What the Bible is All About
The Grand Narrative or The Bible’s
Big Story
I.
Act 1: Creation
Act 1 of the Bible’s big story tells us about
God
and
about
human
beings
.
Question: When you think about God, what image, picture, or
description comes to mind?
Creator, merciful, just, sovereign.
Act 1 shows us that
God is:
God is
Sovereign
●
He is God and no one else is.
●
He has absolute control.
●
Not a single circumstance can occur outside of His control.
●
He does what He pleases whenever He wants and in
whatever place He wants.
●
God can be trusted.
God is
Wise
●
God manages the universe in absolute wisdom.
●
God has perfect perspective - He doesn’t just see more, He
sees all.
God is
Good
●
God’s goodness is not
a mood.
●
God’s goodness is continuous.
Act 1 shows us that human beings are:
Human beings are made in the
image of God (Genesis 1:26-
27). We are the Imago Dei
●
This means we are the crown jewel of God’s creation.
●
This means that “there is something of Him in us.”
●
God’s pronouncement over us is not “good” but “very
good,” (Genesis 1:31)
II.
Act 2: Fall
Act 2 of the Bible’s big story tells us how human beings
responded to God
One way to understand the Fall is to recognize it for what it is -
rebellion
.
What is rebellion?
“Rebellion is a subtle inner vow that we make at a
personal level in our deepest heart that says: ‘I reserve the
right to make the final decision. I deserve the right to
make the final decision.’”
We are the rebels, we are the
sinners. What is sin?
John
Dawson
●
Sin is not just
lawbreaking . Sin is also lawmaking
.
Adam and Eve didn’t just break God’s rules, they made up
their own rules. (Genesis 3)
●
We ignore God’s voice because we like the sound of our own
voice. We ignore God’s rule because we want to make our
own rules.
“We aren’t sinners because we sin. We sin because we are
sinners. Sin is the disease. It’s the infection and corruption
of the human heart, which should run to God, but instead
runs to created things… The human condition is having a
heart corrupted by sin; our hearts have been turned inward
on themselves since the fall. This corruption creates havoc
in our lives.”
R.J. Grunewald
III.
Act 3: Redemption
Act 3 of the Bible’s big story tells us of God’s
rescue plan
.
God’s rescue plan is revealed in
Genesis 3 where God
promises to send someone
who will break the curse that world is now under because of
humanity’s rebellion.
God’s rescue plan is revealed throughout the
Old Testament
until it
is fully
revealed in
Jesus Christ
.
●
Genesis 22: A lamb for one man.
●
Exodus 12: A lamb for a family.
●
Leviticus 16: A lamb for the nation.
●
John 1: A lamb for the whole world.
At the center of the Bible’s big story is
Jesus
. He is God’s
rescue plan
.
●
His appearance as the center of the story both attracts
and disturbs people.
●
His message is one of good
news and not good
advice
.
Good News vs. Good Advice
●
Good advice would simply give people more things to do.
Good news is a proclamation of
freedom
.
●
The gospel says that all has been done and that no
more doing is necessary.
●
We do not bring our “doing” to God. We bring our “
need
”
to God.
IV.
Act 4: New Creation
Act 4 of the Bible’s big story tells us where the story ends. It
ends at
home
.
We're more connected than we have ever been, but never
connecting.
Revelation 21:1-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven
and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also
gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed
for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying,
“Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with
them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with
them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will
be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things
are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said,
“Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me,
“Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the
Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I
will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who
are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be
their God, and they will be my children.
What does Home look like?
●
It is with God
●
Sadness comes untrue
●
All things are made
new
-
Some will be redeemed by being done away with
altogether.
-
Some will be redeemed by being repaired and restored.
V.
Responding to the Story
Since this is God’s Story:
●
God is not a part of my story, I am a part of His story!
●
What is my relationship to God: Judge or Father?
What is my relationship to God: Two symbols
Ladder: God is my judge. Therefore, I must be good and work
my way up to Him.
Cross: God is my Father. He has worked His way down to me
in order to bring me back to Him.
