Audio by genre understanding_the_old_testament

• The purpose of this talk is to convince you of the value of exploring the Old Testament,/n-and to begin the journey.

• We read the creation account, and then look at how the rest of the Bible reflects on, and adds to, the event.
• We end with the key question:
• How are WE to respond to the creation?

• It is so important to grasp the Big Story of the Old Testament so as to make sense of the hundreds of small stories.
• To just watch the 4 min animation, go to go.church.to/arc

• Why did the disciples get so excited when Jesus opened up the meaning of the Old Testament to them?
• Learn about types and shadows and you will see!

• How we can make sense of the Flood account in Genesis,
• see how it connects with Jesus,
• and how it still speaks to us today.

• To understand the covenants is both the beginning and the end of the quest for truth.
• For in them we can grasp how the Creator relates to humanity.

• If the Law was for the Jews, what about everyone else?
• Does the Law have any value in the New Covenant under Jesus?
• Plus other questions.

• Light is a key theme in Scripture, and as we put together references from the whole Bible, we see a beautifully unified theme what brings hope, and direction for living.

• There’s a fresh start for humanity with Abraham and Sarah, a new Adam and Eve but with a very different requirement.
• Instead of law, they are under faith, with the requirement of simply trusting that he will be with them.

• If we can grasp the big picture of God’s plan for humanity, it will not only help us understand the Bible, but hugely empower and energize us for the Christian life.

• When we see how the images of Eden in the Bible all hang together in a beautiful way, it bring us so much hope and leads us towards victory.

• All our problems as Christians, come down to the fact that although we are a New Creation, we are still living in the Old.
• Answering this problem leads to true victory.

• Archeology shows us that Bible history and world history are the same.
• We don’t need evidence from archaeology to prove to us that God is real but it can be a great encouragement to see where things match up.

• Behind idolatry is our fear, and a need to gain control when we are powerless.
• Once we get how it worked in the Old Testament it is very easy to see how we fall into this trap ourselves on a daily basis.

• Seeing this theme throught the Bible will help us to take encouragement from some very powerful words from God in the Old Testament.
• We now see how they speak into our lives.

• Seeing the big story of Israel allows us to get a glimpse into the heart of God that is deeply revealing and affecting.

• When we see how God’s promises and prophecies to Israel fit with the New Testament and beyond,
  like Paul we will not be able to help bursting out in praises to God.

• Many people feel that the Old Testament God wanted to be feared but there’s a different God in the New who has banished fear.
• The solution to this problem is very rarely understood, even by Christians, and extremely important.

• Understanding God’s compassion is vital for living an authentic Christian life.
• It shines most brightly in the N.T. in Jesus, but there are some remarkable stories in the Old, demonstrating that God does not change.

• Quite often, when people start reading the Old Testament. they hit roadblocks such as
  • obscure language,
  • stories that seem to condone violence or abuse,
  • and moose strange or problematic laws, for example regarding women.

• A word that is so rich, so precious, and so heart-warming has been tragically misunderstood in recent centuries.
• God’s holiness a positive quality very closely linked to his love, and it is so important that we connect with this.

we clear up some problems with other Old Testament passages
and dig deeper into the meaning.

• Having presented a new understanding of this incredibly important word,

• How does our new understanding of holiness fit with some N.T. passages that seem to be equating it with purity.
• By making an extra step in our definition, we can tie everything together in a way that not only makes sense but is helpful and motivating,

• We can gain a deeper appreciation of what Jesus does for us by examining the picture given to us of O.T. priests.

• Why did God not tell us everything about himself right at the start?
• Because it is only in the context of an unfolding relationship that we can begin grasp the richness of who he is.
• Join us in this exciting journey!

• Have you ever been in a situation when it looks like something really bad could happen? We take an example of how to relate Old Testament stories to our own lives in a way that is faithful to the context, and also immensely encouraging!

• From Abraham and Moses to the ‘Stanford Marshmallow Experiment’, endurance is a common human experience.
• The Bible gives us three ways that not only help us endure, but turn it from a negative to a positive experience.

• Have you had times of darkness in your life?
• We work through how we should read Old Testament passages so that they speak accurately into our situation./n-God says, “just hold on to me and I will never forsake you”

• Part 1 is the unfolding story of the presence of God with humanity, from the beginnig of Genesis through the Bible.
• Then the second part in about experiencing him right now, using Psalm 16 as a guide.
• Come on this journey with us now!

• God has so much for you, and longs to satisfy you with the very best
• So what is stopping him?
• The same thing as in Psalm 81 where he longed to bless Israel, but they did not “shema”.
• This word is the key that will open all the blessings.

• Sometimes we think of God as being too serious to be interested in beauty.
• But creating beauty is core to his very nature, and when we do the same, we are being God-like.
• Yet there in an extra dimension of beauty that comes by the Spirit.

• The goal is to provide an understanding of how Hebrew Poetry works
• so we can be better able to take in it’s beauty and power
• so as to fill us with joy in our amazing God.

• We cam understand Psalm 20 at three levels:
• the Artistry,
• the Truth it expresses,
• and the Powerful Message that speaks to our hearts.

• This message aims to help us get more out of reading the Prophetic books in the O.T.
• by understanding what they are about
• and how they can speak to us.

• When you see what Jesus is really claiming here, it is both shocking and motiviating.
• An incredible parable that is often misunderstood.

• There is a golden thread that runs through the Bible from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.
• It is the story of the battle between the Serpent and the line of the promised Saviour, full of drama and climaxes in total victory.

• Life can bring discouragements, and Satan loves to pull us away from God.
• In this extraordinary story from the book of Ezra that is exactly what happened.
• But what is so encouraging for us is the surprising way that God turned defeat into victory.

• Rather than being someone who was hidden till Pentecost,
• the Holy Spirit was an active agent in the Old Creation,
• worked tirelessly to prepare the way for Jesus,
• and is now working in us,
• bringing dry bones to life in the New Creation.

• This is an incredible promise, but can we take it personally?
• If we understand the context, the meaning, and our part in it, the answer is yes!
• What an encouragement!

• Circumcision: Meaning, Significance and Practical Insights
• When we see how neatly the Old and New Testaments connect together on this issue, it brings such clarity, not only to understanding the Bible, but also our own identity.

• This story of a new beginning for Israel has a compelling message for our own lives as we move forward into a new season, with precise New Covenant parallels to the Old Covenant symbols.

• The Psalm does not directly provide an answer, but there is an answer which is beyond our dreams.

• Seven suggestions about the kinds of prayers that God responds to, based on stories found in the Bible.

• As we dive deeper into this account, we see more and more of the challenges, conceptual reversals and artistry in the narrative composition, with an exciting conclusion.

• A core teaching of the Bible that is often missed, and that is deeply encouraging.

• Let’s take this distant story in a distant land at a distant time under a hot sun
• and connect it to us right hear and now in Toronto
• so that it means something very directly and specifically to us.

• God says, “Even when you have grey hair, I will carry you.
  I made you and I will support you;” (Is 46:4)
• Do you believe this, or are you investing everything in the idols of this age which will not be there for you in the end?

• How is it that the events of our lives don’t always seem to match up with the promises of God?
• It turns out that this is not just a personal struggle for a few, but one of the central themes of the Bible.

• Sometimes we can feel God was leading us, but end up in a bad place.
• How should we understand this if this happens?
• and guard against it happening to us?

• Learning a few basic ideas about how to read the Prophets can make a huge difference in how well we can understand and connect with the message.
• Many people today think the Old Testament God is harsh and angry, but a correct reading of Isaiah 5 paints an entirely different picture.

• On the surface these prophecies against other nations can seem like unrelenting destruction,
  but on closer inspection there is a surprising revelation of the true heart of God in love and mercy,
  which culminated in the sending of his own son to die for the sins of his enemies.

• The goal is to help us notice themes when we are reading the O.T. prophets, and capture the hope and excitement of their vision of the future.

• When you really understand the New Covenant, it will transform your life, bring you into a new freedom, and enrich your relationship with God.
• Sadly it is rarely explained, and most Christians are not entirely free from the Old.

• When you really understand the New Covenant, it will transform your life, bring you into a new freedom, and enrich your relationship with God.
• Sadly it is rarely explained, and most Christians are not entirely free from the Old.

• In this extraordinary story, God replaced his old way of speaking with a new way, through Jesus.
• It is imperative that you learn to hear this voice.

• While simple on the surface, some interesting and important questions come up, like
• ‘What about this is actually new?’ and
• ‘If it is part of our new nature, why should it require effort?’
• together with asking what it might look like in our lives.

• Passover was the central memorial feast of the Old Covenant,
• and while celebrating it with his disciples, Jesus replaced it with a new feast,
• saying ‘this is the New covenant in my blood, do this in remembrance of me!’
• We explore 7 ways in which it connects with us.

• If we can see how it all fits together, not only does it make more sense, but it speaks to us in a new way.