Sermon Brief
Date Written: September 11, 2009
Date Preached: September 13, 2009
Where Preached: OPBC (AM)
Sermon Details:
Sermon Series: Back To School – Believers Edition!
Sermon Title: The ‘Enoughness’ of Scripture!
Sermon Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Introduction:
Last week we started a new series that I have entitled “Back to School – Believers Edition” and we focused on the central point of who we are as Christians and that is Jesus Christ! We celebrated who He is and what He has done and we saw how Jesus holds us together in all we are and in all we do!
Today I want us to direct our attention to another basic tenant or principle of the Christian faith and that is what we would call The Word of God or Scripture. Now as your pastor I believe that the Scripture and Jesus go hand in hand because John tells us in
John 1:1 [NASB] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This lets us know that Jesus was not just a man… this lets us know that Jesus was not merely ‘sent’ FROM God but that Jesus was the very WORD of God…the very BREATH of God…Jesus is GOD!
John described Jesus as the “Logos” [the very words as breath of God Himself]. John paints the picture that Jesus is God revealed in flesh! And when we review and study Scripture we find that to be true all throughout the Bible.
From the OT pointing toward His coming to the NT revealing His life, message and the plan of salvation He brought forth… to His death, burial and resurrection and His works evident in the early church! Scripture is all about revealing God to humanity…in the person of Jesus Christ!
This makes Scripture very important to the believer! This elevates Scripture from a mere guidebook to the level that is so very VITAL for the health and life of the believer!
In fact, as Baptists we hold the Bible… sacred Scripture as THE sole standard by which we are to live and be judged and we spell that stance out in our Baptist Faith and Message:
The Holy Bible is… a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is…the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
However, before we can begin to examine Scripture and its sanctifying power and affect on the human soul we must FIRST understand what Paul is saying here about Scripture!
The Divine Inspiration of Scripture! v.16:
Paul tells us in the beginning of v.16, All Scripture is inspired by God to which we as believers MUST cling to this belief! We entertain the idea that there is any part of Scripture that is NOT divinely inspired by the Creator God of the Universe!
This is because if it is NOT divinely inspired… if it has been written by human nature and human frailty we are doomed! This is because when humanity is left to its own personal beliefs and desires our understanding is darkened and twisted to our sinful bent and fallen nature!
And Paul’s assertion here is that the Scripture that imparts the eternal salvation of God MUST be inspired and breathed by God Himself, it cannot be a creation of fallible and fallen humanity!
Now when we look in Scripture we can see that there are many, many references to the authority of the Bible and its inspiration
Psalm 19:7-8 [NASB] – The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The Law of the Lord is perfect… and enlightens the eyes! God’s word reveals to us who we are and makes plain to us what we need to know! God’s word is a simple word, but yet profound in its depth and application to our lives. God is perfect and His word is perfect and right and we should trust in the authority and trustworthiness of God’s Word!
1 Tim 1:15 [NASB] - It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Here Paul references the purpose of Scripture and the revelation of Christ to the world… in other words Scripture is a trustworthy statement from God on which we can rely… Sinners who read Scripture and submit to the direction of Scripture, come to meet the Savior who is revealed within that Scripture!
And there are many other passages that refer to the authority of Scripture, but we must first understand that the authority of Scripture does not come from Scripture itself but it comes from God Himself! Let’s look AGAIN at what Paul is saying here in the 1st part of v.16:
2 Tim 3:16a [NASB] “…All Scripture is inspired by God…”
When we look at this passage we see that the main predicate adjective phrase that Paul uses to describe “Scripture” is that it is inspired by God. Paul uses the Greek word theop-new-stoss which translated literally means ‘breathed out of God’ or simply put “God breathed”!
“God breathed” tells us that all Scripture comes directly from the mouth of God. Only the 66 books which comprise our Bible today can lay claim to the inspiration of God. As Baptists we believe that THIS Bible [hold up Bible] to be inerrant…
What does THAT mean… well it means that we believe the Bible to be without error in ALL its parts... and many have scoffed at us for that belief and over the years there have been many who have come against Scripture as they have sought to disprove it… but Scripture still stands in spite of these attacks!
We believe that the Bible was penned by human hand BUT it was authored by God Himself. As we look thru Scripture we see there are times when God makes the choice to inspire a writer with exact words and puts them in the mouth or on the pen of the writer…such as God and the prophet Jeremiah…
Jer 1:9 [NASB] - Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.”
