Snapshots of the New Testament

By Tommy G. Smith

The Bible is the real thing. This book is not.

You should not read this if you will ever read it instead of the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512794830

Tommy G. Smith

Tommy has practiced law at Shell, Fleming, Davis and Menge, P.A. since 2010, and he became a partner in 2015. He is a Board Certified Elder Law attorney, and he is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, the National Care Planning Council, Elder Counsel, Wealth Counsel, and Lawyers with Purpose. These are professional associations dedicated to improving the quality of legal services for seniors and people with special needs in the areas of public benefits, wills, trusts, probate, estate and long-term-care planning. He volunteers with SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), a program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the local Area Agency on Aging, to provide free, unbiased, and confidential assistance to seniors with their Medicare and health insurance questions. Prior to attending law school, Tommy was the business administrator for a short time at a local church after a long career in industry in management and technical capacities. Tommy and his wife, Debbie, have been active in church for many years, and they are members of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. They have one son, Zack, who is also an attorney.

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Copyright © 2017 Tommy G. Smith.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9485-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9484-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9483-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910984

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/14/2017

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Matthew

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Mark

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Luke

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

John

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Acts

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Romans

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

1 Corinthians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

2 Corinthians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Galatians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Ephesians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Philippians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Colossians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

1 Thessalonians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

2 Thessalonians

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

1 Timothy

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

2 Timothy

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Titus

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Philemon

Chapter 1

Hebrews

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

James

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

1 Peter

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

2 Peter

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

1 John

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

2 John

Chapter 1

3 John

Chapter 1

Jude

Chapter 1

Revelation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank God, who in loving patience and mercy, gently guided me through His Word during my early morning devotions. I have had the wonderful privilege of spending time with the King of the universe and the Creator of all that there is. I can only say how unworthy I am and how gracious, loving, and merciful He is. There are no words to express my gratitude.

This book is dedicated to my family—first to my wife, Debbie. After Jesus, she is the very best part of my life. I thank her for loving me and for always being there. My son, Zack, and my almost daughter, Anna, will never know how much I love them and how proud I am of both of them. There are simply not enough words in the English language, or in all languages combined, to express how much I love them all.

INTRODUCTION

There are two things that this book can never be. First, it can never be a substitute for reading the real thing. The Bible is the real thing. This book is not. I hope that this book reflects the real thing, but just as your image in the mirror is not the real you, this compilation of outlines is not God’s Word. You should not read this book and skip the Bible. Snapshots of the New Testament is intended to be used as an aid in your study of the Bible, not as a substitute for reading it.

Second, this book can never be about me; it can only be about Jesus. He is the subject of the Bible. He is there from the first chapter of Genesis until the last chapter of Revelation. He and He alone is the author and finisher of our faith, and only He deserves praise, glory, and honor. In Philippians 2:9–10 God said that Jesus has a name above all names and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. I pray that this book will help you to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior if you do not know Him now and that if you know Him already, you will come to know and love Him more.

As a student, I relied heavily on my outlines because my success in law school hinged on a single exam in each class at the end of the semester. Before taking that one crucial test, I read thousands of pages of case law. These consist of lengthy opinions and holdings written by judges that sometimes address only a single point of law. These opinions supplement and build on each other until all the elements of a legal case are revealed with the Constitution as the final arbiter. Outlines are an essential way for the law student to assemble and organize mountains of information into a precise summary of what the law is. These outlines are indispensable at exam time because there is no way anyone could review, much less remember, such a massive amount of information. Law professors encourage students to begin developing their outlines early in the semester so they can review and incorporate the material, making it part of their reasoning.

I want you to use this book as if you are a student preparing for a law school exam. Your success at the end of this life will depend on one crucial test, and it will pose a single question: what did you do with Jesus? He is the only key that can open the door to heaven. The Bible is the final arbiter of God’s law, and it declares that Jesus alone, not your good deeds or your successful career, is the way, the truth, and the life.

Although the Bible is inspired by God and not one word should be ignored, it is lengthy and sometimes difficult to understand or review. I hope this series of outlines will summarize what you need to know in a concise manner. Maybe this work will encourage you to develop your own outline. God’s Word can’t help you if it is written only on a page. It must be written on your heart before it can change your life. My ultimate goal is to present God’s Word in a way that is easy for you to review until it becomes a part of the way you think, a part of the way you live your life, and ultimately a part of who you are.

It’s never too early in the semester to start studying. Don’t wait until exam time and try to cram. There is too much to digest. God’s Word is too rich, too deep, and too important to be relegated to some other time. Now is the day of salvation, and now is the time to draw closer to God. You can begin by reading the chapter on Romans in this book and then reading the following verses in your Bible: Romans 3:23 and 6:23; John 1:12 and 3:16, Romans 10:9–10, and Ephesians 8:28. Graduate with honors.

