The Word of God

The Word of God 3. The Word is Accepted 4. The Word Works in Believers 1 Thessalonians 2:13 August 30, 2020 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven And do not return there but water the earth, Making it bring forth and sprout, Giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; It shall not return to me empty, But it shall accomplish that which I purpose, And shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 10 God’s Word … n Is better than food (Psalm 19:10b) n Is more valuable than money (Psalm 19:10a) n Is more needed than sleep (Psalm 119:148) n Is the very breath of God [2 Timothy 3:16a) n Is the Gospel of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13) n Will cut to the “bone” of our lives, revealing what is really there (Hebrews 4:12) n Is the source of wisdom understand God’s offer of salvation through faith (2 Timothy 3:14-15) n Is essential in God’s work of shaping, correcting, training, and equipping us for doing good (2 Timothy 3:16-17) The Big Idea: When we trust God’s Word, we accept it into the depths of our hearts and minds. This gives us the desire and power to live it. Obedient submission to the Word of God is the mark of a follower of Christ. Two Key Verses that Help Us Understand 1 Thessalonians 2:13 o 1 Thessalonians 1:2 o 1 Thessalonians 1:5 1 Thessalonians 2 (ESV) 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. God’s Word in the Process of Spiritual Transformation 1. The Word is Delivered (“heard from us”) 2. The Word is Heard (“received”) Isaiah 55:10–11 (ESV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1–3 (ESV) 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 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. 2 Peter 1:20–21 (ESV) 1 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22 (ESV) PRAYER: Lord, head of the church, servant-master, shine the light of your life upon our hearts. As you have promised, cut cleanly with your Word and expose our motives, lay our spirits bare before our eyes so that we may purify our purposes. Then, following you, we will serve each other, love each other, and so bring glory to you, who deserves all praise. Amen. Knute Larson