The Bible is ALL About Jesus

John 5:39; 20:31 (Pastor Heo)

5:39 “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”

20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

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These two verses will be key verses in our Holy Journey from Genesis to Revelation. Today, we will see a general introduction to the whole Bible. From next time, we will go into Genesis.

God is a god who wishes to reveal himself – he is not a small letter “god” who hides himself. We know that God is a god of love. Then love must communicate itself and that revelation must come from God himself.

Do you have your own thoughts and ideas? These can only be disclosed by the man himself. Likewise, the thoughts of God can only be disclosed and revealed by himself. God, throughout history, is revealing himself by speaking. By the Word of God, the heavens and earth were created.

Then, in the Bible, God speaks directly or indirectly through men. Men spoke from God. 1 Peter “Prophecy never had its origin in men, but it is from God and was spoken by men through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

John 1:1 “In the Beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.” This is Jesus – he is the heart and center of the Bible.

The word “bible” is derived from the Greek “biblos” = “book” – this is understood as the Word of God written down for humans to understand (in human language).

The Bible is a library of 66 books:

• Old Testament = 39
• New Testament = 27

One way to remember this = 3*9 = 27

Actually the whole Bible was written by about 40 human authors over a period of 1,600 years from different people over many years.

• Old Testament begun = 1500 B.C.
• New Testament finalized = 100 A.D.
• Actually, the OT was written in Hebrew.
• The NT was written in Greek.

The unique design of the Bible is one of the BEST proofs of its DIVINE INSPIRATION.

To understand the meaning of “inspiration” is very important.

For SOOOO many people to write a book without contradictions is a miracle. This book must have been written by the inspiration of a guiding hand. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God man be equipped for every good work.”

So, God-breathed = God’s inspiration = God’s supernatural control over the production of the OT and the NT. This is God breathing his Spirit into the consciousnesses of men to enable them to write this.

The Bible is infallible, inerrant, absolute, – this is guaranteed by the inspiration of God.

Originally, the Bible was not divided into chapters and verses. These were not inspired by God. For the convenience of reference, the division of chapters and verses were added later in the 13th century. The first ever Bible printed in English was the Geneva Bible printed in 1560.

Numbers:

• 39 Old, 27 New, 66 in ALL
• 1189 chapters, 31,173 verses, 773,692 words (it will take 60 hours to read) = KJV (center chapter of the Bible is Psalm 119)

The Seven Wonders of the Bible

#1: The Wonder of its formation

One book was written in one place, another book was written CENTURIES later in a totally different part of the world. How were these possibly collected together?

#2: The Wonder of its unification

It is a library of 66 books, yet it remains ONE book, by ONE author (the Holy Spirit). There are NO contradictions (in context) throughout the whole Bible.

#3: The Wonder of its age

This is the MOST ancient of ALL books. It is the oldest book in existence today. At the same time, it is the NEWEST book in its suitability and applicability and relevancy and congeniality? Timeless truths, timely application.

#4: The Wonder of its sales

The best-selling book of ALL time ever.

#5: The Wonder of interest

This is the ONLY book read by ALL ages in ALL nations. It is read by the wisest in the world and the oldest, and the youngest. It fixes and addresses ALL problems.

Think of John 3:16 –

• This verse is so easy, so simple that even a little child can understand it and be saved.
• Yet, at the same time, “God so loved the world” is so DEEP in meaning that it would take a lifetime to fully comprehend it.

#6: The Wonder of language

Actually, the majority of the Bible was written by UNeducated people – yet it is considered the King of Books, a masterpiece – it is studied as literature in many universities.

#7: The Wonder of its preservation

Throughout history, again and again, many governments and kings have tried to burn and destroy this book – but still today, God has preserved this book and it can be found in ALMOST every house in ALMOST every nation.

Heb 4:12 “The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to bone and marrow…”

The Bible is ALL about Jesus.

John 5:39 Jesus testifies that the Bible testifies about himself.

This time let’s see 12 main testimonies for the witness of Jesus Christ.

#1: The Bible’s main testimony is for Christ

• John 5:39 Jesus testifies that the Bible testifies about himself.

#2: Father God’s main testimony

• John 5:37 “The Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.”
• At Jesus’ baptism, Father God testifies “This is my Son, whom I love, in whom I am well pleased.”
• At the transfiguration, Father God testifies, “This is my Son, whom I love, in him I’m well pleased, listen to him.”

#3: The Holy Spirit’s main testimony

• John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes (HS), who I will send from the Father to you, he will testify about me.”

There are many ministries of the HS, still we are under his ministry – baptism, repentance, rebuking, etc, but his MAIN ministry is to testify about Jesus Christ – to witness to Jesus Christ.

#4: Abraham’s main witness

He is the “father of the faith” – he was the representative of the patriarchs

• John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing me, and Abraham saw me.”

In the physical world, Abraham lived almost 2000 years before Jesus was born – but Jesus said, “he saw me and he was glad.”

#5: Moses was the representative of the LAW

He was the symbol of the Word of God in the OT – he received the 10 commandments on Mt. Sinai from God. His main witness was to testify about Christ.

He lived 1500 years before Christ – yet his main ministry was to testify about Christ.

• John 5:46 “If you believed Moses, you would believe in me because Moses wrote about me.”

He wrote the first 5 books of the OT (the Pentateuch) Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – to testify about Christ.

#6: David was the representative of ALL Kings in the OT

His main ministry and mission and witness was to testify about Christ.

Psalms (150 chapters) – most were written by David

• Psalm 110:1 “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under my feet.”
• Matthew 22:4 “Even David confessed me as his personal Lord by the ministry of the HS.”

#7: All the prophets in the OT

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel…Malachi (there are more than 20 – some didn’t write the Bible (Elijah/Elisha))

All the prophets’ main ministry was to testify about Christ. This is not my word, it is the word of the Bible.

• Acts 10:43 “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him would receive forgiveness through his name.” (Jesus Christ).

Abraham, Moses, David, all the prophets – testify about Christ = ALL the ministers of the OT

New Testament

#8: John the Baptist

Very clear, this is very important – he was the forerunner of Jesus

• John 6:6? “There was a man who came before to testify about that Light (Jesus) so that all men would believe. He himself was not the Light, but the True Light was coming into the world.”
• Jesus says, “I’m the Light of the World.”

#9: All the apostles of Christ

• Before his crucifixion, he said to his disciples (John 15:27 “You also must testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning.” – after his resurrection he reminded them – “you are witnesses about all these things.” – after his assension to heaven they proclaimed boldly before the Jews “You killed the author of Life but God raised him from the dead – we are witnesses of this.”

#10: Missionary Paul

He was the representative of ALL missionaries in church history

• 1 Cor 2:2 “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Whatever was to my profit, I consider as loss – what’s more I consider EVERYTHING loss compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. For him, I have lost ALL things to be found in him.”

#11: The church

The main ministry of the church is to testify about Jesus. We are a church.

• One day, Peter confessed to Christ “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus said, “You are blessed, this was revealed to you by my Father in heaven. On this rock (this confession/faith), I will build my church.” The church will be built on this confession – that Christ is the Son of the Living God.

There is no question, the church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the church.

#12: All true believers

Are you a believer? Are you a HS-filled believer?

Your task, main mission is to testify about Christ.

• Acts 1:8 “You will receive power when the HS comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jeonju, Korea, Asia, and to the ends of the earth.”

If you are truly filled with the HS, the evidence is that your focus is to testify about Christ. It is obvious and evident if you are filled with Christ or not.

One more story:

Jesus is the heart and center of the Bible.

It means: the heart and center of HISTORY is Jesus Christ.

There are three kinds of history:

1. Bible history (redemptive history)
2. World history (secular history)
3. Personal history

In ALL history, the center and heart is Jesus Christ.

Ex:

The Bible is divided OT and NT, it is divided BY Christ.

1. The Old = covenant
2. The New = after Christ covenant.

Secular history is divided

1. (B.C. Before Christ) and
2. (A.D. Ado Domini = “The Year of our Lord”)

Personal history is also DIVIDED – the center and heart of it is Christ

1. Old = o-shi
2. New = en-shi

“If anyone is IN Christ, he is a NEW Creation – the old has gone, the NEW has come.”

You are in Jesus Christ? May God bless all of us IN Jesus Christ to follow him and witness and testify about him.

Let’s pray.