Finding Truth: The Bible as Our Foundation
Summary
In a world overflowing with information yet starving for truth, it’s easy to feel lost in the search for something solid to build a life upon. Today, we explored the question: Is the Bible legit? Can it be trusted as the inspired Word of God, a foundation for our lives? This is not just an intellectual curiosity, but a deeply personal and spiritual question—one that shapes how we see ourselves, God, and the world.
We live in a time marked by a crisis of credibility, where it’s hard to know what or who to trust. This often leads us to rely on our own limited perspectives, but as we saw through the lens of Johari’s Window, we all have blind spots and unknowns about ourselves. If we can’t even fully know ourselves, how can we be the ultimate judges of truth? The good news is that God has chosen to reveal Himself as the ultimate source of truth, culminating in the person of Jesus and preserved for us in the Bible.
The Bible’s legitimacy is not just a matter of faith, but also of reason. Despite being written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors across three continents and languages, the Bible stands as a unified, cohesive revelation. The meticulous care of ancient scribes, the overwhelming manuscript evidence, and discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls all point to its remarkable preservation and reliability. Compared to other ancient texts, the Bible’s accuracy and abundance of manuscripts are unparalleled.
But the deeper question is not just whether the Bible is historically reliable, but whether it is effective—does it bring life? The Bible is not merely a rulebook or a collection of heroes to imitate. It is, at its heart, a love story: the story of a God who goes to unimaginable lengths to rescue and restore His children. Every story whispers the name of Jesus, inviting us into relationship with Him.
The invitation is simple yet profound: taste and see that the Lord is good. Just as Jewish children are introduced to the sweetness of God’s Word with honey, we are invited to experience the Bible not just as information, but as spiritual nourishment. The Bible is legit because the God behind it is legit—true, trustworthy, and for you. The challenge is to get into God’s Word and let it get into your heart, so you can experience its life-giving power for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- The Crisis of Truth and the Need for an External Anchor
In a culture where everyone claims their own version of truth, we are confronted with our limitations—our blind spots and self-deception. True wisdom begins with humility: recognizing that we need a source of truth outside ourselves. God’s revelation in the Bible offers a trustworthy anchor when our own understanding falls short. [08:12]
- The Bible’s Preservation Is a Testament to Its Reliability
The Bible’s transmission through history was marked by extraordinary care and reverence. Ancient scribes employed rigorous methods to ensure accuracy, and discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the remarkable consistency of the text over centuries. This meticulous preservation gives us confidence that what we read today is faithful to the original revelation. [15:56]
- Intellectual Evidence Supports, but the Heart Must Trust
While manuscript evidence and historical facts are compelling, the real question is whether we will trust God’s Word when it challenges us or when others have misused it. Faith is not just about intellectual assent, but about a willingness to wrestle with God and let His Word shape our lives, even when it’s uncomfortable. [22:18]
- The Bible’s Purpose Is to Point Us to Jesus and God’s Love
Every story in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is ultimately about God’s relentless pursuit of His children through Jesus. The Bible is not primarily a rulebook or a collection of moral examples, but a love story that invites us into relationship with a God who knows, sees, and loves us deeply. [32:29]
- Experiencing the Sweetness of God’s Word
The invitation is not just to study the Bible, but to “taste and see” its goodness. Like honey to the mouth, God’s Word is meant to be savored and internalized, bringing life, guidance, and joy. The more we immerse ourselves in Scripture, the more we discover its power to nourish and transform us from the inside out. [35:56]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Easter Reflections and Series Introduction
[03:00] - High Schoolers’ Questions and the Search for Truth
[04:14] - Why Truth Is Hard to Find Today
[06:07] - Paul’s Warning: Crisis Inside the Church
[07:21] - Johari’s Window and Our Limits
[09:06] - God’s Progressive Revelation and Jesus
[10:35] - The Bible: Inspired and Effective
[12:38] - Objections: Human Authors and Scribes’ Precision
[15:56] - Addressing Contradictions and the Telephone Game
[17:44] - The Dead Sea Scrolls and Manuscript Evidence
[19:02] - Comparing Ancient Manuscripts
[22:18] - The Heart Question: Can I Trust God’s Word?
