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distress cries out oppression deliverer anger rest sin Cycles of Judgment t with Essential Points for an Unfolding Story of Rede “a story…is…the best way of talking about the way the world actually is” Trinity School for Ministry, Biblical Interpretations (BI 600) By Randy Shirley December 16, 2012 “The Drama of Scripture tells the biblical story of redemption as a unified, coherent narrative of God’s ongoing work within his kingdom. After God created the world and human rebellion marred it, God set out to restore what he had made.” Based on the book, The Drama of Scripture – Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Graig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, and associated presentations, Class Resources, at http://www.biblicaltheology.com “God” (Elohim) Genesis 1 “God” brings the whole creation into existence out of nothing “the Lord God” (Yahweh Elohim) Genesis 2:4 The God who reveals himself as Yahweh, the divine Redeemer is still the Creator of all that was or is or shall be: He is the one eternal Lord God The “heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) refers to the whole of creation. Light and darkness, day and night, sea and sky and land, plants, animals and humankind – all come from this God, from his powerful and good activity of creation Who Is the “Lord God?” A Faith for Israel What Kind of Literature is Genesis 1? The God who Brings All Things into Being Humankind as God’s Image God’s Kingdom Though the whole of creation is “very good” (Genesis 1:31), it is so because the One who has created it is infinitely superior to anything he has made Genesis teaches us positively what faith in God means for how we think about the world he has made and how we live in it First Day: the creation of light Second day: the separating of the waters Third day: the creation of plant life Fourth day: the creation of the sun, moon, and stars Genesis 3 Genesis does tell us reliably about the mysterious origin of evil in God’s world. It was rooted in the mutiny of the first human couple. They were tempted, and they succumbed, with catastrophic consequences The life of Adam and Eve is the life of shalom. They walk with God, they have each other, the garden provides all they need as they till its fertile soil and prune its burgeoning plants A Catastrophe Part of Being Human is the Freedom to Choose The fundamental Nature of Sin God Does Not Give Up His Purposes for His Creation and His Kingdom Even in God’s good creation, Adam and Eve’s freedom to love means that they may also choose not to love; hence, they may experience temptation But what would temptation involve for them? The answer is found in the mysterious “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). The serpent tempts them to eat from this tree, contrary to what God has told them to do The Unleashing of Sin – and God’s Response Cain murders his brother Abel God’s order for creation has been transgressed The story of the flood reveals a holy Judge and a gracious Redeemer God’s covenant with Noah extends to the whole of creation In response to the Tower of Babel, God turns his attention to Abraham Genesis: The Origins of Israel Exodus: Formation of a People Leviticus: Living with a Holy God Numbers: Journeying to the Land Deuteronomy: On the Borders of the Land Joshua: The Gift of the Land Judges: Failure to Be a Light to the Nations Samuel: Israel Transformed into a Kingdom Kings: Covenant Failure Voices of Prophets 400 years of Israel’s history between Malachi and Matthew The Persian Empire has crumbled and Israel now suffers under the brutal mastery of imperial Rome A fraction of the people of Israel live in Palestine – majority are scattered throughout the Roman Empire Among the Jews, there is a fervent longing for God to act, to bring liberation to his people Most Jewish people remained outside their homeland. By the first century AD, Jewish communities were in almost every city of the then-civilized world. These Jews, living not in Palestine but among the nations, are normally referred to as the Diaspora, “the scattered” The Jewish Community in Palestine and the Diaspora Israel’s Faith Growing Tension: From Persia to Rome Israel’s Hope for the Kingdom Differing Expressions of Israel’s Hope Five fundamental beliefs, Israel’s two-thousand-year journey with God from the time of Abraham: (1) Monotheism: Israel believed in one God, the creator of the world and Ruler of history (2) Election: God had chosen Israel for a special purpose (3) Torah: God had given Israel the Law to direct its way of life as God’s holy people (4) Land: God had brought his people through Moses and Joshua and God dwelt with Israel (5) God would restore Israel the glory he had always intended; and complete his redemptive work Though the people had in part returned to the land promised them by God, even those now in Palestine remained under the domination of one foreign power after another, almost as if their exile had never ended The Jews turned to the Torah. They established synagogues in which God’s law could be taught to the common people. In 331 BC Alexander’s armies conquered the Persians. Greek ideas and practices began undermine Israel’s own cultural and religious integrity 25 December in 167 BC, Antiochus deliberately pollutes and desecrates the temple 25 December in 164 BC, Judah Maccabee rode into Jerusalem and cleansed the temple (The Maccabean Revolt and Hasmonean Dynasty (to 63 BC) In 63 BC Pompey the Great marched into Jerusalem – beginning a Roman presence that was to last nearly 500 years Jesus begins an itinerant ministry in Galilee His following grows ever larger, and he increasingly draws the attention of the (mostly hostile) Jewish leaders He goes to Jerusalem, the center of both the nation and the most opposition to what he has been saying and doing Jesus is arrested, brought to trail, and – though his judge pronounces him innocent of any crime – crucified He then is raised from the dead: his victory over sin and death ushers in the kingdom of God Jesus explains the kingdom with his parables that help those who receive Jesus’ word in faith to understand: (1) The kingdom does not come all at once (2) In the present, the kingdom does not come with irresistible power (3) The final judgment of the kingdom is reserved for the future (4) The full revelation of the kingdom is postponed, to allow many to enter it during the present age The four different approaches of the Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees and Zealots all are bound by a common loathing for the Gentiles, a deep-seated hatred or at least wariness for all those outside the covenant. And then comes Jesus who refused to walk in any of these paths. His way is startling different: it is the way of love and of suffering, “love of enemies instead of their destruction; unconditional forgiveness instead of retaliation; readiness to suffer instead of using force; blessing for peacemakers instead of hymns of hate and revenge.” In His Life Jesus Makes Known the Kingdom of God In His Death Jesus Secures the Victory of God’s Kingdom In His Resurrection Jesus Inaugurates the Kingdom of God Too often we reduce the significance of the cross to the fact that “Jesus died for me.” Believers do share in the accomplishments of his death, and so we can say this with joy and confidence. Yet God’s purposes move beyond the salvation of individuals. In the death of Jesus, God acts to accomplish the salvation of the entire creation: Jesus dies for the world “Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a new world is dawning. The night of evil has ended. The light of God will fill the whole earth again. The resurrection stands at the center of the Christian faith The throne of the Messiah as Peter describes is not in Jerusalem at all: it stands entirely above the world, in heaven at the right hand of God. This is the place of highest authority and honor: God’s kingdom has no boundaries of any kind. Jesus does not merely sit on the throne of our hearts and reign there: that is much too narrow a concept of his authority. Jesus reigns over all of human life, all history, and all nations Christ Is Exalted to the Right Hand of God The Exalted Christ Pours Out His Spirit The Church Witnesses Paul Unfolds the Gospel in His Letters Being a Light to the World: Continuing the Mission of Israel Bearing Faithful Witness: Continuing the Mission of the Early Church Living in God’s Story Today Each letter addresses a different church with its own problems and questions. He connects the gospel with the Old Testament story setting, establishing its truth against the errors of false teaching, and setting his own authority as an apostle against the efforts of the false teachers The descent of God’s heavenly dwelling place, “the new Jerusalem,” to earth is the graphic representation that God’s kingdom has come and His will is forevermore to be accomplished on earth – just as it has always been in heaven “Behold, I am coming soon!” John exhorts his readers to stand firm in the faith, warns those who remain outside the kingdom, and invites all who find themselves “thirsty” for the salvation of God revealed in his visions to come and drink freely of the water of life Jesus is coming soon. All who believe and hope in Jesus, as John the apostle did, will echo his own response: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” The End of the Story Events Preceding the End A New Creation: The Restoration of All Things I Am Coming Soon Three major events will usher in the restoration of creation and the arrival of God’s kingdom in its fullness: (1) Jesus returns (2) The dead are raised bodily (some to share in the life of the new creation and others t final wrath) (3) The world comes before Christ to be judged Salvation is not an escape from earth into a spiritualized heaven where human souls dwell forever. Instead, John is shown (and shows us in turn) that salvation is the restoration of God’s creation on a new earth. In this restored world, the redeemed of God will live in resurrected bodies within a renewed creation, from which sin and its effects have been expunged. This is the kingdom that Christ’s followers have already begun to enjoy in foretaste It is a quest for autonomy, a desire to separate ourselves from God We humans are made for relationship, but sin’s effect is to drive us apart. Above all, humankind is made to enjoy relationship with God, but the sin of Adam and Eve causes them to flee from him and be afraid, ashamed, and alone. Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent, and Adam and Eve both seek to cover their nakedness Strangely, at first the serpent seems to be right: Adam and Eve do not immediately die. Or do they? Their sense of themselves and their relationship with each other is shattered. And (what is even worse) their relationship with the Lord God is also broken: they hide from him in fear and shame God confronts Adam and Eve and declares judgment. The serpent is cursed, childbirth for the woman is made much harder, and the ground itself is stricken so that work is made difficult for the man and far less pleasant. Adam and Eve are driven out of Eden, and the entrance to the garden is barred God promises to put enmity between the serpent’s offspring and that of the woman (Genesis 3:15). The woman’s offspring will crush the serpent’s head. This is the first biblical promise of the Gospel: Christ is to be “the seed of the woman” and will defeat Satan, though at great cost to himself, in the “wounding “ of his “heel” This created, material world is the very theater of God’s glory, the kingdom over which he reigns God says, “Let us make man in our image,…and let them rule…over all the earth.” He then says to the human beings he has created, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it Above all things, the human caretakers are accountable to the divine Creator of the world entrusted to their care Scene 1: A People for the King Scene 2: A Land for His People Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph: Patriarchs of God’s People God’s purpose in calling Abraham was to bring blessing to the whole world… the family line through whom this blessing will come: the twelve sons of Jacob, whose families are to become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel 400 years after Abraham, we are still in Egypt. Joseph and his brothers have died, but their descendants have multiplied and are under oppression. They cry out. “God hears their groaning and remembers his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness. After the golden calf incident God reveals himself to Moses as compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Leviticus is about maintaining a right relationship with the King The biggest crisis in the story of their journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab is with the Israelites’ response to the report of the spies who scouted out the promised land (Numbers 13-14). As a result, God vows that none of this unbelieving generation will enter the promised land. The Israelites wander in the wilderness for forty years until the faithless first generation has indeed died out Deuteronomy records the sermons of Moses to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land. He urges the people to choose life and blessing by pursuing obedience to the Lord, then renews the covenant with them and appoints Joshua as his successor Joshua’s conquest of Canaan is a gift from the Lord and a fulfillment of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. The stage is set for Israel to live as a light to the nations Israel is chosen by God but too weak to live up to its calling. This conflict between choice and weakness creates the dramatic tension of the unfolding narrative and tells the story of a spiral down into rebellion and disaster at every level in the nation of Israel God (King) WORK Promise Command Warning People (Subjects) Covenant Structure Death Life Destruction Prosperity Curse Blessing Obey Disobey “in those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 21:25) Saul Rules Unfaithfully David Rules Faithfully The ark is brought into the temple to mark the fulfillment of the Israelites’ journey out of bondage in Egypt. When the ark is deposited in the temple, the exodus cloud fills the temple, showing that the glory of the Lord is present in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:11) Solomon’s idolatry (1 Kings 11:33) has violated the heart of the covenant. God tells Solomon that he will tear much of the kingdom from Solomon’s heirs, leaving only one tribe to be ruled by his successor The message of all these prophets is that unless God’s people repent, return to him, and obey him, judgment will come Israel looked to a day with “no king but God.” The holy land, trampled and polluted by pagans, would be cleansed so that Israel could again live in communion with the Lord Pharisees: In the synagogues as teachers of the law and oral tradition. Inspired with revolutionary change to separate Israel from the pagans and radical obedience to the Torah Essenes: Path of withdrawal. They alone were the true Israel, heirs of the scriptural promises Sadducees and Priests: Official teachers of the Law and recognized representatives of mainline Jewish religion. Collaborated with the Romans Zealots: Willing to take up arms in violent revolution and took inspiration from the Maccabean revolt Common People: Most of the Jews of this period looked for a day when God would return to redeem his people from their pagan oppressors Scene 1: From Jerusalem to Rome Scene 2: And into All the World This in-between time, after Jesus’ first coming and before he comes again, is a time of mission for the exalted Christ, the Spirit, and the Church Here at Pentecost the Spirit of God comes with the sign of fire as a token of the powerful presence of God bringing the life of the kingdom The world of the Bible is our world, and its story of redemption is also our story. This story is waiting for an ending – in part because we ourselves have a role to play before all is concluded If our lives are to be shaped and formed by Scripture, we need to know the biblical story well, to feel it in our bones. To do this, we must also know our own place within it – where we are in the story In Jesus Christ that goal of cosmic redemption was first revealed and then accomplished: the words of Jesus from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), declare redemption to be complete already, even though its final revelation waits in the future Spiritual Battle Twenty-four elders and four living creatures bow before God and worship him Scroll with seven seals Torah or Law of Moses Genesis Exodus Deuteronomy Leviticus Numbers From the undated past From the undated past Patriarchal Stage 2165-1804 BC Exodus Stage 1804-1405 BC Conquest Stage 1405-1382 BC Judges Stage 1382-1043 BC United Kingdom Stage 1043-931 BC Chaotic Kingdom Stage 931-605 BC Captivity Stage 605-620 BC Return Stage 538-400 BC Gospel Stage 5 BC-30 AD “the lesser light” “the greater light” You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being (Revelation 4:11) Fifth day: the creation of fish and fowl Sixth day: the creation of land creatures and man Seventh day: God rests The Lord God (Yahweh Elohim) walks in the garden with Adam and Eve and shows the most intimate, personal concern for them, their needs, and their responsibilities The Lord God Self The World work politics care of the environment, and so on Fellow Humans A Biblical Understanding of Humanity Othniel Ehud Shamgar Barak Gideon Tola Deborah Jair Jephthah Ibzan Elon Abdon Samson Saul David Samuel Solomon Elijah Elisha Micah Jeremiah Zechariah Jonah Isaiah Zephaniah Daniel Joel Amos Habakkuk Ezekiel Haggai Malachi Hosea Nahum Obadiah Prophets Prophets Continue Prophets Continue Exile Simon Andrew John James Philip Nathanael Matthew Thaddaeus James the less Simon the Zealot Thomas Judas Iscariot Peter (Bartholomew) (Levi) (Jude) Twelve Apostles When one begins to look at the cross through the lens of the resurrection, what at first appears to be foolishness is really the wisdom of God. What seemed to be weakness is really the power of God, conquering human rebellion and Satanic evil. What appears to be humiliation is a revelation of the glory of God. God’s self-giving love, mercy, faithfulness, grace, justice, and righteousness are revealed in the event by which God accomplishes the salvation of his creation. What seems to the world to be Jesus’ defeat, the early church proclaims to be his surpassing victory over all the enemies who stand opposed to God’s good creation Early Church Stage 30-68 AD Epistle Stage 45-100 AD Jesus Commissions His Disciples “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21) Martyrd om of Stephen Convers ion of Saul The good news of the kingdom cannot remain locked up in Jerusalem. It must reach “to the ends of the earth” The New Testament depicts the early church as it continues the kingdom mission of Jesus. Hence, if we are to understand our own mission today, we must take account of Israel’s initial God-given task, of how Jesus fulfilled it, and of how the early church continued the work Following the apostles, the church is sent – Sent with the gospel of the kingdom to make disciples of all nations, to feed the hungry, to proclaim the assurance that in the name of Christ there is forgiveness of sin and new life for all who repent and believe- To tell the news that our world belongs to God. In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices, this mission is central to our being, for we announce the one name that saves… We rejoice that the Spirit is waking us to see our mission in God’s world The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world. To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere, without fitting in, as lights in the darkness, as salt in a spoiling world James (45) Galatians (49 ) Ephesians (60) 1 Peter (68) 1 Thessalonians (51) Colossians (61) 2 Peter (68) 2 Thessalonians (51) Philippians (61) Jude (68) 1 Corinthians (56) Philemon (62) 2 Corinthians (56) 1 Timothy (62) 1 John (95) Romans (57) Titus (66) 2 John (95) 2 Timothy (67) 3 John (95) Hebrews (59) Revelation (95) A comprehensive redemption also means that human cultural development and work will continue. The cultural achievements of history will be purified and will reappear on the new earth (Revelation 21:24-26). There will be opportunity for humankind to continue to work and develop the creation – but now released from the burden of sin Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Moses Joshua Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall Act 3 The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated Interlude A Kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period Act 4 The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished Act 5 Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church Act 6 The Return of the King: Redemption Completed Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom Essential Points: - Genesis 1 focus is not about how God created, but about God’s original intention for His creation, and must be understood in context. - Genesis 1 teaches about God, Humankind and the World. -- God: Eternal, One, Distinct from creation, Sovereign King over creation, Powerful, Personal. -- Humankind: Creature, Relationship with God, In His image (similar to and different from God), Male and female, Rule over creation. -- Good (variety, harmony), Ordered by God’s word, Historical, Kingdom. Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom Essential Points: - Satanic temptation, Freedom to choose, Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Choose to live by God’s word; or, Choose to live by Satan’s word). - Nature of Sin: -- Autonomy (Making oneself source of right/wrong, good/bad, true/false). --Covenant rebellion (Refusing allegiance to rightful King). - Consequences of Sin: -- Alienated from God (Gen. 3.8,23). -- Damaged relations with each other (Gen. 1.12-16). -- Death (Gen. 1.19). -- Non-human creation cursed (Gen. 1.17). -- Creational task burdened (Gen. 1.16-19). - God did not turn His back on a world bent on destruction; He turned His face to our corruptness in love, and with patience and care put in place His plan of redemption for all creation. Act 3 The King Chooses Israel Essential Points: - God’s response of promise and judgment to sin. -- All goodness of creation is polluted by sin (Gen. 4). -- Faithful to promise (Gen. 3.15); Adam to Noah. -- Judgment (Gen. 6-9); Flood. - God’s purpose remains constant: Noahic covenant (New Start with Noah and creation). - Covenant: A bond, In blood, Sovereignly administered. - Abrahamic Covenant: Blessed to Be a Blessing. -- From 5-fold curse of Gen. 3-11 to 5-fold blessing of Gen. 12.2-3. -- Through Abraham God will reverse the curse of sin. -- Gen 12, Promise; Gen 15: Established; Gen 17: Confirmed. - Isaac, Jacob, Joseph: Promises of covenant repeated to each patriarch. - Exodus: Formation of a People. Israel formed (Exod 1-18), bound to God in covenant (Exod 19-24), God comes to dwell with His people (Exod 25-40). - Israel is bound to God in covenant – Mount Sinai. -- Covenant: God is King, Israel subject people, All of Israel’s life subject to God’s rule, Law. -- Law: Ten Commandments (Exod 20.1-17). - God prepares to indwell Israel. Instructions for Tabernacle (Exod 25-31), Israel unworthy of God’s presence (32-34), God indwells Israel on basis of love (35-40). - Leviticus: Living with a Holy God. Sacrifices and offerings, Ceremonial law, Feasts. - Numbers: Journeying to the Land. God’s testing, Israel’s disobedience and unbelief, God’s judgment and faithfulness. - Deuteronomy: On the Borders of the Land. God’s faithfulness to Israel (Deut. 1.6-4.40); God’s covenant law (Deut. 4.44-28). - Joshua: The Gift of the Land. The Lord leads Israel to the Land (Josh. 1-5.12), gives Israel the land (Josh. 5.13-12), allocates the land (13-22), and the Lord renews the covenant (Josh. 23-24). - Judges: Failure to be Display People. Israel fails to take land, disobedience leads to cycles of judgment; Distress, Cries out, Deliverer, Rest, Sin, Anger, Oppression, back to Distress. - Samuel: Israel Transformed into a Kingdom. The need for a king, God’s kind of king, Saul rules unfaithfully, David rules faithfully. - After David and Solomon the following kings are unfaithful and the kingdom is rent in two. -- Israel deported by Assyria (722 BC) -- Judah exiled by Babylon (586 BC) - Ezra and Nehemiah: Israel Returns to the Land. -- Cyrus allows Israel to return (539 BC) -- Zerubbabel rebuilds temple, Ezra reforms people, Nehemiah rebuilds city walls. Interlude A Kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending Essential Points: - Under Pagan Rule: --Persian (until 331 BC). --Greeks. --- Alexander (331-323 BC) --- Ptolemies in Egypt (323-198 BC) --- Seleucids in Syria (198-142 BC) --Israel’s independence (142-63 BC) -- Rome (63 BC – NT period) Act 4 The Coming of the King Essential Points: - Kingdom: Jesus announces the arrival of the kingdom (Mk. 1.15-17; Lk. 4.21). - A New Way: Love of enemies; unconditional forgiveness; readiness to suffer; peacemakers. - The reign of God is already present (Matt. 12.28); yet not arrived in fullness (Matt. 7.21). - Kingdom Mission: Announces, Reveals, Source of power (Abba, Holy Spirit, prayer), Gathers a kingdom community, Welcomes sinners and outcasts, Explains kingdom of God with parables, Embodies the kingdom in His life. -- Correcting wrong notions of kingdom through parables: --- Parable of the weeds (Matt. 13.24-30). Kingdom does not come all at once. --- Parable of the sower (Matt. 13.1-23). Kingdom does not come in immediate and irresistible power. Hidden in a humble form. Conflict and suffering. --- Parable of weeds and net (Matt. 13.24-30; 47-52). Final judgment of the kingdom will not come immediately. Judgment reserved for future. --- Parables of lost son, lost coin, and lost sheep (Lk. 15.1-32). Kingdom is not Jewish kingdom reserved for wealthy and righteous. Gentiles, poor, sinners (Lk. 14.15). - Who is Jesus? Prophet (Lk. 9.19), Messiah (Lk. 9.20), Son of God (Lk. 9.35; Matt. 16.16), Son of Man (Lk. 9.22), Chosen servant (Lk. 9.35). - Death of Jesus: Paradox (Power in Weakness, Victory in Defeat, Purpose of all history in Meaningless cruelty). Jesus died to restore His creation…we participate in that new creation as we trust in Christ. - The Risen Lord Commissions His Disciples: Make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt. 28.19-20). Act 5 Spreading the News of the King Essential Points: - Acts tells the story of the continuing mission of the exalted Christ by the Spirit from the witness in Jerusalem to the world. God’s royal stewards, put here to develop the hidden potentials in God’s creation so that the whole of it may celebrate his glory Work Cited Bartholomew, Graig G. and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture – Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story . Michigan: Baker Academic, 2004. Print. Ibid. “Class Resources.” Scripture & Worldview (1999). December 11, 2012. <http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/about/resources/. Willmington, H. L. Willmington’s Guide to the Bible . Illinois: Tyndale House, 1983. Print. “Every part of the Bible – each event, book, character, command, prophecy, and poem – must be understood in the context of the one story line.” “If our lives are to be shaped by the story of Scripture, we need to understand two things well: the biblical story is a compelling unity on which we may depend, and each of us has a place within that story.” - Israel’s Faith during this time -- One God -- Israel chosen by God -- Torah defined Israel’s life -- Holy belonged to Israel -- Hope for future act of God - Growing Hatred -- For Gentile oppressors -- For compromising Jews

