The Big Story
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CREATED FOR SO MUCH MORE! The Big Story
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The Big Story. Created for SO MUCH MORE!. THE COSMIC DRAMA. Understanding the Christian Worldview as a Great Drama, and the Role We Were Created to Play in It. Our Need for Context. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Big Story
CREATED FOR SO MUCH MORE!
The Big Story
UNDERSTANDING THE CHRISTIAN
WORLDVIEW AS A GREAT DRAMA, AND THE ROLE WE WERE CREATED TO PLAY IN
IT
THE COSMIC DRAMA
Our Need for Context
The individual stories of our lives are lived within the context of a transcendent all-encompassing story or meta-narrative.
God has revealed that “meta-narrative” through creation, through Scripture, and through Jesus Christ.
IN THE BEGINNING,
GODThe true story of God, man and the
universe.
A COSMIC DRAMA IN
FOUR ACTS
BYYAHWEH
ACT 1: The CreationACT 2: The FallACT 3: Redemption and
RenewalACT 4: Glorification
THE WRITER
God’s Essential Attributes – Belonging to Him Only
A Personal Being (Exodus 3:14)Invisible/Spirit (John 4:24)Eternal (Isaiah 26:4)Immutable (Malachi 3:6)Infinite (Psalm 147:5; 18:30)
THE WRITER
God’s Essential Attributes – Belonging to Him Only
Omnipotent (Luke 1:37)Omniscient (Psalm 139:1-8)Omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:24)Transcendent (2 Chronicles 6:18)Absolute Truth (Isaiah 45:19)One God in Three Persons (2
Corinthians 13:14)
THE WRITER
God’s Moral Attributes – Belonging to Him and Reflected in His
Image-BearersPerfect Love (1 John 4:8)Perfect Righteousness (Deuteronomy
32:4)Perfect Holiness (Leviticus 19:2)Perfect Faithfulness (1 Corinthians 1:9;
10:13)
THE SCRIPT
Truth revealed by the only true and living God – “I am the Lord, and there is no other… I the Lord speak
the truth; I declare what is right.” Isaiah 45:18-19The General Revelation of Truth through Nature (Psalm
19:1)The General Revelation of Truth through Conscience
(Romans 2:15)The Special Revelation of Truth through Scripture (2
Timothy 3:16)The Special Revelation of Truth through Christ
(Hebrews 1:1-2)
ACT 1A CREATION OF PERFECT
HARMONY WITH:GODSELF
OTHERSTHE EARTH
The Creation
Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,to receive glory and honor and
power,for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
THE FIXED INTENT, NATURE, ORDER,
UNITY, HARMONY, AND DIVERSITY OF ALL
ASPECTS OF CREATION
The Structure of Creation
HUMANITY
Our OriginCreated by God (Genesis 1:26-28)
HUMANITY
Our NatureImage Bearers of God (Genesis 1:26-
31)o Spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:11)
o Rational (Isaiah 55:8-9)
o Emotional (Psalm 42:1-5)
o Moral (Romans 2:14-15)
o Volitional (Genesis 2:15-17)
o Creative (Exodus
35:30-33)o Relational
(Genesis 1:28; 1 John 1:3)
o Crowned with Glory and Honor (Psalm 8:5)
o Finite & Dependent (John 15:5; Acts 17:25, 28)
HUMANITY
Our Relational PurposesTo live in a relationship of harmonious
fellowship with God (Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 John 1:3)
To live for the service, praise and glory of God (Ephesians 1:6-12)
To Live in a trusting, dependent relationship with God (John 15:5; Acts 17:25-28)
HUMANITY
Our Relational PurposesTo live in a harmonious relationship
with SELF by bearing and reflecting the perfect image of God (Genesis 1:26-31; Psalm 103:14; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
HUMANITY
Our Relational PurposesTo live in a harmonious relationship
with OTHERS by serving them in love within the institutions of the family, the nation and the Church (Genesis 2:18; Acts 17:26; Ephesians 2:14-16; 9-20)
HUMANITY
Our Relational PurposesTo Live in a harmonious relationship
with THE EARTH as God’s stewards by filling, subduing, caring for, and ruling over it (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)
HUMANITY
Our DestinyTo glorify God eternally on the new
earth (Revelation 4:21)To serve and rule with God eternally
over the new creation (Revelation 22:3-5)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its OriginCreated by God (Genesis 1:1;
Ephesians 3:9)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its NatureReflects the order and character of God
(Genesis 8:22; Romans 1:20)Very Good (Genesis 1:31)Comprehensible (Genesis 1:26-28)Sustained by God (Hebrews 1:3;
Colossians 1:17)Under man’s dominion (Genesis 1:26-28;
Psalm 115:16)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its PurposeFor God’s glory and pleasure (Psalm
19:1; Revelation 4:11)For habitation of life (Genesis 1; Psalm
115:16)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its DestinyThe renewal and eternal existence as
the home of God and His redeemed image-bearers (2 Peter 3:10-13)
ACT 2DISHARMONY WITH:
GODSELF
OTHERSTHE EARTH
The Fall
Romans 5:12
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death
spread to all men because all sinned.”
