PREACH THE WORD
2 Timothy 3:13,
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:2,
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Prayer.
While reading our opening text, we held in our hands the most profoundly important possession one could ever own. We held not just a book, but The Book. This book, though written by men, was authored by God, every word fitly chosen, every story, every utterance, every dot and tittle, ordained and inspired by the almighty God Himself.
Though not a novel, it is a literary masterpiece, a work unparalleled by the writers of this world. Though it is useful for practical living, it is also a work of art and poetic beauty. It was written so even the simple among us can understand it, while, at the same time, the greatest minds the world has ever known could never measure its depths, or unveil all of its wondrous secrets. Though printed on pages made from trees now dead, and bound in lifeless leather, the words it records are alive and powerful, able to manifest life where there was no life, and to give life for all eternity. To know the Bible is to know God Himself, to love the Bible is to love God; to obey the Bible is to obey God.
In the flyleaf of the Gideon New Testament Bible, an unknown writer penned:
“The Bible reveals 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, and 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 pilots compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here, too, Paradise is restored, Heaven is opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. The Lord Jesus is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. Let it fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its holy contents. Owned, it is riches, studied, it is wisdom, trusted, it is salvation, lived, it is character, and obeyed, it is power.”
But, in our text, Paul warned Timothy the day would come when men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. They will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from truth, and shall be turned unto fables. The day will come, Paul warned, when people will not want to hear the word of God preached. They will not want to hear the truth of God’s word. If that has ever described any generation, it describes perfectly the generation we are living in today. Just turn on your television, or listen to your radio. There are all kinds and types of teachers, making comfortable livings by telling people what they want to hear. You can find someone to tell you everything is alright, when everything is not alright. You can find someone to tell you that God does not care about sin, and that all men are going to be saved in the end; that homosexuality is a “gift of God,” that all roads and religions lead to Heaven; that being a “good person” will save you. Paul said they will “heap” to themselves teachers. “Tell me I’m alright. Tell me I’m good enough. Tell me positive things, and never tell me negative things.”
Romans 3:4 declares “Let God be true, but every man a liar…” We are not saved by positive thinking. We are not saved by inspiring stories. We are not saved by good works. We are saved by obeying the Bible!
God gave the Church apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, preachers of the word. He did not give the Church talk show hosts, or gurus. A man who preaches the pure word of God is a treasure, a gift from God to His people!
Somebody say, “Preach the Word!”
It is time we put the Word of God in its proper perspective. It is true, regardless of what men say. It is true regardless of what so-called teachers say. Science has railed against the Bible, declaring that evolution is a fact, but the Bible says God created the Earth in six days. Theologians rail against the Bible, saying the Gift of the Holy Ghost isn’t for us today, but the Bible says it is a promise unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord, our God, shall call! They will tell you God doesn’t heal bodies today, God doesn’t perform miracles anymore, but the Bible says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever!
Let God be true, but every man a liar! So-called teachers have replaced sound doctrine with Psychology, power and demonstration of the Spirit with apostasy. They have replaced the true anointing of a God-called preacher with mere talent and false charisma.
Let them have their Psychology, Preach the Word! Let them have their talent and false charisma, Preach the Word! Let them revel in their worldly wisdom, Preach the Word! Even when it pricks my heart, Preach the Word! Even if it reveals my sin, Preach the Word! I want to be saved, Preacher. Preach the Word of God!
Billy Sunday wrote:
“With the Spirit of God as my guide, I entered in at the portico of Genesis, walked down through the Old Testament Art Gallery, where pictures of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob and Daniel hung upon the wall. I passed into the Music Room of the Psalms, where the Spirit swept the keyboard of nature, and brought forth a dirge-like wail of the weeping Prophet Jeremiah to the grand strain of Isaiah, until it seemed that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ of nature responded to the tuneful harp of David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel. I entered the beautiful Chapel of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the Preacher was heard, and into the Conservatory Room of the Rose of Sharon, where sweet spices filled and perfumed my life. I entered the Business Office of Proverbs, then into the Observatory of the Prophets, where I saw telescopes of various sizes, some pointed to far-off events, but all concentrated upon the Bright and Morning Star, which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation and redemption. I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, and caught a vision of His glory from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, before passing on into the Acts of the Apostles, where the Holy Ghost was performing His work in forming the infant Church. I stepped then into the Correspondence Room, where sat Peter, Paul, James, John and Jude penning their letters. I stepped into the Throne Room of Revelation, where towered the glittering peaks, and I caught a vision of the King, sitting upon His throne in all His glory. And I cried out, All hail the power of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall! Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all!”
Jesus said, “Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” He also said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
His words give life. The Word of God speaks to the darkness, and light appears. The Word of God speaks to emptiness and substance appears. The Word of God speaks to confusion and formlessness, and substance and beauty appears. Nine times in the account of Creation, God spoke, and a dark, formless, lifeless Earth became alive and beautiful. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life!”
If your life is lost in confusion, if you are empty, and your soul stained with darkness, if you are dead in trespasses and sins, when He speaks, confusion becomes beauty, when he speaks, fulfillment replaces emptiness, when He speaks, darkness becomes light, when He speaks, death becomes eternal life! For such were some of you, but you are washed, you are sanctified, by the Word of God! The word of God is spirit, and life!
Hold your Bible up.
Generation follows generation- Yet it lives. Nations rise and fall-Yet it lives. Kings, dictators, presidents come and go-Yet it lives. Hated, despised, cursed- Yet it lives. Doubted, suspected, and criticized- Yet it lives. Condemned by atheists- Yet it lives. Scoffed at by scorners- Yet it lives. Exaggerated by fanatics- Yet it lives. Misconstrued and misstated- Yet it lives. Ranted and raved about- Yet it lives. Its inspiration denied- Yet it lives. Watered down by theologians- Yet it lives.
Yet it lives- As a lamp unto our feet. Yet it lives- As a light unto our path. Yet it lives- As the gate to Heaven. Yet it lives- As food for the hungry. Yet it lives- As water for the thirsty. Yet it lives- As rest for the weary. Yet it lives- As salvation for the sinner. Yet it lives- As hope for the Christian.
Yet it lives! Yet it lives! Yet it lives!
Romans 1:16,
I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for anyone who believes it.
It is the power of God.
Paul said in 2 Tim. 3:15,
Perilous times shall come. Men will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.
Let us consider the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark of the Covenant was the most powerful article in human history. When Israel had the Ark of the Covenant in their midst, the waters of the mighty River Jordan parted before them. Enemy armies were defeated; the walls of Jericho fell to the ground. But what gave the Ark of the Covenant its power? It could be argued that the presence of God was upon the Ark, and that is certainly true. But why did God place His presence upon the Ark of the Covenant? It was, after all, only wood, layered with gold. The secret to the arks power was not the gold, or the wood.
The secret to the Ark’s power was what was inside it. God gave the covenant, the testimony to Moses on Mount Sinai, writing His commandments on tablets of clay. He told Moses to place the tablets inside the Ark. That is the reason why it is called the Ark of the Covenant, or the Ark of the Testimony. The Word of God was in the Ark. And, once a year, the High Priest of Israel would offer a burnt offering to the Lord, and sprinkle the blood upon the Mercy Seat, between the two golden cherubim, which acted as a covering for the Ark.
Is it any wonder that John wrote in the Book of Revelation chapter 12, “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren (the Devil) is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by The Word of their Testimony.”
The Word of God is our Testimony. That’s why the Bible contains the Old and New Testaments. The Word of God is the secret to our power!
ALTAR CALL
The Word of God says today exactly what it said yesterday.
For the sinner, it says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.”
For the sick, it says, “Call for the elders of the church, who will anoint them with oil, and the prayer of faith shall raise the sick.”
For the believer, it says, “These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name, they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with tongues, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
It says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. Surely he has carried our sorrows, and by His stripes we are healed.”
If you haven’t repented of your sins- Obey the Word!
If you haven’t been baptized - Obey the Word!
If you haven’t been filled with the Holy Ghost-Obey the Word!
If you haven’t made Jesus the Lord of your life- Obey the Word!
His Word is spirit, and it is life! Obey the Word of God!
