The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books. It starts with four gospels which describe the life of Jesus. It reveals the fact that Jesus did miracles, taught divine principles, healed many, and was in fact God. The gospels include Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each book emphasizes various aspects of Jesus’ life. They are written by the Holy Spirit and three apostles with Luke being written by a medical doctor who was a friend of Paul the apostle. These books are filled with the miracles and the teachings of Christ. He is the focus and center of each book. The books reveal that God greatly loves us, and wants to forgive our sins, and as a result Jesus Christ finally died for our sins in order to accomplish that goal. Jesus then returned to life three days later and ascended back into heaven. He is back home and will return some day.

	Book	Key Thought	Content
	Matthew	Jesus is Messiah	This gospel presents Jesus as Messiah, the king, the fulfillment of prophecy. This gospel emphasizes Jesus' sermons and prophecy.
	Mark	Jesus as Servant	This gospel presents Jesus as the servant-savior, the bond-slave who is greatest of them all. Great emphasis is given to the final week of Jesus’ life.
	Luke	Jesus as Man	Luke gives us the chronological history of Jesus’ life.
	John	Jesus is God	A series of seven key signs reveal that Jesus is God. Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

There is only one book in the New Testament that is truly historical in nature. It picks up the events that occurred after Christ’s return to heaven. The book describes the start of the spiritual church, the establishment of the first local church, and the spread of the gospel throughout the Roman world. It reveals God’s desire that both Gentiles and Jews be saved from their sins and enter into “The Life.” He wants them to become Christians.

	Book	Key Thought	Content
	Acts	Jesus’s church will accomplish His purposes	Christ’s ascension is described and the chronology of the expansion of the church is given. The church is in transition. Peter is the apostle to the Jews and Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles.