Cultivate Book of Hope by OneHope

CONTENTS T HE FA L L C AIN AN D A B E L J O SE P H DAV I D E STHE R T H E BIRT H OF JE SU S JE S U S H E ALS T H E PAR A LY TI C JES US AN D T H E W OMAN AT T H E W E L L T H E D E AT H OF CHR I ST PAU L’S C ONV E R SI O N THE NE W H E AV E NS AND NE W E A R TH

5 8 10 13 16 18 20 22 24 27 29

THE FALL In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God worked to form the earth and in a span of six days, he filled it with his creation. With just a word, God spoke all of creation into existence. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

and the woman’s was Eve. God declared that all of his creation was very good, and so on the seventh day, he rested from his work. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

HE TOLD US NOT TO EAT FRUIT FROM THAT TREE OR EVEN TO TOUCH IT. IF WE DO, WE WILL DIE.

For six days God created the heavens, the oceans, the dry land, and all the plants and animals that fill them. Then on the sixth day, God put the final touch on his creative work. He created mankind. God said, “Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. The man’s name was Adam,

The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, “Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?” The woman answered, “God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden, except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die.” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the

woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then, she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

When Adam disobeyed God, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death and this death spread to all mankind. God and mankind were separated. Their once close relationship was broken. Mankind’s relationship with other people and his relationship with the earth were fractured. Mankind was left in a broken and desperate condition because of sin.

CAIN AND ABE L Adam and Eve lived as husband and wife. Eve became pregnant with their first child, Cain. Later she gave birth to their second child, Abel. When they grew up, Abel raised sheep, and Cain farmed the land.

When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain angry.

The Lord said to Cain: “What’s wrong with you? Why do you have such an angry look on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don’t let it!” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go for a walk.” And when they were out in a field, Cain killed him.” Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I

don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. No longer will the ground produce good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

me!” The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to

YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD CRIES OUT TO ME FROM THE GROUND! warn anyone who might try to kill him. So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill

JOSEPH GE N 37-5 0

Many generations later, after mankind had populated the land, Joseph was one of twelve brothers who were all sons of Jacob. Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly, my bundle stood up and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will rule over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.

One day Jacob sent Joseph out to check on his brothers and the flock. But before he got there, they saw him coming and made plans to kill him. They said to one another, “Look, here comes the hero of those dreams! Let’s kill him and throw him into a pit and say that some wild animal ate him. Then we’ll see what happens to those dreams.” Reuben, the oldest brother, heard this and tried to protect Joseph. “Let’s not kill him,” he said, “Don’t murder him or even harm him. Just throw him into a dry well out here in the desert.” Reuben planned to rescue Joseph later and take him back to his father. So Joseph’s brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. They grabbed him and threw him into the empty pit. And instead of killing him, they sold him to traders who were traveling to Egypt. Then the brothers killed a young goat, dipped Joseph’s robe in its blood,

ONE NIGHT JOSEPH HAD A DREAM, AND WHEN HE TOLD HIS BROTHERS ABOUT IT, THEY HATED HIM MORE THAN EVER.

and told their father that a wild animal ate Joseph. This began a long and difficult journey for Joseph. He became the slave of a high-ranking Egyptian man, Potiphar. But the Lord was with Joseph, and he excelled in everything he did as he served his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and soon put Joseph in charge of everything he owned. The Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household because of Joseph. Then, Potiphar’s wife framed Joseph for a crime he did not commit. This put Joseph in prison for several years. Even in prison, the Lord continued to give Joseph success. After years of serving in the prison, Joseph earned his freedom by interpreting a troubling dream that Pharaoh had. The dream predicted a great famine that was coming to Egypt. Joseph helped Pharaoh prepare for the famine, and as a result, became second-in-command over all of Egypt. He saved the Egyptians and his own people from starvation.

Eventually, Joseph was reunited with his family and forgave his brothers for their sin against him. Even though Joseph was the target of much evil, God used all of it for a plan much bigger than Joseph could have imagined. This is what God does. In all of life’s circumstances, he is actively working for the good of everyone who loves him.

DAVID In the years following Joseph’s life, his people became the great nation of Israel. Throughout history they had many rulers, but no ruler was more famous or beloved than King David. David was known as a man who loved and feared the Lord. God even called David a man after his own heart. But he was not perfect. Late one afternoon, David got up from a nap and was walking around on the flat roof of his palace. A beautiful young woman was down below in her courtyard, bathing. David happened to see her, and he sent one of his servants to find out who she was. The servant came back and told David, “Her name is Bathsheba. She is the daughter of Eliam, and she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite (who was away at war).”

her to his palace. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she returned home. But later, when she found out that she was going to have a baby, she sent someone to David with this message: “I’m pregnant!” David tried to cover up his sin. First, he called Uriah home early from the battlefield. David got Uriah drunk. He hoped Uriah would sleep with Bathsheba, making it seem that the baby was his. When this didn’t work, David wrote a letter to Uriah’s general. The letter said: “Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is the worst. Then, pull the troops back from him, so that he will be wounded and die.” Uriah was killed in battle. David had murdered him and Bathsheba became a widow.

