Sermons
The Story of God
Series: The Process of RedemptionLink to sermon video: The Story of God - L Siegle
THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
“The STORY of God”
(Romans 15:1-9)
Series: The Process of Redemption
Thesis: The PROCESS of Redemptive history unfolded exactly as God has intended.
INTRODUCTION
1. We are continuing a series of messages that takes us into the very heart of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
2. The title of the series is THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION
3. The title of our message today is: “The STORY of God”
4. There was a time when I traveled to various parts of the country to speak on seminars, at churches, and had the opportunity to meet with small groups and others who had a heartfelt desire to know the heart of God and what the
Bible teaches about the fulfillment of His promises in relationship to redemptive history.
a. Anyone in recent history who has had the need to travel knows what these devices to my left are for—we call them a “suitcase.” And for decades we had to carry the suitcase all around the airport…
b. In 1921-22 the Burnham family in their travels by ship and by train, crafted for themselves a suitcase with roller wheels. In 1970, Bernerd Sadow got a patent on wheels attached to suitcases, and in 1989 Richard Plath got a patient on the handle that adjusts so that people can pull the suitcase behind them through the airport.
c. We were able to create jet airliners, send astronauts into outer space and to the moon, create atomic and hydrogen weapons with the potential of destroying planet earth…BUT it took nearly eighty years for someone to finally figure out that wheels on suitcases were a great idea?
PUTTING “WHEELS” ON OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE
1. There are more Bibles in circulation that any other ‘book’ every composed and published, and thousands more are printed and distributed each year.
a. Having a Bible and actually understanding what it means are two very different things.
1) The Bible is not a just an ‘entry into more interesting things’— “what does this verse mean to you?” and devolves into a ’12-step program’ format of personal stories, situations, and effects… This is not Bible study.
2) The Bible is not a set of recipes…” how to have a happy life”
3) The Bible is not a dictionary…to find individual ideas explained…” the doctrine of man”
4) The Bible is not a textbook to find careful answers to careful questions…
5) The Bible is not a “how to” manual… “how to get to heaven” map
6) The Bible is not a “Quote book” to cut out and paste on the refrigerator… Bible “gems”
7) The Bible is not a “Systematic Theology” organized into topics to be studied.
b. The Authority of the Scriptures is contained within the story that was being told from the time of Adam and Eve onward, and recorded by inspiration for the benefit of those who would receive it (I Cor. 10:11; Rom. 15:4)
c. The Bible must be understood within the framework of the ancient time, people, place and circumstances of those who wrote it, and would have been understood by those to whom it had been written in their own time, people, place, and circumstances.
1) The people mentioned in the Bible had no Bible to refer to in the same way we have today…
d. Those who enter into some form of ministry today go down this pathway or something similar:
1) STEP ONE: They attend a school, college, or seminary associated for affiliated with their particular religious
persuasion, church or denomination.
2) STEP TWO: They are tested in each course to answer the questions given in accordance with what the professor or instructor has taught them about the subject (same as it was for everyone from first grade onward).
3) STEP THREE: Whatever congregation or organization that wants to hire them for ministry, teaching etc, will ask them questions, expecting the answers to align with the viewpoint of whatever their training and creed, council, or confession of faith stands for. (The license or ordination depends on this “tradition” and approach).
2. From the beginning Israel had no “systematic theology” to guide them as a nation, but from one generation to the next, it was the story of God that produced within them, their children, and grandchildren the knowledge and faith and loyalty to worship, serve, and honor God.
THE LOVE OF STORY
1. According to “experts” in communications, growth, and psychology, when we read across the page, the human mind from childhood onward is looking for the story.
a. We certain collect information, but God created us in the way we think to look for the story. (not “multiplication tables” not scientific formulas etc).
b. We want to hear the beginning, the middle, and how the story ends.
1) Web developers are trained to design the web pages to follow the story from top left down to bottom right.
The people of Israel ‘leaned into’ the story (Deut. 26:1-10).
2) No ‘doctrinal statement’ needed…He just had to bring an offering and tell the story of God.
3) This story told was a statement of love and devotion to God about loyality and faithfulness to Him (Deut. 26:16-19).
c. At the end of the conquest, Joshua gathers the whole nation today (Josh. 24:1, 2).
1) Israel had no theology, they related the story of what God is and what He has done.
2) The psalmist tells the people to pause and listen to the story of redemption (Psa. 78:1-4; Deut. 6 to the children).
2. The beginning of our understanding and appreciation for spiritual things is to be immersed into the meaning of the redemptive story of the Bible:
a. Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, preaching to the nation gathered there…tells the story (Acts 2:22, 23, 29-36).
b. Peter, preaching a few days later, healed a lame man, then tells the story (Acts 3:12, 13-24).
c. When Peter and the apostles were on trial, what did they do? The told the story (Acts 5:29-32)
d. When Stephen was arrested, what did he do? He told the story (Acts 7:1-60)
e. Philip preaching to the Ethiopian Eunich told the story (Acts 8:35ff).
f. Saul who became Paul was confronted by Jesus (Acts 9), immediately, he begins to tell the story (Acts 22; 26).
3 We are not part of the story but rather are beneficiaries of the very substance and meaning of the story.
4. The Bible was not written to us, but it was written for us in order to introduce us to the person, work, and very nature of Yahweh…the Most High God.
LOYALITY A WORD FORGOTTEN
1. Relationship with God in the OT was a statement of loyalty (faithfulness and allegiance) to God as Creator and Lord.
2. The “first” two of the ten commandments (Exod. 20:1-6)
a. The Hebrew expression here means, “against My face”
b. Choosing God was never to be a competition between which god was going to be served, honored and worshipped.
c. The nations around Israel had “other” gods (I Cor. 8:4-6)-- the word “so-called” is not in the text.
3. God always gave Israel a choice (Deut. 30:11-20).
CONCLUSION
1. Next week we are going to explore the boundaries of loyalty and faithfulness and what it means in terms of our relationship with God.
2. The Greek word for faith or believe is enclosed within the picture of loyalty and faithfulness.
3. “How much faith is necessary in order to be saved?” 20% or 60% or 72% (our modern mind at work).
4. “How much loyalty or faithfulness is necessary in a marriage relationship?” 45%, 95% or all?
5. Relationship with God is not about knowing the answer to every theological question or doctrinal position, having every point of our theology 100% correct. It is about loyalty and devotion, giving God first place (Matt. 6:33).
6. It was never just about “do’s” or “don’t’s”—it has always been a question of “which god are we honoring and serving?”
