True Values: Biblical Preaching And Teaching Series

True Value: Biblical Preaching and Teaching

Text: 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Tim. 4:1-4

Introduction

1. The second core value has to do with our source for faith and doctrine: the Bible.

2. Illustration: The Department of Social Services in Greenville County, South Carolina sent the following letter to a deceased individual. "Your food stamps will be stopped effective March, 1992, because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."

3. Know this is what we call ineffective communication. However, we never have to worry about ineffective communication with the Word of God.

4. We value Biblical preaching and teaching because:

a. It comes from God

b. It is useful

c. It keeps us grounded

5. Read 2 Tim. 3:16-17

Proposition: We value Biblical preaching and teaching because it is God’s instruction manual for His Church.

Transition: There are two reasons for this. First, because...

I. All Scripture Comes From God (2 Tim. 3:16)

A. Breathed Out By God

1. Verses 16 – 17 are the strongest statement in the Bible about itself. - (Liefeld, NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus,279).

2. Paul says that "All Scripture is inspired by God..." First we must see that he says "all Scripture."

a. That means that everything from Genesis to Revelation.

b. I loose patience with those who says "well it’s not in the NT so it doesn’t count!"

c. My Bible says that "all Scripture" is useful.

d. You cannot pick and choose what you want to believe. You must accept all of it, or none of it.

3. Second, we must notice that Paul says "All Scripture is inspired by God..."

a. That means that we didn’t think it up, dream it up, or make it up.

b. It was given by God to man.

c. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT)

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

4. This leads us to the third thing that we must notice "All Scripture is inspired by God..."

a. What does that mean?

b. The idea is that God breathed out the Scripture or God produced the Scripture somewhat like He did creation.—(Practical Word Studies in the New Testament)

c. Psalm 33:6 (NLT)

The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.

d. The thought conveyed is that the writings under consideration are ‘the product of the creative breath of God’ - (New International Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM)

B. Without Error

1. Illustration: I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, whereby they have become the expression to man of the Word and Will of God. Warren G. Harding

2. Why is it so important that we understand that the Word of God is inspired?

a. If they came from man, they would be tainted.

b. If they came from man, they would be filled with error.

c. If they came from man, they would be unreliable.

3. However, because the Scriptures come from God we know that...

a. They are without error

b. They are life changing

c. They are powerful

4. Because the Scriptures come from God we can...

a. Stand on them

b. Trust in them

c. Cling to them

5. Because the Scriptures come from God they...

a. Are what they say they are

b. They will do what they say they’ll do

c. Matthew 24:35 (NLT)

Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

Transition: Because the Word is inspired, we also know that...

II. All Scripture is Useful

A. Useful

1. Paul tells us that because the Scriptures are inspired they are useful.

a. The word useful means valuable, beneficial, and helpful.

b. Simply stated, the Bible is for mankind; God gave it to help us.

2. The point Paul appears to be making is that Timothy, confident of Scripture’s inspired nature, can rely upon it to be ‘useful’. - (New International Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM)

3. Illustration: We are apt to think that everything that happens to us is to be turned into useful teaching; it is to be turned into something better than teaching, that is, into character. We shall find that the spheres God brings us into are not meant to teach us something but to make us something. (Oswald Chambers, “Daily Thoughts for Disciples,” January 18th )

4. The word of God is useful for everything and situation in life.

a. Any situation you are faced with in life you will find addressed in one sense or another in the Bible.

b. Any question that you need answered you will find answered in the Bible.