You Can Trust the Word of God

John 8:31-32

Despite it’s critics, the Bible remains the best selling book year after year!  It is the most translated book in the world!  It is the most read book in the world!  Odds are you yourself own more copies of the Bible than you do any other book in your home!  It is - by far - the most influential book ever written!

Our series explores how we can learn, love and live from the Word of God.  Last week we saw that the Bible should be the foundation of our lives, and we looked at 4 ways to begin that process.  This morning we’re going to look at the trustworthiness of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, the Holy Bible.  

When it comes to the topic of Biblical truth, it really does matter who you listen to. Time Magazine, December 1995 - quotes John Van Seters of the University of North Carolina.  “There was no Moses, no crossing of the sea, no revelation on Mount Sinai.”  These types of stories should not worry or trouble us.  A book this influential is guaranteed to have nay sayers and critics.  This should not be a surprise to us.  

Timothy warned the Church long ago, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths,” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

THESIS:  THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO SEE HOW THE BIBLE IS FACT - HOW IT IS THE TRUSTED WORD OF GOD.  YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE BECAUSE…

IT IS HISTORICAL

Why is the Bible accurate?  Because God cannot lie!  Hebrews 6:18, “It is impossible for God to lie.”  Psalm 33:4, “The word of the LORD is right and true.”

Jim Wallace is a retired Los Angelos Cold-case Homicide Detective - who decided to use his investigate skills to determine if he could trust the Bible.  So he did.  He applied adductive reasoning, the nature of circumstantial evidence, eye witness testimony, language, and chain of custody - and he concluded that the Bible is historically reliable. 

IT IS SCIENTIFIC

While the Bible is not a science textbook, and doesn’t use scientific language - it never gives bad science!  And there’s a very simple explanation for this - the laws of the universe are God’s laws!  Psalm 148:3-6, “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.  Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away.

Science is always changing.  The Louvre Library has 3 1/2 miles of old, out dated, obsolete science books.  In 1861 the French Academy of Science published “51 Incontrovertible Scientific Facts that prove the Bible is Wrong.”  Today, all 51 facts have been proven wrong by Science!

IT IS AUTHORITATIVE

By authoritative, we mean the Word of God.  Now, folks say “how can God be the author, if Matthew, Mark and Luke are the authors?”  It’s called dual authorship - the idea that the Bible was written by both God and humans.  It’s a divine-human collaboration.  Each book has it’s authors unique style, flavor and phraseology - but the content is God’s.  This is how Timothy and Peter - two different people - can say the same thing with their own unique style.   2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in at righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Peter 1:21, “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Bible is one book containing 66 books.  It was written - by 40 different authors, over 1,600 years, in over 12 countries and 3 continents, in at least 3 languages, by people of all walks of life (farmers, kings, soldiers, shepherds, princes, priests, historians, fisherman, tax collectors, scholars, businessmen, MDs), and in a variety of places (caves, ships, palaces, prisons and deserts) - AND YET IT IS AMAZINGLY THEMATIC.

It is the most miraculous book in existence!  It’s consistency and theme are attributed to the fact that it was influenced, inspired and directed by God Himself!

IT IS LIFE CHANGING

Nothing can change your life like the Word of God.  Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” (John 8:31-32).  Do you believe everything you read online?  No, of course not.  The reason the authority and inerrancy of God’s Word is so important is because your salvation depends on it!  

Next Sunday we will dive deeper into the transforming power of the Word of God.  But this morning, let me leave you with a challenge.  What do you trust to be the authority for your life?  The world of man or the Word of God?  Everyone - whether they realize it or not - is putting their trust in something or someone to shape their worldview.  Paul reminds us in Romans 12 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Living My Life from the Word of God

James 1:19-25

In Matthew 7 Jesus tells a parable of building a house on a solid foundation verses a not-so solid foundation.  He ends the parable by relating it to our life and the Word of God.  If we build out life on the Word of God we can survive anything that comes our way.  Our new sermon series is designed to help with just that - we will be encouraged to learn, love and live the Word of God.

HOW DO WE LIVE OUR LIVES FROM THE BIBLE?

RECEIVE IT - James vv 19-21 “listen” and “accept”

Why are Grainger County tomatoes so good?  Because the soil is prepared to receive the tomato seeds.  Same seed planted in different location yields different results.  Why?  Some soil is prepared to receive it, some not.  Same is true of the Word of God. 

READ IT - vv 22-25 “looks intently into the perfect law”

Two ways to look at yourself in the mirror - quick glance or long stare…

There is a difference in the time we give ourselves to read God’s Word.  There is a difference between squeezing in a reading and reading to know what God is saying to you.  If we are going to love, learn and live the Word of God, we need to create a habit of lingering with God’s Word.

REMEMBER IT - v 25 “continues to do this, not forgetting”

A couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.  Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. "Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?" he asks.  "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?”  “Sure.."  "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" she asks.  "No, I can remember it.”  "Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?”  He says, "I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.”  "I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?" she asks.  Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!”  Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment. "Where's my toast?”

