 What I came away with after this week’s reading was the importance of “seeing life through the lens of Scripture.” The purpose of everything is that we would be shaped by God, and we will only see this happen as we understand and apply God’s Word. Leaders should demonstrate “asking spiritual questions and discussing biblical matters” as part of the daily Christian life (page 428). “Biblical theology offers us the storyline, structure, symbols, and themes that lead to the articulation of clear doctrine, resulting in a particular culture that is embodied by God’s people in the church” (pg 429). This should manifest itself in our daily lives through Bible reading, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and preaching and teaching. In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, ”Paul connects the grand storyline of the Bible (Jesus is the Christ) to the preaching of the gospel message, the ministry of the word in the life of believers, and the defense of the faith” (pg 433).
Bible Reading The shape of the Scripture itself points out our need for the Word of God, and its power, as the beginning of each grouping stresses it (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29; Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2). The point is to know God. “Joyfully and expectantly beholding Christ in the Scriptures is the means to becoming like him” (pg 418). Knowing how to study scripture “summons our hearts to worship God and our hands to serve him” (pg 419). Prayer Scripture reveals God’s character and shows us how to live and to pray. Understanding scripture gives us “precision and depth” as we pray. Specific places which show prayer, such as the Lord’s Prayer, can guide is in how to pray. Paul’s letters can give us insight in how to address God (Rom. 15:14-23; Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9-14; 1 thess. 3:9-13; 2 Thess. 1:3-12). Understanding the macrostructure of Scripture (redemptive history) can give us insight how to pray today. Evangelism As we study Scripture, we have to come to grips with humanity’s sinfulness and God’s judgment which gives God’s mercy, grace and love more appeal. Biblical theology equips us with the “whole truth of the identity and work of Jesus,” with which we can reach the world effectively. Discipleship A disciple is a learner. To learn to become like Christ, we have to come to know Him. The means of that is based on biblical theology. In his blog post “The Heart of Discipleship” found on desiringgod.org, Jonathan Parnell makes the point that the basis for true Christian discipleship is fellowship with Christ himself: “Discipleship—following Jesus—is to live before God’s face, to dwell in his presence, to be satisfied in all that he is.” Understanding Scripture—the “what,” “how” and “why” of God’s communication with us—helps us understand fellowship with God. Discipleship has two aspects which biblical theology feeds. The first aspect involves the teacher’s instruction and the learner’s attentive synthesis of what is said—the gospel along with “exhortations, commands, warnings, and promises that flow from it” (pg 422). See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The second aspect of discipleship involves the teacher’s modeling of truth in everyday life and the learner’s attentive application in their own life. Disciples should observe teacher’s behavior, inasmuch as they reflect Christ’s character, and seek to form virtuous habits that “spring from new life in Christ (2 Cor. 3:18) and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:18-20). Preaching and Teaching To effectively preach and teach, we have to understand the Bible as a whole—both at the book level and canonical level. This big picture view helps us to “preach the whole counsel of God,” as James M. Hamilton, Jr. says on page 197 of his book Text-Driven Preaching: God’s Word at the Heart of Every Sermon. Spellman and Kimble assert that having sermon series on particular books can help us “proclaim the whole counsel of God” (pg 423). (See page 424 footnote for list of preaching textbooks). Further, in his chapter “Biblical Theology and Preaching” from Text-Driven Preaching… Hamilton describes how to model biblical theology for people to whom a teacher of God’s word are entrusted. First, introduce the message. Second, show the people their need to take this message to heart. Third, state the point of the Scripture passage. Fourth, summarize the structure of the passage. Fifth, show the book-level context of the passage. Last, demonstrate how the passage fits into the Bible’s grand storyline by looking at the canonical context. (pg 424) Elder Leadership The Bible is clear about the office of “Elder” being a vital part to the life of the church. Elders are entrusted by God to preach, teach, minister and defend the faith—protecting the Church from false teaching and deluding influences. The PRIMARY responsibility of pastor-elders is that which concerns the spiritual matters of sound doctrine, shepherding God’s people, equipping the saints for the work of service, and facilitating true growth—maturity. Kimble and Spellman note that often these roles are taken to business items and different ideas of growth (buildings, budgets, attracting people) which distract from biblical truth. (pg 425) With that comes the responsibility of mutual accountability and sharpening each other biblically. Kimble and Spellman suggest that groups of pastors could read books on biblical theology then come together to discuss and reflect. We have to remind each other that “all areas of our lives fall under the authority of Christ by means of his Word” (pg 426). Along these lines, we must “immerse ourselves in the text, memorize Scripture, and meditate joyfully on its contents day and night” (pg 426). Spellman and Kimble point out that in shepherding, counseling and care situations biblical theology plays an important role in reminding people about God’s plan and their part in it. My reflection on this is that as we ingest God’s Word and submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in His sanctifying work in our own lives, God will give us what we need to say when we need to say it for every single person. God is very personal, concerned about every human being, and He knows how to reach each and every one. In a statement: God knows how to comfort, correct, command, and cleanse for conformity to Christ! ----------------------- Bibliography Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Ched. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic, 2020.
