We will never see a gospel reformation happen

outside the church

UNTIL

We see a gospel reformation happen inside the

church.
Last week we covered

 The Mission of God Reveals to us the Missionary Nature of God

and His Church

 The Mission of God is for All Believers

 The Mission of God Clarifies Our Purpose in Life

 The Mission of God Has One Ultimate Benefit and that is God
Himself
 Things foundational to the Gospel

Many people inside the church assume that the gospel is only for
people outside the church.

They think that the gospel is for non-Christians only. This means
that when God saves us, we move beyond it to deeper spiritual
growth and development.

The gospel is NOT only the fire that ignites the Christian life but it
is the fire that keeps the Christian life growing and going. Because
Christian people continue to sin and the gospel is the only antidote
for sin then the gospel is something that we need on a daily basis.
The gospel is way more radical and liberating and
shocking and confrontational and disruptive and
counter intuitive than any of us realize.
 The primary enemy of the gospel is LEGALISM

It comes in two forms:

1. Some people try to be a legalists by keeping the rules, maintaining

the standards, if I keep the rules then I will be good enough to merit
the approval of God. (Front door legalism) those who are always
telling you how you are breaking the rules

2. Other people try to save themselves by breaking the rules and

developing their own autonomous selves. (Back door legalism)
PERSON #1 SAYS:
“I can find freedom and happiness if I just keep
the rules”

PERSON #2 SAYS:
“I can find freedom and happiness if I just break
the rules”

Both are legalistic because both represent self

salvation projects.
Do we understand that there is an obedience that dishonors God?
Turn to Colossians Chapter 2

Turn to Ephesians Chapter 4

Any obedience that is not grounded in and marinated in the gospel

will be long term unsustainable.

Paul understood and we should too that the imperatives minus the
indicatives equal impossible for us.

The engine of the gospel and God's radical and outrageous grace is
the only thing that can fuel a long and joyful Christian life.
The only way legalists start to have obedience that is pleasing to
God is when they get a radical taste of the gospel.

Critical for us to understand about Gospel-Centered Living

 The gospel focuses on the performance of Jesus for us and not

our performance for Him.

 The gospel is the good news is that God does not relate to us on
the basis of our feats done for Christ but on Christ's feats done for
us.

 My standing before God is not dependent on my obedience but

rather my standing before God is dependent on Christ's obedience
for me.
If you are a Christian it means that you have the Holy Spirit and you
have a longing to get better and a longing to please God and a
longing to desire and mature.

This is the sanctifying work of the Spirit that is rearranging and

reorganizing you in the affections and thoughts, so that you love the
things that God loves and you hate the things that God hates.

If you are a Christian then you want to grow, develop and get better.

The secret of gospel living is grounded in this very important

spiritual truth:

Our relationship with God is based on Christ's performance for us

rather than our performance for Him.
You need to be saturated in this fact that even if you never get much
better than you are right now, today that God will still love you and
fully accepts you.

The only way to get better in the Christian life is to daily recognize
and meditate on the fact that the relationship I have with God is not
based on my performance for Him but on the performance already
done and accomplished by Christ.

And when I really get this and incorporate this deep within my soul it
makes me want to obey Him more and NOT less.
Become obsessed with the work Jesus performed for you and you
will GROW become obsessed with your work for Jesus and you will
shrink.

No matter how hard you may try any engine smaller than the gospel
in which you are depending on for power to obey will run out of gas
in due time.

The gospel radically restructures our motivation

And the gospel restructures our message (Romans 6)

When Paul goes into Chapter 6 he is in essence saying "I know what
you are thinking."

After Paul teaches this incredible amount of Scripture from Chapter

1- 5 then he starts with "shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound"

What you might think next is that Paul would in order to defeat the
notion that he is all about grace that now he would start to emphasize
the law. Maybe Paul would say something like as follows; hey don't
take this grace thing too far there are rules that you need to keep.

But no he does not go there.

Instead he gives them more grace and preaches the gospel
 The gospel restructures our message

Disobedience happens NOT when we think too much about grace

but when we think too little about grace.

Disobedience happens in your life NOT because you need more

law and accountability and more slaps on the wrist but because you
need to go much further into GRACE.
Turn to 2 Corinthians 8

Paul has already done in Macedonia what he is now doing in

Corinth.He is taking up a collection for the relief of the saints,
which we see in 2 Corinthians 8:4. This probably has to do with
relief for the church in Jerusalem that was having some kind of
crisis, and the other churches were helping them out. And Paul,
while in Macedonia has something happen that just blows his
mind.
So in Chapter 8 we see that Paul is going to use the Macedonians
and what happened as an example to the church in Corinth.

