Beginning with the Bible, Part 6: The Only Word. Sunday, November 24, 2013

Scripture: Galatians 1:3-10, NLT

3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

- Today's message marks the end of our series on Beginning with the Bible.

- At this point, we should be getting a good handle on how important the Bible is for us.

- We've been learning about the authority of Scripture over our lives.

- We've been learning about the uniqueness of Scripture and the Bible's divine inspiration.

*- Today, we're going to learn that the only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- Moments ago, we read about Paul telling the Galatians that anyone who preached something different than the message of the Gospel he preached to them should be under God's curse.

*- So I want to start us off with a simple question, why? Why did Paul tell the Galatians that anyone who preached another message, a different gospel, should be under God's curse?

- That question has a very straightforward answer.

*- The Christians of Galatia were falling away from the message Paul preached, which is the only gospel.

- The only word has only one message.

*- Is it true that the only word has only one message?

- Let's take a few moments to answer that question.

*- First, much of the narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the four biblical Gospels are taken up with the subject matter of the last week of Jesus life and the events of his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

*- Second, the four Gospels and Acts emphasize Jesus sending out his apostles into the world as his witnesses. Of course, they were witnesses to his ministry, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

*- Third, the Scriptures testify to the uniqueness of Jesus and his message.

*- Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

*- The promise of the prophets is a promise of intimacy with God and the forgiveness of sins, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (see Jeremiah 31:33-34, Joel 2:31-32)

*- The apostle Peter preached to the Council of Elders in Jerusalem, "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (Acts 4: 12)

- The author of Hebrews describes the uniqueness of Jesus and his message.

*- "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names." (Hebrews 1:1-4)

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- No wonder Paul was so concerned for the Galatian Christians.

*- To follow the claims of any gospel that adds or takes away from the message about Jesus Christ is to follow no good news at all.

- The Christians of Galatia were giving their allegiance to something other than Christ by turning away from the original message that Christ's death, burial, and resurrection is more than enough.

- He is everything the sinner needs to be saved. No more and no less.

- To trade allegiances is become a turncoat, a traitor to Jesus Christ.

- That is what Paul accused of the Galatians. They were running away from the good news of God's grace available in Jesus Christ.

- But to what were they running? They were running toward a gospel of works.

- The problem the Galatians were facing was simply that a gospel of good works is no gospel at all.

- Do good works save? Can good works create a new heart or cancel the debt of sin?

*- Of course they can't. But some among the Galatians had convinced them otherwise.

- One of the last things Jesus said from the cross before his death was, "It is finished."

- Someone convinced the Galatians that Christ's work was unfinished.

- Someone convinced them that not only did they need Jesus for salvation, but they needed to add keeping the works of the law.

- As the humble preacher and scholar John R.W. Stott puts it, "In other words, you must let Moses finish what Christ has begun."

*- For the apostle Paul, that kind of thinking is intolerable, so he declared to the Galatians his shock.

- How can you add to the finished work of Christ?

- Paul was shocked that a people who embraced the good news about God's grace in Jesus Christ should suddenly turn away to follow something that only pretends to be good news and is really a perversion, a twisting of the truth.

- The Bible warns against people who add or take away from the message of Scripture.

- Deuteronomy 4: 2, Do not add or subtract from these commands I'm giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I'm giving you.

- Deuteronomy 18: 22, If a prophet speaks in the Lord's name, but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.

- Proverbs 30:6, Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

- Revelation 22:18-19, If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

- God warns against adding or taking away from his message. Those that do will be exposed as frauds.

- Paul was deeply concerned for the Galatians because they were walking away from their faith in Jesus Christ, and running toward that which is no faith at all but depends only on self.

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

*- Paul told the Galatians that some among them had perverted the gospel, they twisted the truth, and a twisted truth is no truth.

- Some from among their own members turned aside to a modified gospel, a new and improved version, an upgrade of the Good News.

- But one cannot add to the finished work of Christ.

- Faith in Christ is irreplaceable. Jesus of Nazareth cannot be separated from the good news nor the good news separated from him.

- The message of the gospel is repent and believe. Repent, turn away from your sins and turn toward God. Believe, trust and have faith that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

*- Adding or taking away from the message of Jesus Christ turns the gospel inside out, backwards and upside down and makes an opposite gospel.

