11.01.2015 Tough Questions - To Understand the God of the Old Testament, You Must Seek to Understand Jesus

11.01.2015 Grace Summit Sermon from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

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Lord, thank You that You are moving in and among our lives – help us to be aware of Your presence, because You are present – I don’t think we comprehend what that means – the God is here – in our midst – it is an honor and may be a little scary – we live our lives in the presence of God. Help us to focus our attention on You this morning – clear our hearts and minds so You can speak. We are all in different places – and yet, You can take all these different people with all these concerns and direct a specific message for each of us – You can do this because You are God.
We are going to be closing off the doubts that people have about the Bible. We have focused the past two weeks on Scripture – and how there may be a challenge of faith or history in the Bible. Today – the big question many have – when we look at the Bible – people say they like Jesus and the God of the New Testament, but not so much the God of the Old Testament.
In Jesus we see love, grace, compassion, forgiveness, and they say, that is a God I am drawn to – but in the Old Testament – people see a cruel God who is vengeful and interested in smiting all the enemies of Israel. In the OT – we have an appearance of a God who appears to command genocide, and In the New Testament, we have Jesus saying – never pay back evil for evil – turn the other cheek – love everyone…
So how do we reconcile this? Or do we even try? Is it necessary to try?
The Bible – which, at times, not everyone deals with this – so if this is not an issue to you – sit back and know that you know people for whom this is an issue – The Bible gives answers to these questions if and only if we let the Bible tell us WHO God is. We have this concept we’ve grown up with – in Christian culture – that are really wrong. In some ways – we believe many correct things – but we also believe many that are not correct.
We need to understand the Bible the way the Bible tells us to understand the Bible.
Heb. 1: 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
The Bible was written throughout a lot of history – but it is all going somewhere. From the writing of Genesis 1:1 to the end of Malachi, it is all moving in one direction with one aim – a climax where all these diverse types of Scripture are moving toward – and it is important to understand what that direction is. The Old Testament is an ancient book written to an ancient people in ancient times. It is not a science book. It is not written AS a history book, it is not a manual – what it is is the divinely inspired word of God.
We tend to read it as we learned to read history books in schools. These weren’t Americans and didn’t think like Americans.
Take the Creation story – there are two accounts – Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Genesis 1 is filled with poetry. In Hebrew it is more obvious than in English. The second is more a story – prose. We must understand that there is an enormous gap between us and those who wrote the Bible – a canyon of language, time, and culture – and at times, it makes it hard to understand the Old Testament. It is important to be humble and acknowledge this – there will be things that are hard to understand because of how we live – and it is not through a lack of faith.
It was hard for the people of the OT to understand the Bible – but I believe that was purposeful – and I will make some suggestions why.
We know the NT folks had a hard time understanding the Bible because Jesus spent a lot of time explaining how they didn’t understand it.
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Jesus is superior. The speaking of God’s word through Jesus is superior to everything – including the Bible. We make the Bible the fourth person of the Godhead. The Bible is not God. It is His word, but Jesus is God. And it is only through Jesus that we can understand the Bible. The Bible records who Jesus is and His words. Jesus is a reflection of God’s glory. The word glory comes up a lot – radiance of His glory – it focuses on God’s power and His presence. In the Old Testament – God’s glory – when described - is always veiled and hidden. We see God’s glory in smoke and fire. When God’s presence would show up, things would be blowing up! Smoking! And the people could not get too close, or they would DIE! This glory is hidden – and they cannot make it out what it is like.
In Jesus, Hebrews tells us – that which was hidden – which you could not look on – could be touched and felt – think of the disciples even shaking Jesus’ hand! In the OT – they couldn’t get near the mountain without dying. They had to put caution tape up! But in Jesus – they could touch the glory – God was fully revealed in Jesus. When we look at Jesus, what we see is exactly what God looks like – in every way – that is his character, His nature, the way He thinks, lives, and treats people.
What is most amazing – the focus of God’s glory is on the cross. The best picture of God’s character is seen at the cross. Being God means you sacrifice out of love for your enemy – those who hate you.
When we think about that – and look at the OT – what does that mean? There are a lot of explanations for the OT stories – and I could give those to you.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
When our kids were little – the imprint/the impress – is His identity mark. The kids had these stamps – like a dinosaur – when you look at the stamp – you can’t figure out how it looks – but when you stamp it on the paper – there it is!
That is what Jesus does – He makes it obvious and clear what God is like. If you have Jesus, you have the God of the Old Testament – there is nothing in the OT that is not found in Jesus. If you misunderstand the God of the Old Testament – you misunderstand Jesus.
John 1:1 – in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
Logos – the readers understood the concept – a divine creator – a supreme being – Logos – all of you know this – and it has been revealed as Jesus.
Like today – scientists talking about the Creation event – The Big Bang – they have an idea – but they don’t know where it all came from. If John were here – he would be saying – all these things you are discovering and cannot see and what you are looking for – that is Jesus. The Word became flesh – and it is Jesus – who took up residence among us. God became a human.
We saw His glory – we see God’s power and presence in human form – the Glory is full of grace and truth. In the OT – the glory is full of fire and smoke – in Jesus, the glory is full of grace and truth! Wow! That is different! And certainly different from the 1st century view of God’s glory.
Grace and truth – some tend to separate them – but they go together and they tell of God’s faithfulness to His promises.
In vs. 16 of John 1 – For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
Not just a little grace, but grace upon grace – mercy, kindness, compassion – poured out over and over through Jesus – it is overwhelming, multiplying provision of Grace.
John 1: 16 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Exodus 33: 12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” 19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Again – Moses could not look on God’s face – but could only look on God’s back leaving in the distance – but we get to see Jesus face to face – to see the glory of God – the goodness, compassion, faithfulness, truth – in our lives.
John 1: 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
He unveils that which was veiled.
We live in a time where that is what our lives are – we can live in a relationship with the God of the universe – we can know Him and experience Him in our lives. We can be in His presence continually at any moment in time.
So how does this affect our reading of the Bible?
John 5: 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people.
Jesus Himself said that He is the center and purpose of the Scriptures. The Bible points us to Jesus. All parts of the Bible direct us to Jesus. Jesus is the key to unlocking all of Scripture.
Luke 24: 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Can you imagine being with Jesus explaining all of the OT to people – let me show you what this says about Me…
We get focused on so many other things that we lose sight of Jesus. We read our Bibles to make lists and all these things to do – but we fail to focus on Jesus – and Jesus says – You foolish people when you do this!
Let me give you an illustration – Dave Brunelle gave this to me – we have a projector – there is a light bulb that is shining – and there is a beam of light moving from the projector to here – and all along that beam is the exact same image – every part of that image is in that beam – but I can’t make it out by looking at the beam. It is not until it hits the screen that it is revealed. That is what the Bible is like – when the light hits Jesus – it become obvious – it is all right there in front of us now. So in order to get the Bible, we need to get Jesus.
Matthew 15: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Oh yeah? Says who? Jesus says – Remember Daniel? He would not defile himself with the king’s food – but Jesus says – it is NOT what goes in that defiles! They were trying to look at the beam to figure it out.
11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Because that comes from the heart. And all these OT verses were not about food – they were about hearts! We make it about food – but it is not about food – it is about hearts!
Matthew 5: 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Jesus is saying the ultimate reality is no retribution – change the way we think and move in the direction the Bible itself says to move.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. When we look at the violence of the OT – Canaan and such – all Jesus tells us is that we are to love our enemy – that is how we are to live as Christians
Even in the OT – we see this movement – Isaiah – the Lion shall lay with the lamb – they will turn their swords into plowshares.
Let’s pray…