A Biblical Vision, Part I: Mastering the Old Testament Witness to Christ

Sess ion 1: Int roduct ion

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IV. Connections for Urban Ministry Today

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [29] For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. ~ Colossians 1.27-29

How do we rediscover the Old Testament in light of its true purpose – to give witness to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom?

A. Connection to your handling of the Old Testament Scriptures for devotional reading and use

1. We must commit ourselves to a disciplined rediscovery of the Old Testament as the Bible of Jesus and the apostles .

2. We must unlearn our gentilized ways of reading and experiencing the Old Testament.

3. We must be delivered from our bigotries regarding the Old Testament’s usefulness to our lives.

B. Connection to your critical study of the Old Testament

1. We must learn the structure of the Old Testament for the sake of understanding its connection to the person of Jesus Christ.

2. We must deliberately de-protestantize ourselves from our neglectful, naive ways of reading the Old Testament.