March 2021
Many of us have set out on an adventurous journey to some far away place of extraordinary beauty with young children in tow. And, if this has been you, you probably have vivid memories of the kids in the back seat asking for the hundredth time, “Are we there yet?” And then the moment finally arrives when you triumphantly announce, “Yes, we are here. We have arrived at our destination!” And suddenly, the grandiose beauty takes over. Perhaps it’s the view of the Grand Canyon or of Yellowstone National Park or of the Emerald Coast beaches in Florida that you and the kids suddenly get to experience. And when you do, there is an awe inspiring silence that takes over. And everyone expresses a collective “wow, this is really cool!”
Well, since the end of August, the Calvary family has been on a journey through the story of the bible creatively called “The Story.” We have met some amazing bible characters and learned some important history and interacted with some critical truths. However, none of what we have read, experienced, or learned represents our ultimate destination. That is, not until now. Why now? Well, now, we have finally made it to the New Testament. And as we cross from the Old Testament into the New Testament, we soon realize that we have arrived at a manger, and we find ourselves beholding the glory of the Lord. And as we gaze into the eyes of this little baby, we learn that his name is Jesus, God with us. Therefore, a holy hush falls over our hearts. This is the one who actually made the Grand Canyon. He made Yellowstone Park. He made those beautiful Florida beaches. He is the one who created the heavens and the earth and all the beauty that is within them. We have finally arrived at our ultimate destination. Jesus! And everyone expresses a collective “wow, he is really cool!”
In the biblical story, Jesus is the one that would ultimately fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to bless all of the nations of the world. Jesus is the one who would completely fulfill the Mosaic Covenant and its impossible requirements. Jesus is the one whom the prophets foretold would bring peace on earth, good will toward men. Jesus is the long awaited Jewish Messiah who would show us how to relate to a holy God.
It could be said that the birth of Jesus, his life, his death, and his resurrection, collectively represent the climactic events of the biblical story. Basically, the Old Testament always looks ahead to the coming of Jesus while the New Testament is constantly looking back at the coming of Jesus. In other words, the story of the bible is ultimately a story about Jesus, God’s beloved son whom God gave to the world because of his great love for the world. It’s a story about the gift of forgiveness and the salvation of souls through Jesus Christ, our Lord!
And now, for the next ten weeks, we will get to know Jesus at a deeper level. And as we do, we will experience even more of his beauty and his glory. And again, we will all get to express a collective “wow, he is really cool!”
Your Pastor,
Scott
