MY STORY AND MY PASSIONS #3: THE WORD
OPENING: Discuss the transition: Getting ready to move to Surrey, no word yet on a new pastor. Possibly two new candidates. We must trust God in His sovereignty through this process!
INTRO TO SPEAKER: It’s our last four Sundays here, and during this time, I want to share with you my personal story and my passions. Today, I want to talk about my love for the BIBLE.
ILLUSTRATION: So in January our dishwasher broke down. We never had the money to get it fixed. Our son Caleb came home from Bible College in May. We had just cancelled our home phone and our computer was down. He said, “I feel like Little House on the Prairie!”
This past weekend, I installed a new dishwasher. I was doing okay taking out the old one, but when it came time to do the electrical, I pulled out the manual:
“Page One: Dishwasher safety. Your safety and the safety of others are very important. Always read and obey all safety messages. This is the safety alert symbol. This symbol alerts you to potential hazards that can kill or hurt you or others… DANGER: Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, fire, or electrical shock.” This is serious stuff!
• I’m happy to report that I installed the dishwasher and took its first test run yesterday.
ILLUSTRATION: This reminds me of some Sample Warning Labels
• "Warning: This product can burn eyes." -- On a curling iron.
• "Caution: Hot beverages are hot!" -- On a Starbucks coffee cup.
• "Please keep out of children." -- On a butcher knife.
• "Do not use for drying pets." -- In the manual for a microwave oven.
• "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." -- On a portable stroller.
• "Do not drive car or operate machinery." -- On children's cough medicine.
• "Warning: May contain nuts." -- On a package of peanuts.
Someone said once: THE BIBLE = BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH!
OPENING TEXT: “1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- The sure mercies of David… 6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "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, 11 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 55:1-3,6-11).
THE BIG IDEA: One of my passions is the Bible. Reading, studying and obeying it has transformed my life, and it will do the same for you, too. PREACH! THE AWESOME WORD!
PERSONAL TESTIMONY: I’ll never forget the joy as a new Christian reading through the Bible for the first time. Reading Matthew 21:33-41 and understanding it. WOW!
• I’ve read through the Bible dozens of times, always get something new out of it!
• This book has helped me grow spiritually, learn more about God, given me hope, peace!
BIBLE STORY: Josiah: 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 – 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).
CHALLENGE: Practical Steps for Application:
1. Read the Bible.
2. Use a Bible reading schedule.
3. Memorize Scripture verses.
4. Be a doer of the word (most important!).
CLOSING:
• Living by the Bible has transformed my life, and it will do the same for you, too.
• Pray for a hunger for the Word to burn in everyone’s hearts
• Pray for REVIVAL for our church, community and nation!
Pastor’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
