The Living Word Series

Title: The Living Word

Theme: Show the importance of the Word of God and how it works.

Text: Hebrews 4:12-13

Heb 4:12-13 For the word of God is living (quick) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Introduction - Living Power of the Word

When you look into the Bible it is interesting what it says about itself. In each illustration it gives us an understanding about the purposes and plans of the scriptures. The question we must often ask ourselves is where does this Word fit.

We live in a time where people questions this word. Only 63% of Americans say that this word is true.

1. The Word of God is the piercing sword of the Spirit (Ephes. 6:17). It strikes and arouses an awareness of one's immortal spirit and discerns one's thoughts and motives (Hebrews 4:12).

2. The Word of God is the reflecting mirror of life (James 1:22-25). It reflects and exposes the kind of person one is (Romans 3:9-27).

3. The Word of God is the burning fire of conviction (Jeremiah 23:29). It burns and consumes the heart, the conscience of men (Jeremiah 5:14; Luke 24:32).

4. The Word of God is the pounding hammer which crushes the hardness of man's heart (Jeremiah 23:29).

5. The Word of God is the reproducing seed of the new birth (1 Peter 2:23). Man is spiritually born again by hearing and believing the Word (Romans 10:17).

6. The Word of God is the nourishing food of the believer (1 Peter 2:2-3). The believer grows and lives and is built up through the study of the Word (Matthew 4:4; Acts 20:32; Hebrews 5:12-14).

7. The Word of God is the guiding light of the believer (Psalm 119:105).

8. The Word of God is the cleansing water of sanctification (John 15:3; John 17:17). God washes and cleanses His own, the church, through the use of the Word (Ephes. 5:25b-26).

9. The Word of God is the measuring instrument by which one receives the approval of God (2 Tim. 2:15).

Word of God

Logos Word – The written word - John 1

Rhema Word – The spoken Word

This morning I would like to focus on such passage that reveals to us a lot about what the word says.

Characteristics of the Word

Living - Active

The word “living” (zon) is placed in the empathic position in the original language. The word of God is no dead letter, but as the word of the living God it cannot itself fail to be living. As the living word it continues through each age with compelling relevance. “Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had “gone through it several times.” “Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “then you will tell a different story!”

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration (God breathed, out of the very mouth of God) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, (11) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Powerful “For the word of God is living and powerful.”

The word translated “powerful” (energes) is the word from which we get energy and energetic. The word literally means “at work.”

Charles Swindoll comments, “News articles may inform us. Novels may inspire us. Poetry may enrapture us. But only the living, active Word of God can transform us.”

[Charles Swindoll, p. 73]

Well, it is...living and active...and so when we read its words they reach out and touch the needs of our lives in an almost tangible way. Isaiah 55:11 describes scripture as being a living agent or messenger that God sends to touch our lives. Listen to what God says in this passage... " ....My word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." So, unlike any other book, the Bible is living and powerful and…