Embracing the Old Testament: Faith, Hope, and Mission

Devotional

Day 1: Biblical Literacy as a Path to Spiritual Growth

Engaging with the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is not merely an academic pursuit but a spiritual discipline that shapes our identity as followers of Jesus. The scriptures, though not written directly to us, were written for us, and understanding their context and message requires effort. This engagement is crucial for spiritual growth and hope, as it helps us understand our faith and identity. The Old Testament, often seen as difficult and confusing, is a vital part of our faith journey, providing a narrative that teaches us about God's character and our relationship with Him. [04:33]

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your understanding of the Old Testament and its relevance to your life today?

Day 2: The Old Testament as Our Spiritual Heritage

The Old Testament is not just a collection of ancient stories but a narrative that provides hope and teaches us about God's character and our relationship with Him. It is our spiritual heritage, offering encouragement and endurance through the stories of figures like Abraham. These stories are not just historical accounts but are deeply connected to our spiritual journey, revealing a God who desires to bless and partner with humanity. [08:12]

"Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." (1 Corinthians 10:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you see your own life story as part of the larger narrative of God's work in the world, and what does that mean for your daily walk with Him?

Day 3: Trusting in God's Faithfulness Amidst Human Failure

The narrative of the Old Testament reveals a God who is faithful despite human shortcomings. It is a story of God's unwavering faithfulness amidst human failure, inviting us to trust in His promises and participate in His mission. This story calls us to recognize our own failures and God's grace, encouraging us to live out our faith in tangible ways by extending God's blessing to others. [15:23]

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." (Deuteronomy 7:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust in God's faithfulness, and how can you begin to surrender those areas to Him today?

Day 4: A God Who Provides and Desires Relationship

Unlike ancient gods who demanded sacrifices, our God provides and blesses. The story of Abraham and Isaac illustrates a God who desires relationship and partnership with humanity. This God does not demand sacrifice but provides it, showing His desire to bless and partner with us. This understanding of God's nature invites us to trust in His provision and to join Him in His work of reconciliation and restoration. [27:52]

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son." (Genesis 22:13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively seek to deepen your relationship with God, trusting in His provision and guidance in your life?

Day 5: Called to Mission and Service

We are called to live out our faith by extending God's blessing to others. This involves trusting in God's provision and joining Him in His work of reconciliation and restoration. It is not just a call to personal piety but to a life of mission and service, reflecting the love and grace of God to a world in need. This invitation extends to us today, calling us to trust in God's promises and to participate in His mission to bless the world. [43:51]

"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." (Genesis 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life can you reach out to this week to extend God's blessing and love, and what specific actions can you take to serve them?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of biblical literacy, we are reminded of the importance of engaging deeply with the scriptures, particularly the Old Testament. This engagement is not just an academic exercise but a spiritual discipline that shapes our identity as followers of Jesus. The Bible, though not written to us, was written for us, and it requires effort to understand its context and message. The Old Testament, often seen as difficult and confusing, is a vital part of our faith journey. It is not merely a collection of ancient stories but a narrative that provides hope and teaches us about God's character and our relationship with Him.

Paul's writings in Romans and Corinthians highlight that the Old Testament was written to teach us endurance and provide encouragement, ultimately leading us to hope. The stories of figures like Abraham are not just historical accounts but are deeply connected to our spiritual heritage. Abraham's story, particularly the account of his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, reveals a God who is different from the gods of ancient religions. This God does not demand sacrifice but provides it, showing His desire to bless and partner with humanity.

The narrative of the Old Testament is a story of God's faithfulness amidst human failure. It is a story of a God who invites us into a covenant relationship, not based on our merit but on His grace and love. This invitation extends to us today, calling us to trust in God's promises and to participate in His mission to bless the world. As we read these ancient texts, we are reminded that we are part of a larger story, a story that calls us to live out our faith in tangible ways, extending God's blessing to others.

The challenge for us is to see ourselves in this story, to recognize our own failures and God's unwavering faithfulness. We are invited to trust in God's provision and to join Him in His work of reconciliation and restoration. This is not just a call to personal piety but to a life of mission and service, reflecting the love and grace of God to a world in need.

