The Acceptance of the 39 Books of the Old Testament (Worship Service Aug 14, 2022)

As you know, weird and I've been working our way through the Old Testament scriptures and last time I kind of came to the conclusion of the Old Testament books and this morning what I wanted to do is is just to show you how the 39 books of the Old Testament that we have in our bibles are compiled together and how they related to even the time when Christ came to this earth. And so I put on your outline there about seven different reasons why we can be confident in the 39 books that we have in our Bible to live by to understand how this was also filled in Christ. And and so we're going to look at these individually. So as we start out, of course, the first point talks about Are they were organized as such under ezra-nehemiah and other leaders in at by the end of 400 BC. And my last time we we noted how the last few books of the Old Testament came together. There were azra Nehemiah, there was then you can get into after then Hagee. I am Zachariah and Malachi, were prophets that both during that time. And now they are all written there already to be compiled together and because of Ezra's. Credentials. You might say and if you want to turn to answer a chapter 7 answer a chapter 7, it gives this kind of the background of who is Ezra was and how he would have had the credentials then to bring together all the writings of the Old Testament and a and have them ready available for the people of Israel to know and to have and will see you again how this all works together as we get into some of the other point. But in 7:10, it says that Ezra had set his heart to study the law, God, and to practice it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel, and your back up earlier in this, and it tells us that he was a priest. I, he was a levite And we know that how God chose the Levites to be the spiritual leaders of the people of Israel and now I have two are they? The Exile that they had been in and many of them? Now, have been brought back to the land and the number things have taken place to the temple. Had been rebuilt. When's the rubber Bowl brought about fifty thousand people back to the land and they were given the responsibility to build the Temple. And so by 5:15 5:16, it tells us that the temple was rebuilt and being used again. But now they needed the spiritual leaders to come back to the nation of Israel, to lead the people in the worship of God in and now it's kind of answers responsibility. It seems like as indicated through his writing of the book of Ezra and the closing out of the second chronicles and tell him. It's a little bit of But they returned their so so we have that going on with Ezra and so that's why we believe that Ezra could have used nehemiah's leadership as well as he came back and kind of what is the governor of the nation of Israel even though they were still in its objection to the medes and Persians yet. They were able to have that freedom again given to them by the kings of the medes and Persians to rebuild the Temple. And then when me and my came about 12 years after Ezra came to the land then me and Maya was given the responsibility of building the walls of Jerusalem up and we know that in about 50 days with all the divisions of how the different parts of the wall was to be built. It came to a conclusion and then when you turn over to Nehemiah, we find in chapter 8 that the wall have been built. Are they had a dedication? On the wall. And the way they dedicated was they had Ezra take and read the word of God to them and I just remembered it. Okay. Now I got my mic going. All right, so now I can wander a little bit if I want to but it tells us that that they had the scriptures read and as you go through into chapters 9 and 10 it tells us that that there was a a prayer that was mentioned and the prayer kind of traced what God has done for the nation of Israel down through the years from the time of Moses, right on down to the time when they are now in captivity. And now, some of them have returned to the land as God had promised that they would. And it tells us that in chapter 10, The people all made a commitment to the lord and there were seven things in the chapter 10 that are given of their commitment to wanting to follow the word of God. And so, as we see, all the things that have happened to the nation of Israel, they're going into Exile because they turned away from God and follow the idle gods of the people that were in the land as well as the other nations around them. And so God brought judgement, chastisement upon them, sending them into captivity and now what's happened? They have returned to the land, not all of them. There were still many of them that were scattered throughout the out the Empire's as than the syrians and the Babylonians came and they took the people from them, and scatter them out into other cities in other countries, but a number of them have now returned to the land. Now, it's already set up, the temple was rebuilt. All the walls of Jerusalem. I rebuilt Ezra and the Levites that came back with Ezra, they have now set up again, the worship of the true and living God through the the people's coming to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices as Moses, gave them in the law to follow. And now also all the books of the Old Testament have been written Malachi Road, his books. We believe when when Nehemiah was in the land for built the walls and then he left for about 12 years, it indicates to us. And during that time, Malachi was talking and gave his prophecy to the people, their importance of following the true and living God. And then me and my comes back to the land to help continue to solidify the the government and the following of a through Ezra in the Levites. Worship of the true and living God. So by 400 BC, all of this was back in place, the religious set up and had been given through Moses for the people of Israel to follow was Now, set back up for them to follow the true and living God. But you know what? The tells us that it took another 400 years before God actually fulfilled, the coming of the Messiah. What do you know during that four hundred years? We find that another thing took place, we understand that the medes and Persians, the grecians came in about 3:31 and and took over control of the, the world in the sense that were in the Middle East there and so forth. And of course, under Alexander, the Great. Matthew know, it was pretty well set up. And one of the things that happened during that period of time, it tells us about

Sorry about that. But it is tells us that about 285 BC. One of the things that was given to us in history was that they wanted to set up an alexandrian library in the land of Egypt and it tells us and indicates to us how that God shows or know God was involved in it in order that for it to happen. And so they wanted some people from Israel to come and kind of give some of their religious books and writings to the, the people to translate into the Greek. And so it tells us they were about seventy-two men. From Israel that were sent to do this responsibility and of course, the books that they translated from the Hebrew and Aramaic was the Old Testament scripture. The 39 books that we have in our Bible. These were translated that that time into the Greek language. So the people would have the Old Testament to be able to read, and it would be in the library as literature from the old are from the Jewish people. Along with that time. Also, there were some other books, they are called the apocryphal books and it tells us that there and there's several different Numbers that are given to how many apocryphal books there were. And I think John just help me out here. Thank you.

Excuse me a minute.

All right, maybe. See if I can help a little bit already. And so did these apocryphal books? They were translated as well as being literature of Israel. But one of the things we understand from that is even though they were in existence, they were not accepted into what we would call the canonicity of the Old Testament. Scriptures, the Jews Jewish religious leaders did not accept them as being authoritative as the other 39 books of the Bible was, even though they were still being translated and join with the. Even when I got to the Vulgate translation of the of the Bible and some of them were included in that description. But they were accepted even by the church's as being authentic. And Being the word of God and so even though some of those fourteen books were in existence in our aim in existence you can find them and read them but as you read them I've read some of them. I haven't read all 14 of them, but there is kind of interesting that you got to be very careful with him because some of them have some really things that are far off to the out, in the Do Not line up with the other teachings and things of the scriptures. And so you got to be very careful with him that you don't think that those things are from God in them. But the Protestant churches have never accepted those as being authentic and being on the same power as what the scriptures of the 39 books of the Old Testament are. So that's just a little sidetracked with the 285 BC then We have now translated from the Hebrew and Aramaic into the Greek language. And of course as we come closer to the time of Christ, we know that the Roman Empire came up and they took control of the ruling, over the land of Israel and all that happened in 1:46, BC that the Romans took over charge of that and now they were in control of the people of Israel. But just think now it's been authenticated 39 books, we're being accepted. Now, one of the things that you might find, if you read any historians from back in that time from like Josephus and and some of the others, they will say that. Well, there were some of the list, only 22 books, Somewhat list, 24 books of the Old Testament. The reason why is because they have compiled together. Some of the books that we call a like 1st 2nd, Samuel 1st and 2nd Kings 1st and 2nd Chronicles, instead of counting them as two books, they caught him as one. And so that gives you a little diversity and then when you get into some of the other books of the Old Testament, one of the things is that they took the 12 Minor Prophets, that we call him the 12 Minor Prophets and they compiled them all in one, just one book. So, there you have 12 books, include it into that groupie, and then some of them will to get down to 22 books. Like Josephus, did you have to combine judges and Ruth together as one book because Ruth have took place during the time of the judges, so sometimes they will compile them together and then of course we know Solomon Road. Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon. Sometimes, Ecclesiastes in the Song of Solomon are joined together in one book or something along that line. So that's how they get it down to 22 books are 24 bucks, depending on how you want to compile together. Some of them into one book, but anyways, I'll just give you a little background of how still we had the 39 books of the Old Testament. By the time Jesus came to this earth, then we find that he kind of concluded in the three divisions of the Old Testament, we divide the Old Testament in the Bible Vision, they divided into three for the Jewish division of the Old Testament. And of course, what are the three divisions the law and the prophets and the Psalms? And we divide them into the of the law of Moses. The history books, the poetry books are the major prophets in the Minor Prophets. So we get Five divisions of of the Old Testament, but but they still include the same books. They just have a little bit and division of how they look at them. And if you want to look up, you can find the Jewish list of them and you can find the, the what we have in our Bibles. But anyways, when you come to Jesus, say, you know, one of the things we find was that Jesus authenticated. The Old Testament scriptures as well. Because many times he use the Old Testament scriptures to verify the things that he was teaching the things that he was talking about and how that it had already been written about him that these things would happen. And one of the first places you'll find this was when Jesus was taken out into the will or he wasn't taking, he went out into the Wilderness to have a time with God, the father in the wilderness in, and it tells us that Satan came to tempt, That's always a kind of comical that Satan thought that he could go against the Son of God and be able to lead him astray from his purpose and his reason for coming into this Earth. And so we have this going on then that they Satan was tempting him. And you know, even though saving you scripture and this is why we have to be. So careful today, people can use scripture but they can Swiss the applications of it and the meanings of them to kind of fit their own agenda. And so, we have to be very careful that we don't get caught up in some of the agendas of of some of the people that take a verse out of context and so forth and I'll make this into a doctor and there's a number religions that have gone off a stray because of following that kind of a pattern. But one of the things is that every time Satan tried to get Jesus in the three temptations that we have in Matthew chapter 4, to go against God. And Jesus said, no, wait a minute, and he quoted from the book of Deuteronomy in his response to them where he know saves his wife make these stones into bread, right? Yeah, I know Jesus said it is written man. Shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Yeah. Did you could Jesus turn the songs in the bread? Yeah, he could, if he wanted to, but then, of course, if he did that, he would be following the same direction and not Gods, but, you know, he was there in the wilderness he hadn't eaten for 40 days, you know? So with his physical body. Yeah, I'm sure you probably would be hungry. But, you know, he said you follow what gods were has to say and even though he could do it, he says I'm not going to do it because then I would be following your direction and not my father's Direction in my life and then of course he took a, i to the holy city and he took him up on the temple Pinnacle and he, and he was telling them. You know what, throw yourself down off the Pinnacle because it says that he will give his angels charge concerning you Yak, has he given it? Do we have angels watching over us? The scripture seem to teach us that we do. But you know what, you know, the one of the reasons why I don't jump out of an airplane with a parachute on just for the fun of it, cuz I don't tempt the Lord. My God. That's what it says here. Because, you know, he's from Psalm 91 verse 11 and 12 when he was talking to Jesus about this on and it says it, on the other hand, they will bear you up unless you strike your foot against a stone. In other words, say this is why you can catch yourself down off of this. You know. Do you know you'll be taking care of and what did Jesus say? On the other hand it is written. You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test. Why do something that is going to put your life in jeopardy? Just to do something, you know. But you know, a lot of people they they do though. Thanks. But you know, they go through all the cautions of them. I'm I'm not putting those things down. I think it'd be kind of fun to do but I don't I don't have the nerve to do it. But the thing is, what do we do? Do with the way we live? Our lives. Are we living in? Opposition to what the word of God. Even though God says you can do this, is it the right thing to do. And I should we follow that in our lives. You know, are we going to put God to the test and doing things that that are are not permissible to us when we should do that? We need to make sure that we live for him, but he quote Jesus, go to Deuteronomy 6 16 and then of course, it goes to the the next Temptation that he took him up to the high mountains. And he showed me says, I'll give you all this here. I'll give you the world. You know how many people today have gotten into the LIE of Satan? If you follow me and live, the way I kind of say is all right for you to live. You know what? Just think of all the things that you'll have all the riches of the world and people have gotten so caught up in the world that they don't have any room. Now, for Jesus, in their lives, in a course, Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy again and he said, behold Satan for it is written you, shall we? Worship the Lord your God and serve what him only. And that's what we need to keep in mind in our lives no matter what the attractions of the world might be. We need to make sure that we stay faithful to God and serving him and Obey and there's nothing wrong with enjoying the things that do not lead us into sin in the world. You know, I like to go see nature and do those kind of things like that there. But, you know, I'm not going to do the same and go to the places that are are in contrast to the way God wants me to live my life and there's a lot of places that you can do that, do that. And so we need to be careful that we understand the importance that we are to serve God, but I was just pointing this out that Jesus use this as way and then, of course, we as you move over to Luke chapter 24, as after Jesus had died on the cross and was buried and rose again. We all understand on that first day of the week as he was Is a couple of the disciples from we're walking on tour, dates in May and what they call the Emmaus Road. It tells us that Jesus came and joined him them and and he didn't reveal himself some way he was able to keep them from recognizing who he really was at that moment. And it tells us how they went to Emmaus and while they were there, they went into the house. They had some food and it tells us that At the end of all of us being together with them. It tells us in verse 25 through 27. It says and he said to them all foolish man and swap hard to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. You notice the prophets was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer those or these things and to enter into his glory and beginning? Look at listen to verse 27, there and beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, what did he do? He explained to them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures. What scriptures did they have? At that time? They had the laws of Moses. They had the profits, they had the other books of the history that gave the history of all of Israel. Those 39 books and how they have been brought back to the land, knows all their compiled into those 39 books for them to know, and Jesus is making reference to them. That those books have given the authenticity of what happened to him in dying on the cross and Rising again. And then if you go down later that same day, it tells us that Jesus appear to the other. And now you get down to 2 verse 44 and it's is and he said to them, these are my words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things which are written. listen, again, about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled, then they open their minds to understand the scriptures. Jesus used the Old Testament books. He made reference to those 39 books. I'm not saying every book that he made reference to, but, but throughout his three years of ministry and thanks, he was teaching the people from those 39 books of the Old Testament and here he's given the authenticity, all those books as being authentic for them to understand and to read and to follow in their life. That's the third point, on our outline of the seven. And now after Jesus said was with him in a few days to 40 days, he showed himself to the to the disciples and others and then it tells us on the 40th Day, He descended for a send it back. Up to heaven to be with to make ready a place for all who would believe in him. And as you move from the end of the loop to the first chapter, and the second chapter of Luke, we find how now the Gospel of Jesus Christ was going to be spread throughout all the world and the how Jesus in chapter one tells him before he ascended that you know what? You are going to be my Witnesses. But you need to wait in Jerusalem until I send you the power that can be within you to help you. To be my testimony to the world. And that was the promise of the Holy Spirit to come. Not only to be with him, but to indwell them as he has been ever since to. Those who have believed you and me, who had believe and receive Christ as our savior. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, well as after Jesus, ascended to heaven, the disciples waited in Jerusalem, For 10 more days, the day of Pentecost a festive time that the people would come back to Jerusalem to worship God as and now it tells us that the disciples were given the Holy Spirit. They were now in dwelled, as Jesus promised them back in chapter 14 of John and it came to fruition for them. And the towels are says, Peter stands up now, to try to explain because some of the people would have what's going on because they were here in the disciples and the gospel message was being Heard in the language from. Where are these people came from all the different locations of that? We were in existence there that some of the pasta Lights of the that believe in the true and living God in the sense. But they didn't realize who Jesus was yelled at that time. Had come back to Jerusalem to worship at the temple that had been rebuilt and established some 400 years before that time. And now they were coming there to to worship God. And now, these disciples were preaching, the gospel and they were hearing and understanding and in their own language. And what it says, what's going on? How is this happening at Peter? Stands up and tells them and quotes, even from the Old Testament, from Joel, and from psalms about how this was already predicted the coming of even though the Holy Spirit upon them to be able to speak the words and what happened because of this using the Old Testament scriptures. In this, it tells us that people said in verse, 37 of Acts 2 brother, and what shall we do? You know, anything there's one time when I was sharing the gospel with some children, their vacation bible school and and, you know, a little girl came up to me and after when I gave the invitation, if anyone would like to receive Christ as their Savior, and she came right up and she says, you know, I've been baptized, I've been confirmed what I've never received Jesus as my savior and my nothing. And here they were saying

What do you do with people when they come up and talk to you about all the things are going on in their life, all this problems and difficulties and things that they're facing the fears that they have all these bad things that are going on in our world today. Where is there? Hope, where is there? Freedom From Fear and you know sad how people are living in fear today you know I don't blame him because of all the things that are going on but there's a difference between an unbeliever enough and a Believer, we will have prices Our Savior. We don't have to fear what's going on around because the worst thing that if you want to call it, the worst thing that could happen to us has to die and if we die, where we going to be going to be with him, I Absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and at. So we don't have to fear and, you know, Peter said this is what you need to do, repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sin, and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit for the promises for you and your children. And for all who are far off as many as the Lord, Our God shall call to himself. And with many other words, he solemnly, testified and kept on exhorting them saying be safe from this perverse generation and guess what happened on that day. Three thousand Souls believe in, who Jesus Christ, really was and the purpose for him dying on that cross and Rising again, they understood. This is the only way for me to help salvation is to turn to him. Because that's that's what he came to do. He came to die for Sam's in, for my take the punishment. You know that's the gospel message and it has a gospel was going to be spread out. They had to understand that Jesus came. Yes, he lived. Yes. But he died on the cross, not for Cynthia. The food for the sins. You and I have done, he died there for us but he didn't stay that he rose again the third day and now he's in heaven. Making ready of places. He promised disciples, he said, you know how your heart be troubled, you believe in God believe, also in me or in my house are many mansions. I would have told you but I go and prepare a place for you that where I am, what There you may be awesome to have prices Our Savior. No one day. We're going to be there with him, right? I trust that you have price as your savior in that, you know, that. But the gospel message, three thousand Souls were saved on that date. You move on through the, through the book of Acts. And we find other incidences where, where this took place in, in chapter 7, we have Steve that who he had been chosen as one of the seven to be deacons in the church to help with a survey and the taking care of the widows and stuff in the church. And the Italians us that he was a man that was filled with the Holy Spirit and was me and use their God. And then chapter 7, we find that he was arrested and was taking them before the, the religious leaders who should have known the Old Testament scriptures. And that Christ was a but they did not, and it tells us that As he gave his testimony, it tells us he started way back with Abraham and worked his way through the Old Testament scriptures to the time when Jesus would come to this earth. And how now in the fullness of time, Jesus said that, but you do even in using the word using the Old Testament, scriptures to point out how this was all to come about what happened to him. It says that he was stoned to death because of his faith in Jesus Christ and all that no matter what we face in our lives, we need to stand true to who Jesus Christ is and what he's done for us. And yeah, we are thankful and we should be thankful that so far. We have not faced direct opposition to us. We have not had to say either deny Christ or you die. There's people to even today that are having that to make that decision around the world and other countries that are that are not free to worship as they please in the course, we can lose that freedom here in our country. They wouldn't be hard for that to happen with all the things that are going on. But you know what, he was Stephen was willing to stand for God, no matter what, and God put him allowed him to be put to death in a corset even as he was died. And what did he say? Father, forgive them. Just as Jesus said when he was hanging on the cross, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. We can expect much else from unsaved people, because they are following their father, who is Satan in their life, and who has all the Diwali, things in mind to discourage, and tooth to put the death of the things of mankind here upon this Earth, to try to get people to follow him and not to follow the true and living God. So we moved from Steven in a in 2 chapter 8 and it tells us that we have another incident. Where the Old Testament, scripture was used to bring a person to Jesus Christ because it