BASIC TRAINING: THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD
PSALMS 119:9-16 & 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
NOTE: The drama used in this sermon can be obtained from www.willowdrama.com
INTRODUCTION OF THE SERIES:
Vince Lombardi, who was the head football coach of the Green Bay Packers for many years, produced one NFL champion after another. He motivated his men to play every moment of every game to the best of their ability. No matter what the circumstances, the Packers were as strong and tough in the last 2 minutes of the game as they were at the opening kickoff. They never wavered in their sense of purpose. What was their secret? A reporter once asked Lombardi the secret of his success. He said, “It’s simple. I begin each opening season practice session by holding up high a football and saying, `This is a football!’" When asked why he did that Lombardi responded, "So the new players will understand how crucial I believe the fundamentals of football to be and so the returning players will be reminded of how strongly I hold to the basics."
Well, for the next 5 weeks I want us to hold high, the fundamentals of our faith and say, "These are the basics, this is what we believe." The purpose of this series is two-fold.. (1) So that our new people may have an opportunity to clearly know what we believe and why we stand where we do on these basic Biblical issues. God has blessed us with some dynamic growth this year. We are averaging 21% more people in Sunday attendance this year than last and have had a 400% increase (from 10 to 40) in baptisms. Now, with those blessings come responsibility. So, it’s my prayer that these messages will answer a lot of questions for our new members and visitors.
(2) The second purpose though is to remind those who have been in the faith and in the church a long time of these timeless truths. It is a proven fact that we learn best by repetition. 2 Pt 1:12- "I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth.. I think it is right to refresh your memory.."(NIV) Repetition is a strong learning tool. Plus, when you understand why you believe what you do you’ll be better able to explain them to others. PRAYER
INTRODUCTION TO SERMON:
Let’s get started this way. Drama: Jeopardy Game
Now, I’m going to assume that a lot of you wouldn’t do much better at that game then our contestants. I don’t mean to insult you, I’m just trying to be realistic. George Barna wrote The State of the Church in 2002. Barna conducted a survey of self-pronounced Christians and here’s what he found about their knowledge of the Bible.
Now, remember these are Christians..
• 48% could not name the four Gospels.
• 52% cannot identify more than two or three of Jesus’ disciples.
• 60% of American Christians can’t name even five of the 10 Commandments.
• When asking graduating high school “born again Christians” over 50% of them thought Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.
• 61% of American Christians think the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.
• 71% of American Christians think “God helps those who help themselves” is a Bible verse.
No wonder George Barna said, “Americans revere the Bible but, by and large they don’t know what it says. And because they don’t know it, they have become a nation of Biblical illiterates.”
I think the real problem is that we are simply not convinced of the Bible’s value. If I offered you $500 a day to spend 15 minutes a day reading and studying the Bible on your own do you think you would find the time? Would that make it important to you? You see it’s really a matter of priority and motivation. So, I’d like to convince you this morning that a regular time of reading and studying the Bible will be much more beneficial to you than any cash gift I could give you. Psa. 19:9-11- "The words of the Lord.. are more desirable than the finest gold.. they are sweeter than the purest honey. They are a warning to those that hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them."(NLT) The Psalmist also says in vs:10 of our printed text: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might sin against You."(MSG) A lot of us could only say the first 5 words- “I have hidden your word.” So, let’s look this morning why we should accept & value the Bible and then close by looking at how we can practically & effective read and study the Bible.
I. ACCEPTING THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD:
First, let’s look at what makes the Bible such a significant book. The Bible is the best selling book in the history of the written word. It has sold more that 2 million copies a year for the last 100 years! Why is it so popular? And why should we believe that this compilation of words is God’s Word? There are many reasons that I think you should accept this book as a piece of God’s mind, let me mention five.
(1) The Bible itself claims to be God breathed. Our printed text, 2 Tim. 3:16, says that clearly: "Every part of scripture is God breathed..”(MSG) i.e., in other words, it came straight from God. And all through the Bible you find it claiming to be from God. Several hundred times the OT uses such expressions as "Thus said the Lord," -or- "And God said." The NT authors also claimed that their message came from God. Peter in 2 Peter 3:16 describes all of Paul’s writings as Scripture. The unanimous testimony of the Bible is that it’s author is God. It says it was written by men who were inspired or led to write these specific words though the Holy Spirit of God.
(2) The 2nd reason we should believe that this is a piece of God’s mind is because the Bible has stood the test of time. Enemies have often sought to destroy the Bible. In the year A.D. 313 the cruel Emperor Diocletian of Rome set out to destroy Christianity and all Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. He burned piles of Bibles and murdered thousands of Christians. Yet within 10 years Diocletian was dead by his own hand. The new rulers declared full toleration for Christianity and copies of the Scriptures were found. When the first attempts to translate the Bible into English were made, the church at the time not only forbid it, but executed anyone caught making such a translation. Yet, now we have 100’s of English translations. You see, man is like the grass that withers but the Word of God is imperishable. When you’re feeding on the Bible you’re not reading just some passing fad. Jesus said in Mark 13:31, "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever."(NLT)
(3) Is because the Bible has incredible unity. This book was written over a period of 1500 years, on 3 different continents by 40 different writers, and yet it came out consistent and unified. The Bible was written in 3 different languages and covers in its 66 separate books every subject imaginable. Yet, it is essentially one book! There is no other book that claim that.
(4) The Bible’s fulfilled prophecy & archeology. One of the greatest proofs for the Bible’s integrity is that it predicts accurately future events. Pick up the CD from last week because we told about Peter Stoner who gave an incredible illustration about the odds of any one person even fulfilling 8 of the Bible’s prophecies and Jesus fulfilled almost 50! And in the same light, one of the greatest proofs of the Bible is the archeological discoveries that have proven what the Bible predicted hundreds of years before. Do you know that they have found such places as Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon in the exact location that the Bible gives? They’ve found Scrolls written from before Christ that are exactly true with today’s written Word. An Israeli archaeologist found a stone monument with a list of Kings on it from the lineage of David. Guess where they found the same exact list? In 1 Kings. Every time archaeologists climb the mountain of discovery, they find the Bible already waiting for them.
(5) Is logical proof. John Wesley had a very brief but interesting way of proving the Bible to be from God. He said the Bible must come from one of 3 sources. (A) Good men or angels. Which makes no sense because good men or angels would not write a book and tell lies all the time they were writing it, saying, "Thus Saith the Lord" when it was actually their invention. (B) Bad men or Devils- Which also makes no sense because why would bad men or devils write a book which commands all duty to God and forbids all sin? (C) So Wesley’s logical conclusion was that if it wasn’t written by good men or angels, or bad men or devils than the only thing that makes sense is that the Bible was given to us by God. You see if you say that the Bible is not God’s Word than you must say that it is the biggest hoax or the biggest pack of lies ever known. So, either the Bible is a black book of lies, or it is the truth. If it’s the truth than it is important to read and study. And that’s our second point-
II. VALUING THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD:
We need to value the Bible as God’s Word. Our text from 2 Timothy says it is the most beneficial book of all. For it tells us that Scripture trains us in what is right and equips us for every good work. Look at our text from 2 Tim. "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another - showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”(MSG) So, the Bible, very simply, contains the Words of God so that we may know how to be saved for eternity and live a life that’s pleasing to Him. That makes it’s value indescribable and here are 5 reasons to consider and value the Bible as essential.