THE DEVIATION FROM GOD’S CREATIONAL
STRUCTURE CAUSED BY SIN
The Direction of Creation
HUMANITY
Our NatureFallen, Sinful and Marred (Genesis 3;
Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; 5:12)Still Crowned with Glory and Honor
(Psalm 8:5)Finite and Dependent (John 15:5; Acts
17:25, 28)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsSeparated from and in Disharmony
with God (Genesis 3:8; Isaiah 59:2)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsSeparated from and in Disharmony
with Self (Genesis 3:10; Ezra 9:6; Psalm 38:4, 18; 69:5)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsSeparated from and in Disharmony
with Others (Genesis 3:12; Proverbs 11:9; Jeremiah 9:5; James 3:16; 4:1-2)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsSeparated from and in Disharmony
with Creation (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-21)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its NatureGood (Genesis 1:3)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its NatureCursed and Subject to Decay because
of the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-21)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its NatureResponds Reluctantly to the
Stewardship of Fallen Humanity (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 3:23; 5:12)
Phil Larson and Brian Smith; “Biblical Integration at BJU Press” April 10, 2007
“The brokenness of the natural order is all around us, and it is part of every academic discipline. Because it is all we have known, it is easy for us to ignore it (or to assume that the natural order has always been as it is now). Because we desire to shelter our children from the tragedies of human existence, it is easy for us to skip those aspects of the academics that deal with God’s curse on the world. But we must confront our children with the fact that this world is not as it should be. Part of being educated is knowing what is broken and why it is broken. Life is tragic, and it is tragic because God is speaking to us about our sin.”
ACT 3RESTORED HARMONY
WITH:GODSELF
OTHERSTHE EARTH
Redemption and Renewal
Colossians 1:19-20
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and
through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in
heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
THE REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION TOWARD
GOD’S CREATIONAL STRUCTURE
The NEW Direction of Creation
HUMANITY
Our NatureJustified or Guiltless (Romans 5:1;
Galatians 3:24)Forgiven and Righteous (Colossians
2:13-14; Romans 4:18-25)New Creation and Adopted Child (2
Corinthians 5:17; John 1:12-13)Sanctified but still subject to decay
and death (2 Corinthians 4:16)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsRestored in Harmony and Fellowship
with God (Romans 5:8-11; 1 John 1:3)Restored Harmony with Self (Jeremiah
31:13; Romans 5:11; 15:13; Galatians 5:22-23)
Being Conformed to the Glory and Image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsRestored in Harmony with Others as
Members of God’s Family, the Church (Acts 2:42-47; Ephesians 2:19; 4:1-6, 25-32; 1 Peter 2:9)
Stewards of Creation still in Disharmony due to the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-21)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its NatureGood (Genesis 1:31)Cursed and Subject to Decay (Romans
8:20-21)Groans in Frustration awaiting it
Liberation from Decay (Romans 8:20-23)Still responds reluctantly to the imperfect
stewardship of fallen and redeemed mankind (Romans 3:23; 5:12)
ACT 4PERFECTED ETERNAL
HARMONY WITH:GODSELF
OTHERSTHE EARTH
Glorification
Colossians 1:19-20
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and
through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in
heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
THE COMPLETED REDEMPTIVE
RESTORATION OF GOD’S CREATIONAL
STRUCTURE
The PERFECTED Direction of Creation
HUMANITY
Our NatureGlorified, conformed perfectly to the
same image of Christ.(Romans 8:18, 30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2)
Eternal New Physical Body (1 Corinthians 15:35-49; Philippians 3:20-21)
HUMANITY
Our RelationshipsPerfect Harmony with God (Revelation
21:3-4)Perfect Harmony with Self (Revelation
21:4)Perfect Harmony with Others
(Revelation 21:9-27)Perfect Harmony with the Earth (2
Peter 3:13)
THE EARTH/UNIVERSE
Its Nature and DestinyRenewed for Eternity as the Home of
God and His Children (Revelation 21:1-5)
