{podcast id=260}
Sermon preached at Christ the King on Sunday 21 July 2013
Series: Who is the King? And what has happened to his people? A short history of God and his people. A study guide can be downloaded here.
Bible Readings: Exodus 6.1-9; Psalm 90; Romans 9.1-18; Matthew 1.17-25
Why Paul is upset about the apparent unbelief of Israel, and an introduction to the back story of why Christ came and whether Israel will be saved.
{podcast id=98}
First in a series on Death and Resurrection preached in Jakarta on 30 June 2013
{podcast id=99}
2nd in a series on Death and Resurrection preached in Jakarta on 7 July 2013
{podcast id=100}
3rd in a series on death and resurrection preached in Jakarta on 14 July 2013
I have just come back from warm and rainy Jakarta. While I was there I had an interesting conversation with two young university students about predestination. Predestination is a favourite conundrum for lots of people. But it is difficult only when it is not defined properly (lots of problems are like that).
Many people think of it as a kind of determinism. Some as a description of a blue-print for life. But the Bible’s idea is much simpler: it has to do with the destination. Where does God want his people to end up? Where will the train terminate?
Another problem modern people have is that we read it as a question of individual destiny. But in the Bible it is first of all a matter of family destiny. In particular the destiny of the family of Abraham. At least Abraham as the key to the destiny of the whole race.
A Short History of God and his People
Sermons and Studies July—September 2013
| "Who is the King?" is available as a downloadable pdf file, ready to be printed as a small booklet. Click here to view, right click to save to your computer |
Would it make any difference if Jesus had been born in another place, at another time, of another race, as long as he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died and was raised again? Was the fact that he was born as a descendant of Abraham and David just an arbitrary fact? Or was he a vital part of the story of Abraham and David?
Or to ask it a different way, is the story of the Old Testament people of God a necessary part of the story of Jesus? Could we skip the Old Testament and still make sense of Jesus? Many Christians think so.
Another question is related to this: what is the point of all the stories of Jesus in the gospels? Are they there just for interest, or are they a necessary part of the gospel story?
These studies and sermons are meant to help us understand better how Jesus comes as the fulfillment of an Old Testament story. This means that it is Jesus who helps us make sense of the Old Testament, but it is also the Old Testament which helps understand who Jesus is and what he does.
They will help us see that the coming of Jesus is the return of God the King to his people to do what he promised to do long ago. I hope you gain from them.
|
July 21 |
What happened to God & his people? |
Romans 9.1-18 |
| July 28 |
Patriarchs & Promises | Genesis 17.1-22 |
| August 4 | A Kingdom of Priests | Exodus 19.3-6 |
| August 11 | Who is the King? | 1 Samuel 8.1-9 |
| August 18 | The King & the Kingdom | 2 Samuel 7.8-16 |
| August 25 | Where is the King? | Ezekiel 43.1-9 |
| September 1 | God is King again | Mk 8.27 - 9.1 |
| September 8 | The King of the Nations | Acts 28.23-31 |
| September 15 | The Gentiles are in the right? | Romans 9.19-33 |
Would it make any difference if Jesus had been born in another place, at another time, of another race, as long as he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died and was raised again? Was the fact that he was born as a descendant of Abraham and David just an arbitrary fact? Or was he a vital part of the story of Abraham and David?
Or to ask it a different way, is the story of the Old Testament people of God a necessary part of the story of Jesus? Could we skip the Old Testament and still make sense of Jesus? Many Christians think so.
Another question is related to this: what is the point of all the stories of Jesus in the gospels? Are they there just for interest, or are they a necessary part of the gospel story?
In the coming months (beginning on July 21) we will try to understand better how Jesus comes as the fulfillment of an Old Testament story. How Jesus helps us make sense of the Old Testament, and in turn how the Old Testament helps understand who Jesus is and what he does.
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