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    The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition
    The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition
    The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition
    Ebook123 pages2 hours

    The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition

    By Zondervan

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    This is a small, softcover booklet with a big message. The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition uses the clear, accessible language of the New International Version (NIV) to tell the story of the most significant person who ever lived. Compelling and powerful, it’s also a compact, low-priced way to share the Jesus story in one seamless narrative. The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition is one book that will be read again and again.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateJul 23, 2013
    ISBN9780310741923
    The Story of Jesus: Teen Edition

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    Reviews for The Story of Jesus

    3.5/5

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    • 3/5
      The Story is not, as I initially thought, a novelization of the Bible (which would have been neat, though how you could actually write such a book is beyond me.) Rather, it is the Bible, but abridged and reorganized in chronological order to present a (mostly) continuous story. It's a great idea, even if I found the execution to be wanting.By far, the best part about The Story is being able to read the Old Testament in chronological order. The individual stories one grows up hearing in Sunday School are often hard to relate to one another, and the disjointed nature of the OT makes piecing together an actual timeline of events difficult. The Story does that for you. Thus, you can read about the history of the kingdom of Israel as one continuous narrative, and really get a sense of the sequence of historical events.The New Testament works in the same fashion, merging the four Gospels into a single narrative, and continuing through the book of Acts and various letters. I honestly found the New Testament to be less interesting than the Old, mostly because, like much of this book's target audience, I'm much more familiar with the NT events. But aside from that, there's nowhere near as much actual story in the NT, which covers only a few decades compared to the OT's thousands of years.Most of the problems I had with The Story are editorial. Often the choices of what to cut seemed odd: for example, the prophetic dreams from the stories of Joesph and Daniel are omitted, and only referred to. And speaking of Joesph, the chapter featuring his story was mostly concerned with what happened after he was reuinted with his brothers (usually seen as the end of the story); previous events were summed up on just a few short pages. Another thing that The Story did was insert transitional text, either to tie one story to the next, or to summarize material that had been skipped over for one reason or another. This transitional text was clearly marked (so as not to be confused with actual scripture) but was written in an awkwardly informal and occasionally preachy tone that irritated me more often than not.That said, I'm glad I read it, and would actually recommend it to someone interested in reading the Bible story. It's certainly not a substitute for a real Bible, but it is a useful tool toward understanding one.
    • 3/5
      Actually read the NIV of this. Loved the concept of this as a bible enthusiast. I would have liked it more if it wasn't so abundantly biased seeking not love of the Word of God but to make converts to Christendom.
    • 3/5
      A fast read and good for new or non believers, but left a lot out not really for older believers
    • 3/5
      The purpose of this book of selections from the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible is disclosed in the last page of the volume, to hear “the truth. You’ve come face to face with the most important message you will ever hear: Jesus, God’s Son, came, lived died and rose again.” The author tells readers that they must “take a step down the narrow path that leads to unimaginable glory.”The editors of the book present 31 chapters, 21 from the Hebrew Bible and 10 from the New Testament, each focuses on a different event from the many that occur in the Bible. They include a “Timeline” giving what the editors consider the years of the episodes; short comments in the middle or end of some of these quotations from the NIV that connect one selection with the next when the editors delete some of the biblical narratives; and definitions of terms at the bottom of certain pages. Scholars will have some problems with the editors’ information and comments.•Many will disagree with the dates offered by the editors. For example, the consensus among scholars is that we cannot know the exact year of the Israelite exodus from Egyptian bondage, but it most likely occurred around 1200 BCE; they have the precise year 1446. The Bible has Abraham born 1948 years after creation, which is 3823 BCE; they have 2091. The Bible does not give the year of Moses’ brother Aaron’s death; they have 1406. There are many other similar differences. •Some of the definitions are designed to suggest that the books of the Hebrew Bible teach about Christianity and Jesus. For example, the “holy spirit” in the Hebrew Bible is defined as “The manifestation of God who dwells within those who believe in Jesus Christ and empowers them to follow God’s way. God is one God but acts in three ‘persons’ of God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.” One may, of course, interpret the Bible as one chooses, but in fairness, one should say that this is an interpretation and it is not explicit in the text. They translate “messiah” as “A name of Jesus that emphasizes his role as God’s chosen deliverer.” Actually, messiah means anointed, a king or high priest who had oil pored upon his head when he became king or high priest. Jews looked forward to the coming of a Jewish king, which is synonymous with messiah, to rule over them. Christians felt that Jesus was this king.In short, people need to beware as they read this book because scholars disagree with many of the supposed facts.

