Understanding the Bible: A Journey Through Covenants

Devotional

Day 1: Intentionality in Bible Study

To truly benefit from the Word of God, it's crucial to find a dedicated time and space for study, free from distractions. This intentionality allows us to hear God's voice and record His insights, ensuring they guide our lives. [04:01]
The Bible is not just a book to be read casually; it is a divine tool meant to transform our lives. To engage with it meaningfully, one must approach it with intentionality. This means setting aside a specific time and place where distractions are minimized, allowing for a focused and deep study. In this dedicated space, you can open your heart to hear God's voice and record the insights He provides. This practice not only enriches your understanding but also ensures that these divine insights guide your daily life.
Intentional Bible study is about creating a rhythm in your life where God's Word becomes a central part of your day. It is in these moments of quiet reflection and study that you can truly connect with the divine narrative and allow it to shape your thoughts, actions, and decisions. By prioritizing this time, you are inviting God to speak into your life, offering guidance, wisdom, and encouragement.

Psalm 119:105-106 (ESV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules."

Reflection: What specific time and place can you dedicate to studying the Bible this week, ensuring it becomes a consistent part of your daily routine?

Day 2: The Bible's Unified Story

Despite being written over centuries by diverse authors, the Bible tells a cohesive story, pointing to one divine author—God. This unity underscores the Bible's divine inspiration and its role as God's autobiography and redemption plan for humanity. [11:06]
The Bible is a remarkable collection of 66 books written over 1600 years by 40 different authors from various backgrounds and cultures. Despite this diversity, it tells a unified story that points to one divine author—God. This unity is not a coincidence but a testament to the Bible's divine inspiration. It serves as God's autobiography, revealing His character, His love for humanity, and His plan for redemption.
The cohesive narrative of the Bible underscores its role as a guide for humanity. It is not just a historical document but a living testament to God's ongoing work in the world. As you read and study the Bible, you are invited to see the bigger picture of God's plan and how it unfolds through history. This understanding can deepen your faith and provide a sense of purpose and direction in your own life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: How does understanding the Bible as a unified story change the way you approach reading it?

Day 3: Covenants and Transformation

The Old Testament's covenants with Abraham and Moses highlight humanity's struggle with sin and the need for a savior. The New Testament introduces a new covenant through Jesus, focusing on internal transformation and a personal relationship with God. [18:46]
The Old Testament is rich with stories of covenants—sacred agreements between God and His people. These covenants, such as those with Abraham and Moses, reveal humanity's ongoing struggle with sin and the need for a savior. Despite humanity's repeated failures, these covenants foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law and establishes a new covenant.
This new covenant, introduced in the New Testament, shifts the focus from external adherence to the law to internal transformation. It emphasizes a personal relationship with God, where the law is written on our hearts. This transformation is not about following rules but about a deep, personal connection with God that changes us from the inside out.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Reflection: In what ways can you invite God to transform your heart and deepen your relationship with Him today?

Day 4: The Bible's Purpose

The Bible is not meant to conform to our lifestyles but to transform them. It serves as a guide for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training, equipping us for every good work and aligning our lives with God's will. [13:54]
The purpose of the Bible is not to fit neatly into our existing lifestyles but to challenge and transform them. It is a divine guide that teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains us in righteousness. Through its teachings, the Bible equips us for every good work, aligning our lives with God's will and purpose.
As you engage with the Bible, it calls you to examine your life and make changes that reflect God's character and values. This transformation is not always easy, but it is essential for spiritual growth and maturity. By allowing the Bible to shape your life, you are opening yourself to the fullness of God's plan and purpose for you.

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Reflection: What is one area of your life that the Bible is challenging you to transform, and how can you take a step towards that change today?

Day 5: The Journey from Eden to Paradise

The Bible begins with God and righteous people in Eden and ends with redeemed people in paradise. This journey emphasizes God's desire for a relationship with us, fulfilled through Jesus Christ, who stands at the center of the Bible's narrative. [40:42]
The Bible's narrative arc takes us on a journey from the creation of the world in Eden to the promise of a new paradise. This journey highlights God's unwavering desire for a relationship with humanity. Despite humanity's fall into sin, God's plan for redemption unfolds through the pages of Scripture, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus stands at the center of this narrative, fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament and ushering in a new era of grace and redemption. Through Him, we are invited into a restored relationship with God, one that promises eternal life in paradise. This journey from Eden to paradise is a testament to God's love and faithfulness, offering hope and assurance to all who believe.

Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV): "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.'"

Reflection: How does the promise of a restored paradise through Jesus Christ impact your understanding of God's plan for your life and your relationship with Him?

Sermon Summary

Influence Church is embarking on a new series titled "What the Bible is All About," designed to deepen our understanding of the Bible over the next four weeks. This series is a response to the feedback received from our Easter survey, where many expressed a desire for more guidance in comprehending the Bible. Each week, we will explore different sections of the Bible, starting today with the Old Testament. The aim is to present the Bible as a life-giving, hope-bringing Word of God, encouraging us to find the right time and approach to study it deeply and intentionally.

The Bible, often misunderstood, is not just a book but a collection of 66 books written over 1600 years by 40 different authors across three continents. Despite the diversity of its authors—ranging from poets to kings—the Bible tells a unified story, which is only possible because it has one true author: God. The Bible is God-breathed and serves as a tool for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is not meant to fit our lifestyles; rather, our lives should align with its teachings.

Today, we delved into the Old Testament, which is centered around covenants—agreements between God and His people. The Old Testament highlights the covenants with Abraham and Moses, showcasing humanity's repeated failures to uphold these agreements. Yet, it also foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law and establishes a new covenant written on our hearts. This new covenant, unlike the old, is about internal transformation rather than external adherence to the law.

The Old Testament sets the stage for the New Testament, which focuses on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It contrasts the law written on tablets with the law written on our hearts, emphasizing a relationship with God that transforms us from the inside out. As we journey through this series, the goal is to equip you with the tools and understanding to engage with the Bible meaningfully, allowing it to shape your life and relationship with God.

Key Takeaways

1. Intentional Bible Study: To truly benefit from the Word of God, it's crucial to find a dedicated time and space for study, free from distractions. This intentionality allows us to hear God's voice and record His insights, ensuring they guide our lives. [04:01]
2. The Bible's Unified Story: Despite being written over centuries by diverse authors, the Bible tells a cohesive story, pointing to one divine author—God. This unity underscores the Bible's divine inspiration and its role as God's autobiography and redemption plan for humanity. [11:06]
3. Covenants and Transformation: The Old Testament's covenants with Abraham and Moses highlight humanity's struggle with sin and the need for a savior. The New Testament introduces a new covenant through Jesus, focusing on internal transformation and a personal relationship with God. [18:46]
4. The Bible's Purpose: The Bible is not meant to conform to our lifestyles but to transform them. It serves as a guide for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training, equipping us for every good work and aligning our lives with God's will. [13:54]
5. The Journey from Eden to Paradise: The Bible begins with God and righteous people in Eden and ends with redeemed people in paradise. This journey emphasizes God's desire for a relationship with us, fulfilled through Jesus Christ, who stands at the center of the Bible's narrative. [40:42]
** [40:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:57] - Introduction to the Series
[04:01] - Importance of Intentional Bible Study
[05:12] - Finding Your Best Time for Study
[06:12] - Tools and Resources for Understanding
[07:57] - The Bible's Origin and Structure
[09:54] - The Bible's Unified Story
[11:06] - The Bible's Diverse Authors
[13:54] - Purpose of the Bible
[15:22] - Old Testament Covenants
[17:04] - The Role of the Old Testament
[18:46] - Old vs. New Testament
[20:28] - Jesus and the New Covenant
[21:57] - Understanding the Bible's Structure
[22:53] - Overview of Old Testament Books
[24:50] - The Story of the Old Testament
[28:44] - The Law and the Covenants
[33:52] - Prophecies of Jesus
[36:11] - The New Covenant Fulfilled
[37:21] - Relationship with God
[38:26] - The Bible's Narrative Arc
[40:42] - From Eden to Paradise
[41:43] - Understanding Paradise
[43:11] - Invitation to Relationship with God
[44:21] - Closing Prayer and Next Steps

