The Altogether Lovely One III: Seeing Scripture Christocentricly

See Jordan’s study, Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church - shop.mediagrat...
If we are going to see growth in our Christian lives, we must learn to see Christ through the entirety of the Bible. When the New Testament was written, the writers constantly pointed back to the Old Testament to make Jesus known. When Paul tells the Corinthians that his only objective was to make Christ known, he was talking not just in his preaching and writing but also every aspect of his life. He was a man truly marked by his love for and preoccupation with the person of Jesus Christ.
So how can we follow that example? How can we be a people so preoccupied with Jesus that he permeates every conversation, every thought, every action? We are fallen people who still struggle with sin, so this will be a battle. But we will be given every grace of God to fight the battle well. The entirety of Scripture is the best weapon and tool we have in this warfare.
But this emphasis isn’t just for the individual Christian life. It is for the corporate life as well. How can a local expression of Christ’s bride have a preoccupation with our Redeemer? How can a pastor lead in such a way that his flock gazes upon Jesus every worship service? John and Jordan ask and seek to provide some answers to these questions in this week’s episode.
Show Notes:
See Jordan’s study, Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church - shop.mediagrat...
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[@sheilascott2877]

Amen. May this be our hearts desire to promote Christ's love and be preoccupied with Him!

[@d.michaelhogg6443]

This is just one of many reason I donate to Media Gratiae, your podcast are so filled with Christ our King and I just want to thank all of you . What a blessing you all have been in my family and I . Blessings in Christ love Michael

[@brianSalem541]

Another helpful book is "The Church in the Shadow of Empire" by Preston Sprinkle.

[@jeffdowns1038]

I just started teaching on this subject, perhaps this will interest some (my lesson from last night): Luke 24:27, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Moses = Pentateuch (first 5 books of the OT) Prophet = Major & Minor Prophet (size of the book) All the Scriptures - the rest of the books, or the OT as a whole. Notice (v. 32) “he opened to us the Scriptures.” Concerning himself (all about Jesus). Bold claim. Luke 24:44-47 (to His 11 disciples, see, v. 33) “Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Law of Moses = Pentateuch (first 5 books of the OT) Prophets = Major & Minor Prophet (size of the book) Psalms - Scriptures - all the Old Testament His person (v. 44) “everything about me.” His work (46, 47) “it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” 1 Cor. 15:1-3 “Now I would remind you of the gospel I preached to you…3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” Paul is reminded them of the gospel (good news) “First importance.” Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised on the third day. All, “in accordance with the Scriptures.” Romans 1:1-4, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord Gospel (good news) Paul defined what it was (1 Cor. 15) Jesus said what it was (Luke 24:46, 47) Paul says (v. 2) it was “promised beforehand through his prophet in the holy scriptures.” “Prophets,” is being used generically - those who spoke the word of God (see Acts 2:30, Gen. 20:7) Notice that the book of Romans is bookended with this gospel Roman 1:1, 2 (see above) “ the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures” Romans 16:21-26, “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations” Galatians 3:8, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” Luke 9:21, 22 “And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (See also 9:43 on Jesus predicting His death) Death (“killed") and Resurrection (“raised”) Luke 18:31-33, “And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” Death (“kill Him”) & Resurrection (“the third day He will rise”) It “is written…” = the scriptures (Old Testament) John 1:45, Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 5:39, 46, 47, You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” Scriptures = Old Testament Scriptures - “testify about Me (person) He (Moses) wrote about me (Jesus) John 20:8, 9 “8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” “The Scripture” = the Old Testament His work - “that He must rise from dead.” Acts 17:2,3, And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” From the Scriptures = the Old Testament Christ = the Messiah (His person) Suffer (i.e. be killed) and “rise from the dead” (His work) Acts 28:23, When they had set a day for Paul, people came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Jesus - the messiah (His person) Law of Moses Prophets This should blow our minds!!! Jesus & the disciples/apostles say over and over again that the Old Testament (the Scriptures, Moses, prophets, Psalms) are all about the person and work of christ. Acts 2:29-32 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. “Foresaw and spoke” - which is written for us. “God raised up” = Resurrection which demands that he was dead (just not stated). Peter is quoting the Psalm 16 and applying it to (saying it’s about) Jesus.