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A Chart with Essential Points for an Unfolding Story of Redemption “a story…is…the best way of talking about the way the world actually is ”. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of distress cries out oppression

Page 1: distress          cries out                     oppression

distress

cries out oppression

deliverer anger

rest sin

Cycles of Judgment

A Chart with Essential Points for an Unfolding Story of Redemption “a story…is…the best way of talking about the way the world actually is”

Trinity School for Ministry, Biblical Interpretations (BI 600) ByRandy Shirley

December 16, 2012

“The Drama of Scripture tells the biblical story of redemption as a unified, coherent narrative of God’s ongoing work within his kingdom. After God created the world and human rebellion marred it, God set out to restore what he had made.”

Based on the book, The Drama of Scripture – Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Graig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen,

and associated presentations, Class Resources, athttp://www.biblicaltheology.com

“God”(Elohim)

Genesis 1“God” brings the whole

creation into existence out of nothing

“the Lord God”(Yahweh Elohim)

Genesis 2:4The God who reveals himself as Yahweh, the divine Redeemer is still the Creator of all that was or is or shall be: He is the one eternal Lord God

The “heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) refers to the whole of creation. Light and darkness, day and night, sea and sky and land, plants, animals and humankind – all come from this God, from his powerful and good activity of creation

Who Is the “Lord God?” A Faith for Israel What Kind of Literature is Genesis 1? The God who Brings All Things into Being Humankind as God’s Image God’s KingdomThough the whole of creation is “very

good” (Genesis 1:31), it is so because the One who has created it is infinitely superior to anything he has made

Genesis teaches us positively what faith in God means for how we think about the

world he has made and how we live in it

First Day: the creation of lightSecond day: the separating of the watersThird day: the creation of plant lifeFourth day: the creation of the sun, moon, and stars

Genesis 3Genesis does tell us reliably about the mysterious origin of evil in God’s world. It was rooted in the mutiny of the first human couple. They were tempted, and they succumbed, with catastrophic consequences

The life of Adam and Eve is the life of shalom. They walk with God, they have each other, the garden provides all they need as they till its fertile soil and prune its burgeoning plants

A Catastrophe Part of Being Human is the Freedom to Choose The fundamental Nature of Sin God Does Not Give Up His Purposes for His Creation and His Kingdom

Even in God’s good creation, Adam and Eve’s freedom to love means that they may also choose not to love; hence,

they may experience temptation

But what would temptation involve for them? The answer is found in the mysterious “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”

(Genesis 2:9). The serpent tempts them to eat from this tree, contrary to what God has told them to do

The Unleashing of Sin – and God’s Response• Cain murders his brother Abel• God’s order for creation has been transgressed• The story of the flood reveals a holy Judge and a

gracious Redeemer• God’s covenant with Noah extends to the whole

of creation• In response to the Tower of Babel, God turns his

attention to AbrahamGenesis: The Origins of Israel Exodus: Formation of a People Leviticus: Living with a Holy God Numbers: Journeying to the Land Deuteronomy: On the Borders of the Land Joshua: The Gift of the Land Judges: Failure to Be a Light to the Nations Samuel: Israel Transformed into a Kingdom Kings: Covenant Failure Voices of Prophets

400 years of Israel’s history between Malachi and Matthew• The Persian Empire has crumbled and Israel now suffers under the brutal mastery of imperial

Rome• A fraction of the people of Israel live in Palestine – majority are scattered throughout the Roman

Empire• Among the Jews, there is a fervent longing for God to act, to bring liberation to his people

Most Jewish people remained outside their homeland. By the first century AD, Jewish communities were in almost every city of the then-civilized world. These Jews, living not in Palestine but among the nations, are normally referred to as the Diaspora, “the scattered”

The Jewish Community in Palestine and the Diaspora Israel’s Faith Growing Tension: From Persia to Rome Israel’s Hope for the Kingdom Differing Expressions of Israel’s Hope

Five fundamental beliefs, Israel’s two-thousand-year journey with God from the time of Abraham: (1) Monotheism: Israel believed in one God, the creator of the world and Ruler of history(2) Election: God had chosen Israel for a special purpose(3) Torah: God had given Israel the Law to direct its way of life as God’s holy people(4) Land: God had brought his people through Moses and Joshua and God dwelt with Israel (5) God would restore Israel the glory he had always intended; and complete his redemptive work

Though the people had in part returned to the land promised them by God, even those now in Palestine

remained under the domination of one foreign power after another, almost as if their exile had never ended

• The Jews turned to the Torah. They established synagogues in which God’s law could be taught to the common people.• In 331 BC Alexander’s armies conquered the Persians. Greek ideas and practices began undermine Israel’s own cultural and religious

integrity• 25 December in 167 BC, Antiochus deliberately pollutes and desecrates the temple• 25 December in 164 BC, Judah Maccabee rode into Jerusalem and cleansed the temple (The Maccabean Revolt and Hasmonean

Dynasty (to 63 BC)• In 63 BC Pompey the Great marched into Jerusalem – beginning a Roman presence that was to last nearly 500 years

• Jesus begins an itinerant ministry in Galilee• His following grows ever larger, and he increasingly draws the attention of the (mostly hostile) Jewish

leaders• He goes to Jerusalem, the center of both the nation and the most opposition to what he has been

saying and doing• Jesus is arrested, brought to trail, and – though his judge pronounces him innocent of any crime –

crucified• He then is raised from the dead: his victory over sin and death ushers in the kingdom of God

Jesus explains the kingdom with his parables that help those who receive Jesus’ word in faith to understand:(1) The kingdom does not come all at once(2) In the present, the kingdom does not come with irresistible power(3) The final judgment of the kingdom is reserved for the future(4) The full revelation of the kingdom is postponed, to allow many to enter it during the present age

The four different approaches of the Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees and Zealots all are bound by a common loathing for the Gentiles, a deep-seated hatred or at least wariness for all those outside the covenant. And then comes Jesus who refused to walk in any of these paths. His way is startling different: it is the way of love and of suffering, “love of enemies instead of their destruction; unconditional forgiveness instead of retaliation; readiness to suffer instead of using force; blessing for peacemakers instead of hymns of hate and revenge.”

In His Life Jesus Makes Known the Kingdom of God In His Death Jesus Secures the Victory of God’s Kingdom In His Resurrection Jesus Inaugurates the Kingdom of God Too often we reduce the significance of the cross to the fact that “Jesus died for me.”

Believers do share in the accomplishments of his death, and so we can say this with joy and confidence. Yet God’s purposes move beyond the salvation of individuals. In the death of Jesus, God acts to accomplish the salvation of the entire creation: Jesus dies for the world

“Christ is risen!”“He is risen indeed!”

In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a new world is dawning. The night of evil has ended. The light of God will fill the whole earth again. The resurrection stands at the center of the Christian faith

The throne of the Messiah as Peter describes is not in Jerusalem at all: it stands entirely above the world, in heaven at the right hand of God. This is the place of highest authority and honor: God’s kingdom has no boundaries of any kind. Jesus does not merely sit on the throne of our hearts and reign there: that is much too narrow a concept of his authority. Jesus reigns over all of human life, all history, and all nations

Christ Is Exalted to the Right Hand of God The Exalted Christ Pours Out His Spirit The Church Witnesses Paul Unfolds the Gospel in His Letters Being a Light to the World: Continuing the Mission of Israel Bearing Faithful Witness: Continuing the Mission of the Early Church Living in God’s Story TodayEach letter addresses a different church with its own problems and

questions. He connects the gospel with the Old Testament story setting, establishing its truth against the errors of false teaching, and setting his

own authority as an apostle against the efforts of the false teachers

The descent of God’s heavenly dwelling place, “the new Jerusalem,” to earth is the graphic representation that God’s kingdom has come and His will is forevermore to be accomplished on earth – just as it has always been in heaven

“Behold, I am coming soon!” John exhorts his readers to stand firm in the faith, warns those who remain outside

the kingdom, and invites all who find themselves “thirsty” for the salvation of God revealed in his visions

to come and drink freely of the water of life

Jesus is coming soon. All who believe and hope in Jesus, as John the apostle did, will echo his own response:

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”

The End of the Story Events Preceding the End A New Creation: The Restoration of All Things I Am Coming SoonThree major events will usher in the restoration of creation and the arrival of God’s kingdom in its fullness:(1) Jesus returns(2) The dead are raised bodily (some to share in the life of the new creation and others t final wrath)(3) The world comes before Christ to be judged

Salvation is not an escape from earth into a spiritualized heaven where human souls dwell forever. Instead, John is shown (and shows us in turn) that

salvation is the restoration of God’s creation on a new earth. In this restored world, the redeemed of God will live in resurrected bodies within a renewed

creation, from which sin and its effects have been expunged. This is the kingdom that Christ’s followers have already begun to enjoy in foretaste

It is a quest for autonomy, a desire to separate ourselves from God

We humans are made for relationship, but sin’s effect is to drive us apart. Above all, humankind is made to enjoy relationship with God,

but the sin of Adam and Eve causes them to flee from him and be afraid, ashamed, and alone. Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent, and Adam and Eve both seek to cover their nakedness

Strangely, at first the serpent seems to be right: Adam and Eve do not immediately die. Or do they? Their sense of

themselves and their relationship with each other is shattered. And (what is even worse) their relationship with the Lord God

is also broken: they hide from him in fear and shame

God confronts Adam and Eve and declares judgment. The serpent is cursed, childbirth for the woman is made much harder, and the ground itself is stricken so that work is made difficult for the man and far less pleasant. Adam and Eve

are driven out of Eden, and the entrance to the garden is barred

God promises to put enmity between the serpent’s offspring and that of the woman (Genesis 3:15). The woman’s offspring will crush the serpent’s head. This is the first biblical promise of the Gospel: Christ is to be “the seed of the woman” and will defeat Satan, though at great cost to himself, in the “wounding “ of his “heel”

This created, material world is the very theater of God’s

glory, the kingdom over which he reigns

God says, “Let us make man in our image,…and let them rule…over all the earth.” He then says to the

human beings he has created, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it

Above all things, the human caretakers are accountable to the divine Creator of the world entrusted to their care

Scene 1: A People for the King Scene 2: A Land for His People

Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph: Patriarchs of God’s PeopleGod’s purpose in calling Abraham was to bring blessing to the whole world… the family line through whom this blessing will come: the twelve sons of Jacob, whose families are to become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel

400 years after Abraham, we are still in Egypt. Joseph and his brothers have died, but their descendants have multiplied and are under oppression. They cry out. “God hears their groaning and remembers his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness.

After the golden calf incident God reveals himself to Moses as compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Leviticus is

about maintaining a right relationship with the King

The biggest crisis in the story of their journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab is with the Israelites’ response to the report of the spies who scouted out the promised land (Numbers 13-14). As a result, God vows that none of this unbelieving generation will enter the promised land. The Israelites wander in the wilderness for forty years until the faithless first generation has indeed died out

Deuteronomy records the sermons of Moses to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land. He urges the people to choose life and

blessing by pursuing obedience to the Lord, then renews the covenant with them and appoints Joshua as his successor

Joshua’s conquest of Canaan is a gift from the Lord and a fulfillment of his promises to

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. The stage is set for Israel to live as a light to the nations

Israel is chosen by God but too weak to live up to its calling. This conflict between choice and weakness creates the dramatic tension of the unfolding narrative and tells the story of a spiral down into

rebellion and disaster at every level in the nation of Israel

God(King)

WORK Promise

Command Warning

People(Subjects)

Covenant Structure

Death LifeDestruction ProsperityCurse Blessing

ObeyDisobey

“in those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 21:25)• Saul Rules Unfaithfully• David Rules Faithfully

The ark is brought into the temple to mark the fulfillment of the Israelites’ journey out of bondage in Egypt. When the ark is deposited in the temple, the exodus cloud fills the temple, showing that the glory of the Lord is present in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:11)

Solomon’s idolatry (1 Kings 11:33) has violated the heart of the covenant. God tells Solomon that he will tear much of the kingdom from Solomon’s heirs, leaving only one tribe to be ruled by his successor

The message of all these prophets is that unless God’s people repent,

return to him, and obey him, judgment will come

Israel looked to a day with “no king but God.” The holy land, trampled and polluted by

pagans, would be cleansed so that Israel could again live in communion with the Lord

Pharisees: In the synagogues as teachers of the law and oral tradition. Inspired with revolutionary change to separate Israel from the pagans and radical obedience to the Torah

Essenes: Path of withdrawal. They alone were the true Israel, heirs of the scriptural promises

Sadducees and Priests: Official teachers of the Law and recognized representatives of mainline Jewish religion. Collaborated with the Romans

Zealots: Willing to take up arms in violent revolution and took inspiration from the Maccabean revolt

Common People: Most of the Jews of this period looked for a day when God would return to redeem his people from their pagan oppressors

Scene 1: From Jerusalem to Rome Scene 2: And into All the World

This in-between time, after Jesus’ first coming and before he comes again, is a time of mission for the exalted Christ, the Spirit, and the Church

Here at Pentecost the Spirit of God comes with the sign of fire as a token of the powerful presence of God bringing the life of the kingdom The world of the Bible is our world, and its story of redemption is

also our story. This story is waiting for an ending – in part because we ourselves have a role to play before all is concluded

If our lives are to be shaped and formed by Scripture, we need to know the biblical

story well, to feel it in our bones. To do this, we must also know our own place

within it – where we are in the story

In Jesus Christ that goal of cosmic redemption was first revealed and then accomplished: the words of Jesus from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), declare redemption to be complete already, even though its final revelation waits in the future

• Spiritual Battle• Twenty-four elders and four living creatures bow before God and

worship him• Scroll with seven seals

Torah or Law of MosesGenesisExodus

DeuteronomyLeviticusNumbers

From the undated past

From the undated past

Patriarchal Stage 2165-1804 BC Exodus Stage 1804-1405 BC Conquest Stage 1405-1382 BC Judges Stage 1382-1043 BC United Kingdom Stage 1043-931 BC Chaotic Kingdom Stage 931-605 BC Captivity Stage 605-620 BC Return Stage 538-400 BC

Gospel Stage 5 BC-30 AD

“the lesser light”

“the greater light”

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will

they were created and have their being (Revelation 4:11)

Fifth day: the creation of fish and fowlSixth day: the creation of land creatures and manSeventh day: God rests

The Lord God (Yahweh Elohim) walks in the garden with Adam and Eve and shows the most intimate, personal

concern for them, their needs, and their responsibilities

The Lord God

Self

The World• work• politics• care of the environment, and so on

Fellow Humans

A Biblical Understanding of Humanity

Othniel Ehud Shamgar Barak Gideon Tola Deborah

Jair Jephthah Ibzan Elon Abdon SamsonSaul David Samuel Solomon

Elijah Elisha Micah Jeremiah Zechariah Jonah Isaiah Zephaniah Daniel Joel Amos Habakkuk Ezekiel Haggai Malachi Hosea Nahum Obadiah

Prophets

ProphetsContinue

ProphetsContinue

Exile

Simon Andrew John James Philip Nathanael Matthew Thaddaeus James the less Simon the Zealot Thomas Judas IscariotPeter (Bartholomew) (Levi) (Jude)

Twelve Apostles

When one begins to look at the cross through the lens of the resurrection, what at first appears to be foolishness is really the wisdom of God. What seemed to be weakness is really the power of God, conquering human rebellion and Satanic evil. What appears to be humiliation is a revelation of the glory of God. God’s self-giving love, mercy, faithfulness, grace, justice, and righteousness are revealed in the event by which God

accomplishes the salvation of his creation. What seems to the world to be Jesus’ defeat, the early church proclaims to be his surpassing victory over all the enemies who stand opposed to God’s good creation

Early Church Stage 30-68 AD Epistle Stage 45-100 AD

Jesus Commissions His Disciples

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you”

(John 20:21)

• Martyrdom of Stephen

• Conversion of Saul

The good news of the kingdom cannot remain locked up in Jerusalem.

It must reach “to the ends of the earth”

The New Testament depicts the early church as it continues the kingdom mission of Jesus. Hence, if we are to understand our own mission today,

we must take account of Israel’s initial God-given task, of how Jesus fulfilled it, and of how the early church continued the work

Following the apostles, the church is sent – Sent with the gospel of the kingdom to make disciples of all nations, to feed the hungry, to proclaim the assurance that in the name of Christ there is forgiveness of sin and new life for all who repent and believe- To tell the

news that our world belongs to God. In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices, this mission is central to our being, for we announce the one name that

saves… We rejoice that the Spirit is waking us to see our mission in God’s world

The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world. To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere, without fitting in, as lights in the darkness, as salt in a spoiling world

James (45) Galatians (49 ) Ephesians (60) 1 Peter (68) 1 Thessalonians (51) Colossians (61) 2 Peter (68) 2 Thessalonians (51) Philippians (61)Jude (68) 1 Corinthians (56) Philemon (62) 2 Corinthians (56) 1 Timothy (62) 1 John (95) Romans (57) Titus (66) 2 John (95) 2 Timothy (67) 3 John (95) Hebrews (59) Revelation (95)

A comprehensive redemption also means that human cultural development and work will continue. The cultural achievements of history will be purified and will reappear on

the new earth (Revelation 21:24-26). There will be opportunity for humankind to continue to work and develop the creation – but now released from the burden of sin

Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Moses Joshua

Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation

Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall

Act 3 The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated

Interlude A Kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period

Act 4 The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished

Act 5 Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church

Act 6 The Return of the King: Redemption Completed

Act 1 God Establishes His KingdomEssential Points: - Genesis 1 focus is not about how God created, but about God’s original intention for His creation, and must be understood in context. - Genesis 1 teaches about God, Humankind and the World. -- God: Eternal, One, Distinct from creation, Sovereign King over creation, Powerful, Personal. -- Humankind: Creature, Relationship with God, In His image (similar to and different from God), Male and female, Rule over creation. -- Good (variety, harmony), Ordered by God’s word, Historical, Kingdom.

Act 2 Rebellion in the KingdomEssential Points: - Satanic temptation, Freedom to choose, Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Choose to live by God’s word; or, Choose to live by Satan’s word). - Nature of Sin: -- Autonomy (Making oneself source of right/wrong, good/bad, true/false). --Covenant rebellion (Refusing allegiance to rightful King). - Consequences of Sin: -- Alienated from God (Gen. 3.8,23). -- Damaged relations with each other (Gen. 1.12-16). -- Death (Gen. 1.19). -- Non-human creation cursed (Gen. 1.17). -- Creational task burdened (Gen. 1.16-19). - God did not turn His back on a world bent on destruction; He turned His face to our corruptness in love, and with patience and care put in place His plan of redemption for all creation.

