(2 Ti 3:16-17) Are you Profiting from the Word?

COVID-19 Series Update:

The last few weeks I’ve been covering topics that I felt were important for us to be reminded of.

Being away from church has an effect.

Being finite people, is it possible for us to always remember what we should remember to the degree that we should remember it.

And when we are providentially hindered from being at church - there are truths we can forget.

And so I’ve been covering topics they wanted to remind us of as we begin to gather again.

The first week, we look to Psalm 24 to remind us about how big our God is.

The second week, we looked at Revelation 1:5 – 6 to remind us about who Jesus is.

And this week, we we are remembering why the Bible is so important to the Christian life.

INTRODUCTION:

Profit has become a dirty word in the last few years.

- In recent generations, we as a culture increasingly -

Despise corporations who earn billions.

- Sometimes we despise people of wealth.

But the,

1 Timothy 5:18 - “The laborer deserves his wages”.

Companies without profit go bankrupt.

People who can’t earn a living go homeless.

Within reason, we need to be concerned about profit.

In fact, a Christian who does not profit in their study of God’s Word, will go Spiritually bankrupt.

Today we are looking at passage that reminds us that God’s Word should be yielding Spiritual growth in our lives.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 ESV

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

This verse reminds us that –

Every Christian should be growing through the Word

And this text gives us 2 reasons why we should be growing in the Word.

For those of us have been saved for a long time, we may take for granted a question of why God’s word is important.

I would suggest a mark of maturity in a Christian’s life, is how he devotes himself to God’s word.

But for a young Christian

Or for the unsaved,

Our focus on God’s word may seem a little odd.

Why do Christians pay so much attention to God’s word?

In fact, one of the challenges of talking to lost people

- is helping them understand why God’s word matters in their life

- and why they should pay more attention to what God’s word says and what others say.

ILLUSTRATION:

I remember working a night shift as a security guard during seminary.

And had the unique chance to work with a Muslim man.

I was training him in his new position.

And eventually and that eight hour shift,

I was able to begin to talk about who Jesus was.

But when I quoted Scripture to him, he would always say – but.

In other words, he did not understand

what the Bible was

and why he should pay more attention to it and what others say.

So I put the question before us - why should every Christian be growing through the Word.

First,

We should be growing through the word because –

1) Scripture is from God. (2 Ti 3:16a)

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

What does it meant all Scripture is God breathed?

And I would say - it is inspired by God.

We may be more familiar with the way the King James translates this passage, along with NASB and the NET Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16 KJV 1900

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Technically, the ESV is a little more literal here. Though the other translations use a word that means the same thing.

The word quite literally means that all Scripture was breathed out by God.

Systematic theology would call this inspired.

“Breathed out by God” means Inspired.

Wayne Grudem defines Inspired this way -

Inspired: A term referring to the fact that the words of Scripture are spoken by God. (Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem)

What is the significance that all Scripture is inspired by God?

a) Inspired means God spoken to you.

Some have doubted God’s Word because it was pinned by men.

It is true, that God’s word was written by ordinary men.

But this passage reminds us, that it is equally true that these men’s words were also breathed out by God.

2 Peter 1:21 ESV

21 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.

The inspiration of the Bible means God has spoken, and in particular he has spoken to you.

We may not realize how significant that is,

but when we consider the historical record of the Bible - God personally speaking to you was a rare occurrence.

Billions of people have lived since God created the heavens and the earth, and yet God has only spoken to a few.

And this verse teaches that God has chosen to speak to you through the Scriptures.

Every Christian should be growing through the word because God has spoken to you.

Because God – the creator of heaven and earth has spoken to you -

b) Inspired means Scripture is authoritative.

ILLUSTRATION:

There once was a man who wanted to expand the building of his business.

But he did not believe that the building permit was constitutional.

So he built this monstrous building against city code,

and ignored the local city officials.

He believed that he could legally ignore the law that requires a building permit.

That man today sits in jail,

because he refused to get a building permit.

He doubted the authority of the local ordinance.

Sometimes people doubt whether God’s word has authority over their lives,

but I would suggest that inspiration means that we have a responsibility to listen and follow what God’s word says.

It’s not an option.

You can run from God’s word in this life, but the judge will judge you in the next life.

We as Christians should be growing the word because God’s word is authoritative over our lives.

And finally,

c) Inspired means Scripture is profitable.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

The word profitable is an important word here.

In fact I have tied my main point around this word.

I like the word profitable,

but it can also be translated beneficial, valuable, or helpful.

It has the idea that God’s word returns a profit.

It doesn’t go out in vain,

but is profitable.

Because of who spoke the words of Scripture,

the words are profitable to us.

In other words,

the word of God should cause us to grow in Christ.

God’s word never goes bankrupt,

because it always returns profit in our lives.

ILLUSTRATION:

People in my generation and don’t trust the stock market.

Why?

Because when I was a junior in high school, September 11 happened.

Because the year I got married the housing market bursted in 2008.

Because this year the Coronavirus shut down the economy.

The stock market sometimes yields incredible rewards,

but other times it literally takes money out of our pockets.

Understand – God’s word is not like that.

You may feel like you’re on a roller coaster as you war with sin in your life,

but this verse teaches us that God’s word is always profitable.

We should be growing it through the word because God’s word is always profitable.

Not only should we be growing in the word because God has spoken,

but we should be growing in the words because –

2) Scripture is life changing (2 Ti 3:16b)

Our world is full of brokenness.

Consider Romans 8:20 -

Romans 8:20 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

Charles Spurgeon said this about suffering in his life -

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” 

This world is broken,

but it’s not just the world that is broken.

(Emphasize) We are utterly broken.

Paul said in Romans 7:24 -

Romans 7:24 ESV

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

You can feel Paul’s anguish over his sin nature.

