The B-I-B-L-E

Intro

My moment of doubt in seminary

I doubted my faith because I doubted Scripture

God hadn’t left me, but allowed me to stumble through my doubt

Even when I don’t see it He’s working

The Church helped keep me anchored

Strengthened my faith and understand

If we don’t have Scripture then what we believe about God is what we feel, think and understand

God is much more than we can possibly understand

Our Text

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Breathed out by God

Man written, God inspired

Profitable

Reproof, correction, training

Scripture transforms us

Man of God

Man not child

Of course women are included

No other text is as liberating to women as the Bible

May be complete

We improve through Scripture, the word of God

Equipped for every good work

The Bible is wisdom beyond measure

The Miracle of Scripture

Written over 1,400 years with over 35 different authors

Tells a consistent narrative

Writings are thousands of years old

No other religious text has as many manuscripts

Thousands of manuscripts

Scrutinized like no other text

Consistently accurate

What inconsistencies there are, are inconsequential

Prophetic

Scripture foretold of what was to come

What Jesus Said About Scripture

Luke 24:44 ESV

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Mark 12:36 ESV

David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

Embarrassing Moments In Scripture

One of the things that points to the Bible’s message, accuracy, and truthfulness are the embarrassing moments. If someone, or even multiple people, were making this stuff up they wouldn’t include passages that talk about the failings of its heroes.

Abraham was scared and lied multiple times about Sarah being his wife

Moses killed a guy

David committed adultery then murder to try and cover it up

Peter denied Jesus

Paul persecuted Christians, including murder

Another embarrassing claim from Scripture is that Jesus died, of course He rose again

Christians were persecuted for worshipping a dead God

Christians were persecuted for claiming the resurrection

These are not claims someone would make if they were simply trying to get people to follow them

Formation of Scripture

Apostolic authorship

What is useful for the churches

Scriptural content

Date written

The New Testament has been vetted for over 2,000 years

So What

The Bible makes some amazing claims

Miracles

Our salvation

The promises of God now and to come

We need to know what the Bible says

Some of it is difficult

Some of it we will never fully understand

God has given us grace to ask questions and seek Him out

It is all true

Think about how much God loves you that He has given you this text

The Bible is worth every bit of energy we can spend on it

The Easter story is true