Matthew

PREFACE

Written by Matthew

Chapter

1

• This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah:

о Abraham

о Isaac

о Jacob

о Judah

о Perez

о Hezron

о Ram

о Amminadab

о Nahshon

о Salmon

о Boaz (Rahab was his mother)

о Obed (Ruth was his mother)

о Jesse

о David

________________________________

о Solomon (son of Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah)

о Rehoboam

о Abijah

о Asaph

о Jehoshaphat

о Jehoram

о Uzziah

о Jotham

о Ahaz

о Hezekiah

о Manasseh

о Amos

о Josiah

о Jehoiachin (born during the exile in Babylon)

___________________________________

о Shealtiel

о Zerubbabel

о Abiud

о Eliakim

о Azor

о Zadok

о Akim

о Eliud

о Eleazar

о Matthan

о Jacob

о Joseph (the husband of Mary)

о Jesus the Messiah

• There are:

о fourteen generations from Abraham to King David;

о fourteen generations from Solomon to the Babylonian exile;

о fourteen generations from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

• This is how Jesus the Messiah was born:

о His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.

о While Mary was still a virgin, the Holy Spirit caused her to become pregnant.

о Joseph, being a just man, decided not to break the engagement publicly because he did not want to embarrass and shame Mary.

о An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid to marry his fiancée because the child had been conceived by the Holy Spirit.

о The angel also told Joseph to name the child Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.

о All this happened to fulfill the prophecy that a virgin should conceive and give birth to a son named Immanuel, meaning God is with us. Matt. 1: 23 King James Version (KJV)

Chapter

2

• Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod.

• About this time, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem and asked where they could find the newborn king of the Jews; they had seen His star and had come to worship Him.

• Herod was bothered by their inquiry and asked religious leaders what the prophets had said about the birth of the Messiah; these leaders told him that the prophets said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

• Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned the exact time that they had seen the star.

• He told the wise men to go to Bethlehem to search for the child, and he asked them to let him know where to find the child so he could go to worship Him.

• After the meeting, the star appeared to the wise men again and led them to the place where they could find the child.

• When they entered the house, they found the child and his mother, Mary. They gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and they worshipped Him.

• They left and went home by a different route because God had warned them in a dream not to go back to King Herod.

• After the wise men left, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to take Mary and the child to Egypt and to stay there until he was told to return, because Herod was going to try to kill the child.

• That night Joseph left for Egypt with Mary and the child, and they stayed there until King Herod died.

• Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had not obeyed his command, and he sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all baby boys who were two years old or younger, because the wise men had told him that they had first seen the star two years earlier.

• Herod’s actions were a fulfillment of prophecy.

• When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him to take Mary and the child back home to Israel.

• Joseph left Egypt immediately, but when he learned the new ruler was Archelaus, Herod’s son, he was afraid. However, an angel appeared to Joseph and told him to go to Galilee.

• Joseph, Mary, and the child settled in Nazareth, fulfilling the prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.

Chapter

3

• John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness.

о He warned people to repent and turn to God.

о He also told them that the kingdom of heaven was near.

• The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of John when he spoke of a voice in the wilderness telling people to prepare a straight roadway for the Lord’s coming.

• John wore clothes woven from camel’s hair, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

• People flocked to hear John preach, and when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

• But John rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to be baptized.

о He commanded them to prove by the way they lived that their lives had been changed.

о He warned them not to depend on the fact that they were descendants of Abraham, because God could turn stones into His children.

о He told them that trees that did not produce fruit would be cast into the fire.

• John told the people that he baptized with water but that someone much greater was coming who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

о John told the people that he was not worthy to unlatch that person’s shoes.

о He warned that this person would store up the grain and burn the chaff with a never-ending fire.

• Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, and John protested, saying he needed to be baptized by Jesus.

• Jesus told John it was necessary for Him to be baptized, so John baptized Jesus.

• As John brought Jesus up out of the water, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God settled on Jesus in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. 3:17 (KJV)

Chapter

4

• The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil.

о Jesus ate nothing for forty days and forty nights, and He was very hungry.

о The devil came to Jesus and told Him to change stones into bread if He was truly the Son of God.

■ Jesus replied that we should feast on the Word of God because life is more than the food that we eat.

о Next the devil tempted Jesus to jump from the highest point of the temple so that God would send His angels to rescue Him.

■ Jesus replied that we should never test the Lord God.

о Finally, Satan took Jesus to a high mountain peak where he showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and promised to give them to Him if Jesus would worship him.

■ Jesus responded by commanding the devil to leave and by quoting scripture, which requires us to worship God alone.

• Jesus heard that John had been arrested, so He returned to Capernaum instead of Nazareth to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy that a light would shine on the darkness there.

• At this point in His ministry, Jesus began to preach that people should repent of their sins.

• Next, Jesus called His disciples:

о He told Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen, to follow Him and He would show them how to fish for men.

о He called James and John to follow Him while they were in a boat with their father, Zebedee.

• Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, preaching the good news and healing the sick, and large crowds followed Him.

