April 24. The Two Testaments
J.R. Miller explains that the Old and New Testaments are unified parts of one divine revelation, with the New Testament fulfilling and clarifying the promises and types of the Old Testament.
In this teaching sermon, J.R. Miller explores the profound unity between the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing that the New Testament fulfills the promises and prophecies of the Old. He illustrates how the gospel is a continuous revelation of God's plan culminating in the incarnation of Christ. Listeners are invited to see the Bible as one cohesive story rather than two separate books.
Text
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17
There are not two Bibles in the one. The Old Testament and the New Testament are not two distinct books — but two parts of the same book. The New Testament does not set aside the Old Testament — but is simply the rich ripe harvest of which the Old was the sowing and the early growing. The gospel which we have in the New Testament, is not a different religion from that which we have in the Old Testament — but the same more fully developed, more clearly taught. In the Old Testament, Christ was foretold sometimes in prophetic promise, sometimes in picture and type; in the New Testament, these promises are fulfilled, these pictures and types find their realization, and we see the Son of God walking among men in the beauty and glory of His incarnation.
The blossoms are not destroyed when they fall off and the fruit comes in their place; the ripe fruit is but the fulfillment of the promise and prophecy of the blossom. The artist\
Sermon Outline
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I
- The unity of the Old and New Testaments
- The New Testament as the fulfillment of the Old
- The gospel as a continuous revelation
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II
- Christ foretold in the Old Testament
- Prophetic promises and types
- Realization of these promises in the New Testament
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III
- The relationship between law and gospel
- The continuity of God's plan
- The incarnation as the fulfillment of prophecy
Key Quotes
“There are not two Bibles in the one. The Old Testament and the New Testament are not two distinct books — but two parts of the same book.” — J.R. Miller
“The gospel which we have in the New Testament, is not a different religion from that which we have in the Old Testament — but the same more fully developed, more clearly taught.” — J.R. Miller
“The blossoms are not destroyed when they fall off and the fruit comes in their place; the ripe fruit is but the fulfillment of the promise and prophecy of the blossom.” — J.R. Miller
Application Points
- Recognize that the Old and New Testaments together reveal God's complete plan of salvation.
- Study the Old Testament to better understand the fulfillment of prophecy in Christ.
- Embrace the gospel as the fulfillment, not the abolition, of God's law and promises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the New Testament replace the Old Testament?
No, the New Testament fulfills and completes the Old Testament rather than replacing it.
How is Christ presented in the Old Testament?
Christ is foretold through prophetic promises, pictures, and types in the Old Testament.
What does it mean that the New Testament is the 'ripe fruit' of the Old?
It means the New Testament is the fulfillment and full realization of the promises and prophecies found in the Old Testament.
Why is understanding both Testaments important?
Because they together reveal the complete story of God's plan and the person of Jesus Christ.