Introduction

Today we are in week three of our series “Collide.” In week one, we laid the foundation for standing firm on the word of God, the only truth we can find in this world. Then in week two, we talked about the first thing God desires out of our lives once we initially learn to stand firm in our faith, amidst the conflicting values of the world we constantly collide with.

We must be renewed and transformed.

And today, we are going to take it one step further, because after God begins to transform us, especially within our minds, we have to pursue the source of truth so that we can ultimately live it out. The word, the truth of God, is powerful and effective.

Listen to this story:

“One day a shoemaker in Meshed, a very religious city in Northeastern Iran, brought home for his lunch some cheese which the grocer had wrapped in a page of the New Testament, which he was using as wrapping paper. After eating his lunch he picked up a piece of paper and read the story of the man who hired laborers for his vineyard, and at the end of the day paid all the laborers the same wage, whether they had worked twelve hours or one.

The shoemaker liked the story, and the next day went again to the grocery store and bought cheese, asking that it be wrapped ‘in another page of that book.’ Finally, on the third day he bought what remained of the New Testament and showed it to his brother. The two of them then went to a missionary, who gave them a complete copy, and also gave them regular instruction in the Word of God. Both men were later baptized and were among the first believers in that city.” - Dr. William Miller

Even when the words of scripture are torn page by page and used as trash, it still has power to redeem.

Even when the words of scripture are torn page by page and used as trash, it still has power to redeem.

Main Teaching

Turn with me to Romans 7:15.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

In this verse, Paul is talking specifically about sin. But I wonder how many of us take this same principle and apply it to our time spent with God in His word, or lack thereof. We know what we should do, but don’t do it. I’m believing that today is the day God is going to give you a new hunger for His word.

Turn with me back to the Old Testament in Proverbs, chapter 23 verse 23. The writer of Proverbs tells us something about the Truth that is incredibly important. He emphasizes how important it is in this one verse.

“Buy the truth and do not sell it-- wisdom, instruction and insight as well.”

We have already said the truth comes from the word of God. But once we have it, how do we keep it? The first step is what the writer of Proverbs makes clear in this verse.

Point 1: Don’t sell it

I don’t think he is talking about us standing on the side of the road with our Bible, attempting to sell the physical Bible to someone ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium