2. Scripture
Notes
Transcript
Welcome to part two of our series Look…and this morning we are going to take a look back at one of the most important tools we need when it comes to following Jesus. If you are new with us, for the last year we have been study core verses throughout the entire Bible. For those of you who have been keeping track this is core verse 52, which means we have two left! Here’s one big take away from our journey this last year: the entire Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. You can see Jesus and better follow Jesus from all of the core verses we have covered. If you have missed out on any of the content we have covered this last year, remember…you can catch up through our YouTube channel or on your favorite podcasting app. Just look for Iowa City Church.
So if you want to know how to do something, what is your go-to source of information? Well, probably like most people today we pick up our smart phone or head to our computer and type into the search bar what we are looking for. One area that is particularly helpful is YouTube. If you want a “how to do it” video for just about anything, there is more then likely a video for it. I’ve found videos on repairing things on my car, plumbing and gardening. Last year during the pandemic I wanted to pick up a new hobby and my daughter was learning how to skate board and I thought that would be cool…so I went to YouTube to learn how to use a long board.
When it comes to your go to source of information on how to do something what are you looking for?
Source you can trust.
True/Time tested.
Demonstrated/Modeled.
When it comes to how to live life, what is your go to source? Good question isn’t it? YouTube? Google? Favorite search engine? I did some searching around on the internet about what is the best way to live life. There was a plethora of responses. So, how was I to know which one was the best, or right? Which one could I trust? So how does one go about figuring out the best way to live life? Parents? Friends? Culture? The majority? The media? Your “gut”? Isn’t this THE question when it comes to life? You only get one life, what is your plan to live the best life possible?
For our church we believe this about life here and now: The best way to live life comes through following Jesus. Simply put, we believe this because we know that Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross and on the third day after his death he was resurrected from the dead. That’s not normal, you know that right? Jesus demonstrated his love, power and life. So we believe and follow him as King. Following Jesus is the best way to live life!
Here’s the issue: How does one do that? There are a lot of churches, different Christian denominations, and philosophies out there. How can we know the best way to follow Jesus?
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the young man he has discipled, Paul lays out two important tools in helping people know how to follow Jesus.
If you have a Bible or device, I would encourage you to find 2 Timothy chapter 3. If you are using the YouVersion Bible app, if you could find Events, then look for Iowa City Church, you will be able to find all of the sermon notes and Scriptures.
Here’s a little background on this letter Paul is writing. Paul once again finds himself in prison. This is believed to be the last known letter that Paul writes before he is executed. So Paul sits in this Roman prison cell, writing to us apprentice Timothy, who is currently ministering in the city of Ephesus.
Paul’s emphasis throughout this letter is to encourage, remind and equip Timothy to stay on point when it comes to this mission of leading the church on this mission of following Jesus. Why is this so imperative? Because things are going to get hard. People are going to love themselves, be prideful and boastful and lovers of money and pleasure. Then he says this really insightful phrase:
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
There are going to be mixed messages about what it means to follow Jesus. There are going to be ideas, theories and philosophies all over the place. Some of the people promoting them will not be people you can trust.
Let me just say, I know that some of you want to follow Jesus, have a heart to try and figure it out, but it just feels like it’s been so confusing your whole life. You went to church growing up, and you found faith in God, but really never really understood what following Jesus was all about. Or maybe you grew up going to church, but you just kind of walked away from the faith because it didn’t seem relevant, there was no practical understanding on how faith in Jesus was to be lived out in everyday life.
Here’s the truth, there have been churches, and people of faith who simply teach that being a good person is what faith in God is all about. But to say that takes away the power of transformation that Jesus can bring to our lives.
So this problem that Paul brings to Timothy continues to today. There’s a lot of messages, and half truths, and ideas about faith, God, religion. But what Paul points out is that there are two tools which help people experience what life in Jesus is all about. Let’s take a look at the first one.
2 Timothy 3:10–14 (NIV)
You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
Tool 1: Following Jesus Needs To Be Modeled
Now, if you were here last week, Alex addressed this whole issue of mentoring and discipleship. I would encourage you to go back and give it a listen. However, in a nutshell Paul tells Timothy to remember how he (Paul) modeled a Jesus life to him. That last verse is key, “because you know those from whom you learned it.”
So, in other words, it wasn’t just some slick preacher from a stage, a handy YouTube video, or a book. Timothy had a relationship, and trusted the people who modeled what it looked like to follow Jesus.
You need relationships with people who you can trust, to model this life of following Jesus.
Here is why it is so imperative: one who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
Everyone…who wants to follow King Jesus will face opposition and persecution. It is hard to live a life of following Jesus, that is why we need people we can trust to model it for us.
Let’s keep reading:
and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The apostle Paul points out that since Timothy was a child, he had access to the Holy Scriptures and that they were able to make Timothy wise for faith in Jesus. When Paul writes these words there were major parts of your NT which hadn’t even been written. So when Paul says, “Holy Scriptures” what is he referring to? Well, we know for sure that he is referring to what you have in your Bible as the OT. Paul goes on to state that all Scripture is God-breathed. In other words, God’s spirit inspired it. There are a number of theories as to what this looks like or how it happened. For the sake of time, we will simply agree that in some shape, mode or fashion, the HS led the authors of Scripture to write what they did, in a very personal, creative and unique way. Our response is to trust Scripture as being from God to us.
Paul then states as to what Scripture is useful for:
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What does that sound like? A personal trainer or physical therapist. Am I wrong? The trainer or therapist wants to help change your body…so there is teaching about new exercises, there is chastisement for poor eating habits, there is hands on instruction while you are doing the new routines, and there is a list of workouts to do on your own. With the goal being to leave physical therapy and ready to live a new life. In this case, Scripture is to equip people for living a life that looks like Jesus.
Here is where there comes some confusion about the Bible. We live in a day in age where our self help with easily accessible. I can search the internet in a matter of seconds to find answers to questions…even how to live life questions. Self help books are built in easy steps and bullet points. Self help, and new life is packaged to us as being easy three step processes.
I’m sure many of you have noticed that the Bible isn’t an easy three step process or even twelve step. You’ve probably noticed that it’s sometimes messy and hard to follow. You’ve probably found that it makes uncomfortable…it can even irritate you…even to the point of being offensive. It can also be soothing, peace giving and life restoring. But you see, that’s point! We aren’t supposed to read Scripture to conform it to us, we are to read, study and meditate on Scripture so that we conform to God.
Imagine you are this rough looking rock. You know you want to change and be different. The idea in our heads is that if we read Scripture that things will just magically change overnight…like a dynamite blast. Yes, there are dynamite blast verses like John 3:16. However the regular habit of reading Scripture is more like a mountain stream running over a rock. It’s the constant, subtle assault of the water that smooths out the stone…in the same way it’s the daily assault of Scripture upon our lives that smooths us out and helps us live the best life possible. Our core verse number 9 reinforces this.
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
The word “meditates” means to chew on, wrestle with, and think about. When this is done on a regular basis, it provides people with the ability to live the best life possible…no matter what the conditions; in seasons of plenty, in times of drought, in times of persecution and in times of peace.
So here is the second tool Paul is challenging Timothy to rely on when it comes to following Jesus.
Tool 2: Following Jesus Requires A Dedicated Study and Application of Scripture
Here is how I would sum up what Paul is teaching Timothy:
Following Jesus best happens in a community dedicated to studying Scripture and modeling Jesus.
Okay, we’ve covered that facts…now comes the hard part…application. How are you going to add these two tools to your toolbox? Here are some things you can begin to do.
Join A Small Group
Download the YouVersion Bible App (Bible Reading Plans & Most Bible Versions have an Audio Option)
Purchase a Study Bible (NIV or ESV)
Join A Read Through the Bible Group
Following Jesus best happens in a community dedicated to studying Scripture and modeling Jesus.
I believe with all of my heart that is someone does this, their life will change…and they will discover that following Jesus is the best way to live life. Why do I believe this? Because I have been an eye witness to the change in people’s lives when they commit to reading Scripture on a regular basis as well as spending time with another Christian. I see some of you here today. Someone of you were in some dark places and through reading Scripture light has been shown into your life. Some of you were lost, had not purpose and direction and then you committed your life to reading Scripture and your life has changed.
There’s another reason why I know that Scripture will change your life. As many of you know the Taliban have taken control of the country of Afghanistan. I have this information from multiple trusted sources. The Taliban are stopping people and taking their smart phones. If they find the Bible downloaded onto their phones, those people are killed. What do the Taliban know? They know that people reading Scripture is a threat to their movement. They know that people who read Scripture experience life change.
Here’s the deal, most of you have multiple Bibles in your home, and you walk around with a Bible app on your phone…accessible to you almost anywhere. The potential for life change is right at your fingertips—so what are you going to do?