    Book preview

    The Story of Jesus - Zondervan

    Preface

    GOD. LORD. MESSIAH. REDEEMER. LAMB OF GOD. BREAD OF LIFE. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is called by many different names. And each one refers to an important place that Jesus holds in God’s plan for the salvation of humankind. The Story of Jesus provides you with an intimate look into the life, death, resurrection and everlasting glory of God’s son.

    Excerpted from The Story, the seven chapters in this book include the actual, God-breathed words of the Bible. Transitions, which appear in italic, were written to summarize omitted Scripture text in order to help the storyline read smoothly. Line spaces were added where text was omitted. The texts were chosen to retain the overall flow of the narrative, so that as you read, you will get a sense of the big picture.

    The Scripture text used in The Story of Jesus is taken from the New International Version (NIV). Our goal was to make the Bible read smoothly and easily, so that you can read it just like you’d read a novel. But what you’re reading isn’t any ordinary story. You are reading a story that has the power to change who you are, what you think and how you view life. You are exposing yourself to deep, transforming truth.

    So sit back and spend some time discovering The Story of Jesus.

    1

    The Birth of the King

    Four hundred years go by. During this time, the Jews briefly regain their independence—until yet another empire arrives on the scene: Rome.

    Then the story picks up in a small Jewish village called Nazareth. An angel shows up announcing the next big step in God’s plan to liberate his people from sin and oppression. God in the flesh is coming to planet Earth—as a baby …

    IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

    There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

    The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace¹ and truth.

    For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

    God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.

    Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

    How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?

    The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

    I am the Lord’s servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled. Then the angel left her.

    And Mary said:

    "My soul glorifies the Lord

    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,²

    for he has been mindful

    of the humble state of his servant.

    From now on all generations will call me blessed,

    for the Mighty One has done great things for me —

    holy is his name.

    His mercy extends to those who fear him,

    from generation to generation.

    He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

    He has brought down rulers from their thrones

    but has lifted up the humble.

    He has filled the hungry with good things

    but has sent the rich away empty.

    He has helped his servant Israel,

    remembering to be merciful

    to Abraham and his descendants forever,

    just as he promised our ancestors."

    How did Mary, a virgin, become pregnant? She and Joseph were engaged but had not had sexual relations. No medical doctor could answer this question, but such was the mysterious nature of Mary’s conception and Jesus’ birth — a miraculous beginning ordained by God’s power alone. Imagine Mary’s problem explaining this incredible experience! She couldn’t understand it herself, much less explain it to her friends and family.

    In that day and time, an engagement was considered as strong a commitment as marriage although Joseph and Mary were not officially married. Although he probably wanted to believe Mary, Joseph was in a difficult situation. Engaged and committed to a woman whom his family and friends would now despise, Joseph decided it was best to break off the engagement … until an unusual visitor changed his perspective.

    Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

    But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

    All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us).

    When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

    In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

    So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

    And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news³ that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

    Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

    "Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

    When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.

    So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

    Joseph and Mary decided to remain in Bethlehem after Jesus was born. Faithful to the Law of Moses, they had Jesus circumcised when he was eight days old. There the new family was greeted by two older saints, Simeon and Anna, to whom God gave the opportunity to see

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