Global Futures 8 Dec 2014 - Judi Marshall Big picture? Responses? Their challenges? 1.
Dec 21-27-08 The Bible Getting The Big Picture
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Transcript of Dec 21-27-08 The Bible Getting The Big Picture
The Bible: Getting the Big Picture
2 Timothy 3:16 NET Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person
dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.
The Bible: Getting the Big Picture
As Paul indicates to Timothy and many other passages affirm, the Bible is the
ultimate authority for Christian faith and practice. It is crucial to interpret Scripture
in light of its overall context.
The Bible: Getting the Big Picture
The Bible as it has come down to us is laid out in two parts: the Old Testament, covering the period before Christ, and the New Testament, the period after Christ. The biblical record is a
three-part story:
Part I: God's Original Creation (Genesis 1-2)
The eternal God created a perfect, beautiful world and put it under the management of Adam and Eve and their successors. (Gen.
1-2)
Part I: God's Original Creation (Genesis 1-2)
No one knows how long this part of the story lasted, but Scripture devotes only
the first two of its 1,189 chapters to telling it.
Part II: The Human Dilemma & God's Response (Gen. 3—Rev. 20)
The second part of the story takes up all but the last two chapters of the Bible. Two
story lines weave throughout the record.
Part II: The Human Dilemma & God's Response (Gen. 3—Rev. 20)
One reveals how the balance and beauty of cre ation is terribly damaged by sin and
rebellion. The other unfolds God's response to rescue His creatures and the
creation from this dilemma.
Part II: The Human Dilemma & God's Response (Gen. 3—Rev. 20)
His redemptive work is promised through Israel (as recorded in the Old Testament), provided through Christ (as recorded in the Gospels),
and then applied in and through the church (as told in Acts and the letters).
Part II: The Human Dilemma & God's Response (Gen. 3—Rev. 20)
The Book of Revelation's first 20 chapters display events related to Christ's return to
earth.
Part III: The Achievement of God's Original Design (Rev. 21-22)
The last two chapters of the Bible tell the final third of the story. They offer great hope to the reader by promising a new
heaven and earth.
Part III: The Achievement of God's Original Design (Rev. 21-22)
God's original intentions for the creation will finally and fully be achieved. This parallels and fulfills Genesis 1-2 and also reflects the values of Christ, who is the focus of the
whole Bible.
Reading the Bible
Because the middle third of the account comprises 99 percent of the text, it grabs most
of the attention of Bible readers. But to properly understand it, one must keep the first
and third parts firmly in mind.
Reading the Bible
Like two bookends, they frame and anchor the big picture of God's work throughout history, as shown by the diagram on the
next slide.
Part IIPart I Part III
God’s Plan Begun God’s Plan Achieved
Reading the Bible
They provide the crucial context for the double story line of rebellion and
restoration etched through the middle of the account.
Reading the Bible
That middle part often makes for rather painful reading. With forceful realism it
shows the cruelty that sin unleashes on all of creation.
Reading the Bible
Some readers would prefer to skip over or dismiss that aspect of the story. But God refuses to distort reality or put a positive
"spin" on it.
Reading the Bible
He includes the horrors of sin in His record as "examples to avoid.“
1 Corinthians 10:6 NET These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not
crave evil things as they did.
Reading the Bible
He lets nothing escape either exposure or resolution in Jesus Christ.
(Word In Life Study Bible)
Counterfeit Christianity
Wherever people accept the truth of God and begin practicing it, counterfeits soon
surface. That's what Paul found at Ephesus, and what he warns Timothy
about.
Counterfeit Christianity
2 Timothy 3:8 NET And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people
— who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith — also oppose the
truth.
Counterfeit Christianity
9 But they will not go much further, for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone,
just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.
Counterfeit Christianity
He mentions two characters, Jannes and Jambres, whose names mean "he who seduces" and "he who is rebellious."
Counterfeit Christianity
Neither name is in the Old Testament, but Jewish legend held that these were the names of two Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses' demand of Pharaoh to
free the Israelites.
Counterfeit Christianity
They tried to duplicate the miracles of Moses in an attempt to discredit him. But God showed that Moses' authority was
more powerful.
Counterfeit Christianity
Exodus 7:11 NET Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and
the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing.
Counterfeit Christianity
12 Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron's staff
swallowed up their staffs.
Counterfeit Christianity
Exodus 7:22 NET But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts, and so
Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron —
just as the LORD had predicted.
Counterfeit Christianity
Paul faced a similar experience at Ephesus. For two years he taught the message of Christ there, in a culture heavily steeped
in pagan idolatry and occultism.
Counterfeit Christianity
God confirmed his teaching through powerful miracles and the release of many
from evil spirits.
Counterfeit Christianity
But local exorcists attempted to duplicate the miracles. Their scheme backfired, however, to the benefit of the gospel.
Counterfeit Christianity
Acts 19:11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands, 12 so that when
even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits
went out of them.
Counterfeit Christianity
13 But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits,
saying, "I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Counterfeit Christianity
14 (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) 15 But the evil spirit replied to them, "I know about Jesus and I am acquainted
with Paul, but who are you?"
Counterfeit Christianity
16 Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into
submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.
Counterfeit Christianity
17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear
came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.
Counterfeit Christianity
18 Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their
deeds known.
Counterfeit Christianity
19 Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and
burned them up in the presence of everyone.
Counterfeit Christianity
When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. 20 In this way the word of the Lord
continued to grow in power and to prevail.
Counterfeit Christianity
Counterfeits to the truth of Christ abound today, as Paul predicted they would. If we
effectively communicate the gospel to friends and coworkers,
Counterfeit Christianity
we can virtually count on the fact that competing systems and worldviews will
soon appear. That's why we must,
Counterfeit Christianity
"continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of," basing our
lives and our witness on the firm foundation of Scripture.
(Word In Life Study Bible)
Counterfeit Christianity
2 Timothy 3:14 NET You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who
taught you
Counterfeit Christianity
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus.
Counterfeit Christianity
16 Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness,
Counterfeit Christianity
17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good
work.
The Bible, God’s Word, Only Guide
We started this lesson with Paul’s statement to Timothy about the ultimate authority and usefulness of The Bible,
God’s Word. And we bring it to an end at the same point.
The Bible, God’s Word, Only Guide
The fact is The Bible, God’s Word, is our only guide into the hope and security of Jesus Love which brings us salvation.
Salvation In No One Else
Acts 4:11 NET This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has
become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by
which we must be saved."
Salvation In No One Else
I hope we all grasp the key to these two articles. Throughout all time, since the
beginning of creation, God had a plan. He gave glimpses of His plan through
Prophets.
Salvation In No One Else
Then when the time was right he showed us his plan for redeeming humans through His Son, Jesus. At His chosen time He
will Restore humans to Himself as we see in The Revelation to John.
Well done, good and faithful slave
The question is this: Are we who claim to belong to Him reaching out to others who
need his saving grace? When the day arrives will He say to each of us:
Well done, good and faithful slave
Matthew 25:21 NET His master answered, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You have
been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the
joy of your master.'