus grew in wisdom and strength, and the grace of God was upon Him.
When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph took him to Jerusalem. He talked about God with the teachers and leaders of Israel. He listened to them, and asked and answered questions. They were all surprised at his great knowledge of God. When Jesus was about thirty years old, He began to teach people about God. Many people believed his teaching, and He became very well known.

Picture 15: Miracles of Jesus

Mark 8:22-26, 5:35-43, 6:45-52

Jesus had great power from God to do miracles. He was able to heal blind people. He spoke to dead people and they came back to life. He even walked on top of the sea. He did many great miracles in the presence of many people, to prove that He was sent from God and had authority from God. He could speak the word and it would happen as He said. Jesus was very special and many people knew it.

Picture 16: Jesus Suffers

Matthew 27:11-31

Jesus did many wonderful things, and many people followed Him. Jesus was kind, healed the sick, and taught God's way. Jesus was good. Jesus did not sin. Jesus always did what God wanted him to do. He came to show us God's love, and to win people back to follow God and walk in God's ways.
But there were influential religious leaders who were very jealous of Jesus. They did not want to admit that they had broken God's law and were sinners like the rest of the people. Their hearts were hard, and they did not want to believe that Jesus was sent from God. They told lies about Jesus, and had him arrested. He was beaten. Soldiers placed a crown of thorns on his head and mocked him. Jesus could have resisted this and stopped them, but He did not resist. He had come to the world to become a Sacrifice for sin. His life was going to be sacrificed for the sins of all people. Jesus was taking upon Himself the punishment that the people deserved

Picture 17: Jesus is Crucified

Mark 15:22-39; 1 Peter 2:21-24

The solders nailed Jesus to a wooden cross. Then they stood the cross upright in the ground, and Jesus hung there until He died. In those days it was the custom to kill the worst criminals in this cruel way. Two criminals were also put on crosses that day. But Jesus was not a criminal; He was innocent. He had done no wrong. That day He was dying for other peoples' sins, not His own. He was dying for the sins of the people who were alive then, but also for the sins of people who would come later. His death takes away the sins of all who want to turn from their sinful ways and accept His Sacrifice as their own sacrifice. When Jesus died, He made the perfect sacrifice. He paid for the sins of all people with His sinless blood. God has said that all other sacrifice is no longer necessary because Jesus made the perfect sacrifice.

Picture 18: The Resurrection

Luke 23:50 - 24:9

The enemies of Jesus thought they had destroyed him. But this was not so. After Jesus died on that cross, a wealthy friend put the body of Jesus into his own new burial cave. They closed the entrance of the cave with a large stone. On the third day, early in the morning some women came to the cave to perform the proper burial customs. They were surprised to find the stone rolled away, and Jesus was not there. They were even more surprised to see two angels, who told them that Jesus was alive. These messengers from God told them very clearly that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Picture 19: Thomas Believes

John 20:19-31

After Jesus rose from the dead, He began to visit some of his disciples. He talked with them and ate with them. Thomas, one of his disciples, heard of this and could not believe that Jesus was alive again. He said, "Until I see His nail wounds and touch Him, I will not believe." Jesus came to this group again, this time when Thomas was there. Jesus spoke directly to Thomas, and Thomas fell down on his knees before him, believing. Jesus said, "You believe because you see Me. Blessed are those who do not see Me, and yet believe."

Picture 20: The Ascension

Acts 1:1-11

For forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to people. Many people saw Him and knew that He was alive. Now it was time for Jesus to go back to Heaven. He had finished the work He had come to do. Jesus told his followers that they were to go out and tell everyone everywhere what He had done. Then, as many of His followers watched, Jesus rose off the ground and went higher and higher, until He went into a cloud and disappeared from their sight. Just then, two angels appeared. They told the disciples that Jesus would one day return in the same way that He left. Jesus is now in Heaven, preparing a place for all those who will believe in and follow Jesus. Jesus made the way for us to come to God.

Picture 21: Why Jesus Died

1 Peter 3:18; Galatians 2:20

Why did Jesus die on the cross? Jesus died to save sinners from the punishment of sin. Jesus never sinned. He died to take away the sin that separates us from God. The cross reminds us that Jesus was the spotless (holy, sinless, pure) Lamb of God. He was sacrificed for us. When we believe in Jesus and repent (turn from our sin), God forgives our sins. Jesus makes us God's children and His friends.

