“The Story” Has Begun!
This past Sunday we kicked off our series “THE STORY.” This series will give us an overview of the Bible, what I’ve been calling a 30,000 foot overview of it. This first message in this series was a 30,000 foot overview of the whole series itself. We walked through what the storyline of the Bible is all about.
The Bible is 66 separate books (39 Old Testament, 27 New Testament), written in three languages, over a period of 1000 years with more than 40 authors of different ages and backgrounds on 3 continents. It includes history, sermons, letters, a hymnbook, geographical surveys, family trees, travel diaries and a love song. However, it only one story.
The Bible is the Story of God redeeming His creation through Jesus Christ for His glory. Jesus the Christ is the centerpiece, the hero of the Bible. We talked Sunday how everything points to, explains, and magnifies the person and work of Jesus the God-man.
In the middle of the message I read something about Jesus being the hero of the Bible and the whole Old Testament pointing to Him. I am putting here for you to print and review and use to spur you on to worship Him. This is from Tim Keller, the Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receives the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.
Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.
The Bible’s really not about you — it’s about him.
