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We are all familiar with power lines running down our streets and roads, bringing power to the masses. We have all seen the fenced in enclosures where the transformers are kept. We have even (most likely) driven down a back road or on a path in the woods and seen a gap in the trees creating a path for the power lines through the wilderness. All my life, my mother has spoken up about following a power line when we passed these gaps. (and never once done it) (how do you make the "annoying" emoji??) What you may or may not realize is that there is a great power line that runs through the Bible. Let's look...
Today's "Big Question" is this -- Why Does the Old Testament Matter??
Our guest preacher today, Nate Parks, was assigned this message. Let's join him in exploring the answer.
Last week we saw God creating the world and His purpose in creating us. That was Genesis 1 and 2. Chapter 3 tells us the story of how quickly we failed in that purpose. Adam and Eve ate the fruit because they thought they had a better idea than God. This disconnected us from God and lays the foundation for the power line we will be following.
This journey actually starts slightly beyond the end of the line, goes to the beginning, and comes back through. Hope you've got your hikers on...
Our trek begins in Acts 3. The promise of the Holy Spirit has come in Chapter 2, and the Apostles are ready for action. Verse one shows Peter and John heading into the Temple for afternoon prayers. (in these early days, Christianity was faith added to Jewish tradition) They are going through a gate where a crippled man was known to sit and beg alms. Peter doesn't have anything, but heals him with the newly acquired power from God. After the man stood up, Peter noticed that the onlookers were surprised. He responds by telling them it wasn't his own power that healed the man, but the power of the same God looked to by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is the power line we will be following --
Now we'll "drive the car" back to the starting point.
Turn with me to Genesis 12. This is where God calls Abram out of his home in Ur. (southeastern Iraq today) Verses 2 and 3 are ones many of us are familiar with - "I will make to you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse: and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." --- Power line!!*
The next "poles" are the following --
Gen. 15:3-6 -- Abram still has no heir, but God tells him to look at the stars as a picture of what his future would be. God credits his faith as righteousness. Covenant begins. Reading further gives the basis for Jewish sacrifices later and indication of the full measure of the land promised. God used these sacrifices as a preview to Jesus' suffering.
Gen. 17 God changes Abram's name to Abraham to increase his faith. Covenant of circumcision established. Preview to the circumcision of our hearts in Salvation.
Gen. 22 Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac is a picture of God's sacrifice of Jesus.* God promises blessing by Abraham's offspring based on this obedience.
Gen. 26:1-5 Isaac blessed by God and promise of offspring like stars echoed.
Gen. 28:10-14 Jacob's Ladder. God promises offspring as dust of earth.
Gen. 32:22-32 Jacob wrestles with Angel. Name changed to Israel. (read passage for full meaning) Jacob has 12 sons, including Judah, from which Jesus will eventually emerge.
There you have it, the first "poles of the power line" that led to Jesus. There are many more, obviously, but these are the most prominent ones for today's "hike". This shows why the New Testament cannot be fully understood or appreciated without the Old.* The "transformer" that powers the New Testament lies on the "property" of the Old Testament.
Now back to the point we started from...
Continuing in Acts 3, starting back in verse 13 where we left off - Peter is telling the crowd how they rejected Jesus, handed Him over to be killed, etc... verse 15 "You killed the Author of Life... you acted in ignorance... but this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets... (that was the "bad news") Verse 19 brings the "good news", "Repent, then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out..."
We see here that Jesus' sacrifice is the power running through the line that reconnects man to God. The connection broken by Adam and Eve back in the Garden. Any time we think we have a better idea than God, we just don't. The problem cannot fix the problem. Only another source can do that. Only Jesus qualified for that job. The only way to connect with God is through Jesus. (Jn. 14:6)
To close, we will look at just 2 more scriptures here --
Galatians 3:7-9 says that all believers are "sons of Abraham" and that Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, therefore, all nations of the earth are blessed. Promise fulfilled!!
And as a benediction, Nate used John 16:32-33 -- "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. you will leave me all alone, Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." He has empowered us to live in this world... Amen and God Bless!!
Footnotes -
Some think that God changed His plans at the last minute when things weren't working out with His people. This power line proves otherwise. As does the Flood Story, actually, as God wouldn't have bothered saving anyone if He were done with us entirely.
Some of you may have heard about the controversy around Andy Stanley early last year concerning his view of the OT. I have a friend who actually attends his Church and I was able to read an article that links to the 3 part sermon series he was doing on the subject. People were just taking what he said about "divorcing the OT from Christianity" as a blanket statement.
Here's the truth -- He was basing his thoughts in Acts 15 where James is asked how new Gentile Christians should be handled. He responded that they should only be asked to keep 3 of the lesser Laws and let the rest go. This was so that the Law would not be a deterrent to new believers. This is Andy Stanley's exact point. Don't overwhelm people. Just share the Gospel and save the background for later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DN2j0B09aQ Who doesn't remember this song??
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