Savoring The Word of God
Part II
II Timothy 3:16-17
Purpose: To show the sufficiency of Scripture to meet our needs.
Aim: I want the listener to search the Scripture like their spiritual lives depended upon it.
REVIEW:
1:1-2:13 I. How Should a Christian React to Stress?
2:14-26 II. How Should a Christian Relate to Fellow Believers?
3:1-17 III. How Can a Christian Reside in a Hostile Culture?
Vs.1 A. See the big picture
1. Jesus may come at any time “in the last days”
2. Serving Christ is hard “difficult times will come”
Vs.2-4 B. Identify evil
Vs.5-9 C. Identify religious impostors [which is evil dressed in religion]
Vs.10-13D. Practice the spiritual disciplines
Vs.14-17E. Follow the Scripture
Vs.14a 1. Have a commitment to Scripture “continue in the things you have learned”
Vs.14b 2. Have a conviction about Scripture “become convinced of”
Vs.14c-15a 3. See the change that Scripture makes “from whom you have learned them”
Vs.15b 4. Remember the change Scripture made in you “wisdom that leads to salvation”
INTRODUCTION: Suppose in this morning’s announcements that I invited you to a “Trench Party” to held in the church’s back yard at 6 pm tomorrow. Shovels will be provided and we are going to dig a trench that is 100’ feet long, 5’ deep and 4’ wide. How many would show up to dig? Not many, I’m sure. But thousands of trenches have been enthusiastically dug by hand, they were called fox holes. Why did they do it? They saved their lives.
Only combat soldiers care about digging fox holes. They care because they know that their lives may depend upon that hole in the ground. Digging is hard work and we will not dig into God’s Word until we know that it will save us. Besides saving us from an eternity in hell, it can save us from many hurtful and foolish actions as well as enabling us to please God. “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19 NAU)
✔ Until you sense the darkness you will not search for the light.
Paul now gives us two more wide-ranging reasons for staying glued to the Scripture.
LESSON:
Vs.16 5. Understand the advantages of Scripture
1. The Scripture is from God “inspired by God”
We are handling a holy book. We ignore it at our own peril.
2 Peter 1:20-21 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (NAU)
INSPIRED means “God-breathed.” God has spoken to us through this book.
Charles Spurgeon declared, “If God has spoken, listen! If God has recorded his words in a Book, search its pages with a believing heart. If you do not accept it as God’s inspired word, I cannot invite you to pay any particular attention to it; but if you regard it as the Book of God, I charge you, as I shall meet you at the judgement seat of Christ, study the Bible daily. Treat not the Eternal God with disrespect, but delight in His Word.”
2. The Scripture is able to help us “and profitable”
✔ Understanding the Scripture without applying the Scripture is a waste of time.
Psalm 119:97-105 97 O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. 102 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, For You Yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (NAU)
We must learn to apply the Scripture to our everyday lives. It is easy to apply the Bible to others, and it is easy to skip over the parts of the Bible that really need to be applied.
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the Devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing.” - Martin Luther Apply the Bible to yourself even when it hurts.
If the Bible is not cleaning up your life then you either aren’t reading it or you aren’t applying to yourself. Psalm 119:9-11 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. (NAU)
Look at the four ways that the Bible is a help to us.
a. The Bible’s content should be taught “teaching”
The Bible contains all the truth that God intended for us to have. 2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (NAU)
b. The Bible brings conviction “reproof”
REPROOF means to convict. The Bible shows us when we have gotten off of the path. Do you want to know when you have done wrong? Maybe the Bible should have a warning label on the outside that says, “Warning: the contents of this book my upset you.”
We aren’t good at seeing our own problems. Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”? (NAU)
Only the Bible has the ability to diagnose our problems. Hebrews 4:12-13 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. (NAU)
Someone may ask, Why would I want to read a book that is going to make me feel bad about myself? ✔ If we love Christ then we will want to do those things that He loves. The pain of REPROOF is worth it, if it means that we can please the One who died on the Cross in our place.
c. The Bible gives direction “correction”
CORRECTION means “to restore to an upright state.” The Bible not only shows us where we have gone wrong, it also shows us how to get back up on our feet. The Bible is a set of road signs that point us in the right direction.
✔The Bible will bring you happiness. “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the undefiled who walk (order their conduct and conversation) in the law of the Lord.” (Psalm 119:1, Amplified).
✔The Bible will make you pure “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word… Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:9,11). A great preacher said once, "God’s Word will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from God’s Word."
✔The Bible will show you amazing things “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” (Psalm 119:18).
✔The Bible will restore your emotional health “My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word” (Psalm 119:25). You want inner peace? It will never happen apart from God’s Word getting into your heart!“Great peace have they who love your law, nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165).
✔The Bible reveals God’s love to us. “The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy and lovingkindness; teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:64).
✔The Bible reveals God’s faithfulness. “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.” (Psalm 119:89-90). God is FAITHFUL!
✔The Bible helps you make decisions “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:104-105).
d. The Bible builds character “training”
The word used here for TRAINING was a very familiar in Paul’s day. It referred to the work of a hired tutor who was in charge of training a child from age 7 to 18 in all areas of his life. He would go with the child outside or wherever he went and train him in all aspects of his growing up. One such tutor wrote, “My duty is to make the good pleasant to the boy.” The Bible is our tutor that trains us in all areas of our lives. The Bible isn’t just for worship services.
The Bible trains us so that we won’t have to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
Vs.17 6. Know the goal of Scripture “equipped for every good work”
“The Scriptures are not given to us to develop theology as an end in itself. They are given to us to produce good works in and through us.”
ADEQUATE means to be “fit, sufficient, complete.” One Greek dictionary [BAG] translates it, “able to meet all demands.”
Paul does NOT say that the Bible can equip us for most good works, or many good works. He said it equips us for “EVERY good work.”
God has designed us to live “. . . on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 NAU)
The Great Commission commands us to, “. . . observe all that I commanded you. . . .” (Matthew 28:20 NAU)
It is very interesting that verse 16 begins and verse 17 ends with the same Greek word that can be translated “all” or “every.”
✔ The goal of the Scripture is to prepare us so we can live lives that glorify God.
There is ONLY ONE WAY to survive the trails of life. We must discipline ourselves to learn the Bible and find ways to apply the Bible regularly. Jesus Himself said,
Matthew 7:24-27 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Look back at the first verse of this chapter: But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. (2 Timothy 3:1 NAU)
In the troubled days that we live, let’s build our lives on the solid foundation of God’s holy Word.
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said, To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (NAU)
✔ What are you doing to learn more about the truth?
