“What role does God play in our lives? It is an inevitable but wrong question. We shall be freed from it only by captivation to the right question: what role do we play in God’s life? The story is not our story with a role for Christ. The story is Christ’s story with roles for us.” (R. Jenson).
Introduction: the importance of a plan
● dysfunction in life of Christians and church indicates a lack of framework of meaning “Who am I/ Why am I here?” “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” (Prov 29:18). Need consciousness versus purpose consciousness cf. “called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28; 2 Tim 1:9). Blessing focus rather than goal oriented.
● stories give us a sense of identity about who we are as persons e.g. family stories at the dinner table
● for stories to impart meaning they need to be purposeful and directed to a positive goal beyond our immediate short lived experience
● this involves a plan, just like people plan for marriage, a family, career etc., God has a plan
● this plan is expressed most clearly and thoroughly in Paul’s introduction to Ephesians, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:3-14)
● to put it most simply, the plan is Christ, or more fully, the praise of the glory of God’s grace in the person of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:6, 12, 14)
● this means that whilst it is true to say, “God has a wonderful plan for your life.”, the shape of the plan must conform to the life of Jesus
● the Bible is important as it outlines the story of Jesus for us e.g. “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf.” (John 5:39)
● this does not mean simply reading the Gospels or taking a chronological approach, but seeking Christ in all the scriptures according to the principle, “What is first in intention is last in execution.”
● the fullness of the plan of God is clear only from a perspective that honours the dimensions of the life of Jesus, this is to adopt the framework of eternity, ““Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”” (Rev 22:12-13).
The Story of Jesus as the Plan of God
1. The Eternal Plan
● Paul speaks of “the eternal purpose that he (God) has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph 3:11)
● this eternal purpose relates to God sharing the inner reality of his own life, the glory of the love of God; this is not a vague notion, but the glory of the Son being loved by the Father in the power of the Spirit
● “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5), “24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)
● just as parents “plan a family” and look forward to the birth, growth and maturity of their children, so God planned to have a family from eternity to share in his own life
● this involved a choice to have a loving relationship with people through Christ that was decided upon before the creation of the world: “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4), “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Tim 1:9)
● this meant everything would be made through Jesus and for Jesus, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)
● God knows and has planned the whole course of history, “I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:9- 10; cf. Romans 11:36; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11)
● at the centre of Jesus eternal destiny is that he would be the suffering Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the world; “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you” (1 Pet 1:18 – 20; cf. John 1:29; Rev 13:8)
● the Son can only bring children to the Father through his suffering (Hebrews 2:10)
● corresponding to this, the Father’s promise to the Son is an eternal kingdom (Gen 49:10; Psalm 2:7 – 8; 110:1; Matt 25:34; Eph 1:10; Rev 11:15)
● from a “God’s eye view”, the revelation in the Bible involves the communication of a dialogue between the Father and the Son in the power of the Spirit over how the eternal plan, that Jesus’ story become our story, may be achieved
● the story unfolds in a number of steps:
2. Creation
a. The Creation of the Cosmos
● Jesus is the reason why anything exists
● Jesus is the “first and the last”, “the beginning and the end” (Rev 1:17; 22:13)
● creation is only the first page of our story with Jesus, he does not fit into creation, but creation fits into him (Col 1:16)
b. The Creation of Humanity: Jesus is God’s First Thought
● when God decided to create, he did so to share his eternal glory with humans in the same way as he had always shared it with his Son e.g. “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”” (Isaiah 43:6-7)
● according to Paul, Adam was only a pattern or a type of Jesus (Rom 5:14), who is the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45)
● God’s goal in creating Adam was to begin the path to the coming of Jesus, who as the Son of God (Mark 1:1; John 1:18; Heb 1:2 etc.) is the image of God (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3)
● the progress of the biblical story from Genesis 3 (the fall) to Revelation 22 is not a back up or second best plan
● it is not that God’s purposes had failed in some ultimate way in Eden (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11)
● the ultimate meaning of the creation story has never been the relationship between God, Adam and Eve and the present world, but the Father, Jesus and the church in the eternal kingdom of God
● the aim of God’s story was always to have a fully faithful human being (S/son) to share his reign and fill the earth with the family of God
● however, until Jesus came, the manner in which these things would be achieved remained “hidden in God” (Romans 16:25 – 27; Ephesians 3:5, 9; Colossians 1:26)
c. The Creation of Adam and Eve
● humanity as male-and-female is made in the image of God with a calling to multiply, fill and rule the world (Gen 1:26 – 28)
● in this way, the image of God, or God’s presence and glory, would have covered the earth
● a clue to the meaning of the image of God is given by the description of Adam as “the son of God” (Luke 3:38)
● if Adam had obeyed God and freely refused to eat from the tree of knowledge he would have been a faithful son of God and able to fulfil God’s purposes for his life on the earth (Gen 2:15 -17)
● a new phase of the human story would have begun; human beings would have authority over all evil and nothing could separate them from the love of God
● sin and death would have been unknown to human experience and Satan would have been cast out of the earth
● this would have been a state of true sonship and a radical jump in likeness to Jesus
● in this way humans would be full members of the family of God
3. The Fall
a. God’s plan for evil
● evil is first mentioned in Genesis 2:17, but as something to be avoided it is not part of God’s plan
● evil could not be an essential part of the plan of God because there is no evil in God Himself (James 1:13)
● the purpose of God creating “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen 2:9) was to share with Adam and Eve his holy opposition against all evil and his intention to destroy it
● if the first couple have obeyed God they would have united with him in casting Satan “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41 cf. Rev 20:10)
b. Temptation and destruction
● the temptation of the devil to Adam and Eve was that they could “be like God knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5)
● they would not need to depend on God as their Father and would be able to rule the world on their own behalf; they could create their own story apart from God
● Adam and Eve’s disobedience is an attempt to create a plan for their own lives
● since they were already like God (like Jesus) in their call to depend on him and rule with him, their attempt to live without God (Eph 2:12) led to the deepest possible identity confusion
● instead of casting out evil they sinned and were cast out of the presence of God (Gen 3:22- 24)
● when God looked at the first couple he could still see his handiwork as Creator, but they had created within a world of rebellion and pain
● sin brings painful shame and guilt (Gen 3:7 -10); these are moral states that tell us that something is wrong at the core of our being
● this is the state of death as a judgement that God warned about in the beginning (Gen 2:17)
● men and women live in constant fear of death under the power of the devil, for death is a sign of eternal punishment from God (Heb 2:14-15; 1 John 4:17-18)
● hell is a destination without a purpose, an end without a goal; as such it is utterly unbearable (Matt 13:41-42; Rev 14:11)
● having rejected our part in God’s story we must make up a story for ourselves; the meaning of life is now transferred into pursuits other than the truth about God – these may be pleasure, power, money, family, culture, nation, religion etc.
● this is idolatry, and it places humanity under the judgement of God (Rom 1:18 – 32)
● the state of humanity in sin is a condition of experiencing Fatherlessness
4. The Old Covenant
● at the centre of the Old Testament story is the life of Israel; this begins with the call of Abraham after two disasters of global consequence:
● God sent the flood of Noah to deal with the fact that “the earth was filled with violence” (Gen 6:11)
● Babel represents humanity’s attempt to resist God’s command to fill the earth, “Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”” (Genesis 11:4)
● God chose (elected) Israel to be in a special covenant relationship with himself (Gen 12:1- 3; Exodus 19:5 – 6; Deuteronomy 4:37; 7:6- 7)
● this meant he was the Father and God of the children of Israel (Gen 17:7- 8; 18:19; Exod 1:1, 7; Isaiah 43:6; 63:16; Hosea 1:10; 11:1)
● unlike other nations, Israel has no history apart from the promises and plan of God
● the way to experience the benefits of this relationship with God was to be faithful to his commands and promises (Exodus 19: 5- 6; Deut 28 etc.)
● God never anticipated that the nation as a whole would be faithful to his call and be the means to fulfil his plan (Leviticus 26:14- 39; Deuteronomy 30:15 -20; 32; Ezekiel 16)
● the people refused to be a holy nation and a royal priesthood and consistently turned to idols (Exodus 32; Judges 2:12; Psalm 106:34 -39; Isaiah 2:8; 44:9; Ezekiel 6:4-13 etc.)
