THINGS MOST SURELY BELIEVED AMONG US
14) We Believe In The Spoken Word, Written Word, and Living Word of God!
Text: Luke 1:1
"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand - to set forth in order a declaration…
of those things which are most surely believed among us."
Lesson Recap
Alright, so as we continue on in this weekly Bible Study,
We are looking whole heartedly to God’s Word in order to discover...
“...those things most surely believed among us” - That of course is a reference made in Luke 1:1.
And has remained our core focus for this weekly study.
Now we have already talked about what we believe in God...
And now we are talking about the things we believe about God’s Word.
And we have been very specific about these things – because God is very specific about them.
These are the things we believe brethren.
For example, during the last four weeks, we have been taught and looked at God’s Word...
From just one text, that being 2 Timothy 3:16-17...
So to recap our learnings from these previous weeks - let’s once again start here.
What have we learnt about the Bible?
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, - This is the first thing we learnt
The Bible is God’s Word….
He is the ultimate author of it,
He is the one who first spoke it…and every Word comes from Him.
…and is profitable…. We are told as we read on…But not for money!
You see there are a lot of fakes and frauds out there,
Pretending to come in the name of the Lord…
Some even holding a Bible and using Scripture…but for no other reason than to get rich.
The good name of our Lord and the Holy Scriptures is not to be exploited in this way.
In fact, the Greek term profitable used here is not a financial term at all,
But instead speaks of that which is “useful” or “advantageous” to our lives.
And then Paul makes a list of how useful it can be declaring it to be:
Profitable for doctrine [that means teaching], for reproof [that means to show fault and to convict of sin], for correction [or rather to restore or stand upright], for instruction in righteousness [So that we can be shown how to live right]:
That’s what God’s Word does - and how it benefits our lives.
Reading on into verse 17 now: That the man of God may be perfect,
This was our third lesson – it was all about how the Word of God…
Not only Profits Us – but about how it also Perfects Us.
But don’t forget that term does not speak of Faultless, or Sinless Perfection,
But is rather used in the sense of being made “Whole” and “Complete”
The Bible is God’s Life Manual – given to all of mankind.
God’s Word – enables us to live whole and complete lives the way God intended them to be.
And this of course, brings us all back to what we learnt last week.
And that lesson was revealed to us in the back part of verse 17:
God’s Word has been given: That the man of God may be perfect…
Throughly furnished unto all good works.
To be throughly furnished means to be “fully equipped”.
You see, God’s Word equips us to do right and to live right.
There is nothing that God has not called us to do – that His Word cannot not equip us to do first.
We are equipped for all aspects for ministry...
And for our walk and relationship with God...Through God’s Word
Now there is a lot to learn here - right.
All Scripture is God Inspired...
And God’s Word Profits us...
God’s Word Completes Us...
And God’s Word Fully Equips Us
Brethren – These are ...The Things Most Surely Believed Among us!
The Bible Is God’s Word
So that is what we have learnt about God’s Word so far.
Today I want to build upon these learnings...
With yet further teachings from The Bible relating to the Word of God.
More specifically, I want to talk about three things we believe about God’s Word:
Firstly, We believe in the Spoken Word of God...
Secondly, We believe in the Written Word of God...
And thirdly, we believe in the Living Word of God.
Amen – lets now see this now together - chapter and verse from the Bible.
Turn with me to John Chapter 1.
Today is really just another step forward...
Towards understanding more about what we believe.
And the Bible is how we are going to do it.
Here in John Chapter 1 - there are three simple points
I want you to see and understand about God’s Word this morning.
John 1 verse number 1 reads:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Brethren this is what we believe!
But what exactly does this mean?
The Importance Of The Word
Here the Bible again introduces us to the Lord God
And it does so in a very unique way.
Three simple, and yet altogether profoundly different statements are used,
And three times in just one short verse the Bible talks about – “The Word”...
And its undeniable association “With God”.
You see, this is what we all must understand,
You cannot truly know God – without first knowing the Word of God.
Without the Word of God - You cannot possibly hope to have a relationship with God.
We need this [the Bible] – to truly know and understand Him!
What do the Scriptures declare to us:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. - Romans 10:17
People believe in God – because the Word of God is shared with them.
Paul adds to our understanding in this regard saying:
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? - Romans 10:14.
In order for people to believe in God – they must first hear the Word of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
There is no separating the existence of God - from the Word of God
These two things are inseparably linked together.
You cannot have one without the other.
For this reason the Word of God...
Has to be of the utmost importance to each and every one of us.
The Word is how people come to Jesus…
The Word is how people can get to know Jesus…
And its through the Word that Jesus ultimately seeks to
Heal, to help and to save mankind.
What did Jesus say – Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)
Psalms 40:7 says: Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Brethren how did you get saved?
How did you first receive the reality of Jesus Christ in your life?
Was it not by someone sharing the reality of Jesus Christ with you – through the Word.
And brethren how do you think others will get saved...
