The Bible By Jesus

A. WHAT THIS BIBLE CAN DO FOR YOU

1. Let Me explain the Bible to you. I led two disciples through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the scripture the things "concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27, NLT).

2. Let Me get you excited when you understand scripture. “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and explained the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32, NLT).

3. Let Me meet you face to face. Don’t just know the plan of salvation or read things in the Bible about Me – a Person. “The two . . . told their story . . . how they met Me” (Luke 24:35).

B. I GIVE YOU MY WORD

1. I am the Word incarnate, and the Bible is the word inspired. “In the beginning was the word” (John 1:1). “The word of God is alive and powerful” (Heb. 4:12).

2. The authority of scripture. “I didn’t come to do away with the teachings of the Old Testament, but to fulfill the prophecies about Me” (Matt. 5:17).

3. The Holy Spirit guided the writers of scripture, “No prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding. They wrote as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

4. The Bible is inspired meaning Spirit breathed. “All scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim. 3:16, NLT).

5. Inspiration means authority. “And you know that the scriptures cannot be altered” (John 10:35, NLT).

6. Inspiration means word accuracy. “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear” (Matt. 5:18, NLT).

7. A translation of scriptures: Transferring the original meaning in the mind of the author into another language, using words that mean the same things, i.e., word for word. (a) First, Samaritan, (b) Worldwide, Vulgate, Latin, (c) Popular, King James, word for word.

8. A paraphrase. Reproducing the Bible text into modern words: thought for thought. (a) The Living Bible, 1962, biggest and accepted. (b) The Message, 1993, popular. (c) The Bible by Jesus, written by Jesus from His point of view.

C. WHAT I WANT FROM YOU

1. I want you to respond to My invitation. “When I came to the customs office, I saw Levi sitting there calculating taxes. I said to him, ‘Follow Me’ and to everyone’s amazement, Levi left the tax office to follow Me” (Mark 2:14).

2. I want you to learn Me. “My disciples remembered I had spoken about this event” (John 2:22).

3. I want you to turn from sin. “I stooped to write with My finger on the ground. ‘He who has not committed this self-same sin, let him cast the first stone.’ And being convicted by their own conscience, the eldest leader left first, eventually all” (John 8:6-9).

4. I want you to worship the Creator, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “In the beginning I created the world out of nothing with My Father and the Holy Spirit, fashioning it into a great clay ball” (Gen. 1:1). “I was face to face with God the Father throughout eternity . . . without Me nothing was created” (John 1:1).

5. I want you to recognize My Deity. “The centurion and the other soldiers guarding Me, felt the earthquake . . . and they were terrified.” They said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matt. 27:54).

6. I want you to see spiritual things. “The Good News . . . is hidden behind a veil . . . satan, the god of this world has blinded (your) eyes” (2 Cor. 4:3-4, NLT). “Suddenly their eyes were opened and they recognized Me” (Luke 24:31).

D. WHAT THE BIBLE BY JESUS CAN DO FOR YOU

1. Makes you obedient. “Now wholeheartedly obey My teaching” (Rom. 6:17).

2. Gives you insight about Me. “No one asked who I was, for they knew it was Me” (John 21:12).

3. This Bible is a witnessing tool. “Search the Scriptures, these words testify of Me that I am from the Father . . . you think you have eternal life, but you don’t” (John 5:39).

4. Makes you want to glorify Me. “As I was praying, the appearance of My face was changed and My clothing became brilliant as lightning . . . a voice came from heaven from My Father saying, ‘This is My Son, whom I have chosen, listen to Him.’ After the voice they (the disciples) saw only Me” (Luke 9:29, 35-36).

5. Moves you beyond words to relationship. “Mary sat at My feet listening to the things I said. But Martha was busy . . . so she complained . . . ‘It is unfair for Mary to listen to You when I’m doing all the work.’ I told her, ‘Mary has found the right thing’” (Luke 10:39-42).