One: A brief summary of the Bible
This is a brief summary of part 1 of our series from July 2018 called "One". We believe the Bible is one united story from Creation to the future new Creation which shows that God is restoring the 'One-ness' with God and each other we were created for.
Watch the full talk here.
Genesis 1 - In the beginning
“God created the heavens and the earth” and “it was good” including humanity, created to “be fruitful and multiply”
Here we see a principle:
Who God is → What God does → Who we are → What we do
(Creator) → (Creates) → (Creation) → (Recreates)
Therefore:
God (a family) → makes woman to be → family with man and → multiply
God (one) → made them male & female → to be united → and live as one
This ‘marriage’ is a kind of relationship called Covenant: “Two become One”
When the human beings places ‘me first’ (sin), this breaks the one-ness with God and each other
Genesis 15 - A few generations later
God promises Abram and Sarai children: the blood of animals is spilt and the two parties are bound together in this Covenant ritual. The one-ness with God lost in the garden of Eden is beginning to be restored:
- God’s name in Hebrew is YHWH (no consonants)
- Abram receives a ‘H’ from God’s name and becomes Abraham
- Sarai receives another ‘H’ from God’s name and becomes Sarah
- This is a coming together of ‘identities’
Exodus to Malachi - Abraham & Sarah’s descendants (The Israelites)
Lots of stuff happens, none of it helps reconcile (reunite) humanity with God.
Matthew/Mark/Luke/John - Jesus the God man
Two Israelites/Jews Joseph and Mary are visited by God before they marry. Mary is told she is pregnant with God’s son. The ‘sin nature’ is thought to come through the male line, hence the baby (Jesus) will be ‘without sin’.
Jesus, part of the ‘God family’ goes about his mission on earth with a group he considers family. He prays they will be “one, just as I and the Father are one”.
One day he tells his little ‘family’ he’s establishing a New Covenant with his blood, for the forgiveness of sins, and then he’s crucified praying “Father, forgive them”. He comes back to life, revealing once and for all his divine nature.
Acts - The early church
Jesus tells his little ‘family’ to wait for another member of the ‘God family’ (the Spirit) so they do. When the Spirit comes, they live as though they are one (sharing food, resources, meeting needs, completely united in heart and mind)
Romans to Jude - some guys write some letters
Paul (a new Jesus follower) and a few others write some letters to help other Jesus followers understand what this is all about. They talk lots about being ‘one’ and what that looks like. They use this analogy: we are many parts but together we are one body: the body of Christ.
Revelation - the coming hope
A guy called John has a vision of the with lots of symbolism, and the church (God’s people) is pictured as the bride of Christ. She is washed clean by Jesus himself (by his blood shed on the cross) and finally, as at the beginning of time, humanity is one again, with God and with each other.
What does this mean for you and I?
It means we are created to have Covenant Relationship (two becoming one) with God and each other. The perfect unity God (Father, Son and Spirit) had before the beginning of time is what he has invited us into. This 'Covenant Relationship' with each other means that "all I have is yours, and all you have is mine". This is what the church seeks to be and do - to live as one. One heart, one mind, one Lord, one purpose. What is stopping you from experiencing that 'one-ness' with God and others, and how can you lay that aside?