Redeemer Equips: The Story of the New Testament

Introduction: Setting the Stage (10 minutes)

What's a movie that you can think of where a new character emerged and it changed the entire plot of the movie? (short response) Well this is sot of what happens in the Bible as well. We have journeyed through the Old Testament, seeing all of these foreshadowings of he promised “Seed of the woman,” but so far no one has been it. Everyone we have seen so far has sinned in some grievous way against God and died. now we get to the New Testament, we see the birth of Jesus, and everything begins to change. Let’s pray and then we will dive into the New Testament.

Pray:

Play Video (8 mins.): https://youtu.be/Q0BrP8bqj0c?si=kvcUNKsqc8T4Rfom

At the end of the day, the New Testament is a continuation of the story of redemption, the plan of salvation becoming realized in Christ, instruction for living in this world as Christ’s people, and what the future holds for us as members of Christ’s kingdom. There are 27 books in the New Testament, we have the four gospel narratives (Jesus’s life), Acts (the beginning of the church), the pastoral epistles (instruction), and the final book of Revelation (future). We see the covenant of Grace become more real for the people of God, which reminds us that salvation isn’t about morals and keeping laws, but God showing mercy and grace to a sinful and rebellious people through Christ. Let's dive into the heart of the story: Jesus Himself.

The Gospels: Jesus, the Promised King and Savior (15 minutes)

As we step into the New Testament, it’s helpful to pause and remember where we’ve been. The Old Testament tells the story of God’s good creation, beginning in Genesis where the Lord forms humanity in His own image and enters into covenant with Adam. But in Genesis 3, everything changes. The serpent deceives Eve, Adam follows her lead, and sin fractures God’s world. Instead of confessing their guilt, Adam and Eve hide, cover themselves, and shift blame—responses we still know all too well. Yet even in the midst of judgment, God gives a stunning promise. He declares that a “seed of the woman” will one day crush the serpent’s head and undo the curse (Gen. 3:15). From that point forward, the Old Testament becomes a long and honest story of hope and disappointment. Leaders rise—Noah, Abraham, Moses, David—men who look like they might be the promised Seed, yet each one ultimately falls into sin and eventually dies. God’s people experience moments of remarkable faithfulness and heartbreaking rebellion. They wander in the wilderness for forty years, inherit the promised land, and then—like Adam and Eve—are exiled from it because of their sin. But through every covenant, every prophet, every sacrifice, and every rescue, God keeps whispering the same promise: a Savior is coming. The Old Testament is the story of God’s persevering mercy toward His people as they cling by faith to the hope of that coming Redeemer. By the time we reach the New Testament, God’s people are still living under a kind of exile. Yes, some had returned to the land, but Rome ruled over them, and their hearts longed for deliverance. And now we arrive at the moment where redemption is accomplished.

The Gospels open with the incarnation—the eternal Son of God taking on true and complete humanity. He is born of the line of David, just as promised, and yet miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Heidelberg Catechism beautifully summarizes this mystery: “God’s eternal Son, who is and continues true and eternal God, took upon Himself the very nature of man… that He might also be the true seed of David, like His brethren in all things, sin excepted.” After Christ’s birth, the next great moment is His baptism. In the Jordan River we see a vivid picture of the Holy Trinity: the Son standing in the water, the Father declaring His approval, and the Spirit descending like a dove. As Matthew Emerson notes, Jesus is shown to be the new Moses leading His people, the new David reigning as King, the Suffering Servant who will die for sins, and ultimately the true Israel who succeeds where the nation of Israel has failed. His temptation in the wilderness proves this—He endures every test without sin, perfectly obeying the Father. When Jesus enters His public ministry, miracles abound, disciples are called, and the kingdom of God breaks into the world. Yet even as Jesus brings healing and hope, tension builds. Many expected a political liberator, not a Messiah who confronted religious hypocrisy or spoke of suffering. Eventually Judas betrays Him, and Jesus is arrested, tried three times, and handed over to be crucified. Here we reach the heart of the Reformed understanding of redemption. As Emerson summarizes, Jesus fulfills every promise God had ever made—to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, and to Israel. He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. In His atoning death, He bears the penalty for our sin. He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the true High Priest who offers not an animal, but Himself as the perfect sacrifice. Through His cross, God’s people from every tribe, tongue, and nation receive forgiveness and full access to God. But the story does not end with the cross. Jesus is buried—and on the third day, He rises. He conquers death. He crushes the serpent’s head at last. Everything the Old Testament foreshadowed and promised now finds its fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Through His victory, He restores all that Adam lost. And so the redeemed people of God—drawn from the nations, united by faith in the risen Christ—step into the next chapter: the beginning of the early church and the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. But before we get there, I want to point out some implications of this restoration. Remember in the creation narrative God gives Adam and Eve some guidance in how to live in God’s world. Who remembers the marching orders that God gave to Adam and Eve? (give a moment for responses)

