Stephen and the promise; The promise in the Old Testament. (Lessons 42-43)

* Stephen the first Christian Martyr, died for preaching Jesus, traces the promise from the Old Testament history to its fulfillment in Jesus Christ the Lord.

* To be able to grasp this you need to familiarize yourself by reading Act6:8-8:1. In this historical re-accounting you can see someone who was willing to truly lay down his life for the gospel.

Aim:

* To see how the Abrahamic promise is shown through the sermon, the defense given by Stephen.

* Also, to have the word of God make such an impression upon our hearts as it so vividly declares Jesus to the the Savior of the world.

Outline:

* You read the setting (Act6:8-7:1)

* You read the sermon (Act7:2-53)

* You read the slaying (Act7:54-8:1)

* From Chaldea to Canaan

* Abraham (7:2-7)

* Isaac (7:8a)

* Jacob (7:8b)

* To the twelve sons of Israel (7:8c)

* Canaan to Egypt; Joseph (7:9-19)

* Egypt to Moab; Moses (7:10-44)

* Moab to promised land; Joshua (7:45a)

* To united Kingdom; David (7:45b-46) and Solomon (7:47)

* Leading to the coming of the Righteous One; Jesus Christ (7:48-53)

Noteworthy things:

* The reference to the Abrahamic promises (land, seed)

* The time of the promise was shown in prophesy from time of Egyptian enslavement forward.

Questions to be ready to answer:

What is the significance of Stephen’s defense in relation to the Abrahamic promise?

What role does the concept of God’s eternal purpose play in understanding the scheme of redemption?

Reflection:

How can we personally relate to Stephen’s willingness to lay down his life for the gospel in our own lives?

How can we proclaim the fulfillment of God;s promises as Stephen did in our conversations, our teaching of others?

Conclusion:

* Stephens preaching was the proclamation of the fulfilling of the Abrahamic promise.

* The promise always looked forward to the coming of the Righteous One.

* God’s eternal purpose was laid out in the Old Testament, Through the Abrahamic Promise to deliverance through Jesus Christ; who is the fulfillment of the spiritual seed promise.

* The bible is book of history, of unity, of one central theme, Jesus Christ the savior of the world, the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose, God’s scheme of redemption.

The promise in the Old Testament (Lesson 43)

Introduction:

* We need to understand and be able to show that the bible is a “unit” one book that is put together over 1500 years, 3 continents, in 3 languages, by 40 or so authors all with one purpose to make known God’s eternal purpose. It cannot be pieced it has to be taken as whole.

* Throughout the bible, the purpose, the promise, of the prophets and the apostles prove the claim of God’s eternal purpose, God’s scheme of redemption.

Aim:

* Using Jesus and two of His apostles teaching, their words as it relates to the promise of the Old Testament.

* To have a better understanding, a stronger understanding that the bible works together as “a unit.” It is God’s inspired word from cover to cover.

Outline:

* The post-resurrection claim of Jesus (Lk24:13-27; focus on vv.25-27; then look at Lk24:44-49)

* All the prophets have spoken (v.25)

* Jesus uses all the prophets from Moses were revealing, telling of Him (v.27)

* Look at (v.44) with me, all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law and prophets, and the psalms.

* Side note: with the note of the law, the prophets, and the psalms this is the three divisions of the entire Hebrew bible of Genesis to Malachi. The Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ Jesus (see Jn5:39)

* The post-Pentecost sermon of Peter (Act3:11-24)

* The appeal to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Those in whom the promise was made and confirmed through about the glorification of Jesus (v.13)

* God foreshadowed by the mouth of all the prophets (v.18a)

* All things God showed before regarding the Christ are fulfilled in Jesus (v.18b)

* All the things God spoke by the mouth of His prophets that have been from old (v.21)

* Moses and all the prophets, as many as have spoken, they foresaw these days (vv.22-25)

* Peter shows the connection of “those things” with the covenant God made with Abraham (seed promise) (v.25) that all nations would be blessed.

* The apostle declares that God raised up His servant (Jesus) and sent Him to bless you and turning alway every one of you from you iniquities (v.26)

* Noteworthy: (v.25) says all the nations would be blessed; (v.26) tells how they are to be blessed. turning them all away from their sin.

* Paul’s proclamation before King Agrippa (Act26:1-23)

* The promise made of God to the fathers concerning Jesus (vv.6-8)

* The whole Messianic truth; the Old Testament teaching about the Christ is summed up in the promise made to the Fathers (v.6)

* Paul concludes his defense by that he by preaching the resurrection of Jesus had said nothing, but what the prophets and moses said should come (v.22)

* Ah, you can add in Eph3:6-12 for more about the promise as it came to All (Jew and Gentiles).

Questions:

In what ways did Jesus fulfill the prophecies mentioned in the context of the Abrahamic promise?

How do Peter’s and Paul’s sermons complement Stephen’s message about the fulfillment of the promises?

Reflection:

How can we encourage one another in our congregations, our church community to understand the unity of the Bible as God’s inspired word?

In what ways can understanding the connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament strengthen your faith?

Conclusion:

* The teaching about the promise is found all throughout the Old Testament.

* The New Testament spokesmen make it clear that the promise is fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

* Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior offers forgiveness of sins, redemption (Gal1:3-4) as the fulfillment of the blessings according to the promised blessing through Abraham (that pointed to Jesus)

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