Giving it Away: Notes from the A29 Bootcamp | Part 2

Matt Chandler from The Village Church in Texas delivered the Word in the second session of the A29 Bootcamp. It was kind of nostalgic, in a way. I first heard him at Catalyst in October 2007. He was the "Token Reformed Guy"—haha. Crazy to think it’s been 4 years already! Since then, I’ve been an avid listener to The Village Church’s podcast and am consistently rocked and moved by the Holy Spirit through Chandler’s preaching. It was a particular joy and honor to experience this in person again.

What I appreciated most about Chandler was the fact that his stance was rooted in the present. He didn’t draw from wells of the past or potential wells of the future. He drew from his current experience in preaching the gospel to his flock. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying stored wisdom is a bad thing—it’s a very good thing, a treasured thing—but the fact that he specifically shared what God has been doing in the here and now made his teaching so much more relevant. This said so much to me without him having to say anything. This example served as a much-needed reminder to draw on the Triune God—our Living Water, the Giver of daily bread, our ever-present Helper—today. As I was with D.A. Carson, I was again admonished that yesterday’s insights are not nearly enough. This walk with Christ is not just meant to be comprised of past stories and future glories. It’s meant to be a daily, effectual, gracious abiding in and with our Savior. This is the hope of glory.

Chandler’s recent experience in the pulpit (preaching through Habakkuk) has driven him to desire a reawakening of gospel-centered preaching/teaching through the Old Testament. Heck yes! It’s a joy to see our Savior woven through the whole of the scriptures, and this joy is compounded as we learn more effective ways to behold him and lead others to do the same. Below are 7 approaches to preaching Christ in the Old Testament:

1. Redemptive, Historical Progression: The Bible is not about you. Stop trying to insert yourself where you and your people do not belong! Take, for example, the story of David and Goliath. You are not David. Your trials are not Goliath. David’s role is to point to Jesus and his redemptive, victorious work in the cross and resurrection. If anything, we’re the scared Israelites fleeing in unbelief who are in need of the Better David to rescue us. We are far too eager to be the heroes of every story, aren’t we? When teaching the OT to your people, rid yourself of this pride and just point to Jesus and the ways that his redemptive work is expounded.
2. Promise Fulfillment: Highlight passages that Jesus specifically fulfills in his person and work (e.g. Isaiah 51, Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 2, Genesis 3 & 12).
3. Typology: This is where most people tend to camp out, probably because it’s the easiest of these 7 approaches. This is the focus on OT events (e.g. Passover, Exodus) and people (e.g. Boaz, Joshua, etc.) who foreshadow Christ. 
4. Analogy: Look for parallels between OT and NT teaching. For instance, where the wisdom in Proverbs overlaps with Jesus’ or his apostles’ teachings.
5. Longitudinal Themes: Look for themes that soar across the two hemispheres of scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. For example, how the “fear of God” is threaded throughout the Bible from beginning to end, how Jesus is the final word and completion of this theme. 
6. NT References: Look for instances in which Jesus or one of the apostles quotes OT passages (e.g. Isaiah 61... “this has been fulfilled in your hearing”). 
7. Jesus Always Shows Up: The Old Testament is riddled with statements that cry for a Savior. What kind of teachers would we be if we didn’t answer these cries with the gospel? Chandler gives this example from Ecclesiastes and 1 Corinthians. While Ecclesiastes resoundingly states that your “toil is in vain,” 1 Corinthians gives an even stronger rebuttal, “your toil is not in vain”... because of Jesus. Look for the hunger for Jesus, the longing, the waiting in the OT—and allow Jesus to show up in power and glory. 

If you're looking for more resources on this, they are abundant. Check out the Gospel Coalition or The Resurgence, for starters. Here's killer Keller article on the subject.