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After watching the two videos below, I wrote some of my own thoughts on why Biblical Theology is so important for the Church.
Nancy Guthrie summarized Biblical theology well when she said that it is the “coherent story of what God is doing in His world through Christ.” It is GOD’S world—not ours. Biblical theology re-centers us on Christ and what He is doing rather than us and what we are doing. Shai Linn said something similar when he said that biblical theology is following the Bible’s storyline to see God glorified. I agree with both of them, and my reflection on this is that we need to be reading the Bible with a mind on who God is, knowing that He is revealing Himself in all of it so that we can live a life which glorifies Him. Shai Linn’s exposition of Luke 24:44-47 was helpful in understanding how this may look practically in the Church today. There is in fact ONE church, despite the cultural and geographic diversity, and it should be centered around who God is, as revealed in Scripture. That is why understanding Scripture is so important. To take their ideas a bit further, I could not help but think of the phrase “THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST.” I think this is missing in a lot of churches. While we should be preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins constantly, we also need to keep in mind the maturing, sanctification, and perseverance which is expected of us as the Body of Christ. We have to keep in mind not only the cross but also the resurrection and glorification of Christ, who has proven through that His authority to give us new life. This new life should be marked by obedience to the Holy Spirit whom God has given to dwell in us, preparing us and all who would hear and heed the invitation for His eternal kingdom. With that, we have to be willing to let go of anything which is not useful. Like Shai Linn said, “ARE WE CONVINCED WE ARE RIGHT EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE WRONG?” That really pricked my heart, and the way I would re-word the question is, “ARE WE TRULY SUBMITTING TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, OR ARE WE MAKING OURSELVES THE LORDS OF OUR OWN LIVES (and churches/ministries)?” God’s word must be sufficient, or we will lead people astray. When we bring in our own ideas or from this world, we pollute the truth. We must not be pressured to think we need to add any “umph” to God’s Word or try to convince people of who God is or how to live their lives apart from what the Bible says. “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” (Proverbs 25:26) I was speaking with a woman the other day whose son doubts the coming of the Lord because he does not see any change in the world around us. He also cannot grasp how a loving God could do some of the things seen in the Old Testament. Being aware of what Peter says was helpful. "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:1-9) We need to be faithful, like Noah was, even though his efforts did not seem fruitful. God’s judgment is certain. For someone who has their mind made up, the truth of God’s word and the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin has to be what we rest on; otherwise, we will get exhausted and discouraged in sharing the Gospel. Introduction Through examining the shape, storyline and major themes of Chronicles and Matthew, one can see the Gospel of Matthew was intended to be a continuation of the Chronicler’s account of Israel’s history. First, each book must be understood individually with attention given to its message and location within the biblical canon. This helps readers understand the context in redemptive history. We will also see how the Gospel of Matthew gives steam to the engine of Chronicles as the whole world—not just God’s chosen people Israel—can now climb aboard the “gospel train” on the journey to redemption. Both narratives provide a forward motion which cannot be ignored, bringing hearers and readers to a choice: “participate in this story of redemption or stay put?” Chronicles While the books of I and II Chronicles are placed after I and II Kings in most western renderings of the Old Testament canon, Chronicles, written a couple hundred years after the return from Babylonian exile by the “Chronicler,” an unknown author most likely of Jewish descent, is at the end of the Hebrew Bible. This position in the canon is important to remember in thinking not only about the contents of Chronicles itself but also what lies beyond the book in redemptive history. Redemptive history has to do with how God has worked in and through His chosen people in restoring them to a right relationship with Him. The Shape of Chronicles The first nine chapters of 1st Chronicles recounts the history of the nation Israel from the beginning (Adam) to the exile. This provides a narrative summary of the whole storyline of the Old Testament. The shape of Chronicles also emphasizes the coming of the messianic king. The Chronicler takes readers from Judah to David, then from David to exile. 