- Such a false gospel deeply troubled the church of Galatia. They were confused, divided, and in turmoil.

- When churches try to change the gospel, then they are thrown into chaos.

- God brings order out of chaos. The fastest way to plunge the Christian church into a state of chaos is to teach the church a false gospel.

- Paul told the Galatian church that anyone who preached a gospel different than the one he originally preached should be under God's curse because the gospel Paul preached is the only gospel.

*- As Paul wrote, Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us, or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of good news than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other good news than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- Paul used such strong language with the Galatians because when we are talking about following Jesus Christ, or some different so-called gospel, then we are talking about eternal security.

- To buy into someone else's version of the gospel rather than the Bible's version of the gospel is to auction off your salvation to the highest bidder.

- It's to trade away the priceless gift of eternal life for a perverted, twisted knockoff of the only truth.

- Anything taught by anyone which contradicts the timeless teachings of Scripture and the essential doctrines of the church believed all over the world for the last 2000 years is in danger of the fires of hell and endangers the ones listening.

- Paul told his readers that even if he himself or an Angel came to them and told them to follow some other way than the grace of God available in Jesus Christ, such a messenger should be under God's curse.

- An accursed one or an accursed thing is devoted to destruction.

- It comes from the Greek anathema which refers to the divine ban of the Old Testament, in which God judged entire cities for their idolatry and devoted them to destruction, every living thing and every material good was destroyed.

- Paul was deadly serious about this for two key reasons.

- One, preaching-teaching a different gospel deflects glory away from Christ.

- By deflecting glory from Christ, the preacher-teacher seeks glory for him or herself; and contradicts the finished work of Christ.

- Two, preaching-teaching a different gospel endangers the souls of human beings made in the image of God.

- The person and work of Jesus Christ is foundational to the gospel, so to change or modify the person of Jesus or his message in any way compromises the good news.

- Compromised good news is no good news, which equals no eternal life.

- Regardless to who it is, if the truth is changed, then the teacher is false.

- There is no compromising the truth, and there is no compromise for the Christian in this present evil world.

- There is only one gospel.

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- The best way to guard against being taken captive by false teaching is to allow yourself to be captivated with truth.

- That's why it's so important that we are familiar with the Scriptures, know and understand the good news of Christ, so that our lives are not thrown into turmoil, confusion, conflict, and chaos.

- If you have not yet believed that the only word has only one message, why not do it right now? Why put it off? None of us know for certain what the remainder of the day or tomorrow holds.

- Beginning life with Jesus is the simplest thing.

- Paul puts it this way in Romans 10: 9, If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

- Allow me to close in prayer with a confession of faith and if you pray that prayer today for the first time let me encourage you to tell others, tell the world.

- The only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected.

- Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you that you live and reign, so I can live. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live within me. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Thank you that the only word has only one message: Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected. Amen.

Sunday, November 17, 2013 Beginning with the Bible, Part 5: The Divine Word

Scripture Lesson: 2nd Peter 1:20-21

- We've been reminded many times that we live in an era plagued by skepticism and doubt.

- We've already said that skeptics target the Bible because it claims to be God's authoritative word.

- But let's be honest, many people don't want an authority outside of themselves for their lives.

- In a time where the individual is the ultimate authority, it is only natural for people to reject God's authority.

- Generally speaking, people don't want to hear about sin, righteousness, or judgment.

- Most of us just want to live our lives the way we want without anyone telling us how to live.

- People just want to think, 'If I'm a good person, then I'll go to heaven.'

- The Bible, for many, is irrelevant. Since it is a book that's thousands of years old it is out of touch with 21st century realities, so they think and speak.

- But there is a flaw in that kind of thinking. It assumes that because something is thousands of years old its claims no longer apply, that it is boring, untrue, or irrelevant.

- In a world that is predominantly atheist or agnostic, most people assume that if God exists, and he probably doesn't, that this nonexistent God does not speak.

- Therefore, it is assumed that the Bible is of human origin.

- But what if the Bible's origin is not human?

- Instead, what if... while the Bible has human authors, the Bible's origin is of God.

- Let's explore some simple questions. Can we trust the Bible? Is it a human book? Is it a divine book?

- These are questions that Peter appears to be addressing with his readers.

- What did Peter tell his readers about the origins of prophecy and, therefore, the Bible?

