Bible Engagement

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Hopewell Baptist Church

January 9, 2022

Opening Illustration: Something that I have noticed in the three years that I have been here is that farmers are incredible engaged workers. They are incredibly intelligent and observant in what they do, being engaged, actively engaged in their work to make sure that they are doing what needs to be done when they need to do it in order to maximize the yield of their crops. And that if they were to just wing it, not paying attention to things like the weather, their crops would not yield as well as they could.

Transition: Just as farmers are actively engaged in all that goes into farming, Christians must be engaged in the Word of God, actively engaged. LifeWay research has shown, over the course of 10+ years, that the number one discipline for spiritual growth is Bible Engagement, or as some call it, Bible intake. It affects every other spiritual discipline; people who engage the Bible give more, go more, and evangelize more.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 (ESV)

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.

This is the Word of the Lord our God. Let’s pray.

Some of the definitions of “engage” from the Oxford Concise English Dictionary are as follows:

· To involve someone’s interest or attention.

· To participate or become involved in.

· To move into position as to come into operation.

· To enter into combat.

To be engaged in the Word of God, you must be…

I. Living in the Word – v.14 – visit many good books, live in the Bible - Spurgeon

a. To Participate – To Continue in the Gospel

i. The Word of God is living and active, and calls us to respond and act, to stand up and obey, fulfill the great commission.

ii. Be involved in evangelism and discipleship

iii. “Training in righteousness” (v.17).

II. Knowing the Word – v.14-15

a. To involve – v.14-15

i. Whether we have been brought up in the Word as children or came to faith at an older age, we were attracted to the Word. We must continue to find it so, and as we live in the Word, we will see this take hold.

III. Using the Word – v.16-17

a. Breathed out by God – God breathed, inspired by God, produced by the Spirit of God – 2 Peter 1:20-21 (from the innermost being of God)

i. Profitable – beneficial

ii. Teaching – education, instruction

iii. Reproof – reproach, rebuke

iv. Correction – how to improve or get back on track

v. Training in righteousness – instruction and upbringing of children, child rearing.

vi. All of these are part of discipleship!

b. To move into a ready position – v.16-17

i. To prepare ourselves for eternity (1 Tim. 4:7-8)

ii. To be engaged in the work of ministry

iii. If you are not prepared to stand up for the faith, when you do so, you will fail (I’ve been there and done that, and it was a horrible feeling).

c. To enter into combat – v.16-17

i. We live in a time where lives are at stake and the sharing of the Gospel and the living of the Word of God is of great importance.

ii. If we don’t enter into combat, if we don’t fight against what is going on in the world, in the culture, we will lose.

IV. Application – Being engaged looks likes and can lead to…

a. Be Engaged in the Bible

i. After 10 years of research, LifeWay states 2 things about Christian maturity:

1. Bible engagement is the #1 spiritual discipline for growth.

2. Bible engagement affects every other discipline. People who engage the Bible (Bible intake) give more, go more, and evangelize more.

b. Be Engaged in the Bible as Individuals

i. Read God’s Word to know God’s Word

1. Read it, study it, mediate on it

ii. If you are engaged in the Bible, you will mature as a Christian

1. Loving God

2. Loving neighbors

3. Prayer

4. Relationships

5. All will grow

c. Be Engaged in the Bible as Families

i. Family Worship – Psalm 78:1-8

ii. As you engage in the Bible as a family, your family will grow- “training in righteousness” (v.16)

1. Reading the Word together

2. Praying together

3. Worshipping together

4. Family discipleship

5. Priority of the Church

iii. Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go… or train up a child in the way he shouldn’t go…and when he grows old he will not depart from it.

d. Be Engaged in the Bible as the Church (it leads to)

i. Be actively participating during corporate worship – Expository Listening

1. Being engaged in corporate worship

2. Singing

3. Listening - expository listening

4. Prayer – don’t just listen to prayer, pray as well

5. Giving, etc.

ii. Be actively participating in the life of the church

1. Volunteering

2. Showing up to events

3. Stepping out of your comfort zone

4. A greater impact on the community as a whole by the local church.

e. Bible Engagement leads to more mature Christians, stronger families within the church, and stronger, more vibrant churches.

i. DON’T SAY ANYTHING IN ADDITION TO THIS, END IT ON THAT LINE AND TRANSITION TO RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL!

V. Response

a. Belief

i. Repent and believe

b. Obedience

i. Baptism

ii. Membership

c. Surrender

i. Vocation

ii. Volunteer

Bible Engagement