The Glorious Gospel
Jordan Thomas is a husband, father of six, and founding pastor of Grace Church, Memphis. After preparing for the ministry through college and seminary, Jordan went on to train in church planting at Bethlehem Baptist Church before returning to Memphis, Tennessee to plant Grace Church in 2007. Jordan now continues in local church ministry through shepherding the fold at Grace Church and leading with Treasuring Christ Together Church-Planting Network.
Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church is an 8-week multimedia Bible study by Jordan Thomas that invites you to return to Scripture to behold the beauty of Christ, contemplate the role of the local church in the Christian life, and learn what God says about the purpose of each body of believers: to treasure Christ above all else, together.
For many generations, and in an increasingly clear fashion, God continued to unfold His redeeming promise through the pages of the Old Testament.
There is one, and only one, God (1 Timothy 1:17). He has forever existed in the happy fellowship of Himself. Needless. Self-sufficient. Infinitely delighted in the enjoyment of the panorama of all of His perfections. The Father has always basked, by the Spirit’s power, in the beaming brilliance of the reflection of His glory in the face of His Son.
This God, this infinitely joyful God, created all that exists. “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). He made it all. And God made it all through His Son and for His Son (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16–17). The Son currently holds the universe together “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).
Instead of honoring God as they should have, Adam and Eve rebelled against Him. They disregarded His good word. Our first parents bought into the serpent’s lie and sought to become their own god. Because of their sin, they deserved to be cast into hell instantly and forever. But God, in mercy unspeakable, immediately began making promises of His everlasting purpose to save sinners. In reference to the crucifixion of His Son as the wrath-bearing, sin-atoning sacrifice that God required, He spoke of One who “would crush the head of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15). For many generations, and in an increasingly clear fashion, God continued to unfold His redeeming promise through the pages of the Old Testament.
The empty tomb is God’s declaration to the universe that He will forever save any who come to Him by faith in Christ.
“In the fullness of time” the Lord Jesus, the promised Savior, was born of a woman (Galatians 4:4). Immaculately conceived by the Spirit, born of a virgin, the Lord Jesus lived His entire life in unflinching devotion to the Father. “He was tempted in all ways as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). This Jesus offered His sinless life as the substitute for us. He died in our place, “the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18). He was condemned for our crimes against God (Romans 8:1–3). On the cross, Jesus exhausted the full brunt of all of God’s righteous judgment for our guilt (Romans 5:6–8). He drank the cup of God’s wrath to its last dregs (Matthew 26:39). When He had accomplished the work, He yielded up His spirit, crying, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
God demonstrated His acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice as sufficient to vindicate His holiness and make us His children by raising Jesus from the dead. The empty tomb is God’s declaration to the universe that He will forever save any who come to Him by faith in Christ (Romans 10:9).
After Jesus was raised, He ascended to His rightful place on the throne of heaven, from whence He currently reigns over all peoples, in all places, working out His perfect plan for His ultimate glory (Acts 1:9–11; Hebrews 1:1–3; Romans 8:28).
The Bible promises that anyone who repents of their God-belittling sin and trusts in Christ alone by faith will receive eternal life.
According to God’s perfect time, the Lord Jesus will return to reign forever in the new heavens and new earth with all of His people.
The Bible promises that anyone who repents of their God-belittling sin and trusts in Christ alone by faith will receive eternal life (John 3:14–16; 20:30–31). Make no mistake, though; we are not referring to cheap grace or “easy believism.” When Jesus moves into someone’s life, He takes over (Galatians 2:20). To the Christian’s great delight, Jesus establishes Himself instantly, and eternally, as our greatest treasure. He awakens our will to want to know Him as much as a saved sinner can know Him on this side of eternity (Philippians 3:7–12). He infuses our hearts with a desire to obey Him with all our lives (John 14:21, 23). Christians long to “abide in Christ” (John 15:1–10). And He has designed that living in fellowship with Him requires living in fellowship with His people, the church. Christians are glad to give our lives to a biblical church because we want to see Jesus more clearly and serve Him more faithfully. We also long for others to enjoy the same blessings and privileges. So, we seek to spread the gospel and start new churches until Jesus returns. The Lamb is worthy of the reward of His sufferings. In the end, Christ will be everlastingly treasured by His blood-bought bride. Then, we will not only know, but also fully experience that Christ is the infinite store-house of every heavenly blessing (Ephesians 1:3).