“Value of the Old Testament”

Introduction:

1. Many denominations think that we, in the church of Christ, do not believe in the Old Testament. There could be nothing further from the truth than this statement.

2. We believe the OT is highly valuable for its purpose and within its boundaries.

3. The purpose of the Old Testament was to get us to Christ and Christianity (Gal. 3:24). Its one major boundary is it is/was a temporal law, only for the Israelites (Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8:13).

4. Notice some things the OT is not valuable for:

a. Being our law and judge today (Jn. 12:48; Col 2:14).

b. Making peace between Jew & Gentile (Eph. 2:14-15; Rom. 10:15, 1:16).

c. How to become a Christian (Acts 4:11-12).

d. How to worship God today (Col. 3:17, Jn. 4:24).

e. Not a pattern for NT church today (I Cor. 3:11; Heb. 9:11,15).

f. Not the book to know Jesus by (2 Tim. 1:13; in prophecy—not reality).

5. What then is the OT good for? Why should we even worry about studying it?

6. In this sermon we will outline six reasons why it is a must that we know and study the OT.

I. The OT answers life’s most fundamental questions.

A. Who am I (Gen 1:26; 2:7)?

B. Where am I (Gen. 1:1; creation not evolution).

C. Why am I here (vale of soul making Eccl 12:13-14; one and only probationary period, to glorify God—Isa. 43:7).

D. Who is God (Jn. 4:23, trinity—Gen 1:26, Father—Heb. 12:9ff).

E. How long will I be here (James 4:14, Ps. 90:10-12)?

F. Where do I go after this life (Job 14:14—Matt 25:46, Phil. 3:20-21—Heaven or Hell).

II. OT details mans relationship with God.

A. God created us as free moral agents and put us in the luscious garden of Eden (Gen 2:7, Josh 24:15, 2 Pet. 1:10).

B. God made one simple law for Adam and Eve to follow (Gen. 2:16-17; James 1:25).

C. Man was tempted by the devil and sinned (Gen. 3, Rom. 5:12, Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 3:23).

D. Ever since the first sin God has been working to get us back to the tree of lie and Himself (Rev. 22:2, Jn. 14:6).

III. The OT defined, magnified, and denounced sin.

A. The law showed sin as it is (Rom. 7:13, Rom 3:20).

B. The law kept sin in check (Gal. 3:19, Rom 3:19, Rom. 4:15).

C. The law showed the consequences of sin (Gen 3—death, Ezek. 18:4, Isa. 59:1-2, Rev. 21:8).

D. The law could not forgive sins (Heb. 10:4, 9:14ff).

E. But, the law did promise forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31:34; Ps. 103:11-12, Micah 7:18-19).

IV. OT gives us real life examples of how to and not to live.

A. Cain and Abel—do not murder (Ex. 20).

B. Noah and the flood—the wrath of God (Rom 1:18-20).

C. David and Bathsheba—the sin of adultery

D. Job—the value and causes of suffering.

E. Nadab & Abihu—the fatality of a lack of authority.

F. Jeraboam—the sin of change and its domino affects.

V. OT teaches us the Nature & Attributes of God

A. God is omniscient (Prov. 5:21, 15:3; Isa. 46:10; Heb. 4:13).

B. God is omnipotent (Gen. 1:1; Lk. 1:37; Job 42:2).

C. God is omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-12; Jer. 23:23-24).

D. God is eternal and unchangeable (Ps. 90:2, Micah 5:2, Mal. 3:6; Heb. 6:18, 13:8).

E. God is holy (Leb. 11:44; I Pet. 1:15, Isa. 6:3, 57:15).

F. God is just (Gen. 18:25; Rom 3:26; Isa. 45:21).

G. God is love (I Jn. 4:8; Jn. 3:16, Ps. 103:8; Rom. 5:6-8).