I am going to describe this in language that we have studied and I

think to be consistent with the text in this chapter. We are being
able to witness in these verses what happens when the seed of the
gospel is planted in hearts that are fertile. Because we know that
wherever Paul goes his message is the gospel. So now we are
seeing what happens to a people when the gospel lands on them in
The first thing we can observe is that what happened in Macedonia is
due to the fact that GRACE (gospel) came down.

Second when grace fell affliction arrived. Hmmm...let's be sure we

see this and understand this because many today believe when Jesus
shows up everything gets better. But there is an important lesson to
learn right here. The affliction that the Macedonians face is NOT a
result of grace that has departed but the result of GRACE that has
arrived.

Third if we want to understand the mark of grace that shows up in

affliction we just need to read more in verse 2.
Because it tells us that the Macedonians had an abundance of joy in
their deep poverty. I told you on Sunday that when GRACE falls or
when GRACE arrives thee is radical change.
So we see in this text that when grace arrives affliction comes but
there is overwhelming joy even through their poverty. If that isn't
radical then I don't know what is!

Fourth do you see what flowed out from that joy? These
Macedonians under affliction and though they were poverty stricken
wanted to GIVE-GIVE-GIVE!
And we can see in verse 5 that the level they wanted to give was
beyond their ability. As a matter of fact in verse 4 we see that the
Macedonians are begging Paul and pleading with him that they can
do even more.

What has happened to this people to explain this kind of behavior?

These Macedonians are gospel saturated and motivated. Because
when GRACE FALLS - JOY RISES - LOVE OVERFLOWS.
Fifth there is NO indication that Paul commanded them to give
though as an apostle he had the authority.
But instead we read in verse 8 that he wasn't speaking to them as a
command.

Do you see why?

Because Paul knows that when Christian people rest in the already
accomplished work of Christ at the cross, the natural result is they
give financially, read their Bibles, go to church, feed the homeless,
and serve in the body.

You don't demand people do more you take them back to what has
been done for them by Christ.

Brothers and sisters may we during these next months cry out and
appeal to God like never before that He would open our eyes to the
gospel. May we see this amazing grace so clearly and wonderfully
that as it falls our joy might rise and love overflow in ways that are
Christ honoring and glorifying.
What Christians in the church need to learn
 Don't just do something sit there. In other words learn to sit and
soak in the finished work of Christ for you.
 Your obedience doesn't gain God's favor and your disobedience
doesn't forfeit God's favor.

Nothing in my hand I bring,

simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
 Purpose = “the glory of God”

Genesis Revelation
Plan = God’s unfolding and
progressive redemption of
mankind

The key to seeing and understanding the plan of redemption in

the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is “the kingdom of God.”
 Roots in
Genesis New Testament
ed
at
m ed
um r at
e ns gu
is Kingdom Pre-figured Co a u
rom m In
P ern g do d om
tt Ki
n ng
dom Pa Ki
ing om
K d
i ng
K

Creation - Fall - Redemption - Restoration

The Bible is written mostly in a narrative language that shows us

that God is headed to an end. It is God’s unfolding and
progressive plan of how He intends to redeem mankind.
 God’s unfolding and progressive redemption of mankind

Gen 1-2 Gen 3 Gen 12 Exodus Malachi Matt Rev

Kingdom
consummated
Kingdom
inaugurated
400
years
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom
Pattern Promise Pre-figured Fulfilled
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
Instead of looking at puzzle pieces, let’s understand the big picture
from Genesis to Revelation
Two excellent approaches to studying the Bible
Biblical Doctrine = circle
Biblical Theology = line
Illustration - the box top (Biblical theology) and the borders of
jigsaw puzzle (Bible doctrine)

Bible Doctrine is a complete look at all the Scripture in the area of

God, man, Christ, Spirit, salvation, church or the word

Whereas Biblical theology is a linear progression in the story of the

Bible from Genesis to Revelation (a tree laying sideways)
The Bible is difficult for us to read and understand because:
We have to learn how to stand in the language community of those
separated from us by thousands of years
The Old Testament makes up 2/3’s of our Bible and many aren’t sure
how it relates to the New Testament
The Bible is set up like a narrative that is progressing toward an end.

The Bible is not a myth, it is the inspired record in history in which

God Himself was at work through the authors in the history of
redemption.

A story has a beginning, middle and the end.

Therefore we need a good hermeneutical grid to help us interpret the
Scriptures properly.
An overview from Genesis to Revelation

There are 4 major points in “progressive revelation”

1. Creation eschatology
2. Fall of man (promise of Genesis 3:15)
3. Redemption established in Christ
 The provisional plan
 The permanent plan
4. Restoration (Revelation)

God creates Adam and gives him role as

 King - one who has royal dominion over all the earth
 Priest - one who is charged to protect his spiritual garden

Adam is given federal headship or vassal responsibility

 He is tested by the serpent
 If Adam passes the test he is to receive eternal life
God creates a cosmic temple in which the creatures and creation
enjoy ceaseless worship of God

Genesis starts out with great expectations but then disappointment

comes

Adam fails to keep God's command and therefore is subjected to

the curse and condemnation of God

God calls to Adam, and asks where are you?

