Date:      12th August 2007                                                                  (Sunday AM)                                                                       Ref: A0326

Place:     Kambah P.S.

Title: Malnourished Christians

Text:        & Jeremiah 15:16

Illust:     The headline: FAT Aussies are over-feeding their furry friends. If people do resemble their pets -- unfortunate in a nation of fatties -- it's bad news for our cat and canine companions. Moocher pooches and couch potato cats are developing diabetes and other weight-related illnesses at alarming rates. Victorian vets say fat cats and overfed dogs have joined their lazybones owners in loafing around the house. "A fat cat quickly becomes an obese cat as it loses the ability and desire to get off the couch and exercise," said Melbourne vet Ros Nichol. "With all respect, if an overweight owner walks into the surgery, you can bank on it being followed by an overweight pet."  ~ World Health Organisation figures show more than a billion adults are overweight and about 300 million are clinically obese worldwide. Sadly, the figures are reflected in companion animals. About 40 per cent of domestic dogs and a third of cats range from tubby to obese. – a land of overfed pets & underfed Christians.

I.                   Necessary Food

A.               Spiritual Starvation

i.                 Obviously given our text and my own waistline, I am not talking about a lack of gastronomic nourishment – I & indeed most of us would eat pretty well, 3 good meals a day plus snacks.

ii.               Fact is that in our culture, with the major concerns about obesity our real problem is ensuring that we don’t overeat. Proverbs gives us some good advice:

         Proverbs 23:1-2 1 When dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. 2 If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat, (NLT)

         Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to eat too much honey, (NIV)

iii.             What I want to look at is the danger of being a starving Christian, not from a lack of food, but rather a spiritual starvation from a lack of the nourishment that can only come from the Word of God.

B.               Real Food

i.                 This is the real food that we as Christians need and I would like to suggest that especially here in the West and even here today we maybe have a large number of malnourished emaciated Christians. Christians who are not digesting enough spiritual food, being the Word of God, the Bible. – I won’t ask you to show hands but for how many the only Bible you read in the past 7 days was when Pr Tilli said “turn to”

      When I fast, the challenge is to go to work; ~  that 1st day is a killer, I can’t focus, I feel wasted, I have no energy it is extremely difficult.

ii.               This is a picture of trying to live the Christian life without a constant intake of the Word of God, you are going to continually struggle in your Christian walk. Everything will seem so hard & a major effort.

      Why the Bible is presented in imagery as food – Our text & &

         Psalm 119:103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! (NKJV)

         Job 23:12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food. (NKJV)

iii.             The Bible exhorts you & I to read the Bible, to study it. If we want to grow, actually if you want to just function as a Christian, need to be reading & studying your Bible

      Meditate

         Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (NKJV)

         Psalm 1:2-3 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (NKJV)

      meditate, ponder, give serious thought and consideration to selected information, with a possible implication of speaking in low tones reviewing the material[1]

      Study

         2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJV)

      Read & Obey

         Deuteronomy 30:9-10 9 The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (NKJV)

iv.             Imagery of blessing, of fruitfulness, of a well watered healthy & fruitful tree is given for the person who will read, study, meditate on & obey the Word of God.

II.                 The Word of God

A.               Inerrancy & Authority

i.                 Want to look then at the importance or more specifically the real value of the Bible the Word of God, or why it is so different to any other book and why therefore it is so necessary to your life. - 2 key terms Inerrancy & authority.

      The Chicago Statement on Biblical Errancy states that “the authority of scripture is a key issue for the Christian church in this and every age. Those who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are called to show the reality of their discipleship by humbly and faithfully obeying God’s written Word. To stray from Scripture in faith and conduct is disloyalty to our Master. Recognition of the total truth and trustworthiness of Holy Scripture is essential to a full grasp and adequate confession of its authority.”[2]

ii.               It is important to grasp that the bible in it’s original form is without error this makes it trustworthy

         Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; (NKJV)

         Proverbs 30:5-6 5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (NKJV)

iii.             This is important because the Bible speaks to the real issues of everyday life and speaks with authority.

      Authority: a. The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge. b. One that is invested with this power, An accepted source of expert information or advice: A conclusive statement or decision that may be taken as a guide or precedent.

         2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, (NKJV)

B.               Sufficiency

i.                 There is a 3rd term I want to look at this mornig when describing the Bible & that is ‘Sufficiency’ – This is a key word, the Bible is sufficient to meet every need of the human condition.

ii.               It is important you understand this because over the years while some Christians have believed in the inerrancy and authority of Scripture in matters of faith and practice, (inside the church walls) however they do not necessarily believe the sufficiency of Scripture for understanding and resolving the spiritual (non-physical) problems of man.

      For many Christians, the Bible has a titular (given a title and respected in name) rather than a functional (actual, practical, real, respected in practice) authority in the area of counseling. It is acknowledged to be the Word of God and therefore worthy of our respect, but when it comes to understanding and resolving many of the real issues of life, it is considered to have limited value.[3]

iii.             The Bible itself however teaches it’s complete sufficiency

         2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (NKJV)

      “profitable for doctrine”—that means “teaching, principles of wisdom, divine standards, or divine truths”;

      “for reproof”—that means you’re able to go to someone and say, “Hey, you’re out of line. You can’t behave like that; there’s a standard and you’re not keeping it.”

      “for correction”—that says to the person you’ve just reproved, “Now don’t do that, do this instead; this is the right path.” You teach, you reprove, you show the correct way—and further it is profitable;

       “for instruction in righteousness.” Now you point to the new way and show them how to walk in it.

      The Bible is a fantastic Book. It can take somebody who doesn’t know God, who isn’t saved, and then save them. Then it will teach them, reprove them when they do wrong, point out the right thing to do, and then show them how to walk in that right path.

iv.             The result is stated in verse 17:

         2 Timothy 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NKJV)

v.               The incredible reality of the Bible is that it is sufficient to do the whole job.

      Walter Scott, a British novelist and poet and a great Christian, was dying when he said to his secretary, “Bring me the Book.” His secretary looked at the thousands of books in his library and said, “Dr. Scott, which book?” He said, “The Book, the Bible—the only Book for a dying man.” John Macarthur goes on to add – “And I would have to add that the Bible is not just the only Book for a dying man, but it’s the only Book for a living man, because it is the Word of life, as well as the hope in death.[4]

III.              Disciplined Meal Times

A.               Desire

i.                 When you get hungry you eat; because you desire food, you eat food. You need to foster and develop a hunger, a desire for the Word of God. – I like what John Bevere says on this topic.

      Hunger – now let me say this to you; hunger is the key element to whether or not we will pursue intimacy with God. Therefore we need to keep in mind that we are in control of our appetite, not God. The question is what appetites and cravings are we going to develop. There is a spiritual principal that will always apply; We will hunger for what we feed on. We will hunger for what we feed on. [5]

ii.               Powerful thought that if you take nothing else from this sermon let that thought repeat over & over in your mind You will hunger for what you feed on. – If you want to develop a hunger for the word of God then you need to pick it up & start reading it. Put down the magazine, the novel, the paper, the web page & read the Word of God.

iii.             I love reading have a number of books on the go at the moment, 2 Novels, 1 x Biography, 1 x Account of Vietnam, + a number of other electronic books on various counselling & theological topics. – Need to be reading – Read lest you sink into the quagmire of mediocrity. – BUT – The most important reading, the priority are the other books I am reading, Numbers, 2 Kings, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ezekiel, Hebrews.

B.               Discipline

i.                 Leads to the element of discipline. To discipline yourself to read the Bible. Discipline yourself to put down what ever else you are reading & read the Bible. I have set myself a rule that I won’t pick up any of the novels of general interest books until I have read at least a few chapters of the Word of God.

         1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (NKJV)

ii.               Not just picking it up & reading at random, have a plan, Read some of the NT & the OT, + read a psalm & proverb a day. – Make a plan, I have a sheet in my office I mark off each completed book; works for me, I need that sort of visual reminder, I also record every day, what I have read, again works for me, I need that sort of checking mechanism, I can look back and say whoa I only read 4 chapters that day

iii.             Plenty of reading plans available. Don’t work for me, because once I have missed a day, I chuck it in, they may work for you. – Important thing is to discipline yourself to read.  ~ As you read the word of God you will find your hunger for it grows. As you feed on the word of God you will no longer be a malnourished Christian but you will find yourself strengthened & encouraged in God – Healthy & Fit.

         Jeremiah 15:16 Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, (NLT)

IV.             Altar Call

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[1]Swanson, J. 1997. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor

[2]Hindson, E. E., & Eyrich, H. 1997. Totally sufficient . Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Or.

[3]Hindson, E. E., & Eyrich, H. 1997. Totally sufficient . Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Or.

[4]MacArthur, J., Jr. (1996, c1982). How to study the Bible. John MacArthur's Bible Studies. Chicago: Moody Press.

[5] Bevere John, Drawing Near Leaders Guide, p38