God’s Word Gives Life
Isaiah 55.10-12
Many of the farms in the state of Nebraska are right on the edge of the fertile plains that receive enough rainfall to produce abundant crops. Some years the yields can be a little lower simply because they are not blessed with as much rain as other farmers. Being so dependent on precious rain- fall, actually produces a great respect and appreciation for the gift of rain. Farmers in that area sometimes call raindrops “pennies from heaven.” They know that one timely rain can make all the difference between a profitable, or an unprofitable crop.
In many places the Bible compares God’s word to that kind of precious rainfall. It is the spiritual gift of God that produces the harvest of faith. Today I want to encourage you to remember what a gift God’s word is, and I want to help you get the most out of that gift. Our text is from the Prophet Isaiah:
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, 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 55.10-11 NKJ)
What the Bible Says About Itself
Everyone here saw the Pro-Life Display of 3,000 crosses on our property as you arrived. Those crosses represent the 3,000+ abortions that are performed in America every day. A group of college students were debating this issue one day. Some said a mother has the right to do what she wants with her own body. Others pointed out the scientific fact that an unborn child is not part of the mother’s body and has its own distinct DNA, blood type, fingerprints, etc. Finally one girl pushed the discussion further by quoting from the Bible, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you...” (Jeremiah 1.5). “God’s word,” the girl went on to say, “says that the unborn are persons.” At that moment, for just a few seconds, there was a noticeable pause in the debate. Like a thunderclap, her quote was a moment of truth that shook everyone’s soul. There is power in the word of God like none other on earth.
The Bible says that “faith comes by hearing.” (Romans 10.17) When Paul was converted he was knocked down from his horse and blinded by a bright light. But it was the voice of Jesus that said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me.” (Acts 9.4) Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” (John 10.16) It was Peter who said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6.68) When Paul came to Thessalonica to bring the Christian faith, he went to the synagogue of the Jews, as was his custom (Acts 17.2). He went where the word of God was to be heard because he knew that it was through the hearing of the word of God that faith comes. “He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.” (Acts 17.3)
My Experience with the Power of God’s Word
I think you’ll agree that all true and sincere spiritual movement in your life has been caused and created by the word of God. I served for one year as a part-time chaplain at a mental hospital. One of my duties there was to help people suffering from chemical addiction. I believe that God is always working in everyone’s life. They may still be resisting Him and avoiding His efforts. Therefore to move forward with people I always asked this question. “When did you ever sense the work of God in your life? When did you sense that you were closest to God?” Inevitably they would refer back to a time when the word of God was somehow present. They recalled Sunday school classes, going to worship with grandparents or friends, vacation Bible school experiences, and the like. No one ever said they sensed the presence of the Lord in the bowling alley, at the baseball field, in the theater, or by watching TV. One particular experience stands out.
I was working with a woman who was about thirty years old. She looked older than forty. She confessed that she was addicted to anything that you can possibly be addicted to: alcohol, drugs, and sex. If she continued in this direction her life would soon be over, and she knew it. I asked her my question about the time when she sensed the work of God in her life. Here is her story:
She had never had any exposure to Christianity in her home or among any of her friends. One day she and her roommate were getting high in their apartment. Two ladies came to share the good news of Jesus Christ. She and her friend thought this might be some fun especially considering the state of mind they were in. They invited the evangelists in and began to berate them. They laughed at everything they said. They cursed them and made fun of the way they looked and lived their lives. Surprisingly the two Christians did not give up. They continued to work through their presentation of the Gospel. They did not get angry or argumentative. They just shared the bad news of sin and good news of forgiveness in Christ. Later that night the one girl that would later meet with me laid on her bed thinking about that incident. She was ashamed of they way she and her friend had acted. She was impressed that the Christians could be so caring and so sincere. They had something that she wanted. It would be many years before she would actually become a Christian, but that little event was one of the keys to her conversion. She never forgot the Bible message through which God the Holy Spirit was calling her to Christ.
The Danger of Ignoring God’s Word
I am sad to say that I meet and work with so many people who don’t recognize or seem to forget that faith comes by hearing the word of God in Christ. People want God’s help but they don’t want God’s means. They don’t want God’s way of helping them. When you are not interested in God’s word, you are not interested in God. The Bible says, “He who is of God, hears God’s words.” (John 8.47) The Bible also tells us that it is the specific work of the devil to snatch away the word of God from our lives. (Mark 4.14) Even worse many people are lost from the kingdom of God because they allow the cares of this world to choke out the word of God in their lives. (Mark 4.19) The fact that people want Jesus apart from His word is well documented. Every great reformation caused by the hearing of God’s word has been followed by the blight of Biblical indifference: The Great Awakening in America was followed by the liberalism of mainline Christianity. The Reformation was followed by the Enlightenment. The rapid spread of the Gospel in the first three hundred years of persecuted Christianity was followed by the medieval institutional church. This problem was already foreseen by our Lord. A woman once cried out to Jesus: “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But Jesus said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11.27-28)
I know that I have the temptation to go through life without spiritual recharge I get from God’s word. If it’s a temptation for me, I know that it must be a temptation for you. We get so busy. Our free moments are quickly consumed by entertainment. We grow spiritual numb and cold. I need to repent. You need to also.
God’s Encouragement to Give Us His Word
One of the most important things about God is that He is incredibly patient with us, and He continues to send forth His word whether people are interested in it or not. The world did not welcome Jesus. He came anyway. He sent His disciples into towns and villages that would reject them. They went anyway. We may grow tired of hearing God’s word or be tempted to spend our time on other things. But God never grows tired of trying to give us life through His word. This was God’s special reminder to His people at the time of Isaiah. God’s word, like the rain, will come again and again, and it will give life. Only those who refuse to drink will be lost.
Now is the time for us to realize that God’s word is so good, so great and so available, that we do have time to meditate on it every day. I would encourage you to consider this little test: For the next three weeks set aside just twenty minutes a day to read a chapter or two of the Bible. Think about it. Jot down a few notes. Respond to it by talking to God. Did you not understand something? Ask for help to understand. Did it make you feel guilty? Ask for forgiveness. Did it inspire you to believe and obey? Thank and praise Him. At the end of those three weeks, you will have spent seven hours in communication with the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of your soul. I think you will find out that that seven hours spent meditating on God’s Word was the best thing you could have possibly done. Amen.