GOD EVEN CALLED DAVID A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART. BUT HE WAS NOT PERFECT.

David sent some messengers to bring

The Lord was angry at what David had done, and he sent Nathan, a prophet, to

confront David’s sin. Nathan told David a story about a rich man who stole and killed a poor man’s beloved pet lamb. David was furious with the actions of the rich man, swearing he deserved to die. Nathan told David, “You are that rich man.” God then told David that his family would never live in peace, and that Bathsheba’s child would die. The consequences of David’s sin were great. But he was still a man after God’s heart. David was broken because he sinned against his God. He repented and asked for forgiveness. God loved and forgave David.

Even though David’s sin was great, God’s loving mercy was greater. David was Israel’s greatest king. God promised to make his kingdom last forever. Even though David made many mistakes, God promised him a descendant that would be the King of all kings. He promised a King who would rule better than David. God promised The One who would rule his people with perfect love and justice, and the King who would not sin. This King who would save his people from their greatest enemies: sin and death. He is the savior of the world, Jesus.

ESTHER Five hundred years after the death of David, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai who served the king of Persia. Mordecai had a beautiful young cousin named Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.

In those days, Mordecai and Esther were exiled from their country and living in a foreign land called Babylon. The king of Babylon, Xerxes, was searching for a new wife. Esther quickly became his favorite candidate. Xerxes fell in love with Esther and crowned her queen, but her true nationality was kept secret from the king.

One of the king’s highest officials was named Haman. He was a proud and wicked man. By the king’s command, all the royal officials had to bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by. But Mordecai, who was a palace official, refused to bow. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. Discovering Mordecai’s nationality, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes. Haman had Xerxes sign a decree that ordered the slaughter of all Jewish men, women, and children in one day. When

Esther learned of Haman’s plan she was caught in a difficult place. She knew that anyone who went in to see the king without being invited by him would be put to death. The only way that anyone would be saved was for the king to hold out his gold scepter to that person. And the king had not invited Esther. She told Mordecai her problem.

of my kingdom.” Esther answered, “Your Majesty, please come with Haman to a dinner I will prepare for you later today.” The king accepted Esther’s invitation. The king and Haman were dining with Esther when the king again asked what he could do for her. Esther answered, “Your Majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That’s what I really want, because a reward has been promised to anyone who kills my people. When the king asked who was responsible for this, Esther replied, “That evil Haman is the one out to get us!” The king ordered Haman to be hanged, and he gave Mordecai and Esther permission to write a law that would save all the Jews in the land.

XERXES FELL IN LOVE WITH ESTHER AND CROWNED HER QUEEN, BUT HER TRUE NATIONALITY WAS KEPT SECRET FROM THE KING.

Mordecai sent back this reply, “Don’t think that you will escape being killed with the rest of the Jews, just because you live in the king’s palace. If you don’t speak up now, we will somehow get help, but you and your family will be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time like this!”

Three days later, Esther dressed in her royal robes and went to the inner court of the palace in front of the throne. The king was sitting there, facing the open doorway. He was happy to see Esther, and he held out the gold scepter to her. The king said, “Esther, what brings you here? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half

THE BIRTH OF JESUS MAT T H E W 1

This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David’s family. However, before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God’s Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone, so he decided to quietly call off the wedding. While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

This baby, Jesus, was God’s beloved Son. In fact, he was the very Word of God. The same Word who created the world now came in human form to save the world. So even though Jesus was God, he became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him, all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us.

THE SAME WORD WHO CREATED THE WORLD NOW CAME IN HUMAN FORM TO SAVE THE WORLD.

After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord’s angel had told him to do. They did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

JESUS HEALS THE PARALY TIC LU K E 2 , 5 + MARK 1 , 2

Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and all the people. News about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region. Vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. One day, the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no room, not even outside the door.

While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to take him

inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then, they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” Hearing those words come from Jesus did not sit well with the religious leaders who were watching. They thought to themselves, “Who does he think he is? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

These religious men did not believe that Jesus was anything more than a man. And a man could never have the power to forgive sins. This was something only God could do.

sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

THESE RELIGIOUS MEN DID NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS ANYTHING MORE THAN A MAN.

Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive

JESUS AND THE WOMAN AT THE WELL J OH N 4 Jesus was tired and thirsty after a long day of walking. As he traveled through a Samaritan village, he stopped to rest at a well that was built by Jacob and given to his son Joseph. While sitting by the well, a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her, “Would you please give me a drink of water?”

“You are a Jew,” she replied, “and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink of water when Jews and Samaritans won’t have anything to do with each other?” Jesus answered, “You don’t know what God wants to give you, and you don’t

know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where are you going to get this life-giving water? Our ancestor Jacob dug this well for us, and his family and animals got water from it. Are you greater than Jacob?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.” The woman replied, “Sir, please give me a drink of that water! Then I won’t get thirsty and have to come to this well again.” Jesus told her, “Go and bring your husband.” The woman answered, “I don’t have a husband.”

mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans don’t really know the one you worship. But we Jews do know the God we worship, and by using us, God will save the world. But a time is coming, and it is already here! Even now the true worshipers are being led by the Spirit to worship the Father according to the truth. These are the ones the Father is seeking to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship God must be led by the Spirit to worship him according to the truth. The woman said, “I know that the Messiah will come. He is the one we call Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” “I am that one,” Jesus told her, “and I am speaking to you now.”

GOD IS SPIRIT, AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP GOD MUST BE LED BY THE SPIRIT TO WORSHIP HIM ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH.

“That’s right,” Jesus replied, “you’re telling the truth. You don’t have a husband. You have already been married five times, and the man you are now living with isn’t your husband.” The woman said, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. My ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say Jerusalem is the only place to worship.” Jesus said to her: Believe me, the time is coming when you won’t worship the Father either on this

The woman left her water jar and ran back into town. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! Could he be the Messiah?” Everyone in town went out to see Jesus. A lot of Samaritans in that town put their faith in Jesus because the woman had said, “This man told me everything I have ever done.” They came and asked him to stay in their town, and he stayed on for two days. Many more Samaritans put their faith in Jesus because of what they heard him say. They told the woman, “We no longer have faith in Jesus just because of what you told us. We have heard him ourselves, and we are certain that he is the Savior of the world!”

THE DEATH OF CHRIST MARK 1 5 + J OH N 1 9 The religious leaders had had enough of Jesus. They hated him because he claimed to forgive sins, because he healed people in the name of God, and because he mingled with outcasts. The religious leaders hated Jesus because the people loved him more than them. So these religious leaders gathered up false charges against Jesus, found false witnesses who were willing to lie, and brought Jesus to multiple corrupted court trials. Since the accusers wanted Jesus’ execution, they had to take him to the Roman governor, Pilate. Jesus was whipped and beaten. They clothed him in a purple robe and gave him a crown of thorns, mocking his claim that he was the King of the Jews. But Pilate

did not find him guilty of any crimes. Just as Pilate was about to release Jesus, the crowd began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” So even though he found nothing guilty in Jesus, because of his fear of the people, Pilate sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Jesus was taken away, and he carried his cross to a place known as “The Skull.” In Aramaic this place is called “Golgotha.” There, Jesus was nailed to the cross, and on each side of him a man was also nailed to a cross.

JUST AS PILATE WAS ABOUT TO RELEASE JESUS, THE CROWD BEGAN SHOUTING, “CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!”

The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. The leading priests and teachers of the religious law also mocked Jesus. “He

saved others, but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” He bowed his head and died. The curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

PAUL’S CONVERSION Three days after he died on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. He gave them final instructions: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

with power from the Holy Spirit; power to effectively tell people everywhere about the good news of Jesus Christ.

Jesus promised that after his departure from earth, his people would be filled

But not everyone was happy to see so many people following Jesus. Many Jews

The promised Holy Spirit fell on the early church and it was alive and thriving. News of the risen Christ was spreading throughout the world. Thousands of people were coming to believe in the salvation that is found only by faith in Jesus Christ.

still denied that Jesus was the Messiah, and they forbid the disciples to spread these teachings. One Jewish man was especially hostile to Christianity. His name was Saul. He was a Jew from the strictest sect of the Pharisees. To him, Christianity was a direct threat to his view of God and Judaism.

The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

Saul was known for the ruthless way he persecuted the church. At that time, church meetings would take place in people’s homes. Saul would break into these church meetings and drag people out to be thrown in prison, and even executed. He stood by and approvingly watched as an angry crowd viciously stoned a young disciple named Stephen. He was on a mission to destroy Christians.

Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”

As he was heading to another city to find and execute Christians, a light from heaven came down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

SAUL WAS KNOWN FOR THE RUTHLESS WAY HE PERSECUTED THE CHURCH. “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

“Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Saul stayed with the Christians in Damascus for a few days. Saul’s name was changed to Paul, and he became a man who spread the word of what Jesus had done everywhere he went.

THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH The life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ brought an end to the enslaving power of sin in the world. The promise of forgiveness for all who believe in him is the good news of the gospel. Sin no longer rules the life of the one who has faith in Jesus. But even though sin’s power is broken in this world, its presence is still alive and active. We know that this world is not right. Things need to change. When Jesus left this earth he promised to

one day return. He said, “I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” His return will bring a final judgment to all those who rejected him, and a renewal of the heavens and earth for those who believed in him. This new heaven and earth will be the place where God and his people live for eternity.

“I AM GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. WHEN EVERYTHING IS READY, I WILL COME AND GET YOU, SO THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME WHERE I AM.”

In this new world, all wrongs will be made right. No longer will there be a curse on any-

thing. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will sworship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign for ever and ever. God promises that he will live with his people and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. All of that will be in the past and gone forever.

The Lord God is making everything new. He is renewing and redeeming this broken world. He says, “My words are true and can be trusted. Everything is finished! I am the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the life-giving fountain to everyone who is thirsty.” God says, “Come!” Everyone who hears this should say, “Come!” If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It’s free!

Scripture in this format is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ÂŠ 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Scriptures in this format used in this publication are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, Contemporary English Version. Copyright ÂŠ 1995 by the American Bible Society. Used by permission.