CORE VALUE SERMON: THE WORD OF GOD

CORE VALUES SERMON By Warden Bob Knapp August 26, 2012 The Importance of the Word of God Why is the Word of God important? Does it lead you in your daily walk through the trials and tribulations of your day? Do you try to apply God’s word often in your life and live by it? What parts of God’s Word do you know well enough to apply in your life on any given day? Which of God’s teachings are you most confident in and which do you need to study more? Or, do you not altogether rely on God’s Word that much on a daily basis? If not, is that because you don’t know it that well or maybe because you might lack confidence in using it? Do you have coworkers, family or friends who have criticized you for following or using God’s Word? Do you find that some people in your life support your faith, some ignore it, and some even undermine it? When was the last time you took a real risk to apply God’s Word in your life? What are you doing each day to strengthen your faith and make your knowledge of God’s Word stronger? Let’s consider what Bible experts say about the importance of the Word of God. A. The Gideons’ description of the Bible shows that the Word of God has the greatest worth of all. (Psalm 138:2) The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a wine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. B. Christians believe that the Word of God is alive and that God’s signature is behind God’s Word. Jeremiah 1:12 says “The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled."” Another interpretation of the importance of the Word of God, as described here in Jeremiah 1:12, is this: “The thing seen is a very proper emblem of what I am about to do, and the quick dispatch that will be made therein: for l will hasten my word to perform it.” Biblical historians believe that these words in Jeremiah are referring to the almond tree as an example of God’s Word. The almond tree is the first tree to flower in January, and its fruit is ripe by March. Therefore God’s Word is the first to flower, and quickly ripen, and it brings forth much fruit for those who hear it, read it, and study it. C. Biblical scholars teach that there are five things we need to do to better grasp the Word of God on a daily basis and to get God’s Word into our heart. We need to hear, read, study, memorize and meditate on the Word of God. We need to feed on the Word of God to be healthy Christians. Jeremiah 15:16 says: “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.” D. In John 6 Jesus spoke with his disciples about the Word of God and Jesus said: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of the disciples did not believe and would betray him. 65 Jesus went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 And from that time many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer followed Him. 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” E. As Christians, we believe that Jesus Himself is the Word of God made flesh. John 1:1 says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And John 1:14 goes on to say: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” As we feed on the Word of God we grow and develop the various gifts that God gave us – gifts that God provided to us for an intended mission or ministry of His design. It is for us to discover through faith what God intends for us to do, to best serve Him. And by feeding on the Word of God we feed on Christ. Once again referring to the five things we need to do to better grasp the Word of God each day (hear, read, study, memorize and meditate on the Word of God), now let us consider what it says in Nehemiah 9:3 about these special tools for dividing God’s Word: “They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God, for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.” We must not only hear the Word of God, but also read it and strive to understand it, in order to better apply it in our lives. If we have to struggle in a given situation, we must remember that it is a blessing of itself to be “free enough” to struggle - as we go along on our Christian walk, and far better than if we had to “struggle to be free” as those in less fortunate countries have to do. Even in a free society we should remind ourselves that only the Word of God can truly set us free as we struggle each day with temptations and challenges of all kinds. If our country (or any country) should ever take our freedoms for granted, and shun the Word of God, then our freedoms and our blessings would soon begin to leave us. If God’s Word leads us to confession of our sins, we should be thankful to God. If God’s Word leads us to acceptance of Jesus Christ, or to take on a particular mission or ministry, we should be thankful to God. Faith in the Word of God, studied with a sincere heart, leads us in paths of righteousness and to salvation. One interpretation of Mark 4:8 is that some of us will hear God’s Word and use it to bear good fruit multiplying God’s Word thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times. But is hearing the Word enough? G. In Acts 17:11 we learn that just Hearing the Word is likened to only smelling food. You need to consume it after hearing it. 1 Timothy 4:13 says: “Until I come - devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” We need therefore to read the Scriptures, as well as hear them. The value of a meal is not in memorizing a menu. You must consume the Word. The Word has its effect even if we do not have it all memorized. H. 2nd Timothy 2:15 teaches us that we need to study the Word of God to be intelligent Christians. 2nd Timothy 2:15 says: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” In Studying the Word of God we find that there are distinctions between Jewish truth, Gentile truth, and Christian truth that need to be divided, analyzed (broken down), and synthesized (brought together). To help yourself better divide the truth consider that the difference between reading and studying is the presence and use of pencil and paper. I. Another way to look at the characteristics of a good Bible study is to break study down into a five-step process: a. Original investigation – the Epistles were not originally delivered with ten commentaries – the commentaries had to be developed. Original discovery is always the best form of learning. b. Written reproduction – write out your thoughts to develop and refine them. c. Be Systematic and progressive. No doctrine of Scripture is to be interpreted apart from any other doctrine in Scripture. d. Personal application – try to apply scripture to your and in your life every day; God wants much more that you doing things with Him and not as much for Him. What does God need from us? Our love, our worship, our obedience and our fellowship. e. “Pass-on-able” – the lessons you learn must be simple enough that they can be passed on to others. The Navigator Bible Studies are successful because they can be passed on. J. The fourth element of better grasping the Word of God is to memorize the Word in order to be a skillful Christian. The Word of God is for everybody - not just children. The reason for memorizing is to be equipped for interacting with both Christians and non-Christians. The Word of God buried in our hearts is about the only weapon the Holy Spirit has when we start to get out of line. He is able to prick our hearts and consciences through that Word. It is indispensable in personal evangelism. It is easy to be considered an authority on the Scriptures when you have only a few of them memorized. K. The final element of better grasping the Word of God is to meditate on the Word of God to be spiritually fruitful Christians. Joshua 1:3 teaches us that we are to meditate on the Word of God day and night. Meditation is rumination – it is nourishment extracted and it goes into your life. Psalm 37:4 tells us that the Lord comes in the volume of the good book. John 15:5 teaches us that Meditating on the Word transfers Christ’s life into ours. L. After we have finished the five-step process of better grasping the Word of God, we next need to Apply the Word of God to be obedient Christians. We are to do and to teach. James 1:22-24 tells us that the sequence here is important. It is unusual for a person to look into a mirror and not see something that needs an adjustment and not make that adjustment. It is therefore an oddity for a person not to take immediate action when he sees a problem in his character that he needs to work on - after looking into the Word of God. We need to apply what we learn from the Scriptures. M. In Conclusion - Satan’s primary aim is to keep you from God’s Word. In doing this, Satan decreases our effectiveness for God. Our hope is that by learning and grasping the Word of God we develop new patterns of understanding and behavior to help us be victorious for Christ and with Christ. And in order to know Christ better, what would you say are the two most important questions you would ever be asked to answer? -What did you do with the Lord Jesus Christ? -What did you do with the gifts, talents and resources God gave you? If you are not yet prepared to answer these two critical questions, then more knowledge of the Word of God through hearing, reading, studying, memorizing and meditating will certainly help.