But the more usual manner God used was the personalities of His chosen vessels. His words come to them thru their minds, souls, hearts and emotions! God has chosen to use humanity in this way! God uses these broken vessels for the purpose of divine revelation. Like we see here in his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul says…
2 Cor 10:10 [NASB] - For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."
Here Paul is referencing what people were saying about his letters to the churches. Paul understood that God had divinely inspired these letters and that they were special, even though he himself was not that impressive or special. He understood that his pen was a tool in the hands of a divine God, and that what was considered Scripture was from God and nothing of his own doing…
But by whatever means God chooses to use, whether by dictation or thru their personalities and talents… God is intimately involved in the supervision and recording of His Word and its revelation to humanity. So, this morning it is of the utmost importance that we focus on Scripture by beginning with the full and total understanding that Scripture is NOT man-made but it is fully and totally “God breathed”
It is Scripture itself that is divine in its nature and not the author that recorded it! These authors were good men, they were sincere in their faith, and I can guarantee you that they probably wrote many other things that are good things, but still not considered or ordained as Scripture!
Paul even tells us of other letters he has written [2 more ltrs to the Corinthian church AND his letter to the Laodecian church] I am sure that these letters were good in instruction and guidance… BUT they are no longer around because the Holy Spirit did not inspire them and designate them AS Scripture.
Scripture is divinely inspired… NOT the men who wrote Scripture and that is an important fact we have to come to grips with… These men who were used by God to relate and write down divinely inspired Scripture… They were fallible, flawed and very much human! So first of all we need to understand that all Scripture is FROM God and is about God and is to reveal God to His creation!
The Divine Intention of Scripture! v.16-17:
2 Tim 3:16-17 [NASB] All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
So now that we have established that Scripture is NOT of man but ‘breathed by God Himself’…it is the truth of God, revealed to man BY God, for a very specific intention… and that intention was that His creation could come to know Him as Savior!
2 Peter 1:20-21 [NASB] confirms this as it tells us:
But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Peter tells us, “…but men MOVED by the Holy Spirit spoke from God…” This allows us to remain confident in knowing that God is intimately involved in Scripture and that it is NOT simply a human exercise. So we first need to understand that ALL Scripture is inspired BY God!
After Paul spells out the very nature of Scripture itself as being God breathed, Paul also points out that there is great benefit in Scripture! The benefit we can gain from obeying the Word of God in our lives is spelled out in v.16-17. So, more than just a good book, the Bible is profitable to us in many ways…
1st, we can see that it is profitable for teaching or instruction. A believer cannot grow in Christ unless they are reading and learning from the Word of God and observing the principles and practices of His Word. As Baptists we have long contended that we have no Creed but Christ… and Christ is revealed and taught in God’s Word… the Bible.
Rom 7:12 [NASB] - So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Here Paul is speaking of the Law given by God to Moses. The ‘Law’ of God is the Scriptures that Jesus referred to during His ministry here on this world. The law and commandment of God is holy… meaning it is set aside by God for a purpose… to shape, mold and make us into what God desires us to be…
2nd Paul tells us that Scripture is profitable for reproof or rebuke. This is not meant to condemn or criticize, but it is meant to say that Scripture lays bare who we are before a Holy and Just God. God’s standard is set and it is just, and when we fall short of that standard, Scripture is there to tell us where we fell short! It is our standard by which we are called to live!
Hebrews 4:12 [NASB] - 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.
Here the writer of Hebrews reveals the POWER of Scripture and the fact that with Scripture the soul is laid bare before God AND before ourselves!
Third, Paul leads us down the logical path of progression after teaching and reproof… when we have been taught what is right and it has been revealed to us where we have fallen short, we must correct what is wrong! Scripture is there to assist and guide us in the correction of our choices and direction in life! Correction comes in the form of Godly teaching and admonition from Scripture AND from the leaders God has placed in our lives to teach and guide us!
1 Tim 2:3-4 [NASB] - This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Here is yet another example by Paul that shares the mission and purpose of Scripture in this world… Scripture is good and acceptable in God’s sight, it is the necessary instrument as an agent of change and transformation that brings salvation into the lives of those who place their faith and trust in the One Scripture reveals!
Finally, Paul completes the directed intent here about Scripture in that after teaching, reproof and corrective actions… there needs to be training! When we come to know where we have fallen short and what we need to do to correct our lives… we need to be guided in that corrective process… we need to be trained to live righteous lives… God’s Word is profitable for training God’s people in the way of righteousness.
But why? Paul says the why is so that we can live the lives God has called us to live! Lives that touch other lives, lives that love, lives that reach others lives, lives that do the good works God has laid out for us… God’s word equips us to live out the good works and good life God desires for His children!
We have seen that Scripture is uniquely FROM God, and we have seen the unique intention of WHY God has given Scripture to us… so what we may know God and be saved! But is that ALL Scripture is? Trusting its source and realizing its purpose is fine… but that is NOT all of what Scripture is about!
I want us to take a look at the Divine IRON GRIP that Scripture should have on the lives of each believer!
The Divine Iron Grip of Scripture! v.16-17:
2 Tim 3:17b [NASB] …so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work…
Scripture reveals our sin and how we can know Salvation, and Scripture is also very sure in its proclamation that God’s Salvation is sure and firm… that His grip on the saved cannot be shaken or changed!
