Yep, It's About Jesus

Sunday, October 6th was LWML (Lutheran Womens Missionary League) Sunday at church. In the Divine Service Liturgy this morning, the Gospel reading (St. Luke 24:44-53) contained the following section:

St. Luke 24:44-47: Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

We also have other passages in Scripture that say much of the same thing. One of them is actually from a few verses earlier in St. Luke 24.

St. John 5:39-40: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

St. Luke 24:25-27: And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

The Holy Scriptures are about Jesus

Jesus made numerous statements in the Gospel accounts about the Old Testament Scriptures. These are only three of many. These three all touch on the same these however. The entire Old Testament is about Christ. The New Testament is too of course. The Bible, to put it bluntly, is the revealing of Jesus Christ. It's all about Him; written over 1500 years by 40 or so authors.

So, in your grace Lord, let us not miss the point of the Old Testament. It's not a bunch of cute stories. It's all pointing to your Son.

Let us not create false dichotomies and make the Old Testament about works and the New Testament about grace.

Let us not elevate the present nation of Israel to a status that is unbiblical. Especially, since, you know, none of the Israelites now days can even trace their lineage. The Israel today is not the Israel of Scripture.

Let us instead see that the true Israel is Christ. All of the covenants are fulfilled by Him, and all of those stories point to Him. Let us see that the whole Bible points to that guy on the cross; fully God and fully man, yet one person of the Triune Godhead.

And give us O Lord your gifts in the Divine Service through your Word and your Sacraments. Create in us the faith that is vital to our salvation. Baptise our children into your body and make them your own. Feed us with your body and blood. Give us Christ, O Lord.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen