Midtown: Bible Stories Week 1

     An important question that you need to ask yourself is "Who is the Bible really about?" Many people may see the Bible, especially the Old Testament, as a book of helpful stories that give good life advice or perhaps they see it as a list of rules meant to make God happy in order to get His blessing. An important point to make sure we all understand is that the Bible is NOT about moralism! A group of people who live their life perfectly according to God's word are no better than those who don't. No one is perfect so it is impossible to do exactly everything that God wants. We are sinful by nature that is why God sent his son Jesus to die for us. No amount of human effort can fix the problems of man. 

     We are not meant to fear God because he is trying to fix our brokenness and keep us from sinning. In Exodus 20: 20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you and keep you from sinning." 

     The stories of the Bible are not meant to be a set of rules we need to follow in order to get into heaven. It does not mean that you must obey God or fear being swallowed by a whale like Jonah. Instead the Bible is about Jesus! Jesus is the one true prophet who can speak life into the soul. He is the one who can mediate between man and God. 

     The Old Testament is testifying to Jesus, it is not a moralistic rule book by which we are meant to follow. In John 5: 39-40 Jesus says "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These  are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." We must turn to Jesus to have life!

When reading the Old Testament ask yourself these three questions:

1. In what way does this text reveal the character of God?

2. What insight does this text give into the nature of humanity and sin?

3. How does this text foreshadow or point to Jesus?

"Blessed are all who fear the Lord, 

who walk in his ways. 

You will eat the fruit of your labor; 

blessings and prosperity will be yours."

Psalm 128: 1-2