Picture 22: The Two Roads

Matthew 7:13-14; John 3:16; 1 John 1:9

When Jesus was alive, He told many stories to help the people understand God's ways. He taught that there are two roads. Everyone starts out on the wide road of sin that leads to destruction and punishment. We all have a sinful nature that we inherited from Adam, the first man. We have sinned by doing things that are displeasing to God.
Jesus said that we should leave the wide road, and enter the narrow road that leads to God in Heaven. We can only enter the narrow road through Jesus. We enter it by repenting of our sins, and accepting that the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross was for our sins. Why not speak to Him now from your heart? Say to Him, "God, You are great and holy, but I confess to You that I have sinned. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sin. Please forgive me, clean my heart, and make me one of Your children. I want to follow the way of Jesus and come to live with You (in Heaven, optional, check suitability) when I die. Thank you, Father. Amen."

Picture 23: God's Children

John 6:37-40, 14:6; Revelation 7:9

Jesus welcomes people from all tribes and nations and languages. When they believe in Jesus, they all become the children of God. Though they are from many nations and cultures, they all belong to one family, the family of God, all united together because of the Lord Jesus. They are on the narrow way that leads to Heaven.

Picture 24: Born Again

John 3:1-18; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:22-23

One night, a teacher of religion, named Nicodemus, came to talk to Jesus. Jesus told him something very unusual. Jesus said that everyone who wants to belong to God's family needs to be born a second time. When we enter into the family of our parents, we are born into it. When we enter into God's family, it is like being born a second time. The first is a physical birth; the second is a spiritual birth. We have no power to change ourselves. The Holy Spirit of God gives us a new life when we believe and follow Jesus. We become new people, the people of God.

Picture 25: The Holy Spirit Comes

John 14:15-18; Acts 2:1-39

Before Jesus went back to Heaven, He promised His disciples that he would send them the gift of God's Holy Spirit. Ten days after Jesus returned to Heaven, there was a Jewish holy day. Jewish people living in many other nations came to Jerusalem to celebrate this. The disciples of Jesus were also there, all together in one place. Suddenly, God's Holy Spirit came and filled all the disciples, as Jesus had promised. These Jewish people from all those other nations were surprised when the disciples began speaking in all of their languages, about the wonderful things that God had done. God's Spirit is powerful. Now the Holy Spirit lives in all true Christians and gives them power to love and obey Jesus.

Picture 26: Walking in the Light

John 3:19-21, 8:12; 1 John 1:5-7

Before a person believes in Jesus, he is like a man walking in the dark. He stumbles and often falls into sin, because he has no light to guide him. When we trust in the Lord Jesus, we become like a man walking on a straight road on a sunny day! Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world. If a man follows Me, he will not walk in darkness." God gives His Holy Spirit to help and teach all believers His way of life.

Picture 27: A New Person

Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 4:22-32; 2 Corinthians 5:17

A Christian is a new person and wants to obey the Word of God. He is thankful that God has forgiven his sin. A believer in Jesus Christ must not commit adultery, fight, steal, or worship idols or other gods (or spirits). The Holy Spirit gives the believer power to turn away from evil things and to do good things.

Picture 28: The Christian Family

Ephesians 5:21 - 6:4; 1 Peter 3:1-9

When a family is walking in God's way, the man loves his wife and the woman honors her husband. This is what the Word of God commands. They help and encourage each other and teach their children to love God and obey His Word. The Christian family prays and works together for the Lord.

Picture 29: Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 10:25-37

Jesus taught His followers to love all people, even their enemies. We should help anyone in need, even people of other nations or religions. Jesus told a story about a man who was traveling to another town. Robbers attacked him and beat him up. A man from another religion found the badly injured traveler. He helped the man because he was in need. He did not ask payment. Jesus said we, also, are to do good things like this.

Picture 30: Jesus is the Powerful One

Acts 19:18-20; Psalm 115:1-8; 1 John 3:8, 4:4

Some people are in contact with Satan or evil spirits, or believe in idols and fetishes, before they become followers of Jesus. Followers of Jesus are not to be friends with bad spirits. We do not have to fear them or serve them. The Lord is more powerful than Satan, evil spirits, idols, or fetishes. Christian believers get rid of everything that belongs to Satan and evil spirits. We believers do not need to fear Satan. We must ask only God to help and protect us.

Picture 31: Casting out Evil Spirits

Mark 5:1-20; James 4:7

Once there was a man who was filled with (possessed by) evil spirits. Ropes and chains could not hold him because the demons inside him were very strong. Jesus commanded the demons to come out of the man, and they did! This man was freed from the power the spirits had over him, and went to tell his friends what Jesus had done. Jesus has much more power than evil spirits. He has delivered many people from their control. Satan and evil spirits must all obey Jesus.
Optional: If you are disturbed by evil spirits, ask other believers to pray with you. Ask the powerful Lord Jesus to send them away. If we love and obey Jesus, He lives in us by His Holy Spirit. His power protects us, and Satan cannot harm us.

Picture 32: Temptation

Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 1 Corinthians 10:13-14

Satan often tries to tempt God's children to stop following the Lord Jesus. Satan wants us to forget God and God's ways, and wants to tempt us with things like money, fine clothes, tobacco, immorality, and strong drink. Satan wants us to believe that these things are more important than God. He wants us to believe that these things will make us happy. But Satan is a liar. He tries to deceive us and turn us against God. The Holy Spirit will help us to resist temptation when we trust the Lord Jesus and follow Him.

Picture 33: If We Sin

Luke 15:11-32; 1 John 1:7-9

Jesus told this story: "A young man left home, went far away, and did many evil things. He committed adultery, wasted all the money his father had given him, and sinned greatly. After his money was finished, a severe famine came and he became very poor and hungry. He was sorry for his sin, and returned to his father to ask forgiveness. His father loved him greatly, and he received the young man back again."
This story tells us that if we sin, we must be truly sorry and turn from our sin. Because God loves us so much, and because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, God can forgive our sin and receive us back again.

Picture 34: Sickness

Philippians 4:6-7; James 5:13-16

What should God's people do if they become sick? They can pray to God in the name of Jesus, and believe that He will do whatever is best. They must not pray to anything else, or look to charms or fetishes. God is able to heal the sick man if He wills, or help him find the correct medicine. God loves us and controls all that happens to His children. God protects the believer from Satan, so we must not be afraid. Jesus is with us to give peace in times of trouble.

Picture 35: Death

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 14:13

We all know that one day we will die. But what happens to us then? The Bible, the Word of God, says that when a Christian dies, his spirit goes to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. His friends should not be overcome with grief. We must not fear death, because we know that God loves us and has saved us from sin by our faith in Christ, The one who is the sacrifice for our sins. Unbelievers do not have this wonderful future of eternal life with God after death. They go to the place of punishment because they have refused God's way.

Picture 36: The Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10

Each part of our body has its own task. The eye is for seeing, the ear for hearing, and the mouth for talking and eating. All the parts of the body work together. If one part is sick or injured, the whole body feels it. God says that believers are parts of one Body (called the Church). The Lord Jesus is the Head of that Body. God has work for every Christian to do (for example: preaching, singing, teaching, farming, or cooking). Each must work for the Lord Jesus to help the whole Body be strong. All believers must love each other and work together, or the Body will not be strong.

Picture 37: Meeting for Worship

Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Colossians 3:15-17

All believers should try to meet together regularly with other believers, to worship God. We learn from the Bible; sing hymns, and pray. We should also bring gifts for the work of God. God also commands us to remember the death of the Lord Jesus. His people share bread and drink (local equivalent). The bread reminds us of the body of Jesus which was broken for us on the cross. The drink reminds us of His blood which was shed to cleanse us from sin. We remember His death in this way, until He comes back again.

Picture 38: Jesus Will Return

John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:4

One day the Lord Jesus will suddenly come back to earth again from Heaven, just as He promised. He will come to get all of God's family. Jesus will raise up all of God's people who have died. Their graves will be empty. God's people who are still alive, will go with them. We will all meet the Lord Jesus in the air, and stay with Him forever. The unbelievers will be left behind to face the judgment of God. We do not know when Jesus will return, but we should be ready, and waiting for Him.

Picture 39: Bearing Fruit

Matthew 7:15-20; Galatians 5:22-23; John 15:1-8

As the fruit tree produces fruit, the Spirit of God produces good fruit in the life of a believer. Jesus said, "I am the vine. You are the branches. If you stay in Me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit." God's Holy Spirit lives and works inside our hearts. The fruit He produces in us is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control in our lives. If the branches of the tree do not bear fruit, they are cut down. They die and are burned. The followers of Jesus are to produce much fruit. This glorifies and honors God, our Heavenly Father.

Picture 40: Witnessing

Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

Jesus told his followers that they should go and tell others the wonderful news that they can be saved from sin and eternal punishment. Many people are confused by what they think Christians believe. To them it is a great mystery. They may think, "Why are these people so different?" "Why do they act like they do?" "What are their motives?" If you are a Christian believer you should help others to understand that this Good News is for everybody. God's Holy Spirit will help us to have wisdom and courage as we follow Jesus.

Conclusion

My friend, I trust that these stories were interesting to you and will help you to understand better what true Christians believe, and the way they should act. You may want to go back and listen to this recording many times.

Stop the recording at any place, and think about these important words. Ask yourself, "Do I follow God's way as I should?" "Have I allowed the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross to become the sacrifice for my sins?" Talk to God from your heart. He loves all people. He loves you.

(After the message is finished, a few lines can be added to refer the listeners to a specific follow-up: advertise the dramatized scriptures, the Jesus film, the offer of a New Testament, or Bible; catalogue of Christian materials, or information about Christian radio or TV stations)