The Sword Is Still Sharp

Hebrews 4:12–13 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Prayer, Acknowledgments,

Theme: Community Revival - Remaining Relevant

Introduction

Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m seeing and hearing things that I’m only imagining. Maybe I’m overthinking the matter. It seems there is an attempt to nullify, neutralize, and negate the word of God.

Is it me or are there people trying to dilute the word of God and takedown from the purpose God intended it to be. There is an attempt to replace God’s word with some sort of strange doctrine. There is an attempt to get people who have trusted in the word of God to question it and come up with a watered-down version.

Some people, yes, even preachers are saying “we’re living in a different time, with different people, and it’s not like it used to be”. Some people are saying we should change how we do things in the church so people will come. If we stand on this page of the Bible, people will be offended. If we stand on that page in the Bible people will call us bigots or hateful. Some people who have known the Lord for a very long time are now more interested in satisfying the itchy ears of the people who would rather hear the lie they are alright living unrighteous lives before God.

I admit there has been some people hurt by the church. I admit some of us are mean-spirited and can be judgmental but that doesn’t change the truth in the Word of God.

I want to let you know there is no failure in God. There is no failure in His word. His word is relevant because He is a God who doesn’t change. He has already told us in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

If we are to remain relevant, we have to stick to what is written. The Word of God is considered as a sword in Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”

The thought for this evening’s message is; “The Sword Is Still Sharp.”

The Word Of God Is Living And Powerful

The word of God, our Bible is more than just a book of history, laws and stories. IT IS LIVING AND IT PRODUCES...

There are many who use God’s word for cliches and catchy phrases. But do we realize these are words of power we can use to help us?

Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through Christ...”

Romans 8:28 - “…all things work together for good...”

2 Corinthians 5:7 - “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Do we fully understand that God’s word is for us to overcome sin and obstacles in our life? But we quote His words and hear His words and turn around and forget when the world pressures us. Some of us forget to be about the verses we quote...

James 1:23-24 says “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

The word of God initiates change in the spiritual and the physical areas of our lives. His words accomplish what He intends...

God, through the mouth of Isaiah 55:11 said “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

The word of God is more than a book to be passed around and left on a table at home or the dashboard of our cars. It is living and has the power to dynamically change the hearts of man that will change a wayward life to make us free.

The Word Of God Is Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword

The Roman soldier carried a double edged sword that cut going in and cut going out. Any way the solder swung his sword it was going to cut the soldier’s adversary. It was sharp enough to thrust through bone to sever the opponents limbs.

The word of God is a sword that cuts deep into us to reveal what’s hidden. It filets our hearts to expose the deceit that lives within. We know according to Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

God can. The sword lays us open and we become naked and open to the eyes of Him whom we must give account.

Discerner Of The Thoughts And Intents Of The Heart

The word of God discerns what’s in us, especially what will hinder us from spending an eternity with Him.

All of us have thoughts we wouldn’t tell anyone about. Maybe because it’s embarrassing, or maybe those thoughts would let everyone know we’re not who we make ourselves out to be. We can hide those thoughts from our family and friends, but the word of God discerns our thoughts and intents of the heart.

God can see our attitudes toward Him and other people. He knows if we really love Him enough to love others...

Conclusion

In order to remain relevant, there has to be a desire to keep the word relevant by living it out for those who haven’t come to repentance yet...

The sword is still sharp enough to rekindle the fire that seems to have burned out in our church.

The sword is still sharp enough because it’s living and powerful enough to change entire communities.

The reason we have what we have in our communities is due to the lack of God’s word penetrating the hearts of people.

There was a time when sin would walk in the door of a church and sit way in the back. Now it parades itself to the front...

There was a time when the church was like Job. We treasured the words from God’s mouth more than our necessary food. Now we come in the door eagerly waiting for the benediction before the invocation starts.

There was a time when people couldn’t wait for the choir to sit down so they could hear the words the Lord sent through the preacher. Now there is a strong desire to be entertained while the word of God becomes an inconvenience...

To show how important the word of God is, I want to take you back to the time when Jesus was in the wilderness, about to come out of a 40 day fast...

The devil tempted Jesus to command the stones to become bread - Jesus responded with it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The devil tempted Jesus to throw himself down from a high pinnacle - Jesus responded with it is written you shall not tempt the the Lord your God.

Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and told Him if He bowed down and worship him, the devil would give Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory - Jesus responded with Away from me Satan for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only will You serve.

Jesus used the very thing people are trying to take down and that’s the word of God.

The sword is still that powerful, sharp and discerning today. It is still relevant no matter what anyone says!

Let the word do what it does and allow it to shape you into someone who is more like Jesus!