THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL
OPENING: It’s a New Year! And one of the things I like to do at the beginning of every New Year is to share a message designed to stir up you to get into God’s Word!
• I love the Bible! This year I’m going to be reading through the NT for my 20th time, and I’m finishing reading through the OT for my 10th time. It’s a good book!
THE BIBLE = BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH!
OPENING TEXT:
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12).
THE BIG IDEA: The Word of God is living and powerful, and it has the power to transform your life today. We are going to look at seven reasons why Bible study will change your life, and how to study the Bible.
STORY: From The Red Thread by Pastor Barry Buzza.
• The story of the man who ‘smoked’ his way through the New Testament and got saved!
BIBLE STORY: Turn in your Bibles to 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.
“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem… And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David… (notice that David wasn’t his biological dad – David was his great, great, great, great grandfather, and Josiah chose him for a role-model). Now it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the scribe, to the house of the Lord.” (2 Kings 22:1-3a).
• paraphrase v. 4-7: Josiah told Shaphan to help rebuild the house of the Lord.
“Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, "Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the Lord." Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.” (2 Kings 22:8-10).
• When Josiah got a hold of the Word of God, it changed Josiah’s life!
• You don’t have to be just like your dad, or be bound by anything in your past!
• If you read on in the story, you discover that not only was Josiah’s life changed – it resulted in a REVIVAL that changed the entire nation! Do we want revival?
SEVEN REASONS WHY BIBLE STUDY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE:
1. You will be blessed! “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). Quote Psalm 1 & Joshua 1:8.
2. God’s Word 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). God’s Word gives us power to resist temptation. That’s how Jesus defeated the devil’s temptations – by quoting the Word!
3. You will see amazing and miraculous things. “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” (Psalm 119:18). The Bible is full of miracles, but remember Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” and He still does miracles today!”
4. God’s Word will revive you. “My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word” (Psalm 119:25). You want revival? It will never happen apart from God’s Word getting into your heart!
5. God’s Word reveals His love to us. “The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy and lovingkindness; teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:64). God’s Word reveals His LOVE to us.
6. God’s Word gives wisdom and direction. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:104-105). God’s Word shows us the path for living life on Planet Earth.
7. God’s Word will give you great peace. “Great peace have they who love your law, nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165).
QUOTE: “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.” (Charles Spurgeon).
WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
Go over the 66 books of the Bible and their sections:
5 Books of the Law
12 Books of History
5 Books of Wisdom Literature
5 Major Prophets
12 Minor Prophets
4 Gospels
1 History of the Church
13 Paul’s Letters
8 General Letters
1 Revelation
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE:
FOUR QUESTIONS: WHAT DOES THIS SCRIPTURE TEACH ME ABOUT:
1. WHO GOD IS? What do I learn about the nature of God?
2. WHO AM I? What do I learn about the nature of man?
3. GOD‘S PROMISES? Is there a promise to claim?
4. GOD‘S COMMANDMENTS? Is there a commandment to obey?
CHALLENGE: THE FIVE MINUTE CHALLENGE.
• Five minutes a day to read through the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. (You can download this from our website www.beausejourchurch.ca).
CLOSING:
• God’s Word is living and powerful, and can transform everyone of our lives!
• Pray for a hunger for the Word to burn in everyone’s hearts
• Pray for REVIVAL for our church, community and nation!
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
