“God’s Word Is ...”
2 Timothy 3:14-17
David P. Nolte
“There’s a Fam’ly Bible on the table
Each page is torn and hard to read
But The Fam’ly Bible on the table
Will ever be my key to memories.”
The Bible, Scripture, God’s Word. Every home ought to have at least one copy of, and every heart should be enlightened by, that Word.
Paul wrote, “Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 (NASB).
Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 (NASB). The Word feeds us spiritually.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NASB). Faith is born from the Word.
“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.” Hebrews 4:12 (NASB). TheWord of God exposes the sins of the human heart.
Paul wrote, “But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NLT).
I. GOD’S WORD IS TRUE:
A. “But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.” And “Scripture is inspired by God.”
1. God imparted special insight, knowledge and understanding to those of His people that He chose to record His Word. They were His scribes or stenographers.
2. “So we have the prophetic Word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 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.” 2 Peter 1:19-21 (NASB).
3. “Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” John 8:31-32 (NASB).
B. God’s Word has been
1. Analyzed, attacked and abused – but its truth stands!
2. Banned, burned and bad-mouthed – but its truth stands!
3. Challenged, cursed and criticized – but its truth stands!
4. Doubted, denied, and disrespected – but its truth stands!
5. Ignored, insulted and inhibited – but its truth stands!
6. Maligned, misunderstood and misquoted – but its truth stands!
7. If you missed the point: God’s truth stands!
C. Vindicating the claims and integrity of God’s Word – the Bible, are these witnesses:
1. The durability of the Book in spite of efforts to eradicate it – truth triumphs! No book has been so persecuted and yet remains.
2. Archaeology which has managed to refute historians who credited the Bible with historical, geographical and social error. Archaeology says, Bible: hundreds. Critics: 0!
3. Fulfilled prophesies such as the scattering and persecuting of the Jews; wars, earthquakes, wide-spread falling away from the faith and other verifiable predictions.
D. Too many teach, and believe, man-made philosophies and religions that incorporate just enough truth to be convincing. It’s like the story of a young college student. To please his father a freshman went out for track. He had no athletic ability, though the father had been a good miler in his day. His first race was a two-man race in which he ran against the school miler. He was badly beaten. Not wanting to disappoint his father, the boy wrote home as follows: “You will be happy to know that I ran against Bill Williams, the best miler in school. He came in next to last, while I came in second.” True, but misleading since second was last!
E. God’s Word is true, trustworthy and never misleading. That leads me to the second point:
II. GOD’S WORD IS RELEVANT:
A. It “is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”
1. Many things are true that do not relate to our Christian lives and are not relevant to being a follower of Jesus. For instance:
a. It is true that water is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen: it is H2O, but that is not relevant to my Christian life.
b. Electricity can be AC, DC or static, but that’s irrelevant to serving Jesus.
2. God’s Word is truth that is essential to know and accept to live for Jesus.
B. God’s Word applies – it is relevant. By relevant I mean it is logically connected with, and important to, our lives.
1. It is relevant to produce in us the wisdom to receive salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
2. It is relevant to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. David wrote, “ How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” Psalm 119:9-11 (NASB).
3. It relevant to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.
4. It is relevant to all of life:
a. It is relevant to marital relationships.
b. It is relevant to parents and children.
c. It is relevant to our finances.
d. It is relevant to dealing with enemies and insults.
e. It is relevant to the guilt of sin and the grace of forgiveness.
f. It is relevant to proper conduct.
C. An unknown writer said, “This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character. .... It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity.”
D. In the same vein, Toni sang,
“This old world of ours is full of troubles
But this world would oh, so better be
If we’d find more Bibles on the table
And mothers singing ‘Rock of Ages cleft for me.’”
E. While still at NCC, Marlene and I went out representing the college on “NCC Day.” I was to preach at a church in Genesee, Idaho. When we went to Sunday School with the high school class, I expected questions about NCC or at least a Bible Lesson.
The teacher, however, had other plans! She read the Sunday Funnies to the class, which were irrelevant, because she made no application and she had not prepared a Bible lesson which would have been relevant!
Now, I never miss the Sunday Funnies, especially Pickles, but the only cartoons I will share at Sunday School or in the sermon are those relevant to a given point. The Bible is relevant!
III. GOD’S WORD IS USEFUL:
A. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”
1. It says, “Hold it! You are going wrong!”
2. It points out, “This is the right way!”
3. It prepares and equips His people to do every good work.
B. God’s Word is useful
1. To dispel the darkness of depression and anxiety.
2. To show us the right and wrong of life.
3. To show us the way of Salvation.
C. I want to repeat a text I quoted early in the sermon. “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.” Hebrews 4:12 (NASB).
1. As a high schooler I was Biblically illiterate. One day I thought I’d just begin reading the Bible. I had read only a few verses when I came under conviction of sin as the Holy Spirit applied those words. But instead of reading on, I cast the book aside and shook off the effect it had. It was a couple of years before I dared to venture reading it again. Now I did not know the Bible is God’s Word but it impacted me as has no other book, ever! It is useful to “judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
2. The prophet Isaiah recorded God’s statement, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.’” Isaiah 55:6-11 (NASB).
D. There are many useless things:
1. You see demonstration of a miracle kitchen range cleaner at a county fair, you purchase the product – and you find it useless on your range at your house!
2. I put some week-killer / grass fertilizer on our lawn – precisely as per directions – weeds unfazed, grass not enhanced. Useless.
E. And, substituting something for the Word of God is useless. Let me illustrate: A man named Sam went to work in a business office as a clerk. He notice that all the other clerks had pagers. Since the office didn’t provide pagers, Sam didn’t have one and couldn’t afford one.
Sam wanted to fit in so he took his garage door opener, clipped it to his belt and walked around the office looking as important as any of the other clerks. The problem was that the garage door opener was useless as a pager! Replacing God’s Word with human opinions is just as useless!
God’s Word is true, relevant and useful! Don’t be misled by error and untruth. Measure every doctrine, teaching, religious, moral, and ethical issue by God’s Word and follow its teaching obediently!
PRAY / INVITE
Like David I hope you can say, “With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. .... Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Psalm 119:10 -11, 105 (NASB).
And I hope Peter’s words apply to you, “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God. For, ‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the Word which was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25 (NASB).
Come to confess faith; come to inquire about baptism; come to renew commitment; come for prayer – but above all, come to establish your life on the one firm foundation, Jesus Christ!
