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INTRODUCTION TO SERMON SERIES: “GREAT THEMES OF THE BIBLE” Today, we will begin a series of sermons I call, “Great Themes of the Bible.”
INTRODUCTION TO SERMON SERIES: “GREAT THEMES OF THE BIBLE”
Today, we will begin a series of sermons I call, “Great Themes of the Bible.” It is actually a series of gospel meeting sermons I developed several years ago. It attempts to paint the “big picture” of the Bible, by noting some its more significant themes. Hopefully, it will make the Bible less intimidating to those who are new in the faith. In this article, we shall note all of the lessons that will be preached over the coming weeks.
First great theme: “The problem of sin.” This lesson gets to the issue of “why” the Bible was written. Man has a problem, called sin, which is “the” obstacle to having a relationship with God. If we understand the problem of sin, then we understand the heart of the Bible message! This lesson shall discuss key aspects of sin, i.e., its definition, cause, results, and its solution!
Second great theme: “The blood of atonement.” This theme logically follows the topic of sin – in fact, these two themes are inextricably linked! Running through the Bible, there is what some have called “The Scarlet Thread of Redemption.” To remedy the problem of sin, blood sacrifices were introduced from the earliest times (cf. Gn.4:4). This lesson will explain the “why” of blood sacrifices, in both the Old and New Testaments. It will explain the nature of Divine forgiveness, and how “blood” figures into that.
Third great theme: “The New Covenant.” The blood of atonement was ALSO “the blood of the covenant;” hence these two themes are linked as well (cf. Hb.9:15-20). A covenant is an “agreement” between two parties, which imposes obligations. In many Bible covenants, one party was in “the power position” (e.g., God), and therefore able to dictate the terms of the agreement. In order to receive the promised blessings of the covenant, man had to meet the obligations imposed by God. This lesson will discuss some implications of “the new covenant” (Jer.31:31-34).
Fourth great theme: “The promises to Abraham.” There were three promises made to Abraham (cf. Gn.12:1-3), which are the “foundational promises” of the entire Bible. These promises explain to us “why” God established both the Jewish people and nation. The failure to grasp this them has led to many religious errors, such as the doctrine of “Premillennialism,” which falsely alleges that the nation of Israel is still God’s chosen people.
Fifth great theme: “The Messianic Kingdom.” The most important promise to Abraham was to bless all the nations of the earth through the “Seed” of Abraham (Gn.12:3; 22:18; cf. Ga.3:16). This “Seed” promise is traced out in the Bible, moving from the seed of Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, to Judah, to David, and right down to the Messiah Himself! And this promised Messiah was to be a great King, like His father David (cf. 2Sm.7:12-17). This lesson will discuss the promised Messianic Kingdom.
Sixth great theme: “Salvation in Christ.” Each one of the previous themes is a part of the overall theme of the Bible, which is redemption, or salvation in Christ. Our problem was sin; its solution was blood; the result was a covenant; the covenant was built upon promises to Abraham, which culminated in the Messianic Kingdom, whose citizens have been blessed with salvation. This lesson will discuss the means of salvation, the condition of salvation, the operation of salvation, along with a Biblical example of this salvation being carried out.
Seventh great theme: “The church of the Lord.” The church is a great theme, because it is the result or culmination of God’s redemptive work. God had always planned to build a people who had freely chosen to serve Him (Mt.16:18; cf. Ep.3:8-11). This lesson will discuss in broad terms how the church was purposed in the mind of God, prepared for by Jesus, put in place by preaching, and how it will be presented to God in the end.
We hope you can join us in this exciting study of the “Great Themes of the Bible!”
--Lanny Smith
