God's Word: It's A Beautiful Thing Series

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Notice that God’s word is mentioned once in verse 1. This “word” is the good news, the gospel, the message about Jesus Christ. There are other words in this passage that are close in meaning:

• v. 1: “knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness (similar to one of our observations last week that “sound doctrine/teaching leads to godliness and good works”. That doctrine, or teaching, as we learned, was none other than the “good news.”

o This truth, then is the truth about Jesus, the good news of salvation through him

• Promise in v. 2, is also related to “the word”. God promised the blessing of Jesus, whose good news about him is “the word.”

• v. 3: “preaching” is not a synonym, but it is the activity is closely related to the “word”. In fact, some might say you aren’t preaching unless you are preaching the word!

And there are many other words that directly link to “word”.

• Faith in v. 1: “faith comes through hearing.” Hearing what? The word.

Each of these words, and a few others like them, in these short verses could spawn a sermon, or a whole series of sermons. And yet, often, when we read these introductions to Paul’s letters, we just skip right over them as if they have little meaning.

We cannot treat each as they deserve today, that is why I would like to focus on the “word” and how it’s a beautiful thing.

Transition: the first connection of God’s word and beauty in this text is it power to take what are objects of scorn and transform them into objects of beauty.

1. BeatifulTransforming Power (changes what was repulsive and offensive to what is beautiful and God-glorifying.)

It would be interesting to find out what comes to the minds we Christians here, when we think of the Apostle Paul.

• Stained glass figure?

• Master Teacher?

• Missionary?

• Bald guy?

• Early church dude?

• Writer?

What emotion do you have? Do you get excited, bored, puzzled?, stimulated in thought?

There was a time when only one word came to mind of Christians: Persecutor! And one emotion: Fear!

If he had lived in the 20th century we might have read about his pursuit and execution of Christians in Voice of the Martyrs magazine. Perhaps we’d hear about him on the Bob Dutko show, or read about him in Christian magazines about this fiery writer who wants to destroy our faith with his blasphemous fiction.

He was a Christian killer until Jesus came to town. Actually, until Jesus met him on the road as Paul was going to town: In a dazzling display of light, he heard a voice say to him:

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

For three days he fasts, and is blind, while God prepares another servant, Ananias, through a vision to go lay hands on him to restore his sight.

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”