In order for Adam and Eve to account for their actions

Adam because of his sin is exiled from the garden or land which
God has provided
The cherubim now block the way back to the tree of life
Adam's sin has tainted the very glory of God
But right at the time when all this comes crashing down after
Adam's sin and we expect the wrath and judgment of God, instead
we see "amazing" grace in the form of a promise

Gen. 3:15 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.”

This seed will finally give access to the tree of life in order for
mankind to have immortality and to manifest the glory of God
And this pattern is going to be repeated throughout the Bible
Great expectations will be laid out for the people of God but there
will be failure and disappointment that will bring judgment and
promise
From Genesis 3:15 we have redemptive eschatology in which God
will bring about the promise that He gives in Genesis 3:15

Notice that God doesn't bring Jesus Christ in right away instead He
waits approximately 4000 years but in the meantime prepares the
way through types and shadows or a typical system.

The first level is provisional (shadow or pointer or type)

The second level is permanent (substance or fulfillment)

The big plot

Creation
Fall
Redemption
Restoration
Ultimately this will be fulfilled in Christ who is the true second
Adam
The sub plot
These are all the types and shadows

Don't get these confused, again

Level 1 - provisional
Level 2 - permanent

God is like an artist or a novelist uses history as is His canvas

God is painting a picture, story or narrating a plot in order that we

might understand what is happening in Christ

After the creation and fall we come to the next major event which
is known as the FLOOD
God initiates a sub plot in Genesis 6:5-7
Gen. 6:5 ¶ Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was
great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually.
Gen. 6:6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth,
and He was grieved in His heart.
Gen. 6:7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have
created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping
things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made
them.”

This is a pointer for us back to the fall but this time we have Noah
who is going to be the second Adam as we read it is Noah who is
righteous

Noah as the second Adam obeys God and brings the animals into
the ark two by two in order to get ready to begin a new creation
If you put yourself in the story at this point, DON'T think through
the NT, Noah is right now the promised seed from Genesis 3:15
The flood represents judgment against all mankind just as God
judged man right after the fall

After the flood the animals exit the ark and we have a picture of a
new creation

So now we have a righteous Noah and a sacrifice that has been

made but then what happens?

The next scene is where we see that Noah gets drunk and his own
nakedness is exposed not unlike that of Adam and Eve in the garden
It is here when we expect the judgment of God that we in fact see
the promise in Genesis 9:25-27 which is the fulfillment of promise
in Genesis 3:15
The next major event is the covenant that God
makes with Abraham, as we see that God calls
Abraham from the Ur of the Chaldeans
God promises to Abraham a land that will be fruitful and have many
of his descendants

Again we see that God is fulfilling the promise that He originally

made in Genesis 3:15

And we see that Noah was not the true seed but only a type and
shadow, because the new creation did not happen

But now we see that God will do it through Abraham and his
descendants and the promise will be fulfilled as they crush the
serpents head

By executing judgment on the Canaanites they will be given the land

This is the land that is flowing with milk and honey and is for us a
picture of Eden
Abraham's descendants multiply and they end up in Egypt under
Joseph but they are enslaved under a new Pharaoh
The next major event we have is the Exodus
God did not forget to the promises to Abraham in Genesis 12, 15
and 17 as we can see in Exodus 2:23-24

Ex. 2:23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that
the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the
bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their
bondage rose up to God.
Ex. 2:24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God raises up Moses to be a deliverer of His people

So now we finally have the chosen seed, the one who will be the
second Adam, the second Noah, and just like Noah, God uses
Moses to save the people through the waters of divine judgment
But like Noah, Moses sins and he strikes the rock when he should
have spoken to it and therefore Moses can not go into the promised
land so he is not the promised seed

So God makes a covenant with the people if not Moses then Joshua
will be the one

But now God is starting to change the type from an individual like
Noah, Moses or Joshua and He forms the nation of Israel

Israel now becomes the type as God's second Adam and God makes
a covenant of command at Mount Sinai that reminds us of the
command that He gave to Adam in the garden
Israel becomes a royal nation and a kingdom of priest that are
serving God in the land that He has promised to them

They are given a dominion task to crush the serpents head which
they do by wiping out the Canaanites

The next major event we see is Joshua's conquest of the land

This is the first level fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise
concerning the land

Joshua then leads God's people into the land and the serpents head
is crushed

Israel now enters into the land of milk and honey, which is a land
of paradise but then Joshua dies. And after his death he leaves a
succession of weak judges who rule the land and lead God's people
In the book of Judges we read "there was no king and the people did
right in their own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25)

