The Word….Is God’s Authority Over Us

Introduction

As we enter into 2025 I want to challenge us as a Church to be a people who are known to Think… Live… and Care… BIBLICALLY!

The Church is not the building, it is the people…more specifically, it is the people who are born again, redeemed, and spiritually alive who come together to be the Church!

The Church is a beautiful mosaic of God’s masterful handiwork.

No where else can we see such a diverse and transcendent work in our world where people willingly commit themselves to one another because of a common, spiritual bond.

God saved me… God saved you… God can save others… So we follow Him together!

This is why as a Church I want to lead us to “be of the same mind” (Phil. 2:2), “look carefully to how you live” (Eph. 5:15), “love one another, just as Jesus has loved us” (John 13:34). All of this is done, not from my will, nor by your will, nor by a collectives will, but all by His will and according to His Word!

As a we move forward as a Church with the desire to Think… Live… and Care… Biblically, the key word here is Biblically!

This is why I want to take a look at and remind us of the incredible blessing and influence of God’s Word as we spend the next several weeks breaking down

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Look at “All Scripture is breathed out by God…”

The Word…Is God’s Authority Over Us.

John 1:1–14 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

1) God’s Word is the Expression and Revelation of Himself to Us. (v. 1-5, 14)

John 1:1–5 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

All scripture is God Breathed…that is God-inspired because it comes directly from Him. It is His revelation and communication that has been supernaturally compiled and preserved for us.

He is our Creator, Originator, and Author

It is only in Him do we find life and light

His Life and Light is not overcome by the evil and darkness of sin and a broken world.

2) God’s Word Speaks for Itself (v. 6-9)

John 1:6–9 ESV

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

This passage tells us that John (the Baptist) came to bear witness about the light, not to be the light Himself.

There are way too many people today who are trying to be the light rather than exploring and bearing witness about the light.

The Word of God is not to be understood in terms of “what does it mean to me…” It is our job to seek out, “What does it mean for me…”

We must seek out God’s Word by how He has revealed it, not by how I am inclined to interpret it.

The Bible cannot mean today what it did not mean to the original audience. The application to us may look differently but the meaning has not changed.

3) God’s Word Redefines and Refines Us (v. 10-13)

John 1:10–13 ESV

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Only God, our Creator, has the Authority to redefine and reshape our lives.

Though we were created by Him, because of our sin, we could not recognize and know Him apart from His Word coming to us.

Even the people whom He chose for Himself did not recognize Him when He came directly to them.

For those who do receive Him and recognize Him, He redefines us from being in a state of not able to know Him or recognize Him to becoming His children!

All of this is not on our own merit nor by our own will, but by Him and His will.

He is the One who has revealed Himself through His Word, which directs us to His Son who is God’s revelation of Himself to us that we might know Him!

CLOSING

God, who is our Creator and the only One who can save us redeem us is our Highest Authority.

He reveals Himself to us through His Son, Jesus.

through His Spirit, He supernaturally complied and preserves His revelation of Jesus to us in His Word.

This is the reason we turn our attention, ambition, and adoration to the Word of God!

It is God’s authority over us because it is the revelation of the revelation of Himself to us through Jesus.

Historically, Baptist are known for being “a people of the book”. Unlike most of our protestant brothers and sisters, we do not rely upon a hierarchical structure that is steeped in traditions and orders. We look to the Bible as our sole authority and rely solely upon it!

I want to ask every head bowed and every eye closed…right where you sit this morning, would you be willing to commit to being “a person of the book”?

Would you be willing this morning to say that you believe the Bible is God’s Authority over you?

Would you be willing to say “I believe that All Scripture is God breathed” and therefore I will commit to knowing God through His Word?

If that’s you this morning…would you stand right where you are?