INTRO: 1. Paul penned these word from a dungeon, the place where he awaited his own
execution - No hope of release, no hope of preaching again. But this letter to Timothy is not a hopeless letter, not a letter full of regrets, not a letter begging for deliverance - but a letter full of confidence.
a. What kind of confidence makes no room for fear and despair.
b. It wasn’t his ministry or his great ability to preach (Soon that would be history)
2. His confidence was in the unlimited power of the Word of God.
a. He was saying lock me up, take my life - but the word will still go forth.
b. He had the confidence of
Is. 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
c. Confidence to endure the greatest inconveniences and pain.
d. Confidence to rejoice when there’s nothing to seemingly rejoice over.
3. Our lives too often indicate our insecurity with the word of God.
a. Make excuses for it, modernize it - it’s time we put our confidence in it!
b. It’ll Impact our Significance. (Life takes on meaning)
c. It’ll Impact our Hope. (Future doesn’t look so dreary)
d. It’ll Impact our Faith. (Declare it with boldness)
e. It’ll Impact our Witness. (No longer afraid of failing)
4. Powerful phrase in the book of Acts is
Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
a. This let’s us know that the Word of God is not inactive piece of literature.
b. Let’s us know that it’s not a passive philosophy.
c. The Word is ever increasing, growing, expanding.
d. The Word is aggressive - Ever prevailing and conquering every force that gets in it’s way.
5. Paul let us know that this book could not be bound, but what did he mean?
I. THE WORD IS NOT BOUND BY TIME.
a. In this book, you can look as far back as Creation.
b. In this book, you can look as far ahead as Eternity.
c. But this book is not just another history book – it has power over time itself.
A. IT’S NOT BEEN BOUND BY THE PAST
1. The past has been unable to turn it from it’s course.
a. Written in a span of over 1,500 years, by over 40 generations, by over 40 authors, by men ranging from Kings to fishermen – Yet the authors agree, there are no contradictions.
2. Past kingdoms has been unable to stop it’s Spread.
a. Read by more people, published in more languages than any book ever - still on the best sellers list.
b. See it on television, hear it on the radio, read on the billboard, find it in hotel rooms – the word is never that far away from any of us.
c. ILL. Voltaire, a french infidel, in 1778 claimed that in 100 years Christianity would be swept from existence, the bible merely an ancient document. But 50 years after Voltaire's death in his on home stacks of bibles were being printed. Over 200 years now.
d. ILL. Napoleon Bonaparte, cried when he ran out of kingdom to conquer in this world, but said: “The bible is more than a book, it is a living being with an action, a power which invades everything that opposes it’s extension.”
3. Past history has been unable to Stomp It Out.
a. No book challenged so much, mocked so much, criticized so much.
b. ILL. Diocletian, Roman Emperor in 303 A.D. set out to annihilate Christianity (outlawed any form of Christianity, Slaughtered countless) just 25 years later God placed a man on the throne of Rome by the name of Constantine, whose first act was to demand that 50 copies of the Word of God be produced at the expense of that same government.
c. Atheist can’t mock it away.
d. Kings unable to persecute it away.
e. Politicians unable to legislate it away.
f. Professors unable to mock it away.
4. The Word has already conquered the past.
B. THE WORD IS NOT BOUND BY THE PRESENT.
1. Science has not made it obsolete - Archeology is proving it more correct every day.
2. Our modern day world is simply fulfilling what the Word said it would.
Matt. 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
C. THE WORD WILL NEVER BE BOUND BY THE FUTURE.
1. It will be here when nothing else is.
Is. 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
2. Forever means forever
Ps. 119:89 .... For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
3. It’s future is surer than the earth we stand on, or the sky we depend on.
Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
II. THE WORD IS NOT BOUND BY THE FORCES OF EVIL.
a. We don’t have to live defeated lives.
b. God has given us His word - a force the kingdom of darkness can’t contend with.
A. IT DISARMS THE DEVIL.
1. ILL. In the Wilderness Satan gave Jesus all he could to turn him from his course, but Jesus just kept disarming him with a simple phrase “It is written...”
2. Time we stop struggling with him and time we use the book on him.
3. Time we stop listening to his lies and start declaring God’s truth.
3. Nothing he has can equal what you have.
B. IT WOUNDS THE FORCES OF EVIL.
1. In Ephesians 6, Paul tells us of the powerful forces we’re against.
(Powers, Principalities, Rulers)
2. He encourages us to put on the whole armor of God, all of which are defensive, with the exception of one.
3. The Sword of the Spirit is our only offensive weapon in this fight, but it’s more than enough.
4. The word turned against Satan always means disaster for the forces of darkness.
C. IT DESTROYS THE LIES OF THE ENEMY.
1. I used to be concerned with the future of God's church, until I was reminded that only “the truth shall set you free.”
2. The enemies counterfeits and deceptions can’t measure up to the power of God’s word to liberate and satisfy.
III. THE WORD IS NOT BOUND BY THE HARDNESS OF MAN.
a. Too often our witnessing is defeated before it gets started, because we have more
confidence in man’s hardness than in God’s word.
b. The early church believed the opposite.
A. IT HOLDS THE POWER TO CONVICT MAN’S HEART.
1. ILL. On the day of Pentecost the mockers became converts by the convicting power of the word of God.
2. His word is still able today to melt the hardest heart, to turn men who are sold-out to sin back to God.
3. ILL. Jonah felt the Ninevites were too far gone, but he declared the word of God and the entire city turned to God.
4. It needs nothing more to accomplish it’s goal
Is. 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
B. IT HOLDS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM MAN’S LIFE.
1. We need more than merely rehabilitation, we need transformation.
2. Transformation is a change at the heart of who and what we are. (“New Creation”)
3. Was in Jesus’ prayer for his church
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
C. BUT IT ALSO HOLD THE POWER TO CONDEMN MAN FOREVER.
1. No man will ever escape the power of this book.
2. Be changed by it or judged by it.
3. Revelations tells us of day when the “books” are opened and men are judged by them - I believe those books are the books of the bible.