(1) It is essential for salvation. There is no greater value. 1 Peter 1:23 reads, "For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God."(NLT) Now, you might ask, "How does that work? I thought it was Jesus Christ that saves?" Well, Jesus is the one who saves you. The Bible however, is the source of our knowledge of Jesus and His saving power. The Bible is the channel that God uses to bring us to Jesus. It is through the Bible that we learn how to be saved. 2 Tim. 3:15 in the NLT says: "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." When you read your Bible and digest God’s Word it can change you forever. It’s why one of our sayings around here is that “Discovery is a safe place with a dangerous message.” Anyone can come here, no matter what you’ve done, no matter what you wear or what you think of God. But please understand when you hear the message of God’s love and allow it to permeate your soul, it transforms you into a new way of thinking, feeling and behaving.. you are born anew, through the living Word of God.
(2) The Bible is also essential because it increases our faith. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God."(NKJ)The more you know about God through His Word the more you learn to trust Him. I do not believe that you will ever find an atheist reading the Bible everyday. A study of the Bible itself convinces you of it’s authenticity. Heb. 4:12- "God’s Word is living and active.."(GW) You see, every other book is a dead book but this is a living book that produces faith. Have you ever been a passenger in a car being driven to a destination, maybe several times, and then surprisingly you’re asked to find your way to that destination? If you’re like me, if I haven’t driven myself I won’t be able to find it easily. But if I drive there once, I’ll know how to get there. And you can listen to someone teach and preach repeatedly. But you will never have faith like you will when you read and discover it on your own.
(3) The Bible is essential for providing authoritative answers for life. What authority do you accept for your life? Most of us understand that some authority is essential. But how do you make decisions on what is right and wrong? How is it you come to your value judgements? For some, it is how they feel. When asked what authority do you accept for your life? They say, "Oh, I choose what is right by how it feels to me. If it feels right, then I do it." Of course the problem with that is that there may be an enormous difference between what you feel is right and what I feel is right. Maybe I feel like it’s okay to beat you to a pulp if you disagree with me? You say, "Oh, no, that’s wrong." Why? If feelings are our authority than all of us have the right to act as we feel. Of course we see the ridiculousness of that logic.
That same applies to other accepted authority. Like, choosing as your authority what is popular at the time. Living together before marriage must be okay. Why? Because it is accepted by society, "everybody is doing it." But 100% of the people believing in the wrong thing simple makes 100% of the people wrong. Isn’t that virtually what happened in WWII Germany? So choosing an authority for your life is critical, but what do you use? Well, as a Church we encourage you to choose the Bible as your ultimate authority. The Bible has all the answers for life. From it we learn how to be saved, how to live properly and prosperly, and it gives us a basis for making decisions for our individual lives. It is a common standard. When we disagree or are confused we can go to the Bible and more often times than not, clearly apply the "level" of the Bible to the problem and come out with a rightly plumbed decision.
(4)The Bible also provides direction and guidance for living. Look at our printed text from Psalms 119- vs:11 says that the Word hidden in your heart will keep you from sinning. Later in that same Psalm it says that the Word will direct all our paths. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness following His baptism He combated every temptation by quoting Scripture. And when you study the Bible it judges your behavior and motives. The latter part of Heb.4:12 says "God’s Word judges a person’s heart and intentions.”(GW) It will provide direction away from harmful sin but it will also help you learn to live rightly.
(5) One other reason: The Bible is essential for enriching our personal lives. In a world that’s losing it’s standard of right and wrong the Bible gives us absolutes. The world seeks instant & temporary gratification but God gives real joy. Psa. 19:8a says, "The words of God are right, showing the way to true joy."(HSB) The world sees with spiritual cataracts. But those blinders are removed when you read the Bible. You begin to see people in a different perspective. That’s why Psa. 19:8b says, "The precepts of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."(NIV) It has been proven that making the Bible a part of your personal life gives you insight and brings stability to your relationships. Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family some time back released these statistics: the divorce rate today is 1 out of 2. But the divorce rate for families who attend church, pray and read the Bible together is 1 out of 1086! If I could sell you an insurance policy that would guarantee those kinds of odds for stability in your marriage- what would you pay for it? " "The words of the Lord.. are more desirable than the finest gold.. (Psa. 19:10 NLT)
III. STUDYING THE BIBLE AS GOD’S WORD:
Well, if we are going to accept the Bible as God’s Word and value it as essential then the next logical question is: “How do we go about studying this great book effectively?” Allow me to suggest some instructions that have helped me and I believe will help you make studying the Bible practical and rewarding.
