The Lasting Word Of God

The Lasting Word Of God

Matthew 5:17-19

INTRODUCTION

A. Robert Ingersoll once held a Bible and said, “In fifteen years I’ll have this book in a morgue.” In that time he was dead himself.

B. Voltaire said, “In one hundred years the Bible will be an outmoded and forgotten book, to be found only in museums.” In that time, his home was owned by Geneva Bible Society and printed the Bible.

C. Record in Church History.

1. The time when 2,000 copies were piled up and burned.

2. Boats sunk to the bottom of the sea for carrying the Bible.

3. Atheism nor rationalism can destroy it.

D. The Word is lasting.

1. Not the Bible itself.

2. The Word it points to-Jesus.

3. No divine power within the book itself.

4. Because of who authored it and preserves it.

5. Don’t worship the Bible but who it points to.

THE WORD LASTS BECAUSE OF ITS PREEMINENCE

A. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

B. Societies must have rules.

1. Must be absolute.

2. Must be governed by truth.

C. Our society seems to have no absolutes.

1. We want to question or doubt different ways of thinking.

2. Many who don’t believe in God.

3. Many believers who don’t believe in absolutes.

D. My Philosophy professor in college.

1. Had trouble accepting his conclusions sometime because of his philosophical mind.

2. His job was to make me think about things and to question.

3. I faced the rational side of my mind versus my faith.

E. No God equals no truth.

1. No truth apart from God’s law.

2. There was the law of nature before God’s law was written down.

3. Humanism places emphasis on individuals as opposed to God.

4. Leads to seeing less need for God.

F. Cannot reduce God’s standards to fit our own.

1. Work to meet his standards.

2. God’s Word is not outdated.

3. It is more than just the ideas of men.

G. Three reasons for the preeminence of God’s Word.

1. Authored by God.

a. Jesus referred to the O.T. as God’s Word.

b. Did not come to abolish the moral law or the Law (10 commandments).

c. Pentateuch and the Prophets (expounded on the law).

2. Affirmed by the prophets.

a. Reiterated and reinforced the word of God.

b. Expanded the law for the people.

c. Confronted the people with sin.

d. Warned of judgment.

3. Accomplished by Christ.

a. Came to fulfill the law.

b. Did it through his teaching, by keeping the law, by clarification.

c. Tradition of the elders had added to the law and made it a burden.

H. Sir Walter Scott, Scottish writer, lay dying.

1. Told servant, “Bring me the book.”

2. “What book, sir?” “My friend, there is only one Book-the Bible. Bring it to me!”

IT LASTS BECAUSE OF IT PERMANENCE

A. Jesus said, “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

B. Word of God will remain.

1. Will outlive time.

2. “It has long preceded and will long outlast every person who questions its validity and relevancy.”

C. The Jot.

1. Smallest letter of the Greek and Hebrew alphabet.

2. Size of an apostrophe.

D. The Tittle.

1. Small strokes used to distinguish one Hebrew letter from the other.

E. Commandments are still binding.

1. Not outdated.

2. Not even the smallest part of God’s Word is insignificant.

3. God has inspired the writers of his word.

4. It leads us to new life in Christ.

5. Helps us to resist temptation.

F. Receiving God’s Word means honoring it, obeying it, defending it, and proclaiming it.

G. Charles Spurgeon, “The everlasting gospel is worth preaching even if one stood on a burning fagot and addressed the crowds from a pulpit of flames. Whisper it in the ear of the sick, shout it on the corner of the streets, write it on your tablet, send it forth from the press, but everywhere let this be your great motive and warrant. You preach the gospel because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

IT LASTS BECAUSE IT IS PERTINENT

A. Jesus said, “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches man so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

B. Some are antinomianists.

1. No rules.

2. Don’t want to be held accountable.

3. Sometimes drifts into the church.

C. Two reasons why it is pertinent.

1. Because of its character.