15. Application - Truth that Transforms

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Intro

These days, doesn’t it seem like people are all about raising awareness? “I stand for___”, “We need to protect our world!”, “You need to know about this person!” They do a great job at showing us the problem and making us aware, but nothing will change if nobody acts on the issue. You see, knowledge is useless if you don’t let it transform you.

Same thing happens in our Bible study.

Knowledge is a good thing, but what’s the value of it if we don’t let it change the way we live?

We need to apply the truths of the Bible to our lives to allow it to transform us. Application is probably the most important part of all our study, but for some reason, it’s the step of Bible study we forget first. This is why we are going to talk about application today. Application is all about one thing, how can the bible change you?

The Critical Step of Application

Why do We Skip application?

Why do you think we skip application?

1. Truth hurts!

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God’s word is like a sharp scalpel.

Is this by any means comfortable?

If the scalpel is going to inflict pain on me, why in the world would I let the doctor use it on my body? (Because it causes pain to a precise area in order to rip out what is harming you)

God’s Word is just like this scalpel...

Have any of you felt like your pastor was preaching about you one Sunday? (That’s the effect God’s Word has on us)

It exposes the sin in our hearts, and does the work to take it out. It hurts, but it is necessary!

2. It’s too hard

If I’m going to understand how a certain passage should work in my life, and apply it there and change, am I going to read my Bible for 5 minutes and shut it right away?

Applying God’s word to specific areas in my life takes effort. And our lazy tendency will be to scrap the step of applying and move on with our day.

3. It’s not applicable to my life.

What Happens if We don’t Apply Scripture?

1. We care more about interpretation than application.

This is the mindset that the knowledge you can gain is more important than a changed life.

Kitty Genovese incident (Don’t go in too much detail)

- 38 people heard her scream, some even saw it

- only 1 person called the police after she died

Knowledge without action is useless and even harmful

What were the Pharisees known for in general? (Knowledge, piety)

Matthew 23:27 NKJV

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

Whitewashed tombs photo...

- Masters of the OT

The key is found in James 4:17

James 4:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Did the Pharisees know the right way to live? (Absolutely they did)

A lot of the time, do we know the right way to live? (Yes we do, we get great teaching in this church)

But what happens when we don’t do what we know is right? (It is sin)

2. We care more about our self-image than our hearts.

We are very good at applying God’s Word in areas we’re already doing good...

Business man reads Ephesians 4:25

Ephesians 4:25 NKJV

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

Rationalizes their way out of this one...

- I’m honest with...

- My wife

- kids

- Co-workers

And he pats himself on the back, “Man, I really am doing good.”

- But he forgot to mention the fact that he’s lying to the government to get a bigger tax return for his business.

We don’t tend to enjoy looking at where we struggle, it makes us feel awful. But if we want to grow, we must be humbly submitting even to the hard messages in God’s Word.

3. We avoid repentance.

What happens in your mind when you know someone is about to critique you? (defensive, barriers are up, ready to fight back)

Our little defense layers inside...

Our normal tendency as sinful people is to reject challenges, to stay away from conviction.

What do we do as soon as truth is getting too close to home? (Close up in our shell)

Instead of repenting, we blame others, we rationalise away and go to lengths to display our righteousness

Adam and Eve after the fall

Adam: The woman you gave me!

Eve: The serpent deceived me!

4. We rather emotional experience over dedication.

Actions speak louder than ______

Response from sermon illustration

Emotional vs. normal but change

5. We talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.

Everyone turn to 2 Samuel 12

Nathan’s story...

2 Samuel 12:1–4 NKJV

1 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

How does David respond to this story? (He was absolutely furious. With all the righteous anger in his heart he tells Nathan to bring the man so that he may be killed)

What did David sound like right now? (Righteous, great talk)

But what did Nathan reply to him in vs. 7? (You are the man!)

David spoke eloquently, he talked the talk, but God knew his heart, and it was dark.

We have to back our words up with a godly lifestyle...

God knows our hearts.

Truth that Transforms

God’s Word is pictured as a mirror, showing us who we really are; our flaws and our strengths. The Bible has the power not only to show us who we really are, but it also shows us who we can be. God’s Word transforms us, but what does that process look like? Let’s take a look together.

The 4 Steps of Application

1. Come

Ø Open the text

Girls, what’s the most important tool to you need to make sure your hair is nice and ready to go for the day? (Mirror)

What’s going to happen if I never step in the mirror? (I’ll never see myself, I don’t know how bad I look)

What if I try to fix myself up without a mirror? (Isn’t going to work!)

We must first come to the mirror of God’s Word. That means that we’ve got to start at square one… read it! Spend time thinking about it, observe, interpret...

Ø open yourself

2. Conviction

But when we do come to the text, let’s make sure we come with open hearts.

If I’m resolved that I won’t fix my hair, is there any point in going to the mirror? (No, I’ll just feel worse)

I need to approach the mirror, expecting to find some problems, find some bedhead, and be willing to accept that. We’ve got to humble ourselves and expect that God’s Word is going to expose us for the sinful people we are...

3. Convincing

This is the more positive side of application… God’s Word doesn’t just show us what we’re doing wrong, it also shows us how to do what is right and encourages us along that path.

Colossians 3:12 NKJV

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Put on, put off principle

4. Changing

When we respond to God’s Word appropriately, we are changed and made closer to Christ’s image.