Why read the Bible?

Why read stuff?

(Intro: We read/watch to learn)

Car Repair - Also Gary Jeep Door Story

Pastor John’s - John Deer Tractor

Doctors & Nurses

The Oil Patch - Geology

George Washington

History,

Biography,

Associations,

His writings,

Letters to wife

Intro Summary

Why read the Bible?

Not Cars - Life Repair

Not Pastor John’s John Deer - Pastors

Not Biology - The Great Physician

Not Geology - Creation itself

Not George Washington -

Biography

Histories

Narratives or stories

letters - epistles

Relationships

Saints

God Himself

Today I would like to explore what the Bible says about itself

And maybe later discus how we can utilize this gift from God.

Scripture Reading:

Please turn to

2 Timothy 3:14-17

What are we reading? Letter to Timothy

Who were Paul & Timothy? Apostle/Pastor - Mentor/Student

Timothy served as Paul’s representative in several churches

1 Corinthians 4:17 Philippians 2:19

Pastor of the Church of Ephesus 1 Timothy 1:3

Let’s Read:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

Lets Break this down by verse

2 Timothy 3:14 ESV

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

But You continue (Remain) (μένε ) - Imperative Command

Present Active Imperative

Be Remaining

Pres.Act.Imp - Continue Remaining

Paul commands Timothy to Continue Remaining

Remaining in What?

In what you have learned -

Essence of the Greek: what you have learned (οἷς ἔμαθες)

That which or the whole of what you have learned - all of our walk, experience

We are not to check our brains at the door

We examine, we meditate, we chew on it

Paul commands Timothy to Continue Remaining

in the whole of what he has learned

But as for you, continue in what you have learned

and have firmly believed

how do we come to a state of: have firmly believed?

We are convinced by our experience over time

we have lived it

we are true to what we have come to believe

we are faithful to what we have come to believe

We pledge our selves to what we have

So, We are walking in what we have firmly come to believe

knowing from whom you have learned it

Who had Timothy learned from?

His Mama & Grandma (We will see this shortly)

Paul

Holy Spirit

Who have we learned from?

Parents?

Other more mature Christians?

Pastors, Teachers, Deacons, Leaders.

Is their walk a witness?

Love

Humility

Gentleness

Purity

So, we know from whom we have learned from.

Let me Paraphrase where we are so far:

Paraphrased: We are being commanded to be remaining, staying true to the whole of what we have learned over time, having been convinced, firmly believing, because we know from whom we have learned.

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Lets see verse 15

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

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.

and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings,

From Child hood - Acquainted How?

Grandma Lois and Mama Eunice

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Acts 16:1 ESV

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

From Childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings

Which writings? Old Testament

Comments for reading the Old Testament...

which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Comments how did scripture make Timothy wise for Salvation?

Prophecies like in Isaiah

Narratives in Genesis

Psalms and more

Folks were looking for Messiah - even the Samaritan women at the well.

All before Jesus Came...

The essence of the Greek :

Gary Paraphrase:

Paraphrase: from child hood you have known the Holy Scriptures, that are able, for/to making you wise, for the purpose of Salvation, through or the means of, expressed faith, in Christ Jesus.

So Paul commands Timothy his protege or child in the faith to:

Continue to remain

In the WHOLE of all he has learned from:

Grandma Lois, Mamma Eunice, Paul, The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Spirit, a life time of experience, and the testimony of the more mature saints walk and testimony.

Scriptures that point to the coming Messiah

Testimony of those that were with Christ

Testimony and Acts of the Apostles

Miracles giving authority to the Apostles that they were from God

What about our miracles?

Comment… IE addictions, financial, health, life change , born again-ness

How does these testimonies and/or witnesses in your life make you wise for salvation?

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Lets See Verse 16

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,

All Scripture is breathed out by God

Gary Story

Car Window details

Digging Deeper

Scripture about scripture

English Standard Version Psalm 19

7  The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

8  the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

9  the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever;

the rules of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

Law is Perfect - Reviving the Soul

Testimony is Sure - Making Wise the Simple

Precepts are Right - Rejoicing the Heart

Commandment is Pure - Enlightening the Eyes

Fear of the Lord is Clean - Enduring Forever

Rules of the Lord are True - Righteous altogether

English Standard Version Chapter 2

9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

These things are revealed to us through the Spirit.

The Spirit searches everything even the depths of God.

These things revealed to us mostly via His word

Also the Apostle Peter says:

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.

Check out also what Peter says about Paul’s writings:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

The ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

Textual Criticism - Witnesses

Greek Manuscripts - 5100 +

Hebrew text matched to Dead Sea Scrolls

Original Autographs vs. Copies

Hebrew copy method example

Holy

In variations, No Change in meanings

Example Matthew 6:13 Doxology

ESV & NIV -No, KJV - Yes

Many have tried to discredit the Bible for centuries. Never been done.

To many manuscripts (witnesses) say the same thing.

God has inspired, authored, protected

Witnesses of - Scripture quoted by other writers - The whole Bible before electronic means could be recompiled. several times over.

Scripture in other languages

Let’s continue with verse 16

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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

For Teaching

Proverbs - Proverbs 1:1-7

Romans - Full letter of Theology

Ephesians, Galatians and the rest of the Epistles

The Old Testament - Pointing to Christ

New Testament - Pointing after Christ

What God wants us to know about Him and His creation :

Space, Time, Matter, & Spiritual

Reproof, Quick Example of Galatians

Galatians was a letter to the folks in Galatia

Paul corrects thoughts against his Apostolic Authority

English Standard Version Chapter 1

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

Paul corrects the Galatians for wanting to fall back under the Jewish Law & Judaism

English Standard Version Chapter 3

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

Correction -

Correction Examples:

Paul- Gifts vs Love 1 Corinthians 13

Jesus corrects Sadducees about the Resurrection Matthew 22:23-33

Correction bringing our Faults to light

Correction via our Conviction of sin

Training in Righteousness - I call this leveling up

Video Game, complete a level up

Enhancements

new gear

new power

Sanctification (Born Again process to Christlikeness)

More like Christ - WWJD, Gospels, Be-Attitudes

More Fruits of the Spirit- Galatians 5:22

less Sin - MacArthur Quote

Justification - understanding why we are declared Righteous

Comments - legal

So the word of God is from God - flawless without mistakes. Gods Holy Spirit uses the word to teach us, grow us, correct us, convict us, all the while training us to be like Christ.

Gods’ word doesn't just save us.

Salvation is just the beginning of eternity.

The same power that created the universe, that saved us, also completes us.

- Training us in the Righteousness of Christ that we already wear.

Christ’s righteousness has been was placed on us, Justifying us.

The Bible shows us how to walk in the way that we already are.

Let’s put all this together with our last verse verse 17.

Paraphrased: We are being commanded to be remaining, staying true to the whole of what we have learned over time, having been convinced, firmly believing, because we know from whom we have learned.

Paraphrase: from child hood you/we have known the Holy Scriptures, that are able, for/to making us wise, for the purpose of Salvation, through or via the means of, expressed faith, in Christ Jesus.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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

So

English Standard Version Chapter 3

17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

We take all of God’s word and apply it.

This will make us complete, knowing were the way or the road to sanctification lays.

The word has equipped us to grow AND to be used by God in the lives of others.

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How do I apply this?

Read Meditate Pray Serve

Read talk more about later

Meditate not like the world

not empty but think

Meditate in a Biblical way, so I wont for get it.

Think about the text - What stood out? Main idea? Struck Me?

how does this text relate to me and my experiences - Be like Timothy

English Standard Version Chapter 3

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

So I have to bathe in the word for the Holy Spirit to Sanctify me, Make me more like Christ by Teaching, Reproofing, Correcting training....

I am designed to meet Christ in my Sanctification as I met Christ in my Salvation.

He calls us to participate. We are in a Participation Sport.

IF I SHOW UP, He will do the miraculous work of life change!

IF I SHOW UP, He Grow us, and even have us join him in what He is doing, by serving our fellow Saints and the lost.

So How do we show up.

We attend, we worship, we read.

We meditate on what we read.

We Read in a consistent way. Habitually. A reading program.

The scripture is God breathed. I need to draw in His breath.

A Bible Reading Plan can help us be bathed in the word.

Recommended Plan

* Recommended Start 1 Chapter of each (5), each day. But stay flexible. If 5 to many try 3, or 5 chapters every other day.