Untitled Sermon (3)

The Reliability of the Bible

Deuteronomy 8:3 (Matthew 4:4)

Pray

Why are we doing a series on Baptist Basics?

Basics are critical.

Illustration - The purpose of Spring Football?

Have all your players go over the fundamentals.

HS and College Football Teams all over the country play Spring football, because fundamentals are so important.

Illustration 2, Parents to Children

-You have to go over with your children why keeping their room clean is important, why school is important, why treating each other with respect is important.

When you don’t cover the basics, you lose the basics.

In this Church we are Christ Followers First.

But Second, We are Baptists.

As Christ Followers and Baptists there are doctrinal distinctives that we follow.

There are other Churches, clubs, and organizations that claim Christ who believe differently than we as Baptists do - especially on todays topic of the reliability of God’s Word.

We as Christ Followers and as Baptists believe that every word of the Bible has been spoken by God to the prophets and Apostles and that every word is perfect and accurate.

Transition - Due to the great accuracy of God’s Word the Bible is trustworthy.

1.God’s Word is Trustworthy

I can base my life on God’s Word

I can trust God’s Word to feed me - to nourish my soul.

One of the areas of trustworthiness in how God’s Word spiritually feeds and nourishes us.

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Look at the logic in the wording, Man shall not live by bread alone, but man SHALL live by every word the comes from God’s mouth.

Your living, your life, your existence comes from the nutrients of God’s Word.

As a baby depends on his mother for nutrients, so the Christ Follower must depend on the Word of God for Spiritual sustenance.

Every Word of God is necessary and trustworthy for the Christ Follower.

Illustration/Example - The Bible is a miracle book

The Bible was written by:

40 authors, Most didn’t know each other.

They lived in different centuries, different cultures, some had different philosophies.

Shepherds, fisherman, doctors, and kings. 40 Authors.

These 40 authors wrote the 66 Book of the Bible.

Part of the miracle of the Bible is its unity.

There is a perfect unity that binds the entire book together.

There is harmony in the message over the centuries.

There is agreement in the focus.

God is constantly bringing Himself Glory by saving a people for Himself.

Through the centuries and despite the authors there is miracle thread of focus all through the Bible.

God’s Word is Trustworthy.

Transition - We see this great trustworthiness in fulfillment of prophecies.

There are scores of prophecies that came that came true exactly to the letter. Some of these prophecies were made 700 years before Jesus birth.

-Born of a virgin,

-Born in Bethlehem

-Massacre of children would happen at Jesus birth.

-Of David’s line

-From the tribe of Judah

-Spent time in Egypt

-Preach the Good News

-Betrayed

-Heal the blind, deaf, and lame

-Falsely accused.

-Spit on and struck

-Hands and Feet would be pierced

-His bones would not be broken

-Buried with the rich

-Many more

The Word of God shows it’s supernatural perfection through Prophecy.

Nothing else like it.

It is trustworthy

Example next - Dead Sea Scrolls.

In the late 1940’s, A large amount of scrolls were found in caves near the Dead Sea. These scrolls date to about 300 years before Jesus.

-Previously the best scrolls we had were 300 years after Jesus.

-Now we got to compare the Bible from 300+ years before Jesus, 300 years after Jesus and our Bible today.

-We get to see how much it changed. How it has evolved. How people have added to it.

You know what we found?

-Nothing changed.

-God’s Word kept it’s integrity.

Conclusion - You can trust that it is God’s Word. The Bible is so trustworthy you can base you life on it.

Transition - Because we know the Scriptures are trustworthy and the Bible is from God, it is our Final Authority.

God’s Word is my Authority

What does authority mean? God is King and we do what He says.

He commands and we obey.

Joshua 1:8

Joshua 23:6

We live in a culture where authority is rejected.

Our culture dislikes authority.

Our own flesh pushes for independence.

We see from the 1st sin in the Garden of Eden that humankind has a bent toward our won autonomy.

Even before Adam and Eve had a sin nature, they rebelled by living life by their own wisdom and not the wisdom and guidance of their Maker.

-We want to make our own plans.

-All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.

A critical part of being a Christ Follower is believing that God has spoken through His Word.

Illustration - Brother in Law and I were an a Mission Trip to the Ukraine. On one of the flights he sat next to a young woman. He got talking to her about spiritual things. She said she was muslim.

He said are you a Muslim (clenched fist).

Or, Are you a muslim “Iffy hand”.

She would not identify as a Muslim that was strongly committed.

She was more iffy.

You know what he was really asking her?

Are you someone who identifies as a muslim culturally (because of your family or where you were born) , or are you someone who really committed to your faith.

That is the difference between a real Muslim and a cultural muslim (who is a non-Muslim).

Pause

We see that with Christianity too don’t we.

We have many who claim Christianity, but don’t follow God’s Word.

There is no bowing to God as King, seen by following His commands.

My friend, A true Christ Follower is not perfect, but loves the Words of His King.

-If you are not making a serious effort to follow the voice of your King

God’s Word is the final authority in the Christ Followers life.

-If God speaking through His word is not the final authority in your life, you need to repent.

-If you are a Christ Follower and you do not repent, God will discipline you.

-He will allow your heart and your life to break in a way that you turn to Him.

-He does this out of love.

And if this is you and you need to repent please know this. Every believer in this room has been in your shoes.

-I have had times in my life where God had to bring me to the end of myself before I would listen to Him.

-Can I tell you, it is painful.

-Humble your heart now & surrender to Him as your loving King.

He loves you enough to give you boundaries in your life.

He wants to protect you.

He wants to draw you to Himself.

Transition - Not only is God’s Word trustworthy & authoritative, but God’s word is Transformational.

3.God’s Word is alive.

It changes you. It grows you. It causes you to be more like Jesus.

Hebrews 4:12-13

Deuteronomy 8:3

Tells us that we are alive spiritually and the Word of God fills us and lifts us.

What happens when we are not filled and lifted by God’s Word?

-What happens when we starve ourselves from God’s Word?

Example - The same thing that happens to you when you starve yourself spiritually.

-High Schoolers Football Teams eat a pre-game meal, but that is usually just some pizza & a fun hang out time before the game.

-Division 1 football teams and pro team eat a pre-game meal a few hours before the game. The players are expected to eat several thousand calories each.

-Their energy has to last on an intense level all game long.

-The player who shows up to play and all he had was a bowl of cereal before the game might be good for 1 quarter, but he will run out of fuel. His energy and intensity will lag. He will fail as a player.

The parallel holds true spiritually.

The person who starves themselves spiritual ...

-Gets weak, anemic, we physically shrivels, we lose muscle mass and strength. We are incapable of enduring any kind of demanding situation.

-If you are not feeding yourself spiritually than you will be very susceptible to spiritual failure during difficult spiritual times.

-And this is why some during the pandemic have fallen away from the Lord.

-Can I tell you. Those who spend time with the Lord. Those who feast on His transforming Word daily. During the difficulty of the pandemic we have seen them grow spiritually.

-While others have fallen away spiritually, those who are feeding themselves daily in their time with God have grown during this trial. make His word a daily

-Application

-How are you feasting on God’s Word?

-Are you reading His Word?

-Are you meditating on His Word?

-Are you listening to His Word?

-Are you taking His Word to heart?

Power of God’s Word to change lives - or the Transformation of God’s Word

Transition - Finally, and quickly, God’s Word shows me how to be saved.

4.God’s Word shows me how to be saved.

The scriptures tell us this in Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9

Like the muslim who was Christian because of where she was born, do you call yourself a Christian because in your mind it’s part of being a country music loving southerner?

or have you given your life over to following Jesus.

Do you fully trust that Jesus paid for your sins, gives you a new identity, and was raised from the dead.

Jesus will change your life?

If you have not given your life to follow Jesus, will you do so right now?