What Kind of Church? - A Literate Church

2 Timothy 2:15–16 KJV (WS)

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Introduction

Pew Research Center Surveys: Surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center have indicated that a significant percentage of Americans, including many who identify as Christians, lack basic knowledge about the Bible. For example, studies have shown that a significant portion of Americans cannot name the four Gospels, the first book of the Bible, or the Ten Commandments.

Studying the Bible is a command.

God went through the effort of giving us a written revelations of Himself and His will.

We are so blessed when it comes to the privilege that we have to be able to hold the written word of God in our laps.

God used over 40 different authors to write the 66 books that we have in our Bible.

From the time of the book of Job, a possible contemporary of Abraham, to the book of Revelation by John at the end of the 1st century, it took thousands of years for these writings to be produced.

We should be extremely grateful that God chose to communicate with us through a written record.

A written record is verifiable.

It is not like a verbal record which must be remembered and passed down.

It is not subject to the same level of variation that a verbal testimony would be.

We’ve all played the game telephone at some point in our lives.

Imagine playing that game with a written note.

The chances of lost words goes way down when things are written rather than spoken.

The biggest time gap between an event and it’s writing is probably the events of Genesis.

You might remember who wrote the book of Genesis, though.

It was Moses.

He got to sit up on Mt. Sinai for 40 days with God, Himself.

You don’t think it took God 40 days to come up with the 10 Commandments do you?

Even today there are thousands and thousands of very old scripture fragments which verify the Bible as we have it today.

The Bible can be trusted as an accurate revelation of God.

Too many Christians read too little of it.

The word of God is essential to our spiritual life.

Listen to some of these verses.

Psalm 119:9 “9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

1 Timothy 4:13 “13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

Titus 1:9 “9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

We could, of course, spend all night quoting verses about the importance of the word of God.

The big thing is, will you be reading it tomorrow?

God didn’t suggest that we read His word, He commanded it.

Studying the Bible is essential for Christian work.

We don’t want to be embarrassed or ashamed of our inability to use God’s word.

2 Timothy 2:15 is the theme of our AWANA program.

Even the name AWANA is an acronym for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed.

The picture here is of a workman that doesn’t know how to use the tools of his job.

Not because he wasn’t given any tools.

He has the tools but fails to use them.

If we as a church place a high value on our children learning and memorizing the Bible, but we don’t also engage in our own efforts to know the Bible, then we are hypocrites.

Yes, it is essential for our children to learn the Bible.

But, it is equally essential for us to know it too.

You may have grown up in church, you may have grown up memorizing verses, but as you aged, you became less and less involved with reading and studying the Bible.

You felt like you had a good grasp on what was there.

For your age at the time, you might have, but you are not the same now as you were then.

So much has changed about you.

Your interests.

Concerns

Desires

Abilities.

Life situation

The Bible is not just the source of answers for the problems of children.

The Bible is the source of truth for entire lives.

If it has been a long time since you studied the Bible, then you are missing out.

The Bible speaks to us where we are.

Where you are today is different than where you were when you were a child.

The stories that hit you one way in elementary school will hit you in a totally different way in your adult years.

It may be time to revisit some stories you thought you knew.

Barna Group Research: The Barna Group, a research organization focusing on religion and society, has conducted various studies on biblical literacy in the United States. Their research has shown that many Christians have a limited understanding of core biblical teachings and stories.

God has given us His word for a reason.

2 Timothy 3:16 “16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

It is a tool for the workmen of God.

Too many workmen don’t know how to use it.

They should be ashamed.

We must study the Bible.

If we will study the Bible, think about the consequences.

We will not be ashamed, but why will we not be ashamed.

We are workmen; what do workmen do?

They produce.

If we will study the Bible we will increase in our effectiveness at serving the Lord.

Studying the Bible protects you from the paths that lead to ungodliness.

There are so many land mines of philosophy and teaching that threaten God’s people today.

So many of the modern mantras sound pretty harmless.

Believe in yourself.

Follow your heart.

Find your truth.

Love is love.

The Bible gives an answer for all of this.

Believing in yourself is not the path to salvation: Acts 16:31 “31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Following your heart is dangerous: Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Find your truth isn’t even true when it comes to the Bible: 2 Peter 1:20 “20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

Love is clearly defined in 1 Corinthians 13.

The truth of the Bible keeps us safely insulated from error that leads to ungodliness.

Jesus even prayed this for us.

John 17:17 “17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Application

One of the best things that you could do for yourself, your spouse, your children, is to commit to studying the Bible.

We can’t even imagine the way that our church would change if every member studied to become an approved workman.

Bible reading is essential to our spiritual health.