- To answer Peter's question, let's dig into the two verses of Scripture that are before us.

- "First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

*- First of all, wrote Peter, you must understand this. Above all, we need to get this.

- Peter wanted to draw his readers' attention to what he was about to write because it was critically important.

- What he was about to write was an important truth that every Christian must grasp.

- Here's the first part of what he had to say that every Christian needs to have a handle on:

*- No prophecy of Scripture was a matter of the prophet's own interpretation.

- The origin of the Scriptures, Peter was saying, was not with the prophets themselves.

- Their prophecies were not just something that they wanted to say. Their words were not merely their words.

- That's what false prophets did. False prophets produced messages that were just their messages.

*- Peter continues, "no prophecy ever came by human will."

- What Peter was telling his readers was that prophecy does not have a human origin.

- The Scriptures are not simply words to humanity from humanity. The Bible isn't FUBU, i.e., for us, by us.

- Prophecy that we find in the Bible is not creative writing on the part of the prophets.

- They were not simply doing their own thing. It wasn't human initiative that caused them to write or to speak.

- Their inspiration was completely unlike the inspiration of poets and songwriters, painters and sculptors.

- Their inspiration was not of this Earth.

*- As Peter wrote, "but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

- Every prophecy, and thereby the Scriptures themselves, had its origin in God.

- According to the first chapter of Peter's previous letter, the prophets themselves did not understand everything they wrote so they wondered, inquiring of God about the grace that was to come through the sufferings of Christ.

- However, it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves as they prophesied, but spoke for our sake (see 1Peter 1: 10-12).

- This fact demonstrates that the prophecies of Scripture did not have their origins in the prophets themselves, but in the Holy Spirit.

- The prophets, Peter told his readers, were "moved" or "carried along" by the Holy Spirit.

- The Scriptures do not come to us, according to Peter, by human whims, but by the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.

- Peter agrees with what Paul wrote to Timothy regarding the inspiration of Scripture, that the Scriptures are God-breathed, 2 Timothy 3:16.

- This fact is significant because in both Hebrew and Greek we find two words, one Heb the other Gk, for breath or wind in both the Old and New Testaments, these are also the very same two words which mean spirit.

- The breath or Spirit of God is the one who inspired and directed the prophets to speak and write.

- Peter and Paul agree that the Scriptures are Holy Spirit inspired, God-breathed.

- "Men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

- Scripture, therefore, has dual authorship. The Bible didn't simply fall from heaven or appear like golden tablets.

- The Bible is not simply a human book; rather God used human authors to communicate his words.

- As David said, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue" (2 Samuel 23: 2).

- Isaiah had a similar experience, "Then I heard the Lord asking, 'Whom shall I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?' I said, 'Here I am. Send me.' And he said, 'Yes, go, and say to this people...'"(Isaiah 6:8-9 a).

- The same may be said of Jeremiah. "The Lord replied, 'Don't say, I'm too young, for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don't be afraid of the people, I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!' Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, 'Look, I have put my words in your mouth!'" (Jeremiah 1:7-9)

- These brief examples tell us that while the Scriptures have human authors, they are of divine origin.

- God used the language, culture, and experience of individual human beings to be the vehicle by which he revealed his nature, character and plans.

- Just as Peter told his readers, the human authors of Scripture were moved or carried along by the Holy Spirit.

- God did not suspend or supersede the personalities or experiences of the human authors, rather he moved or carried them so that they spoke and wrote according to his will.

- Therefore, the message of Scripture is reliable, authentic, and trustworthy.

- The Scriptures are not fanciful stories, fables, or myths.

- No, the Scriptures have their origin from God. They are his very words.

- As Peter wrote, "Above all, you must realize that no prophecy of Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God." (2 Pet. 1:20-21, NLT)

- While the Bible has human authors, the Bible's origin is of God.

- Let's go back to our original question. Can we trust the Bible? Yes, we can trust the Bible.

- The Bible is totally trustworthy because God gave guidance and direction to human authors to the Holy Spirit.

- Because the Bible's origin is of God, while having human authors...

- We can trust everything the Bible says about creation, sin, the accounts of Israel's repeated falling away and returning to God, the salvation available in Jesus, the coming judgment, and the renovation and renewal of all things.