(A) Approach your study with a right attitude. Don’t begin reading with the negative attitude of "This is probably going to be too hard or this is going to be boring." Begin with a positive and expectant attitude that God wants you to understand His Word. And that you will comprehend it with honest study, diligent effort and His gracious help. Remember what our text from 2 Timothy says, "it is useful one way or another.." God would not make the Bible so important if He didn’t think you could grasp it.
(B) Make sure you have a readable translation. For years the most popular Bible was the KJ translation. It was translated into English in 1611 and they did a great job. But the problem is that between 1611 -2005 language has changed dramatically. The KJV is not a sacred cow." The NT was originally written in the common Greek language for the common man and we need a translation that we can read with ease. I would recommend either the New Living Translation or, one that is fast becoming a favorite of mine - The Message. Let me give you an example of the difference between the KJ and the NLT. Look again at Psalm 119:9. I’ll read it in both translations. First the KJV:“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Now we don’t use anymore words like "wherewithal" "thy" or "thereto" but they did in 1611. In the NLT it reads simply: “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.” Now, there are a number of modern Bibles out there so do some exploring. But start with a readable translation.
(C) Start in the right place. I would not recommend that you start at Genesis and try to read straight through, especially if you are just getting started. Genesis & Exodus are great but when you get to Leviticus you’re going to get really bogged down and it can discourage you. The Bible is not a novel that you necessarily read from front cover to back, it is a library of 66 different books. So, pick a book that’s easy to understand or is of particular interest to you. I would suggest that you start with one of the gospels- like John, an easy read of Jesus’ life. Another good book to start with is James, it’s called the "blue-jean" book of the Bible because it’s so practical.
(D) Focus on application of content not amount read. I know people who say, "I’m going to read through the Bible in a year." And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just that sometimes that can make it a race to finish, not a time to feast. Psa. 1 says, "Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the lord and on his law he meditates day and night."(NIV) The Word of God is to be taken in slowly. I suggest after each paragraph or main thought you stop and ask yourself- "How does this apply to my life?" Somebody once said, "Read the Bible till you come to a commandment, then go obey it and repeat the process."
Now, you may wonder why I’ve said nothing about a regular time to read the Bible. That’s because all of us are different when it comes to our schedules. Some of you are morning people, some of you are night owls. What I would strongly advice is that you pick a regular time, whether that’s every morning or every other day and discipline yourself to take time to personalize what God has to say to you.
(E) Finally, Be accountable to someone. I would recommend you get together with your mate, someone in your small group or another Christian and say, "Okay, let’s agree to read this section of the Bible this week and next week we’ll check on each other to see how we’ve done.” Try memorizing short passages. Ask yourself, “If there ever came a time when I couldn’t have a Bible, how much would I know? By being accountable to someone else it will give you a little more motivation to accomplish your reading.
But would you remember that the Bible is not an end in itself. It’s not just to be read or even just memorized. You can know about the Bible and not know about the One who gave it to us. The objective in reading the Bible is to be introduced to and become closer with: Jesus Christ. The Bible is only meaningful as we make Him the Savior of our souls and the Lord of our lives.
The story is told of a little boy who was in a shipwreck. He was lost in the darkness in the sea. Finally as he was about to give up he saw the light from a lighthouse. With renewed courage he swam toward the light and finally to shore. When asked later how he had managed to survive he said, "As if the light lifted me above the waves, for I knew as long as I swam toward the light, that sooner or later I’d be safe and warm." 2 Peter 1:19 - "It is good to follow the Word as you would follow a light shining in a dark place.”(NCV) May we say as the Psalmist: “Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your principles. I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us. I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your principles and not forget your word.”
PRAY..
{All Scripture used from the Holy Bible as noted}
