The Power of the Word of God

Two weeks ago we learned that we are to practice lifestyle evangelism. Last week we learned that we are to be salt and light providing moral traction and lighting the way for our friends and family to meet and know Jesus.

We have talked about being anchored to the Rock of Jesus and his Word… the Bible.

Tonight, I want to look at the Authority of the Bible. but first, let me give you a little history.

HISTORY OF PEOPLE'S TREATMENT OF THE WORD OF GOD.

In 600 B.C. King Jehoiakim

In 600 B.C. King Jehoiakim is literally tearing the Bible up page by page and throwing it into the fire, and imprisoning all the prophets and priests.

90 A.D., John is banished to the Isle of Patmos

Then, ninety years after the death of Christ, in 90 A.D., John is banished to the Isle of Patmos. He's in prison. He's on that lonely island, and why? Because of the Word of God and the word of his testimony.

In 300 A.D. John Wycliffe translates the Bible into English

In 300 A.D. John Wycliffe translates the Bible into English, then everyone who possesses a copy in English is killed. They become martyrs. As these martyrs in England are burned, they hold those scriptures close to their breasts. 40 years later, in 340 A.D., the Church is still so upset with John Wycliffe that they literally dig up his remains, and throw them in the river. In doing that, they declare that the Word of God will never again be translated into the people's language. They believe it will be completely washed from the memory of man.

In 1536, William Tyndale, who has again translated the New Testament, is burned at the stake.

It is safe to say that literally thousands of people have written, translated, and distributed this Word, and then have died for their efforts. Let me read this to you:

The Bible was written over a 1500-year span.

The Bible was written over a 1500-year span. It was written by 40 generations, by over 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars.

It was written in different places, including out in the wilderness, in dungeons, in palaces, inside prison walls, while traveling, on lonely islands, in the midst of war.

It was written at different times, sometimes in peace, sometimes in battle.

It was written during different moods, some writing from the heights of joy while others wrote from the very depths of sorrow.

It was written in three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.

And it was written in three languages -- Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek.

It covered subject matter including hundreds of controversial subjects, yet with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation, there is one unfolding story, and the story is the redemption of man through Jesus Christ.

Voltaire predicted that in 100 years the Bible would not exist

Voltaire, the French infidel who died in 1778, literally traveled the world, especially "enlightened Europe," speaking against the Word of God. And he predicted that 100 years after his death, the Bible would no longer be on earth. Well, Voltaire died, and 50 years later, the Geneva Bible Society bought his home. Using the presses he had used to produce his atheistic treatises, they have been producing Bibles ever since. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Word will never die."

No one in history has been able to get rid of the Word of God and they will not be successful today...

Let’s look at the Bible....

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

2 Timothy 3:17 NLT

17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

In this one passage, Paul makes four claims about the Bible.

4 Claims about the Bible by the Bible

1. All of it is God’s Word

Paul said “all scripture is inspired by God. He didn’t say some or most or half… he said all.

We all have our favorite passages. But we also have those passages we don’t like.

Some don’t like the tithe or other verses on giving.

Some don’t like where the Bible says forgive others when they hurt or offend you.

Others don’t like where it says to flee sexual immorality.

Others don’t like when it says treat people the way you want to be treated.

NEWS FLASH - it’s all God’s Word. Paul is reminding Timothy of the authority of the Bible.

2. The Bible’s instruction is alive and profitable

The Bible is alive and by that I mean it is for every generation. It doesn’t change and it doesn’t lose relevance because it’s alive.

Paul says it’s useful to teach. GW teaches us what is right and what is wrong. More importantly it makes us realize what is wrong in OUR lives and CORRECTS us and helps us to get back on track. When we follow God’s Word in our lives, life works better.

3. The Bible is comprehensive

GW meets every need… it’s alive and it’s comprehensive. It speaks to every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit uses the Word in your life teaching you and ministering to you.

4. The Bible equips you for life and ministry

The Bible has the ability to come along beside us… no matter what we are going through, and enable us to do what we could not otherwise do.

The Holy Spirit will use it powerfully in your lives.

ILL - Jos in Angola giving out Bibles… man had been preachng for 17 years from 11 verses in John.

Realize what you have when you hold the Word of God…

Luke 5 is a great story that shows what Jesus does when he comes into our lives.

Luke 5:1–11 NLT

1 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

I want us to see what Jesus will do when we allow the WORD of God the same priority the disciples gave Jesus.

5 Observations from Luke 5

In this text, Jesus made requests from Peter and the disciples and he does the same thing with us.

1. Jesus makes requests of us to see how we will respond

When Jesus comes into our lives, he asks certain things of us to see what our response will be.

Now, just as in the story, Jesus gradually asked for the disciples' obedience, that's usually the way God's Word speaks to us. First of all, he asked them to let him get into their boat. Then he asked them to take the boat out into the middle of the sea. Finally, he asked them to cast their nets down. He gradually unfolded his will to them.

Just like he did with the disciples, he will ask us to do something to see how we respond.

2. Jesus challenges us to trust and obey Him

It’s interesting that Jesus challenged the disciples to trust him in an area that they were good at… even experts at… fishing. When he met them he began to make requests. First to get into the boat… then to push out… then to drop the nets. He challenged them in an area they knew about. The question was, Would they obey him in areas they already knew about?

We never struggle to trust God in areas of our lives where we have no idea what we are doing. We plead with him to guide us in those instances. The real question, like the disciples faced, is can we trust God in areas we are pretty sure about?

Jesus challenged the disciples to trust and obey him in an area they knew well… And Jesus does the same thing today.

3. We tend to struggle with trusting in the areas where we have control and experience

The moment Jesu begins to enter into the areas where we have control… where we have a plan, we tend to struggle with obeying him.

Look at peter’s response.

Luke 5:5 NLT

5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”

He argued with Jesus for a moment. Any one besides me ever done that? We all know what it’s like to have Jesus tell us to do something we thought we were already doing … and we go Lord…

Like Peter did, we are expected to obey in the end.

4. God expects us to give His Word final authority in every area of our lives.

He expects us to obey, even if it doesn’t make sense. Peter argued but he did what Jesus told him to do. He basically said, this doesn’t make sense, but I’ll do it… I’ll give it the final authority in my life.

When we read the WOG, when we study it, when we meditate on it, do we let it change us? Do we allow it to be our final authority? Do we do what it says?

This is part of how we become salt and light…

5. We need to learn that consistent obedience produces consistent results.

The disciples discovered this that day, when they brought up their nets so full that they began to break. They had to call their partners over alongside to share the load, and both boats still almost sank. The results they received that day were based upon their obedience to Jesus' Word.

The same thing will happen with us…

Here’s how we need to respond.

We need to have these beliefs or convictions about the Bible

3 Beliefs about the Bible we must have

Psalm 119:11 NLT

11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Now what happens is, when we take the Word of God and learn it and love it and live it, we begin to develop biblical convictions. There are three convictions we need to have.

1. Even when I don’t understand it, I’ll trust what God says.

We have to trust God’s word over our own understanding.

Naaman trusted God over his own understanding. Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army, had leprosy, and his little servant girl suggested that he go to her country and see a prophet who could heal him.

So off Naaman went to Elijah's house. He arrives in front of the house in his chariot, and Elijah doesn't even come out -- he just sends a servant out. And the servant tells Naaman that the prophet says for him to go down to the Jordan River and dip seven times in it.

This ticks Naaman off. In fact, he says, "If I just needed to dip in the water seven times, I could go back to my own swimming pool in Syria. At least, the water's cleaner there." And off he goes. But then his colleagues talk him into going down to the Jordan and dipping seven times, and when he comes out, his flesh is like a newborn baby's.

Now, what's interesting about this is how Naaman responded. He said, "I had thought the prophet would come out and wave his hand, and I would be healed (he had preconceived how God would answer his prayer)." But now, after his healing, he said, "Now I know that there's a God of Israel."

Now isn't this interesting? Haven't we all done the same thing Naaman did? Haven't we come to God with a prayer request and told him how to answer it? We have this preconceived idea of how he's going to answer it, and we're just ready for it to be step one, two, three, four. We want him to do things our way...

So first, we have to trust what God says…

2. Even though it doesn’t make sense, I will obey what God says.

Remember at the wedding when Mary told the people who were out of wine… do whatever he says. And what he said to do did not make sense… but it worked.

God is telling you to put him ahead of everything else… that doesn’t make sense. He tells you to forgive people who wrong you… that doesn’t make sense. He tells you to give your time, talent and your treasure… that doesn’t make sense.

Whatever he says, do it...

3. Culture’s opinions vary, God’s Word is right on every subject every time.

Culture bounces all over the place. Culture calls things that are wrong… right and things that are right… wrong. Culture wants you to respect them while they disrespect you…

Listen to me… Culture is wrong!!! It always is. God’s Word is always right and it never changes.

Conclusion

God’s Word has the power to change your life. If you are not already, read it everyday and every evening this week. Meditate on it and do what you hear God telling you to do.