Sermon Clips

1) "We will try to present it to you in a way that will help you realize that the Bible, the Word of God, it's life-giving. It's lifting you up and brings hope when it's done right. To get the best out of the Word of God, you should be studying when you have some specific time. Like when the kids are running through the house, probably that's not the perfect time to study the Bible. Or when you are in a fight with your spouse, hopefully not too often, that's not the time to study the Bible. So you have to find the perfect time that you can set aside, where you are going to learn more from the Word of God." [03:33] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "The Bible was not written to fit our lifestyle. Our lifestyle should fit the Bible. Let me say it again. The Bible was not written to fit our lifestyle. Our lifestyles should fit the Bible. And why all of this teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training? Training. Because the next verse, Apostle Paul is saying, so that the servant of God, that means you and I, may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. For your relations with others, for your marriage, for your business, for your finances, for everything that you do, for every good work. It's useful to each one of us. The Bible is God's autobiography. It is God's redemption plan of mankind." [14:12] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The Old Testament tells a story about a people, about Israel. The New Testament tells a story about a person, and that is Jesus Christ. Which, by the way, Kelly will talk about this next week when we are going to talk about the Gospels and Jesus. The Old Testament centers around Abraham and Moses. The New Testament centers around Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is taking care of it all, and now we have the Holy Spirit inside of us to empower us to live it out. The Old Testament gathers around Mount Sinai. That was last. That was given. The New Testament gathers around the cross because that's where the covenant was fulfilled." [18:46] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "The Old Testament writes a law on tablets. It's out. It's external on tablets. It's a rule of book. It's a rule book that has to be followed. The New Testament writes the law on our hearts. It's internally. It's on us. It's in us. The first one, you have to do it. The second one, you have to do it. The third one, you want to do it because it's in you. It's who you become. So, the question is, do we still read Old Testament then? Of course, we do. Jesus said this in Matthew 5, verse 17." [20:28] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "God allows for the whole Old Testament to happen to show us that we cannot do it through our own. To our own strength, to our own works. We cannot work our way in heaven, to heaven. Now, something else that is very interesting is that in the Old Testament, we have around 400 times predictions or prophecies about Jesus, about this new covenant. One time, one for all. And all 400 prophecies actually were fulfilled through the letter, through Jesus Christ." [33:52] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Let me say it this way. If you see the relationship with God and the redemption plan through the Old Testament eyes, you know that saying or the verse that's saying, if you love me, you will keep my commands. So if you see it through the Old Testament, that means if you love me, you will prove me and keep my commands. If that's the Old Testament. If you see the same verse through the New Testament eyes, if you love me, you will obey my command. You'll obey my commands. Don't worry about it. If you love me, if you have me in your heart, in your mind, no problem. You will obey my commands because it's inside." [37:21] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "This is what the whole Bible is all about. It's starting with God and righteous people in Garden of Eden with his desire to have a relation with his humankind, with his creation. And it's going to end with us being with Jesus in paradise again. And through the whole process, it's just showing us that we need to have a relationship with God. And we need to have a relationship with God. And we need to have a relationship with God. And we need to have a relationship with God. And we need to have a relationship with Jesus in our life. Jesus Christ, it's at the top. The Bible, the whole Bible, it's about the Savior. It's about Jesus Christ. It's about the relation that he wants to have with each one of us." [41:43] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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