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No matter where we look, we see different textures. The smoothness of sanded wood or polished metal. The roughness of bark or rock. The softness of fabric or fur. Textures are everywhere.

Most of us instantly understand that the Bible is a text. It’s a series of written documents carefully copied over many years. This text is separated into Books. These Books are separated into chapters. These chapters are separated into verses.

But have you ever thought that the Bible also has "texture"? There’s a "feel" to it that’s more than just a collection of books, chapters, and verses. Think of this texture like grain that runs through wood. The grain gives the wood its unique characteristic.

The Bible’s texture is the "big story" it tells. Like grain that runs through wood, this "story" runs throughout the Biblical text.

But what is this "big story", this "texture"? In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul says the Holy Scriptures "are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:24 states that the law (meaning the Old Testament Law, even the Old Testament as a whole) was a guardian until Christ came. Romans 10:4 therefore says that Christ was the culmination of the law, the pinnacle of all it meant. What’s more, on the evening of the first Easter Day, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus met two disciples. The disciples were trying to understand the claim by the women who had gone to the tomb. These women said Jesus was alive. The two disciples don’t know what to think. Then, Luke 24:27 says, Jesus explained what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

These texts – and many others – show us that from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible’s "texture" – it’s "big story" – is to show us Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

So, what does this mean? It means that no matter what Scripture text you read today, or any day, in some way it shows us Jesus. Perhaps it’s a text that reminds us of human sin and rebellion. But this is just another way of telling us we need salvation in Jesus. Perhaps it’s a text about Christian living. But this is just another way of calling us to follow Jesus as Lord. Perhaps it’s a text about God’s holiness. But this is just another way of reminding us of Jesus’ glory. Perhaps it’s a text about God’s patient love and faithfulness. But this is just another way of opening our eyes to Jesus’ love today. And we could go on and on…

Next time you read the Bible, whether a single verse, a short passage, a chapter, or a whole Book of the Bible, always ask yourself this: how does this text show me more of Jesus? As we do this, the texts in the Bible open for us the texture of the Bible. The grain running through is Jesus.

視頻大意翻譯(video Chinese translation):

大家早。

無論我們往哪裡看，我們都會看到不同的紋理。表面光滑磨過的木頭或拋光的金屬。粗糙的樹皮，柔軟的布料或皮毛。不同紋路無所不在。

我們大多數人都知道聖經是文字書 - 是一系列文字記載的資料，多年精心複製的手稿。這本文字書被分成書卷。這些書卷再分為幾章。這些章節再被分成幾節經文。所以，傳道人有時會說，“在今天的經文中說......”他們指的是一段特定的經文。

但是你有沒有想過聖經也有不同的紋理呢？它有一種“感覺”，不僅僅是書卷、章節和詩句的集合。你可以把這種紋理想像成在木頭上流淌的紋路。這紋路賦予木材獨特的特性。

聖經的紋理是它所講述的這個“大故事”。就像木頭上的紋路一樣，這個“故事”貫穿了整本聖經。但這個「大故事」，這個「紋理」是什麼？在提摩太后書3：15中，保羅說聖經“這聖經能使你因信基督耶穌有得救的智慧。”加拉太書3：24指出，”律法（指舊約律法，甚至整個舊約）是律法是我們訓蒙的師傅。”因此，羅馬書10：4說”律法的總結就是基督”。更重要的是，在第一個復活節的晚上，在去以馬忤斯的路上，耶穌遇到了兩個門徒。門徒們試圖理解那些去過墳墓婦女的說法。這些婦女說耶穌還活著。兩個門徒不知道該怎麼想。然後，路加福音24：27說，耶穌解釋了聖經中所有關於他自己的話。這些經文以及許多其他經文—向我們表明，從創世記到啟示錄，聖經的“紋理”—那個“大故事” —就是要讓我們展示耶穌是主和救主。

那麼，這意味著什麼呢？這意味著無論你今天或任何一天讀到什麼經文，它都以某種方式向我們展示了耶穌。或許是一段提醒我們人的罪和悖逆的經文，但這只是用另一個方法告訴我們需要在耶穌裡救贖。或許這是一段關於基督徒生活的經文，但這只是呼召我們跟隨耶穌是主的另一種方式。也許這是段講述關於神聖潔的經文，但這只是提醒我們耶穌榮耀的另一種方式。或許這是一段關於神耐心的愛和信實的經文，但這只是今天打開我們眼睛看到耶穌愛的另一種方式。然後我們可以繼續下去...

下次你讀聖經時，無論是一節經文、一小段經文、一章還是整卷聖經，總是問問自己：這段經文如何向我展示更多的耶穌？當我們這樣做時，聖經中的經文為我們打開了聖經的紋理。貫穿始終的是耶穌。

讓我們禱告。

Grace and peace

Pastor Callum