● the nation never matured; even at the height of the united kingdom under the kingship of David and Solomon there was sin and idolatry (2 Samuel 11; 1 Kings 11:1 -8)
● the history of Israel is one of cycles of repeated disobedience, divine punishment, confession of sin and restoration e.g. Judges, 1 – 2 Kings
● the prophets therefore begin to speak of a new phase in the history of Israel: with a new captivity and exodus (Isaiah 40:3- 4; 41:17- 20; 42:7; Jeremiah 16:14- 15 etc.), new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31- 34); new nation (Isaiah 10:20 -22; 46:3- 4; Jer 23:3; 31:7; Ezekiel 36:25- 28) and new temple (Ezekiel 40- 48)
● under the leadership of a new David (later identified as Messiah), God will perfectly shepherd his people (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5- 8; 33:14- 26; Ezekiel 34:11- 13, 23- 25; 37:24 -28)
● at this time all the nations of the earth will gather to the glory of a new Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2- 4; Micah 4:1 -4; Zechariah 8:20 -23)
● this will constitute a new creation (Isaiah 11:1- 9; 65:17- 21; Amos 9:10 – 14)
● looked at from this framework the pattern of redemption in the Old Testament was God’s “holding operation” until the coming of the one true Israelite and Son of God
● the structures of salvation in the Old Testament are what the New Testament comes to call a foreshadow or pattern of the reality which is to come in Christ (Col 2:17; Heb 8:5; 9:9; 10:1)
● lacking power to transform human nature they were a preparation for the coming of Jesus by preserving a people for God who were conscious of their sin and looking for a deliverer (Gal 3:19, 23 -25)
● Christians therefore do not read the Old Testament as an end in itself, but to seek pointers to Christ who is the fulfilment of all its major themes of redemption
● these major themes include election, covenant, descendants, land, captivity, exodus, sonship, law, Sabbath, temple, sacrifice, prophet, priest, king, kingdom of God, Son of David, Son of Man, Anointed one (Messiah), Shepherd, wisdom, knowledge (for details see Appendix 1)
5. Jesus
a. Incarnation
i. Background to the Gospels
● the Gospel writers are familiar with the fact that Jesus was God before he became human, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1 -3)
● their focus however falls on the human dimensions of the history of Jesus
● this involve the story of a fully human life from birth to death in which God’s great purpose of fully expressing his love for humanity would be realised
● this is the same love which God the Father always had for his Son in eternity, “26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”” (John 17:26)
ii. The Earthly Life of Jesus
● the Gospels tell us what we need to know of the formation of the earthly life of the Son of God
● Jesus human story commences with his conception by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:20; Luke 1:34; John 1:14)
● the next phase is his physical and spiritual growth as a child (Luke 2:40 – 52)
● the greatest attention is focussed on the three years of his ministry because this is what is most important for our salvation
● the integrating theme of the first three Gospels is the coming of the kingdom of God in Jesus
● Jesus is the preacher of the good news of the kingdom of God (Matt 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:15)
● Jesus is the teacher of the mysteries of God’s kingdom told by commandment, story and in parables (Matt 5-7; 13; 18:21-34; 20:1-15 etc.)
● Jesus miracles and deliverances from evil are powerful works revealing that the kingdom of God has come in him (Matt 10:1- 15; 11:2- 6; 12:28 etc.)
● this means that in every way Jesus is sharing God’s rule over the world, just as had been planned from the beginning
● the integrating theme of the Gospel of John is Jesus’ Sonship, his relationship with God as his Father
● the glory of God, the fullness of who God is, dwells permanently in Jesus (John 1:14; 2:11; 11:4, 40
● Jesus purpose in coming is to share this glory with humanity, “24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)
b. Atonement
● the most intense expression of Jesus teaching in the Synoptics is his prophetic declarations that he must be crucified and raised from the dead (Matt 16:21; 17:22 – 23; 20:18 -19)
● Jesus is willing to suffer for the sake of the kingdom of God in order that others may share in God’s rule
● in John, Christ’s glory intensifies through his cross, resurrection and ascension, ““Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”” (John 12:27-28; cf. 13:32; 16:14; 17:1, 5)
● the goal of Jesus death, resurrection and return to the Father is that he may be able to share his glory with the disciples (John 7:37- 39; 17:22- 24)
● the passion of Jesus is that he not be alone but bring to the Father a family of children in glory (John 20:17; Hebrews 2:10 – 13)
● the sacrificial blood shed by Jesus on the cross gathers up into itself all the Old Testament themes of redemption and is the means the creation of a new covenant relationship between God and humanity, ““This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20; cf. Heb 8:6 -10:18; 12:24; 13:20)
c. Glorification
● the resurrection is the complete enactment of the power of God in the life of Jesus in a most personal way, “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 1:4; cf. 1 Cor 15:43; Eph 1:20)
● it establishes Jesus as King/Lord and Christ and in him the full presence of the kingdom of God (John 20:25; Acts 2:36; 13:32 -34; 17:7; 1 Tim 6:15 etc.)
● the return of Jesus to heaven (ascension) is described in end-times (apocalyptic) terms drawn from the Old Testament (Daniel 7:13-14; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-10)
● it means a return for Jesus in human form to the glory he had with the Father in eternity (John 17:5)
● this reveals that God’s eternal goal of sharing all that he has with human beings has finally been accomplished, in Christ
● the goal of the plan of God is that the ascended Lord fill all things with the presence of his glorified humanity, “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” (Eph 4:10), in this way “Christ is all, and in all.” (Col 3:11)
4. The Church
● the church, as the Body and Bride of Christ, is the medium through which all of creation will be filled with Jesus, “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Eph 1:22-23)
● from another angle, the church is the temple of the Spirit indwelt by God so that he might be all in all (1 Cor 15:28); “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph 2:21-22)
● the story of the church is the story of how Jesus shares with us what the Father accomplished through his earthly life
● all that Jesus has is ours, “For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Cor 3:21-23; cf. Rom 8:17; Gal 4:27)
● Jesus shares with the church his life with the Father by the gift of the Spirit and through his Word, in this way we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4)
● the gift of the Holy Spirit means the adoption of sonship, God is our Father “in Christ” (Romans 8:14- 16; Galatians 4:4 -6)
● we have been united with Christ by sharing in his death, resurrection and ascension (Romans 6:3- 11; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Galatians 2:19 -20; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12, 20)
● through this, Jesus has become our brother, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Rom 8:29; John 20:17; Heb 2:10-12)
● the gospel offer of forgiveness and acceptance by God (justification) means the removal of judgement and so the end of shame and guilt (Acts 2:38; 13:38; 26:18; Romans 5:1; 8:1; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14 etc.)
● Christians begin their spiritual life through Word and Spirit; the power of God means a new spiritual creation (“born again”), (Galatians 6:15; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; Titus 3:1- 7)
● through the gift of the Spirit and forgiveness (Acts 2:36- 38) a believer enters into the kingdom of God
● to accept Jesus as King means to confess him as Lord and ruler of your life (Acts 16:33; Romans 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3)
● since Jesus is the reality of the presence of God’s kingdom, Christians are called to “reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:17)
● first of all this involves conflict with evil spiritual powers (Ephesians 6:10 -17; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8 -9), including the evil tendencies that remain in us (Romans 8:5-14; 13:11-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Colossians 3:3-5 etc.)
● Jesus continues to develop his likeness in us on a daily basis as we depend upon his Spirit, read his Word and pray (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10)
● his life finds expression in doing the works of God and speaking the Word of God just as he did (John 14:12; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 4:2)
● in this way we are witnesses to Jesus in the same way that Jesus was a witness to his Father (John 15:27, 20:21; Acts 1:8)
● this is only possible to the degree that we live on earth as Jesus lived (“walk as he walked” 1 John 2:6), in love with God and neighbour (Matthew 22:37; Romans 12:9 -10; 13:8; Galatians 5:13 – 14; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Peter 1:8; 1 John 4:21 etc.)
● to the degree that we trust Jesus we will experience life as he does, “my peace I give to you….my joy may be in you” (John 14:27; 15:11; cf. John 16:33; 17:13; 1 Peter 1:8)
5. Consummation
(A personal testimony: Acts 3:17 -21)
● the remaining phase of the history of Jesus is future and heavenly
● the book of Revelation especially is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” because it records the unfolding revelation of the true identity of the heavenly Jesus (Revelation 1:1)
● it is not however speculative or imaginative because it is written by apostles who had seen a vision of Christ’s eternal glory on earth or in heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-4; 2 Peter 1:16-18; Revelation 1:12-18; 4:1-2)
● it is Jesus sharing with us what the Father has given him to know about his own destiny yet to come
● Jesus has this future because he was faithful to the purposes of God (Revelation 1:5; 3:14; 19:11)
● Jesus gives us insight into what he has in store for us so that we may live faithful lives in the present, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3; cf. 2 Peter 3:11; Revelation 2:10; 14:12; 17:14)
● if we do not understand the glory of the future that awaits us we will become faithless and idolatrous like the rest of humanity, and share in their judgements (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5 -9; Revelation 6; 8:7 -20; 16 -18)
● if believers are faithful through suffering and persecution they will share in the rewards Jesus inherited from his Father (Revelation 2:7, 10, 17, 26- 28; 3:5, 12, 21)
● the revelation of the future unfolds in a series of steps:
● it is the return of Jesus bringing the eternal glory of God to the earth that will trigger this universal transformation (Mark 13:26; 14:62; 1 Thessalonians 4:15 – 16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 1:7; 19:11 – 16)
● only when Jesus visibly returns will we be able to “see him” and be “like him” (1 John 3:2)
● the first step in the “restoration of all things” (Matthew 17:10; Acts 3:21) is the general resurrection of the dead
● all people, alive or dead, will receive a body of the same sort as that in which Jesus came back to life (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:20)
● this resurrection body will share the glory that Jesus received when he was raised from the dead, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 cf. 1 Corinthians 15:42- 57)
● the resurrection introduces the next phase of the last things: the last judgement
● those who receive a body like that of Jesus but do not have him living within them cannot personally share in the rest of his story
● this means an eternal separation, some have the eternal life of Jesus, others go off to the eternal punishment of being outside God’s pleasure in Christ, this is hell (Matthew 25:46; John 5:29; Revelation 20:11 -15)
● at the very end of the story there is a “new heavens and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1, 5)
● the typology of Eden –its rivers, trees, precious stones find their fulfilment in the eternal city of God (Gen 2:10-14; Rev 21-22)
● in this new universe there can be no trace of the knowledge of good and evil and the suffering it has produced, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”” (Revelation 21:4 cf. Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13)
● God reigns over a world in perfect peace and harmony (Isaiah 9:7); ““The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”” (Rev 11:15)
● this is the reality of the relationship that Jesus has with his Father and it now fills all things (Ephesians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Revelation 21:7)
● at the centre of the new cosmos is the new Jerusalem, a place where God lives with his people (Ezekiel 37:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 12:22 -24; Revelation 7:15; 21:3)
● this city and the people of God are one (Revelation 3:12; 21:2)
● there is no physical temple because the temple is the person of Jesus who indwells the church (Ephesians 2:19 – 22; 1 Peter 2:4 -5; Revelation 21:22)
● just as God planned in the beginning, there is a vast multitude of people fully and forever sharing life with him through his Son (Revelation 5:9 -10; 7:9 -17; 14:1- 5)
● all heaven and earth is completely filled with the glory of God (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; Revelation 21:11, 23), for the glory of the nations and the glory of God are now one (Isaiah 60:1 -5; Revelation 21:24, 26)
Application and Conclusion: Sharing in the Story of Jesus
● “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” (1 Cor 4:1). “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” (1 Cor 9:16-17). “assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Eph 3:2-6). “25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 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.” (Col 1:25-28)
● the mystery of God is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27) and the mystery of Christ is the church, “When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Eph 3:4-6) i.e. where the fullness is found
● destiny produces discipline, “Since all these things (heaven and earth) are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11)
● only disciples who follow Jesus as Lord in the way of the cross can expect to understand the plan of God as a living reality; “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23; cf. Luke 14:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Heb 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23)
● a Jesus shaped life is one of daily death to self and rising again in the power of the resurrection; “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” (Phil 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:10)
● only in this way is the whole plan experienced today as the story of Jesus: past, present and future
● this is a story that challenges the idolatry that is at the heart of every other story: ideologies, races, nations, families and our own
● this returns us to the crucial question of life: my story with a place for Jesus, or Jesus’ story with a place for me?
