TLC Lesson 6 - The Living Christ is Stronger than Death

Introduction

Hello friends! Are you afraid of death? Then I have good news for you. There is One Man who is stronger than death. His name is Jesus Christ. Now listen while you look at each picture and I will tell you what the Bible says about Him.

Picture 39. Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

Luke 7:11-17

Jesus is with a funeral procession. We read about this in the Bible, in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7. I will read from verse 11 to verse 17.
'Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.
When the Lord saw the woman, He felt sorry for her and said, "Do not cry!" Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, "Young man, get up!" The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.
Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, "A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people." News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.' Friends, Jesus could raise people from death! This happened about two thousand years ago in the land of Israel.

Picture 49. A Dead Girl is Raised to Life

Mark 5:35-43

This shows us another amazing thing which Jesus did. It is also in the Bible, in Mark, chapter 5. Listen while I read from verse 35 to verse 43.
..'Some men came from Jairus' home and said, "Your daughter has died! Do not bother the teacher." Jesus heard what they said, and he said to Jairus, "Do not worry. Just have faith!" Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter and the two brothers, James and John. They went home with Jairus and saw the people crying and making a lot of noise.
Then Jesus went inside and said to them, "Why are you crying and carrying on like this? The child is not dead. She is just sleeping." But the people laughed at him.
After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl's father and mother and three of his followers and went to where she was. He took the 12-year-old girl by the hand and said, "Talitha, koum!" which means, "Little girl, get up!" The girl got straight up and started walking around. Everyone was greatly surprised. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Then he said, "Give her something to eat."'
Holy men from many years ago spoke about One who would come from God. They said, "The LORD who is All-Powerful will destroy the power of death and wipe away all tears." (This is written in Isaiah 25, verse 8.) Jesus is LORD. That is why He could raise people from the dead.

Picture 79. Jesus Raises Lazarus from Death

John 11:1, 3-7, 17, 19-23, 25-27, 38-39, 41, 43-44

This is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 11. I will start reading from verse 1.
'A man by the name of Lazarus was sick in the village of Bethany. He had two sisters, Mary and Martha. The sisters sent a message to the Lord and told him that his good friend Lazarus was sick. When Jesus heard this, he said, "His sickness will not end in death. It will bring glory to God and His Son." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and brother. But he stayed where he was for two more days. Then he said to his disciples, "Now we'll go to Lazarus"...
When Jesus got to Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days...
Many people had come from the city to comfort Martha and Mary because their brother had died.
When Martha heard that Jesus had arrived, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that God will do anything you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will live again!"..."I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who has faith in me will never really die. Do you believe this?" "Yes Lord!" she replied. "I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God." ..Jesus ..went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone rolled against the entrance. Then he told the people to roll the stone away...
After the stone had been rolled away, Jesus looked up and prayed... Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of burial cloth, and a cloth covered his face.
Jesus told the people, "Untie him and let him go." In another place Jesus said, "Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves." This tells us that we will all be raised from death. But there is more. Listen! He also said, "Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned." (John 5:28,29) So some people will rise to a life of joy, and others to a life of punishment.

Picture 108. The Crucifixion

Mark 15:22-39

Many Jewish people believed that Jesus was from God. They wanted to make Him their king. But the leaders of the Jews were wicked men. They were jealous of Jesus. They seized Jesus and they killed Him. This picture shows us how He died. In Mark's gospel chapter 15, verses 22 to 39, we read about His death. Listen carefully.
'The soldiers took Jesus to Golgotha, which means the 'Place of a Skull'. There they gave him some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain, but he refused to drink it.
They nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. It was about nine o'clock in the morning when they nailed him to the cross. On it was a sign which said why he was nailed there. It read, "This is the King of the Jews." The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one on the right of Jesus and the other on his left.
People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and shouted, "..Save yourself and come down from the cross!"
The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said to each other, "He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is.. the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross! Then we will see and believe." From midday the sky turned dark and stayed that way until around three o'clock. Then about that time Jesus shouted with a loud voice...and he died.
A Roman army officer was standing in front of Jesus. When he saw how Jesus died, he said, "This man really was the Son of God!"'
Why did Jesus Christ have to die? The Bible tells us - "He was wounded and crushed because of our sins." (This is in the book of Isaiah chapter 53, verses 5.) Yes, all people have sinned. We all deserve to die for our own sin. However Jesus Christ died in our place. He took the punishment for our sins. Jesus let evil men kill him so that He could save us from death.

Picture 114. Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 20:19-23

In this picture Jesus is alive again! On the third day after His death, Jesus came back to life. Many people saw Him. We read about this picture in the Bible in John chapter 20 from verse 19 to verse 23. It says,
'The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the the Sunday after Jesus died, they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy.'
Many other people saw Jesus after he rose from death. Jesus was also called Christ. In Corinthians chapter 15 we read, "Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say. Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After this he appeared to more than 500 other followers. Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life." The first man in this world called Adam brought death to all people, but Christ will bring life to us all. All people will die because of Adam, but those who believe in Jesus Christ will be raised to life!
The Bible also says, "The price of sin is death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord." (This is in Romans chapter 6 verse 23.)

Picture 118. Jesus Ascends into Heaven

Mark 16:15-16

The Bible tells us what is happening in this picture in Mark chapter 16, verses 15 and 16.
'Jesus told his disciples, "Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. Anyone who believes me, will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned." After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, he was taken back up to heaven where he sat down at the right side of God.' You can see Jesus going up to heaven in the picture.
The Bible also tells us, "Christ Jesus has come to show us the kindness of God. Christ our Saviour defeated death and brought us the good news. It shines like a light and offers life that never ends." (2nd Timothy 1, verse 10)
Jesus can save you from everlasting death. If you believe in Him, Jesus will give you a new body after you die. So we do not need to fear death. That is why the Bible says, (in Psalm 23 verse 4) "Even though I walk in... the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. God is with me." This is the Good News. It is good news for everyone - men and women, young or old. Jesus told His followers to share it with all the people in the world.

Picture 120. Jesus Will Return

Revelation 1:5-7

Here we can see Jesus. He is in heaven. One day He will return to earth again. The Bible tells us in Revelation chapter 1, verses 5 and 7, 'Jesus was the first to conquer death, and he is the ruler of all earthly kings. Jesus Christ loves us, and by his blood he sets us free from our sins...To him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds. Everyone will see him, even the ones who stuck a sword through him. Yes, it will happen." Jesus said, "Don't be afraid! I am the first, the last, and the living one. I died, but now I am alive for ever more, and I have the keys to death and the world of the dead." (Revelation chapter 1, verses 17 and 18.)
The words of God are true! If you believe in the Lord Jesus you can have everlasting life. You don't have to fear death any more!