Back to the basics week:1

Back to the Basics Week:1

Topic: Bible/ Reading Scripture

Pastor: Casey 

Date: 2/4/2026

Tonight we are kicking off our new series…… back to the basics….. for some of us it could be called intro to the basics because some of the spiritual practices we are going to talk about are probably new to us.

I am really excited about this series. It is all about the things we should be doing if we call ourselves Christians and say we believe in Jesus.

How many of you in the room say you believe in Jesus?

Sweet so this is extremely relevant for us all!

Tonight we are going to talk about one of the most important spiritual practices. 

Scripture. The Bible. The Word Of God.

Also know as the sword of the spirit!

We could do a whole series on why reading our Bible is important and at some point we may do that but for tonight I want to hit a few points that I believe are most relevant to you all!

Problem We live in a world that constantly challenges our faith and why we believe in Jesus. Turn on the news or scroll for a few minutes and you’ll see it—division everywhere, one hot-button issue after another. Christianity is pulled into political debates at every turn, and the space to hold different beliefs while still loving one another feels like it’s disappearing. Because of that, it’s no longer a question of if your faith will be challenged, but when.

Defending your faith

Last week I started a conversation in the high school chat asking “Why do you believe in Jesus?”

There were several amazing answers to the question, things like

-once he put Jesus first everything began to feel right. He began to feel love, joy, and being wanted. He felt the hole in his heart be filled

-how he protected, how he brought comfort and  peace into their lives

-Jesus being the one thing she can stand firm on that will not change in her life and even if there isn’t a Heaven (which she knows there is) she could leave this word knowing she strived to be a good person when following Jesus

-One student said “Once she had Jesus in her life she could see the work He is doing with in her, that in her desire for logical understanding Christianity is the only religion that makes sense”

All really good things. Then I expanded my conversation with other people in my life and heard things like.

-“I believe in Jesus because there is no other way that I could be talking to you right now. It took a loving God that is so much bigger than anything a human could do to restore me after the life I once lead.”

-Another quote I loved “Jesus is the only thing in my life time that has not changed since I met Him”

These have been some of the most enjoyable conversations I have had in a long time. 

The people I talked to ranged from new believers to mature Christians that have known Jesus for a long time. 

It is always a really fun conversation to have when it is between 2 believers. We can talk freely and talk about how He makes us feel, the things He has done in our live, and why we are better because we believe in Him.

All the answers were really good and made so much sense to me as a believer also. It doesn’t make as much sense to someone that doesn’t know Jesus. It can even seem quiet unbelievable to them. 

The reality is that most of the time we get asked this question it is not going to be by another believer. It is with someone that is questioning their own faith or they don’t believe at all and think you shouldn’t either. 

We live in a world that is so used to everything changing. The things that are once believed to be true are no longer true. So when people see you standing in a faith that has not changed with the culture they will often want to challenge you. 

In the Bible Peter actually talks about this.

1 Peter 3 talks about this. In 1 Peter chapter 3 Peter is talking to the Christian wives of atheistic idolatrous men. They are talking about suffering for doing good. He gives a lot of great advise about how to handle situations like this. There are so many good things in this but there is one verse I really want to point out. Keep in mind Peter is talking to Christian women that are married to nonbelievers so they are living surrounded by nonbelievers. 

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Why is important for us to be prepared to answer this question?

We want to make sure we can answer this with full confidence and a boldness for a couple of reason…..

When we’re unsure or afraid that we can’t clearly explain why we believe in Jesus, it often causes us to stay silent, agree with things we don’t actually believe just to avoid the conversation, or even say something unbiblical or inaccurate.

We can miss an opportunity to be the light of Jesus and shift the eternity of someone that is standing in front of us. 

We want to be able to able to to stand in our faith with confidence and conviction. 

In a conversation like this there are 2 things at stake defending our faith and combating the lies of the enemy in someone else’s life. This is a moment we can combat the enemy with the truth. 

Even if it is a very kind and respectful conversation there is still a battle being fought, a battle for the soul of the person in front go you. That moment can be a moment where you can bring Jesus to declare victory over the enemy in someone’s life.

We we pair the 2 together it becomes a double edge sword that speaks with truth, credibility and conviction.

Side 1 is our story and what Jesus has done in our own lives. Your personal experiences with Jesus.

Side 2 is the word of God- This side is unwavering, unchanging, authoritative and very much living. It is what God said long before you lived it out.

If we cut this sword down the middle it becomes 2 very ineffective pieces of metal. 

When they are put together you have a true weapon to take into battle with you!

When your story points to the truth of God’s word in the Bible and the Bible point to the validity of your story faith becomes extremely compelling!

But why should we read the Bible? There are so many other ways to get the info!