Key Takeaways

1. Biblical Literacy as Spiritual Discipline: Engaging with the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is crucial for understanding our faith and identity. It requires effort to grasp its context and message, but it is essential for spiritual growth and hope. [04:33]
2. The Old Testament's Relevance: The Old Testament is not just history; it is our spiritual heritage. It teaches us about God's character and our relationship with Him, providing hope and encouragement. [08:12]
3. God's Faithfulness Amidst Human Failure: The narrative of the Old Testament reveals a God who is faithful despite human shortcomings. This story invites us to trust in God's promises and participate in His mission. [15:23]
4. A God Who Provides, Not Demands: Unlike ancient gods who demanded sacrifices, our God provides and blesses. The story of Abraham and Isaac illustrates a God who desires relationship and partnership with humanity. [27:52]
5. Invitation to Mission and Service: We are called to live out our faith by extending God's blessing to others. This involves trusting in God's provision and joining Him in His work of reconciliation and restoration. [43:51]
** [43:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:33] - Importance of Biblical Literacy
[08:12] - Relevance of the Old Testament
[11:14] - Understanding the Bible as Story
[15:23] - Israel's Story as Our Story
[17:55] - Honest Portrayal of Human Nature
[20:49] - Ancient Religious Systems
[23:51] - Abraham's Test of Faith
[25:43] - God's Provision and Promise
[27:52] - The Nature of God
[31:41] - God's Mission Through Abraham
[34:53] - A God of Blessing and Invitation
[38:45] - Hope Through Scripture
[41:21] - Trusting in God's Faithfulness
[43:51] - Call to Mission and Service

Sermon Clips

"The big idea, and it's not really a series, it's sort of like a container to capture like five other series that we've been doing throughout this year, this year of biblical literacy. It's that we are trying to become more literate with the Bible because what you behold and what you believe shapes so much of who you are and who you are becoming." [00:00:19] (25 seconds)

"What happens is we stop reading the scriptures ourselves. We stop knowing and understanding the larger biblical narrative. We become a bit untethered. And then when crisis comes, we find ourselves pulled off. Or often what can happen is we project onto ourselves what we think that Jesus says, what we think the Gospels say, what we think the Old Testament is about." [00:01:16] (23 seconds)

"Paul is looking back at a very ancient story and saying, as he's talking about faith in Jesus, and faith in this modern world, and faith for the Gentiles, that this wasn't just for Abraham. This was for us. So the first thing I just want you to grab hold of is the Bible was not written to us. It was written for us." [00:06:17] (22 seconds)

"Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance taught in the scriptures. Now, if Paul's talking about the scriptures, what is he talking about? What are the scriptures for Paul? Old Testament. Paul doesn't have, when he's referring to the scriptures, he's not referring to his own letters that he hasn't written yet." [00:07:59] (29 seconds)

"Apparently, becoming really biblically literate, especially about the Old Testament, especially about this part in the biblical drama and story that we're at now, creation, fall, and now Israel, this large chunk. Apparently, it produces hope in us. Can y 'all say hope? Hope. It's a bit of a decoder ring." [00:09:15] (26 seconds)

"Bible is not a rule book, primarily it is a story book showing you what happens when people choose faithfulness or unfaithfulness, when they trust or when they distrust. Now, flip over to 1 Corinthians 10. Stay with me. Paul is writing to a mostly non -Jewish church here in Corinth. And yet he says this." [00:12:46] (28 seconds)

"Israel's history, which is actually technically not your history, is now your history. You following me? It's pretty wild. It's adoption language. It's actually, this is part of your story and your history. Paul then goes on to draw these parallels. Israel passed through the Red Sea when we passed through baptism. Israel received manna when we received bread and wine." [00:14:11] (25 seconds)

"These things happen to them as examples and were written down as warnings to us on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So if you think that you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. He's like, this is just a story of people relating to God. And God is faithful." [00:15:46] (21 seconds)

"Abraham knows how religion works. We can just assume. And here in this moment, God provides. God blesses. We have a picture of a God who isn't like all of the other gods. It is a story like so many stories in the Old Testament, like Noah's Ark. There are lots of flood stories in different cultures." [00:28:23] (28 seconds)

"God calls Abraham to be the father of the new tribe that has a radically different purpose a tribe that exists to bless all the other tribes not one to fight wars to prove their gods were stronger not ones to wipe out their enemies not to claim their wealth if you lost this tribe wasn't about dominance it was meant to be about blessing." [00:36:50] (28 seconds)

"God's faithfulness didn't stop with Abraham. He was faithful when Abraham doubted, when Israel rebelled. He was faithful, right, when Jesus carried the cross. And he's faithful right now. The same faithfulness is available for you. And it is this hope that we have that God will make a way where there seems to be none. That's all." [00:39:26] (25 seconds)

"That when you say yes and you begin to trust Him, you find yourself swept up into His family and into this story. And these stories actually become your stories. And you claim them just like Paul does again and again and again. I claim that story of God's faithfulness despite my brokenness, despite my indiscretion, despite my hurt." [00:42:10] (22 seconds)

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