And now we are left to wonder, where is the King, where is the
chosen seed?
The people come to Samuel and ask him for a king. But Saul whom
they are given is not the anointed one and because of his
disobedience the kingdom is snatched away from him and given to
another one

The next major event we have is the covenant that God makes
with king David
In the midst of failure as God's people that have ask for an earthly
king, in the midst of Saul who is a disobedient king, God then
chooses David, a man after His own heart. David who wants to
build a temple for God but God makes to him a promise that he will
never lack a man to sit upon the throne.
An although he would not build the temple himself, his son would
be the one who would eventually build the temple

The promise to Abraham continues to expand

In Abraham you have the promise of the land and descendants,

with David you have the promise of a Messianic kingdom with no
end

And the crown jewel of the kingdom of God is the building of the
temple for God to dwell in

The fulfillment of the temple that God dwelled in during the

garden of Eden
It seems that David's son Solomon will be the one and we can see
this in 1 Kings 10:23-25:
1Kings 10:23 ¶ So King Solomon became greater than all the kings
of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
1Kings 10:24 All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon,
to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart.
1Kings 10:25 They brought every man his gift, articles of silver
and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules, so much
year by year.

1 Kings 10:23-25 almost speaks in eschatological language

Look at the creation terminology in that you have the whole earth
that is under his authority and they are bringing to him their wealth

But in 1 Kings Chapter 11 we see that Solomon takes foreign wives

and they turn his heart away from the Lord, Solomon is not the
seed
Because of Solomon's apostasy the kingdom is divided. It is from
Solomon's apostasy that we see this spread throughout the nation

First in the northern kingdom and then in the southern kingdom

God then brings on the prophets to issue a covenant law suit
against Israel and they call her to repent and to obey God but to no
avail

The covenant has been broken, Israel is not the second Adam,

Just like in the fall from the garden when Adam and Eve are
expelled, the nation of Israel is exiled from God's presence

There is no way back to the tree of life and the land is forfeited due
to sin
The next major event is the people of Israel are exiled from the land
God writes a bill of divorce for His bride and the land must rest for a
time equal to the rest required under the law that Israel has broken

But just as God brings the covenant lawsuit against Israel, just when
it looks like His wrath and judgment is going to come on His people
the prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel speak in terms of a
promise of a new covenant

Even as God proclaims judgment and the end of an old covenant, the
lawsuit and divorce, in the midst of the prophesy is a new work of
God
A second Exodus
A new covenant
God then begins to fulfill the promises with the return of Israel to
the land
Zerrubbable responsible to rebuild the city
Ezra responsible to rebuild the people
Nehemiah responsible to rebuild the wall

At the end of the OT in Malachi we have the people of God, in the

land of God but where is the Seed, where is the King?
The typical sub plot has come to an end or maybe you could say a
new beginning

It is here that we see the entry of John the Baptist crying out in the
spirit of Elijah "prepare the way of the LORD, for the kingdom of
God is at hand"
The ministry of John the Baptist is one of preparation for the
manifestation of Jesus the Messiah

John baptized with a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins

And Jesus comes to John to be baptized to which John replies "why

do You come to me, I should be coming to You"
Jesus is baptized in order to identify Himself with the people
And at this point God says this is My beloved Son in whom I am
well pleased
Finally the chosen Seed has arrived on the scene Genesis 3:15 which
began in the form of a promise is now fulfilled

 Adam was not the one

 Noah was not the one
 Moses was not the one
 Joshua was not the one
 David was not the one
 Solomon was not the one

But now the Seed is here

Jesus is the true second Adam

Jesus is our federal head or vassal King who occupies the OT
offices of prophet, priest and king

The return of Ezra and Nehemiah and the people were not the
fulfillment of the new covenant

But rather the new covenant was to be sealed with the blood of
Jesus

The second temple built by Zerrubable was not the true

eschatological temple prophesied by Ezekiel
Jesus Christ as the ascended King of His church, having received
the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out that Spirit on the day of
Pentcost

And as a result Christ is building a true spiritual temple and we as

God's people are living stones being built up in Christ who
Himself is the foundation and cornerstone of that temple

But what about the land? the inheritance already belongs to us

from a judicial point of view but we are not in full possession of it
at this time
We are in a period of time that is best describes as the already but
not yet, Christ must return, the day of judgment the true flood, a
flood of purifying fire must come to cleanse and glorify the cosmic
temple and grant eternal life in Christ, where we find an eternal
Sabbath rest in the heavenly land that Christ has achieved for us

This is a story of the Bible and this is the plot that God has set up
to prepare the way for the coming of Christ, first as One who was
the suffering Servant but upon His second return the ruling King.