[24:10] - The Grandness of God’s Revelation
[27:20] - The Global Reach of God’s Word
[29:24] - The Bible as a Love Story
[33:48] - Call to Action: Eat the Bible
[35:56] - The Sweetness of God’s Word
[37:21] - Worship: “Your Words Are Like Honey”
[41:17] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Is the Bible Legit?
---
### Bible Reading
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 16-17
(Paul’s warning about the crisis of truth and the power of Scripture)
- Hebrews 1:1-2
(God’s progressive revelation, culminating in Jesus)
- Psalm 119:103
(“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, what kinds of attitudes and behaviors does Paul say will mark “the last days”? How do these relate to the crisis of truth described in the sermon? [[04:14]]
2. According to Hebrews 1:1-2, how did God choose to reveal Himself over time, and what is the significance of Jesus in this process? [[09:06]]
3. The sermon described the meticulous process of copying the Bible by ancient scribes. What were some of the specific steps they took to ensure accuracy? [[14:20]]
4. In Psalm 119:103, the psalmist compares God’s Word to honey. What does this image suggest about how we are meant to experience Scripture? [[35:56]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul warn Timothy about people who “have the appearance of godliness but deny its power”? What does this say about the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing Him? [[04:14]]
2. The sermon mentioned that we all have “blind spots” and can’t fully know ourselves. Why is it important to have a source of truth outside of ourselves? [[08:12]]
3. The speaker said the Bible is not just a rulebook or a collection of heroes, but a love story pointing to Jesus. How does this change the way someone might approach reading the Bible? [[32:29]]
4. The “sweetness” of God’s Word was illustrated with honey. What does it mean to “taste and see” that the Lord is good, rather than just reading for information? [[35:56]]
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon described a “crisis of credibility” in our culture, where it’s hard to know what or who to trust. Where do you most feel this crisis in your own life? How does it affect your willingness to trust the Bible as a source of truth? [[06:07]]
2. The Johari’s Window illustration showed that we all have blind spots. Can you think of a time when you realized you had a blind spot about yourself? How might God’s Word help reveal things you can’t see on your own? [[08:12]]
3. The speaker shared about being hurt by people who misused the Bible, but still chose to wrestle with God’s Word personally. Have you ever struggled to trust the Bible because of how others have used it? What would it look like for you to “wrestle” with God’s Word for yourself? [[23:15]]
4. The sermon challenged us to “get into God’s Word and get God’s Word into your heart.” What is one practical step you could take this week to make the Bible a more regular part of your life? (For example: reading a Psalm each morning, listening to an audio Bible, or joining a reading plan.) [[33:48]]
5. The image of honey was used to show that God’s Word is meant to be savored and enjoyed. When was the last time you experienced the Bible as “sweet” or life-giving? If it’s been a while, what might help you rediscover that sweetness? [[35:56]]
6. The sermon said the Bible’s purpose is to point us to Jesus and God’s love. How can you look for Jesus in the stories or passages you read this week? [[32:29]]
7. The speaker mentioned the global effort to translate the Bible into every language. How does knowing that people around the world are hungry for God’s Word impact your own attitude toward reading it? [[27:20]]
---
Devotional
Day 1: The Bible is a Legit Source of Truth
In a world overflowing with information yet starving for truth, it is easy to become skeptical about what can be trusted. The Bible stands out as a source of truth that you can anchor your life to, not just because of tradition, but because it has withstood the test of time, scrutiny, and challenge. Paul’s words to Timothy remind us that even within the church, there will be times of difficulty, confusion, and self-deception, but the Word of God remains a trustworthy foundation. When everything else feels uncertain, you can build your life on the truth of God’s Word, knowing it is legit and enduring. [06:07]
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
Reflection: Where in your life do you find yourself questioning what is true, and how might you intentionally turn to the Bible as your anchor for truth today?