1 Chronicles 10-29 contains stories about David, largely emphasizing the positive stories which paint a picture of David as an ideal king. In that, David is an image or type of a future messiah. 2 Chronicles tells the stories of kings in Jerusalem. David has died, and his line is emphasized—especially those kings whose obedience led to God’s blessing. In 2 Chronicles, new stories are added about unfaithful kings whose disobedience involved consequences leading up to Israel’s exile. At the book’s conclusion, Cyrus, king of Persia, tells the Israelites they can return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The last line of the book is a segue into what is to come: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up’ “ (2 Chronicles 36:23). In the view of the Chronicler, the prophetic hopes of Israel were not fulfilled in the events of Israel’s return from exile, which can be seen in more detail in Ezra-Nehemiah. Chronicles calls God’s people to look back on their history in order to look ahead properly. The Storyline of Chronicles As Kimble and Speelman point out, this decree of Cyrus is not given in full in the account in Chronicles—most likely for dramatic effect. This creates a certain sense of urgency and call to action on the reader’s part. Throughout Chronicles, much attention is given to David and God’s covenant with him. The return from exile may have been the fulfillment of prophetic promises for restoration in some peoples’ minds, but given the peoples’ lack of true, pure worship of God, one can observe that clearly was not the case. “Chronicles seems to hold out a measure of hope that one is still coming who will not only bring the people back to their land, but will also transform the peoples’ hearts.” The Themes of Chronicles Two major themes can be observed in Chronicles: 1) The author’s hope for a messiah, and 2) The rebuilding of the temple. The covenant with David, rooted in the former covenants with Abraham and the nation Israel, makes it clear that one from the line of David will be this longed-for Messiah. In 1 Chronicles 17, David is seen lamenting over the fact that God does not have a “house” to dwell in. God sends the prophet Nathan to speak to David saying that He—the LORD—will make a house for David; that is, a lineage leading up to one who, God says, will “build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever” (1 Chronicles 17:12-14). In other words, there will be a king like no other king before who will rule in a kingdom without end. He will also serve a priestly function, building the LORD’s house—the temple. The next several chapters chronicle David’s preparations for building the temple of the LORD, and this further highlights the function of David as a priestly king—that one in his line will fulfill the Mosaic covenant. In response to God’s promise, David responds, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come…” (1 Chronicles 17:16-17). In other words, this is a promise a long time coming. The train has ascended a steep hill and is about to crest—it just needs some steam. The Gospel of Matthew The Gospel of Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew who collected and compiled oral tradition 40 years after Jesus. Matthew wanted to show Jesus as the biblical fulfillment of everything in the Old Testament. When reading Matthew, references to the Old Testament appear in very important junctures in which Matthew was trying to emphasize Jesus’ fulfillment or filling out of Scripture. Being the first book of the New Testament, Matthew continues the storyline of the Old Testament, with a view to help everyone see that Jesus is the promised Davidic Messiah. The Shape and Storyline of Matthew Matthew chapters 1-3 seeks to attach Jesus’ story to the Old Testament Scriptures. The genealogy points out that Jesus is descended from the messianic line of David, son of Abraham—who would bring God’s blessing to all the nations. Jesus, being conceived of the Holy Spirit, is God Himself, or Immanuel—“God with us.” Jesus coming up out of Egypt after his parents fled with Him echoes the Exodus account, making the connection that Jesus is in fact a new, greater Moses who will deliver God’s people from bondage of sin once for all. He will also give them divine teaching. Matthew chapters 4-7 contain Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and the beginning of His ministry, featuring the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus announces God’s kingdom: redemption for the whole world. The plan is to confront and defeat evil, restore God’s reign over His creation, and create a new family for Himself. Jesus explains that He is here to fulfill the Law and to transform the hearts of the people, enabling them to truly love God and other people. Matthew chapters 8-10 show Jesus bringing the kingdom of God into the daily lives of the people. His healings and acts of power bring the power of God’s kingdom into hurting peoples’ lives. In chapter 10, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples so they can do what He does. He warns the disciples that they will experience acceptance by some but rejection and persecution from others; namely, Israel’s leaders who have power they don’t want to lose. Matthew chapters 11-13 contain stories of how people have responded to Jesus’ ministry. Some are positive, outright recognizing him as messiah. Some are neutral, such as Jesus’ family and John the Baptist, who think Jesus is not who they expected from the coming Messiah. Some are negative, such as the Pharisees and Scribes who reject Jesus as a false teacher who is leading people astray. “All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, ‘This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?’ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ‘This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons’ “ (Matt. 12:23-24). Chapter 13 is third block of teaching containing parables about the kingdom of God. This is Jesus’ commentary about stories in chapters 11 and 12—peoples’ different heart conditions. Matthew chapters 14-16 show various interactions Jesus has with people. For those who are hurting and recognize their spiritual need, they recognize Jesus as the messiah, as He performs miracles including feeding the five thousand and four thousand later—along with healings and walking on water. In this section, the Pharisees once again test Jesus. In the middle of this section, Jesus once again provides some commentary on the Heart of Man: “…the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man” (Matt. 15:18). Matthew 17 shows Jesus transfigured in the view of Peter, James, and John, where they also witness Moses and Elijah. This further demonstrates that Jesus was indeed the prophet to come who would restore God’s people, performing His role as High Priest and King. Matthew 18-20 contains more of Jesus’ teaching in which He continues to exhort His disciples to have a pure, soft heart in receiving God’s kingdom like a child. Matthew 21 is Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and cleansing of the temple. The marketplace atmosphere in the temple was an outward picture of the peoples’ hearts, as Jesus tells parables in Matthew 21-23 to get people to see their need to be cleansed. He is trying to get the religious proud to see they are no better than other “sinners” (Matthew 21:31). The last several chapters in Matthew’s gospel account look ahead to future events beyond the book’s scope and sequence. Matthew 24-25 contains Jesus’ commentary on the last times—Christ’s coming, the judgment, and how to be ready. Matthew 26 tells the story of how Jesus was betrayed and He makes an important connection to God’s covenant with His people. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of the new covenant accomplished by Christ. That new covenant, as we witness in chapters 27 and 28—Jesus’ torture, death, burial and resurrection—is for all who would believe. The book ends with the Great Commission: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18b-20). The Themes of Matthew Matthew emphasizes Jesus as a teacher. In every block of narrative, Jesus provides some teaching which juxtapose those who accept Him and those who reject Him. Generally, those who accept Jesus are irreligious and unimportant in the eyes of their surrounding culture. Those who reject Jesus are the religious and proud. Another thing to keep in mind is that since Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, there are Old Testament quotations at important junctures. One example of this is Jesus quoting Psalm 18 in Matthew 21:42, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; this came about from the LORD and it is marvelous