My Story And My Passions #3: The Word

MY STORY AND MY PASSIONS #3: THE WORD

OPENING: Discuss the transition: Getting ready to move to Surrey, no word yet on a new pastor. Possibly two new candidates. We must trust God in His sovereignty through this process!

INTRO TO SPEAKER: It’s our last four Sundays here, and during this time, I want to share with you my personal story and my passions. Today, I want to talk about my love for the BIBLE.

ILLUSTRATION: So in January our dishwasher broke down. We never had the money to get it fixed. Our son Caleb came home from Bible College in May. We had just cancelled our home phone and our computer was down. He said, “I feel like Little House on the Prairie!”

This past weekend, I installed a new dishwasher. I was doing okay taking out the old one, but when it came time to do the electrical, I pulled out the manual:

“Page One: Dishwasher safety. Your safety and the safety of others are very important. Always read and obey all safety messages. This is the safety alert symbol. This symbol alerts you to potential hazards that can kill or hurt you or others… DANGER: Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, fire, or electrical shock.” This is serious stuff!

• I’m happy to report that I installed the dishwasher and took its first test run yesterday.

ILLUSTRATION: This reminds me of some Sample Warning Labels

• "Warning: This product can burn eyes." -- On a curling iron.

• "Caution: Hot beverages are hot!" -- On a Starbucks coffee cup.

• "Please keep out of children." -- On a butcher knife.

• "Do not use for drying pets." -- In the manual for a microwave oven.

• "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." -- On a portable stroller.

• "Do not drive car or operate machinery." -- On children's cough medicine.

• "Warning: May contain nuts." -- On a package of peanuts.

Someone said once: THE BIBLE = BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH!

OPENING TEXT: “1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- The sure mercies of David… 6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:1-3,6-11).

THE BIG IDEA: One of my passions is the Bible. Reading, studying and obeying it has transformed my life, and it will do the same for you, too. PREACH! THE AWESOME WORD!

PERSONAL TESTIMONY: I’ll never forget the joy as a new Christian reading through the Bible for the first time. Reading Matthew 21:33-41 and understanding it. WOW!

• I’ve read through the Bible dozens of times, always get something new out of it!

• This book has helped me grow spiritually, learn more about God, given me hope, peace!

BIBLE STORY: Josiah: Second Kings 22.

• This is one of the exciting stories in the Bible – of finding a lost treasure!

• Let’s look at someone who was radically changed by the Word:

• Josiah was an 8-year-old boy whose grandpa Manasseh was the most wicked King in Judah; who led the nation into idolatry and even sacrificed children.

• He was a boy whose dad Amon became king when Josiah was 6, but Amon was so wicked he was assassinated two years later by his own servants.

• Josiah was raised in hell and didn’t have good examples in his life, but he didn’t have a victim mentality, and refused to become just like his biological dad.