I'm a child of American Evangelicalism.  I've inherited it's genes.  Some are good, some are bad, and some are mutations.  One of my biggest struggles to overcome as a young Christian was understanding the Old Testament correctly—seeing laser focus on the person and work of Jesus.  My secret desire is still to read the Old Testament like a New Testament Christian Jew. 

Why?  Becuase when you read Paul you can't help but see how much he loved the Old Testament.  He saw how it all fit together to glorify his Lord and mine—Jesus Christ.  He and his other New Testament authoring friends are serial Old Testament quoters.  They just couldn't stop.  They saw in it glory ammunition—an arsenal for the praise of Jesus.

One of the things I've done to to try and genetically engineer my spiritual genes is underlining New Testament quotes in the Old Testament.  My hope is that as I read the Old Testament over and over again, those blue lines will teach me to start seeing the text like Paul did—through the lens of the Cross. 

If you're interested in more on this subject you should read Graeme Goldsworthy's, According to Plan.  You could also pick up a colored pencil and start writing in your Old Testament.

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So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. — Hebrews 4:9
 
What do your Sundays look like? How do you plan to spend each first day of the week? Do you think about making it a little like life will be like after the return of Jesus?
 
When the author of Hebrews thinks about Sabbath rest he thinks about the coming culmination of Christ's kingdom — the return of Jesus. Sabbath is not primarily looking back to the 4th commandment but looking forward to the author of the commandment.
 
What will this heaven — culminated kingdom — look like? It will be the full enjoyment of the restored rest-peace between God and men and between men and men. This restoration is accomplished through the atoning work of Jesus. It is Christ-centered.
 
Now returning to your Sundays. Are they days you set aside to worship God through the blood bought rest-peace of Christ? Are they days you reserve for fellowhip with other Christians with whom you are reconciled? Are they days you set aside to cultivate a healthy anxiousness for the return of Jesus? Are your Sundays a taste of heaven — appetizers to the wedding feast of the Lamb?
 
If not, how could you lead your family into fuller enjoyment of the rest that God has provided for you in Christ?

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