Chapter

5

• In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the people that:

о those who realize they need God are given the kingdom of heaven;

о God comforts those who mourn;

о the whole earth belongs to those who are humble;

о God satisfies those who are hungry and thirsty for justice;

о mercy is shown to those who are merciful to others;

о those who have pure hearts will see God;

о peacemakers are called the children of God;

о the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted because they live for God;

о God blesses those who are mocked and criticized for being Christians and that they should be happy about this because a great reward awaits them in heaven;

о they should remember that the prophets were also persecuted.

• Christians are the salt of the earth, but salt that has lost its flavor is thrown out because it is useless.

• Christians are the light of the world, and they should glow like a city on a mountaintop during the night, letting their good deeds serve as an example that causes others to praise God.

• Jesus came to fulfill the law of Moses and not to do away with the law.

о Every detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose has been achieved.

о If you break even a minor detail of God’s law, you have broken all of His laws, and if you teach others to do the same, you will be among the least in heaven.

о The Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’s time were not good examples of obedience to God’s law.

• Moses said that if you murder someone, you are subject to judgment.

о Jesus said if you are angry with someone you are subject to judgment.

о He said if you are in the temple offering sacrifices to God, and you remember that you have a grudge against someone, you should leave and reconcile with your enemy. Then you can return and continue to worship.

• Moses said you should not commit adultery.

о Jesus said you should not even lust in your heart. You should flee anything that causes you to sin.

• Moses said that a man could divorce his wife by giving her a letter of divorce.

о Jesus said that unless she has been unfaithful, a man who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery and that anyone who marries her commits adultery.

• Moses said you should not break a vow that you have made to God.

о Jesus said you shouldn’t make a vow. He said that you should make a simple promise and that to strengthen your promise with a vow is wrong.

• Moses advocated an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

о Jesus said to turn the other cheek and to give your coat to those who have taken your shirt.

• Moses said to love your neighbor.

о Jesus said to love your enemy and to pray for those who persecute you.

• God sends the sunlight to both good and evil people, and the rain falls on the just and the unjust.

• You can easily love those who love you, but you are like God when you show love to those who are against you.

Chapter

6

• Don’t do your good deeds in public so you can be praised by other people; if you do, you will lose your reward from God.

• Give your gifts in secret so your Father in heaven will reward you.

• When you pray you should:

о pray in secret and not in public to be recognized by other people;

о not repeat your requests over and over again, because your Father knows what you need even before you ask Him;

о follow the example of the Lord’s Prayer;

о forgive those who sin against you, and your Father in heaven will forgive you.

• When you fast don’t make it obvious that you are fasting.

• Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can decay, be destroyed, or be lost.

• Remember that wherever your treasures are, there will your heart be.

• Your eyes are like a lamp for your body and a pathway to your thoughts and affections. Don’t look at things that will plunge you into darkness or evil.

• You cannot serve two masters; you will love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and money.

• God can supply all of your needs, so you should never worry about everyday things such as food, clothing, and shelter. God takes care of the birds and clothes the flowers with beauty, and you are much more important than they are.

• Worry will never add a single moment to your life, so don’t worry. Your heavenly Father already knows what you need. He will give you what you need if you live for Him and make the kingdom of heaven your primary concern.

• Don’t worry about what will happen tomorrow, because today has all that you can handle.

Chapter

7

• Don’t judge other people.

• Other people will treat you the same way you treat them.

• Don’t be a hypocrite who worries about a speck in his neighbor’s eye when he has a log in his own eye.

• Don’t give what is holy to unholy people, because they will trample it.

• Don’t stop praying if you want to receive what you are asking for. Keep seeking and knocking, and the door will open.

• Even sinful people give good gifts to their children, and God is even more eager to give good things to those who ask Him for these gifts.

• The road to hell is wide and crowded, but the road to heaven is narrow and only a few are traveling on it.

• Beware of false prophets who appear harmless. You can identify them by the type of fruit they produce. You can’t pick a grape from a thorn bush or a fig from a thistle.

• Not everyone who sounds religious is godly.

• Many who lived good lives will be surprised on judgment day when Jesus tells them He never knew them. Obedience to the will of God is the decisive issue.

• If you listen to the teachings of Jesus and obey them, you are like a wise man who built his house on a solid rock foundation. When troubles come, your faith remains strong because it is built on the Rock.

• If you hear the words of Jesus and ignore them, you are like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. When troubles come, the world crashes around you.

• Jesus taught as one who had real authority, unlike any of the other religious teachers of His day.

Chapter

8

• Large crowds followed Jesus after He came down from the mountainside.

• A leper approached Jesus and said Jesus could heal him if He so desired. Jesus responded that He wanted to heal him, and He did.

о Jesus told the man to go be examined by the priest and to take the offering required by the law of Moses for those healed of leprosy.

• In Capernaum, a Roman officer pleaded with Jesus to heal his servant.

о The officer told Jesus that he was not worthy to have Jesus