We think the Christmas story starts in Luke 2. We hear Caesar Augustus’ decree. We see Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem. We smell the hay in the manger. These are beautiful, necessary truths.
But if we only read the New Testament at Christmas, we are only opening half the story.
In Matthew 13:52, Jesus tells us, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure new things and old.” The Gospel is not the “new” appearing out of nowhere. It is the “old” bursting into bloom.
Written For Our Sake
When I was writing Mercy Mild, I wanted to be sure we didn’t skip the Old Testament. The Apostles made clear that the Old Testament was not just the ancient history of Israel; it is theology for the church today.
Romans 15:4 tells us, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” He doubles down in Romans 4, making clear that the story of Abraham’s faith was written not for his sake only, “but for our sake also” (Rom. 4:23-24).
The Old Testament is the shadow that proves the substance is Christ. The manger is meaningless without the Ark of the Covenant; the “Son of David” title is empty without the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel.
Freshness and Force
Charles Spurgeon perfectly captures why we must include the Old Testament in our Christmas reading:
“The Old Testament has about it all the freshness and the dew of its youth; and, in the additional light that the New Testament throws upon its histories, its prophecies, and its promises, it has gathered force rather than lost any.”
That is the goal of Mercy Mild. I want you to see and feel the freshness and force of the Old Testament. I want you and your family to see that the Baby in the manger is also the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the fulfillment of Daniel’s vision.
Treasures Waiting for You
Don’t miss out on these treasures waiting for you in Mercy Mild.
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Will you join me in opening the full treasury of Scripture this Christmas?
Josh Taylor is a pastor and author with degrees in Pastoral Ministry, Christian Apologetics, and a DMin in Biblical Preaching.
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