The book of John tells us that
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand…
Here John is letting us know the IRON GRIP that Scripture lays out about Salvation and the resolve of our Savior! We are firm in His hand and cannot be taken out…This is comforting news to all believers… to all people who WANT to believe, this news lifts your heart! This news brings about a faith and trust in Scripture, and Paul wanted Timothy to ‘trust’ Scripture in his service to God.
In his letters to Timothy, Paul charged Timothy to allow himself to be guided by the ‘sacred writings’ or the Scriptures! For Timothy to be matured in his faith… and with that solid grounding in God’s Word, that Timothy would not be fueled by speculation and tradition…but by God’s direction and guidance!
Paul believed the Scriptures could be used to teach the truth in the light of Jesus Christ, God’s supreme revelation. The Scriptures are a guide for right living by the believer! And in this last part of this passage we find Paul saying that we will be equipped for every good work!
What Paul is referring to is that believers grounded in Scripture would be ready and prepared for any form of ministry for which God wishes to use us… in other words we would place NO LIMITS on our service to God because we would be ready for ANYTHING!
Scripture is the very foundation on which we can build our walk with Christ! Without Scripture we cannot know God… if we cannot know God we cannot know His salvation and if we cannot know His salvation we cannot live a life that will be pleasing to Him…
Scripture is how we SEE God… Scripture is how we MEET and KNOW God… Scripture is also how we know what God desires from us each and every day! It is a torch on our pathway of life within the body of Christ!
Scripture represents our guidemap for living… lean on and trust in Scripture and we will never lead a life that will bring shame to our Savior! The psalmist knew this when he penned the very 1st words of the book of Psalms!
Psalm 1:1-4 [HCSB]
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
When we place our trust in God’s Word that reveals Him to us and that lays bare our soul before Him, we are going to reap benefits! He is going to save us, protect us and deliver us! We are going to reap the benefits of obedience and submission!
Scripture is our guidepost to point the way. The Psalmist also tells us in… Psalm 119:105 [HCSB] – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
The psalmist knew that God lights the pathway of life so that we won’t stumble, and that light is the very Word of God! God’s word enlightens us to know the right thing to do in any and all situations!
It is only when we allow our society to influence us OR that we rely on the traditions of man do things get complicated and confusing! God’s Word is simple and powerful and will guide us in living the way God desires us to live!
The psalmist makes this clear earlier in this very chapter as he writes:
Psalm 105:9-11 [HCSB]
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
This is a personal testimony on behalf of the psalmist on what God’s Word does for you… it leads and guides your walk with God so that you can live a life that GOD desires!
Conclusion:
We are all born into this world lost and sinful creatures, and God’s Word reveals to us that apart from Jesus Christ we can NEVER know salvation and/or forgiveness for our sinful nature!
God’s Word reveals our sinfulness, but it does not leave us there… it also reveals the heart of God and the nature of God in that He has made a way to KNOW Him and experience His love, mercy and grace! God’s Word reveals salvation’s plan thru the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus came from God… Jesus was God wrapped in flesh… Jesus came to reveal to the world the God who had created them… to reveal His desire to save and heal their spirit! Jesus’ death on the Cross paid the price for the sin of the world.
Jesus’ burial represents our sin being buried and taken away… Finally Jesus’ resurrection represents our rebirth in God’s eyes, renewed and blameless before Him… spotless and sinless… all because of Jesus!
You see last week we saw how Jesus as so much more than just the babe in the manger… Jesus is the very source of life to us! John instructs us that Jesus was the WORD… Jesus was God’s Word to His creation! God’s Word that came to reveal our sin and offer salvation to all who would accept it!
But not only does God’s Word reveal sin, and offer a plan of salvation, God’s Word is our resource for right living… when we store it up in our heart, we are not going to do things that will bring shame or reproach on God. When we put God’s Word to work in our lives, we live as God desires us to live!
So this morning for those of you who have accepted Christ in your life… are you placing the Word of God where it should be? Are you planting it in your heart with regularity so that it permeates ALL of who you are? Are you leaning on the Word to guide and direct your steps? If you are not, I challenge you today to surrender to God and submit to His word!
Today you may be sitting here and do NOT know Christ as Savior? Well I am telling you that you CAN know Christ! You can know the Savior of the world! You can know the God of the Universe and you can have a relationship with Him!
But you cannot know Him without the Word of God… God’s Word reveals Christ… God’s Word reveals salvation’s plan… God’s Word makes good on the promises of salvation! And if you do not know Christ, I call on you to surrender to God’s plan today… submit your life to Him and receive the gift of eternal life that He so long desires to give you!
I call on you to come this morning as Bro Steven comes to lead us in our Hymn of invitation… “Speak to My Heart” Come as we begin to sing.
