Studies In Christianity

Christian Living #8 The Theme of the Bible

In our last lesson we observed : 1. The scriptures teach us about God. 2. The scriptures lead us to salvation. 3. The scriptures teach us how to please God. 4. The scriptures teach us what we need to know to build our relationship with God.

The redemption and reconciliation of sinful man to God The overarching theme that links these. The redemption and reconciliation of sinful man to God

I. The origin of man’s isolation from God.

God created the world exactly as He would have it to be. Matthew 5: 48 – Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Isaiah 6: 3 – And one ( seraphim ) called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

All that God created is pure and holy. Genesis 1: 10 – He called them seas; and God saw that it was good Genesis 1: 12 – The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1: 31 – God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

From the best of these good things God planted a garden for Himself. Genesis 2: 15 – Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2: 18 – Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.

Genesis 1: 28 – God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and overthe birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 2: 16 – The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."

The garden was the place where God communed with His creation. Genesis 3: 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, " Where are you?"

II. Sin has horrible consequences.

Sin caused Adam and Eve to be expelled. God did not stop loving them when they sinned. However, they could no longer approach God.

I Corinthians 15: 33 – Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals.” Psalm 5: 4 – For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; Isaiah 59: 1 – Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

All Sin is a rejection of God. Ezekiel 20: 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them. ( cf – Vs.- 16 )

toward returning man to fellowship with Him. III. God has continually worked toward returning man to fellowship with Him.

any such reunification As the sovereign ruler, any such reunification must be on His terms.

The first mention of one coming to affect such a reunification is Genesis 3. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."

The all-knowing God planned for redemption before He created man. I Peter 1: 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God,

events point toward the Many Old Testament events point toward the coming of the Messiah.

There are more than 700 references to the coming Messiah in the Old Testament.

the fulfilment of these 700 prophecies and more. IV. This week the world remembers the fulfilment of these 700 prophecies and more.

The angel Gabriel appeared to a young virgin in Nazareth of Galilee. Luke 1: 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

Gabriel told Mary she would conceive and bear a son. Luke 1: 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

Matthew 1: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, " Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Luke 2: 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, " Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

Luke 2: 14 " Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

Luke 2: 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

What is your response ?

This is the theme of the entire bible.

The realization that a Savior is born should be great joy to us.

Around this table we remember why Jesus came and why He was sacrificed … for our sins.