SRCC Training Tracks - Biblical Theology
SRCC Training - Biblical Theology • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Biblical Theology
Biblical Theology
Narrative & Plot
Narrative & Plot
Last week, we defined what Biblical Theology is.
Biblical Theology: The discipline of learning how to read the Bible as one story by one divine author that culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ, so that every part of Scripture is understood in relation to Jesus Christ.
In other words, it’s a way of reading the Bible with Jesus as the centerpiece.
It’s a way of interpreting all the smaller stories of the Bible (Abraham & Isaac, Moses & the Red Sea, David & Goliath, Paul & Peter, etc.) and seeking to UNDERSTAND how they fit into the much LARGER STORY that God has woven throughout Scripture - from Genesis to Revelation.
So, if the Bible really is ONE BIG STORY, then it should be our aim to truly understand the full scope of this story.
If any of us have ever taken an English class, or read a good book - then we know that STORIES/NARRATIVES have different components to them:
Setting - where the story takes places
Characters - Protagonist + Antagonist (Good vs. Bad)
Plot - main story (conflict, rising action, climax + resolution)
Themes - consistent patterns + main idea
Today, we are going to break down the various components of the Bible to truly understand the grand Biblical narrative that we see in Scripture:
#1 The Bible is One Big Story
#1 The Bible is One Big Story
What is the Setting of God’s Story?
What is the Setting of God’s Story?
CREATION.
The world we live in is the setting of God’s Story.
Setting - Creation is God’s cosmic temple and the setting for His narrative.
In our world, TEMPLES are places where “gods” + idols are housed so that they can be served & worshiped.
The Bible tells us that God created the HEAVENS & THE EARTH - a type of COSMIC TEMPLE - so that there would be a place where He would dwell.
A place where God & all of His Glory would be known, served & worshipped.
Psalm 78:69
ESV
69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
God made mountains, oceans, trees, birds, animals… He filled the earth with beautiful creations.
And, in His infinite wisdom, God put into His cosmic temple a special creation - a type of creation that would represent Him. And bear His image.
God created man & woman to reflect His Glory to the world.
Everything God made was good.
But the created characters in the story rebelled against God - and sin defiled God’s Temple.
But before we jump into all the specifics of the characters & the plot & what happens…
what I want yall to know for this section is that - the SETTING for God’s Story tells us alot about where things are headed.
“God made and owns the setting. It’s his. It’s for him. It’s about him. The worldwide setting of the
Bible’s story is presented as God’s cosmic temple.” - James Hamilton
Who are the Characters in God’s Story?
Who are the Characters in God’s Story?
“No offense, but you aren’t the main character in the big story of the world. One of the best things that can happen to us is discovering our role in the real story of the world.” - James Hamilton
Main Character/ Protagonist - God and the “seed of the woman” (Jesus - Genesis 3:15)
Antagonist - Satan and the “seed of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15)
The Biblical story describes this cosmic conflict between God and Satan - each seeking the allegiance of human beings made in God’s image.
In the story, God and Satan are contending for dominion over the very world God made.
Humans (us) are either part of the seed of the woman OR we belong to the seed of the serpent.
And as we trace the Biblical Story, we begin to see how big of a deal that is…
… because we will either be cursed by God forever like the serpent OR we will be saved by the seed of the woman who crushes the serpent’s head.
All of this language is coming directly from Genesis 3 - and we will get there in a few moments to discuss exactly what unfolds in that passage..
But if you haven’t picked up on what I’m talking about just yet, just know that the Biblical Story is centered around God & His people vs. Satan & all those deceived by him.
So the question begs on everyone - whose side will you be on?
What is the Plot of God’s Story?
What is the Plot of God’s Story?
As outlined in our book, the main plot of the Bible can really be summed up in:
Creation -> Fall -> Redemption -> Consummation
However, I think it would be really helpful for us to walk through the grand narrative of Scripture together - so that we can collectively see the Biblical Story unfold through the Word.
So, I’ve selected several verses that take us through the main phases [there’s many others that are helpful & good, but we couldn’t do them all].
***Volunteers***
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Before there was anything, there was God. And He created this world for His dwelling.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God created man & woman to reflect His Glory to the created world around them. Humans were made to have a special distinction in God’s world.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
In the beginning, there was no sin. Creation was unmarred. The relationship between God and man was harmonious - in a way we’ve never gotten to experience. God’s design was good.
But we see, just a few short chapters later - things change. Scripture tells us that a crafty serpent speaks to the woman that God made. And through a short dialogue, he gets her to doubt God’s goodness, to twist God’s word - and ultimately he influences her to disobey God and eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil - the one tree God said not to eat from. The woman & her husband sin against God - and for the first time, they feel shame:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
So, the Lord speaks to the man, the woman & the serpent - and He dishes out punishments to all 3 of them.
But in the midst of His address to the serpent, He hints at a HOPE for future restoration.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
It’s here that we get the PROMISE that will drive the rest of the Biblical Story.
Sin has entered the world.
Mankind will be subject to the consequences of sin, including DEATH.
BUT - there will a SEED/an OFFSPRING that will come from the woman.
And this offspring will ultimately crush the head of the serpent - even though it will come at a cost.
We’re left at the end of Genesis 3 with the man & woman being kicked out of the Garden where they once dwelled with God - but God does something gracious towards them. In their nakedness, He clothes them.
And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Here, we see the first animal being sacrificed as a result of man’s sin.
This will go on to be a major recurring theme in the Bible.
