THE BIBLE – GOD’S WORD

PURPOSE

  • To establish the scriptures as the standard for our lives

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLE

  • Greatest selling book in history
  • 66 books (39 in Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament)
  • Written over period of about 1500 years
  • Written by 40+ authors with various backgrounds (shepherd, fisherman, king, doctor, theologian, tax collector, etc.)
  • Contains dozens of prophecies that have been fulfilled
  • Historically accurate

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

  •  Through scripture, we learn about faith and salvation.
  • The Bible is God-breathed—from God himself; communicated through the personalities
    of chosen men such as Moses, Paul, John and Luke.

Q. What does it mean for scripture to be “God-breathed”?
Q. Do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?

  • The scriptures are useful—they teach, correct, rebuke and train us in righteousness.
  • The scriptures equip us—they can be used in every aspect of our lives: areas such as
    marriage, parenting, work, finances, decision-making, relationships, etc.

Q. How do you think the Bible is relevant and useful to you?

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Q. What is the function of a mirror and how does this apply to our spiritual lives?

  • A call to humility—humbly let the word of God expose our imperfections.
  • A call to action—God expects us to look intently into his word and obey it, and he blesses
    those who do this.
  • A call to examine—the Bible, like a mirror, exposes who we really are.

15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a] and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b] But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[c]

  • Many of us have grown up learning and practicing religious traditions, some of which may contradict scripture.
  • Following scripture is always more important than honoring our traditions. If our traditions contradict scripture, Jesus says we are worshiping “in vain.”
  • God wants more than lip service and religious traditions. He wants our hearts! God is looking for hearts that value his commands over man made traditions.

Q. How might tradition come between us and doing the will of God?

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Q. What qualities listed in this passage indicate that the Bereans were noble?

  • Eagerness—they were eager to hear God’s word.
  • Digging deep daily—they examined the scriptures every day.
  • Personal pursuit of truth—they did not just accept what the religious leaders were saying; they checked the scriptures themselves.
  • Take the “Berean Challenge” and imitate these characteristics.

16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Q. What do you think “life” and “doctrine” mean?

  • When it comes to the truths of scripture and how we are living out those truths, we need to pay careful attention and focus on both life and doctrine.
  • Consider an airplane in flight. Which of the two wings is most important?
  • If we are to be saved and to help save those around us, we must persist in knowing the
    truths of the scriptures and living out those truths in our daily lives.

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Q. What do you think it means to “hold to” his teachings?

  • Holding to his teachings goes beyond obedience—it is to “abide” or “remain” or “continue” in his word.

Q. Jesus claims that his words are a source of truth and freedom. Do you see the teachings of Jesus as a source of freedom or constraint?

Closing Questions

  • Are you willing to humbly let the Bible expose your heart?
  • Are you willing to accept the Bible as the standard for your life
  • Are you willing to eagerly study God’s word every day?

“As for God, his way is perfect:
    The Lord’s word is flawless;
    he shields all who take refuge in him.

2 Samuel 22:31

97 Oh, how I love your law!
    I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
    so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
    for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
    therefore I hate every wrong path.

Psalm 119:97-104

This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
    Where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things,
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
    and who tremble at my word.

Isaiah 66:1-2

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Matthew 7:24-27

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Romans 10:17

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.a]”>[a] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”b]”>[b]

And this is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14