tells us that the Ethiopian eunuch and then up to Jerusalem to worship the true and living God. But he hadn't heard the message of who Jesus Christ was. And then on his way back to Ethiopia, it tells us that he was reading the scriptures and and God the Holy Spirit took Philip one of the other Another one of the seven that were chosen in Acts, chapter 6 was full of the Holy Spirit to go and meet with him on the road. And as he came near The Chariot where the, where the Ethiopian eunuch was and he saw him reading the scriptures that he asked him. Do you understand what you're reading? Do you know what is saying, then he said no, not unless somebody tells me what it means and so Philip joined him in his Chariot and it tells us that he was reading from Isaiah, chapter 53, probably one of the best chapters to use in trying to reach the lost for the the Lord especially if you're trying to reach Jewish people for the Lord, because Isaiah wrote this about the suffering that the Messiah, the Savior would go through and while Philip explain this. And how have you noticed? It says, in verse 35 of chapter 8, Philip open his mouth and beginning from this script He preached Jesus to him and while they were still going along, if find out that Philip must have taught him a lot in a hurry because cuz as he was they were going along. And as he was continually teaching, Emma tells us that they came to some water. And and he says why did hinders me to be baptized and then Philip said these words and verse 37 if you believe with all your heart you may in other words, if you believe in who Jesus Christ is and you receive them for the Forgiveness of your sins, then you are then ready to be baptized to give an outward testimony to others that you truly have. Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your savior. And so we finally went down into the water and he was baptized and when they came up from that a holy spirit took Philip away from from him, but another example, use it Old Testament scriptures. Hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you move on to the book of Acts and we see this over and over again and you get the chapters 17 when it's the testimony of Jesus Christ was being sent out to all the gentile people. It tells us that Paul was called to be an apostle to them. He was one that was said by Jesus Christ to go and reach the gentile, people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in chapter 17, starting with VS1 down to 4, it tells us how inverse to according to Paws custom. He went to them and 43 Sabbath reason with them. From the what scriptures, what scripture did Paul have. Just the Old Testament, the 39 books of the Old Testament. So when it says, he reason to them from the scriptures and it says, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and Rise Again from the dead and say this Jesus who I am proclaiming to you is the Christ that word Christ means Messiah. The promised one of the Old Testament scriptures, that was to come was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and it was already pointed out in the Old Testament scriptures that he was to suffer, read Isaiah 53. Read Psalm 22. You know, these tell about the things that he was willing to go through for us. And of course, we know that because of this and verse 4, and some of them were persuaded to join Paul and Silas along with a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading, women came to know Christ as their savior. By how did it happen by sharing the word of God sharing from the Old Testament scriptures and so you go on and 2 verses 10 and 11 and tells us about the bereans when they came and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them and what it would do we find it says in verse 11 and now these were more noble than those in thessalonica for they received the word with great. Eagerness examining. What The Scriptures Daily to see whether these things were so was, what Paul saying is that true? You know, and that's one of the things we have to be very conscious of, in our own life today. When somebody says something is it true is it the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And, you know, Paul warn the people as he was going around about false gospels Bob's ways, to go to heaven, false teachings of the scripture. And if he told them at how important it was for them, to stay true to the word of God, when we hear something that's kind of offbeat, we need to make sure we examined by scripture. Not by what man says not my what they want to explain not by what they say about it. But what does the scriptures actually say about? And you know what, if somebody says, they've got a message from God that doesn't line up with the word of God, we know it is not of God, right? You believe that? You better, otherwise you're going to be able to be led astray tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine. And there's a lot of them going on in our world today various religions, various ways you can get to heaven. And so forth people even denying that there is a hell, you know, there's those kind of things that are going on and so we need to make sure we examine what they say according to the scriptures and that's what they did. Timothy is another example to us when it tells us how Timothy was taught the scriptures as a Boy by his mother and grandmother And what scriptures do? They have Old Testament scriptures and then in chapter 3, we want to turn it to 2nd Timothy chapter 3, It tells us