- We can trust everything the Bible says to help us to recognize and refute false teaching.

- We can trust everything the Bible says to prepare and equip Christians to serve God and his kingdom.

- We can trust everything the Bible says to be true.

- We can trust everything the Bible says to be relevant, wise, and even exciting.

- Don't let the world influence your thinking about the Bible.

- Let the Holy Spirit and the Bible influence your thinking about the Bible.

- Why? Because... While the Bible has human authors, the Bible's origin is of God.

Sunday, November 10, 2013 "Beginning with the Bible, Part 4: The Messiah's Word"

Scripture: Luke 24:25-27

- Two bereaved and dejected disciples, one of them Cleopas by name, walked a lonely road to Emmaus.

- They were bereaved because they had not accepted the eyewitness testimony of the women to the empty tomb, the angels, and their report of Jesus' resurrection.

- The two were dejected because they had not remembered and believed the words of Jesus.

- They were lonely on the road because the one in whom they placed all their hopes was gone and in their confusion he was still dead to them.

*- The two disciples on the Emmaus Road had not yet discovered what Christians throughout the ages know to be true; that the words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- As we begin to think about the three verses we read from Luke's record of the walk to Emmaus, I want us to consider a question:

*- Why did Luke share with his readers Jesus correcting the disciples' misconceptions about Messiah on the Emmaus Road?

- Cleopas and his fellow traveler were clearly confused.

- Why believe what the women said, when women in the first century had no credibility? Women were not thought capable of being reliable witnesses in those days.

- But, more than that, why didn't they believe what Jesus himself told them in the first place?

- They didn't believe because they heard from Jesus and from the Scriptures what they wanted to hear, their own preconceived notions.

- They brought their assumptions to the biblical text and the voice of Jesus, which is a natural human tendency, and "tried to cut a piece onto it."

- But, as I said before, measure twice and cut once; you can't cut a piece onto it and that is why they were so confused.

- So Jesus cleared the air of their confused minds on the road 2000 years ago.

- He explained to them that the whole Old Testament points to the life and ministry, suffering and death, resurrection, and return of Messiah, revealing the Scriptures' purpose.

- The Hebrew Scriptures, i.e., the Old Testament was the only Bible of the early first century. At that time, there was no New Testament. As of yet, it was unwritten.

- And so Jesus took them through "the writings of Moses and all the prophets," which is an expression referring to the entire Old Testament, "explaining to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

- The songwriter was right, 100% correct, "it's all about you, Jesus" (The Heart of Worship).

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

* - Again, Luke shared with his readers Jesus correcting the two disciples' misconceptions about Messiah on the Emmaus Road, why? Because the whole of Scripture points to the life and ministry, suffering and death, resurrection and return of Jesus Christ, revealing the Scriptures purpose.

- This morning I want to encourage you again about the authority of Scripture, but especially the Old Testament and I want to encourage you for a few reasons.

- I want to encourage you concerning the Old Testament's authority because the Scriptures' purpose is to point everyone who reads them to Jesus.

- I want to encourage you concerning Old Testament authority because in Jesus, the coming kingdom of God is present and available to everyone.

- I want to encourage you concerning the Old Testament's authority because everyone can access victory over sin, death and decay through a personal relationship with the living Jesus Christ.

- I want to encourage you concerning Old Testament authority as Jesus affirms biblical authority because ultimately it's all about him.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- Throughout the Gospels, we have a written record based on eyewitness testimony to the authority that Jesus recognized in the Scriptures.

- It was in his defense during his temptation in the desert that Jesus defeated Satan three times with the Hebrew Scriptures, it is written, he said.

- While Satan tried to use the Scriptures, he used them inappropriately and Jesus still defeated him with the Scriptures.

- In his many bouts with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus frequently silenced them with these words, "Have you not read?" Of course, he was referring to the Jewish Scriptures, the Old Testament.

- Let's hear again the words of Luke and listen intently for the voice of Jesus and the authority he places in God's words.

*- Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures.

- Why did Jesus tell them they were foolish and slow of heart? Although they knew the Scriptures, they did not understand that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer.

- They did not understand that the coming of the Messiah would not be about politics, power, and military might.

- They did not understand that when Messiah came, he would turn the world's values upside down and put them on display for what they really are rebellion and sin against a loving and just Creator.