Is it not by you declaring the reality of Jesus Christ them...through the Word.
And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life. – 1 John 2:25
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, - Acts 16:31
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16
This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
This is God’s Plan for Salvation...
And it’s through the Word of God that we share this message with others.
Remember last weeks lesson – it’s God’s Word that Fully Equips us for all good works.
All of this happens according to the Will of God...
Through - The Word of God.
1) THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD
Look – if you want to know who God is...
And if you want to have a meaningful relationship with Him,
If you want to be used by God to share the Gospel and to preach the truth,
Then we need to go all the way back to the start.
Look at the first statement with me now in John 1:1:
In the beginning was the Word…
Now let’s just pause here and try to get our minds around this.
Because what we are told here is that
Right from the very start…
Before anything and everything we know in the world today– God’s Word existed.
And I am not just talking about before you got married and had kids,
Or even just about a time before you were born.
Think bigger than that ok.
Think back before World War 1 and 2…
Think back before King Richard and all the Crusades.
Think back even before Creaser and the time of the Romans.
Think back before Nebuchadnezzar and all the splendour of the Babylon.
Think back before Mosses, Pharaoh and the might of Egypt.
Think all the back even before the Garden, Adam and Eve and creation of all mankind.
I am talking about all the way back before all life…
And even the concept of time itself.
Are you with me…because all the way back there in the very “Beginning”,
Yes - before everything else as we know it even existed
What was there - The Word of God!
You see, what we all need to somehow understand
Is that God and His Word was there in the beginning.
And this Word was in fact something that God Himself spoke.
Turn with me now to the book of Genesis.
This is of course the very first book of the Bible.
Interestingly the title Genesis, means “Origin” or “The Beginning” in Hebrew,
Now read with me verse 1:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Familiar words right – they tell us that the Lord was there even before creation itself.
Of course, how did God create Heaven and Earth…
He used His Word and spoke them into existence - didn’t He. Read with me Verse 3:
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Verse 6:
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. Verse 9:
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: Verse 11:
11 And God said, [He spoke these words] Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind. Verse 14
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Verse 20:
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Verse 24:
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
So what do we see here in all of this?
We see all the way back, right from the very beginning,
God was there and His Word was with Him.
And God spoke all of creation into existence – with His Word.
You see the Spoken Word of God is an incredibly powerful thing!
And so powerful is the Spoken Word of God...
That you and I are able to hear it spoken – even on this day.
All that God declares to us is His spoken Word,
And there will be no silencing of His Voice.
Brethren – we believe that the Bible is the Spoken Word of God.
2) THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD
Of course this is not all we believe...
Because we also believe that the Bible is the Written Word of God.
Take another look with me at verse number 1:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
So right from the very start – God was there…
And as we have just seen in the book of Genesis,
God’s Word was spoken out loud too.
The only problem with this is…
None of us where there to hear it - right.
So do you know what God did…
He gave us the Written Word.
That’s what the Holy Scriptures and the Bible actually is.
It represents the Written Word of God,
And it not only reveals to us
All that the Lord has spoken – showing His intents and desires,
Along with all of God’s standards and Laws,
But it also shows us His great love and plan for our lives.
Everything God has ever spoken and intended for us to know
Relating to life in the past, present or future…
Is now all explained and communicated to us right here in the Bible.
This is The Written Word of God.
Now I don’t want anyone getting confused
Thinking that the Spoken Word…and the Written Word
Are two different things, because they are not.
In fact, 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
Everything that God has ever Spoken concerning us and our lives
Is now written here…and God is ultimately the author of it.
And everything written here is a direct reflection
Of all that God has spoken.
You cannot differentiate between the Spoken Word and the Written Word of God
Because they are in fact - the very same thing!
They are just presented in different ways.
One was spoken audibly for people to hear in times gone by…
And the other is now present in written form for us today.
But in either instance, it’s still the Word of God – right.
John says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
But who is God?
Well in ancient Hebrew His name is Jehova
Meaning “Self-Existing” or “Ever Existing One”.
Further more, in the Hebrew language
This name is used in what is called the “To Be Verb”
Which is really just the self-expression of one’s own existence.
The English equivalent would be to say “I Am”.
Remember, this is what God first called out to Mosses from the burning bush saying:
“Go to my people and tell them – I Am has sent you”
This is again something Jesus refers to Himself as again and again in the NT
Including Revelation 1:8 where He declares:
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8)
That term Almighty - means “All Powerful”
“This is who I Am” – God says.
I was there before the beginning
I will continue to be in the present…
And I will remain forever more.
That is exactly what “Jehovah” means.
You see, none of us can measure the existence of God
Or determine His beginning or end,
Because God is forever… without end - Amen!
God cannot be measured by time,
Because He has no need of time…
2 Peter 3:8 tells us - But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
What is time when you’re an ever-existing God.
Before time itself – God was…
And don’t forget…the Word was with God.
Now since God is timeless – that makes His Word timeless as well.
Just as the Lord has no beginning – and no ending
So too does The Word of God have no beginning or end.
Are you understanding what I am saying?
Because Irrespective of time – God will endure…
And His Word will endure with Him.
Listen to these Scriptures - Isaiah 40:8
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever.
In the world around us, things will always come and go…
But the promises contained in God’s Word will always remain true.
Jesus takes this idea a step further in Matthew 24:35 saying:
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my Words shall not pass away.
In other words, even Heaven and Earth as they exist now…
Are going to cease and come to an end because they will be created a new.
They will eventually, as part of God’s plan, take on a whole new form,
But The Word as we have it now, will not change or be altered…
It will continue just the way it is.
And then there is 1 Peter 1:25 which says:
25 The Word of the Lord endureth for ever.
And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Now “forever” is a long time.
In fact, it is an unquantifiable length of time…
Because you cannot measure it, and you cannot find an end to it.
Peter says God’s Word is forever…
This is the very same word that God has spoken
The very same Word that has been written right here
And this is the same Word known as the Gospel…
That is now being preached unto you.
Brethren we believe that the Bible if the Written Word of God
And it will remain unaltered, unchanged and undiminished forever.
Wow - Amen!!! – let’s turn back to John 1:1.
3) THE LIVING WORD OF GOD
So far this morning we have seen that
The Word of God was there in the Beginning
And that the Word of God is without Ending.
And we have seen how God has chosen to share this reality with us
Through the Spoken Word and through the Written Word.
But there is still one final aspect to all of this that we need to discover today
And this is the greatest truth of them all.
Read with me again verse number 1 of John chapter 1:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Now we have already talked about how there is no distinction
Between the Spoken Word and the Written Word of God…
However, now we are introduced to a third part being the Living Word.
You see, the Word was not just some intangible thing…the Word was God.
Everything that God is, is revealed to us through His Word
And everything in The Word, is actually a direct reflection of God.
And here in John 1:1 there is no distinction made between the two.
We are simple told: The Word of God was there in the beginning,
And the Word was with God….and the Word was God.
They are in fact one in the same thing.
Now drop down with me and read verse number 14
Because this truth is emphasised even further:
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Now the word begotten used here in the Greek specifically refers to
“A parents biological relationship with a child”.
And in this instance reference is of course made to God the Father
And to His “only begotten”
And of course is talked about elsewhere in the Scriptures too
Including John 3:16 saying – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...
And we know God’s son to of course be Jesus Christ.
In fact, …the only begotten referred to in Verse 14
Is none other than Jesus Christ - God’s one and only son.
And please get this brethren – The Scriptures tell us that there was a time...
When the Word of God - became flesh and dwelt among men.
And what’s more, is we are told that men beheld His glory!
You see, Jesus was God in the flesh...
And He lived out the very Word of God – before mankind.
He therefore became the living Word which was personified before us.
And this is important brethren for us to understand
After all the Scriptures declare to us:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; - Romans 6:23
None of us can live up to God’s perfect Holy Law.
None of us could ever do all that God declares to be right in His Word – because we are all sinners.
Of course, James adds to this by saying: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. - James 2:10
You see, even if we try to follow God’s whole Law in our lives...
And fail even in the smallest of points – the Bible declares that become guilty of transgressing all,
Because when transgressed - God’s Holy Law no longer stands as perfect and complete.
And what is the penalty for such a sin?
What is the punishment for such a transgression? – Well Romans 6:23 declares to us:
23 For the wages of sin is death; [this is what we earn and deserve for our transgressions]
But…[the verse continues] the gift of God is eternal life [how] through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You see, only Jesus could live the perfect life - that none of us could ever live.
And only Jesus lived upto and fulfilled all aspects to God’s perfect Holy Law.
Only Jesus could stand in our stead – and take the penalty of our sins upon Himself
Only Jesus could pay the ultimate price for our sins – and open up the way to heaven.
And why – because He was the Living Word
He lived the Word in every respect and fulfilled all aspects of God’s Holy Law.
Only
Guys - Jesus became the physical, bodily extension of all that God is…
Of all that God said…
And in doing so became man’s one and only way to salvation.
Acts 4:12 declares: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
You see, the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
Amen – Brethren this is what we believe
The Word of God has been exemplified for all of mankind to see - through the life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus became the living word to show men the way to Salvation...
Not according to the good life that they live...
But according to the perfect life that He lived.
Jesus said John 14:6: I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
And Titus 3:5 declares: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…
This is what the Bible teaches – and brethren this is what we believe.
In the beginning was His Word,
And the Word was with God…
And the Word was God!
God has given us His Spoken Word to hear
He has given us His Written Word to read
And He has given us the Living Word through Jesus Christ – so that we might live by His example.
Brethren you will never really know God
Or have a meaningful relationship with Him…without knowing His Word.
In the beginning was the Word…
And the Word was with God…
And the Word was God.
