"As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath" (Acts 13:42). I've actually heard people say the Old Testament is boring. To be honest, whenever I hear it being taught as a book filled with irrelevant facts and outdated laws, I fall asleep too. Paul's sermon definitely did not put anyone to sleep (at least in this case). It left them begging for him to return the following Shabbat. Why? Because Paul demonstrates through its stories, prophecies, and poetry that the Torah, Prophets, and Writings (Tanakh) has an intelligent design, a master plan, and a trajectory that leads true seekers to Jesus. One of the greatest privileges of my life was to study the Hebrew Bible with John Sailhamer (may his memory be blessed), a man who constantly mesmerized his students through his teachings and writings, by showing us time and again that the Hebrew Bible is not an ancient artifact that belongs behind a showcase in a museum. It is a book we must devote our entire lives to study because we not only want to understand our New Testament better, but also because we really want to know Jesus! "They said to one another, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:32).

Friends, if you find the Bible boring, try sitting down and talking with its author sometime! God’s Word is alive, it will speak to you, and it will reveal the glory of God!