The Book of Matthew Chapter 2: King Herod of Judea wanted to kill the “newborn King of the Jews”. Not knowing how to identify the baby he ordered all boys 2 years old and younger killed in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary were warned by an angel who appeared in a dream. They fled with Jesus to Egypt

and remained until Herod died.

Painting by Peter Paul Rubens (1611) Massacre of the InnocentsIt sold for 76 Million Dollars in 2002

John the Baptist was immersing people in water telling them “Reform Your Lives! The Reign of God is at hand.” Jesus appeared and asked John to baptize

him.

Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. The Devil tempted him ordering him to turn stones to bread, to throw himself from a height, to

worship him in return for all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus rejected these temptations and the Devil left. Matthew 4, Luke 4

One of Christ’s First Miracles – Turning Water Into Wine at the Wedding Feast in Canaan John 2:1-11

King Herod Ordered the Beheading of John the Baptist to Please A Dancing Girl -

Matthew Chapter 14

Two New Testament Accounts Relate Stories of Jesus Feeding Thousands With Meager Amounts of Food. John 6 verses 1-13 tells of 5,000 fed with five loaves

and two fish, Mark 8, verses 1-9 says 4,000 were fed with seven loaves of bread and a few fish.

Christians Believe Jesus Walked On Water Matthew 14: 22-33

Peter the Disciple Was Called To Walk On the Water With Jesus – He took several steps and then lost faith, he sank and Jesus took his hand exclaiming

“how little faith you have! Why did you falter?” Matthew Chapter 14, Verse 31

Christ’s Greatest Miracle Was Raising Lazarus From the Dead – John 11https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYJYW_9mFVg&list=PLPLaZO_JTbEoltVfYDz_aF158WuD935ct29&feature=iv&src_vid=fHYuhwnlTZs&annotation_id=annotation_958219

Petrine Supremacy

• Jesus said to Peter “You are Rock and on this rock I will build my church and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it. I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

• Matthew Chapter 16, Verses 18-19

• The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church. He declares the body of beliefs all Catholics must accept – these beliefs are called dogma.

Mark Chapter 11: 15-18 and Luke 20:41-48, Luke 21:20-24

Jesus Transfigured with Elijah and Moses While the Disciples AwakenLuke 9: 28-36

Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” I assure you, one of you is about to betray me. The Son of Man is departing, as

Scripture says of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Better for him if he had never been born.” Matthew Chapter 26:20-

24

Judas arrived with a great crowd “The man I shall embrace is the one; take hold of him”

Matthew 26: 47-49

Judas Regrets His Betrayal. He throws the 30 pieces of silver at the High Priests. He then ran off and hanged himself. Matthew, Chapter 27.

The Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, gave the crowd the choice to free a notorious criminal, Barabbas, or Jesus. The crowd chose Barabbas. Pilate asked, “then what am I to do with Jesus, the so-called Messiah?” The crowd shouted, “Crucify Him!”

Pilate washed his hands declaring, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man, the responsibility is yours. The whole people said in reply, “Let his blood be on us and on our

children.” Matthew 27: 15-26

Christ Being Scourged

A scene from “The Passion of Christ” depicting the horrific brutality of Christ’s last hours as he was scourged and crucified.

The Dead Christ

Christ Resurrected

Thomas Carvaggio’s Depiction of the Discipline Thomas with the Resurrected Christ

Roman Emperor Constantine Has A Vision of a Fiery Cross and Converts to Christianity Around 330 A.D

Spread of Christianity Between Constantine’s Conversion – 312 AD and 600 AD

The Unity of the Christian World came to an end in 1517. Martin Luther criticized the sale of indulgences by the Church. His 95 criticisms were protests that ignited the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin then published his book in 1534 arguing that few are saved and

many damned. The saved know they are God’s Chosen and should form their own communities.

In 1536 King Henry VIII of England split from Rome. He created the Anglican Church or Church of England which allowed its priests to marry and retained the seven sacraments. Henry is famous for his six wives and being father of

the great queen Elizabeth I.

Religious Wars Wracked Europe from 1546 to 1648 as Catholic and Protestant Leaders and their armies competed in brutal, bloody wars.

The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Faith

All Christians Accept Jesus Christ as Savior. There are major differences between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches that have developed since Luther began the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Some of

the differences include:

• Roman Catholic Priests Are Celibate• Only Priests can dispense sacraments

which are the vehicles by which the faithful receive grace.

• There are seven sacraments including Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance/Confession, Holy Orders (joining the priesthood), Matrimony and Anointing of the Sick.

• There is a “miracle of the mass” where the bread and wine of Eucharist is transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. This miracle is called transubstantiation.

• There is a body of beliefs all Catholics must accept in order to be Catholic. These beliefs are called dogma.

• The Virgin Mary and the Saints can be prayed to for intercession in human affairs.

• There is a special quality of the priesthood that makes members closer to God.

• Protestant pastors can marry and have children.

• Most Protestant faiths have two or three symbolic sacraments. Baptism, Matrimony and sometimes a form of Eucharist.

• There is no miracle of the mass. The symbolic sacraments do not dispense grace.

• There is no special quality of the priesthood. People are endowed by God with their own gifts or callings. All callings are equal in God’s eyes.

• Protestants do not worship the Virgin Mary or the saints.

Joseph Smith – Founder of Mormonism

• Joseph Smith was visited by the Angel Moroni in 1823 in Palmyra, NY when he was 17. The angel told Joseph about golden plates buried on Hill Cumorah.

• Smith excavated the plates and with magic spectacles given to him by the Angel was able to decipher the plates. The result was “The Book of Mormon.”

• Each July, just outside of Rochester, Mormons put on a huge show that dramatically relates the story of the Book of Mormon.

Evangelical Christians Have A Personal Relationship With Jesus. They are also described as “born again Christians”. Rick Warren is one of the most

influential of the evangelists today. His book “The Purpose Driven Life” has been a best-seller for years.

Vatican City – the heart of the Catholic World

Pope John Paul II was the first Polish Pope. His election shocked the Kremlin and brought joy to the Polish people many of whom were challenging their communist government

through the labor union Solidarity. The message of John Paul’s Papacy was “Be Not Afraid.” He was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca in May, 1981 only two months after President

Reagan had been nearly assassinated by John Hinckley. The two men were critical figures in the final years of the Cold War.

Pope John Paul visited his would-be assassin in prison and forgave him for his actions. The gunman, Mehmet Ali Agca was freed from prison in 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/world/europe/19pope.html

http://pewforum.org/Topics/Religious-Affiliation/Christian/