His brokenness.

Proverbs 5:22 ESV

22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.

And we know we all sin.

Is there any relief from the brokenness of this world?

Is there any relief from our brokenness?

Is there any relief from the bondage of my sin?

Is there a way to live a life devoted to God?

Our passage teaches us that God’s word is profitable.

But what does that mean?

And I would summarize it this way -

Scripture is profitable in transforming the brokenness of my life.

How so?

Scripture is helpful to -

a) Teach.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

The word teaching has the idea of giving instruction.

ILLUSTRATION:

The last month or so we’ve really been trying to focus on teaching our children to ride their bike.

The weather’s been surprisingly warm perfect begin practicing.

And so we taken them out to our street, and talk to them about keeping balance.

And how to turn.

And how they have to go fast enough that they don’t fall over.

And we’ve given them just enough boost in the backseat to help them go a little ways.

We are teaching them.

The Scriptures are profitable for us to teach the truths of God.

Scripture is also helpful to -

b) Rebuke

How many of you cringed at the word rebuke?

We don’t like to be rebuked.

And we don’t like to rebuke others.

Rebuking someone means I’ll love them enough to confront them about their sin.

Rebuking means I love them enough to tell them I’m concerned about the condition of their heart.

Rebuking means I am willing and humble myself and to allow others to approach me about my sin.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We like in the word encouraging,

but sometimes encouraging requires rebuke.

The context here,

Paul is telling young Timothy to rebuke the sin, and the heresy, of people with the Word.

The word is the tool and authority for Godly rebuke.

Because we are broken,

we need something that will rebuke our sin.

ILLUSTRATION:

We need something that will

>>>>> put a big red stop sign in our lives when we start coming into foolishness and the bondage of sin.

God’s word is profitable to rebuke us.

CAVEAT:

Now let me caution us, there is a right way to rebuke people and a wrong way to rebuke people,

So be careful here.

We do not have the right to demand people to live according to my personal standards.

We do not have the right to be the judge and jury of others.

But we do have a responsibility to graciously rebuke bonified, Scripture taught sin in each others lives.

And we have a personal responsibility to let the Word rebuke us when we sin.

Whether that be personal study of the Word, or someone coming to me and speaking truth into my life.

Scripture is profitable to rebuke my sin.

Scripture is also helpful to

c) Correct

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

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

The word correcting has the idea of

setting us on the right path,

or helping us with our misguided errors.

It teaches us that the Scriptures should correct our mistakes, errors, faults, and failures.

ILLUSTRATION:

When I was stationed aboard a cruiser,

sometimes I would have to go up to the bridge.

On the bridge,

you could watch them every few minutes marking their location and correcting the ship to stay on course.

They were always double checking that they were still on course.

That is exactly what we should be doing with the word.

Every time I pick up my Bible, I should be doing more than just reading.

I should be looking to see if my life matches up to the life that Scripture says I should be living.

And Not just when I have a question or struggle, but a constant double checking as I read my Bible and hear the teaching of the word.

The Bible is profitable to correct me.

And finally,

Scripture is helpful to -

d) Train us in Godly living.

If we have not been a humbled by this passage yet,

this word ought to do it.

The English word for train is a little bit broader than the word in Greek.

Because the word is here, is especially the word for child training.

Eph 6:4 - Discipline

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Even when the word describes adults

– Scripture almost always uses it in the context of us being the children of God.

For example,

This is the word that Hebrews 12:5 uses to describe us being chastised, or spiritually Spanked for disobedience.

Hebrews 12:5 ESV

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.

Our approach to God’s word,

should be the same as a child listening to the instruction of his parents.

ILLUSTRATION:

This year was the first time my children rode the school bus.

- And so I showed Matthew and Rebekah where they would be dropped off.

- I showed them how they are supposed to cross the street together.

There are to hold hands.

They are to look both ways.

And they are to cross together.

And so we watch to make sure they’re doing it the way we showed them.

This is the word is being used here.

Child Training!

We like a young children,

should be listening to the guidance and instruction of our heavenly father.

We should not be fools who despise instruction,

but children who honor our father.

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Every time we come to the word,

we should be humbling ourselves under it,

looking for what the father is going to teach us today.

To summarize this point -

Every Christian should be growing through the Word because it is life changing.

Scripture is profitable to

Teach

Rebuke

Correct

and Train us for Godly living.

We ought to grow through the Word because it is supposed to be life changing.

CONCLUSION:

So I ask you today,

are you profiting from the word?

- When you were at home on Sundays during the shutdown,

- And when you were doing your devotions?

Were you profiting from the word?

Notice I didn’t ask if you listened to my sermons.

Nor did I ask you if you did your daily reading of your Bibles.

Because this passage calls us to do more than simply hear and read the word of God.

It tells us that we are to actively be profiting from the word.

As we understood what it means to be profiting from the word,

We realize that means I reading should be actively changing us.

I don’t simply want to know that you’re reading your Bible?

I don’t simply want to know that you’re listening to preaching and teaching of the word

I want to know if you’re growing through the Word.

Is the word teaching you?

Is the word rebuking you?

Is the word correcting you?

Is the word child training you?

Are you learning and growing every time you pick up your Bible?

Because if you’re not growing to the word, then you are not using the word in your life, the way God intended it.

And I’m not simply talking about external living?

> Certainly our living should be reflected in what we do.

> But as I understand the teachings of the heart,

our Christ like doing, should be a reflection of our heart.

Jesus Said,

Matthew 15:18–19 ESV

18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Is the word teaching your heart?

Is the word rebuking the heresies of your heart?

Is the word correcting the misguided thoughts of your heart?

Is the word training up your heart?

I challenge us today – remember the word should change us.

My prayer for each one of us, is that the Word would be profitable in our lives.