that that Paul mentioned to him that as he was taught these things, he learned them and BK. It says in verse 14, you however, continue in the things, you have to learn and become convinced of knowing, from that far, from whom you have, heard them that from childhood, you have known the sacred writings here, they calling the sacred writing those 39 books. Again, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The sacred writings, how do we know that we need to receive Jesus Christ as our savior? It comes from the word of God because that's the only way we can find out about it and that's the reason why we know need to know what the Bible says if so. And you know, when people say about, you know, how do you know you're saved? One of the things I always try to help them and encourage them in, is what do you base? What verse of scripture do? You've a base your salvation upon Have a scripture that you can put, this is why how I know I am saved. And, and of course, you could pick a number on them, you know, for John 1:12 mean by, you know, what that says, but as many as what, receiving have become a child of God, to all them that believe on his name. Now you know if you can go to John 3:16 everybody knows that one right for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that what whosoever believeth in him should what not perish but have what everlasting life you know and you can go on and on too many other scriptures about the need of putting your faith and trust John ricin in chapter 20. He says these things are written that you may know that you have eternal life through these things are written, so that you will know that Jesus Is the Christ, the Messiah, the Fulfillment of it. We have the scriptures in the next message is that I'm going to be preaching. We're going to move into the New Testament and why do we have these twenty-seven books in the New Testament that we follow in our lives? Why do we hold to only those twenty-seven weren't there, other books written the other one, just like the apocryphal book. There were many other books that were written the names, even of the Apostles, and so forth. That if we're not accepted into the can in this stable, why were these included in it? Well, enclosing you notice the next three point. It says they're 639 some references. I haven't counted them. So, I just taking somebody else's word for this, but there's a lot of, of quotes of the Old Testament, you read through the Book of Matthew will get into that a little bit, next time, but, and then it says there's over three hundred and thirty-three hundred references to the Messiah that were fulfilled. Jesus Christ. If you ever look at some of the prophecies that were mentioned about him, and how Jesus fulfilled them. And then the last one, or you notice the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls back in 1947, there was a young teenager that are watching a sheep and it says, somehow he got up into the caves are and you followed a stroll up there and from that time on until 50 mid-50s tells us that they they had other people going up there. And and in today and they found hundreds of Scrolls up there. And as I mentioned on there says that out of these here, only one book doesn't have any fragments of and that's the Book of Esther. But all the other books, they said there are fragments from every book of The 39 books of the Old Testament that were found In that cave. And and they say, almost all of Isaiah was off, was there plus Deuteronomy and Psalms, we're almost all together. There, that was written. Again, showing that these were written, they were accepted, they were being followed in the lives of others. So the word of God. And that's Paul points out in one of the most noted verses about the scriptures and 2nd, Timothy 3:16 that he says, what all scripture is given by what the inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine, for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness. Why? So the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto what? All good works. We need to know the scriptures. We need to apply it to her life so that we can be that testimony that God wants us to be to the world around us. Let's go out this week in this live. It's before the people right, show them that we truly are Christ. We truly are following what the word of God says no matter what man says cuz there's a lot of moral issues and things out there in the world today that does not line up with the word of God, that we need to make our stand against and make sure people understand why we do that is because we believe in the true and living God into. Jesus Christ. Our Savior who has given us the way to live our lives in obedience to God, no matter what Satan says, no matter what the world says. Alright, so let's go and be that Christian that God wants us to be a father. Again, we thank you so much for who you are. We thank you so much as well for your word or so thankful that you're preserved it down through the years. So that we have readily available and we live in a country where we are able. I have your word and I just pray that will take advantage of that privilege that you've given us by living in this country, to read it to study and to learn it to then most of all apply it to our lives. So people around us will see Jesus Christ through the things. We say things we do and that through it, all glory will be given to our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ for Zen his name that we pray. Amen.