Why The Bible Is All You Need

Read 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “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.”

Introduction

How many of are excited for winter break, raise your hand?

Why?

Getting through almost half the school year is tiring.

When you add up all the tests, and extracurricular activities, and your family or friends, it can all build up stress in your life.

A recent poll shows that people are 5x more likely to be stressed during Christmas season.

And that’s what’s also going in 2 Timothy.

If you didn’t know, this is the last letter Paul wrote in the bible.

It was his last letter because he was imprisoned again during the reign of Emperor Nero who was infamous for burning Christians at night to use them as lamps on the streets.

You can probably guess where this is going, Paul was executed after this letter.

Writing this letter, Paul knows that this time he wouldn’t be released.

He knew that because at this time the world became increasingly darker and intolerant of Christians, seeking to destroy Christians.

But not only were there external persecution from the Roman government but also internal attacks from false teachers within the church.

Look at the top of ch.3 where it says, ‘in the last days difficult times will come.

So this is the world of 2 Timothy.

A world of darkness and increasing hostility against Christians.

A world where the answer to all of life’s problems is ‘quit Christianity.’

Some of you might feel like quitting too.

You know what God’s answer to all of these problems and increasing stress in their lives?

God’s answer is, ‘you need the Bible’!

That’s why the title for today’s sermon is: Why The Bible is All You Need!

I want to encourage you to not give up but to keep going.

And that if you feel like your tank is running low, then let the Bible be your refueling station!

So today I want to encourage you guys to finish strong!

1. The Bible is all you need to _____ (v.14)

1. The Bible is all you need to last (v.14)

Look at v.14, ‘But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them’

Unlike those false teachers, Paul calls out Timothy to continue in things that he has learned.

These are things he learned from Paul himself when it says, ‘knowing from whom you have learned them’

Now what are these ‘things’? It’s obviously scripture which we see explained as ‘Holy Scriptures’ in v.15 and also again in v.16 when Paul describes ‘all scripture’ as ‘inspired’.

So what Paul is saying to Timothy is, ‘continue in what you learned from the scripture!’

Continue!

Don’t stop running the race.

Don’t stop reading your bible.

Think about it, why is Paul telling Timothy to continue? ask question

Because many people have stopped!

Maybe some of you have stopped.

Maybe some of you got so busy with sports and school, that you forgot to read your Bible!

Don’t stop students!

Continue in what you learned from the Bible!

Remember what you learned from the Bible.

Because The Bible is all you need to last.

The Bible is all you need to hang on.

Turn to Matt 4:9-11 where we see the power of the Bible make us endure temptation.

Matthew 4:9–11 (ESV)

And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

When Jesus was tempted with hunger,

when Jesus was tempted with taking pride in His power to summon angels,

when Jesus was tempted with the world’s treasures what was the only thing he needed?

The Bible.

Jesus told Satan to be gone!

Why wasn't that enough?

I mean when Jesus casted out demons why didn’t He quote the Bible every time He did so?

It’s because Jesus wanted to teach us the power of the Bible.

To Jesus, The Bible was all he needed to last, to endure the temptations of Satan.

And if Jesus the Son of God only needed scripture how much more we?

When the world is telling you,

All you need to last is this inappropriate thing online,

all you need is money,

all you need is this relationship,

all you need is success in school,

all you need is friends,

or all you need is family,

Remember Jesus!

That all he needed to last was the Bible!

Now it doesn’t mean those things are bad, but it means you must prioritize God’s Word in your life. God priority picture

2. The Bible is all you need to be _____ (v.15)

2. The Bible is all you need to be wise (v.15)

This is what we see when Paul writes, ‘and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,

Some of you might be thinking, ‘why am I here?’

Is being here actually helpful?

But as we see here, one of the most helpful things to become wise as a Christian is to learn at an early age.

One reason why Timothy became wise as a young man was because he learned the Bible as a youth.

And that’s why we’re here students.

We’re here to help you learn the Bible early.

And when you start to question why you’re here, remember that learning now early, will impact your entire life for the better.

Because The Bible makes you wise.

And that’s what Paul is saying in the next phrase,

‘which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Isn’t there wisdom to learn even from successful unbelievers?

Like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Etc.

Sure, there are.

We can learn how to work hard, earn lots of money, and be successful from them.

But sometimes we settle for too little.

Sometimes our standards are too low.

