Faith Comes By Hearing

FAITH COMES BY HEARING

INTRODUCTION: The longer I am the pastor of CBC, the more impressed I am at the wealth of information that is stored in the minds of so many of our folks. We are truly a church diverse in its membership, diverse in its culture, and diverse in its knowledge.

So, just recently, I was given a lesson on the history of that sacred military term, “HUA”. For those of you who are uniformed (that is not me, by the way), the word “HUA” is an acronym. Now and acronym is a word from which every letter corresponds to a word. It is a memory tool, and verbal shorthand. “HUA” stands for “Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged”.

OK, so let’s take a test. I am going to say something, and when I say “AMEN” You are going to answer “HUA” – Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged.

John 1:1-4 (NIV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

AMEN – HUA

2 He was with God in the beginning.

AMEN – HUA

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

AMEN – HUA

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

AMEN – HUA

1. THE STORY OF KING JOSIAH – 2 Chronicles 34

a. Josiah was a young king with a big plan

i. He was eight years when he began to rule as king

ii. He ruled for 31 years, until he was about 40 years old.

iii. He was a good king!

b. What made Josiah a good king?

i. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord – 34:2

ii. He wanted to know more about God – 34:3

iii. He wanted to Purge the nation of idols

iv. He wanted to repair the house of the Lord

c. What made Josiah a Great King? – 34:14,19

i. He found the book of the Law

ii. He heard the book of the Law

iii. The book of the Law had a profound effect on him

AMEN-HUA

2. THE INSTRUCTION OF PAUL

2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

a. 2 Timothy is probably the last book Paul wrote before his death

i. Paul has included his final thoughts to Timothy

ii. Paul has provided us with our own challenges

b. Paul tells Timothy to continue in what you have learned.

i. Paul is focused on continuing something. Not stopping, not faltering, and not slowing down.

ii. Paul tells Timothy to continue in the things you have already been taught.

1. We do not need to seek teaching elsewhere

2. God has given us all that we need

c. Paul tells Timothy to continue in the Scriptures

i. The Scriptures will teach, prepare, rebuke, correct, and train you.

ii. The Scriptures will thoroughly equip us for every endeavor and task

d. What interests me is how one gets to the position in their spiritual life where the Word of God functions like Paul says it is to function.

i. The answer is found in Paul’s first letter to Timothy

1 Timothy 4:11-13 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

ii. Paul exhorts Timothy to teach by example

iii. Notice the progression of teaching in verse 13

1. Public reading of Scripture

2. Preaching of Scripture

3. Teaching of Scripture

THE FOUNDATION FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING IS THE PUBLIC READING OF SCRIPTURE

THE FOUNDATION FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING IS HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.

AMEN - HUA

3. Maybe that why, ……

a. The Bible tells us to hear the word 1230 while it tells us to read the word only 76 times

b. We have far more many options today to hear God’s Word than we have to see God’s Word

i. In 2005 iPod was the most requested gift for Christmas. Today you can pick up an MP3 player for $20.00

ii. Most requested option in new cars TODAY is MP3 or iPod compatibility

iii. 85% of Americans own a computer