"The Panorama of the Greatness of God is found in the Bible"

Outline:

What is the Bible for anyways?

"This odious death [of Jesus] is God’s triumphant act, his most dazzling and powerful deed, the action by which he disgraces and trashes all human pretensions. God’s salvation springs from God’s grace, and it is received by those who trust him— not by the “beautiful people” or by the rich and powerful." D.A Carson

1. The Bible is a supernatural book, Matthew 5:17-21; 1 Corinthians 2:9-15.

2. Jesus is the answer to the riddle of the Bible, He interprets the Bible, Matthew 5:17-21; Hebrews 1:1-3.

3. Jesus is the point of the OT; and He is the point of the NT, Matthew 5:17-21; John 5:39; Luke 24; Acts 2.

"...Jesus insists that there is nothing intrinsically life-giving about studying the Scriptures, if one fails to discern their true content and purpose. These are the Scriptures, Jesus says, that testify about me. This is one of six passages in the Fourth Gospel where Scripture or some writer of Old Testament Scripture is said to speak or write of Christ, even though no specific passage is adduced (cf. 1:45; 2:22; 3:10; 5:45–46; 20:9). What is at stake is a comprehensive hermeneutical key. By predictive prophecy, by type, by revelatory event and by anticipatory statute, what we call the Old Testament is understood to point to Christ, his ministry, his teaching, his death and resurrection." D.A. Carson

4. History will end - it gets accomplished! We should be interested in where things are going, Matthew 5:17-21.

5. The Bible tells us that perfection is the expectation, Matthew 5:20; 5:48.

6. Oh, be careful what you do and teach.

Community Group Discussion Questions

1. How has the Bible transformed you?

2. Why is it hard to read the Bible Christologically? What does Christological mean?

3. What makes perfection so hard? How does it feel knowing that is God's expectation?

4. What verses support the supernatural character of the Bible?

5. What commitments have you recently made to read, study, pray, memorize, meditate and listen to the Bible?

6. How does knowing the end will come, that everything of value to this world will go away, and that only the things done for Christ will last, affect your decisions? Your checkbook?

7. God’s plan requires _______________ and words, 2 Corinthians 4:7-12; Matthew 10:33; Luke 9:26; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Corinthians 4:9-13; Mark 8:38.

8. God’s plan requires that we be known for our counter culture lives and attitudes NOT our fortresses, self-righteousness, accommodation or______________________________, Ephesians 5:1-21; John 8:12; Revelation 1-3.

9. God’s plan requires us to_______________________ engage and be salt and light. My actions steps for 2015: