Sola Scriptura

2 Timothy 3:10–17 HCSB

But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy

We can’t have a celebration without cake and candles. (lights candles) Yet, isn’t it a strange custom that we have with candles. Each candle represents a year we have lived out, the longer we live, the more candles we have. Then after we light those candles, we are called upon to quickly blow them out. Of course, as quickly as we have blown them out, life has gone by that fast, but I don’t think I want my candles to go out, do I? If the lit candle represents life, why on earth do I want to blow it out? What exactly am I saying or am I celebrating? And how can I keep my candle from blowing out? These are the very questions I have been asking about our celebration today. What are we saying? What are we celebrating? And how can we keep our candle lit?

Today we celebrate 140 years as a formalized church in Madisonville. Much has happened in these years. The church has had four church buildings erected, a fellowship hall, and later a family life center. The church, including myself has had 36 pastors, as well as numerous other ministering staff. (Snuffs out 0)

During these years we have supported families on the mission field like the Orricks, the McCollums (who are still serving as they are able), the Wagstaffs, and J. Robert Burtis. The church has and is a part of establishing and supporting church plants and missions in our state, in our country, and in our world. (Snuffs out 4)

But if today’s celebration is about a person, or a particular group of people, or even generally the church, this celebration will be one wasted. This day must be about looking throughout the years and seeing the gracious hand of God at work with a people surrendered to His will. If this day is not a celebration of His faithfulness seen and experienced for 140 years, and is also not a forward anticipating glance of God’s continued faithfulness, then I’m not sure I understand what we are celebrating. For if we are celebrating ourselves, then I am certain we have not seen the kind people we are capable of being.

Historically, I’m sure our church, like most churches in America, participated in the sinful practice of segregation, not allowing people to worship with us due to the color of their skin. I wonder how was interpreted. While this practice is no longer law, it still plagues our churches today.

But if that issue were not enough to sway you that this day cannot be a celebration for us, consider our buildings. Around 1947, in our third church building we set down our first carpet and added our first electronic organ. A sure-fire spiritual barometer regarding the condition of the church, order carpet or paint the walls! Who knows how many disputes have erupted through the years over preferential issues. I’m sure there were struggles present in every build, every church remodel, and every transition that took place through these years. Certainly, buildings are important, paint, pews, and the like, but isn’t odd that these are the main battlegrounds churches find themselves? We look at Israel with odd disdain for how obstinate they were in the wilderness, and then we find ourselves fighting and bickering over the color of carpet in the sanctuary! No, today cannot be about us for we are too petty. It must be about God and what He has done, and what He is yet to do.

So then if today is a celebration of what God has done in these 140 years, and the fact that He has not allowed this candle to go out, how do we see to it that it remains lit? Well in order to address this, let me share with you another anniversary that is to be celebrated.

The 500 year anniversary of the Reformation. Now I am not sure how many of you are aware of this momentous occasion and why it matters to you, but I hope over the course of the next five Sundays that you will not only learn about the reformation, but appreciate the reformation and what the Lord has done through it. Now there are many parts to the whole of the story, but for what we are focused on is the part that a young scholarly monk in Wittenburg played on October 31st, 1517, when he nailed 95 thesis, complaints, against the Roman Catholic Church and their longstanding traditions, and his dispute of authority.

His story begins after a summer break from the university with his family, Martin Luther journeyed back to the University of Erfurt. He had already earned a bachelor of arts degree there, as well as a master of arts. His father wanted him to continue in his education and get a law degree so that Martin Luther could care for his parents in their old age—like all of us parents who want to live on their kids dime as they lived off of ours! So Martin was on his way back to the university in July of 1505 when on his way, lightning struck a tree near him. This moment was too much for him, so he cried out to his patron saint, St. Anne that he would become a monk. Two weeks later he had join the Augustinian order in Erfurt. Luther was terrified of God. God’s wrath, God’s justice, God’s consuming fire made Luther tremble in agony. He went through all the Catholic resources he could to find some kind of solace, but with no avail. He would spend hours in confession, hoping to stave off the fury of God. Recounting every sin, for in order for every to sin to be pardoned, every sin must be confessed. Many times he would walk out from the confession box only to turn right back around because he called more he needed to repent of. Eventually, he would go on a pilgrimage to Rome. He would venture into the eternal city hoping to find some spiritual relief, but instead he found irreverence and disappointment. He would climb Pilate’s Stairs and recite upon each step the Pater Noster in hopes of releasing family members from purgatory. Upon the last step he said in doubt, “Who knows whether it is so?” So many were buying indulgences, seeking pardon for sins and merit for heaven. Many were journeying to holy sites and touching holy relics. Each place and each moment was to shorten the time one would spend in an in between place after death called purgatory. Yet, Luther returned home still dreading God, and even worse, hating. When he was moved to Wittenburg, to join a university, Johann Staupitz saw to it that the troubled monk would get a doctorate in theology and that this physician would find healing in the healing of others. Luther was to study the Bible. And study the Bible he did. “One may wonder why Luther had not thought of this himself (to wrestle with the source book of his religion). The reason is not that the Bible was inaccessible, but that Luther was following a prescribed course and the Bible was not the staple of theological education. Yet anyone who seeks to discover the secret of Christianity is inevitably driven to the Bible, because Christianity is based on something which happened in the past, the incarnation of God in Christ at a definite point in history. The Bible records this event.” He started in the Psalms, and in saw Jesus. Then he taught the book of Romans, still trembling when the word “justice” would surface, but then discovered his freedom in where is say the just will live by his faith. The Scriptures had led him to his freedom, but it also led him to a significant battleground—the Bible, not the Pope, nor councils was the sole authority for every sinful person seeking salvation.

