THE WORD OF GOD

  • How is your Bible reading going? What have you been learning?

PURPOSE

  • 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

ALL THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD

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.

  • Wise for salvation – The Bible teaches us how to find salvation.
  • God-breathed – The Bible is from God himself, communicated through chosen men (Paul, John, Luke, etc.).
  • Equipped for every good work – Scripture should be used to teach, correct, rebuke and train us in every aspect of our life: marriage, parenting, righteousness, decision-making, relationships, etc.

Q: How do I apply the scriptures?

WE TRANSLATE NOT INTERPRET

12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[a] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

  • We must accurately understand the word!
  • The words are all true. The story is no myth!
  • The Word was certain about Jesus, we must hold fast to it until we understand it.
  • If the prophets weren’t to interpret scripture, neither should we! We translate what God is saying into our lives. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets with exactly what to say, we just need to follow it! 

Q: How might we “interpret” vs. translate?

THE WORD REVEALS OUR TRUE HEARTS

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

  • Alive and active – The Bible applies to our lives today as it did when written.
  • It judges – The Word reveals our heart, our motivations, and our attitudes.
  • Uncovered and laid bare – God can see everything in our hearts.

BE CAREFUL OF TRADITIONS

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]

  • Rules taught by men – Many grow up learning and practicing religious tradition, some which contradict scripture (they are “in vain”).
  • Scripture first – Following scripture is more important than honouring tradition.
  • Hearts are far from me – God wants our hearts, not just lip service. Insisting on following traditions that break God’s commands show that our hearts are far from him.

Be careful of any religious traditions that supersede the word of God! Do I have any?

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.”

  • Hold to Jesus’ teachings – We are expect to “abide” in Jesus teachings.
  • Truth will set you free – Jesus’ teachings are a source of truth and freedom.

Our belief is not enough alone. We must not only believe what he says but obey it! The Bible must be our standard for everything in life. How would that look?

47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

  • I did not come to judge the world – Jesus came to bring hope, grace, and God’s word to a lost world.
  • There is a judge for the one who does not accept my words – We are allowed to make our decisions now. Judgment will come at the last day. Jesus’ words will be the standard.
  • The Father commanded me to say – Jesus’ words are God’s words. They speak in unison.
  • His command leads to eternal life – The hope in following God’s word is salvation.

We will all stand before God in judgment. The good news is he has already given us all we need to know through the Word. The Word that brings life when we hold on to it will also condemn if we fail to. It is vital that we read the Word and live out lives according to its standard.

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 here made the Bereans noble?
  • Eagerness – They were eager to hear God’s word.
  • Examined daily – they looked thoroughly at scripture daily.
  • 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 THREE CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Be eager to learn
  • Examine God’s Word daily
  • Search for truth

ARE YOU WILLING TO:

  • Q: Accept the Bible as the standard for your life?
  • Q: Humbly let the Bible expose your heart and make necessary changes?
  • Q: Eagerly study God’s word everyday?

CHALLENGE

  • Start reading the gospel of John

FURTHER STUDY (TO LOOK OVER)

“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

 

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