Refocus: On the Word

Introduction

Jr church dismissal instructions

Good morning. Another amazing day in the church house. This morning we will be finishing our series refocus. We have seen how there needs to be a focus on Jesus, on His purpose in our life, and on prayer.

With this final installment of the series I’d like to bring to your attention the foundation for each of the previous messages. This morning we will see why we need to Refocus: On the Word. The written word of God is what we have as a means to learn the intimate details of God and the relationship He desires with His people. Turn to this morning.

It is a book of great value to some and of no value to others.

Illustration: Have you ever seen the different values of your home as viewed by a real estate agent, the county tax assessor, and the appraiser?

Isn’t it amazing how neither of those numbers match? Based on your taxes, especially here, you’d think we all own a mansion. The appraiser however sees it as a shack, and the real estate agent is somewhere in between.

Christians are the same way. We each place a different value on the Bible. We aren’t able to fill out a form to determine the value we place on it though.

How we value the Word of God is determined by how we use it. Is it a staple in our daily lives? Do we turn to it’s truths and precepts to guide our lives? Is it a dusty decoration on the coffee table?

I want you see some statistics on the Bible in American culture.

88% of American homes have a Bible

The avg American home that owns a Bible owns 3.4 of them

18% of Americans that own a bible confess to reading it daily.

23% of Americans that own a bible never read it

In a country where many of our countrymen own a Bible, we can tell by the statistics there is little value placed on the word of God.

The Bible tells us that we are not to live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Want to know what you should believe? The Bible has the doctrine.

Want to know the right direction to go? The Bible gives correction.

Want to know to do about a situation? The Bible has instruction.

Maybe your here today though and you don’t understand all that the Bible is? Maybe your a Christian that doesn’t pick it up because you believe it’s too hard to understand. Maybe your tired of certain sins plaguing you. You don’t like your temper. You need to offer forgiveness to someone. You need encouragement and strength to be the parent God would want you to be.

No matter which situation you are in I want you ask yourself this question today: Based on my daily interaction with it, how much value do I place on the Bible?

Follow along as I read “ The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned:

And in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;

Let them not have dominion over me:

Then shall I be upright,

And I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth,

And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,

O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

PRAY

Notice first that the Bible is Profitable.

I. The Bible is Profitable

Notice how verses 7-9 give us 5 different names for the Bible.

The Law, The testimony, The statutes, The commandments, The judgements.

The Bible is so much more than a book. We are given these 5 different titles for the Bible here as well as 5 different effects of it.

4 of those 5 have similar meanings to them and I want to bring them to your attention in this way by saying the Bible is the Rule and Guide of our Faith.

A. It is the Rule and Guide of our faith

It is the law, the statues, the commandments, and the judgements of the Lord. These relate to the list of do’s and do nots. While this is not all that should be preached they should not be neglected either.

While some of this list may pertain to what wear and how we should dress modestly and cover our nakedness. the Bible also speaks to the Christians relationship with alcohol. If your curious about what I believe the Bible speaks of that relationship being, I believe it shouldn’t exist but thats another message for another time.

It also contains the dos and don’ts of our spiritual walk. Do worship the Lord your God. Don’t believe in reincarnation. Do get baptized. Don’t get baptized because you believe it washes away sin. Do tell others about Jesus. See where I’m going here?

Illustration: I was having a discussion with someone recently regarding spiritual matters. This person professed to know God through Jesus but had their own beliefs about a number of things however when I mentioned the Bible and how it should guide our ideas of Christianity and what God desires for us I was told he had never read it.

Too many Christians are in the same boat as non-Christians. We either no little or just enough of the Bible to talk to the talk but we aren’t willing to dive in so we can begin to walk.

The Bible provides us a way of living our lives that I’ve never heard a person regret following. I’ve never found a truth, principle, law, commandment, or precept, that would cause me harm or direct me down a bad path.

We need to understand the Bible and see it as the rule and guide of our faith but trying to live the Christian life in a holy manner will breed resentment in your heart if you don’t see the Bible as more than just a rule and guide, you must also see it as the reason we follow.

B. It is the Reason we follow

The other name we see in this text that points us to what the bible is, is the name testimony. The word testimony means a witness.

Illustration: When a person convicted of a crime takes the witness stand to give a testimony they are giving their defense, their reasoning, for their actions.

The Bible is the Lord’s testimony of why we should seek first His kingdom and righteousness. Notice in verse 7 what the testimony of the Lord is.

It is sure.

Illustration: The word sure there means to build up, to support. Think of it like a jack under a car. Or a lift to give maybe a more accurate description.

The car is placed over the lift and with minimal effort from the operator the lift supports the weight of the car.

The Bible, the testimony of the Lord, the Word of God, will come up under us like a lift and raise us up and support us when we decide to focus on it and give it value in our lives.

A Christian that places little value on the Bible and uses it none to sparingly is like the lift operator who decides to get under the truck and try to press it up himself. What would you call that person?

The Bible will support and lift us up and then look what it does. This is one of my favorite verses of scripture. It makes wise the simple.

Let me stay with the car illustration here. If you were at autozone and heard a person walk in and ask for blinker fluid…You might say they were simple pertaining to car maintenance.

If you find me under the hood of a car, you will quickly find that I am simple when it comes to car maintenance. Although I know not to go to auto zone for blinker fluid. That’s at NAPA.

Where would you point a person that is simple in car maintenance to learn more about their car and how to properly use it? The owners manual.

