The "Enoughness" Of Scripture Series

Sermon Brief

Date Written: September 11, 2009

Date Preached: September 13, 2009

Where Preached: OPBC (AM)

Sermon Details:

Sermon Series: Back To School – Believers Edition!

Sermon Title: The ‘Enoughness’ of Scripture!

Sermon Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Introduction:

Last week we started a new series that I have entitled “Back to School – Believers Edition” and we focused on the central point of who we are as Christians and that is Jesus Christ! We celebrated who He is and what He has done and we saw how Jesus holds us together in all we are and in all we do!

Today I want us to direct our attention to another basic tenant or principle of the Christian faith and that is what we would call The Word of God or Scripture. Now as your pastor I believe that the Scripture and Jesus go hand in hand because John tells us in

John 1:1 [NASB] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This lets us know that Jesus was not just a man… this lets us know that Jesus was not merely ‘sent’ FROM God but that Jesus was the very WORD of God…the very BREATH of God…Jesus is GOD!

John described Jesus as the “Logos” [the very words as breath of God Himself]. John paints the picture that Jesus is God revealed in flesh! And when we review and study Scripture we find that to be true all throughout the Bible.

From the OT pointing toward His coming to the NT revealing His life, message and the plan of salvation He brought forth… to His death, burial and resurrection and His works evident in the early church! Scripture is all about revealing God to humanity…in the person of Jesus Christ!

This makes Scripture very important to the believer! This elevates Scripture from a mere guidebook to the level that is so very VITAL for the health and life of the believer!

In fact, as Baptists we hold the Bible… sacred Scripture as THE sole standard by which we are to live and be judged and we spell that stance out in our Baptist Faith and Message:

The Holy Bible is… a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is…the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

However, before we can begin to examine Scripture and its sanctifying power and affect on the human soul we must FIRST understand what Paul is saying here about Scripture!

The Divine Inspiration of Scripture! v.16:

Paul tells us in the beginning of v.16, All Scripture is inspired by God to which we as believers MUST cling to this belief! We entertain the idea that there is any part of Scripture that is NOT divinely inspired by the Creator God of the Universe!

This is because if it is NOT divinely inspired… if it has been written by human nature and human frailty we are doomed! This is because when humanity is left to its own personal beliefs and desires our understanding is darkened and twisted to our sinful bent and fallen nature!

And Paul’s assertion here is that the Scripture that imparts the eternal salvation of God MUST be inspired and breathed by God Himself, it cannot be a creation of fallible and fallen humanity!

Now when we look in Scripture we can see that there are many, many references to the authority of the Bible and its inspiration

Psalm 19:7-8 [NASB] – The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The Law of the Lord is perfect… and enlightens the eyes! God’s word reveals to us who we are and makes plain to us what we need to know! God’s word is a simple word, but yet profound in its depth and application to our lives. God is perfect and His word is perfect and right and we should trust in the authority and trustworthiness of God’s Word!

1 Tim 1:15 [NASB] - It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

Here Paul references the purpose of Scripture and the revelation of Christ to the world… in other words Scripture is a trustworthy statement from God on which we can rely… Sinners who read Scripture and submit to the direction of Scripture, come to meet the Savior who is revealed within that Scripture!