Believing the Bible

Psalm 119:160 NIV

160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Tonight, we are going to talk about… the Bible.

And someone might ask, “Don’t we talk about the Bible every time we have service?” And my answer would be, “We talk about what the Bible says to us every service, but we don’t talk about the Bible itself in most services.”

And I start off with a question that I want your answers to… What is the Bible?

Secondly, I want you to answer this question honestly… what is the Bible to you?

You may know what the Bible is… but what is this book to you? What kind of impact does its words make in your life?

The Bible is a book that is unlike any other book on the planet… no really… it is that unique.

The Bible was written down by at least 40 different human authors.

Those different books and letters were written through the course of about 1,500 years.

All of these books were written by authors who wrote down what God told them to write down.

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

This verse tells us a lot because when you think of it… how in the world did over 40 authors coordinate their efforts to create a book that would tell God’s story from the beginning of time to the end of time? How did they know what the other wrote down? How did they know how their part would fit in?

The truth is… they really didn’t know. All they had to do was be obedient to what God told them to do and he would take care of the rest of the details.

Think of it this way… in athletics or a band… all the team members have a part to play.

I was a sax player… and I had no idea what the trumpets were playing. The flutes didn’t know what the clarinets were playing, and the tuba didn’t know what the trombones were playing.

But each instrument had its own part. So long as everyone played their part, the band sounded good. And who was it that stood at the front of the band to make sure everyone stayed together? The conductor.

In team sports, you have the same thing.

Team members play different positions and have different responsibilities. So long as everyone stays in their lane, the team will do well. And… the one calling the shots is known as the coach.

In both illustrations you have a team or group of people working together for a common goal. In the case of the Bible, you had many authors over a great deal of time that were all coordinated by God through the Spirit.

Although the words of the Bible were written down by human authors, the words given to the authors came from God himself. That is why it is called… God’s Word.

The Bible is God’s special revelation to us. What does that mean?

First… it is special… it is unique.

Second, it is revealing. The Word of God revels a lot to the reader.

It tells us who God is, what His attributes are, what His character is like, what kind of qualities He displays and so on. The Bible helps us to know who God is.

I also tells us God’s story. It tells us His plan. The Bible literally covers all of time… from the beginning of time to the end of time. This book tells us what has happened… what is happening… and what will happen… and it also tells us why.

This really is an incredible book! Problem is… we often take it for granted. Problem is… many people in our culture see it in the wrong sense.

Many will try to say that this book is old fashioned. Many people will say that it is fairy tales… it is bed time stories… yet all of the events line up with history.

When the Bible talks about mountains, rivers, cities, nations, kings, land areas, and so forth, they are all places and people that actually existed! That cannot be said of other books of so-called faith.

So I want to go back to one of the questions I asked a moment ago: What is the Bible to you?

I don’t want a view that someone else told you… I want to know what this book means to you? Does it mean anything? Is reading it a part of your life? Do you understand why God gave it to us in the first place? Do you… believe it?

Why should I believe the Bible?

Remember we started a new series that is talking about truth. Last week we talked about how truth exists and if something is true… but we don’t believe it’s true… our unbelief doesn’t make the truth any less true.

Our world is desperately searching for truth. The problem is… people are only wanting truth that lines up with how they feel or with how they think.

Truth… is a constant. It doesn’t change based off perspective and it doesn’t change based off agenda. Truth is truth.

IF a person really wants to know the truth and to live by the truth… then it is the person that will most likely have to change in order for truth to become a part of their reality.

This is ESPECIALLY true when we are talking about the Bible. PEOPLE WANT TRUTH, but People do not want to change. People often what the truth to affirm who they are and what they do instead of changing to affirm what truth really is.

The Bible is God’s truth. If a person believes in God and they want to know God and they want to do life His way… then this book becomes an instruction manual of how to live life to the full.

But… if a person believes in God but he or she wants to do life their own way, then this book becomes nothing more than a book taking up space on the shelf. This doesn’t mean the Bible is any less true, it simply means that person is not willing to apply God’s truth to their life.

What the Bible is...

God wants nothing but the best life for you. This book helps us to know two things:

One, what that best life looks like

Two, how it is we get to and maintain that best life.