The next few chapters of Genesis, we see mankind spiral out of control. Sin continues to grow and it looks more and more unlikely that we’re ever going to see the “seed of the woman” conquer the serpent.
That is until Genesis 12 - when God suddenly makes a promise to a man named Abraham. That He will create a great nation through Abraham’s descendents - and this family will be a blessing to the whole creation.
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
And even though Abraham’s wife Sarah can’t have children, she ends up giving birth to a son named Isaac. And Isaac has Jacob. And over time, and lots of ups and downs, this family line continues to grow & grow.
All the way until we get to a man named Joseph - and Joseph ends up getting sold into slavery by his brothers. And through a series of events that God orchestrates, Joseph ends up being put as second in command over all of Egypt.
And he gets the opportunity to save his own family and all the Egyptians from a major famine. And to his own brothers that left him for dead, he shows mercy. And he tells them this:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
And this underscores a major theme throughout the whole Biblical narrative - that God consistently takes even man’s sinful intentions and uses them for His good purposes. This will come up frequently.
So the line of Abraham’s family, the Hebrews, continues to prosper - until one day, a king in Egypt comes into power and he forces all of the Hebrews into slavery. And they remain slaves in Egypt under brutal conditions for hundreds of years.
Until God uses a man named Moses to confront Pharaoh and demand that he let God’s people free.
And because Pharaoh refuses, God sends 10 plagues upon Egypt to punish them - the last of which being an Angel of Death that would pass through Egypt and kill all the firstborn children, including Pharaoh’s son.
BUT God gives specific instructions to His people, the Hebrews. He tells them to take the blood of a spotless LAMB and to wipe it on their doorpost -and that if their home was marked with the blood of the Lamb, then they would be spared from God’s judgment.
For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
So the people trust God & He saves His people out of Egypt and into freedom. And He makes a covenant with them & promises to be their protective, providing God as long as they obey Him and worship Him rightly.
And He gives them a land to dwell in, and the tabernacle and the temple for His Spirit to dwell in and be near them, and He gives them instructions on how to properly sacrifice animals to atone for their sins and have fellowship with Him…the seed of the promise seems like a reality!
But time and time again - the people are unfaithful. They worship other false gods and idols.
They forget the ways God has been good to them. And God punishes them.
But then, in 2 Samuel, we receive another promise. A promise is given to David, King of Israel - that there will be a King to come from his line who will establish a kingdom that will never end. An everlasting kingdom.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
This sounds like the seed of the promise!!!
The One who will truly make everything right.
But time goes on - and the people of Israel continue to go through waves of faithfully/unfaithfully living for the Lord.
And during these periods, prophets are sent from God - to warn them of judgment, but also to give them promises of hope.
God’s plan has not been thwarted.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
the One to come (“the seed”) will be crushed for the transgressions of the people - and they will be healed by it.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Even though the people are so unfaithful, God promises that there will be a day where His Spirit is poured out in such a way that He will cause them to be obedient Himself
“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
God promises a new creation & a restored gladness in the land.
And the Old Testament ends and we’re left wondering - who is going to be the promised One? The Messiah? The Seed of the Promise?
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus of Nazareth steps onto the scene. A man from the line of David. The Son of God. God in the flesh - full of glory and grace and truth.
And John the Baptist proclaims Him to be the One everyone has been waiting for:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
And Jesus begins ministering, calling on all to repent of their sins and be forgiven:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
And Jesus, fully God and fully man, performs miracles & teaches with authority & proclaims the truth about God - and the religious leaders of the day hate it. And they conspire against him - and even though He is the only innocent man to EVER live… they brutally torture Him and crucify Him on a cross.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah - is killed.
But little did they know - this was the plan all along.
God was actually orchestrating this entire ordeal and using the sinfulness of man & Satan’s schemes to play right into His hands.
Because Jesus actually came for that very purpose - He came, as the promised Seed of the Woman, to live the perfect, sinless life that none of us could ever live. And by dying on the cross, He took on the full penalty of sin that all of mankind deserved.
And even though He died, 3 days later He showed that he was truly God because He rose from the grave and beat death. And in doing so, he defeated sin’s greatest consequence.
And why did Jesus do it? To offer forgiveness of sin and eternal life to everyone who would repent and believe in Him as Savior!
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
And not only does Jesus offer eternal life & forgiveness - but He promises to fill every one of His believers with His Holy Spirit, to change our sinful hearts and make us more like Him:
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
And more than that, Jesus invites us into the ministry of expanding His kingdom by making disciples and being part of His Church.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Jesus is the promised Seed of the Woman who has crushed the head of the serpent by defeating the strongest weapon Satan ever had - which is death.
And now, we live in the present age - where we have seen the fulfillment of Old Testament promises in Jesus Christ, we’ve been invited into eternal fellowship with God, we get to enjoy the fellowship of the Church & partake in the mission of God…
and lastly, we await the final act of restoration where Jesus comes back and makes all things new:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
That is the plot of the Biblical Story.
#1 The Bible is One Big Story
#1 The Bible is One Big Story
#2 Jesus is the Climax of the Story
#2 Jesus is the Climax of the Story
Jesus is the Ultimate Seed of the Promise
Jesus is the Ultimate Priest
Jesus is the Ultimate Prophet
Jesus is the Ultimate King
Jesus is the Ultimate Sacrifice
#3 Themes Throughout the Story
#3 Themes Throughout the Story
God Shows His Glory by Saving His People through Judgment
God Shows His Glory by Using Man’s/Satan’s Evil Intentions for His Good Purposes
God Shows His Glory through His Faithfulness, Despite Man’s Unfaithfulness
Any others?