The Bible Says: The Living Word of God
Text: Hebrews 4:12
Introduction
Today we are going to look at some amazing truths about the Bible. Throughout the message I’m going to tell you about my little red Bible. When I was six years old, my parents gave me this copy of God's Word. Every time I pick it up, it loses a little more of its cover. It has seen better days. But to me, it’s priceless. I’ll tell you more about it along the way this morning.
One of the most striking lines about the Bible comes from 19th-century preacher C.H. Spurgeon, who observed: “Perhaps there is no book more neglected in these days than the Bible… but the Bible, of course, in the estimation of many, is not an interesting book… even among Christian people, the Bible is one of the least read books that they have in their house.”
That hits hard—but there’s also a modern take worth noting. The late George Gallup, renowned pollster, bluntly summarized the issue: “We revere the Bible, but we don’t read it.” This underlines a powerful fact: the Bible is often the best-selling book, yet it frequently becomes the most unread one in Christian homes.
The PURPOSE of the sermon today is that we would BELIEVE that the Bible is the Unique, Holy Word of God. That we would cherish it and that we would COMMIT TO LIVE OUR LIVES every day according to its truths.
I. The Bible IS The Living Word of God
The Bible is not just a history book with moral teachings. That’s the way many people view the Bible today. And I would add that most think the Bible is an outdated book that is not relevant to modern society and is certainly not applicable to their lives.
The Bible is not a just a "How To..." book. How To books have been the rage for 30 years or more. Here are some of the more humorous titles. "How To Win An Argument With Your Cat." "How to Look Busy at Work While Doing Absolutely Nothing." "How to Train Your Goldfish to Fetch the Mail."
People rely on all sorts of books for help. But the Bible is the only book we need to teach us how to live because it is the Living Word of God.
Let me tell you more about my LITTLE RED BIBLE. When I was ten years old, I picked up my little red Bible and noticed something I hadn’t really seen before. On the spine were these words: “The Living Word of God.” I remember asking my mother what that meant. She said, “The Bible is unlike any other book. The Bible speaks. It is the voice of God to us.” That thought captured my mind.
There are countless books in the world. Some inspire. Some educate. Some entertain. But only one book is alive in the way the Bible is alive. Yes, the Bible is infallible and inerrant, trustworthy in everything it affirms. But it is MORE THAN CORRECT - it is the Living Word of God.
I kept reading my Bible as a child. Soon it spoke to me about my need to accept Christ as my Savior and I did. A few years later, God used the Bible to speak to me about His plan for my life and I made my commitment to ministry.
Following that call to ministry, I went to a Christian college and majored in religion. In several of my biblical studies classes we discussed whether the Bible was the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God. I thought again about my little red Bible. I concluded that the Bible is inspired, infallible, and inerrant, but it is even more. It is the living Word of God.
When I went to seminary, I took classes where we had those same discussions about the Bible. I studied textual criticism, literary criticism, and more. Again, I went back to that phrase on my little red Bible. The Living Word of God.
That’s why, despite the rules of grammar, I often say while preaching, “The Bible says…” Years ago when I was a pastor, one of my church members, who was an English teacher, asked if she could talk with me after church. In my office she said, “Brother Perry, I’d like to help you with something.” I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy her help but I told her that I would welcome any assistance she could provide. She said, “Often in your sermons you say ‘The Bible says. Technically, you should say, ‘The Bible reads.’” I smiled and thanked her for her advice. But I remembered my Little Red Bible and those words, “The Living Word of God.” By the way, in case you’re wondering, I still say “The Bible says.”
After several years serving as a pastor, I became a seminary professor. I remember one day when a student asked me if I believed that the Bible was truth without any mixture of error. I affirmed my belief in that statement, but I challenged my student with the thought that I had considered earlier in my ministry. I said, “The Bible is more than truth without any mixture of error." I waited for the student’s response. He, of course, had no idea what I meant so I continued, “Those terms describe what the Bible IS, not what the Bible DOES. The Bible speaks to us because it is the living Word of God.”
The BIBLE is the Living Word of God. Isn’t it AMAZING that God gave us His Living Word. BUT THERE’S MORE
II. The Bible Reads Us As We Read It and Provides Direction For Our Lives
Listen again to Hebrews 4:12 “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The Bible does what no other book can do—it reads us, as we read it. And the Holy Spirit tells us what The Word sees in our hearts. The Bible tells us the truth about ourselves. It reveals our dignity as image-bearers of God, created to worship and serve the Lord. But it also tells us the truth about our pride, our sin, our selfishness, and our deep need for redemption.
BUT THERE’S MORE. As the Bible reads us, it INSTRUCT US.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 affirms that: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
And then there is this AMAZING TRUTH. I can read passages I read 20 years ago and today they have new application for my life. Isn’t That Incredible!
Not long ago I thought about Vacation Bible School and our Pledge to the Bible. That Pledge is based on verses from Psalm 119.
Psalm 119:105, “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:11, “Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
That's how we need to view the Bible, thankful that God gave us a guide to see us through the challenges of life, committed to living for God.
THE BIBLE READS US AS WE READ IT and it teaches us how to live.
III. The Bible Points Us to Jesus
By now you may think I worship the Bible? No, I don’t worship the Bible. But I do worship the God of the Bible—and I know who He is because He has revealed Himself through His Word. And it is through His Word that God reveals His ULTIMATE MESSAGE. And that message is this - I have sent my Son for you.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ” (John 1:1, 14)
Jesus isn’t just the main character of Scripture—He is the very message and heart of it. He is the visible Word, the fulfillment of prophecy, the promised Messiah. Jesus is not just PART of the Bible’s story. He IS the Bible’s story. When we open the Bible, we don’t just read a message—we encounter the Messenger.
As Jesus Himself said in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me.”
And then we discover why He came. John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
When we open the Bible, we don’t just receive information—we receive an INVITATION: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Have you trusted Christ? THE BIBLE POINTS US TO JESUS
Conclusion
My little red Bible reminds me how God’s Word has shaped and directed my life. When I read it—and more importantly, when I let it speak to me and I follow God’s leading—I make the right choices. I fulfill His plan for my life. I find strength, comfort, and hope. Because it is the Living Word of the Living God.
What decision do you need to make about the Bible today?
- Believe that the Bible IS the Word of God written to you…
- Believe what the Bible says about Jesus and accept Him…
- As a Christian, commit to reading the Bible and living…
