As I was driving to work the other morning, the car in front of me had a
sticker reading "Join the Dark Side." I thought, we don't need to join
the Dark Side. We're already in the Dark Side. We're all conceived in
sin and born children of wrath. We're dead in our sins and slaves to
sin. What we need is to join the Rebels.

Then I thought how evangelism is true rebellion. You have to rebel
against the sin around you, rebel against your own sinfulness, rebel
against your own pride and self-righteousness, rebel against atheism,
rebel against the humanist mindset, rebel against your own psychological
self-defense mechanisms, rebel against complacency, rebel against hatred.

But then another thought occurred to me. The Star Wars series is a
pretty good proof for the need for two Testaments. Many Christians fall
into the trap of being a one-Testament Christian. They only want to read
the New Testament.

If you only watched the original Star Wars trilogy (episodes #4-6), then
you come away thinking the whole story is about Luke Skywalker. Its just
the story of a farmboy who rises to become a great hero. Its a fun
story, an exciting story, but its not the whole story.

If you watch all six movies, however, you realize that the real story is
about Anakin/Darth Vader. This amazing child goes through training to
become a Jedi, through a series of bad decisions, he turns to the Dark
Side, becomes a Sith Lord, but in the end, he is redeemed. Now when you
watch #4-6, you see him differently. He's not scary - he's sad. He fell
for a lie and lost everything.

How does that apply to Bible reading? There is so much you miss in the
New Testament if you do not read the Old Testament. It is the story of a
Covenant. A Covenant was made between God and His chosen people. Over
and over again, they proved they could not hold up their end of the
bargain. Their history points to a better solution. Their kings point to
a better king. Their prophets foretell of a better age. Then you read
the New Testament. Now you see the Covenant fulfilled. Now you see the
Substitute who stands in the place of His Covenant people. He will
fulfill their end of the bargain for them. And you see that as promised
to Abraham, all nations of the world will be blessed. Now you see Jesus
as He truly is - the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace.

...

Ten days, seventeen hours, fourteen minutes and counting...