The Big Story of the Bible
“You have probably heard the expression, ‘You can’t see the forest because of the trees.’ Well, that can happen with the Bible. We can get lost in the many details and stories of the Bible that we miss the main story of the Bible…. The theme is God seeking to dwell with and love a rebellious people. And the only way this can happen is by sending His only Son, Jesus Christ” – Tony Walliser
Read Luke 24:25-28, 2 Timothy 3:15
The Big Story of the Bible
If you have ever walked through a bookstore you’ve probably been amazed at the vast array of books on every topic you could imagine. The stores even have departments – sports, biography, cooking, business, self-help, spirituality, how-to’s, and many others. But if you look closely, you’ll find that even if books are written on the same subject – let’s say Abraham Lincoln or World War II – they offer greatly differing perspectives and arrive at very different conclusions.
In that light, what if 40 people, over the span of 1,500 years, were instructed to independently write 66 different books all on the exact same topic – without any conflicting facts or content. Highly unlikely, don’t you think? Maybe even impossible?
Well, that is exactly what we have in the Bible. It’s a collection of 66 books – 39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament – that point to one central theme: Jesus Christ, who came to save, redeem and transform men, women and children so they can experience an unending relationship with God.
In each of those books we can see the history, narratives, poems and prophecies all pointing to Jesus. They reveal that no matter how hard they try, humans can’t keep God’s laws in their own strength. In many cases, they don’t even want to do so.
We’re looking toward a national election in less than two months, and many voters are hoping the outcome will result in government solving our greatest problems. But if we study the Scriptures, especially the Old Testament, we discover that throughout history, government has failed. It hasn’t even come close, partly because governments are led by very flawed, sinful people. Some of them were men appointed and anointed by God.
So, we find that the only true solution to any of the major problems besetting humanity is in Jesus Christ and Him alone. This is why 2 Timothy 3:15 states, “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus.”
The Bible can teach us many things: how to have a successful marriage; how to parent our children; how to build a rewarding, respectable career; how to properly handle our finances; how to make good decisions; how to control our emotions; how to communicate effectively; how to resolve conflicts; and many other things.
But ultimately, the Scriptures teach us who Jesus is, what He has done for us, how to receive forgiveness for our sins, and how to enjoy a thriving, everlasting relationship with God. None of the other books in any bookstore can even hint at such promises.
If someone were to ask you why the Bible was written and compiled, you could tell many of its benefits. But there is only one reason – one “big story” – about why it was given to us. As the apostle John wrote near the conclusion of his Gospel, “These were written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
Do you believe the Bible? Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? And do you believe that through Him you have life, not only now but for all eternity? These are perhaps the three most important questions you will ever answer. Those answers are found in “the big story of the Bible.”