in our eyes.” He had just spoken a parable against the chief priests and Pharisees who were rejecting Him as messiah. Through Jesus’ teaching and appearance with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration, Matthew portrays Jesus as the one who fulfilled the Mosaic covenant. Further, He fulfills God’s promises to David to make a house for him and to Abraham that all nations would be blessed in him. The new covenant is now here, and all who would believe can take part in God’s redemptive work—as recipients and stewards. The train has reached the apex of the hill. “ALL ABOARD!” is the call! Conclusion Looking at the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is clearly the promised Davidic Messiah which the writer of Chronicles looked for. The genealogies in Chronicles connecting the covenants of Abraham and David are alluded to in Matthew’s genealogy. Jesus said, “hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). Jesus came to rebuild the temple—but not the kind the writer of Chronicles anticipated. Jesus also said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). The “better Moses” whom the Chronicler anticipated in David or one of his sons has come. Jesus has now made perfect communion with and worship of God possible. Yet the story is not finished. Much like Chronicles looks to the future, demanding a response from the reader, Matthew does the same. Will you heed the call to come to the risen King Jesus who will one day establish an everlasting kingdom? If you are among His people, are you proclaiming this kingdom to everyone you meet? Staying put is not an option. ____________________ Bibliography Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Ched. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic, 2020. What stood out to me about this week’s reading was the whole concept of God’s glory. I feel I have more questions than ever before. Because of all the different meanings of the words translated “glory” in English, it seems this is something that I could discuss the rest of my life and not fully grasp. For several years I have been familiar with the ideas of God’s inherent glory and ascribed glory; that is, the glory which worshippers give to Him. The whole concept of giving an inherently glorious God any glory seems to be contradictory. I do understand that He does not lack anything, but for some reason He wants us to recognize His glory. The idea of reflecting His glory is helpful to me, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, rendered in the ESV, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Somehow God is glorified as we share in His glory. This is still a grand mystery to me!
One tool that I think will prove useful to me in understanding God’s glory is the Word/Concept Tool. Just because different passages in the Bible use the same word “glory” does not mean they are addressing the same concept or topic. One should seek to understand the meaning and author’s intention in each passage. In thinking about a hierarchy of central themes, God’s glory is perhaps at the top. He was in the beginning and He will be in the end. What Paul was referencing in 2 Corinthians 3 regarding God’s glory was comparing the Old Testament glory—shown on Moses' face after meeting with God, fading as it was—to the New Testament glory in which believers are actually transformed. By the power of this New Covenant glory, humanity can once again be made in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). In Revelation, John saw God’s glory in its fullest and everything was rightfully worshipping Him in perfect joy and submission. That is what our current state of worship of God and transformation by the power of the Spirit is leading to. The Holy Spirit, by means of willing human participants, is bringing glory to the name of Christ much like Jesus brought glory to His Father while on Earth. It seems that while all attributes of God are worth studying, meditating on, and seeking to emulate, they would all relate to God’s glory. As Kimble and Spellman note, glory is a divine quality—the “manifest reality of who God is” (pg 253). I appreciate the writing of Jonathan Edwards who seemed to have a deep understanding and conviction that everything is done for God's glory. In other words, God is doing everything to make Himself known. Our proper response is worship. Anything else is vain. Bibliography Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Ched. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic, 2020. Have you ever asked the question how the New Testament and Old Testament fit together?