Now that we’ve seen God’s creational purpose for humanity—dominion, obedience, cultivation, and fruitfulness—let’s slow down and notice how Jesus Himself fulfills every one of these callings. Everything Adam failed to do, Jesus accomplishes perfectly. And what He accomplishes, He shares with His people.

1. Dominion and Dwelling With God - From the very beginning, God called Adam to exercise dominion under His reign and to enjoy His presence. Jesus does this flawlessly. As Israel’s true Messiah, Jesus restores the kingship promised to the Son of David. The Father exalts Him to the right hand of heaven, giving Him the throne forever. During His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrates this royal authority—He casts out demons, heals the sick, commands nature, teaches with divine power, and calls disciples from every corner. He is the Prophet-King: speaking God’s Word, working God’s power, and gathering God’s people. And in Jesus, God doesn’t just rule—He dwells with His people again. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Through Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit, we become a living temple. G. K. Beale helpfully reminds us that Jesus is the true temple in whom God and humanity meet. Because His Spirit dwells within us, we share in that temple reality even now. We truly live with our King.

2. Obedience to God - Where Adam and Israel repeatedly disobeyed, Jesus succeeds with perfect righteousness. He is the embodiment of faithful obedience. In the wilderness temptation (Matt. 4:1–11), Jesus triumphs where Adam fell and where Israel failed during their forty years of wandering. He resists the serpent, clings to the Word of God, and proves Himself the perfectly obedient Son. This is vital for us: Jesus obeys as our Representative. Scripture tells us we are either “in Adam” or “in Christ.” In Adam, all fall. In Christ, obedience is counted as ours. Christ is the better and final Adam.

3. Cultivating and Restoring Creation - The command to cultivate and care for the world might be the most overlooked piece—but Jesus fulfills this too. Through His miracles, Jesus begins restoring what sin has broken. He calms storms, multiplies food, heals bodies, and even raises the dead. These aren’t random displays of power—they are previews of the world made new. His resurrection is the firstfruits of a renewed creation. As the ascended King, Jesus continues His work of restoration even now. Though the brokenness of the world still screams at us through the news and our feeds, the reign of Christ is quietly transforming hearts, communities, and nations. Lives are being healed, people are coming to faith, and God’s kingdom is growing—often unseen but always certain. Everything lost in Adam is being restored in Christ.

4. Being Fruitful and Multiplying - Finally, Jesus fulfills the original command to “be fruitful and multiply”—not biologically, but spiritually, through three great works:

He sends the Holy Spirit, making His people new Adams and new Eves—image bearers renewed and equipped for God’s mission.

He gathers disciples to Himself, forming a new humanity.

He sends His disciples into the world, multiplying His image through the gospel.

This is the church—God’s new creation people, filling the earth with the knowledge of the Lord. So What Does This Mean for Us? Does this mean we just sit back, relax, and wait for Jesus to finish the job? Not at all. We live in the already / not yet of the kingdom. Redemption is accomplished, but not yet consummated. Christ has defeated Satan, sin, and death, but the final blow will be struck when He returns in glory. In the meantime, Jesus doesn’t tell us to wait idly—He sends us out. The Great Commission is our marching order. So the story of the New Testament moves from redemption accomplished (Christ’s work for us) to redemption applied (Christ’s work in us and through us). And we get to take part in that story.

Acts and the Early Church: The Gospel Goes Global (15 minutes)

Jesus and the gift of the Spirit (Acts 1-2)

So, let's dive into the Book of Acts—it's such an exciting part of God's Word! Luke shows us how the risen Lord Jesus continues His work through His church by the power of the Holy Spirit. The book naturally divides into four main sections:

Chapters 1–2: Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and launches the church in Jerusalem.

Chapters 3–7: The gospel is boldly proclaimed, bringing many into the kingdom right in the heart of Judaism.

Chapters 8–12: The good news spreads out to Judea and Samaria.

Chapters 13–28: The gospel reaches the ends of the earth, fulfilling Jesus' commission.

We're starting right at the beginning with chapters 1–2, where everything gets wonderfully underway by God's sovereign plan. In chapter 1, we see Jesus preparing His apostles for what's next. He promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will empower them to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Verses 1–11 are sometimes called the "second Great Commission,” because Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and then commissions the Apostles to take the message of the gospel out to the people. Jesus then ascends bodily into heaven to take His rightful place on the throne, ruling over all things. Two angels appear and assure the stunned apostles that He will return in the same way. Imagine the awe and wonder they must have felt—watching their Savior go up into glory! After this, the apostles prayerfully choose Matthias to replace Judas (who had betrayed the Lord and gone to his own place). This keeps the foundation of twelve apostles intact as eyewitnesses to Christ's resurrection—God's wise way of establishing the church on a solid, apostolic foundation. Then chapter 2 explodes with life! On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes in power, just as Jesus promised. A sound like a mighty rushing wind fills the house, tongues of fire rest on each one, and they're all filled with the Spirit. Suddenly, these Galilean disciples begin speaking in real, known languages—miraculous human tongues they had never learned—so that Jews from every nation under heaven (gathered for the feast) hear the mighty works of God proclaimed in their own native dialects. It is a beautiful reversal of Babel, showing God's grace uniting people from every tongue and tribe through the gospel! Remember, the New Testament is God restoring all things through Christ. Many today claim to speak in "tongues" as ecstatic speech or gibberish, but the Bible is clear here in Acts 2 (and supported in places like 1 Corinthians 14): the true gift of tongues in the New Testament was actual, understandable foreign languages, given by the Spirit to declare God's truth effectively. That's why Paul later insisted on interpretation in the church—so the message could build everyone up, not just remain private or confusing. The gift served to authenticate the apostles' message and help spread the gospel across language barriers in that foundational era. As Peter stands up and preaches boldly—explaining the Scriptures and pointing everyone to the crucified and risen Christ—the crowd is cut to the heart. About 3,000 souls repent, believe, and are added to the church that very day! These new believers then devote themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They share generously, worship together, and the Lord keeps adding to their number daily. And so, under the sovereign hand of God, the church is born—empowered, unified, and growing through the gospel. It’s an encouraging start to the church! This reminds us that the same risen Christ who ascended still reigns, the same Holy Spirit who filled the apostles still works in His people today (though in ordinary, non-miraculous ways now that the foundation is laid), and the gospel mission continues through ordinary believers like you and me. But, this isn’t the end of the story. Any questions so far before I continue? (give time for response)

The gospel begins to expand (Acts 3-7)

Now we will move through the rest of Acts hitting some of the major points. In Acts 3-4 Peter heals a lame man in the name of Jesus Christ, he continues to boldly proclaim the name of the Lord in the public square, and continues calling Israel, the Jews, to repent and believe in the gospel. This obviously makes the religious leaders mad and they begin to oppose everything the Apostles do, but God, just like in the Old Testament, continues to use the persecution for their good and His glory, moving His plans forward. The gospel continues to advance, the church grows more bold, and the persecution grows, but God remains faithful to strengthen and empower them.

Then in Chapter5 we have this odd story of Ananias and Sapphira. They are judged for lying to the Holy Spirit, which ultimately points us to the holiness and justness of God in his wrath against such things in His covenant community. God takes sin seriously and we ought be aware of that. Miracles continue to take place through the Apostles and we see a special moment happen with a guy named Gamaliel. Peter and the others are being charged and while standing trial, Gamaliel offers this chilling response: Acts 5:38–39 “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” And so Peter and the others were released back out into the wild.

In chapters 6-7 the church appoints deacons to serve the body while the Apostles tended to more important matters. This was the beginning of a Biblical model for church government, where we have Elders/Overseers/Pastors who look after the the church as a whole and the deacons who serve the individual people of the church. God is a God of order not chaos and committees. If you know you know. We also see Stephen who was full of the Spirit, preaching the gospel, and yet the Jews rejected him by stoning him to death. Stephen is martyred, yet he dies trusting in the risen Christ.

