BobVigneault
Bawberator
This Lord's Day I will be preaching at a Lutheran Church. My usual custom when preaching at an arminian church is to preach on the sovereignty or attributes of God or the sufficiency of scripture. This time I have a strong unction to preach on redemptive history as a back drop for understanding the scriptures. It's the kick off of a new Sunday School season. Particularly I want to show them how Christ saturates the Old Testament, kind of a brief intro to covenant theology.
Here's my outline:
I will begin with 1 Cor 10:1-5 where Paul says that Jesus was the Rock that followed the Israelites through the wilderness and gave them living water.
I will then take them back to Exodus 17:1-7 and read the original context where Moses struck the rock and it brought forth water. They will be bewildered and wonder where Jesus is in that story.
I want them to understand that the Bible is not a book of moralistic stories and hero stories but that Christ is everywhere revealing the plan of redemption.
I will take the Exodus passage apart for them. Demonstrate how God said he would stand before the people, a shocking statement, a reversal of the norm; that God is putting himself on trial, that Moses the judge is striking God with the rod of justice. The murmuring Israelites have sinned horribly yet God is taking the judgment and punishment on himself. Once struck he pours forth life giving and sustaining blessing.
It's a beautiful and vivid picture of Christ's redemption.
I will then take them back to Gen 3 and read about the emnity that God put between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan. How this sets the pattern for redemptive history. I will do a brief survey of some well known stories that demonstrate this pattern. Moses (seed of the woman) going up against Pharoah (seed of Satan); David going against Goliath, at the end of the story David cuts off his head. Jael driving a tent peg through Sisera's head. Herod's attempt to kill the seed in his slaughter of the innocents. The climax will be the cross where the redemption of God's people is finished.
At this point they should begin to see this unifying theme of scripture and learn to expect to find it elsewhere.
My theme is redemption and how God has provided for the redemption of his people.
Here's where I'm stuck. I need a personal application for this sermon. I need to bring it to their every day life. Help me to come up with a good and God honoring application. Thank you.
Here's my outline:
I will begin with 1 Cor 10:1-5 where Paul says that Jesus was the Rock that followed the Israelites through the wilderness and gave them living water.
I will then take them back to Exodus 17:1-7 and read the original context where Moses struck the rock and it brought forth water. They will be bewildered and wonder where Jesus is in that story.
I want them to understand that the Bible is not a book of moralistic stories and hero stories but that Christ is everywhere revealing the plan of redemption.
I will take the Exodus passage apart for them. Demonstrate how God said he would stand before the people, a shocking statement, a reversal of the norm; that God is putting himself on trial, that Moses the judge is striking God with the rod of justice. The murmuring Israelites have sinned horribly yet God is taking the judgment and punishment on himself. Once struck he pours forth life giving and sustaining blessing.
It's a beautiful and vivid picture of Christ's redemption.
I will then take them back to Gen 3 and read about the emnity that God put between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan. How this sets the pattern for redemptive history. I will do a brief survey of some well known stories that demonstrate this pattern. Moses (seed of the woman) going up against Pharoah (seed of Satan); David going against Goliath, at the end of the story David cuts off his head. Jael driving a tent peg through Sisera's head. Herod's attempt to kill the seed in his slaughter of the innocents. The climax will be the cross where the redemption of God's people is finished.
At this point they should begin to see this unifying theme of scripture and learn to expect to find it elsewhere.
My theme is redemption and how God has provided for the redemption of his people.
Here's where I'm stuck. I need a personal application for this sermon. I need to bring it to their every day life. Help me to come up with a good and God honoring application. Thank you.