A Lenten series by Dr. Jim Somerville
Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Dr. Somerville will explore the various images of the atonement presented in the New Testament: the financial image, the military image, the sacrificial image, and the legal image.

Jim will describe an ancient church in a modern city, a beautiful stone building squeezed in among skyscrapers of steel and glass. He will talk about a tourist who sees the church and wonders what it is, never having seen one before, someone who walks around it and peers in through the windows. What he sees, in the dim interior, is a crucifix—a life-size representation of Jesus hanging on the cross. He doesn’t know who it is, can’t imagine what it’s about, and so he looks at it from every angle, and each angle reveals a little more. On this Journey to the Cross we will be looking at several different images of the Atonement that have featured prominently in church history: the financial, the military, the sacrificial, and the legal—all images found in the New Testament. And then, just to demonstrate the importance of these images in shaping our theology, we will look at the troubling story of the little boy who is told that the wrath of God wants to smash him like a hammer smashes a dirty glass, until Jesus steps in to take the blow (Guthrie, p. 250-251). Is that the image you grew up with? Let’s look at some different, and better, images of the Atonement.

February 22 Ash Wednesday service

February 29 Introduction to the series, Through a Glass Darkly: Images of the Atonement 

Listen to the message.

 

March 7 The Financial Image (Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24; 1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; Gal. 3:13; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18). 

Listen to the message.

March 14 The Military Image (Col. 1:13; 2:15; 1 Cor. 15:24-28).
Listen to the message.

March 21 The Sacrificial Image (Mark 14:22-24; John 1:29; Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 5:7).
Listen to the message.

March 28 The Legal Image (Rom. 5:6-11; 2 Cor. 5:16-21; Col. 1:19-20).
Listen to the message.

April 4 Contemplative Service

April 5 Maundy Thursday (Jim Somerville preaching)
Listen to the message.

April 6 Good Friday (joint service at noon at First Baptist Church with our Fan District sister church Tabernacle Baptist Church, Rev. Dan Schumacher preaching)
Listen to the message.

April 7 Holy Saturday (Candlelight baptism, Lynn Turner preaching)
Listen to the message.

April 8 Easter Sunday (Jim Somerville preaching)
Listen to the message.