​On Wednesday nights throughout the next nine months, we will be walking our way through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, learning the story of salvation, especially how everything points to and is fulfilled by Jesus.

We now come to the end of the story. All of the recent focus on the victory and supremacy of Christ brings out all the more the sharp contrast between God’s desire for his creation and the reality of life in a still-fallen world. How does the story move from its climax, the exaltation of Jesus, and with him those who trust in him, to its denouement, the fulfillment of God’s plan to fill the earth with a city dedicated to his glorious sovereignty? This will only come about after the Final Judgment, when Christ as king of all the earth judges the living and the dead, vindicates his now immortal people, and finally unites the global church to himself as his spotless bride, consummating at last God’s desire to dwell with his people on earth. In the meantime, the church continues in its mandate to bring people from all nations to faith in Jesus as their only guarantee of this glorious inheritance.
 
Key Text(s): Revelation 4-5 and 21-22
Office Texts: Psalm 45; Isaiah 66:7-24; Revelation 21 and 22

The ramifications of the ultimate work and exaltation of Christ brings us finally to the crux of the divine solution to the human drama: he will unite us to himself. Having become man for our sake's, to deal with the curse, purify human nature, and exalt humanity to his throne in heaven, so he will now unite all who believe in his work in Jesus to himself in that exaltation. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians represents the summit of Paul’s theological vision, the grand and universal scope of Christ’s reconciling work. By uniting all people to himself in Jesus, God secures their reconciliation both with himself, and with one another, by making them to be his one created body in the world.
 
Key Text(s): Ephesians 2-4, 5:22-33
Office Texts: Psalms 68; Isaiah 56:1-8; Ephesians 2

Today we continue to unpack further the dawning realization about who Jesus is as revealed in the New Testament letters. Having seen how far he was willing to empty himself (and how this self-emptying forms the basis of all Christian ethics), we now probe to what end he did this thing. Looking at Paul’s letter to the Colossian church, we discover a strong emphasis on the preeminence of Christ, both in God’s work in creation, and in God’s work in redemption, and how this preeminence serves the generosity of God in glorifying the human race. Jesus gives up everything and takes what is proper to us, our mortal corruptible natures, so that he can give us what is proper to him, eternal glory.

Key Text(s): Colossians 1:15-3:17; John 1:1-14
Office Texts: Psalms 29, 93; Daniel 7; Colossians 1:9-3:17

In this lesson we will begin to explore the epistles of the New Testament more closely, specifically in light of their place in the unfolding story. The letters of the Apostles, and of Paul in particular, represent the church’s earliest reflections on the ministry and person of Jesus, and what that means for the church. In light of his exaltation and eventual return, how are God’s people, now called Christians, to live out their commitment to Jesus in his absence? This first of three lessons in a series will look at what Jesus means for Christian ethics.

Key Text(s): Philippians 2:1-18
Office Texts: Psalm 118; Isaiah 45:14-25; Philippians 2:1-18

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