If we truly believe in Jesus then we should follow the examples he set for us. Personally I don’t believe in Jesus because believe the Bible. It is very much the other way around I believe in Jesus, I have a personal relationship with Him and have chosen to follow Him, So I believe in the Bible because Jesus talks and acts as if the Bible is trustworthy, authoritative, good, helpful, and powerful, so a a follower of Christ I should do the same! Even if some of my questions remain unanswered or if me following Jesus and reading the Bible is Unpopular or not cool.

I want you all to open you Bibles to Matthew Chapter 4

I want to show you the best example of exactly what I am talking about.

Now Jesus was just baptized and right after being baptized he faces an incredible challenge……

Matthew 4:1-11

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,     and they will lift you up in their hands,     so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Each time the devil tempts Jesus how does he respond?

With scripture. He combats the lies of the enemy directly with the word of God. 

He doesn’t go into an elaborate teaching or speak from the heart. He takes it right back to scripture. 

We see two of the enemies tactics in this passage. Two of the ways that he tries to pull us away from God

Temptation and twisting scripture other wise known as false teaching. 

So often in life we are going to be faced with temptations. Things in this world that our flesh wants badly. Sometimes it is prestige, status or power. Sometimes it something materialistic. Sometimes its crossing that line with our boyfriend or girlfriend because we just don’t want to wait. 

So many things are going to be in front of us that are so hard to resist. And a lot of the time they are actually good things when we wait for the right time.

Sex is an amazing part of God’s creation BUT there is a right and a wrong time to partake in it. 

We have to know God’s word to know when things are sinful and when they are blessed.

We have all the knowledge of how to live as a Christian right at our fingertips but yet we rarely chose to engage with it. 

We also have to know when what we are hearing is the truth of God as he intended it. That something doesn’t just sound Biblical so we go along with it. We need to know it is Biblical. 

Satan used scripture to tempt Jesus but left out the part that Jesus reminded him of. If you don’t know that part you’ll just throw yourself off the temple without thinking twice. 

With all the different ways we receive information today, we have to be on-guard more than we ever had before. 

If we do not know what the real thing looks, sounds and feels like. It is really easy to fall for the counterfeit. 

There is a reason when most banks or money handling agencies train teller that they do not use counterfeit bills to teach them how to spot counterfeit money. 

They have found that the best way for them to be able to spot counterfeit money it to put lots and lots of real money in their hands. Overwhelming amounts of the real things. They focus on recognizing genuine currency, rather that identifying fake currency.

If someone is familiar with the feel, texture, smell, look and security features of the real thing they will immediately recognize when a bill isn’t the real thing.

You have to spend time in the real thing to truly be able to spot the fake. 

You have to know the entirety of the word to not get mislead by a partial truth.

Guys I hope you are fact checking everyone you hear speak about God against the Bible. 

That includes me, the pastors here on Sundays. 

No matter where you go continue to check what you are hearing. No one is going to do it for you.

I pray for each and everyone of you on a regular basis. I pray that you don’t get tempted by the world to step away from your faith. I pray that you take the time to be rooted in God’s word so you can pick up you sword and fight off temptation. 

I pray all the time that you are able to recognize false teaching and fake doctrine. That you wouldn’t be lead astray. That when you see it that would are able to combat it with the sword of truth!

Closing

There are so many other good reasons that apply to why we all need to be in the Bible. At some point we will probably do a series just one this.

If you don’t take anything else away from tonight I want you to remember this….

When we say yes to Jesus and make a commitment to Him……………

We are submitting to the authority of the Bible in our lives. A yes to Jesus is a yes to living out our lives as the Bible teaches us.

The Bible is going to offend us and that is ok!

The nature of truth can be offensive because it does not tolerate your sin, it does not give you any room for excuses. 

The Bible is offensive in nature, it is a sword. Made to pierce peoples hearts with the truth. 

We read the Bible not for information but for transformation. 

It is designed to pierce our own hearts along with those around us with God’s truth so that we begin to transform our lives to be more like Jesus!

The Bible is not our sword of truth but Jesus’ sword that is designed to pierce the hearts of all.

The only way we can keep the Bible from being offensive is to soften it and cover it up. 

Cover it up so when we are faced the hard hot topic things that culture is throwing in front of us, so we don’t have to answer the hard questions.

We cover up the word of God with thing like God just wants you to be happy, love is love, that’s just cultural, things have changed. 

I challenge you tonight, if you have a cover on your sword, remove it. It is time to not soften the word of God but to uncover it. 

The band is going to lead us in worship in just a moment and I want you to remain in you seats while the band begins. 

Before you stand I want you to have an honest conversation with Jesus. Search your heart and be honest about where you are at with reading your Bible. Take a moment to decide if you are where you want to be when it comes to reading your Bible.

When you are ready, if you are choosing tonight that you are going to make Jesus the foundation of your life and are committing to reading the God breathed words of the Bible Stand and join in worshiping. 

Put you heart into it and sign like you never have before. Sign in celebration of the transformation that is on its way when you commit to reading his word.