Maybe the wisdom you have heard is, ‘be a good person, start a business that makes good money, and retire by 40, have a nice home and a family.’

But what is wisdom to God?

The ultimate wisdom is to repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved.

Real wisdom is getting saved, Paul says, that’s why he says, ‘wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.’

Mark 8:36 says,

Mark 8:36 (ESV)

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

What wisdom is it to gain all the riches by listening to all the wisdom of the world’s most successful people?

What wisdom is it to retire by 40, and have the home and family of your dreams?

But then go to hell?

Students if you don’t know Jesus, finding the love of your life and becoming very wealthy isn’t going to prevent you from facing eternal judgement.

That’s not wise, that’s dumb.

When you follow the wisdom of the world

You are left with foolishness.

When the world says, ‘life is too short’ it seems wise right?

Students life is not too short.

Life is too long.

Life is too long to enjoy it only temporarily but ruin it for eternity with sin.

That’s why Jesus said what does it profit a man to gain everything but lose his soul?

Because hell is too long.

Whenever you hear something ask in your mind,

Is it biblical?

Because The Bible is all you need to be wise.

Proverbs 9:10 (ESV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

3. The Bible is all you need to be ________ (v.16-17)

3. The Bible is all you need to be complete (v.16-17)

This is what we see in the final two verses, ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, throughly equipped for every good work.’

Many think Bible is just the New Testament.

Just Matthew, Mark, Luke John, or Ephesians, and Colossians.

But Paul says, ’All scripture is inspired’

The word inspired can also be translated as, ‘breathed out’.

Meaning all scripture is God breathed.

That all scripture comes from the very mouth of God, not merely from the mouths of people.

And that’s right ‘all’ scripture.

Not just the NT,

But the OT as well.

Luke 24:25–27 (ESV)

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus on the Emmaus road taught the disciples that the scriptures are all about him.

And Matthew, Mark, Luke, John weren’t even written yet.

They only had the OT.

Application

Do you read only certain parts of the bible?

Do you avoid others?

Do you only pick and choose verses?

Many of you are picky eaters!

But don’t be picky with the Bible!

Read the entire bible!

Because ‘all’ scripture is God breathed!

And that’s why scripture makes you complete.

Because nothing else in the world is God breathed.

Nothing else in the world is perfect but scripture.

That’s why you can trust the bible.

Paul then goes on to explain what exactly makes scripture profitable.

Doctrine, and reproof he says.

Many people don’t correct with the bible anymore.

Instead only talk about how much you are a good person.

And that you have the power within yourself to do good, making people feel proud about themselves.

But the Bible says that scripture is not for puffing people up but for correcting.

We are too afraid of telling people that they need to change their path and follow Jesus.

To afraid to tell people that they are sinners in need of Jesus.

Next he says, correction, meaning to restore.

Some people are on the extreme end and just beat up people with the bible.

Like beating a dead horse.

The dead horse is not getting back up.

This is why Paul reminds that scripture is also correcting.

We can’t just rebuke all the time.

We need to help people.

We need to restore people with compassion.

That’s what Jesus did,

Matthew 9:36 (ESV)

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

So we need both.

We need to be willing to challenge people to the truth, and to also be encouraging and compassionate towards others.

These are all wonderful benefits of scripture.

But they lead all to one thing.

They lead you to be ‘complete’ it says in v.17

Paul is saying that the Bible is all you need to be complete.

That you don’t need anything else but scripture.

And Paul also says that it makes you thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Some of you who play sports, know that you need equipment in order to play.

Baseball for example, you need a bat that costs hundreds of dollars. baseball equipment picture

And if it wears out you need another bat that costs hundreds of dollars.

And then you need a glove that costs hundreds of dollars, and then you need different gloves depending on the exact position.

We haven’t even gotten to the shoes and everything else.

It’s expensive.

And without all the equipment, you can’t play.

Students, The Bible provides all the equipment you need to play the game of life.

The Bible provides the helmet, the breastplate, the sword, etc.

Need something to protect your mind?

The Bible’s got that.

Need something to take down the temptations in your life?

That Bible has that too.

Scripture is all you need to a complete Christian.

Scripture is all you need to obey God and overcome sin.

This is the exact opposite of our culture.

Who says scripture is not enough.

But just some man made document.

Who are you going to believe?

God’s word or man?

Conclusion

That’s the challenge today

Is the Bible all you need or not?

Gospel