Discovering Jesus in the Characters of the Old Testament

Discovering Jesus in the Characters of the Old Testament

Intro: Superheros

Heros and Villans is often how we view the

Preaching and Pulpit Digenst found that % of sermons were anthropocentric (human-centered). 

Most sermons are about . 

A Heroes and Villians approach to the Old Testament is

A Heroes and Villians approach to the Old Testament is often very . 

A Heroes and Villians approach is feelings based and the Bible (A choppy book filled with moral lessons). 

A Heroes and Villians approach to the Old Testament produces sermons. 

“Jesus was not revolutionary because he said we should love God and each other. Moses said that first. So did Buddha, Confucius, and countless other religious leaders. ‘God loves you’ doesn’t stir the world’s opposition. However, start talking about God’s absolute authority, holiness, … Christ’s substitutionary atonement, justification apart from works, the necessity of new birth, repentance, baptism, Communion, and the future judgment, and the mood in the room changes considerably.” ~ Michael Horton 

Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6; James 5:10-11; 17

We do not throw out all of the biographical stories in the Old Testament, but we seek to see them in a more way.

When we come to the Old Testament:

-We must make sure the central theme is

-There is a difference between moralism and Christian .

-We need to look away from and toward Christ 

-Everything has to do with the unfolding story of

-we must not lose sight of the meaning 

Ways to accomplish these goals: 

-Recognize that God sovereignty ordered every event and person in His unfolding plan of

-Any accomplished by Old Testament saints is because the Spirit of Christ was at in them.

-The Law broken in the Old Testament was Law (these were rebelling against Christ)

-The sin and rebellion in the Old Testament point to their (and our) need for a . 

-Jesus’ mercy for is displayed throughout the Old Testament.

– The conversions in the Old Testament were conversions to

-Faith in the Old Testament was faith in

What did the Old Testament saints know of Jesus?

-He was a

-He would

-He would

“Their faith points us to Jesus, and it does so in at least three ways: He is the object of their faith, he is the perfect model of  their imperfect faith, and he is the builder of their faith.” ~Charles Drew

Jesus calls us to learn from Old Testament Characters and then follow