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Great Cliffhangers Introduction: Movies and television has used cliffhangers to build suspension. They present some story line and about the time you are on the edge of your seat they stop and say wait until the next time. Remember "Who shot J.R.?" Star Trek and other shows have cliffhangers. What cliffhangers can we find in the Bible? I) The Garden of Eden A) Background 1. God creating Adam and Eve, Genesis 1.27 2. The charge He gave them to not eat from the tree of knowledge, Genesis 2.15-17 B) The villain arrives, Satan, tempts Eve to eat of the tree of good and bad, Genesis 3.4-5 1. He tells some convenient lies such as: you will be like God, and you will not surely die. 2. Those same lies are repeated often today. Sin will make us smarter, better, and without consequences. C) They eat of the tree and then what? That is our cliffhanger! 1. Can they hide it from God? 2. Does God annihilate them? Does He simply forgive them? What will God do next? D) The next season 1. We can see Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. 2. The curse on Satan, Genesis 3.14-15; one on Eve, v. 16, and on Adam, vv. 17-19 II) The Offering of Isaac A) The promise to Abraham of a great lineage 1. He and Sarah are getting older and yet no children. 2. Finally Isaac is born, Genesis 21.5-7 B) The test, Genesis 22.1-2 1. Could this be right? Why? 2. What about the promise to Abraham of a child? C) The altar is built, Genesis 22.3-8 1. Isaac is placed on the altar, Genesis 22.9-10 2. What will happen next? That is out cliffhanger. D) The next season 1. Genesis 22.11-12 the Lord will provide, v. 14 2. The Lord has provided our offering today in Jesus. III) The Parting of the Red Sea A) Moses is sent to bring Israel out of Egypt 1. The calling of Moses, Exodus 3.14 2. The refusal of Pharaoh to let Israel go and then the plagues. B) Israel finally allowed to leave but wait, Exodus 14.5-9 1. The army of Pharaoh comes out to take vengeance on Israel. 2. Will they all be killed? Will there be a great battle? Will they be taken captive? C) The next season, Exodus 14.13-14 1. Exodus 14.19-20 we see the power of God 2. God had the power to save Israel and to destroy His enemies, vv. 23-28 IV) Malachi A) The great build up 1. The sins of Israel is recounted as they offered lame sacrifices and complained to God 2. The promise of a prophet, v. 4.5-6 B) Then 400 years of silence 1. Did God forget? 2. Who can this man be? Where will he come from? C) The next season 1. John the Immerser appears pre aching about the kingdom of God, Matthew 3.1-6 2. Subplot for the next show is the kingdom of God. V) Jesus In The Tomb A) Jesus goes around preaching and doing good 1. Pharisees and Sadducees plot against Him. 2. Judas betrays Jesus, Pilate sentences Him to death. B) The crucifixion 1. The events, Matthew 27.45-51 (Darkness, veil of the temple torn into, earthquake, graves opened and the dead coming out) 2. His last statements on the cross. 3. The burial of Jesus' body and the guarded tomb. C) The Cliffhanger 1. What about the kingdom? The Messiah, God's promise to Abraham? 2. What about John 2.19? D) The next season 1. Early Sunday morning, Mark 16.1-6 2. The affect on the disciples, Peter and John 3. He overcame death! Acts 2.24; Galatians 3.16 VI) The Second Coming A) When will it come? B) What will happen? 1. The resurrection of the death, John 5.28-29 3. The living being taken up, 1 Thess. 4.16-17 C) The cliffhanger 1. Will you be with Jesus or will you be told to depart? 2. That is one cliffhanger you can write for yourself. What will it be? |