Trusting the Transformative Power of God's Word
Summary
The sermon begins with a call to prayer for local ministries and a recap of the fall sermon series titled "Distinctives for Disciples." The pastor emphasizes the importance of having a confident assurance of faith, trusting in God's work and sovereignty, even during seasons of doubt or feeling distant from Him. The sermon then transitions to a discussion on the importance of the Bible as the foundation of our faith. The pastor compares the Bible to a strong foundation upon which a building is constructed, emphasizing that it holds infinite treasure for believers. He encourages the congregation to trust, obey, and study the Bible, emphasizing that it is God's word and can be trusted.
The pastor then emphasizes the importance of reading the Bible for finding peace, motivation, and answers. He highlights that the entire Bible is breathed out by God and is inspired from beginning to end. It is described as profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, with the purpose of equipping believers for every good work. The pastor also extends an invitation for those who have not yet entered into a relationship with Jesus to give their lives to Him and begin their journey.
The pastor then discusses the transformative power of the Bible, likening it to a two-edged sword that pierces the division of soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. He asserts that the more one reads the Bible, the more it reads them, as it is a living and active text. The pastor also emphasizes the importance of relying on God's word rather than the opinions of others, and shares a personal anecdote about his family gathering during Christmas, where the teenagers found themselves with too much free time and engaged in foolish behavior.
The pastor then focuses on the inspiration and reliability of God's word, as described in 2 Peter 1:19-21. He emphasizes that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation, but rather, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The pastor also highlights Jesus' belief in the totality of God's inspiration of His word. He concludes by emphasizing the reliability of the Bible, noting its popularity and the numerous translations it has undergone in various languages.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the transformative power of God's word and its role in shaping our lives. He compares it to having food in our teeth and a good friend who lovingly tells us about it. God's word serves as a mirror, revealing the ways in which we may be thinking or responding incorrectly. The pastor also highlights that the Bible is profitable for training in righteousness, not for worldly happiness. God's desire is for us to be molded and shaped into the image of his son, and his love is what motivates him to train us in this way.
Key Takeaways:
- The Bible is the foundation of our faith and holds infinite treasure for believers. It is God's word and can be trusted. It is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, with the purpose of equipping believers for every good work. [49:33]
- The Bible is a living and active text that reads us as we read it. It is like a two-edged sword that pierces the division of soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [52:45]
- The Bible is inspired and reliable. No prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation, but rather, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Jesus believed in the totality of God's inspiration of His word. [56:12]
- God's word serves as a mirror, revealing the ways in which we may be thinking or responding incorrectly. It is profitable for training in righteousness, not for worldly happiness. God's desire is for us to be molded and shaped into the image of his son, and his love is what motivates him to train us in this way. [59:30]
- The Bible is a reliable document incomparable to any other form of literature, both ancient and modern, religious or secular. Despite the vast amount of data, scholars have proven that the Bible has an accuracy rate of 99.6%, with only 4% attributed to textual variance. [1:02:15]
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. 2 Peter 1:19-21: "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
3. Matthew 4:3-4: "And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.' But he answered, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Observation Questions:
1. What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say about the purpose and benefits of Scripture?
2. In 2 Peter 1:19-21, what is the source of prophecy according to the text?
3. How does Matthew 4:3-4 illustrate the importance of God's word in our lives?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 define the role of Scripture in equipping believers for good work?
2. What does 2 Peter 1:19-21 imply about the reliability and authority of Scripture?
3. What does Jesus' response to the tempter in Matthew 4:3-4 reveal about the power and necessity of God's word?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt uncertain or doubtful. How could the assurance of God's word, as described in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, have provided guidance or comfort?
2. Can you identify a time when you relied on your own interpretation or understanding rather than seeking wisdom from Scripture? How might 2 Peter 1:19-21 influence your approach in the future?
3. In what ways can you apply Jesus' response in Matthew 4:3-4 to your own life, especially when facing temptations or challenges?
4. How can you make reading and studying the Bible a more integral part of your daily routine?
5. Think of a specific situation where you can apply the teachings of the Bible to correct or improve your actions or attitudes.
Devotional
Day 1: The Bible: Our Foundation and Treasure
The Bible is not just a book, but the very foundation of our faith, holding infinite treasures for those who believe. It is God's word, breathed out by Him, and can be trusted without a doubt. It is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, with the purpose of equipping believers for every good work. [49:33]
Bible Passage: 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."