The narratives of the four gospels, Acts and Revelation can give us a pretty clear picture. What stood out to me in this week’s reading was how the fourfold gospel gives a complete picture of Christ’s life, teaching, and identity. Their shape and position in the canon clearly direct a canon-conscious reader to the conclusion that these four books are the apex of the grand storyline of the Bible. In fact, more casual readers would even pick up on this, if in no other way than sub-consciously. The Gospel of Matthew starts with a narrative of Jesus’ birth, including a genealogy. This genealogy, by going through the generations of Abraham to David, David to exile, and exile to Christ emphasizes Jesus’ identity as the long-awaited Messiah from the line of David. Going through this genealogy summarizes the covenants, which Jesus came to fulfill in the New Covenant. From a structural standpoint, this genealogy echoes the beginning of the Hebrew Bible—Genesis—and the end of the Hebrew Bible—Chronicles. This moment in history is what all the Hebrew Scriptures have been pointing to. While the textbook pointed out how the Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus as the Son of God, I was struck by the aspect of Jesus’ kingship. At the beginning of Mark, Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). The kingdom of God is “at hand” because the KING is here! Of note is the fact that Mark slows down his narrative a couple times to emphasize this kingdom, such as the parables in Mark 4 and the discourse about the end of days in 13:1-37. The Gospel of John also emphasizes the kingship of Jesus, particularly as it relates to His deity. John emphasizes the deity of Jesus, starting with his role in creation: “In the beginning was the Word…in Him was life and that life was the light of men…but men loved the darkness..” The end of the narrative also emphasizes life in Christ, “…these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). John is constantly bringing his readers to a choice—obey and believe in this king or not. Though John is not as explicit in his reference, he uses OT texts to point out Jesus as the “better David” (pg 193). Throughout his narrative, John references the Psalms, perhaps most notably Psalm 22 in the crucifixion account. John’s use of the Davidic psalms portays Jesus as the Davidic Messiah—both as a shepherd and a king—which connects to Matthews emphasis on Jesus being the “Son of David.” The Gospels are thus bookended by the truth that Jesus was in fact the Davidic Messiah. The Gospel of Luke, as our textbook outlines, portrays the “journey toward Jerusalem,” culminating in Jesus’ suffering on the cross, resurrection and ascension. “The words of the resurrected Christ [in Luke 24:48-49] shape our understanding of the task of discipleship, the mission of the churches, the nature of the gospel, the Trinitarian character of God's action in the world, and the flow of redemptive history” (pg 193). Jesus’ last words to His disciples before the ascension was that the Father’s promise of the Holy Spirit would come upon them so they would be empowered to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, making disciples as they go. This promise of the Holy Spirit is seen in the book of Acts. The journey toward Jerusalem is complemented—even continued—by the journey away from Jerusalem in the book of Acts, Luke’s second account. As the narrative of the early church unfolds certain speeches given at crucial times serve as an interpretive guide. They connect Jesus’ death and resurrection to the grand storyline of the Bible. As the textbook says, “The gospel message will continue across geographic, ethnic, and temporal boundaries” (pg 214). The first speech is in Acts 2. Peter cites Joel 2:28-32—presence of the Spirit “in the last days.” He then references the Davidic covenant with Psalm 16:8-11. This is a clear transition from the Old covenant to the New covenant. This was a fitting way for Peter to explain the gospel, as he was speaking to a Jewish audience. The next speech was given by Stephen in Acts 6-7, right before he is martyred—the first Christian martyr. The point Stephen makes is that the Mosaic covenant is no longer binding. this includes the temple worship. He points out how God appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia; Joseph in Egypt; Moses at Mount Sinai; Solomon in the temple, yet “God does not dwell in temples made with hands.” The New Covenant is now that God would dwell IN His people through the Holy Spirit. Stephen further points out how his Jewish listeners’ “fathers” were disobedient to God and now they are just the same, having crucified their messiah. The next speech happens at the Council in Jerusalem in Acts 15. Here, there is emphasis on how the Gentiles can now turn to God in faith. Paul connects Acts 10-11 to Acts 2-3. The Gentiles believed and received just the same as Jewish believers. James points out Amos 9:11-12 which prophesies of the coming messiah, including all mankind in God’s plan for salvation. The Council in Jerusalem demonstrates the grand storyline of the Law, Prophets, Writings and Gospels. The next speech is given by Paul in chapter 20. As Paul anticipates his arrest, he affirms that the gospel of Jesus Christ will stay with them by the power of the Holy Spirit, who will keep them even after Paul departs. This serves as an indication of continuity from the Apostolic age and the post-apostolic age, much