Does the Bible seem like it's just too hard to really understand? Does the Old Testament seem to be merely the accounts of ancient people in far away places with strange customs? Do you find it difficult to see how it all fits together? Do you suspect that there is a much deeper meaning that is just beyond your reach?
If so, then The Essence is for you.
Like the title says, The Essence will take you on a guided journey of discovery through the Bible. You will see how Jesus is not just prophesied, but anticipated and foreshadowed from the opening pages of Genesis, in the prophets, and even the Psalms. Your eyes will be opened to see Jesus in the Fall of Mankind, the Door of the Ark, the Promise to Abram, the Offering of Isaac, the life of Joseph, the Passover Lamb, the Manna from Heaven, the Water from the Rock and the Snake Lifted up on the pole. You will hear David sing of Him and the Prophets foretell His coming. And then you will see it all unfold as God the Son becomes a Man as the Virgin's Son, stands before Pilate as the Innocent Lamb of God, and then dies and rises again to conquer Satan and bring salvation. You will discover that the Gospel is also revealed, not just in the New Testament, but throughout the Old Testament as well.
By God's grace, you will understand the Bible like never before, treasure it more than you ever, and worship and love the Lord Jesus Christ more deeply.
Other books talk ABOUT what the message of the Bible is, and they are very good. However, this book takes you INTO the Scriptures so that you can see for yourself how it all fits together in matchless beauty. To that end, around 1,300 verses are included in the book itself. So, you don't have to stop, go get your Bible and read the passage that is being discussed--it's right in the text for you.
Please note that this is not a self-published. As such, I cannot upload a pdf. However, I would be happy to send you a Kindle version or a hard copy. Just reach out to me.
This is not a book for theologians, but for you and me. It's very conversational in nature. In fact, it is written so that a person who has never read the Bible before in their lives would be able to understand what is going on. Nonetheless, the mature Christian will also likely be encouraged and amazed as the exquisite beauty of God's unfolding story of redemption is unveiled.
It is very evangelistic in nature, but also apologetic-oriented as well, anticipating questions the reader might have and giving reasoned and rational answers for them.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BARABBAS
The entire message of the Bible is actually captured in the brief account of the man named Barabbas. Barabbas was a guilty criminal, before both Rome and God. He well deserved the penalty of death for the crimes he had committed. No one would argue that his sentence was unjustified. A cross had already been prepared for him to carry to his own death that very day.
However, through a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Barabbas did not carry his cross up the hill that day. Jesus did. And Barabbas was not nailed to his cross that day. Jesus was. And Barabbas did not die that day. Jesus did. Barabbas was set free, because Jesus took his place. Jesus was his Substitute. In fact, if someone had seen Barabbas later that day and knew that he had been sentenced to death, he might have asked him what had happened and how he was still alive. Barabbas could have answered simply, "Jesus died in my place."
That is the message of the Bible. It is the message of Christianity. It is God's message to all mankind. It is God's message to you and me. You and I are both guilty of sin before God, just like Barabbas. We, too, deserve God's punishment for our own sin, and that punishment is death—both physical and spiritual. However, Jesus Himself took our place. He died on our behalf and paid the penalty for our sins. The penalty could not simply be ignored. It had to be paid, and Jesus paid it in full. There is no penalty left for us to pay.
We are set free when we put our complete trust in Jesus and in His death on the Cross. We become God's children, not through anything that we have ever done or ever could do but only through what Jesus Himself did on that day. Thus salvation is not based on our works or heritage or any religious ceremony but only on our faith alone in His work on the Cross.
In a sense, we are all Barabbas. The only question that remains is whether or not we will accept what Jesus did for us. Like Barabbas, we must say, "Jesus died in my place too."
Salvation is available to all people, but no one is compelled to receive it. Will you accept it today?