Sure Word of God

The Bible is a very interesting book, that has been at the forefront of controversy for hundreds of years.

It has been ripped to shreds, stomped, banned, and burned and yet it still exists.

Just the other day I read an article found in a prominent magazine of Popular Culture that put the Bible on a list of classic books NOT to read. Here is what they wrote about it:

"The Holy Bible is rated very highly by all the people who supposedly live by it but who in actuality have not read it. Those who have read it know there are some good parts, but overall it is certainly not the finest thing that man has ever produced. It is repetitive, self-contradictory, sententious, foolish, and even at times ill-intentioned."

The Bible is a very unique book -

It was written over a 1500 year span (covering 40 generations) Written by over 40 authors from every walk of life (Kings, Peasants, Warriors, Priests, Patriots & Prophets) Written in different places (covering 3 continents Asia, Africa, Europe) Written at different times Written while authors were in different moods Written in 3 languages (Hebrew, Greek & Aramaic) What they wrote comes to us today in Two Testaments containing 66 books, broken into 1,189 chapters and 31,173 verses. The Bible makes over 3000 claims of being inspired. [1]

We like to sing the old hymn,

How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

To you who for refuge, to Jesus hath fled. [2]

The Articles of Faith and Bylaws of the Bible Holiness Church, puts our position on the Doctrine of The Bible in clear terms:

Part One, Articles of Faith, #4 Page 9 4. The Holy Scriptures

By the term, The Holy Scriptures, we understand the sixty-six canonical (ka-non-icle) books contained in the Authorized Version, which books when freed from all errors and mistakes of translators, copyists and printers, we recognize as the very Word of God – inerrant, infallible and containing all things necessary to salvation as our sole authority for doctrine….. (then in includes 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Now I want to define a couple of terms for us tonight:

Inspired - That the Bible is the Word of God, given by his revelation. It literally means "God-breathed." or "Breathed out" by God. "

The theological use of the term inspiration is a reference to that controlling influence which God exerted over the human authors by whom the Old and New Testament were written. It has to do with the reception of the divine message and the accuracy with which it is transcribed. [5]

Now while this term inspired is not explicitly used in our Articles of Faith, it is implied. and even uses the classic scripture for belief in the Bible being inspired, 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness…" Inspired meaning that it is the Word of God - not that it contains the Word of God. I also want to clarify that I believe in a Plenary inspiration of the Scriptures - meaning that God inspired the whole person, using that writer's imagination and personality, guiding the writing process to provide total accuracy. Gave the writer that extraordinary or supernatural divine influence given to those who wrote the Holy Scriptures, rendering their writings infallible and inerrant I don't believe in dictation - that God gave the writers word for word what to put down, but rather inspired them. Inerrant - The Bible is accurate in every statement. Without mistake. - This term is used in our bylaws. I like what Wayne Gruden the theologian said on the Bible being inerrant -

"The definition in simple terms just means that the Bible always tells the truth and that it always tells the truth concerning everything it talks about. This definition does not mean that the Bible tells us every fact there is to know about any one subject, but it affirms that what it does say about any subject is true."[6]

Infallible - That the Bible's teachings will not lead one into error. The late great Dr. R. C. Sproul once said in a teaching on the infallibility of the scriptures,

" To confess that the bible is infallible is to confess that the Scriptures are incapable of teaching any error…. The prophets and apostles not only did not err—they could not err when writing Scripture."[7]

I want us to look at this passage a little closer. I also want to apologize that I cannot cover every single detail. If you want more information. You will have dig it out, or feel free to ask me or contact me later.

What does Peter mean by a "More sure word?"

The phrase, "A more sure" is from the Greek word, "βέβαιος" {Bib-eh-yos} Meaning - steadfast, firm, anchored, what can be depended on, reliable, certain, trustworthy,[8]

Now Peter refers to an experience he had with God, but he really is appealing to Jesus Christ the Lord. Or as John the Beloved called Him, The WORD.

Peter uses THE WORD to prove the MORE SURE WORD of PROPHECY

I want us to look tonight at:

What Happened to the WORD

What the WORD said

What the WORD did.

What Happened To The WORD

We Saw - Verse 16 - We aren't following fables - because we, "WERE EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY." Notice he doesn't appeal to the miracles of Jesus, nor the teachings but to His Majesty!!! Majesty - 2 Peter 1:16 (AMP) (grandeur, authority of sovereign power). This Majesty was seen by Peter, James & John at the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matt. 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36) Later he uses the terms "honor and glory" that he received from the Father. honor - referring to exalted status Glory - referring to Christ's splendid appearance. (This is what Jesus was emptied of when He came to earth - he left his glory behind. Now he is temporarily glorified in front of the disciples. ) Luke 9:29 The countenance was altered Matthew 17:2 his face did shine as the sun Similar to Moses when he came down from the mountain. The difference was Moses was a reflection of the Glory of God. Jesus was shining with the glory that was intrinsic to him as Messiah and God.[10] We Heard - Verse 17 - Peter finally tells what Jesus commissioned them not to tell until after his resurrection - They heard the voice of God that said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He has appealed to what he saw with his own eyes, and now what he has heard with his own ears. We Were With Him - Verse 18 We saw his face and clothes shine - we heard the voice of the Father from heaven, we saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elisha. (The Law and the Prophets)

Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of his majesty at the Transfiguration (cf. Matt. 17:1-13).

These men were influenced to the end of their ministry by that vision.

James died a martyr for his testimony; John said they beheld His glory (I John 1:14); and Peter insisted that they heard God say, This is my beloved Son (17). All of them confessing to the end that they believed this Good ole book.

(HOLD UP THE BIBLE)

Bro. Haldor Lillenas wrote:

The Bible stands every test we give it, For its Author is divine; By grace alone I expect to live it, And to prove and to make it mine.

Refrain: The Bible stands though the hills may tumble, It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble; I will plant my feet on its firm foundation, For the Bible stands.[11] Peter is saying - "WE HAVE A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY"

Scripture provides us with a better testimony than even the eye-witness account of the three disciples on the mount of transfiguration.

Peter hinges his proof on the authenticity of the Scriptures on one person. JESUS CHRIST!!!

What The WORD Said

Jesus claims equality with God

Matthew 16, Mark 8, Luke 9 all record an interesting event - Jesus asked them who they thought he was. Peter speaks up and said, "The Christ" now all three Gospels word it a little different, but they all include that title "The Christ" In Matthew Jesus blesses Peter for saying the right thing - going so far as to say that the Father had revealed it to him. Matthew also records that Jesus said to them, "that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the CHRIST."

In John 8 in a discussion Jesus was trying to prove his deity. He tells them in verse 56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." They scorned him - you are not even 50 years old yet, how could you know Abraham? Jesus' reply - "Before Abraham was, I AM (He is using the same term God used to name himself to Moses back in Exodus. Verse 59 - "Then they took up stones to cast at him." Mark 14:61-62—“Art thou Christ, the son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am.” He is Christ (Messiah) Son of the Blessed, the Son of Man. John 5:17-18— “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

Jesus put himself on a par with God’s activity and thus justifies his healing on the Sabbath. John 10:30—“I and My Father are One.” The Jews understood Jesus to be claiming deity (Jn. 10:33). John 8:58—“I AM” is the divine name that God used to identify Himself to Moses (Exodus 3:14). He’s assuming the title of God. before Abraham was, I AM. John 5:23-24—Jesus claimed to deserve the same honor as God. (Honor the Son as you honor the Father.) Only God is to be worshipped, yet Jesus asked for and accepted worship as God Matthew 8:2—the leper came and worshipped Jesus. Jesus allowed others to worship Him. Matthew 14:33—the disciples “worshiped him, saying: ‘Indeed thou art the Son of God.” John 9:35-37—the man born blind, after being healed, “falls down and worships Him.” John 20:28: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” Thomas called Jesus kurios and theos. Jesus forgave sins. Mark 2:5 - “…Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Only God can forgive sins. Only God can forgive sin, for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), and only the aggrieved law-giver can forgive the guilty one.

One last way Jesus showed that he believed he was God. In the Old Testament all of the prophets and preachers would begin a message from God with "Thus Saith the Lord." Jesus never used that phrase. Instead he would say, "you have heard… BUT I SAY UNTO YOU!!!"

What The WORD Did

I come to this conclusion that Jesus is who he says he is because the whole burden of proof of the claims of Jesus rests upon one thing - THE RESURECTION - If that happened (And with God's help I want to prove it did) then Jesus is Lord

I want to use the acronym HEART to prove this - The Resurrection is at the Heart of the Gospel message and final proof that Jesus is who he says he is.

This is not original with me this was written by Dr. Mark Bird at GBS.

I. The Resurrection: At the HEART of the Gospel

Horrible Death

1. Heavy loss of blood

2. When His side was pierced, blood and water flowed out.

3. Soldiers didn’t break His legs.

4. Pilate asked for assurance (from the centurion) that Jesus was dead.

5. He was wrapped completely in bandages and laid in a tomb.

6. Non-Christian sources confirm the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Empty Tomb

1. The Jews through history have admitted that the tomb was empty. They only give reason for the tomb’s vacancy—belief in the empty tomb is assumed.

2. Christianity could not have originated in Jerusalem within a few weeks of the supposed Resurrection if there were no empty tomb.

• Why not? No one would have believed the Resurrection if there were no empty tomb, seeing the Resurrection was first preached in Jerusalem (the very city in which the body had lain) within a few weeks of the Crucifixion and burial.

3. Other explanations for the empty tomb are not reasonable.

a. Disciples stole the body.

• The disciples would have had to sneak by or overpower the Roman guard outside the tomb.

• If the disciples stole the body, they died for what they knew was a lie.

> Can we trust the apostles to have told the truth?

Peter, crucified

Andrew, crucified

Matthew, by the sword

James, son of Alpheus, crucified

Philip, crucified

Simon, crucified

Thaddaeus, arrows

James, brother of Jesus, stoned

Thomas, spear thrust

Bartholomew, crucified

James, son of Zebedee, the sword

“Nothing in law so convinces courts and juries of the truthfulness of a story as the fact that a man’s life has been consistent with such story.” (Henry Barnett, attorney)

b. The Jewish or Roman authorities removed the body.

> If they had removed it, they would have produced it for everyone to see. Why?

c. Swoon Theory

> More incredible than a Resurrection

Appearances after the Resurrection

1. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Paul gives a list of some of those who saw Christ:

Peter

The Twelve

500 brethren at once, most still alive when Paul wrote this

James

Paul himself

2. The Gospels also record the testimony of others who saw Christ after He had been crucified.

>Why should we believe the testimony of these early Christians who said they saw Christ?

D. Record of Women as the first Witnesses

E. Transformation of Disciples

> Peter Cowardly denier to its greatest proclaimer

> Paul antagonist to advocate

> James, Jesus’ brother – skeptical till resurrection then becomes leader of Jewish church.

II. What Happens When One Examines the Evidence Objectively?

Simon Greenleaf—professor of law at Harvard in the 1800s

• His three-volume work A Treatise on the Law of Evidence has been considered by the Supreme Court to be the greatest single authority on legal evidence.

• He said, “If the evidence for the resurrection was set before any unbiased

courtroom in the world it would be judged to be an historical fact—Jesus Christ rose from the dead!”

Has any other religious leader ever risen from the dead? No record exists of any.

You can get you a forensic scientists and a group of archeologists and if you were allowed to enter Muhammad's grave you could brush and scrap and swab and come up with some dust and bone fragments that belonged to Muhammad.

You can travel the thousands of miles and find the tomb of Confucius and take a look around - and even though lots of people are walking around in the confusion he has left - you could still find some remains.

Travel to see Buddha's burial place and same thing - they are all dead and still dead and still in their graves.

I heard recently Brother James Keaton at IHC told how he was over there and was in line to see Lennon but while he was in line they told them they had to go home - they was going to have to put some more preservative stuff on his body before anyone could see him. - He was still there just as dead as when he died.

But you travel over to a little spot in the Middle East to a garden tomb with the stone rolled away and where we have many testimonies and many infallible proofs that the one they put in there only stayed there three days and then he was out of there. He was gone he Arose, He Arose Hallelujah Christ Arose.

And That my friend is why Peter could so boldly declare -

WE HAVE A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY

And then exhort - WE OUGHT TO TAKE HEED TO!!!

I'd like to close with this -

Clipped from : http://www.namethathymn.com/hymn-lyrics-detective-forum/index.php?a=vtopic&t=6325

The Funeral of Jesus

IT WAS MIDNIGHT, ON A SATURDAY, WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE,

THEY WERE HAVING JESUS’S FUNERAL OUTSIDE HIS GARDEN GRAVE

SO GREAT WAS THE CROWD THAT GATHERED AT THAT DARK LONELY PLACE,

AS THEY TOLD OF THE GREATNESS OF JESUS, A LOOK OF LOSS ON EACH FACE

TEARS FILLED THE EYES OF MANY, OTHERS WERE SEIZED BY FEAR,

IF HE WAS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE, THEN HOW DID HE WIND UP HERE

“ALL I KNOW IS I COULD NOT SEE” BARTEMAUS CRIED ALOUD,

“THEN JESUS OPENED MY BLINDED EYES” AND A HUSH COVERED THE CROWD

“I WAS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTRY WHEN THEY THREW ME AT HIS FEET”

MARY CRIED, “ALL I KNOW IS THAT HE SHOWED REAL MERCY TO ME”

“I ONLY HAD A PICNIC LUNCH” I HEARD A SMALL BOY SAY,

“JESUS BLESSED THE FIVE LOAVES AND TWO SMALL FISH, AND MADE AN ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET”

ON AND ON THEY JUST KEPT COMING WITH AMAZING STORIES TO TELL,

LIKE THE WOMAN WHO WAS FOREVER CHANGED WHEN SHE MET JESUS AT THE WELL

“HEY, LET ME TELL YOU MY STORY,” LAZURUS LOUDLY SAID …

“JESUS GAVE LIFE BACK TO ME, AND I KNOW I WAS DEAD”

ON AND ON THEY JUST KEPT COMING, SO GREAT WAS HIS FAME,

“IF THEY THINK THEY CAN HOLD HIM HERE“, SOMEONE SAID, “WHY THEY’RE ALL INSANE”

THEN ALL AT ONCE THE PLACE GOT QUIET, EXCEPT FOR A HIDEOUS SOUND …

LAUGHING,

SATAN HIMSELF SHOWED UP, JUST WALKING … PACING UP AND DOWN

“FOOLS, ALL OF YOU” I HEARD SATAN CRY,

“YOUR GOD IS DEAD AND BURIED, WHY, YOU ALL SAW HIM DIE”

BUT THEN, LIKE A MIGHTY RUSHING WIND, IN WALKED THE HOLY GHOST,

SATAN TOOK TWO STEPS BACK, TREMBLING, SURROUNDED BY A HEAVENLY HOST

“WHY ARE YOU HERE?” SATAN SCREAMED, WHEN THE HOLY GHOST TURNED ABRUPT ...

“THE MASTER LEFT A WAKE UP CALL WITH THE FATHER, AND I JUST CAME TO WAKE HIM UP”

“WHEN SHOULD I MOVE THE STONE?” MICHAEL, THE ANGEL OF WAR, ASKED,

“WHEN YOU SEE THE SUNRISE,” THE HOLY GHOST SAID, “THEN YOU CAN DO THE TASK”

“WATCH THE STONE” SATAN CRIED AS DEMONS FILLED THE PLACE,

“OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL HE EVER RISE.” THE HOLY GHOST SAID “WHATEVER IT TAKES”

THEN THE FIRST RAY OF SUNSHINE BROKE THROUGH WITH MORNING LIGHT,

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT WAS AWESOME, AND SUCH AN AMAZING AND GLORIOUS SIGHT,

WITH JUST A LITTLE PUSH, MICHAEL ROLLED THE STONE AWAY …

ON THE COLD HARD SLAB OF DEATH, THERE THE BODY OF JESUS LAY

DEMONS TRIED TO HOLD HIM DOWN AS DEATH STRATTLED HIS CHEST,

“HOLD HIM FAST” SATAN SCREAMED. DEATH REPLIED, “I’M DOING MY BEST”

THEN A DEMON SHREEKED, “I SAW HIM MOVE.” ANOTHER CRIED “IT’S TRUE,

I DON’T THINK WE CAN HOLD HIM HERE, WE’RE DOING ALL WE CAN DO”

IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING THING TO SEE, DEATH ITSELF GIVING BIRTH,

AS THE MORNING SUN CAME UP, THUNDER ROLLED AND A QUAKE SHOOK THE EARTH

“OH NO!” I HEARD DEATH SAY, AS JESUS OPENED UP HIS EYES.

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOK ON DEATH’S FACE WHEN JESUS SAID, “YOU GOT THAT RIGHT”

IT SHOWED IN SATAN’S EYES, AS WITH FEAR HIS HEART WAS SEIZED …

SATAN TREMBLED AND DEMONS RAN AS JESUS SHOOK THE KEYS

OH GRAVE, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY, OH DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING,

AS ALL OF HELL WAS SHAKEN, ALL OF HEAVEN BEGAN TO SING

YOU COULD HEAR THE APPLAUSE OF HEAVEN, AS GOD HIMSELF ROSE FROM THE THRONE.

DEATH HAD BEEN DEFEATED AND THERE WAS A CELEBRATION GOING ON,

SO I GUESS THIS FUNERAL IS OVER, HE’S NO LONGER IN THE GROUND,

JESUS ROSE WITH GREAT POWER OVER DEATH HELL AND THE GRAVE

SO LET US LIFT OUR VOICES LET US SHOUT OUT PRAISE …

NOW LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE, AND ALL CREATION SING, JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL, AND FOREVER THE KING OF KINGS!