like continuity between Old Covenant and New Covenant. In other words, God’s Spirit is holding everything together. Paul’s final speech happens in Acts 28. He emphasizes how salvation has now come to Gentiles. Any Jews who disbelieve this resist God’s purposes. They will not come to salvation but see it come to another group of people, as Isaiah 6:9-10 foretold. The gospels bring the Old Testament into clearer focus, Acts serves as the narrative context of Paul’s letters and the Catholic letters, and Revelation brings the narrative of Scripture to a close. However, the one reading from a devotional hermeneutic should be looking forward to the second advent of Christ. The story is not over yet! Revelation, while mysterious in a lot of ways, is clearly a bookend of the whole biblical canon bringing a lot of the elements introduced even in Genesis to a close. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In Revelation 21-22, John gets a vision of God creating a new heavens and earth. In this new creation, proper worship of the Creator will take place, which Adam and Eve failed at. The “work” they were to do in the Garden of Eden was an act of worship, as the Hebrew vocabulary would imply. The imagery of the scene itself also echoes the Garden of Eden. There will be a river and tree of life in a place with no more sin. There is also a renewal of God’s Promise. The LAMB is the one who accomplishes redemption. He is also “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5). Jesus says in Revelation 22:16, “I am the root and the descendent of David, the bright morning star.” “Lion of Judah” alludes to Genesis 49:9 and “root of David” comes from Isaiah 11:1, 10. Everything from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament come to complete consummation here. Bibliography Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Ched. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic, 2020. Upon reading chapters 5-7 in Invitation to Biblical Theology, I was struck by a central theme which runs throughout Scripture, moving readers through time and redemptive history. That is, the inhabitable land that God has prepared for his creatures. We see the first picture of this in the Garden of Eden where God placed Adam and Eve. God told them to “Be fruitful and multiply,” to fill the earth and subdue it. God told Noah the same thing after the flood. God promised Abraham and his descendants the same thing, eventually bringing the nation Israel into the land of Canaan, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” When the people continue to turn away from God, He promised a ruler who would drive out the surrounding pagan nations and turn God’s people back to Him, establishing peace. We see this ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Clearly, the God of Creation is God of the Covenants. On each day of creation, God separated one thing from another—ultimately a people for Himself, which is at the heart of the covenant relationship. Adam and Eve were meant to be fruitful—that is sharing in God’s life, dependent upon Him. The same was with Noah and his descendants. Abraham was called out and circumcision was supposed to be a sign of dedication to God—a cutting off of the useless flesh. God’s work in Creation also highlights His ultimate authority and brings us to a choice: obey (and be blessed) or disobey (and be cursed). Adam and Eve’s sin broke the covenantal relationship with God, as they gave more weight to the serpent’s word than God’s word. Curses for man, woman, and serpent amounted to permanent changes in the relationships with the world, each other, and God Himself. Adam and Eve were sent out from God’s presence, highlighting and foreshadowing humanity’s failure to live up to God's expectations. Interestingly enough, while they did experience spiritual death, they should have been killed. God had said if they would eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “they will surely die.” He would have been justified in putting them to death on the spot; yet, God showed mercy! He killed an animal and clothed them in it, a foreshadowing of the covenants to come—ultimately Christ Himself. Genesis 1-3 sets a pattern for the rest of the biblical storyline. As Adam and Eve leave Eden—God’s presence—the rest of the storyline focuses on returning to that place. This narrative and almost every other narrative in the Pentateuch shows Moses’ prophetic pessimism, but also a reason for hope in looking for a messiah who will establish a new covenant, making it possible to enter God's presence again. It is evident that the Story of the Pentateuch is a “story of despair” but also a “story of hope.” At the end of the Book of Moses, Curses for disobedience are articulated in Deuteronomy 27:11-26, blessings for obedience in 28:1-14, and curses for disobedience are fully developed in 28:15-68. The Mosaic covenant could not bring people back into a right relationship with God, and the Prophets and Writings illustrate this resoundingly, as Moses predicted. In light of the Mosaic covenant’s failure, hope was held out for one who will "circumcise the hearts of the people and enable them to love the Lord with all their heart and soul (Deut. 30:1-10)” (Kimble and Spellman, 137). The dual themes of despair and hope are also present in the Prophets and Writings, as God’s people are carried off to exile, with the hope of one day returning. Chronicles is a fitting conclusion