This is a transcript from a recent sermon on the Sword of the Spirit. It seeks to answer this question: “What is the subject of the Scriptures?”
The Bible is not just a disconnected book of 66 individual and separate books. Rather, it is one book with one focused point. It has 66 books, written over 1500 years, by 40 different authors with various backgrounds, in various genres. And yet the Bible has a single story. What is that story? I'm glad you asked. It is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that in the beginning was Christ, the word. All things were created by Him and for Him and through Him. He is the promised seed of Eve to crush the serpent's head. He is the reason for the rainbow; God promised not to destroy the world again by flood so that Christ would come.
He is the ark, a refuge from God's wrath. He is the promised offspring of Abraham who will bless all the families of the earth. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is Jacob's Ladder. He is the greater prophet that Moses spoke of. He is the one that all the feasts and sacrifices of the Mosaic Covenant point to.
He is the Passover Lamb. He is a better priest than Aaron. He is the promised Son of David. All the wisdom of Proverbs points us to him. He is the bridegroom of the Song of Solomon. He gives music to every Psalm. He is Isaiah's vision. He is Jeremiah's branch.
He is greater than Jonah. Zechariah spoke of Him. Zephaniah spoke of Him. He is greater than Zerubbabel's temple. He is the Son of God. He is the Son of Man. He is the last Adam –the true and better Adam. Gabriel announced his birth. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.
The Bible says he grew up like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is truly God and truly man. He fulfilled the Law. He obtained righteousness for His people through His righteous life. His life merits access to the Tree of Life. He completed the covenant of works.
Yet the Bible says He was despised and rejected by men – a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as One from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Yet the Bible says that He is the way, the truth, and the life. He went to the cross as Scripture required. As Scripture predicted, nails were driven into His hands and feet. A crown of thorns was placed upon His head. And He quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross: “My God. My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Naked. Alone. Derided. A sin offering between heaven and earth on God's altar, bearing the wrath of God for sinners crying out in His last breath: “It is finished.”
He drank the cup. We are the lawbreakers. And He is the one who upheld the law. And yet He dies in our place.
Are you hearing what the Bible is about? A spear pierced his side. He was laid in a borrowed tomb. Samson, in his death, brought more death. Jesus in His death, brought life. On the third day: up from the grave, He arose.
He spent 40 days teaching His disciples. And then he ascended into heaven. And He is now seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. And all things are under His feet. All principalities, powers, governments, presidents, and world leaders are under His feet.
He rules over all. He is the head of the church. By His holy spirit, through the word of God, He is building His church. Because God will have for Himself a people spread over all the earth who will glorify, enjoy, serve, and honor Him.
He is doing this through the gospel that you're hearing. All things happening in the world today are for the glory of Christ and the good of His people. He is coming physically once again to judge the living and the dead.
What am I saying?
I am saying this. No Jew, no Muslim, no Hindu, no liberal, no conservative, no Southerner, no Yankee, and no Canadian will receive pardon. No nationality, no ethnicity. No gender, male or female. No age will receive pardon or forgiveness of sins, except in Christ Alone.
This, my friends, is the subject of the Scriptures. He is Christ. Jesus is the treasure in the field. He is the pearl of great price. He is the only one in whom our restless, hearts may find rest. He is the only one to whom we may go for forgiveness of sins.
He is the only one that we may go to for sweet and blessed reconciliation with our God, for justification for a new life, and eternal life. God saves sinners, but only through one way. Christ. Friends, it's all about Christ. I'm telling you this morning, this book is not your little blessing box. It's not for cute sayings on a couch pillow. It's not for men to build their own kingdoms, or a way to manipulate God, or to make you just feel better about yourself, or to manipulate others.
This book is about Christ. This book points us to our good and gracious king.
Listen to the book.
This gospel calls out to all men, all women, all boys, all girls. Listen to me now, this morning. If you're in this room – the sexually immoral, the legalist, the hypocrites, the addicts, the self-righteous, the self-loathing, the self-infatuated, the lazy, the gluttons, the liars, the thieves – the gospel calls out to all and says, “Come, repent and believe.”
He's slaying with the sword. Hear me. The sword cuts deep. Yet it heals so beautifully. The point of the Bible is Christ.
Do you know this man? Is He your joy, your solace, your master? Why are you calling Jesus Lord if you don't do what He says? You may say, “Well, preacher, that's offensive to me.” But that's what the Bible says.
Why do you call Him Lord, Lord, if you do not follow His commandments? If you love Him, do what He says. And under the providential, sovereign hand of God, you are hearing this morning again in His grace. Will you come to know Him today? Believe in the one today whom the whole Bible points us to.
Will you trust Jesus?
So what if you can defend the doctrines of grace. So what if you're going to vote for the right presidential candidate in an election year. So what if your children are successful in academics or sports. If you don't know Christ, it means nothing. He is the one whom we were made for, and he is the one Whom the Bible points to.
The Bible is not just a disconnected book of 66 individual and separate books. Rather, it is one book with one focused point. It has 66 books, written over 1500 years, by 40 different authors with various backgrounds, in various genres. And yet the Bible has a single story. What is that story? I'm glad you asked. It is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that in the beginning was Christ, the word. All things were created by Him and for Him and through Him. He is the promised seed of Eve to crush the serpent's head. He is the reason for the rainbow; God promised not to destroy the world again by flood so that Christ would come.
He is the ark, a refuge from God's wrath. He is the promised offspring of Abraham who will bless all the families of the earth. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is Jacob's Ladder. He is the greater prophet that Moses spoke of. He is the one that all the feasts and sacrifices of the Mosaic Covenant point to.
He is the Passover Lamb. He is a better priest than Aaron. He is the promised Son of David. All the wisdom of Proverbs points us to him. He is the bridegroom of the Song of Solomon. He gives music to every Psalm. He is Isaiah's vision. He is Jeremiah's branch.
He is greater than Jonah. Zechariah spoke of Him. Zephaniah spoke of Him. He is greater than Zerubbabel's temple. He is the Son of God. He is the Son of Man. He is the last Adam –the true and better Adam. Gabriel announced his birth. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.
The Bible says he grew up like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is truly God and truly man. He fulfilled the Law. He obtained righteousness for His people through His righteous life. His life merits access to the Tree of Life. He completed the covenant of works.
Yet the Bible says He was despised and rejected by men – a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as One from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Yet the Bible says that He is the way, the truth, and the life. He went to the cross as Scripture required. As Scripture predicted, nails were driven into His hands and feet. A crown of thorns was placed upon His head. And He quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross: “My God. My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Naked. Alone. Derided. A sin offering between heaven and earth on God's altar, bearing the wrath of God for sinners crying out in His last breath: “It is finished.”
He drank the cup. We are the lawbreakers. And He is the one who upheld the law. And yet He dies in our place.
Are you hearing what the Bible is about? A spear pierced his side. He was laid in a borrowed tomb. Samson, in his death, brought more death. Jesus in His death, brought life. On the third day: up from the grave, He arose.
He spent 40 days teaching His disciples. And then he ascended into heaven. And He is now seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. And all things are under His feet. All principalities, powers, governments, presidents, and world leaders are under His feet.
He rules over all. He is the head of the church. By His holy spirit, through the word of God, He is building His church. Because God will have for Himself a people spread over all the earth who will glorify, enjoy, serve, and honor Him.
He is doing this through the gospel that you're hearing. All things happening in the world today are for the glory of Christ and the good of His people. He is coming physically once again to judge the living and the dead.
What am I saying?
I am saying this. No Jew, no Muslim, no Hindu, no liberal, no conservative, no Southerner, no Yankee, and no Canadian will receive pardon. No nationality, no ethnicity. No gender, male or female. No age will receive pardon or forgiveness of sins, except in Christ Alone.
This, my friends, is the subject of the Scriptures. He is Christ. Jesus is the treasure in the field. He is the pearl of great price. He is the only one in whom our restless, hearts may find rest. He is the only one to whom we may go for forgiveness of sins.
He is the only one that we may go to for sweet and blessed reconciliation with our God, for justification for a new life, and eternal life. God saves sinners, but only through one way. Christ. Friends, it's all about Christ. I'm telling you this morning, this book is not your little blessing box. It's not for cute sayings on a couch pillow. It's not for men to build their own kingdoms, or a way to manipulate God, or to make you just feel better about yourself, or to manipulate others.
This book is about Christ. This book points us to our good and gracious king.
Listen to the book.
This gospel calls out to all men, all women, all boys, all girls. Listen to me now, this morning. If you're in this room – the sexually immoral, the legalist, the hypocrites, the addicts, the self-righteous, the self-loathing, the self-infatuated, the lazy, the gluttons, the liars, the thieves – the gospel calls out to all and says, “Come, repent and believe.”
He's slaying with the sword. Hear me. The sword cuts deep. Yet it heals so beautifully. The point of the Bible is Christ.
Do you know this man? Is He your joy, your solace, your master? Why are you calling Jesus Lord if you don't do what He says? You may say, “Well, preacher, that's offensive to me.” But that's what the Bible says.
Why do you call Him Lord, Lord, if you do not follow His commandments? If you love Him, do what He says. And under the providential, sovereign hand of God, you are hearing this morning again in His grace. Will you come to know Him today? Believe in the one today whom the whole Bible points us to.
Will you trust Jesus?
So what if you can defend the doctrines of grace. So what if you're going to vote for the right presidential candidate in an election year. So what if your children are successful in academics or sports. If you don't know Christ, it means nothing. He is the one whom we were made for, and he is the one Whom the Bible points to.
About The Author
ALLEN S. NELSON IV
1689 Federalism | Amillennialism
Allen S. Nelson IV is the pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Perryville, AR, where he resides with his wife Stephanie, and their 6 children. Allen is the author of From Death to Life: How Salvation Works, Before the Throne: Reflections on God’s Holiness, and A Change of Heart: Understanding Regeneration and Why it Matters. He is an M.Div graduate of Grace BIble Theological Seminary in Conway, AR and co-host of The Rural Church Podcast 2.0 on the Reformation Podcast Network.
1689 Federalism | Amillennialism
Allen S. Nelson IV is the pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Perryville, AR, where he resides with his wife Stephanie, and their 6 children. Allen is the author of From Death to Life: How Salvation Works, Before the Throne: Reflections on God’s Holiness, and A Change of Heart: Understanding Regeneration and Why it Matters. He is an M.Div graduate of Grace BIble Theological Seminary in Conway, AR and co-host of The Rural Church Podcast 2.0 on the Reformation Podcast Network.
Posted in Christian Living, Pastoral Leadership, Worship Leadership
Posted in The Holy Scriptures, The Bible, Salvation, Reconciliation, Christology, Sermon Preparation, Redemption, Atonement, Preaching, Teaching
Posted in The Holy Scriptures, The Bible, Salvation, Reconciliation, Christology, Sermon Preparation, Redemption, Atonement, Preaching, Teaching
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