God Said that, right?

New Sermon Series:

It Is Written

An LHC Core Value: God’s Word

God’s Word is:

Alive…

Powerful…

Never Returns Void…

Will last for eternity...

Truth you can trust!

Church…

You Need To Know God’s Word!

That is what this series is all about.

Knowing the Word of God!

More today than any other time… each one of us need to know what God’s Word says.

We need to know its truths and it’s promises!

Today’s sermon title is:

God Said That, Right?

Statistically most “Christians” today pick up the Word of God to read it only once or twice a month.

And because of this, we have churches full of Christians who don’t actually know what His Word says...

Think about that...

And while you do, turn with me to...

Matthew 4:1

PRAYER:

SERMON:

Matthew 4:1–11 NIV

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Many of us are familiar with this story of Christ.

But have you ever noticed what Satan said in verse 6.

Matthew 4:6 NIV

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

For it is written

In the first temptation Jesus uses the Word of God to combat the temptation by saying, “It is Written.”

And now Satan decides to also use the Word of God to his own defense.

Church, If you didn’t know it before… Know it now...

Satan knows the Word of God very well!

I think we picture Satan as this idiot who is running around not knowing what he is doing.

But the truth is, he is very deceiving and cunning.

He knows exactly what he is doing and he has had a lot of practice over the years!

And...

One of his favorite weapons to use against the Church is the Word of God.

He likes to cause us to question and doubt it.

Because if he can get us to doubt the Word of God, we become susceptible to all kinds of lies.

If one part of His Word is not true… can we trust any of the rest of it?

Either this is God’s Word or it isn’t.

And Satan will misinterpret, twist, and bring as much doubt on God’s Word as He can.

We see Satan do the same thing in the Garden of Eden with Eve.

Look at Genesis 3:1-7 with me.

Genesis 3:1–7 NIV

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

The questioning of God’s Word by Satan (just a little bit), is enough to get Eve to start doubting what God said.

And that doubt eventually led her to direct disobedience towards God.

These two stories that we have read have 2 different outcomes.

Jesus was able to overcome the temptation of Satan and not be deceived.

But Eve gave in and sin entered into the World as her and Adam did the 1 thing God told them not to.

1 THING!!!

This morning I want to give you the...

Two reasons why Eve failed and Jesus succeeded.

Because I want to see you succeed when Satan comes and tries to deceive you.

Are you ready to learn them?

1) She knew OF God’s Word… instead of Knowing God’s Word.

Knowing God’s Word & Standing on His Word is the only way to defeat the lies of the enemy and the culture we live in.

Eve didn’t really know God’s Word.

She knew of God’s Word!

She had heard what He said.

But she hadn’t heard it herself.

You can’t rely on other people telling you what God’s Word says… You have to know it!

If the only time you hear God’s Word is in Church; You know OF God’s Word, You don’t KNOW His Word.

Many people are full of what they have heard about God’s Word… What they have heard from others...

But for you to overcome the enemy and the lies of this culture we live in… You have to personally know God’s Word!

Pick it up and read it for yourself!

Spend time with the Lord by studying His Word and seeking Him to teach you what it says.

Jesus knew God’s Word.... That is why he responds like He does in Matthew 4:7.

Matthew 4:7 NIV

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

It is also written

Notice that Jesus doesn’t debate with Satan… Because Satan didn’t lie when he quoted God’s Word.

But what Jesus does here is powerful… He interprets God’s Word with God’s Word.

It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

(You have to read scripture in light of scripture)

This is the complete opposite of what Eve does.

So here is where we see the 2nd reason why Eve failed and Jesus succeeded:

2) She didn’t Interpreted God’s Word with God’s Word.

Satan planted the seed of self interpretation with his words to Eve. Listen to it again… Genesis 3:4

Genesis 3:4–5 NIV

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan gets her to start questioning what God actually meant by what He said.

Did He really mean die?

Maybe God is keeping things from you.

Maybe God doesn’t want you to gain this wisdom.

Maybe you’re missing out on something very important.

Check out her response in verse 6

Genesis 3:6 NIV

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Eve started to interpret God’s Word through her own interpretation.

And as she did, she began to rationalize, and convince herself that God’s Word was not what she originally thought.

Listen Church… If you handle God’s Word like Eve did...

You will find yourself interpreting God’s word in light of your experiences and feelings.

This is really a huge problem in the Church today!

Many Churches and Denominations are splitting over some very big issues of God’s Word.

And false doctrines have taken root and are leading many people away from the Lord.

Listen Church...

You can only correctly interpret God’s Word correctly with God’s Word!

That’s how Jesus was able to defeat Satan… By interpreting God’s Word with God’s Word.

It’s why it’s so important that you study all of God’s Word.

Its why we can’t just pick and choose verses that we like.

You need the entire Word of God to fully understand what God is saying in His Word.

(Elaborate: Being Disciples of His Word & Life Groups)

As I close:

The Church today needs to have a Biblical Worldview more than ever before!

You may be asking, what is a Biblical Worldview?

It’s looking at life and the things of this World in light of what God’s Word says.

When you have a Biblical Worldview, you allow God’s word to define what you see and experience.

What Satan wants, is for us to view the Bible through what we see and experience.

If we use our own rationalizing and experiences, we will always second guess God’s Word.

Church, my desire is for you to understand the importance of Valuing God’s Word!

That you Know His Word, That you Understand it, and that You stand firm on it!

His Word will Sustain you through life...

And His Word will guide you into all truth...

Know His Word!

PRAYER

WORSHIP