Sermon on 25 August 2019 by Reverend Kevin
2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”
2 Timothy 3:14-17 - “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Paul is reminding Timothy that the Bible is inspired by God. The Bible that we have is not a book just written by man. It is God’s word to us. When I was young, I didn’t pay much attention to the word of God. I memorised it but with no understanding. It didn’t bring life into my situation. My focus was on what the world could offer instead of God’s word. As a result, my life was dependent on circumstances and people. My life wasn’t stable. People say the promises of God are yes and Amen. However, when I look at my life, God’s promises are yes, no and maybe. I concluded that God is mysterious and you don’t understand what He’s doing. I thought that this was the Christian life. One day, I decided that this wasn’t the life God wants me to live. I read up about the life and works of Jesus. His life doesn’t go up and down and He’s always strong. I started reading the Bible for myself. I see that God was speaking to me. Once you have an intimacy with God, the wisdom of God will come. You will know what you should and shouldn’t do. The word of God works. If it doesn’t work, we are just wasting our time.
Deuteronomy 29:29 - ““The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
As a child of God, you cannot say that you don’t know. God expects you to know, that’s why He asks people to write the Bible.
John 1:1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
God and His word are One. People ask how do we know God. We read the Bible. God will reveal Himself through His word. Whatever God tells you, He will not contradict His word. God’s word is a strong foundation. If you have that foundation laid correctly, your life would be well. Christians whose lives are very messy don’t read the Bible. If you don’t have God’s word, your life will always be messy.
The Bible is God speaking to us. God and His word are One; That is why we can have faith in Him!
2 Peter 1:20 - “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,”
All Scripture is given by God in 2 main ways:
by direct revelation (by which the actual words of God are recorded by the prophets)
by inspiration (by which the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they wrote and thus the prophets wrote Divine Truth)
Whatever that they write is not from their own thinking. The Bible will never be wrong as God never makes mistakes.
From the Commentary of the Open Bible:
The one was or unity of the Bible is a miracle... a library of 66 books written by over 35 different authors, in a period of approximately 1500 years... represented in the authors is a cross section of humanity, educated and uneducated... included in the subjects are religion, history, law, science, poetry, prophecy... For 35 authors with such varied backgrounds to write on so many subjects, over a period of 1500 years in absolute harmony, is a mathematical impossibility. The only adequate explanation is; Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
There is a central theme when reading the Bible. The Bible is not source of authority, it is what we believe, it is the foundation for our faith. It is God’s word, and all of it is beneficial and authoritative.
Luke 21:33 - “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
1 Peter 1:25 - “But the word of the LORD endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
God’s word works all the time. That’s why we can have faith in God because He is unchangeable.
Isaiah 55:11 - “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Jeremiah 1:12 - “Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.””
2 Corinthians 1:20 - “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
God is very bold, He gives the guarantee that His promises are yes and Amen. God’s promise is guaranteed forever. His word endured forever. You may forget the promises God made in your life but God remembers.
Hebrews 4:12a - “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 - “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
When we believe that the Bible is God’s word and is our authority, it will bring benefits to us. Some people have the wrong thinking that God’s word is dry and dead. Instead, God says that His word is alive and powerful. There are some Christians that think the Bible is God’s word but they don’t really believe. It only effectively works in those who believe and apply it in our lives.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 - “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Saved in Greek is to save, to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction.
to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health, to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 - “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation in Greek means deliverance, preservation, safety and salvation.
God’s word makes us wise; enables us to know and partake of our redemptive rights and privileges.
No Word = No Life, No Abundant Living
Hosea 4:6a - “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Isaiah 5:13a - “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.”
Have Word = Have Life, Will Live Abundantly
John 8:32 - “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.””
God’s word is the key that unlocks the life (Greek: Zoe) that is in us and causes that Zoe life to manifest in our daily living. You need to feed yourselves with the scriptures.
John 10:10 - “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 6:63 - “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
God’s Word Brings Benefits
1. Brings Guidance and Direction
Psalm 119:105 - “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:9 - “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.”
The Bible helps us see ourselves in the right perspective and cuts through distractions that would lead us away from God.
2. Brings success in all areas of your life
Joshua 1:8 - “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
The Word of God says that you should mediate day and night. When you do these, the wonderful promises become yes and Amen. If you don’t want to meditate on God’s word, the successes won’t happen.
Psalm 1:1-3 - “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
When there’s no success in your life, whose fault is it? We will blame everyone other than ourselves. Many people blame God. However, God already told you the key to success is in His word. When you have the word of God in you, you know how to deal with the devil. Don’t be too quick to blame the devil but check yourself first. Do what you’re supposed to do. When you do it, success comes along.
Proverbs 4:20-22 - “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.”
3. Live Victoriously
Matthew 4:1-11 - “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ” Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”
Ephesians 6:17 - “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”
1 John 2:14b - “I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”
If you don’t have the Word of God, the devil will not be frightened. A lot of believers don’t know how to use the sword of God. The only way to be strong spiritually is through the Word of God. The key to success and living an abundant life is through the Word of God. God has freely given to you. God expects you to do your part and know what He has freely given to us. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. When you read the word of God, you can exercise faith to partake the word.
4. Brings Spiritual Maturity
2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Scripture will teach us, rebuke us when we are wrong, and train us how to do right so that we may be mature and ready to do God’s work. Meditation means using God’s Word and imagining. Another meaning is quietly reading His Word. Day dreaming is different. Mediation is in line with the Word. You will slowly see your life changing. The world tells us to train our mind based on positive thinking. It does bring some result but we Christians have the Word of God that’s alive and powerful. We are supposed to live our lives as examples to them. Your success or failure depends on you as God already given us His Word and will to us but He cannot force us.
Pastor Justin’s Summary:
It is truly a Word of comfort in love and resonates in our Spirit. I am reminded this morning that when you have the word of God, it must always dwell in you. The phrase ‘move in, move out’ is mentioned again. If the word of God moves into our heart, sin and bitterness has to move out. When the word of God moves in, happiness and holiness moves in. But when the word of God moves out, anger, sin and bitterness moves in. For an abundant life, you need to remember that this is our responsibility.
Amen.
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