This month’s Pastor’s notes were taken from: R.C. Sproul, “Before the Face of God: Book 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament.”
Jesus in the Old Testament
What you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. [Acts 17:23b]. Read Acts 17:16-31.
An understanding of the Old Testament is absolutely necessary to a full understanding of the person of Jesus Christ. American church culture breeds spurious “Christian” conversions because of its impoverished understanding of Scripture and its incessant appeal to emotions.
You may have had a conversion experience, but be careful: You might know very little about the real Jesus and his saving love. What you consider a conversion experience may not be centered in the Christ of the Bible. Some are converted into a group with a particular lifestyle, a dynamic spirit, or an acceptance they feel lacking from others. Some are converted to friends, not Jesus.
If you have read the entire New Testament but have never read the Old Testament, chances are that you know precious little of Jesus Christ. No matter how many times you approach the text asking the Holy Spirit to illumine your mind and heart—without studying the Old Testament, you cannot possibly understand the New Testament Jesus.
Jesus’ comes to us against the backdrop of the redemptive history of the Old Testament. Those events foreshadow the meaning of the events of Jesus’ life. God used the lives and roles of kings, prophets, judges, priests, and patriarchs to teach about the coming Christ. Their sinful efforts looked forward to the perfect that was displayed in the person of Jesus.
The Old Testament shows how God cultivated the world, making it ripe for Jesus to confront the mightiest humanistic empire the world had ever seen, showing himself to be not only the true Patriarch, Judge, and King, but also the true World Emperor. All the New Testament imagery used to describe Jesus is taken directly from the Old Testament.
Coram Deo (“before the face of God”)
No wonder the first converts from Judaism found delight in Christ’s fulfillment of all that had been spoken of him in the Old Testament Scriptures. Because they were thoroughly immersed in the Scriptures, their capacity to love and delight in him was enlarged. Ask God to produce a similar delight in you. How is Jesus like an Old Testament king? A priest? A patriarch? Record your answer where you can review it later. ... See MoreSee Less
This message explores how Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well breaks down cultural barriers and reveals His offer of living water—eternal life—to all people. The message emphasizes how we can apply this story to embrace inclusion and share the gospel with everyone. It also unfolds the nature of true worship as well as showing how a relationship with Christ overflows into witness to others. #Worship#Witness#Samaritans#LivingWater#EternalLife#SpiritualThirst#Messiah#Satisfaction... See MoreSee Less
This month’s Pastor’s notes were taken from: R.C. Sproul, “Before the Face of God: Book 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament.”
Liberal Marcionism
And he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” [Luke 4:21]. Read Luke 4:16-30.
(In last week’s Pastor’s notes) we recalled Marcion, an early Christian heretic who wanted nothing to do with the “Old Testament God.” One form of neo-Marcionism exists now in some British and American scholarly circles, and it dominates German New Testament scholarship.
Rudolph Bultmann and his followers maintain that the gospel comes shrouded in myth and needs to be demythologized. In particular, say these men, we need to rid ourselves of the idea that salvation results from the verifiable actions of God in history. The essential characteristic of a myth is that it is a “religious truth” not grounded in real history. Therefore, salvation is punctiliar—it happens in a moment of personal existential encounter with God. Salvation, for Bultmann, has no connection to the Old Testament kingdom of God that reaches its climax in the revelation and work of Jesus Christ. All this Old Testament background is “myth.” The core of gospel must be stripped from its Old Testament context and worldview.
Orthodox Christian scholars maintain against Bultmann that God prepared the history of the world by his sovereign providence. The Old Testament events brought the world to the point of historical maturation for the events of the gospel. Old Testament events also foreshadowed the events of the gospel and shed light on their meaning. The Old Testament worldview establishes the true picture of the world against all pagan worldviews. Only in that true world-picture do events of the gospel make sense.
The irony is that by demythologizing the gospel, Bultmann actually has substituted myth for truth, because if anything is a myth it is the “Jesus” of Bultmann. The Jesus of Christianity is a person of real history, not Bultmann’s fabricated “religious truth.” The real Jesus is not myth, but fact.
Coram Deo (“before the face of God”)
While we heartily accept the miracles of Christ, too often we try to strip away his teachings that are uncomfortable, such as his hard teachings on eternal punishment. In your study of the Old Testament, commit to see and worship Christ as he is, rather than as we would like him to be. What have you, like Bultmann, been quick to add or delete to the biblically revealed portrait of Christ? For further study: Isaiah 61:1–9; Colossians 1:15–17 ... See MoreSee Less
Kelston Community Church
Why did God reject Saul but choose David? In 1 Samuel 16 we see the contrast between outward appearance and the heart, the hidden value of “keeping the sheep,” and the danger of continually resisting God. Before David became king, God was shaping him in the quiet places no one else valued.
#1Samuel16 #David #Saul #Obedience #Humility #HeartOfGod #Shepherd #WaitingOnGod #ChristianLiving #OldTestamentSermon ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Pastor’s notes for 10 May 2026
This month’s Pastor’s notes were taken from: R.C. Sproul, “Before the Face of God: Book 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament.”
Jesus in the Old Testament
What you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. [Acts 17:23b]. Read Acts 17:16-31.
An understanding of the Old Testament is absolutely necessary to a full understanding of the person of Jesus Christ. American church culture breeds spurious “Christian” conversions because of its impoverished understanding of Scripture and its incessant appeal to emotions.
You may have had a conversion experience, but be careful: You might know very little about the real Jesus and his saving love. What you consider a conversion experience may not be centered in the Christ of the Bible. Some are converted into a group with a particular lifestyle, a dynamic spirit, or an acceptance they feel lacking from others. Some are converted to friends, not Jesus.
If you have read the entire New Testament but have never read the Old Testament, chances are that you know precious little of Jesus Christ. No matter how many times you approach the text asking the Holy Spirit to illumine your mind and heart—without studying the Old Testament, you cannot possibly understand the New Testament Jesus.
Jesus’ comes to us against the backdrop of the redemptive history of the Old Testament. Those events foreshadow the meaning of the events of Jesus’ life. God used the lives and roles of kings, prophets, judges, priests, and patriarchs to teach about the coming Christ. Their sinful efforts looked forward to the perfect that was displayed in the person of Jesus.
The Old Testament shows how God cultivated the world, making it ripe for Jesus to confront the mightiest humanistic empire the world had ever seen, showing himself to be not only the true Patriarch, Judge, and King, but also the true World Emperor. All the New Testament imagery used to describe Jesus is taken directly from the Old Testament.
Coram Deo (“before the face of God”)
No wonder the first converts from Judaism found delight in Christ’s fulfillment of all that had been spoken of him in the Old Testament Scriptures. Because they were thoroughly immersed in the Scriptures, their capacity to love and delight in him was enlarged. Ask God to produce a similar delight in you. How is Jesus like an Old Testament king? A priest? A patriarch? Record your answer where you can review it later. ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
This message explores how Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well breaks down cultural barriers and reveals His offer of living water—eternal life—to all people. The message emphasizes how we can apply this story to embrace inclusion and share the gospel with everyone. It also unfolds the nature of true worship as well as showing how a relationship with Christ overflows into witness to others.
#Worship #Witness #Samaritans #LivingWater #EternalLife #SpiritualThirst #Messiah #Satisfaction ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Pastor’s notes for 3 May 2026
This month’s Pastor’s notes were taken from: R.C. Sproul, “Before the Face of God: Book 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament.”
Liberal Marcionism
And he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” [Luke 4:21]. Read Luke 4:16-30.
(In last week’s Pastor’s notes) we recalled Marcion, an early Christian heretic who wanted nothing to do with the “Old Testament God.” One form of neo-Marcionism exists now in some British and American scholarly circles, and it dominates German New Testament scholarship.
Rudolph Bultmann and his followers maintain that the gospel comes shrouded in myth and needs to be demythologized. In particular, say these men, we need to rid ourselves of the idea that salvation results from the verifiable actions of God in history. The essential characteristic of a myth is that it is a “religious truth” not grounded in real history. Therefore, salvation is punctiliar—it happens in a moment of personal existential encounter with God. Salvation, for Bultmann, has no connection to the Old Testament kingdom of God that reaches its climax in the revelation and work of Jesus Christ. All this Old Testament background is “myth.” The core of gospel must be stripped from its Old Testament context and worldview.
Orthodox Christian scholars maintain against Bultmann that God prepared the history of the world by his sovereign providence. The Old Testament events brought the world to the point of historical maturation for the events of the gospel. Old Testament events also foreshadowed the events of the gospel and shed light on their meaning. The Old Testament worldview establishes the true picture of the world against all pagan worldviews. Only in that true world-picture do events of the gospel make sense.
The irony is that by demythologizing the gospel, Bultmann actually has substituted myth for truth, because if anything is a myth it is the “Jesus” of Bultmann. The Jesus of Christianity is a person of real history, not Bultmann’s fabricated “religious truth.” The real Jesus is not myth, but fact.
Coram Deo (“before the face of God”)
While we heartily accept the miracles of Christ, too often we try to strip away his teachings that are uncomfortable, such as his hard teachings on eternal punishment. In your study of the Old Testament, commit to see and worship Christ as he is, rather than as we would like him to be. What have you, like Bultmann, been quick to add or delete to the biblically revealed portrait of Christ?
For further study: Isaiah 61:1–9; Colossians 1:15–17 ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook