Nourishment and Transformation Through God's Word
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to pray for those affected by the recent devastation in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. We asked God to be their peace, comfort, and hope, and to give wisdom and strength to the first responders. As a church, we will look for ways to support them in the coming weeks.
We then delved into the spiritual discipline of reading and studying Scripture. Many Christians today are spiritually malnourished, consuming worldly things but lacking the nourishment that comes from God's Word. This has led to a state of biblical illiteracy, where many hold incorrect theological beliefs and rarely read the Bible. The Word of God is essential because it answers the deep questions of life, provides teaching, correction, and training in righteousness, and is God-breathed, making it unlike any other book.
Scripture is our nourishment, as Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." It provides guidance, as seen in Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." It brings freedom, hope, and holiness, transforming us into the people God wants us to be.
However, many find the Bible confusing, boring, or claim they don't have time to read it. These obstacles can be overcome by understanding that the Holy Spirit guides us in truth, and by creating habits and disciplines around Scripture reading. Practical steps include getting a Bible, choosing a readable translation, and using tools like the YouVersion app for plans and audio Bibles. Engaging with Scripture through hearing, reading, studying, and memorizing can transform our lives.
We must be intentional about our time with God, scheduling it and involving others for accountability. By doing so, we can grow in our relationship with God and be nourished by His Word. As we partake in communion, we remember that Jesus is the Word, and consuming Scripture is consuming Him, bringing life and transformation.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Scripture: The Word of God is God-breathed and essential for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness. It is unlike any other book because it is inspired by God Himself. Engaging with Scripture allows us to receive divine instruction and guidance, helping us live a life aligned with God's will. [06:30]
2. Scripture as Nourishment: Just as physical food nourishes our bodies, the Word of God nourishes our souls. Jesus emphasized this in Matthew 4:4, stating that we live not by bread alone but by every word from God. Regularly consuming Scripture feeds our spiritual hunger and sustains us in our walk with God. [09:31]
3. Guidance and Freedom in the Word: Psalm 119:105 describes God's Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, providing direction in our lives. Additionally, abiding in God's Word brings freedom, as Jesus said in John 8:32, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Scripture illuminates our path and liberates us from the bondage of sin and confusion. [11:02]
4. Overcoming Obstacles to Bible Reading: Many find the Bible confusing or claim they don't have time to read it. These obstacles can be overcome by understanding that the Holy Spirit guides us in truth and by creating habits and disciplines around Scripture reading. Practical steps include getting a readable translation, using tools like the YouVersion app, and involving others for accountability. [16:54]
5. Transformation through Scripture: The Word of God sanctifies us, making us holy and set apart for God's purposes. As we engage with Scripture, it reads us, revealing our true selves and transforming us into the image of Christ. This transformation is essential for living a life that glorifies God and fulfills His purposes. [15:22]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:42] - Prayer for Devastated Regions
[03:14] - Spiritual Malnourishment
[05:07] - The Importance of Scripture
[06:30] - God-Breathed Word
[07:56] - Teaching, Correction, and Training
[09:31] - Scripture as Nourishment
[11:02] - Guidance from the Word
[12:43] - Freedom in the Word
[13:53] - Hope in Scripture
[15:22] - Sanctification through the Word
[16:54] - Overcoming Obstacles
[18:19] - Understanding the Totality of Scripture
[21:21] - Spiritual Battle
[22:52] - Practical Steps for Bible Study
[26:08] - Engaging with Scripture
[29:24] - Memorizing Scripture
[30:56] - Consistent Time and Place
[32:32] - Using Study Methods
[34:04] - Involving Others
[35:31] - Consuming the Word of God
[37:15] - Communion and Transformation
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "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."
2. Matthew 4:4: "But he answered, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
3. Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the four benefits of Scripture mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:16-17? How do these benefits help believers? [06:30]
2. According to Matthew 4:4, what does Jesus compare the Word of God to, and why is this comparison significant? [09:31]
3. How does Psalm 119:105 describe the role of God's Word in our lives? What imagery is used to convey this message? [11:02]
4. What are some reasons given in the sermon for why people find it difficult to read the Bible? [16:54]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to recognize that all Scripture is "God-breathed" as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17? How does this understanding affect our approach to reading the Bible? [06:30]
2. In what ways can the Word of God be considered nourishment for our souls, as mentioned in Matthew 4:4? How does this spiritual nourishment differ from physical nourishment? [09:31]
3. How can Psalm 119:105's description of God's Word as a "lamp" and "light" be applied to decision-making in a believer's life? [11:02]
4. The sermon mentions several obstacles to Bible reading, such as confusion and lack of time. How can understanding these obstacles help us develop better habits for engaging with Scripture? [16:54]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current Bible reading habits. Do you feel spiritually nourished, or do you identify with the feeling of spiritual malnourishment mentioned in the sermon? What changes can you make to improve your engagement with Scripture? [03:14]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of Scripture for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness. Can you recall a time when a specific Bible passage provided you with guidance or correction? How did it impact your life? [06:30]
3. Jesus said that we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). How can you incorporate regular Bible reading into your daily routine to ensure you are spiritually nourished? [09:31]
4. Psalm 119:105 describes God's Word as a lamp and light. Think of a recent decision you had to make. How might consulting Scripture have provided clarity or direction in that situation? [11:02]
5. The sermon suggests practical steps for overcoming obstacles to Bible reading, such as using the YouVersion app and involving others for accountability. Which of these steps can you implement this week to enhance your Bible study habits? [16:54]
6. The sermon mentions that the Word of God sanctifies us and makes us holy (John 17:17). How can you create a consistent time and place for Bible study to allow God's Word to transform you? [15:22]
7. Reflect on the idea that consuming Scripture is like consuming Jesus, bringing life and transformation. How can this perspective change the way you approach your Bible reading and study? [37:15]
Devotional
Day 1: The Divine Breath of Scripture
The Word of God is not just another book; it is God-breathed and essential for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness. Unlike any other text, it carries the divine inspiration of God Himself, making it a unique source of wisdom and guidance. Engaging with Scripture allows us to receive divine instruction and helps us align our lives with God's will. By immersing ourselves in the Bible, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's Word, which can shape our thoughts, actions, and beliefs. [06:30]
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 specific area of your life needs correction or guidance today? How can you seek God's wisdom through Scripture to address this area?
Day 2: Spiritual Nourishment from the Word
Just as physical food nourishes our bodies, the Word of God nourishes our souls. Jesus emphasized this in Matthew 4:4, stating that we live not by bread alone but by every word from God. Regularly consuming Scripture feeds our spiritual hunger and sustains us in our walk with God. Without this nourishment, we become spiritually malnourished, lacking the strength and wisdom needed to navigate life's challenges. By making Scripture a daily part of our lives, we ensure that our souls are well-fed and equipped to grow in faith. [09:31]
Jeremiah 15:16 (ESV): "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts."
Reflection: How can you incorporate a regular time for Scripture reading into your daily routine to ensure your soul is nourished?
Day 3: Guidance and Freedom in God's Word
Psalm 119:105 describes God's Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, providing direction in our lives. Additionally, abiding in God's Word brings freedom, as Jesus said in John 8:32, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Scripture illuminates our path and liberates us from the bondage of sin and confusion. By following the guidance of God's Word, we can navigate life's complexities with clarity and confidence, knowing that we are walking in the truth. [11:02]
Psalm 19:8 (ESV): "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need God's guidance today? How can you seek His direction through Scripture?
Day 4: Overcoming Obstacles to Bible Reading
Many find the Bible confusing or claim they don't have time to read it. These obstacles can be overcome by understanding that the Holy Spirit guides us in truth and by creating habits and disciplines around Scripture reading. Practical steps include getting a readable translation, using tools like the YouVersion app, and involving others for accountability. By making intentional efforts to engage with Scripture, we can overcome these barriers and experience the transformative power of God's Word in our lives. [16:54]
James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to overcome the obstacles that prevent you from regularly reading the Bible?
Day 5: Transformation through Scripture
The Word of God sanctifies us, making us holy and set apart for God's purposes. As we engage with Scripture, it reads us, revealing our true selves and transforming us into the image of Christ. This transformation is essential for living a life that glorifies God and fulfills His purposes. By allowing God's Word to penetrate our hearts and minds, we become more like Christ, reflecting His love, grace, and truth in our daily lives. [15:22]
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Reflection: How has Scripture revealed areas in your life that need transformation? What steps can you take to allow God's Word to shape you more into the image of Christ?
Quotes
1. "And what I know to be true is when I buy those things that satisfy the craving, what I'm not getting is the nutrients. I shared in the first service that there have been days that I have lived off of donuts because I found a good donut. And so I didn't eat anything else because I was full, but I was full from donuts. But I also know that I was not full of anything of sustenance. The donuts were really good, but I didn't get any good in me. And I really think that's where a lot of people are who call themselves Christian. They may be full. They're consuming a lot of things, but they don't have the nourishment and the sustenance that they need." [03:14] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So the spiritual discipline, the spiritual practice that we're going to look at today is reading and studying Scripture. Because we are malnourished. We are at deficit. And there are people that are craving everything in our culture. And there are people in our culture that are consuming everything that the world is offering to consume. But we are still malnourished. And what I know to be true is that there are people that are hungering for identity. They're hungering for worth. They're hungering for purpose. They're hungering for their place in the world going, where do I fit in this world that we're in? And yet the Word of God has answers to those questions." [05:07] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The first thing about the Word of God is it is God-breathed. It's not like any other book out there. It's not a book that you can go and just glean some information from and then walk away. It is breathed by the very breath of God. And so when we read Scripture, we are reading that which God has breathed, that which God has spoken. And we need to understand that that's what it is. Now, it not only is breathed by God, but it gives us teaching, reproof, correction, and training for righteousness. Teaching, it's simply instruction. It gives us instruction on how to live life. It gives us direction. It gives us guardrails to stay within these guardrails so that we don't get out outside and live in chaos and destruction and death." [06:30] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The second thing that we understand about Scripture is it's our nourishment. Jesus says in Matthew 4, 4, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. He's quoting from Deuteronomy. And these are the words of Jesus. Jesus understands that the Word of God is nourishing to us. But for something to be nourishing to us, we have to consume it. It's not good enough to walk by and see an apple and go, wow, that's really nourishing. We have to eat the apple to get the nourishment from the apple. And there are those of us that have been in the church for a long time, and we've been in the church for a long time, our entire life, and we've heard messages like this, and we've heard what the benefit of the Word of God is, and yet we're still not reading it. But Jesus says, it is nourishment for your soul. It gets to a deeper place than you can cognitively understand. The Word of God speaks to our souls, nourishes our souls, the very spirit aspect of who we are. The Word of God speaks to that." [09:31] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "There's freedom found in the Word of God, but we have to be abiding in the Word in order to know it. Then he goes on, and tells us that it is our hope, Romans 15, 4, for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, talking about the Old Testament, scriptures that were written previously, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. Through the encouragement of the scriptures. Now, if we want encouragement through the scriptures, what do we need to be reading in order to have that encouragement? Scriptures. I mean, this isn't rocket science, but that's where our hope is found." [12:43] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Scripture reveals to us, first and foremost, who God is. That's where we stand. He is our rock. He is our fortress. He is our foundation. And then it reveals who we are to Him. And then it reveals who we are to one another. It's found in the great commandment, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. And what we see throughout all of Scripture is that principle. But that's where our hope is, y'all. Our hope is found in Jesus. Our hope is found in the fullness of who God is." [13:53] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "The Word of God is confusing. The Word of God's hard to understand. My dad told me this years ago. He goes, Scott, I tried to read the Bible. It's just hard to understand. And when people say that, I really think they're waiting for someone to look at them and go, you know, you're right. You gave it your best shot. Good for you. You tried. Just put that thing away. You gave it a shot. To be honest, the Word of God, in certain parts of the Word of God, it's hard to understand. But I think one of the reasons it's difficult to understand is because we don't have a total understanding of Scripture. A lot of people have their little pet areas of Scripture. They have those little pet things, pet books of the Bible they keep going back to." [16:54] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Reading Scripture is about transformation, not information. It's not about just gaining information. It's about being transformed by the Word of God. So that's the first excuse. The second excuse is that the Bible is boring. There are parts of the Bible, namely Numbers, Chronicles, those areas, reading going, could you not get through this group of people? But y'all, if you've read Scripture, you know it's not boring. It's better than any movie you've ever read, you've ever seen. It's better than any novel you've ever read. It's got stories that will grip you. It's got, I mean, sadly, it's got war. It's got love. It's got poetry. It's got all these, if you're historical, it's got historical. There's, it's not boring, but it's boring to someone that doesn't, doesn't understand the fullness of Scripture and not even is trying to understand the fullness of Scripture." [19:38] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Satan doesn't want me to know the truth. Do we understand that this is a spiritual battle? Do we, do we understand that Satan's desire is to confuse, distort, and, and bring death into our lives? That's what Satan wants to do. And so why would he want us to know Scripture? Why would he want us to know the truth? Why would he want you to know who you are, your worth, your identity, and the truth of who you are? Why would he want you to know that? He doesn't. And so he's going to do everything in his power to keep you from reading and studying Scripture so that you don't know the truth of who God is and who you are to him. This is a spiritual battle." [21:21] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "If you're too busy to study and read Scripture, you're too busy. Obstacle four, which honestly, as I was processing through this, I've never had someone tell me this one. Satan doesn't want me to know the truth. Do we understand that this is a spiritual battle? Do we, do we understand that Satan's desire is to confuse, distort, and, and bring death into our lives? That's what Satan wants to do. And so why would he want us to know Scripture? Why would he want us to know the truth? Why would he want you to know who you are, your worth, your identity, and the truth of who you are? Why would he want you to know that? He doesn't. And so he's going to do everything in his power to keep you from reading and studying Scripture so that you don't know the truth of who God is and who you are to him. This is a spiritual battle." [21:21] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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