Christocentric?

I wanted to share with someone what the Lord has been revealing to me about my speaking. So I decided to post it on our Blog to see what I get for a reply.

If you have been at LPC for the past few weeks, you would have heard a little of this already.

I have been preaching on becoming Christocentric when we read the Bible both the New and Old Testament. It is easier to do when we read the New Testament because it starts with Christ's birth. Sometimes we forget, as I feel I have done, to see Christ in all the OLD also.

I have been taking some extra Bible Classes online and one class I have been taking is on the Subject of "Finding Christ in the Old Testament". It is deeply affecting me. I was reading that preaching can fall into three categories when we preach the old testament.
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The “Moralizing” Approach. A very typical approach to personal change among orthodox and conservative Christians can best be called the “moralizing” approach. Basic analysis: Your problem is that you are doing wrong. Repent! This focuses on behavior—but doesn’t go deep enough. We must find out the why of our behavior. Why do I find I want to do the wrong things? What inordinate desires are drawing me to do so? What are the idols and false beliefs behind them? To simply tell a [depressed] person (or yourself) to ‘repent and change [your] behavior’ is insufficient"...’

The “Psychologizing” Approach. A very typical approach to personal change among more liberal religious groups can best be called the “psychologizing” approach. Basic analysis: Your problem is that you don’t see that God loves you as you are. Rejoice! This focuses on feelings, which seems to be “deeper” than behavior—but it fails to go deep enough. We must also find out the why of our feelings. Why do I have such strong feelings of despair (or fear, or anger) when this or that happens? What are the inordinate desires that are being frustrated? What are the idols and false beliefs behind them? To simply tell an [depressed] person (or yourself) “God loves you—rejoice!” is insufficient..."

The “Christocentric” Approach. Basic Analysis: Your problem is that you are looking to something besides Christ for your happiness. Repent and Rejoice! This confronts a person with the real sin under the sins and behind the bad feelings. Our problem is that we have given ourselves over to idols. Every idol-system is a way of works-salvation, and thus it keeps us “under the law.” Paul tells us that the bondage of sin is broken when we come out from under the law—when we begin to believe the gospel of Christ-salvation. Only when we realize in a new way that we are righteous in Christ is the idol’s power over us broken.

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Please pray for me that the Christ of all the Scriptures open my eyes to see Him everywhere as Jesus did to His followers in Luke 24 "he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself".

-PK