True and Better
In today's world, many struggle to connect with the Bible. It can feel like a dusty rulebook, full of obscure stories with little relevance to our lives. But what if I told you the Bible is actually a grand narrative with Jesus Christ at its core? This revelation transformed my understanding of scripture, and I owe a debt of gratitude to Tim Keller and Ed Clowney's course "Preaching Christ in a Post-Modern World."
As our church is working through the book of Hebrews, there is a solid theme, “Jesus is the true and better version of everything you’ve seen in the Old Covenant.”
I hope to share this quote this Sunday, but wanted to send it out in advance to give us all time to contemplate it:
“All the individual stories point us to Jesus, as we locate them in the history of redemption.
Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the temptation test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us (1 Cor 15).
Jesus is the true Abel who though innocently slain has blood that cries out for our acquittal, not our condemnation (Heb 12:24).
Jesus is the true Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the familiar and got out into the void “not knowing whither he went!”
Jesus is the true “Isaac” who is the son of the laughter of grace who was offered up for us all.
He is the true Jacob, who wrestled with God and took the blow of justice we deserved so we like Jacob only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up.
He is the true Joseph, who at the right hand of the king forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant (Heb.3).
He is the true Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice. now gives us water in the desert.
He is the true Joshua who is the general of the Lord’s army.
He is the true and better Job—the only innocent sufferer who then intercedes for his friends (Job 42).
Jesus is the better Samson. whose death accomplishes so much good (Judges 16:31).
He is the true David, whose victory becomes his people’s victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true “Teacher” (Ecclesiastes) who may lead us through despair to help us find God.
He is the true Jonah who went into the belly of the earth and so the people could be saved.”
The Bible’s really not about you – it’s about him. — Tim Keller & Edmund Clowney
With You;
Pastor Tim
