We are starting a new adventure on Sunday mornings! Starting Nov. 4, we will head out to cover all 66 books of the Bible, in one message on each book. No, the messages will not be three hours long. I can read your minds. The purpose is to give us an cross-country view of God’s Word. We can spend so much time looking at chapter and verse, that we have a hard time seeing how Old Testament, New Testament, books of the law, epistles, and prophecies all point us to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our goal is not to overview every book, or even cover every popular story. The goal is too discover how each book of the Bible points to the redeeming work of Christ in his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. This series will help us in several ways:
1) We will clearly see the big picture of the Bible. God’s word is one story and the testaments are two sides of the same coin. The Bible is unified in its message and purpose as it points us to Jesus.
2) It will help us read our Bibles in the proper context. How do we interpret Leviticus? What is so important about the message of the minor prophets? Why do the Gospels refer to the Old Testament prophecies? All of these questions and more will be addressed.
3) It puts God at the center of Scripture. It is really easy to put ourselves at the center of the Bible when we go to discover its meaning. The Bible is God’s revelation of himself to us, and this is most fully personified in the Word that became flesh, Jesus Christ.
4) Some of us will understand the Scriptures as they truly are for the very first time!
I am so excited that God is leading us down this path. This blog will be here for discussion and devotion as we take this journey together. Let’s discuss the high points along route 66 and share what God is teaching us along the way. Use this blog as your travel log.
Feel free to leave your comments and questions…that is the beauty of a blog.
By: Tad Thompson on November 1, 2007
at 1:58 pm
I’m definitely looking forward to this series. It is always great to dig deep into the Scriptures to find new ways in which God is glorified. It will be interesting and refreshing to find that in every book of the Scriptures.
It is so easy for us, as 21st Century Christians, to look only at the warm-fuzzy passages of the Bible that give us a nice feel-good message. It is always important for us to remember that God saw it necessary to give us the whole of Scripture for encouragement, enlightenment and most importantly for HIS Glory, not just the “nice” parts. Believers through the ages have toiled, suffered and died to glorify God by passing down and translating the WHOLE Bible, not just the “nice” parts. Therefore it falls to us to study, meditate on and glorify God through the WHOLE Bible, not just the “nice” parts.
May God recieve all of the glory through the preaching of this series.
By: Tom Hargett on November 3, 2007
at 6:42 pm
At one point in my life I grew at a rapid spiritual pace and it was during a bible overview class that the Holy Spirit worked in a mighty way in my life. Reading the whole Bible gave me a complete picture without void.
these are some interesting quotes I read a while back.
If we examine the theme of salvation in the Bible, salvation is prepared in the Old Testament, actuated in the gospels, preached in Acts, explained in the epistles, and fulfilled in Revelation. The Bible has perfect historical continuity.
A Picturesque View of Scripture
Early twentieth century American evangelist Billy Sunday wrote, “Years ago, with the Holy Spirit for my guide, I entered this wonderful temple that we call Christianity. I entered through the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament’s art gallery, where I saw the portraits of Joseph, Jacob, Daniel, Moses, Isaiah, Solomon and David hanging on the wall; I entered the music room of the Psalms and the Spirit of God struck the keyboard of my nature until it seemed to me that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the harp of David, and the charm of King Solomon in his moods. I walked into the business house of Proverbs. I walked into the observatory of the prophets and there saw photographs of various sizes, some pointing to far-off stars or events–all concentrated upon one great Star which was to rise as an atonement for sin. Then I went into the audience room of the King of Kings, and got a vision from four different points–from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I went into the correspondence room, and saw Peter, James, Paul and Jude, penning their epistles to the world. I went into the Acts of the Apostles and saw the Holy Spirit forming the Holy Church, and then I walked into the throne room and saw a door at the foot of a tower and, going up, saw One standing there, fair as the morning, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and I found this truest friend that man ever knew; when all were false I found him true. In teaching me the way of life, the Bible has taught me the way to live, it taught me how to die” (Karen Gullen, ed. Billy Sunday Speaks [New York: Chelsea House, 1970], pp. 23-24).
By: Roger Buzzelli on November 5, 2007
at 7:36 am
Hey guys…great points! Next week in Genesis things already get pretty intense. We get three of the most devastating judgements in the Bible…the curse after the fall, The Flood, and Sodom and Gomorah. God is serious about his holiness.
The cool thing is that we get a beautiful picture of his mercy at the same time. God remembered Noah, God remembered Lot and his family, God remembered Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, opening their wombs. And of course, God made a one-sided covenant with Abraham. A covenant that we are beneficiaries today.
Scripture allows us to see the fullness of God’s character….he is just and merciful, holy and loving.
By: Tad Thompson on November 5, 2007
at 8:51 am
May God richly bless your messages Tad! You have probably already read these books, but maybe not: “According to Plan” by Graham Goldsworthy and “The Unfolding Mystery” by Edmund Clowney. I hope the congregation God has placed you over appreciates your soundness and your passion for the Gospel.
Johnna Duncan
By: Johnna Duncan on November 5, 2007
at 7:07 pm