Bibles Like Cell Phones

Bibles like Cell Phones

Text: Romans 15:4

Date: July 8, 2012

West Union Christian Church of Christ

“Leading People to Life’s True Purpose and Joy in Christ”

INTRODUCTION

We live in a culture that is very biblically illiterate. There is a lack of spiritual direction in our nation because Christians do not know what the Bible says nor do they put Biblical principles into practice.

Why are sinful things like abortion, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, gambling, and alcohol and drug abuse so acceptable in our society while Bible believing Christians perceives these to be appalling?

I believe the reason is too many Christians do not know their Bibles. It has become acceptable in our church to only attend the 10:30 worship service on the Lord’s Day. I believe the popular culture has influenced this thinking. But I believe the Lord wants me to tell you this morning that we need to become more familiar with His Word.

You need to make a commitment to come out for the Sunday evening church service at 6:30. I know that most of you don’t want to come out for church on Sunday evenings because you have told me that is your family time. Can you not do family time on Sunday afternoon?

Tell your family that you want them to come over in the afternoon because you will be attending the Sunday evening church service from now on. Your resolve will prove your conviction when you let them know that you are serious about learning the truth found in the Word of God.

You know how popular cell phones have become in our culture. And that is the premise for my sermon this morning. What if we treated our Bibles like we do our cell phones?

1. If we left it at home we would have to turn around and go back after it.

Our phones have become our connection with the world. If you don’t have your cell phone then you can’t contact anyone and they can’t contact you. How miserable the thought of being disconnected, right?

An average American teen sends out fifty text messages a day. About 75 billion text messages were sent in June 2012, averaging about 2.5 billion messages a day!!

You can see from these statistics how indispensible and valuable cell phones have become in our culture. If you left your cell phone at home you would have to turn around and go back after it.

What if your Bible was that important to you? What if the information in it was so valuable that if you left it at home you would have to turn around and go back after it?

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

How valuable is God’s Word in your life? Do you ever pick it up and read it? Is it relevant for our culture or do you think that its old fashion and out of touch with the real world?

So, let me ask the question again. What if we treated our Bibles like we do our cell phones?

2. We would periodically upgrade and trade it in for a newer version.

You know technology changes so rapidly so if we’re going to stay on the cutting edge we have to upgrade our cell phones and keep up with the times. In regard to the Word of God, we know that the truth that we find their never changes.

Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

We are blessed in this culture to have Bible scholars who have devoted their lives to translating the Bible into modern languages from around the world that are more easily read and understood.

You might be like my wife Sandy that refuses to give up her old cell phone that she’s had for about five years. She said that she knows how to use the one that she has and it is good enough for her. Although I believe that she realizes that the newer models are easier to use.

You may be holding on to an older version of the Bible because you like the poetic way things are said. Or you might be holding on to your version because you grew up with that one and you’re use to it.