Search results for: watermark gospel

Samson performed many mighty deeds. But after being into the hands of his Philistine enemies, Samson stretched out his arms between the two central columns of their temple. As it collapsed, Samson killed 3000 Philistines. Discover how the story of Samson points us to the Lord Jesus, who, unlike Samson, stretched out his hands upon the cross for the salvation of many!

Abel was a good shepherd, who was unjustly murdered by his wicked brother, Cain. After death, Abel's blood cried out to God for justice, and the book of Hebrews specifically cites this fact as evidence of resurrection power. Does the story of a good shepherd, who unjustly suffers death, but speaks through resurrection power beyond the grave sound familiar? Learn how Abel's story points us to the story of Jesus!

What can we learn about Jesus from the story of David & Goliath? The Bible metaphorically portrays Goliath as a giant serpent, who comes to battle against David, a royal shepherd from the little town of Bethlehem. In this lesson, find out how David's famous victory over Goliath was a preview of Jesus' even greater victory over Satan, the serpent of old!

In Matthew 12:40, Jesus says, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so must the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Learn how the story of God's reluctant prophet anticipated the far greater ministry of Jesus, a Savior who offers the gospel of repentance freely to the Gentiles!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were falsely accused of blasphemy and thrown in a fiery furnace of death. But in the end, God sent the Angel of the Lord to deliver the three righteous young men from death! Learn how their glorious deliverance prefigures Jesus' even more glorious deliverance from death through his resurrection on the third day!

Stephen was unjustly condemned to death. But as he died, he prayed for those who were persecuting him. The story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, sounds very much like the story of Jesus on the cross. But find out how Stephen's story also points us to Jesus' resurrection glory!

Joseph knew great suffering in his life. But Joseph learned that his suffering was not without gospel purpose. Discover how the trajectory of Joseph, which begins in extreme suffering and ends in the greatest of glory, anticipates the far more wonderful ministry of the Lord Jesus!

Moses was the "savior" that God had appointed to rescue his people from slavery in Egypt. But Moses was born under a decree of death! Pharaoh commanded that all the male children of Israel must be thrown into the Nile River. However, God delivered the infant Moses through the waters of death and raised him up to the royal house of Pharaoh in a glorious picture of resurrection! Discover how the birth of Moses anticipated the coming of the True Savior, Jesus, who also escaped a king's decree of death as an infant! 

In Luke 24, Jesus taught his disciples that every story in the Bible points directly to him! We simply need to look for the gospel pattern of "suffering followed by glory." That is, we need to look for something that points to his suffering on the cross, followed by something that points to the glory of Jesus' resurrection! In this plan, learn to find Jesus in every Bible story!

Esther knew she had to go before the king to plead for her people's salvation. But no one could go before the king without an invitation; the penalty was death. Still, after three days of prayer, she approached the throne room. Learn how Esther’s remarkable deliverance on the third day anticipates the story of Jesus' deliverance from death on the third day!

Zacchaeus was an unjust man--until he encountered Jesus at a tree. Learn about Zacchaeus' remarkable encounter with Jesus at that tree and how it powerfully depicts the gospel redemption we can find at an even greater tree, the Tree of the Cross!

What does the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, in which seven trumpets sound and a great city falls, have to teach us about Jesus and the great battle of Revelation?

Once again, the Israelites found themselves at the point of death. They were traveling in the hot, desert wilderness, and they could not find any water. But God told Moses to bring the people to a rock on Mount Sinai. When Moses struck the rock, water came out in abundance, delivering God's people from death to life! In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, the apostle Paul tells us that the rock was a picture of Jesus! But what exactly does Paul mean by that?

While the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the Amalekites came to attack them in the valley of Rephidim. But on the day of the battle, Moses climbed up a hill, accompanied by two men. Standing between those two men, Moses stretched out his arms to each side in the posture of prayer. When Moses assumed that cross-like position, the people of God triumphed over their enemies!

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus humbly washed the feet of each of his disciples. The Gospel of John uses seven key words to describe the scene. Learn how these seven words anticipate the entire ministry of Jesus, from his incarnation, to his death on the cross, and finally, to his glorious resurrection!

While Paul was gathering wood for a fire on the island of Malta, a viper came out of the wood and pierced him in the hand. But in the end, like Jesus, Paul survived unharmed! Learn how the story of Paul on Malta reflects the resurrection of Jesus and his triumph over Satan, the serpent of old!

Father Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his unique and beloved son, Isaac. But at the last moment, God spared Isaac from death by providing a substitute sacrifice! What — or who — did God intend to teach Abraham about through this experience?

God, in His providence, ordained that the life of his Son would be beautiful. Part of the beauty in life is symmetry. Discover how God arranged the events at the beginning of Jesus' life to beautifully mirror the events at the end of his earthly life. Learn how the story of Jesus' birth anticipated the story of his resurrection! 

Peter was imprisoned in a dungeon, awaiting his death. But in the middle of the night, God sent an angel to deliver him! Learn how Peter's escape from prison reflects Jesus' deliverance from death!

The innocent Daniel was condemned to death in a pit of lions, but the Angel of the Lord intervened to save him! Very early in the morning of the third day, God raised Daniel up from the pit of death to sit at the right hand of the king! Is this a hero story about Daniel? Or does this story anticipate the resurrection of an even Greater Hero to come?

Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians oozes with declarations of God’s love for his people. This love, epitomized in the gospel, takes center stage as both the theological foundation and driving force behind the way God’s people live their lives. In this reading plan, Todd Wagner, pastor of Watermark Community Church, walks through each chapter of Ephesians, helping readers grasp the life-changing power available to them in Paul’s letter.