In chapters 8-11 we see the persecution of the church begin to build and get even worse at the hands of a new character names Saul. Saul was sent out to pursue and kill anyone who was preaching the name of Christ. Yet, in chapter 9, Jesus sovereignly calls Saul to himself, converts him, and sends him out to preach the gospel to the Gentiles under a new name; Paul. Paul then becomes a man on the run from his own people and makes his way back to the other Apostles, becomes accepted by them, and sent out to the Gentiles. Now, Paul's conversion is a story to pay attention to and really think about. Paul wasn’t converted because he was a keeper of the law, because he Loved God enough, or because he went to church every Sunday. Paul didn’t make it up to an alter call and say the sinners prayer. Jesus himself, through the Spirit, grabbed a hold of Paul’s heart, changed him, and converted him; purely an act of grace from the Lord. This is important as we think about our own salvation.

The rest of the book of Acts is the continued historical narrative of the church growing through persecution and enduring the trials and evils set before it. We see the missionary journeys of the Apostles, mostly Paul, take place and we are just left in awe of how God orchestrated and strengthened the church. Here are five emphases of the book of Acts:

The entire narrative displays God's sovereign, unstoppable plan to redeem people from every nation through the risen Christ.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, just as it always has been since Genesis 3:15.

The Holy Spirit sovereignly regenerates, empowers witness, directs mission, and applies redemption.

Persecution cannot hinder the gospel — God uses it to spread it further.

The book ends (28:31) with Paul preaching boldly and without hindrance, illustrating the ongoing triumph of the gospel under Christ's lordship until the end of the age.

What would it look like if God's grace changed your community today? (give time for a response) As the church grows, letters guide it—now we get to the practical side.

The Epistles: Living Out the Gospel (10 minutes)

Here in the Epistles, all of the letters written to the churches from the Apostles, we have the more practical and theological side of things. The majority of our doctrinal thinking comes from the pastoral epistles. Most of these letters were written for specific churches, in specific places, and for very specific reasons, so we must keep that in mind as we read them. The majority of these letters were also copied many times over and circulated through other churches as central teachings of the Apostles. You have a letter like Romans which is simply full of theological study and so the church wanted to be sure and pass that teaching along to others. We will look at 10 specific emphases throughout these letters. Before we get started, who can tell us your favorite book in the New Testament and why? (give time for a response)

Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone — This is the core emphases, especially in Paul's letters, in the New Testament teaching and it is also what the reformation was brought about by. The idea was that righteousness was not earned, rather it was imputed to us through Christ.

The sovereignty of God in salvation — Election, predestination, calling, and perseverance of the saints are prominent themes; God chooses, regenerates, justifies, and preserves His people to His glory (Romans 8–9, Ephesians 1, 2 Thessalonians 2).

Union with Christ — Believers are "in Christ," sharing His death, resurrection, and new life; this is foundational for identity as believers, sanctification, and assurance (Romans 6, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians).

The gospel as the power of God for salvation — The cross and resurrection are central; Christ’s finished work reconciles sinners to God, defeating sin, death, and the powers (Romans, 1 Corinthians, Hebrews).

The doctrine of the church as the body of Christ — Unity of Jew and Gentile in one new people; the church's structure, leadership, discipline, worship, and mission are addressed (Ephesians, 1–2 Corinthians, Pastoral Epistles, 1 Peter).

Sanctification and the Christian life — Progressive holiness by the Spirit, putting off the old self and putting on Christ; law as guide for grateful obedience, not justification (Romans 6–8, Galatians 5–6, Colossians 3, James, 1 Peter).

The antithesis between law and gospel / faith and works — The law reveals sin and points to Christ; it cannot justify, but grace produces true obedience (Galatians, Romans, Hebrews).

Suffering, persecution, and eschatological hope — Believers endure as exiles; present trials produce perseverance and point to future glory, resurrection, and Christ's return (Romans 8, 1–2 Thessalonians, Hebrews, 1–2 Peter, Jude).

Warnings against false teaching and moral compromise — Vigilance against legalism, antinomianism, Gnostic-like errors, and immorality; contend for the faith (Galatians, Colossians, 2 Peter, Jude, Hebrews).

The sufficiency and authority of Christ and Scripture — Christ is supreme over all (Colossians, Hebrews); the apostles' teaching is authoritative for doctrine and life (2 Timothy, 2 Peter).

Now these are just some of the more prominent themes found in these letters, there is obviously much more to learn and see, but you will see these over and over again. These letters also keep us grounded in this already/not yet aspect of being a Christian. The gospel inaugurates the new Kingdom, but the full consummation is still awaiting Christs return and so we live in both realities. This brings us to the final book of the Bible. The most controversial book and misunderstood. The book of Revelation. Any questions before we move on? (give time for response)

Revelation and Conclusion: The Triumphant End (10 minutes)

Again, we do not have the time for a full study of the book of Revelation, but I want to highlight 12 points of emphases found in this book that will hopefully be helpful as read it and think about it. One day we will get to preach through Revelation and we might even have a deeper class on it at some point, but for now I hope these 12 things help us.

The absolute sovereignty of God and Christ over all history and evil — God reigns supreme; nothing happens outside His decree; Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the slain-yet-victorious Lamb who holds the scroll of destiny and rules the kings of the earth (Rev 1, 5, 17:14, 19:16).

The centrality and supremacy of Christ — The glorified Christ walks among His churches, judges and purifies them, and is worthy to open the seals because of His redemptive work; He is the fulfillment of all OT promises and the conquering King (Rev 1:12–20, ch. 5, 19).

The already/not-yet tension of the kingdom — Christ's victory is accomplished at the cross and resurrection ("already"), but the full defeat of evil and consummation await His return ("not yet"); believers live in the overlap, experiencing tribulation yet assured of triumph (Rev 1:5–6, 12:10–12, 20–22).

Encouragement to persevere in faithfulness amid suffering and persecution — The book comforts the militant church in trials; believers are called to conquer by faith, not fleeing compromise with the world (Babylon) or beastly powers; promises of blessing for those who "hear and keep" the words (Rev 1:3, 2–3, 13:10, 14:12).

The reality of spiritual warfare and the church's conflict with the world, flesh, and devil — Satan, the dragon, wages war on the seed of the woman (the church); beasts represent anti-Christian powers (political, religious, economic idolatry); yet Christ protects His people (Rev 12–13, 17).

Judgment on evil and vindication of the saints — Cycles of seals, trumpets, and bowls depict recurring divine judgments on a rebellious world throughout the age, culminating in final judgment; the prayers of the saints are heard and avenged (Rev 6–16, 18–20).

The purity and holiness of the church — Warnings to the seven churches (typifying the whole church) call for repentance from compromise, lukewarmness, and false teaching; Christ disciplines those He loves (Rev 2–3).

The ultimate defeat of Satan, sin, and death — The dragon is bound, cast out, and finally thrown into the lake of fire; no more curse, no more night (Rev 20, 21–22).

The hope of the new creation and eternal dwelling with God — The consummation brings a renewed heavens and earth, the New Jerusalem as the bride of Christ, where God tabernacles with His people forever; no more tears, death, or pain (Rev 21–22).

Worship as the proper response to revelation — Heaven's liturgy overflows into the church; the book is filled with doxologies, songs, and calls to worship the Lamb who was slain; reading/hearing it brings blessing (Rev 4–5, 7, 15, 19).

The authority and sufficiency of this prophecy — As the climactic book of Scripture, it unveils ("Revelation") what was hidden, assuring believers of the certainty of God's plan; it warns against adding/subtracting from its words (Rev 1:1–3, 22:18–19).

The blessedness of those who conquer by faith — Overcomers inherit eternal life; the book ends with invitation, warning, and the prayer "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 2–3 promises, 21:7, 22:17, 20).

The New Testament is God’s story of redemption being accomplished, applied, and consummated. We see the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. We see the beginning of the church through persecution and oppression. We see the way God intends for us to live and apply these things to our lives through the pastoral epistles. Finally we see the return of Christ in the second coming and the consummation of his kingdom. It is all one story brought together through the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. Next week we will sort of wrap this story up and see why it still matters for us today. but, I hope your starting to see the answer to that already. What questions doe you have for the remainder of our time? (give time for responses)

pray: