One of the things that has encouraged me most this summer has been seeing people’s hunger for the Bible.

During our Dear Corinth sermon series, we spent ten weeks walking through 1 Corinthians. And something became increasingly clear to me: people weren’t just interested in hearing what Paul had to say to the Corinthians. They wanted to understand Scripture. They wanted to know how a particular passage fit into the larger story. They wanted to know why what happened in Corinth two thousand years ago still matters to us today.

That hunger got me thinking about what comes next.

Because there’s a challenge many of us share: the Bible is a big book.

Sixty-six books. Different authors. Different genres. Hundreds of years of history. Kings and prophets, covenants and exile, poetry and letters, Gospels and visions. And if we’re honest, it can sometimes feel less like one book and more like a thousand-piece puzzle.

Where does it all fit?

How does the Old Testament connect to Jesus?

Why do we need all those stories about Israel?

What does Revelation have to do with Genesis?

And how does my story fit into all of this?

The Story of God

That’s the question behind our new two-week sermon series at Rosenberg First Methodist Church:

The Story of God
Discovering the Bible as one unfolding promise

For two Sundays, we’ll take a sweeping journey through Scripture—from creation to Abraham, from Israel to Jesus, and from the Church to the new creation.

We’re not going to be able to cover everything in two weeks! But that’s not really the point. Instead, we’ll look for the thread that holds the whole Bible together.

The Bible isn’t a collection of disconnected stories. It’s one story of God’s faithful love revealed through one unfolding promise.

On August 16, we’ll begin with The Promise Begins, looking at creation, the fall, God’s covenant with Abraham, and the calling of Israel.

Then on August 23, we’ll hear The Promise Fulfilled, joining the disciples on the road to Emmaus as Jesus shows them how all of Scripture points to Him. We’ll follow that promise through Jesus, the Church, and ultimately to the new creation.

I’m especially excited about these two weeks because I hope they give people a framework they can carry with them every time they open their Bibles. My goal isn’t simply for us to know more about the Bible. I want us to become better readers of Scripture—people who can open any part of the Bible and begin to ask, “Where does this fit in God’s story?”

Want to Go Deeper?

Two sermons can only introduce a subject this big. So I’ve put together a recommended reading list for anyone who wants to keep exploring.

These books offer different approaches to understanding the Bible as a whole. Some are great introductions for someone who has struggled to know where to begin; others will help longtime Bible readers see familiar passages in a new way.

Want to go deeper into the story of Scripture? These resources will help you explore how the Bible fits together as one unfolding story of God’s faithful love and promise. Whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it for years, I hope these recommendations encourage you to keep growing in your understanding of God’s Word.

Long Story Short: The Bible in Six Simple Movements by Joshua McNall

The Bible can be daunting. It’s ancient, enormous, and sometimes challenging to understand. Long Story Short opens up the Christian Scriptures by sharing the biblical narrative in a way that requires no prior engagement with the Bible. It traces the big story of who God is and how he is saving the world through six simple movements: Creation; Fall, Israel; Jesus; Church; New Creation. With this framework in place, readers will not only understand how the little stories of the Bible fit together into a seamless whole, they will also be compelled to step into the drama to be part of its performance.

Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With by Brian D. Russell

In Invitation, Dr. Brian D. Russell serves as your guide through the narrative of Scripture: creation, the fall of humanity, the calling of Israel, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sending of the church, and the new creation. Through ten chapters divided into fi ve daily readings, Invitation covers the core content of the Bible with an emphasis on God’s mission and the role of God’s people living as a holy community for the sake of the world. The goal of this book is not simply to provide information, but to off er an invitation to a life of transformation as readers encounter the good news of Scripture and realign themselves continually with its powerful truth.

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart

Understanding the Bible isn’t just for the few, the gifted, and the scholarly. The Bible is meant to be read and comprehended by everyone from casual readers to seminary students. Even a few essential insights into the Bible can clear up a lot of misconceptions and help you grasp the meaning of Scripture and its application to your twenty-first-century life.

Join Us

If you’re in the Rosenberg area, I’d love for you to join us in person at Rosenberg First Methodist Church on August 16 and 23 at 10:00am. To plan a visit, go to www.fmcrosenberg.org/visitor

And if you can’t be there in person, you can watch along with us on Facebook or find a recording on YouTube.

I’ll also be hosting a Pastor’s Online Sermon Study on Mondays at 7pm to dig deeper. To learn more and sign up, visit www.fmcrosenberg.org/events

Whether you’ve been studying the Bible for decades or you’ve got lots of questions, there’s a place for you in this conversation.

The Bible is a big story.

It’s God’s story.

And somehow, by grace, we get to be part of it.

I hope you’ll join us.