Tune in: Reasons to tune in

2 Timothy 3:16

Example: Use the smart board and write “I like to read...” “I read because....” Now you have expectations when you read your favorite book but what are some expectations as you read the Bible?

Intro: Last week we looked at why its worth to study God’s Word and we talked about how the Bible is perfect and was written by God and not written by man. This week we are going to talk about reasons why it is worth studying the Bible. God’s truth in His Word teaches, confronts, redirects, and guides our lives.

1. Bible study is Profitable

Read: 2 Timothy 3:16

Ask: What do you think of when you hear the word profitable or profit? When we read the word profitable we should think of usefulness. God’s Word is useful because it is beneficial when we take time to read it. As we read God’s Word our relationship with our Lord will grow more and more if we allow His Word in our lives.

Read: John 8:32 Ask: In what sense does the Word of God set us free? From the bondage of sin and gives us freedom to serve and enjoy God.

The Bible is useful because God inspired it. God wrote it with our needs in mind. Even before we were born God knew our needs and wrote the Bible to address them.

God ultimately wrote the Bible so we can know His Son and build a relationship with Him and grow to be more like Him.

The Bible provides the truth that helps us understand ourselves. We desperately need the Bible, though we often don’t realize just how much until we begin studying it. The Bible is useful or as the Paul says it is profitable. Even today the Bible is useful. This is the first reason why the Bible is worth reading.

2. Bible study clarifies Doctrine

A. God’s Doctrine transforms (Romans 12:2; 15:14)

Paul said the Bible is profitable for doctrine. It tells us what to believe. Doctrine tells us what is right and that is God’s truth.

Paul also wrote that learning God’s doctrine encourages us by giving us hope.

Read: Romans 15:4

Ask: How might your outlook on life be different if you had no opportunity to learn doctrine from the Bible?

Doctrine tells us about the past present and future. It helps us understand God’s plan and where that plan fits today. The Bible also gives us confidence as we look forward to eternity with Him.

Day to day doctrine directs our thinking. Once we begin to think correctly and according to God’s truth we will begin to act right.

Read: Romans 12:2

We must be transformed and not conformed to this world. Teaching is meant to be applied not just stored up in our minds. God gave us His doctrine to change our lives.

B. False doctrine destroys (Eph. 4:14-16)

There are those that spread false doctrine and those that spread false doctrine have selfish reasons for their teaching. They love themselves not people. But those who teach true sound doctrine are motivated by their love for others. They want to share what God has been showing them in their life.

Read: Eph. 4:14-16

One of the biggest false doctrines that we see today is the health and wealth doctrine. How many of you have heard of Joel Olsten? He is one that teaches this false doctrine. He speaks at his church and tells them that God wants all believers to be healthy and wealthy in their life. He says people just need to put their faith in God and give generously to the church and the Lord will bless you and keep you healthy. But the only one that is getting wealthy is him and the people that are giving are just losing money. If a person who believes this doctrine gets sick these preachers say it is because they are not giving enough to the church.

This is why in verse 14 Paul said those who listen to false doctrine are tossed to and fro like the wind-driven waves. The person who is living like is unstable, fearful, anxious, doubtful, hopeless and spiritually immature.

We shouldn’t think of Bible doctrine boring or only being for intellectual theologians. Doctrine forms the foundation of how we can live our lives for Christ. God gave us the bible so we can know doctrine.

3. Bible study addresses our Hearts

A. The Bible reproves us

Doctrine affects our hearts. It shows us where we are wrong in our beliefs, thinking, and practice.

The Bible reproves us by showing how we’ve wandered from God’s truth. The Bible then acts as a wrong way sign warning us to get back on to God’s path. No one enjoys being confronted about personal sin but the confrontation is beneficial in the end.

Read: Proverbs 27:6

God, like a faithful friend, uses the Bible to show us where we aren’t living according to His truth.

The key to receiving reproof properly is humility. If we do not humbly believe that we are wrong then we will not see a need for a change. We have seen this back in James. If you remember James 4:6 mentions how God gives grace to those who are humble. God will give us grace if we humbly admit our wrongs.

God shows us our error because He wants to help us. His motives are always pure.

Read: Psalm 139:23-24 Ask: What will God show us about ourselves if we humbly submit to Him? The depths of our hearts including our motives and passions.

When we study God’s Word we should share David’s prayer that God would search our heart. God will faithfully and lovingly show us where we are wrong.

B. The Bible corrects us

God follows up His reproof with His correction. He wants us to abandon our wrong thinking and actions and begin to obey Him.

Correction requires a redirection from faulty actions to righteousness. The root idea of correction is to “set up straight”. Sin is crooked and devious but God’s way is straight and right.

Read: Proverbs 2:6-15

Looking at this passage you can see the contrast of the different path of a person who listens to wisdom and with the person who goes his own way. The wise person is directed and guarded by God. The foolish person walks in darkness loves iniquity and practices deception.

After God reproves us we learn we are not where we should be spiritually. Through correction God redirects us and shows us the way back to obedience. As you Scripture you will find this pattern again and again. When we experience reproof and correction in our lives it should effect us and we should get back on the right path.

4. Bible study trains us for life

A. We must admit our need (Hebrews 12:5-11)

The Bible gives us instruction in righteousness. Instruction refers to the process a parent uses when rearing a child. Paul in Ephesians used the Greek word to speak of a fathers responsibility to train his children in the things of the Lord. The writer of Hebrews used the same word to describe chastening or discipling process through which God takes all believers.

A child lacks basic knowledge so it is the parents responsibility to give the child tools to live right. It is a parent’s responsibility to give a child the tools to live responsibility. That is instruction. God faithfully gives believers instruction in righteousness through His Word.

Parents understand that instructing a child is a challenging task. Sometimes the greatest hurdle is the child’s unwillingness to understand he or she needs guidance. Believers can be the same way. We do not realize how much guidance in our life we really need.

If we are to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ we must admit we need to grow more spiritually and trust God to train us through His Word.

Ask: Back to our Hebrews passage in verse 11 what does God the Father’s instruction yield in our lives? the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

B. We must commit to the process

The instruction from God’s Word guides us in living to glorify, please and enjoy God. The instruction we get from His Word are guardrails for us to stay on the path but if don’t spend time in the bible those guard rails are non existent and we will vere off on the wrong path. The Bible helps us build those guardrails . The biggest way we can build these guard rails is memorizing Scripture.

Read: Psalm 119:11 Ask: What benefit comes from hiding God’s word in our hearts? It keeps us from sinning

Ask: What will guide our thoughts and decisions if we have not learned God’s Word? flesh the worlds ideas.

If we are not learning God’s Word then we won’t be growing as a believer.

Con: The Bible meets our needs. Everything we need to know to live for Christ is found in the Bible. The Word challenges us when we sin and guides us to live by the truth. God promises to nurture and train us if we humble ourselves. The Bible is truly profitable and it helps guides us through our many things in life.