Lesson 1 -- Jesus Loves Me

1. How did God show you His love? John 3:16


2. If God loves us so much why does He seem so far away?
Isaiah 59:2


3. Have you sinned?


4. What is sin? 1 John 3:4, James 4:17, Romans 14:23b


5. How many have sinned? Romans 3:23


6. What are the consequences of sin? Romans 6:23a


7. Because God & Jesus loves us what did Jesus do? Romans 5:8-10


News commentator, Paul Harvey, tells the following story. It was Christmas Eve. Mother and the children were ready to go to the church for the special program. Father refused to go saying that he was not interested. After Mother and the kids left he sat down near the large front window to read the paper. The wind began to blow and the snow fell. Soon Father heard something hitting the window. Again and again he heard it. Going outside he saw a flock of birds trying to get into shelter and were flying into the window. The birds hit so hard that many of them were killed. Feeling sorry for the birds, Father opened the upper barn doors and turned on the light hoping the birds would go into safety. They continued to fly into the window. He took some grain and made a path of grain into the barn hoping that the birds would eat the grain and go into the barn and safety. They continued to pay no attention to the barn or grain and kept flying into the window. Feeling frustrated Father sat down on the steps to think of how to save the birds. As he sat there the thought came to him, “If only I could become a bird I could lead them into the barn.” At that moment he heard the church bells and realized that is exactly what Jesus did.

8. So how are we saved from sin and eternal death? Ephesians 2:8a


9. What is grace?

Many Christians do not know what grace is. Grace is what God does for us which we do not deserve nor can do for ourselves. Let me illustrate. Suppose that I killed a man and am sentenced to death by a firing squad. I am truly sorry for my actions. The day of my execution arrives and I hear the guards coming for me. They usher in a very well dressed gentleman who proceeds to ask me if I am the one who killed the man. I admit that I did but that I am truly sorry for doing it and accepted the fact that I deserve to die. The gentleman, who turns out is the state governor, hands me a piece of paper and encourages me to read it. The paper is a full pardon without parole! Wow! I did not deserve that. He tells me that I am a free man and lets me leave. He tells me to take off the jail clothes and he gives me his nice suit to wear. As I am going out the main gate of the prison, I hear shots ring out and realize that he took my place! That is grace!

10. So we are saved by grace which is God’s gift to us. What other factor is involved? Ephesians 2:8 a


11. What is faith? Hebrews 11:1

In the Bible there are three words that come from the same root word. These are believe, faith, and trust. God wants us to trust Him, not ourselves, for our salvation. He wants us to trust Him that His laws are for our protection. Read Genesis 3 and notice that Eve’s greatest sin was that she transferred her trust from God to Satan. Have you ever believed Satan’s lies? Tell or write about it.

12. How much of the credit can I take for my salvation? Ephesians 2:8b


13. Will keeping of God’s laws and being a good person get me to heaven? Eph. 2:9

Salvation is a free gift from God. We cannot earn it. Jesus has already paid the price. Our part is to love and trust Him which leads us to obedience.

14. But what about all those sins we have committed? 1 John 1:9


15. How can I keep from sinning? (more on this in lesson 2) Philippians 2:13


16. Are you willing right now to put your trust in God and accept His free gift of salvation?

THOUGHT QUESTION: What is the most important thing that you learned in this lesson?