The Importance Of Personal Bible Study Series

Gideon’s video to begin the message in the second and third worship service. I am grateful for the Gideon’s worldwide ministry because these volunteer men placed copies of God’s Word in hands of students and in hotel rooms. These businessmen are a part of our church and churches all over the nation. I want you to pray for their work as they seek open doors, open churches, and for men to join their efforts. Secondly, if you wish to donate to place Bibles in the hands of those who need them, you will see men standing at the rear of the worship center this morning with an open Bible. I am grateful for these men and their work.

We conclude a summer sermon series designed to empower your spiritual growth. And we focus this morning on the one spiritual habit that will move the needle for your growth – adopting a personal habit of reading the Bible. Take your copy of God’s Word and turn to 2 Peter 1 or page 1299 in the pew Bibles in front of you. Spiritual growth happens through “little advances.” God has designed your growth to happen through spiritual the disciples such as Bible study, prayer & fasting, and attending worship regularly. Believer, you have a purpose in life and your purpose is to become “a little Christ.” Your primary way to power your growth is to engage the Bible.

1. Why Does Bible Study Matter?

Bible study matters because this is the only book God has written.

Today’s Scripture

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:16–21).

Let’s walk through this argument step by step.

1.1 Jesus’ Second Coming

Peter first tells what the apostles’ writings are not: they are not “cleverly devised myths” in verse sixteen. When Peter says “we” in verse sixteen, he means the apostles. An apostle is one of the original twelve followers of Jesus plus Paul. Jesus chose and named the apostles – they were His men to select. The word “apostle” means “a sent one” and these men were sent all over the known world representing Jesus Christ.

Peter will tell the believers in his day to remember “… the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2b). Did you know that everyone of the twenty-seven books that make up the New Testament have a connection to an apostle? That is, if you wanted your book to be included in the collection of twenty-seven books that make up the New Testament, then your book would have to be endorsed by an apostle. Every single book of the New Testament is either written by an apostle or was endorsed by an apostle.

So Peter says in effect, “We’re not making up myths about the coming of Jesus Christ.” The word “coming” in verse sixteen is the word parousia which many of you recognize. This word parousia always refers to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The Bible teaches that just as Jesus came nearly 2,000 years ago to live, die for our sins, and raise from the dead… … He will come again to bring an end to history and judge every person – this is called the Second Coming.

1.2 Your Confidence in New Testament

Why are you to have confidence in the apostles’ writings, the New Testament? Why are you to have confidence in the apostles? The reason the apostles can be trusted is because they were eyewitnesses to Jesus Himself. Look at verse seventeen: “For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain” (2 Peter 1:17-18). Peter is recalling the time when Jesus’ appearance changed, when Jesus was transfigured. Peter says in effect, “We saw the preview of Jesus’ Second Coming on that holy mountain. James, John, and me heard the very voice of the Father so you can trust us. We were there, we heard the voice, and we saw His glory. And so we can know for sure Jesus has the necessary power, glory, and authority to return. The Transfiguration leaves us with no questions about Jesus’ abilities.” You can be confident in Jesus’ return because the apostles were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ transfiguration and this was a preview of the glory of the Second Coming of Christ.