Christian Basics course, with Old Testament focus

Christian Basics course

Christianintro.net

By Mike Russell

Download the full course as a pdf for free: ‘Christian Basics course using Luke and lots of Old Testament’

Read the project behind Session 5, ‘The Third Day According to the Scriptures’

The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Session 1: Good reasons to be Christian?

Session 2: Who is the Christ?

Session 3: A man suffers to forgive sins

Session 4: The Christ suffers for sins

Session 5: The Christ rises from the dead

Session 6: Forgiveness of sins for all nations

Here is a taste of the course -

Session 1: Good reasons to be Christian?

The Course

Over 6 weeks, this course aims to give an introduction to Christianity. The course is called ‘Christian Intro’. So it’s not ‘Anglican Intro’ or ‘Catholic Intro’ or ‘Baptist Intro’– we won’t cover issues that are special for Anglicans or Catholics or Baptists.

The Bible

We will only need one book, the bible. Since the bible is so central let me say a few things about it. The bible isn’t one book, it is 66 books. You can see all the titles of the 66 books on the contents page of your bible. [Turn to the contents page of a bible now]. The books have many different authors, spanning many hundreds of years. Yet Christians claim that the bible has one message.
The bible is divided into two major sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word Testament means an agreement, or a contract, or a deal. So the New Testament is the New Deal that comes with Jesus.

The Gospel of Luke

Our course focuses on the gospel of Luke, a book of the New Testament which describes Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Today we want to look at Luke’s introduction. So turn to the contents page and find the book of Luke. I’m going to read Luke chapter 1, verses 1 to 4. [See if you can find the start of Luke in your bible now.]

Luke’s aim

The first four verses in Luke are the introduction. They tell us Luke’s aim as he writes his book. Let’s read it now:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³ Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Notice the big aim which Luke has. In verse 4, Luke tells us his aim. He is writing ‘so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.’ Luke is trying to give us confidence in Christianity. He is helping us to be sure that Christianity is true.