Dr. Al Mohler on ALL the Old Testament Pointing to Christ
As Dr. Al Mohler opened the first of nine plenary sessions, I realized just how much I still have to learn! He spoke from John 5:31-47, and verse 39 hit the hardest. It’s the verse where Jesus says,
"You diligently study the Scriptures [referring specifically to the Old Testament] because you think that that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (emphasis added).
Jesus isn’t speaking to biblically illiterate people here; He’s speaking to the most serious students of Scripture, letting them know that they had missed the whole point. They didn’t see that ALL of Scripture points to Christ.
It’s so easy to teach moralism from the Old Testament. It’s not necessarily wrong to, as long as it doesn’t end there. Moralism can’t save; Jesus Christ alone can.
Pastor Tim Keller on Crossing Over from Death to Life
Pastor Tim Keller explained from Scripture how the Red Sea Crossing in Exodus 14 is a metaphor for the Gospel. The slavery the Israelites experienced in Egypt is like our layers of bondage. The only way “out” of our slavery is by grace.
Jesus says it so beautifully in John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (emphasis added).
With every other religion, you’re in a process of building a bridge to God. With Christianity, bang!, it’s a status change that happens just like that. You’ve crossed over.
I love how Pastor Keller illustrated this. He said, "When the Israelites walked through the Red Sea with the wall of water on their right and left, a bunch walked through saying, 'I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!' They all walked through with different qualities of faith, but they were all equally saved. You’re not saved because of the quality of your faith, but because of the Object of your faith." If you try to add something to your salvation, you’re just subtracting from it.
Pastor Keller then talked about why it’s possible for us to “get out.” After all, the Israelites were really no better than the Egyptians. So why didn’t the waters crash down on the Israelites? It was because the Israelites had a Mediator. We do, too—one who is fully God and fully man. Jesus is the reason you and I can cross over from death to life!
Does this mean we can do whatever we want from here on out? Of course not. Nobody who understands the grace of God will ever take sin lightly. The more you see the flood waters go over Jesus’ head, the more holy you will be. The more you understand your salvation has nothing to do with your behavior, the more holy you’ll be. All your salvation is in Him; you have nothing to contribute at all.
Thank You, Jesus, that Your blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7)!
A Couple of Sketches from Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg gave a few sketches from the book of Ruth. His first sketch was titled “Three women on the road to somewhere. “In Ruth 1,” he said, “Naomi is urging the two girls to count the cost. They had to choose between Yahweh + Nothing in Bethlehem, or Everything – Yahweh in Moab. Ruth chose Yahweh. Have you? Have you turned your back on the substitute gods of the world? Have you been embraced by the lovingkindness of God?"
Alistair Begg’s second sketch was titled “The Name of the Man is Boaz.” He said, "As kinsman redeemer, Boaz has the right to take on all of Naomi and Ruth's needs and troubles, and to bear them as if they were his very own. This is a foreshadowing of Christ, who in Himself is the only One who has the right to take as His own all that spoils and ruins, all our loss, hurt, disaster, alienation, brokenness . . . all our sinful mess of things. He takes our diseases and bears them in Himself."
Until Tomorrow . . .
I could tell you more, but since we can both only process so much at a time, and as there’s lots more to come, I’ll wish you good night until tomorrow.
I’m heading back to my room with a greater desire to know the Word—even the obscure and hard-to-relate-to passages. Allistair Begg encouraged me with a quote by James Stewart who said, “Learning to preach Christ adequately from the Scriptures is the journey of a lifetime. No one knows how to preach. It is right that the task should humble us; wrong that it should paralyze us.”
How about you? Have you seen Christ more clearly in the Old Testament through these few thoughts and quotes? Is this a new concept to you? I’d love to hear from you.
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Comments
Thanks for the overview!
(I am GREATLY enjoying the live stream)
on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 10:31 pm
I heard all three, but your summary is so good - and I too was very encouraged to spend more time in the Scriptures.
Thank you so much - and have a good rest tonight and another day of filling and sharing tomorrow.
Blessings,
Ellen
on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 11:29 pm
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 2:32 am
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:16 am
Looking forward to reading more and learning more.
Jodi C.
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:41 am
I know I've read this passage before, but I don't remember it! How could I be so blind?
God has provided an answer to my prayer through you and this conference. A way to reach out to others through His word and a way to grow closer to Him myself.
Thank you.
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:42 am
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 8:32 am
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 9:10 am
Love,
Laura
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 9:20 am
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 10:02 am
Go to TheCospelCoalition.Org and click on the first flash ad.
Enjoy,
paula
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 11:34 am
<<A Psalm of David.>> Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. (NKJV)
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Thanks so much for the heads up on The Gospel Coalition's live streaming! I wanted to go so bad but could not. The streaming is the next best thing! :-)
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Good overviews here. Just thought you'd like to know that the quote from Begg you have above was from James Stewart's book Heralds of God.
Enjoy the rest of the conference!
Brian
on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 10:15 pm
on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 7:49 pm
My email's nikkicswll@yahoo.com if anyone wishes to contact about this and just tell me who you are and how you found me if anyone does. Thanks.
on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 12:46 am
on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 3:45 pm