Tracing the Bible’s Story with Courtney Doctor
Today, Hunter talks with Courtney Doctor about the big story of the Bible—the way God reveals his plan to redeem all things from the beginning of Scripture to the end. Knowing God’s mission to redeem all things really does affect how we apply Scripture to our lives. We hope this episode reminds you of the beauty of the story God has written in Scripture and gets you excited to learn more about the specific themes we’ll see unfold as our series continues.
NOTES & QUOTES
“We're meant to want more than an earthly kingdom on a small strip of land next to the Mediterranean with an earthly finite king with God's presence limited to this one place. We're meant to long for the perfect king and to dwell the entire earth and to have a king who sits on the eternal throne and for God's presence to be everywhere for us and for God's people to be able to dwell with him again. So even understanding where you are in the story helps you understand what God is accomplishing through those pieces of creation, fall, redemption, new creation.”
“We're meant to want more than an earthly kingdom on a small strip of land next to the Mediterranean with an earthly finite king with God's presence limited to this one place. We're meant to long for the perfect king and to dwell the entire earth and to have a king who sits on the eternal throne and for God's presence to be everywhere for us and for God's people to be able to dwell with him again. so even understanding where you are in the story helps you understand what God is accomplishing through those, through those pieces of creation, fall, redemption, new creation.”
“It’s beautiful when you can start asking yourself, ‘What role does this passage play in the ongoing story of God’s redemption of all things?’”
On understanding Leviticus: “A holy God is dwelling in the midst of an unholy people for the first time since Genesis 3. And it's serious business for unholy people to dwell in the midst of a holy God. And so you turn the page to Leviticus and he says, ‘I know it is serious business. Here is provision for you. Here are sacrifices. Here are ceremonies. Here are washings that are going to remind you. And they're going to prepare your heart for the fact that you can never do this perfectly. And then one day, the perfect sacrifice will be sent. One day, the undefiled one will come so that he can make you undefiled in my presence.’”
Examples of how to trace the story of Scripture:
Creation – Fall – Redemption – New Creation/Consummation
God Made It – Man Broke It – Jesus Saves It – God Restores It
In the Garden – In the World – In Christ – In Glory
RESOURCES
Titus: Displaying the Gospel of Grace by Courtney Doctor and Hunter Beless
From Garden to Glory by Courtney Doctor
Even Better than Eden by Nancy Guthrie
The Epic of Eden by Sandra Rictor
Far as the Curse is Found by Michael Williams
16 Words by Chris Bruno
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
1 Kings 12
1 Kings 8
Genesis 3:15
Genesis 12
Psalm 1
John 17
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What is Redemptive Historical Context?
Name some difficulties you personally face when trying to understand the story (or metanarrative) of Scripture? Which sections specifically seem difficult for you?
Which part of this great story is sweetest or most interesting to you in your current season?
How does knowing the redemptive historical context change the way you understand Scripture?
Think about your own testimony and how you think of sharing the gospel. How does knowing the 4 parts (creation, fall, redemption, consummation) affect the way you share your testimony or the gospel?
What might you do or implement based on what you learned in this week’s episode?
RECENT CONVERSATIONS
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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