The owners manual is a book written by the maker of the vehicle to instruct us on how to properly operate it, care for it, and use it.

Why do we as Christians grasp that concept and fully support it yet when we get pointed to the Bible, the book written by the creator of us that instructs us on how to properly operate and live our lives…we push back at the idea?

You wouldn’t put diesel in your gasoline motor because we know that it doesn’t work well when that happens. How do we know that? The person who created the motor told us the right way to operate it for it to be succesful.

How do we know to keep drugs, alcohol, harmful substances, inappropriate images and videos, and other things that negatively affect us away from us? Because the person who created you said that those things will affect the way you operate and keep you from being a victorious Christian.

We must see the Bible for more than a book that addressed the spiritual matters of life we must see that the Bible is Practical.

II. The Bible is Practical

Verse 10 says it is more to be desired than gold and is sweeter than a honeycomb.

Gold and honey were considered choice gifts during Bible times. They were held in high esteem because gold was rare and worth much and honey was very sweet and enjoyable to eat.

I’m sure that if a person had very fine gold and honey during the time of this writing they would be very comfortable.

Maybe the same as us who gets our paycheck on Friday and comes home to a beautiful banana pudding in the fridge. I’d be pretty comfortable.

Verse 10 teaches us that the bible is to be desired more than that. Why? Because The Bible comforts.

A. The BibleComforts

Jesus said in “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Gold and Honey can be consumed and lost. It will run out. But the Word of God contains the words of Life and never runs dry.

“ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Fear thou not; for I am with thee:

Be not dismayed; for I am thy God:

I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;

“ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness

No matter the trial. No matter the difficulty we face. The Word of God is there to comfort us.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The Bible is so much more than a book. It is so much more than a list of dos and don’t. It’s a sacred tomb of wisdom, knowledge, and love. It points to the one who cares for you when you believe no one else does.

Because he cares for us He gave us a Bible that Cautions. the Bible Cautions

B. The Bible Cautions

The Bible warns us according to verse 11. It warns us of things that will bring those troubles and trials.

The book of proverbs warns us of not gathering with people to commit crimes. Why? Because then you will get in trouble for the crime.

Solomen under inspiration of the holy spirit warns us of adultery. Not just the act of adultery but it provides ways to stay away from it.

“ To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead.”

To deliver thee from the strange woman,

Even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17  Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,

And forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18  For her house inclineth unto death,

And her paths unto the dead.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

It’s a great warning of separation. Don’t put yourself in the position where you may be tempted to sin. That’s why as your pastor I won’t be in a vehicle alone with a woman other than my wife. I won’t be in a room in this church with a door closed with a woman. If my wife enters this building and I’ve asked Mrs. Carmie for me to not have any visitors, guess who can walk through my door unannounced? My wife.

Where did I get those principles from? From the Bible. Because it cautions me against sin.

There are other areas we are cautioned against as well.

“ Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it giveth his colour in the cup, When it moveth itself zaright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.”

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,

When it giveth his colour in the cup,

When it moveth itself zaright.

Again, we can have our discussions about alcohol all day, but I don’t know why, after seeing the scriptures description and warnings against alcohol you would continue to allow your self to be exposed to it. I don’t mean just drunkeness, I mean any.

32  At the last it biteth like a serpent,

And stingeth like an adder.

Last time I checked getting drunk started with 1 drink. Easy way to protect against drunkeness is to not take the first drink.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Then we see how the bible conforms.

C. The Bible Conforms

We are warned against the things of this world that will harm us and not be good for us and then through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we conform ourselves to the image of Christ.

”For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

It’s us making the decision to stay away from sin.

Illustration: Let me get a teenager up here real quick. Now let’s say as a teenager that you like jumping off of this ledge. Not only do you like it, everyone else does it.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Then you have a person who cares for you, mom, dad, or hey we are in church, Jesus. Comes by and says hey, that’s a bad idea. It doesn’t end well for people who keep jumping off this ledge. It can lead to a broken bone and a wrecked life.

What would you do then? Many Christians decide this…If jumping off the ledge could hurt me then it’s ok for me to just stand on the ledge. This could lead you to slipping easily off the ledge though and into the things that can cause trouble.

Where is a better place for you to be? Right behind the ledge? Makes sense. If your not on it you can’t slip right? But you are close to it? Your around it and see others doing it. They are ok right? I mean, that bad stuff couldn’t happen to you right?

So now you aren’t committing the sin, and your not right next to it but you are allowing yourself to be around people that continue to do it.

Where is a better place for you to be? (take behind door)

Here. Completely removed from it.

Round of applause.

You see, conforming to the image of Christ doesn’t mean we just spend more time in church, more time in prayer. It means we make decisions that remove us from sin, from the temptation of sin, and put us in a place where it can’t happen.

Now does that mean you won’t end up somewhere it may be accessible? No. But it would be better for you to break your personal standard for a moment and then get back behind the door than to spend time around the temptation all the time and fall into sin.

The Bible is Profitable because it can teach us many things. It is practical because it can be applied to any situation in life through the truths and principles found in in it. But it only becomes practical as we decide to apply it.

But when we saturate ourselves with the Word of God. We will find that the Bible permeates through us.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

III. The Bible Permeates through us

Look at v. 14 with me.

“Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,

The words of my mouth. The Bible affects our tongue

O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

A. The Bible affects our tongue

B. It affects the mind