This here is our battleground too, but we will fail to see it so long as we continue to wrestle with each other. The vast majority of church conflict today does not involve theological or moral issues, though certainly these could abound. No, our conflicts involve much more insignificant matters. But these matters reveal a dire problem within our local churches, that if not addressed could easily (put out the last candle) snuff our candle out—whose authority matters?

In 2 Timothy, Paul instructs his young disciple to hold fast to the word of God. In fact, the subject of teaching and truth occur 13 times in this short letter. In chapter 3, Paul describes what looks to be a world like our own, lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, and the like, but these were people in his day too. But Timothy was to be different and this difference was brought about by the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:10–17 HCSB

But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Yet anyone who seeks to discover the secret of Christianity is inevitably driven to the Bible, because Christianity is based on something which happened in the past, the incarnation of God in Christ at a definite point in history. The Bible records this event.

Yet anyone who seeks to discover the secret of Christianity is inevitably driven to the Bible, because Christianity is based on something which happened in the past, the incarnation of God in Christ at a definite point in history. The Bible records this event.

The Word of God is the Authority of the Church—when it speaks, God speaks. Therefore, by it, God governs His people. We say that we are a people of the book, but when we abide by the Holy Scripture, we can say that we are the people of God.

No believing Christian can be coerced beyond holy writ. By divine law we are forbidden to believe anything which is not established by divine Scripture or manifest revelation.

A simple layman armed with Scripture is to be believed above a pope or a council without it.

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed to the church door in Wittenburg, 95 thesis, arguments against the indulgences sold as merits of God. Little did he know at that moment that he would find himself standing up against long-held traditions of the Catholic church. Yet, the more he studied his Bible, the more he found himself captive to it. He found the God-inspired Scriptures to be the sole authority of man. In fact, he said, “A simple layman armed with Scripture is to be believed above a pope or a council without it.” Still the anniversary of the reformation should not be about celebrating one Martin Luther, for he himself said that the Lord once spoke out of the mouth of a donkey, and viewed himself no better. No, we must praise God that He has driven us to His Word. For in His Word we find life, truth, strength, and especially, Jesus. And while our world refuses to acknowledge God, His Son, or His Word, the church must stand firm in it for The church that stands firm on the Word of God is a mighty weapon in the hand of God. In the spring of 1521, Martin Luther received a summons from the emperor Charles V to account for his numerous writings and teachings at an imperial diet at Worms. Here Luther would stand trial and would be called on to recant, denounce his works. After a troubling day and into the night, Luther wrestled with what he should do. The next morning, they called on him to speak, without teeth or horns regarding his work and this was his reply:

Since then your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.

The Lord is looking for a people who will stand firm in His Word, a people who will live by the unpopular belief that it is the truth and demands our complete obedience, a people who will not compromise, but instead find themselves complete and equipped to do the work God has prepared for them. Will you be that person? Will dedicate yourself to the Word of God. Will you surrender to His Word, not a suggestions and good advice, but as words spoken from the very mouth of God to you? Will you be a mighty weapon in the hand of God against the enemy the devil? Then as William Tyndale said, “Get thee to God’s Word.” Be like the person in who meditates on the Word of God day and night. Let it be your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let it be your joy in your sorrow, your strength in your weakness, your boldness in your fear, and your sword in your conflict. If you want to be used by God, then you must first surrender to the Word of God. Will you do that today, knowing that it is profitable for you? Though it inflicts wounds, it also provides the ointment for healing. Though it brings brokenness and grieving, it provides wisdom for repentance and restoration. Will you give yourself to God and His Word meant for you? Will you give yourself today?

If the Bible is indeed the Word of God, then we must stand fast on every letter, syllable, sentence, paragraph, verse, chapter, and book. If it is not God’s Word, then it does not deserve our attention.