Remembering God’s Word is a big deal.  The opening chapter of the the book of Psalms begins with a call to remember.  “Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…But delights in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.”  Receive it, read it, and remember it - those are the first three things we need to do with God’s Word in order to create a solid foundation for our lives.

RESPOND TO IT - v 22 “do what it says”

James wonders what it profits a person to know all of God’s Scriptures, but do absolutely nothing about it!  How different would that person be from Satan and the demons?  We know from the Bible that the demons could readily identify Jesus - they know His identity and are afraid.  And we also know that Satan knows Scripture - quoting it when he was tempting Jesus.  The difference is in faith, believe and application!

John Wesley was asked about the character of a Methodist and his answer hinged on the Methodist being a Christian who could apply God’s teachings, not just recite them.

Untroubled in a Troubled World

Matthew 24:6-7

In his book, The Millennium Matrix, futurist and consultant Rex Miller says that North America is headed for rough times.  In he wrote,

I was raised in a world that changed more than it stayed the same, with the certain knowledge that tomorrow’s news would bring some new jolting crisis or accomplishment.  Today, I have great concern about the world my children will inherit.  I wonder more than once where the rule book went that seemed to work so well for past generations.

He goes on to describe this as sort of a cultural vertigo - the sensation that the external world is spinning out of control.  He said these things in 2004!  And he argued that no one will be spared - individuals, families, churches, schools, colleges and universities, businesses, and politics - everything will spin from in these turbulent times!

And, our response should be - duh!  Can you say that with me - duh.  “Duh” was introduced into the dictionary in the 1960’s and its used to express something that is obvious.  It’s obvious because we have read the Book - and we not only know how it all ends, but we also know that from time to time things will get pretty rough…pretty scary…down right terrible.  Jesus said that you and I will hear and see things that will make us thing the end is near, but, he said, these things will normal, the end is yet to come.  See to it that you are not troubled.

So, that’s exactly what we’re going to do this morning - we are doing to see to it that we remain untroubled in a troubled world.  And, we are going to do this by remembering three very important secrets.

OUR TIMES ARE IN HIS HANDS

This is the first and perhaps most important point.  Our times are in God’s hands.  Ed Chinn, from Focus on the Family, said, “God orders and administrates life on this planet with a full and varied palette of times and seasons.”

One of the apostle Paul’s most famous sermons was given on Mars Hill at the city council of Areopagus.  This was the same council that listened to Socrates just before they sentenced him to death.  The council had a membership of roughly 100 philosophers; and Paul stood to address the court in Acts 17.  And in his remarks we have something very important about world events and history and divine providence.

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

We might be tempted to think that the world is spinning out of control.  Facebook has tanked, California is on fire, the middle east is still at war, hurricanes are brewing, Russians are meddling, the mid-west is having record heat waves, and tomorrow a new crisis will be upon us!  But guess what?  The sky is not falling.  The world is not ending.  We need to speak truth to chaos like David did in Psalm 31.  “I trust in You, O Lord…my times are in Your hand.” 

I’d like to share one of my favorite illustrations that exemplifies what this looks like in real life.  In Jan 1974, Guidepost interviewed Hollywood’s greatest cowboy - John Wayne!

Are times scary?  Sure.  Are we living in a bit of a cultural vertigo?  I think so.  But the real question is do we trust God?  Do I trust God’s ability to administer life on this planet; on this continent; in our times?  If you and I are going to remain untroubled in a troubled world, then the answer to these questions has to be YES.  My times are in His hands, and I trust God.

OUR TIMES ARE BEAUTIFUL

Now, the first point was the most important, but this one is the most difficult.  It’s difficult because it’s hard to accept that troubling times are beautiful.  But the king Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Everything under heaven has its place - and God has made it beautiful.  I want to show you something that will make you sad.  

Honestly, it’s hard for me to see the beauty in the decline of the church in America.  The Church has been the mother of my Christian faith.  It is here that I have learned how and why to pray, to sing, to serve, to grow in the Holy Spirit.  If you’re like me, and you have a hard time seeing beauty in it - then we could probable use some good ole Job humility.  Do you remember Job?  He and his friends questioned God as to why he was suffering.  God waited until he was finished, and then he reminded Job that if he wanted to see from God’s view that he would need a lot of humility.  God reminded Job that it was Him who created this planet; set the stars in the heavens; and created all the plants and animals.  And that before we - part of the created order - try to question the Creator, we might want to humbly consider whose design this is.

The most difficult point this morning is seeing that our times are beautiful - but with a little humble faith we can recognize that God’s design allows for different seasons and each is beautiful.

OUT TIMES SHOULD NOT WORRY US

This point brings us full circle - back to Jesus’ teaching that we should not be troubled in a troubling world.

I want to show you a picture.  Is it a picture of a log sticking out of the lake, or a tree?  A better question might be why is that tree growing there?  

That tree has decided that it doesn’t matter what’s going on around it - he’s going to grow anyway.  Adapt and overcome is key to surviving and weathering troubling times.  Don’t be gullible or allow yourself to be taken advantage of.  Judge our times with your eyes wild open.  And not being troubled with help you have more patience with others.