Reflection: How can you deepen your trust in the Bible as the foundation of your faith? What specific steps can you take to explore the infinite treasures it holds?
Day 2: The Bible: A Living and Active Text
The Bible is a living and active text, not a static document. As we read it, it reads us, discerning our thoughts and intentions. It is like a two-edged sword that pierces the division of soul and spirit. [52:45]
Bible Passage: Hebrews 4:12 - "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 the Bible read you and discerned your thoughts and intentions? Can you recall a specific instance where it pierced your soul and spirit?
Day 3: The Bible: Inspired and Reliable
The Bible is not a product of human interpretation but is inspired and reliable. Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Jesus believed in the totality of God's inspiration of His word. [56:12]
Bible Passage: 2 Peter 1:20-21 - "Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
Reflection: How does understanding the Bible as God-breathed and not a product of human interpretation change your approach to reading and understanding it?
Day 4: The Bible: A Mirror for Our Lives
God's word serves as a mirror, revealing the ways in which we may be thinking or responding incorrectly. It is profitable for training in righteousness, not for worldly happiness. God's desire is for us to be molded and shaped into the image of his son, and his love is what motivates him to train us in this way. [59:30]
Bible Passage: James 1:23-25 - "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Reflection: How has God's word served as a mirror in your life recently? Can you identify a specific area where it has revealed incorrect thinking or responses?
Day 5: The Bible: Incomparable and Accurate
The Bible is a reliable document incomparable to any other form of literature, both ancient and modern, religious or secular. Despite the vast amount of data, scholars have proven that the Bible has an accuracy rate of 99.6%, with only 4% attributed to textual variance. [1:02:15]
Bible Passage: Psalm 119:160 - "The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever."
Reflection: How does the proven accuracy and reliability of the Bible impact your faith and trust in God's word? How can you use this knowledge to engage in conversations about the Bible's reliability with others?
Quotes
1. "The Bible is profitable for training in righteousness... God gives instruction in his righteousness, in what it looks like to be righteous." [27:38]
2. "Read your Bible when you find yourself needing answers, because all of it is breathed out by God. It's inspired from beginning to end, and it's profitable for teaching, reproach, correction, and training in righteousness." [32:36]
3. "Our foundation is in the truth of God's word, and so I want us to no longer relegate the significance of this strong foundation to something that is forgotten or misunderstood or ignored." [04:22]
4. "Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation... men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." [49:33]
5. "The more you read your Bible, the more your Bible will read you... it pierces the division of Soul and Spirit, separating joint from marrow and Discerning the thoughts and intentions of your heart." [18:51]
6. "All scripture is breathed out by God, that word for breathe it's the same Greek word is where you would find holy spirit, it's the idea that this is the manifestation, this is the expression of God himself to you and I and all of the scriptures reveal him to us." [06:26]
7. "Even historians who are Skeptics have mostly stopped trying to discredit the Bible using any type of manuscript evidence against it because here's something neat we have about 10,000 manuscripts or portions of manuscripts of our Old Testament we have about 5,000 manuscripts or portions of manuscripts of our New Testament and despite that mountain of data despite all of the manuscript evidence Scholars have proven the Bible has an accuracy of 99.6% with the only 4% being attributed to what is known as textual variance meaning it's mostly grammatical spelling punctuation or otherwise never are any of the variants in any of the scriptures contradictory as it relates to the theology contained within them." [16:28]
8. "The Bible has proven itself in archaeology trustworthy and true over and over and over again as the advances of medicine have shown up on the scene the Bible has said yeah we knew that all along over and over and over again and yet I don't want you to necessarily take my word for it I would encourage you to use this great gift called the internet and do your own research as well the Bible is a reliable document and why do we believe it's reliability because it is inspired by God all of it all scripture is breathed out by God." [17:03]
9. "Did you know it's God's love that when you read his word sometimes he wants you to say repeat after me this is a bad idea right and so when you read the Bible and the Bible starts reading you and you have this feeling of conviction don't you see that the very author who gave the scriptures lives within you and is speaking to you and wants you to know hey you don't need to do this you don't need to think that you don't need to say say those things because it's not a good idea." [25:25]
10. "The Bible is profitable for correction, it actually tells us that it has a corrective ability for us if we'll pay attention to what it reveals." [25:59]
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