Jesus tells us in John 14:6

John 14:6 NIV

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Look at what He said:

He is the WAY

He is the TRUTH

He is the LIFE

This means that Jesus is the KEY in all of this. Jesus said earlier in John 10:10

John 10:10 NIV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Your best life is found in Jesus. Life to the full or life more abundantly is found in Jesus. That best life is a life free from sin. That best life is a life that will not perish. In other words, you have received the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Your best Life is lived by the Word. This book is given that you may know the way to God’s goodness. It was given that we can steer clear of sin and the darkness of this world in order to be in fellowship with God who is the light! The truth in this book, truly has the power to set your life free today!

John 8:31–32 NIV

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The truth will set us free from what? From the bondage of sin and destruction!

The truth is given that no matter the circumstance, we can live free from sin! Living by the Word doesn’t mean we will not have trouble in this world, but living by the Word means we can overcome any trouble in this world!

Jesus said this in Matthew 7:24-27

Matthew 7:24–27 NIV

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

The Bible is a steady foundation for life… a rock that won’t move. The Bible is a standard that will not shift. It is foundation that can make it through the fiercest storm.

You might know what that storm feels like. You might know what it feels like to have the wind and the waves beat against your life… you may know what it feels like to be tossed around by the storm.

God wants you to know what it fells like to be able to stand through such a storm… He wants to empower you with His truth. But you must make the choice to takes these words and live by them.

What the Bible Isn’t

How many book readers do we have in the room… I mean you like to read as a hobby?

I’ve talked to many readers who will talk about the fiction and non fiction books they have read in the last few months and I’ve heard a statement said that caught my attention - specifically with non fiction titles.

“The author got it right in some place, but I didn’t agree with some of what he or she had to say.” The reader liked 85% of the content but there was about 15% of the book that they didn’t come into agreement with.

The Bible is a book, that we either take 100% of or we take none of it. The Bible is NOT a book that we can pick what we like and throw the rest out. When it comes to believing the Bible… it’s either all or nothing.

Do you know what a smorgasbord is? No… it is not a board used for beating smurfs. It is a Swedish term used to describe a certain type of meal setup… we know this setup as the great buffet!

Know what I love about buffets? It is pick and choose… you walk the line of food and take what you want and you leave the rest!

Nobody puts things like peas or beans or mayonnaise, or mushrooms, or fish, or anything that I do not like to eat on my plate. Why? Because I’m serving myself… therefore… I choose what I take in.

A lot of people approach the Bible in this way… they pick and choose what they take in. They pick and choose what to believe and not to believe. The problem with this approach is… that person is serving their self… when instead… believers are supposed to be serving God.

When we truly serve God, this means we take Him at His Word… His ENTIRE Word. This means our live come into alignment with what His Word says - not vice versa.

Go back to the house illustration Jesus used in Matthew 7.

What would happen if you built a foundation that was only 80% complete… and then placed a house on it? When the storm comes… where do you imagine the point of failure will be?

Ever heard the phrase “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link?” You can have the world’s strongest chain that has one link that is bad. That one link compromises the integrity of the rest of the chain.

When you leave and area in your life open for compromise… you have purposely created a spiritually weak point open for attack.

The Bible is meant to be a COMPLETE foundation in your life… not just a portion.

Closing

So… what is the Bible to you? I do not expect an answer tonight… but this is what I would encourage you to do. START READING THE BOOK.

We have a couple of amazing tools we would like to put in your hands… or rather on your phone! On the screen is a QR code that I want you to scan with your cell phone. This will take you to a web site for what is called RightNow Media.

QR CODE SLIDE

RightNow Media is a huge library of video Bible studies that I believe will help you and encourage you in your walk with the Lord. IT’S FREE! And it is something I think you will enjoy.

All you have to do is enter your email and create a password. This will give you full access to the library.

It’s kind of like Netflix for the Bible. And I want you to have it. Why? Because I believe it will help you in multiple ways.

It will help you DISCOVER the truth that is the Word of God.

It will help you DEVELOP a life lived by the truth that is the Word of God.

It will help you DEPLOY in the calling God has for you.

The next few weeks we are going to utilize a bible study that comes from RightNow media.

It will serve as an introduction for what this ministry library has for you.

It goes right along with what we are talking about regarding truth. In fact, here is a clip that will introduce the study we will be watching.

PLAY VIDEO CLIP

The world is looking for truth… you might be looking for truth. This book, the Word of God IS TRUTH.

Are you willing to place your thoughts aside… and believe in the thoughts… the TRUTH God has for you?

Isaiah 55:8 NIV

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

IF you want what God has for you… then it’s time to embrace the truth God has given us.

Pray