Ephesians 6:17B Sword of the Spirit

INTRO

In the 1380s John Wycliffe

In the 1380s John Wycliffe

-Professor at Oxford England, Scholar, and Theologian

-Produced the first English translations of the Bible.

-Translated from Latin to English

-Died of a stroke in 1384

-And if 1407 English Parlament approved death by fire for anything they considered heresy.

-And all the English translations of the scriptures were banned. And all the works of Wycliffe were burned.

-A man named John Hus picked up where Wycliffe left off.

-44 years after wycliffe died the Pope ordered his bones dug up and crushes and scattered in the river.

-A man named John Hus, who picked up where Wycliffe left off began preaching the Gospel in the language of Common Men...

-Took John Hus tied him to a stake and set him of fire...burning him alive.

-When the chain was put around John Huss, securing him to the stake, he said with a smile,

-"My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake, and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?"

When asked to recant, Huss declined, saying, "What I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood."

-Huss died singing a hymn of praise to God as the flames engulfed his body. T

-All for believing that the Word of GOd should be translated into the common language of men and not the langue of the elite.

-DEAR CHRISTIAN…I WONDER TODAY IF YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE....?

-I WONDER IF YOU TREASURE GOD’S WORD...

-

PAUL SPEAKS TO USE TODAY ABOUT HIS WORD....

Sword - soldier’s primary weapon

-sheathed and carried everywhere they went

-offensive and defensive weapon

-The sword mentioned here is not the large broad sword that is swung in a large sweeping motion.

-the short sword of the Roman hoplite

-Roman gladius, a short sword about 2 ft (60 cm) long, used for close hand to hand combat.

-A weapon of precision

-of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Of the Spirit

-the grammar here indicates possession.

-The Spirit is the maker and giver of the Word of God

-genitive - case indicating possession.

-The Spirit is the maker and giver of the Word of God

-The Spirit is not the Word of God, but the Word is a product of the Spirit

-The Spirit Inspired and illuminates the Word of God

I. THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED THE WORD OF GOD

What do we mean inspiration?

Plenary Verbal Inspiration.

-God has fully and completely inspirited the Bible from Genesis to Revelation

-Includes the historical and doctrinal details

-The very words (Greek, Hebrews, Aramaic) used by the authors of the Scriptures were inspired by God

- It was written by human authors, but God inspired them to write what they wrote.

-Every word, word form, and word placement found in the Bible’s original manuscripts was divinely and intentionally written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

-(Given by inspiration)Theopneustos - the nostrils of God

-The Inspiration of the Scriptures means the Spirit worked within and through men.

-It has a human and divine element

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

-Inspiration does not exclude the style, personality, cultural and historical context of the human author

-Inspiration - means that the BIble is 2 things.

Inspiration - means that the BIble is 2 things.

1. Inerrarnt - without error

2. Infallible - incapable of ever being in error.

II. THE HOLY SPIRIT ILLUMINATES THE WORD OF GOD.

-Does not simply tell use what a text means, aids us in our pursuit

-Then in opens our heart, convicts, and shows us where and how to apply the Word

-we should study…read…and meditate upon God’s word...

-Hid his words in our heart....

-and we should pray that the Spirit would guide us in our understand of His Word.

OH CHRISTIAN I WONDER IF WE REALIZE WHAT WE HAVE IN GOD’S WORD...

-THE SAME WORD THAT JESUS USED AS THE ENEMY TEMPTED HIM

-THE SAME WORD THAT ITS PREACHING AWAKENS THE DEAD SINNER IN US TO NEWNESS OF LIFE IN CHIST

-THE SAME WORD THAT PASTOS IN AFRICA WALKED MANY MILES TO HEAR ME PROCLAIM IN AFRICA

-IM TELLING YOU THEY FEASTED UPON IT

-THEY TREASURED IT...

-MANY OF THEM CANNOT READ IT…BUT THE LONG TO HEAR IT PROCLAIMED...

-OH THE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABLITY THAT WE HAVE TO GOD.... THAT WE ARE BIBLE RICH...

YOU SEE THIS IS THE SPIRIT’S SWORD....BUT PRAISE GOD HE PUT IT IN YOUR SHEATH AS IT HANGS ON THE BELT OF TRUTH...

-I am afraid many of us treat our sword sort of like barney fife…treated his bullet

-Gun the holster....bullet in his pocket..

-Talked a big game…would wipe is gun out for show sometimes..

-But when it came time to get down to buisness..he was bumbling and fumbling…becuase he didnt really know his way around his own weapon

-BUT I WONDER IF IT EVER COMES OUT OF YOUR SHEATH TO BE USED, STUDIED, OBEYD.

-YOu talk a big game…but the sword is in your sheath and the bullet is in your pocket....but cause you dont know your way around your own weapon.

If I hid your car keys

...remote control…would you notice

...shoes…would you notice?

...iphone....would you notice?

If I hid your bible next week, I wonder if you would notice.

…SOiLDER....THIS IS YOUR SWORD…WOULD YOU NOTICE?

-Double edged swords cut 2 ways.

1.Wounding some to conviction, faith, repentance, salvation

2. Slicing others to reveal their sinful rebellion, rejection of Christ, and eternal damnation

-The is the Spirit’s Sword, but praise God…it is in your sheath