1. 9 Marks of a healthy church Week 3 – biblical Theology
Jonathan Leeman
Ligonier.org

2. What do you think are the marks of a healthy church? Class Thoughts:

3. Last WeeK: mark #1 – Expositional Preaching
What is the key difference between expositional preaching and topical preaching?
Mark Dever said, “The passage shapes the message rather than the message shaping the passage”
How does Dever contrast preaching with salvation?
Our salvation consists in hearing God in ways we would not have guessed prior to our conversion

4. Last Week - Mark #1: Expository Preaching
Jesus identifies himself as the “logos” – the word
We have faith in the Word (the Bible) and in Jesus himself
Romans 10:14-17 – faith comes by hearing “the WORD”
“We can create a people by all kinds of other means - choir program, building project, a denominational identity or a community of care groups or opportunities for socializing, groups for young mothers, or singles or men’s groups…..or even around the personality of a pastor!”
“But, we can only see the people of GOD, the church of GOD, created around the WORD of GOD”

5. 9 Marks – Last week: Expository preaching
Dever says, “If you want to grow as a Christian, you don’t need a ‘fresh word from God’, you need to read your bible”
How is his word used in our lives and the lives of the congregation?
By the Holy Spirit
God’s HS creates his people by God’s word – that is what the bible teaches!
Paul’s advice to Timothy in 1 Tim 4:13, 2 Tim 4:2, Acts 6:1-4
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching”

6. 9 Marks – Mark #2: biblical theology Or – “How do we read our bibles?”

7. Mark #2 - biblical theology
What is Biblical Theology?
Faithful to what the bible says?
“Theology that strives to read every biblical text in light of the metanarrative or story line of the entire bible and how that story works in the person and work of Jesus Christ”
What is hermeneutics?
A means of interpretation
Single book, one divine author telling one overall story
DA Carson: Biblical Theology seeks to uncover and articulate the unity of all the biblical texts taken together, resorting primarily to the categories of those texts themselves.”
Tom Shreiner, “Biblical Theology asks what themes are central to the biblical writers in their historical context, and attempts to discern the coherence of such themes.”

8. The Bible – How Can we read it?
Classroom text
Practical Application or “How to” text
Law book, poetry
“Magical incantations”?
Would you use Judges as a means of evangelism?
What does it teach?

9. Mark #2 - Biblical theology
We can only understand the parts of that story from the perspective of how they contribute to the whole story
Judges is only significant in light of Jesus wins
I Corinthians 15:1-2 “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”
I Peter 1:25 – “This word is the good news I preached to you.”
Our job is to ask is how does this contribute to storyline of the whole?

10. Four Quick Biblical Proofs that the entire bible points to Jesus
Luke 24:44-47
This is what is written – He opened their minds to the law, the prophets and the psalms
“Biblical Theology is reading and teaching the bible like Jesus does”
John 5:39
“Scriptures testify about ME, don’t just use it like a law book”

11. Mark #2 Biblical Theology
I Corinthians 15:3-4 – entire chapter is the crux of our faith
Paul says he received the gospel from someone else – from who?
Paul wrote I Corinthians in AD after having visited Corinth in 51 AD.
Scholars believe Paul converted in 32 AD
Galatians 1: “To become acquainted with Cephas” uses “hestereto” where we get the word, “History”. Also the Greek word used outside the NT for “investigative reporter.”
Paul gets confirmation from Peter about the gospel that he is preaching around 35 AD.
Hebrews
Law, angels, Moses, sabbath, high priest, tabernacle, sacrifices and the entire OT points to Jesus

12. Samson
How does Samson story help us understand the metanarrative of the bible?
Samson was a God anointed judge
Endued with power by the Holy Spirit
Betrayed by one he loved
Handed over to the enemies of God’s people to rescue God’s people by giving his life to those very enemies
Samson ought to help us wonder about Jesus!

13. What Difference does Biblical theology make?
1. Centers our preaching and teaching on the Gospel, not moralism
We love moralism, practical living and motivational talks
“Jesus did not come to make bad men good, he came to make dead men alive” – Ravi Z

14. Mark #2 Biblical theology
2. It protects us from error
False churches do what?
Distort the text and preach what the people want to hear; message is about the people, not Christ
Deuteronomy 28
Verse 9: “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.”
Link between obedience and blessings, but more than that
We deserve God’s curse because we don’t measure up on our own
We need Christ to be clean before a Holy God
Don’t lose sight of the metanarrative

15. Mark #2 Biblical Theology
Shapes Leidy’s Mission
They emerge from the gospel
Drives Worship
Revelation 5

16. Next Week – Mark #3 - The Gospel
Give ’em Heaven!!