Bible Overview

We're nearly half way through our ten week Bible overview and it is proving every bit as challenging as I thought it might. We have spent 3 weeks looking at the book of Genesis; the first on chapters 1 and 2, the second on chapters 3-11 and last week on 12-50. Now it picks up pace, this week we're looking at Exodus-Deuteronomy under the heading 'A Nation of Worshippers', here are some of the challenges it poses:

1. The challenge to root yourself in one passage which you expound - It is tempting to do a skim through, but our commitment to expository preaching means I want to anchor my overview in one passage which summarises the main themes. This means investing time to discover the main themes and then locate such a passage.
2. The challenge of selectivity - By its very nature that means you are not saying everything good that there is to say. It is a great reminder that scripture is bursting with lessons we need to learn and such a series forces you to prayerfully choose.
3. The challenge of theme - Having picked the theme of worship I am endeavouring to stay anchored in this theme and have been amazed at the way the Exodus can be viewed as a battle for worship between God and Pharaoh and the false gods of Egypt, as well as the way small things like the ordering of the Israelite camp in Numbers 2 draw attention to God's centrality, the definition of worship in Deuteronomy 10-11 are breathtaking. But there is also so much that it means we don't touch on.
4. The challenge of application - There are so many areas of our contemporary worship that this series touches on; our fundamental misunderstanding of worship - it is THE activity of our lives not an activity in it. Worship is obedience to God's word but is not just legalism - something I fear is being lost. The challenge of teaching right worship to our children (Deuteronomy 6 and 11) in every day life. And so on that I seem to reach this point every week with application overload - so many applications so little time!

It needs to drive me back to prayer; 'Father God teach me by your word, open my eyes, my understanding and my heart.' It drives us back to trust in the word of God to do the work of God by the Spirit of God among those he will gather to hear his word on Sunday.