to the Old Testament as a whole as it is situated at a strategic place in the Hebrew Bible to look forward to a coming Messiah. Everything in the Tanakh illustrates Israel’s need for a Messiah: David has died, the people have returned from exile, and yet the same patterns of disobedience are still present. This causes the dedicated reader to look forward to the coming son of David who will not only restore His people’s kingdom but also transform their hearts. Further, the Davidic covenant is tied to the Abrahamic covenant. The use of genealogies both in Genesis and Chronicles emphasizes the connection from Adam to David to post-exilic Israel. “In 1 Chronicles 16-17, the promise to David and God’s plan for the nation of Israel in particular is closely connected to the promise of Abraham and God’s plan for the nations in general” (pg 176). The reader of this whole OT storyline would come to understand that God’s covenant with Abraham will one day be fulfilled in the descendant of David. Reflecting upon this further, I thought of Acts 1:6-8, “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’ “ Those Jews were expecting the physical kingdom to be restored, but Jesus was trying to get them to see that He has a different type of kingdom—a spiritual, eternal kingdom—which all people of the earth can be a part of. Their role was to bring that kingdom, displaying God’s glory to all people of earth. The call to rebuild the temple at the end of Chronicles perhaps points to this “good king of Israel who will crush the head of the serpent, deal with the heart problem of the people, and lead them in worship and obedience to the Lord” (pg 178). This also points ahead to the truth that all who are in Christ are a “temple of the Holy Spirit” meant to “glorify God in [our bodies]” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) as we operate in the world as “ambassadors of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). This turns the believer’s attention to not looking for a physical inhabitable land but being ready for a future, eternal home by being inhabitable people now for God's dwelling through the Holy Spirit. Bibliography Kimble, Jeremy M. and Spellman, Chad. Invitation to Biblical Theology: Exploring the Shape, Storyline, and Themes of Scripture. Kregel Academic, 2020 Day 3—The Indignant Older Son
1. Read Luke 15:25-32. What did the older son misunderstand about his father? 2. What wrong attitude did the older son have about his younger brother? 3. Do you ever struggle to love someone in word, thought, or deed? Why? 4. Think of some specific people you struggle to love. Pray for them. Ask the Holy Spirit for the right words. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven…” (Matthew 5:43-45a) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2) Day Two—The Love of the Father
1. Read Luke 15: 20-24. How does this illustrate the father’s love for his lost son? Are there any ideas which stick out to you? 2. Read John 3:16-18. How has God shown His love for the world? How should we respond to that love? 3. Reflect and write about some ways which God has shown His love for you. The Parable of the Prodigal Son Daily Devotional Guide
This 7-day devotional will guide us through understanding the message of Jesus’ parable in Luke 15:11-32 and how to apply it to our lives. I hope and pray this is useful to you in understanding how to read a parable and also how to live according to the spiritual nature of God’s Word. On Sunday, the sermon will be given, then 3 more daily devotionals will be offered to help us all make application to our lives. Day One (Thursday)—Overview of the Parable and the Younger Son’s Repentance Summary of the parable: A wealthy man has two sons. The younger son asks for his inheritance, then goes and squanders it with frivolous living. When hard times come, he tries his hardest to make it work. Eventually he comes to his senses and humbly asks his father for forgiveness. The father is so happy to see him and welcomes him back. The older son does not share in his father’s joy over and love for the younger brother. Rather, he is indignant, not wanting to be part of the celebration. The father takes time to come to the older brother, pleading with him to join the celebration. The older brother responds in a way which indicates his wrong understanding about the father and wrong attitude toward his younger brother—which the father corrects. 1. Read Luke 15:11-32. Use the space below to write down the three main characters 2. Read Luke 15:1-2. Who does the father in the parable represent? The younger son? The older son? 3. The younger son saw his need for a relationship with the father. He was as good as dead otherwise. Read Psalm 23. What attitude should you have toward the LORD, your heavenly Father? Use specific examples from the Psalm and from the parable, verses 17-19.  Ephesians 4:11-16
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the quipping of the saints for the work of services, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” The emphasis of these verses is the building up of the body—not on spiritual gifts, as some like to emphasize. God’s Plan: To build up the body: 1) Unity in Faith; 2) Unity in knowledge
A mature person can discern right and wrong, and thereby practice God’s will.
Ephesians 4:17-19—there is only one head--Christ. We either have a head or we do not have a head.
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