I Choose The Bible As God’s Word

I CHOOSE THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD

MATTHEW 4:1-11

WE ARE CONTINUING A SERIES ON THE FOUNDATIONAL CHOICES WE MAKE THAT HAVE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES IN THE BALANCE. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONAL CHOICE OF CHOOSING TO ACCEPT THE BIBLE, IN ITS TOTALITY AS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD.

WE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR STABILITY AND CONTROL IN OUR LIVES. WE LIKE TO HAVE MAPS AND MANUALS TO DIRECT US BUT THEY ARE OF NO VALUE, UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO SUBMIT TO THEIR AUTHORITY.

LOGIC DICTATES THAT IF YOU CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD, THEN HIS TEACHINGS WOULD BE AUTHORITATIVE AS WELL.

JAMES MacDONALD WRITES:

“WHEN GOD’S WORD IS MY AUTHORITY, IT CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF MY HEART, MIND, AND FEET. IT IS GOD’S OFFERING OF SATISFACTION FOR MY EVERY LONGING.”

IN THE BIBLE WE FIND DIRECTION FOR YOUR LIVES, COMFORT IN TIMES OF DISTRESS, AND A REMARKABLE LOVE STORY OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND THE RELATIONSHIP HE WANTS TO HAVE WITH US NOW. IT GIVES US DIRECTION FOR OUR LIVES THAT WILL REWARD US WITH BEAUTIFUL AND LASTING RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS WORLD. IT OFFERS US THE PEACE AND STABILITY OF TELLING US OF OUR ETERNAL HOME.

PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY:

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17:

ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, 17 SO THAT THE SERVANT OF GOD P MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK

I WANT TO SHOW YOU TODAY SOME REASONS TO CONSIDER AS TO WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD. MY HOPE IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE FACED BY CRITICS YOU WILL HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND COURAGE TO STAND IN DEFENCE OF THE WORD.

JAMES TELLS US IN CHAPTER FOUR:

JAMES 4:7-8:

SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. 8 COME NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL COME NEAR TO YOU.

POINT ONE: OUR ROLE MODEL

OUR SCRIPTURE READING PROVIDES US WITH A ROLE MODEL FOR VICTORY.

I FIND IN INTERESTING THAT JESUS’ WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE IS INITIATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

MATTHEW 4:1: THEN JESUS WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED V BY THE DEVIL.

WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT GOD WAS IN CONTROL AND HAD A PLAN FOR JESUS’ TEMPTATIONS. ONE REASON WAS TO SHOW US HOW TO OVERCOME THE TRIALS WE FACE IN THIS WORLD.

JESUS COULD HAVE CHOSEN THAT TIME AND PLACE TO DESTROY SATAN. INSTEAD ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS HE CHOSE TO USE THE WORD, AND IN DOING SO TAUGHT US THAT IN ANY SITUATION THAT WE CAN TURN TO THE WORD FOR VICTORY.

HEBREWS 4:15: FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO EMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE—YET HE DID NOT SIN.

WHEN WE BOW IN SUBMISSION TO THE LORD AND THEN CHOOSE TO RECOGNIZE HIS WORD WITH EQUAL AUTHORITY, WE CAN ENJOY “SOUL SATISFACTION.” IT IS WHEN YOUR HEART FINDS ITS JOY IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND IT’S DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD, IN HIS WAYS, AND IN HIS PURPOSES FOR YOUR LIFE.

POINT TWO: REASONS WHY I CHOOSE TO TRUST THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD

I WANT TO LOOK AT JUST A FEW REASONS TO PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD.

1. GOD’S WORD IS MY CORRECTION – I CHALLENGE MYSELF WITH IT.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE BIBLE IS YOUR AUTHORITY? IT IS WHEN IT STOPS YOU DEAD IN YOUR TRACKS. WE ARE CREATURES WHO WANT OUR OWN AGENDA, AND WILL LITERALLY TRICK OURSELVES TO BELIEVE OUR DECISION IS IN THE WILL OF GOD.

PROVERBS 14:12: THERE IS A WAY THAT APPEARS TO BE RIGHT, BUT IN THE END IT LEADS TO DEATH

YOU WILL KNOW THE BIBLE IS YOUR AUTHORITY WHEN IN READING IT, GOD OPENS YOUR EYES TO REALIZE YOUR AGENDA IS NOT WHAT HE WANTS FOR YOU, AND YOU STOP. THIS ALLOWS GOD TO PUT YOU ON COURSE FOR HIS WILL IN YOUR LIFE.

PSALM 119:105: YOUR WORD IS A LAMP FOR MY FEET, A LIGHT ON MY PATH.

2. THE BIBLE IS PREEMINENT BECAUSE OF IT’S PRESERVATION UNDER PERSECUTION.

THE BIBLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDER ATTACK OF SOME FORM. CULTURES LIKE THE EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO ELIMINTATE IT FROM SOCIETY. TODAY’S SOCIETY IS TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE WORD OF GOD, REMOVING IT FROM GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS TO NAME A FEW EXAMPLES, BUT THE RESULT WILL BE THE SAME, UNSUCCESSFUL.

NO OTHER BOOK HAS BEEN SO BURNED, BANNED, AND DEFAMED AS THE BIBLE. YET IT CONTINUES TO RISE FROM THE ASHES IN THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION AND USED TO LEAD PEOPLE TO THE PEACE OF KNOWING JESUS AS SAVIOUR AND FOLLOWING HIM AS LORD AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL THE LORD RETURNS.