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.