Seeing the Christian message in the Bible

Biblical teaching that does not focus on Christ's work inevitably focuses on human work. 1 A Facebook story: Bruce: A Christian sermon must leave you thanking God for Christ's work, not promising God that you'll do you're own work. If you leave a sermon focused on what you need to do, rather than what Christ has already done, you did not hear a Christian sermon. Mark G: Sermon on the Mt...not a Christian sermon! Bruce: I think the Sermon on the Mount serves us to show God's standard, which we can never live up to, but by which Jesus was shown perfect. So the Sermon leads me to praise God for my salvation more than it leads me to try to live up to perfection. It is only then that I can pray for the grace of God to be holy and love others with a Christ-like passion. Without Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, the Sermon's key points could be taught in a synagogue or mosque. Once Jesus' work is added, it becomes distinctly Christian and gives hope rather than despair. Remember, it was before the death, burial and resurrection that the disciples heard Jesus' teachings and said things like, Then it's better never to marry, and Then who can be saved? The Deadly Be's Be Be like (Daniel, Moses, David, Jesus, Paul, etc) good (Don't drink, smoke or chew, or go with girls who do)

Be disciplined (Pray more, read your Bible more, go to church more, witness more, etc) Be messages are not wrong in themselves, but they are wrong by themselves.

Start with the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF): The FCF is the common human condition that present-day believers share with those to whom, or about whom, the text was written that requires the grace of the passage for God's people to glorify and enjoy him. The FCF: a) human condition provides the human context to understand the passage b) requires the grace shows the biblical solutions must be divine, not merely human c) to glorify and enjoy him forces us to honor God as the only source of hope
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1 Almost

everything in this study is from Bryan Chapell's book Christ-Centered Preaching.

Three ways to find Christ in the text

1) text A specific mention of Christ's work. frequently in Gospels, epistles, messianic Psalms, and prophecy type A person, event or institution in the Old Testament that reveals a truth that is more fully seen, understood or expressed in the New Testament Adam, David, Melchizedek, the Passover, the temple, etc context A) predicts the work of Christ Some texts specifically predict the coming messiah (Is 40), and some reveal his work without specific mention of the messiah (such as the Exodus and circumcision) B) prepares for the work of Christ Gal 3:24 tells us the Law was given to show our sin and our need for a savior Ro 4:23-25 says the story of Abraham was written for us to see salvation by faith C) reflects the work of Christ Something in Gods nature or attributes which provide the work of Christ Ro 15:4 says the OT was written to encourage us and give us hope In OT narratives, for example, we may see God's attributes of justice, sovereignty, faithfulness and mercy, all of which are fulfilled in Christ Heb 12:1 says we're surrounded by witnesses from the OT D) results from the work of Christ Jesus is the only reason we can approach God (Heb 4:14-16; 11:6; Ro 8:8) Jesus is the only reason we can please God ( Heb 13:21; Ro 12:2; 2 Cor 5:5-9)

2)

3)

Applying the story of redemption

Ask: 1) What does God require of me?

Instructional specificity translates ancient history into present guide. Look for what the text meant to the original audience. Discern the principles involved. Apply those principles to modern life. Most preaching is too general (go and do likewise) or multiplies rules (attend church Sunday and Wed nights, join a small group, tithe, vote for these politicians and laws) Good preaching takes biblical truth and applies it to spiritual struggles in people's lives. Consider who needs to hear the message, or in what modern situations this truth applies. We need situational specificity.2

2)

Where

does God require it?

3)

Why

The application is not complete until we've seen the grace that motivates obedience.When we discover the grace in the text, we'll also discover the greatest motivation for obedience. We are motivated by a greater love for God that leads to a desire to please hima desire that also produces the greatest satisfaction when it is fulfilled. Telling people what to do without telling them how to do it is like yelling Swim! Swim! at a drowning man. The yelling tells him what he needs to do, but it's not helpful. Pray for the Spirit to work in us, trust in his providence, meditate on his Word, participate in church life, etc. Look to those resources God has given us for growing in holiness.

must I do what God requires?

4)

How

can I do what God requires?

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2 Situational

specificity will be the topic of our study next week.