June 12, 2016
Morning Worship
Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Subject: The Authority of Scripture
Title: The Bible is Inspired Part 2
Last week we began a series on the authority of the Scriptures. When I talk about the authority of scripture, what I mean is this:
Can we really trust the bible?
How do we know that it is really God’s word?
What benefit does it have to us?
You see, for something or someone to have authority there must be significant evidence that directs us to that conclusion. And what we find is that the Holy Scriptures prove themselves. They testify of themselves that they are God’s word, but the real proof comes in the evidence.
There are hundreds of prophecies in the bible and hundreds of them have already been fulfilled. And the amazing part is that they are fulfilled with acute accuracy. Where the Messiah would be born… where he would live… the type of man he would be… how he would die… that he would rise from the dead… that He is coming back… still waiting for that!
If that’s not enough how about Jeremiah accurately predicting how long the nation would be in Babylonian captivity? How about 150 years before Judah was released from captivity Isaiah named the name of the king who would release them, namely Cyrus!
There are no other “Holy” writings from any other religion that can claim the predictive accuracy that the bible has and that can only be attributed to the fact that these words were given to the prophets through the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV2011)
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
So we get that… Right?
But now the question is, “What do we do with them – I mean the scriptures?”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV2011)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We affirm these verses every Sunday when we say these words.
I believe this is God’s word…
I accept it as mine…
I believe it is for me…
I will appropriate it to my life today…
16 All Scripture is God-breathed… We have established that truth already have we not? If it isn’t then this book is just another storybook. But if we truly believe that the Spirit of the Living God spoke words into the hearts of men to write all 66 books there must be a purpose for it. And in the rest of these verses we see exactly what the purpose is.
1. is useful for teaching… the KJV says “doctrine”. Is doctrine important? Whether you read the NIV “teaching” or KJV “doctrine” you have to understand that what you believe is of utmost importance.
doc·trine
1. A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group; dogma.
2. A rule or principle of law, especially when established by precedent.
Now this is notable. For instance, if we are talking about the doctrine of divine healing is there any value in it if it is just a rule that we adopted and believe? NO! That rule is established by a precedent. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed … Amen? And this God breathed book tells us that by His stripes we are healed. But we do not set our doctrine on this verse alone. The New Testament is full of actual events where people were healed, or saved, or baptized in the Holy Spirit… Do you see what I’m talking about? So doctrine is established on the Word of God and actual events that back it up. Look at how the Holy Spirit is involved in teaching as well. 1 John 2:27 (NIV)
27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
2. rebuking… (KJV reproof) elegchos (el'-eng-khos) n.
1.proof, conviction
We know that one of the things that Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do would be to convict the world of sin… And He also does that same work in believers. The Spirit uses the scripture to show us where we have fallen short that we might repent and turn back to the Lord.
Proverbs 1:23 (KJV)
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Proverbs 1:23 (GW)
23 “Turn to me when I warn you. I will generously pour out my spirit for you. I will make my words known to you.
Oh hallelujah! Can you see what happens when you repent because of God’s word? He pours out His Spirit… the word translated pours literally is “to gush out”… You see the Lord doesn’t give in small portions.
James 1:5 (ESV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5 (NKJV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
So when you are brought under conviction by the word and you turn to the Lord in repentance can you see what the Spirit’s response is?
3. correcting and training in righteousness… I put these two things together because they seem to go hand in hand. Let me ask a question… Have any of you ever made a mistake? Let’s go a step further… Has anyone ever made a life altering mistake – one that has literally changed your life and not for the better? Now here is the point of the question – Did you learn from your mistake? That’s the key. God’s word will correct you but if you are not willing to make it part of your spiritual training program and make the necessary corrections the word has no value for you.
Hebrews 12:11 (NIV2011)
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
John 15:3-8 (NKJV)
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
When you have looked at this, that the word - is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness… Have you ever thought of it as meaning that you have the scriptures available to you for the purpose of teaching, rebuking, correcting and training…? So that every time you have the opportunity you can say, “Thus sayeth the LORD…”
How about if we look at it this way… It’s the Word of God that speaks to me through His Spirit to teach ME, to rebuke ME, to correct and train ME… ?
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV2011)
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Has the Lord prepared good works for us to do?
What are those good works?
Here is where some would focus on the social gospel… we are supposed to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves… and thus we have countless social programs, and financial aids, and food pantries…
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
And Jesus says, John 14:12-14 (NKJV)
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also;
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Has the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, taught you to have faith for salvation, for healing, for power, for authority, for deliverance, for prosperity…?
Has the Spirit, through the word, brought to the place that you see your shortcomings and failures that you can repent and get back on track?
Does the Spirit correct and train you in the word… so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Many people read the Bible as if it were fundamentally about us: our improvement, our life, our victory, our faith, our holiness, our godliness. We treat it like a disconnected series of timeless principles that will give us our best life now, if we simply apply them. We read it, in other words, as if it were a heaven-sent self-help manual, a divinely delivered to-do list. But by reading the Bible this way, we—like the two companions on the road to Emmaus—totally miss the point. As Luke 24 shows, it's possible to read the Bible, study the Bible—even memorize large portions of the Bible—and miss the main point of the Bible. In fact, unless we go to the Bible to see Jesus and his work for us, even devout Bible reading can become fuel for our own self-improvement plans, a source for the help we need to conquer today's challenges and take control of our lives.
From Christianity Today
All that we need to understand the power of the gospel.
Tullian Tchividjian/ August 29, 2013
The Word says you can be saved…
The word says you can be healed…
The word says you can have power and authority…
The word says you can be delivered, blessed, called to ministry, baptized in the Holy Spirit…
All Scripture is God-breathed…
Do you have the faith to receive God’s word into your life?