Day 2: God Reveals Himself Through His Word and Ultimately Through Jesus
God has always desired to make Himself known, not leaving us to guess about His character or intentions. Throughout history, He spoke through prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus. The Bible is not just a collection of ancient writings; it is the unfolding revelation of God’s heart, culminating in the person of Jesus. This means that when you open the Bible, you are invited to encounter the living God who wants to be known and who has gone to great lengths to reveal Himself to you. [09:06]
Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."
Reflection: How does knowing that God has revealed Himself through Jesus change the way you approach reading the Bible this week?
Day 3: The Bible is Inspired and Effective in Pointing Us to Jesus
The Bible is not just a historical document or a set of moral guidelines; it is God-breathed, inspired, and uniquely effective in leading us to Jesus. Despite being written over centuries by many authors, its unity and preservation are remarkable, and its purpose is to equip you for every good work. When you engage with Scripture, you are not just gaining knowledge—you are being shaped, completed, and drawn closer to the heart of Christ. [12:38]
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to be equipped or corrected, and how can you invite God’s Word to speak into that area today?
Day 4: The Bible is a Love Story That Invites Us Into Relationship
The Bible is not primarily a rule book or a collection of heroic tales; it is a love story about a God who goes to extraordinary lengths to rescue and restore His children. Every story, every page, whispers the name of Jesus and points to God’s relentless pursuit of relationship with you. When you read the Bible as a story of God’s love, it transforms your understanding and invites you to experience His affection and grace in a personal way. [32:29]
Psalm 19:1-2 (ESV)
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge."
Reflection: As you read the Bible today, how can you look for God’s love and pursuit of you woven throughout its pages?
Day 5: Taste and See—God’s Word is Sweet and Life-Giving
God’s Word is meant to be experienced, savored, and enjoyed as spiritual nourishment. Just as honey is sweet to the taste, so are the words of God to the soul. When you “eat” the Bible—taking it in deeply and regularly—you discover its goodness and life-giving power. No matter how you engage with Scripture, the invitation is to taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good, and to let His Word become a source of delight and strength in your daily life. [34:49]
Psalm 119:103 (ESV)
"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Reflection: What is one practical way you can “taste” God’s Word today—whether through reading, listening, or memorizing—and how might you let it nourish your soul?
Quotes
And Paul kind of had a father -son relationship with Timothy. And what he wants Timothy to understand is what I think we need to understand, which is that the truth of God's Word, you can build your life on it. It's legit. You can anchor yourself to it. And Paul says that's important because of the challenges that were facing Timothy in his time. And I think those same challenges are facing us in our time. This is what it says in 2 Timothy 3, starting at verse 1. Paul says, but understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty, for people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, meaning they are not interested in reconciliation, slanderous, without self -control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power. Bars. Yes. Bars. Paul's got bars. Paul's definitely got bars. [00:04:46] (68 seconds)
But how about this one in the bottom right? There are things about me that are not known to you, and they're also not known to me. It's unknown, it's hidden. So let me ask you this. How can I be the adjudicator of truth when I don't even know myself? fully, and when I can't even recognize the things that are blind spots, things you see about me that I don't even know about myself. So here's what I would say today. Even though we're skeptical of truth, even though we want to be the adjudicators of truth, the truth is we can't be. We need a source of truth outside of ourselves. And here's the good news. God has chosen to reveal Himself as the ultimate source of truth. And He has chosen to also encapsulate that truth in a book called the Bible. [00:08:12] (51 seconds)
The Bible is the very words of God, even though the Bible is a collection of 66 books written over a 1 ,500 year period, over 40 generations, with more than 40 different authors from every walk of life. It was written on three continents, Asia, Africa, and Europe. And it was written in three languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And so how can it be that this book is a cohesive breath of God, united voice of God, even with all of those human variables. I think there are three legitimate objections that people raise to what I just said, and I want to just walk through those objections and hopefully give you confidence on why you can believe what Paul says, that this Bible is in fact the inspired Word of God. I think the first objection is this. People would say, well, the Bible was written by flawed humans, so it can't be divine. [00:12:15] (55 seconds)
