What's The Bible All About?

As a teenager we would sing a song called “I’ve Been Redeemed.” We made up several verses about how you could and couldn’t get to heaven. For instance:

Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a washing machine.

No, you can’t get to heaven, in a washing machine.

No, you can’t get to heaven, in a washing machine

A washing machine won’t get you that clean.

All my sins are washed away, I’ve been redeemed.

Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a brand new car.

No you can’t get to heaven, in a brand new car.

No you can’t get to heaven, in a brand new car,

A brand new car won’t take you that far.

All my sins are washed away I’ve been redeemed.

We had several other verses; perhaps you have heard some of them. Well I thought of a new verse with a little more theological depth than trying to get to heaven with “a four door Ford,” “a Kleenex box,” “roller skates,” or “a rocket ship.”

Oh you can’t get to heaven, using man made rules.

No you can’t get to heaven, using man made rules.

No you can’t get to heaven, using man made rules,

Dos and Don’ts are the wrong tools.

All my sins are washed away I’ve been redeemed.

Many people today believe they can make it to heaven by following a set of rules. If you live by a moral code of conduct and if you are a good person, then you will make it to heaven. Some people will even use the Bible as their rule book. Pastor, these aren’t man’s rules; they’re God’s rules for getting to heaven. Legalism in any form will not give you a key to heaven or satisfy God’s requirement for justice.

The Bible does show us the way to heaven, but it is not a list of dos and don’ts given by God showing us the way into His kingdom. What is the Bible about? What is the way to heaven? This morning we’re going to let Jesus answer those questions for us.

Matthew 5:17-20 17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)

1. What is the Bible about?

In a word the Bible is about Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus identifies Himself with the Old Testament Scriptures. Notice again what Jesus said, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them” (NLT). Jesus said He had come to fulfill or complete what the Scriptures spoke about Him

We don’t worship the Bible. However, let me make something very clear. The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments are so connected to Jesus you cannot separate Jesus from the Bible. The Old Testament points to Jesus; the New Testament reveals Jesus and makes Him known. The singular purpose of the Bible is to make God’s plan of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ known. Apart from Jesus the Bible is just another book.

Why is this important? If you begin to undercut the authority of the Bible or question the validity of Scripture, YOU LIKEWISE DEFACE AND DESTROY JESUS CHRIST. All Scripture has one primary theme, JESUS! Scripture finds its meaning in Jesus.

Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day, “You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39NLT). If you read the Bible, but miss who Jesus is, then you have missed everything!

• Teachers all use the same basic three steps to teach just about any subject. [1] They tell the students what they will teach, [2] they teach the lesson, and [3] they review or tell the students what they were supposed to have learned.

This is what the Bible does for Jesus. The Old Testament points the way to Jesus. God is letting the world know what to expect, the Messiah—Savior of the world will come. In the New Testament, the Gospels introduce Jesus to us. Jesus’ life, teaching and miracles are made known. Following Christ’s ascension into heaven the rest of the New Testament is God’s way of reminding of what Jesus said and did. The Bible, the Old and New Testaments are all about Jesus!