Appendix 1: Old Testament Types Fulfilled in Christ
| Theme | Old Testament | New Testament |
| election | Gen 12:1- 2; Deut 7:7 -8 | Eph 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20 |
| covenant | Gen 15:17; Ex 19:5 -6; 2 Sam 7:14; Isa 42:6; 49:8; Jer 31:31 -34 | Matt 26:26- 28; Heb 12:24; 13:20 |
| descendants | Gen 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 16:10; 18:18 | Matt 1:1; Acts 3:25 -26; Gal 3:16; Heb 2:10; Rev 5:9 -10 |
| land | Gen 12:7; 13:14 – 15; 15:18- 21; 17 – 8 | Heb 11:16; Rev 21:1- 5 |
| exodus | Ex 12- 15; Ps 78; Isa 40:3- 4; Jer 16:14- 15 | Luke 9:31; 1 Cor 5:7; Col 1:13 |
| Israel/sonship | Ex 4:22 -23; Isa 43:6; Hos 11:1 | Matt 2:15; Mark 1:1; John 1:18; Luke 3:22 -38 |
| law | Ex 20; Lev ; Deut 5; Ps 1; 19 | Matt 5:17 -18; Rom 10:4 |
| sabbath | Gen 2:2; Ex 20:8 -11; Deut 5:12 -15 | Mk 2:28; Rev 1:10 |
| temple | Ex 25 -31; 1 Ki 5 -8 | John 1:14; 2:19 -21 |
| sacrifice | Gen 4:2- 4; Ex 12; 29 -30; Lev 16; 1 Sam 5:22; Ps 50:5 | John 1:29; Rom 8:3; 1 Cor 5:7; Heb 9- 10; Rev 5:6- 10 |
| prophet | Gen 20:7; Deut 18:15 – 19; Amos 3:7; 7:14 -15 | Luke 4:16 -21, 24; 13:33; John 4:19; Acts 3:22 -23 |
| priest | Lev 1:7- 17; 13 – 14; Num 1:47 -54 | Mark 10:45; John 10:11; Rom 8:34; Heb 2:17; 3:1; 4:14 – 15; 7 |
| king | 1 Sam 8:4- 18; 2 Sam 7:14 -16; Ps 89; 132; Isa 9:6 -7; Ezek 34:20 – 24 | John 1:49; Mark 15:32; Acts 2:29- 33; 13:23, 32 -34 ; 1 Cor 15:24 -28; Rev 19:16 |
| kingdom of God | Ps 22:28; 24; Dan 2:44; 4:3; 7:13 -14; | Mark 1:15; Acts 14:22; 28:31; Rom 14:17; Col 1:13 |
| Son of David | 2 Sam 7:14 | Matt 1:17 -20; 20:29 -31; Luke 1:30 -33; Rom 1:3 |
| Son of Man | Ezek 2:1; Dan 7:13- 14 | Mark 7:38; 8:31; 13:26 -27; 14:62; Acts 7:56 |
| Anointed one (Messiah) | Ps 2:2; Isa 61:1; Dan 9:26 -27 | Matt 16:16; Mark 1:1; Acts 10:38 |
| Shepherd | Ps 23:1; Isa 40:11; Ezek 34:23 | John 10:11; 1 Pet 2:25; 5:4; Heb 13:20 |
| wisdom | 1 Ki 3:6- 9; 4:20 – 34; Isa 9:6; 11:2 | Luke 2:46- 52; 11:31; 1 Cor 1:20 – 2:16; Col 2:2- 3 |
| knowledge | Prov 1:7; Isa 11:2 | 1 Cor 2:16; Col 2:2- 3 |
| captivity/exile | Gen 15:13; Jer 1:15 -16; 20:4 -6; Micah 4:10 | John 1:14; Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 8:9 |
| restoration | Isa 1:26; 49:6; Jer 30:18; Ezek 36:35; Amos 9:14 | Matt 19:28; Acts 3:21 |