There's a lot of confidence we have in terms of how this was passed down. In fact, they were so confident that once they were done doing all of these checks, they would destroy the copy that they used because they were so confident that what they then were producing was exactly accurate to what they just had. So for those who would say, well, maybe the Bible was written by flawed humans. Yeah, the humans were flawed. But there was such an honoring of the gift that it is to have divine revelation from God, that these are some of the most accurate transcripts you'll find in antiquity, bar none. [00:15:56] (35 seconds)
So you would have a whole set of copies. And so if I, if I produced a document right now and said, hey, here's a thousand copies of that document, if you read through all those thousand copies and they were accurate, you could feel pretty confident that what you're looking at is probably what was originated, right? And so this is another way that the Bible was preserved. And here's what's interesting with this. There was a discovery that happened in 1947 that completely took this to a whole other level. In 1947, some shepherds in Qumran, in a desert area in Israel, were throwing stones and they hit a pot. And then when they went in the cave and figured out what that pot was, it turned out that it was the Dead Sea Scrolls. You may have heard of that. You can look it up, the Dead Sea Scrolls. And what the Dead Sea Scrolls was, is they had copies of the Bible that went back to a certain date. But the Dead Sea Scrolls took that same portion of the Bible back a thousand more years. So they were able to look at a copy that was way, way, way, way down the line, way down if we were to look at that chart again, the line from those copies that they had found. And they looked at it, and what they found is . . . that copy from 1 ,000 years earlier and the copies that were most recent were 95 % accurate. 95%. And in fact, the 5 % that wasn't accurate was mostly spelling differences because they didn't have conventional spelling, so there were multiple ways to spell a word. Spelling differences and some slips of the pen. [00:18:15] (88 seconds)
But here's the thing. When we ask that question, is the Bible legit? It's not only an intellectual question, is it? In fact, I don't think it's primarily an intellectual question. I think it's actually a heart question. I think it's a trust question. And the question we're really asking is, can I trust this God and His words when it's hard to follow, can I trust this God and His words when it seems to put me out of step with the cultural norms of the day? Can I trust this Bible and these words, even though there have been people in my life who have used these same words to harm me or abuse me? [00:22:19] (38 seconds)
But I want to tell you about the kindness of God in my life and why I'm so passionate about the Bible being a legit source that you can trust. I'm so glad that even with those experiences, it did not cause me to run away from God. It actually caused me to run toward God and wrestle with this truth for myself. And so I've been on a journey ever since that point of saying, man, if I ever come across anything that makes me think this isn't legit, man, I'll give it up. I'll give it all up. But all I can tell you is, of all the years that I have bent my life to this book, of all the years that I have been in relationship with people who have bent their lives to this book, all I can tell you is I have tasted and seen it. It is good. It's good. It's been life -giving to me. It's not always been comfortable for me, but it's been life -giving for me. And I think it will be for you. It's why I'm so passionate that I get to share this with you. The Bible is effective in pointing us to Jesus. Jesus says this in John 6, 63, the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. The words are spirit, breath of God, and they are life. [00:24:10] (69 seconds)
And even though I haven't been there, what I've heard from people who have is that the Grand Canyon has the ability. to rob you of speech. That something about standing in that grandeur causes you to just mouth a gate with awe and wonder, but you don't have words for it. And here's what I want you to think about. I want you to think about the God, and I believe God made that. I believe God created that. I believe that God is an artist, and that's part of his artwork. And think about this, the God who is grand enough to design and carve out a grand canyon, the God who is grand enough to create a universe with billions of stars, the God who is grand enough to create an ocean and the depths of the ocean and all of the beauty of the ocean, that same grand God sees you and knows you and loves you so much that he wanted to reveal himself and become like you and also give you his truth in this book so that you could have a relationship with him. [00:25:16] (64 seconds)
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