The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Watching and Waiting."
The story of redemption is a story of hope. It’s a story that begins on earth and ends on earth not in heaven, the new earth unveiled in Revelation 21. Like all stories, the story of redemption has a physical setting—the earth as we know it, located in the solar system that orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy in the universe of everything, namely, space and all the matter and energy that space contains. It also has a spiritual setting—the unseen world that is the habitation of the omnipresent God and the angels he created.
Like all stories, it has characters—God and his incarnate Son, of course, the protagonist and creator of the story’s setting, as well as its other characters, namely, an innumerable host of angels, good and evil, and a multitude of fallen yet redeemable human beings. The story’s plot actually revolves around their redemption. Some are major characters; others are minor characters; none are merely extras. Interestingly, all the characters in the story are eyewitnesses to the plot as it unfolds around them in their own time.
Finally, like all stories, it has a plot. In every story something happens (plot) to someone (characters), somewhere (setting). And like the plot in all stories, the plot of the story of redemption unfolds in seven discernable movements. 1) The opening exposition describes the setting and reveals the major characters. In the opening chapters of Genesis, after God sees that all he has made is very good (Ge 1:31), Adam and Eve are seen walking with him in the garden (Ge 1, 2; esp. 1:26-31; 2:25). 2) The inciting incident is the event that triggers the action that follows; without it there is no story to tell. In this story, the fall of Adam and Eve plunge humanity into sin (Ge 3:1-19), creating the need for redemption that is announced to the serpent (v. 15). 3) Rising action describes the complicating twists and turns that the plot takes as it moves toward the climax. In this story, the plan of God unfolds as revealed in the covenants to Abraham (Ge 12:1-4, 7; 15:4-21) and to David (2Sa 7:4-17; Ps 89:3-4, 20-37), and to Jeremiah in the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34), all leading up to a number of angelic announcements made to Zechariah (Lk 1:11-17), to Mary (1:26-38), to Joseph (Mt 1:20-25), and to the shepherds (Lk 2L9-14) regarding the birth of Jesus, the hero of the story. 4) The climax determines the outcome of the story and is its most exciting part. Following Jesus’ extended ministry in Judea and Galilee, the threefold crucifixion (Mt 27:32-61; Mk 15:21-47; Lk 23:33-56; Jn 19:17-42), resurrection (Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-9), and pouring out of the Spirit (Ac 2:1-21) mark the climax of the story. The climax does not end the story, but it does indicate how the story will end—in this case, with the redemption of the creation and all who believe. 5) Falling action describes events resulting from the climax as the plot moves toward its resolution. The spread of the gospel throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Ac 1:8; see chaps. 2-28) is included in the story’s falling action. 6) The resolution solves once and for all the problems created by the inciting incident and marks the beginning of the end of the story. The plot of the story of redemption is resolved by the return of Jesus to rule (Rev 11:15; 19:15; 20:1-6) along with the resurrections and judgments associated with it. 7) The denouement marks the end of the story by showing how the major characters are better off than at the beginning. In this case, the messianic kingdom is handed over to the Father in the end (1Co 15:23; Rev 21-22), and the story that begins on earth ends happily on earth, not in heaven.
Literary critics would say that the story of redemption has a comedy plot. One writes: “When speaking of comedy as a type of story, literary critics do not mean a humorous story but rather one with a certain shape of plot. Comedy is the story of the happy ending. It is usually a U-shaped story that begins in prosperity, descends into tragedy and rises again to end happily” (Leland Ryken, How to Read the Bible as Literature, 81-82)—as does the story of redemption, the story of hope. Living as we do during the time of falling action we are privileged to know what prophets of old tried to understand and what angels desired to look into (1Pe 1:10-12). They puzzled over the first advent even as we puzzle over the second. “The Christian generations are momentous times, for in them the consummation of God’s long-prophesied plan for people is being fulfilled, and the whole universe is caught up in the denouement” (Norman Hillyer, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude, NIBC, 40).
Central Message of the Text:
The fact that angels are observer/participants in the unfolding plot of redemption reminds believers that they themselves are participants in a salvation narrative of cosmic proportions.
Family Talk:
A few years ago, I was headed into the grocery store with one of my boys when we happened upon a homeless man asking for food. I was mentally going through my list and hurrying my young son along, trying to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. Honestly, I would have missed the man entirely, or at the minimum, barely acknowledged him, but my precious son looked up at me with those innocent eyes and said, “Mommy, we have to get him some food.” When things or people don’t fit into my agenda or to do list, I’m very quick to slide right past them. Thankfully, children seem to have a much clearer vision than adults. Where adults see just another homeless person, children see humanity, a person dearly loved by the Creator of the universe. Oh, that we could see through the eyes of a child! We did grab this man a hearty dinner with snacks to spare and I was reminded of Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” On the way home, my son and I had a fun conversation about the possibility of this man being an angel. What if the opportunity in front of you to care for an elderly person or give a hand to the homeless is really an opportunity to show hospitality to an angel? That’s pretty cool to consider and could truly shift how we view others. Only our sovereign God could give us these divine opportunities. Will you take them? We’re praying for you!