Act 3 The King Chooses IsraelEssential Points: - God’s response of promise and judgment to sin. -- All goodness of creation is polluted by sin (Gen. 4). -- Faithful to promise (Gen. 3.15); Adam to Noah. -- Judgment (Gen. 6-9); Flood. - God’s purpose remains constant: Noahic covenant (New Start with Noah and creation). - Covenant: A bond, In blood, Sovereignly administered. - Abrahamic Covenant: Blessed to Be a Blessing. -- From 5-fold curse of Gen. 3-11 to 5-fold blessing of Gen. 12.2-3. -- Through Abraham God will reverse the curse of sin. -- Gen 12, Promise; Gen 15: Established; Gen 17: Confirmed. - Isaac, Jacob, Joseph: Promises of covenant repeated to each patriarch. - Exodus: Formation of a People. Israel formed (Exod 1-18), bound to God in covenant (Exod 19-24), God comes to dwell with His people (Exod 25-40). - Israel is bound to God in covenant – Mount Sinai. -- Covenant: God is King, Israel subject people, All of Israel’s life subject to God’s rule, Law. -- Law: Ten Commandments (Exod 20.1-17). - God prepares to indwell Israel. Instructions for Tabernacle (Exod 25-31), Israel unworthy of God’s presence (32-34), God indwells Israel on basis of love (35-40). - Leviticus: Living with a Holy God. Sacrifices and offerings, Ceremonial law, Feasts. - Numbers: Journeying to the Land. God’s testing, Israel’s disobedience and unbelief, God’s judgment and faithfulness. - Deuteronomy: On the Borders of the Land. God’s faithfulness to Israel (Deut. 1.6-4.40); God’s covenant law (Deut. 4.44-28). - Joshua: The Gift of the Land. The Lord leads Israel to the Land (Josh. 1-5.12), gives Israel the land (Josh. 5.13-12), allocates the land (13-22), and the Lord renews the covenant (Josh. 23-24). - Judges: Failure to be Display People. Israel fails to take land, disobedience leads to cycles of judgment; Distress, Cries out, Deliverer, Rest, Sin, Anger, Oppression, back to Distress. - Samuel: Israel Transformed into a Kingdom. The need for a king, God’s kind of king, Saul rules unfaithfully, David rules faithfully. - After David and Solomon the following kings are unfaithful and the kingdom is rent in two. -- Israel deported by Assyria (722 BC) -- Judah exiled by Babylon (586 BC) - Ezra and Nehemiah: Israel Returns to the Land. -- Cyrus allows Israel to return (539 BC) -- Zerubbabel rebuilds temple, Ezra reforms people, Nehemiah rebuilds city walls.

Interlude A Kingdom Story Waiting for an EndingEssential Points: - Under Pagan Rule: --Persian (until 331 BC). --Greeks. --- Alexander (331-323 BC) --- Ptolemies in Egypt (323-198 BC) --- Seleucids in Syria (198-142 BC) --Israel’s independence (142-63 BC) -- Rome (63 BC – NT period)

Act 4 The Coming of the KingEssential Points: - Kingdom: Jesus announces the arrival of the kingdom (Mk. 1.15-17; Lk. 4.21). - A New Way: Love of enemies; unconditional forgiveness; readiness to suffer; peacemakers. - The reign of God is already present (Matt. 12.28); yet not arrived in fullness (Matt. 7.21). - Kingdom Mission: Announces, Reveals, Source of power (Abba, Holy Spirit, prayer), Gathers a kingdom community, Welcomes sinners and outcasts, Explains kingdom of God with parables, Embodies the kingdom in His life. -- Correcting wrong notions of kingdom through parables: --- Parable of the weeds (Matt. 13.24-30). Kingdom does not come all at once. --- Parable of the sower (Matt. 13.1-23). Kingdom does not come in immediate and irresistible power. Hidden in a humble form. Conflict and suffering. --- Parable of weeds and net (Matt. 13.24-30; 47-52). Final judgment of the kingdom will not come immediately. Judgment reserved for future. --- Parables of lost son, lost coin, and lost sheep (Lk. 15.1-32). Kingdom is not Jewish kingdom reserved for wealthy and righteous. Gentiles, poor, sinners (Lk. 14.15). - Who is Jesus? Prophet (Lk. 9.19), Messiah (Lk. 9.20), Son of God (Lk. 9.35; Matt. 16.16), Son of Man (Lk. 9.22), Chosen servant (Lk. 9.35). - Death of Jesus: Paradox (Power in Weakness, Victory in Defeat, Purpose of all history in Meaningless cruelty). Jesus died to restore His creation…we participate in that new creation as we trust in Christ. - The Risen Lord Commissions His Disciples: Make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt. 28.19-20).

Act 5 Spreading the News of the KingEssential Points: - Acts tells the story of the continuing mission of the exalted Christ by the Spirit from the witness in Jerusalem to the world. - Paul’s Teaching: The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus’ death and resurrection, Nurture the life of Christ (Build on a foundation, grow to maturity), We have new life and new obedience, Live Christ-like lives for the sake of the world, Christ will come again. - Our Place in the Story: We are called to continue Israel’s mission as channels of blessing (Gen. 12.2-3; Gal. 3.14), as light to the world (Is. 46.6; Matt. 5.14-16). To continue Jesus’ mission, “as the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (John 20.21).

Act 6 The Return of the KingEssential Points: - The end of the story (Rev. 21.1-5): Old order passes away, New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, “Now the dwelling of God is with men,” Sin and its effects are removed, “I am making everything new.” - Events preceding the end: Jesus returns, Resurrection of the body, Final judgment, Renewal of creation. - “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col. 1.19-20).

God’s royal stewards, put here to develop the hidden potentials in God’s creation so that the whole of it may

celebrate his glory

Work CitedBartholomew, Graig G. and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture – Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. Michigan: Baker Academic, 2004. Print. Ibid. “Class Resources.” Scripture & Worldview (1999). December 11, 2012. <http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/about/resources/.

Willmington, H. L. Willmington’s Guide to the Bible. Illinois: Tyndale House, 1983. Print.

“Every part of the Bible – each event, book, character, command, prophecy, and poem – must be understood in the context of the one story line.”

“If our lives are to be shaped by the story of Scripture, we need to understand two things well: the biblical story is a compelling unity on which we may depend, and each of us has a place within that story.”

- Israel’s Faith during this time -- One God -- Israel chosen by God -- Torah defined Israel’s life -- Holy belonged to Israel -- Hope for future act of God- Growing Hatred -- For Gentile oppressors -- For compromising Jews