- So Jesus began to interpret the Scriptures for them.

- Jesus is the promised offspring whose heel would be bruised as he crushed the serpent's head, Genesis 3.

- Jesus is the one through whom God's promise to Abraham is fulfilled. In him all the families of the earth are blessed, Genesis 12

- As David cried out to God, Jesus became the one crying out in Psalm 22: " My God, my God, why have you, forsaken me?"

- Jesus is the one consumed by his zeal for God's house, Psalm 69.

- Jesus is David's Lord of whom Yahweh said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool," Psalm 110.

- Jesus is the one of whom God has sworn, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek," Psalm 110.

- Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53.

- Jesus is the one who establishes the new covenant of Jeremiah 31, "I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more."

- Jesus is the one who came to Israel riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey, Zechariah 9.

- Jesus is the one who was pierced, Zechariah 12.

- Jesus is the shepherd who was struck and his flock scattered, Zechariah 13.

- Jesus is the messenger of the covenant who suddenly came to the temple, in whom the people delighted, but before whom no one was able to stand, Malachi 3.

* - Jesus is the single-strand that weaves the Scriptures together binding them as one.

- By explaining and interpreting the Old Testament to the two disciples as they walked along the Emmaus Road, Jesus stressed the authority of God's word and the mistake of handling the Scriptures selectively.

- Jesus was completely unlike the religious leaders of his time who had spent their lifetimes totally disregarding the message of God about a suffering servant.

- Jesus wouldn't have just taken them through a few selective texts that point only to the Messiah.

- He would have taken them through the entire story to show them the problem of sin, death, and decay, and how the only thing that could solve this apparent undefeatable problem would be the sacrificial death of God's only begotten Son, himself.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

- Impossible problems call for the God of impossible things to solve.

- By interpreting and outlining the entire Old Testament for the two on the Emmaus Road, Jesus highlighted biblical authority and set an example for his disciples in how to use and understand the Scriptures.

- Jesus is also our example for today.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to follow his example in recognizing the authority of Scripture.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to follow how Jesus understood and applied the Scriptures.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to be open to having our misconceptions about Jesus and God's words corrected, so that we do not misguide others.

- As 21st century disciples of Jesus, Christians need to understand the main purpose of the Scriptures is to point people to Jesus Christ.

- The words of God reveal the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

Sunday, November 3, 2013 "Beginning with the Bible, 3: The Inspired Word."

*Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, New Living Translation (NLT) 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

- We live in an age in which the average person does not make the Christian church a priority in life.

- In fact, much of the secular world views the church and her leaders with cynicism, skepticism, and suspicion.

- Granted, some of this is deserved, but much of it is not.

*- Ever since the popularization of Charles Darwin's, Origin of Species whose thinking was influenced heavily by the old earth, anti-biblical geology of Charles Lyell, we have seen the gradual eroding of biblical Christian values in the Western world and the growing acceptance of billions of years.

*- For good or for ill, I cannot say, but the United Nations has classified Canada as a secular country for the last 15 years.

- We live in an era which denies God, and denies that he has spoken and thus denies the authority of his written word.

- The secular world reasons that if God does not exist then God cannot speak.

- If God cannot speak, then the Bible, which claims to be the written word of God, is irrelevant.

- The Bible, the secular world reasons, therefore, does not apply and is out of place in science, education, justice, government, social welfare, and even the family.

- But what if the secular world is wrong and the claims of the Bible are correct.

*- The source of the Bible, according to the Bible, is the God of the Bible.

*- Because God is the Bible's source, we can trust the Bible's direction, period.

- Paul the apostle wrote to Timothy that the Bible is inspired by God, literally "God-breathed."

*- From the beginning to the end, the Bible claims that God exists.

*- From the first book of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

*- To the last book of the Bible, Revelation 1: 8, Jesus said, "I am the alpha and the omega" says the Lord God, "who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

*- The divine name, Yahweh, by which God chose to reveal himself to his people, that name, is based on the verb, to be.

*- E.g., when Moses asked God at the burning bush who he was, God simply said, "I am that I am. Tell my people, I Am has sent me to you.”

- When Jesus was asked point-blank by the high priest on the night of his betrayal if he was the son of the living God, he said, I Am. God is!

- The Bible claims that God exists.

*- The Bible claims that God speaks.

*- From the very beginning of Scripture, we read at least 11 times in Genesis 1, "God said."

*- The prophets, who acted as God's spokespersons, record for us over 2000 times, "Thus says the Lord."

*- John, the apostle and gospel writer, called Jesus the Word in the first chapter of his gospel. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."

*- Hebrews 1:1-2, New Living Translation (NLT), "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.  And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe."

- The Bible claims God exists and that God speaks.

*- The Bible also claims to be God's written word.

- Paul told Timothy that All Scripture, meaning the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, is God-breathed.

- The Bible is no ordinary book.

*- The author of Hebrews wrote, "The word of God is alive and powerful...It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." (Hebrews 4:12)

*- Peter wrote, (2 Peter 1:20-2,1NLT) Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

*- Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians14:37, "If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, he should acknowledge that what I write to you is the Lord’s command." 

*- Proverbs 30:5-6 says: Every word of God proves true.  He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

*- Consider 1 Peter 1:23-25, NLT: "Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal living word of God. As the Scriptures say, 'People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.' And that word is the Good News that was preached to you." 

- The Bible claims to be the written word of God.

*- Now the skeptic might say, beyond what the Bible claims about itself, how do I know the Bible's testimony is true, that it is real history?

- A number of things may be said, in answer to such a question. Allow me to briefly touch on a few.

- Many are skeptical of the history recorded in the Bible, but time and again, the Bible's record of history is shown to be accurate.

*- While some skeptics continue to deny that Jesus Christ ever existed, the truth is that no credible historian questions that Jesus of Nazareth was a real person who lived in the first century.

- One could say truthfully that the evidence for his person and his activities outside the Scriptures is evidence enough that he was a real person.

*- There is little doubt among trustworthy historians that the four Gospels represent the testimony of eyewitnesses.

*- Not only was Jesus a historical person of whom we have eyewitness accounts, but over 50 prophecies relating to the Messiah were fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

- These prophecies were recorded in Scripture (i.e., in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament) more than 400 years before his birth.

*- While many are skeptical of the Bible, the fact remains that archaeologists continually use the Bible as a reference point and a guide to aid them in the numerous fantastic discoveries that have been made over the last two centuries.

- Archaeologists are uniquely dependent upon the Bible.

- They trust no other ancient book in the same manner because it proves true time after time.

*- biblicalarchaeology.org/free-ebooks/ has several free ebooks which you can download at your leisure to read more about the Bible and archaeology.

*- Another answer for the skeptics is in the power of the Scriptures.

*- Hebrews tells us that the Scriptures are "able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

- Paul wrote to Timothy that the Scriptures are profitable.

*- The Bible is "useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."

*- Through the activity of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life as one reads the Scriptures, understands them and applies them prayerfully, then the Christian becomes a new person, totally changed.

- The Bible claims that God exists. The Bible claims that God speaks. The Bible claims to be the written word of God.

- If God exists, if God speaks and if God has given his written words, then his words are not irrelevant, out of place or useless in the secular world.

- In fact, the Bible's words apply to the secular world and the secular world needs God's words in these times of unrestrained immorality, corruption, and greed.

- As Paul said to Timothy, the Bible is useful.

- The Bible has authoritative words from God that apply in science, education, justice, government, and social welfare not merely in the arena of religious belief, but all of life.

- Because the Bible is God-breathed and, as such, his very words, then at a minimum the Bible is useful in teaching the truth, in pointing out what's wrong with us, in correcting our immoral behavior and in teaching us to do what's right.

*- Because God is the Bible's source, we can trust the Bible's direction, period.

*- Two weeks ago we learned: The Bible lights our thought paths so we can walk with Christ in obedient faith.

- If the Bible is going to be that light to guide Christian living, then we have to trust what it says is from God.

*- Last week we learned: Rightly understanding the Bible equips God's people for living rightly.

- If Christians are going to be equipped for right living, then we have to trust that the Bible is an authoritative word from God.

- As Paul wrote Timothy, "God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."

- When we know the truth, when we know right from wrong, and are able to act for justice and what's right, then will the Christian and the Christian church be equipped to follow God's mission to redeem the whole world from bondage to sin, death, and decay.

*- Because God is the Bible's source, we can trust the Bible's direction, period.