The Profits of Scripture

Intro

Good morning Point Harbor Church!

Please join me in turning to 2 Timothy 3. We are going to be living there this morning as we discuss God’s Word.

Have you ever sat back, had a look at the world around you and thought to yourself. “This isn’t great”? Every outlet out there is telling us that we are all doomed.

It’s easy for us to look at Global circumstances and feel trapped in a disaster without hope for change. It’s easy for us to take a look at the generation behind us, you too students, and think, “Well, if they are the ones taking over when I get old… I hope I don’t make it to old...”. Yes, as Christians, we have an eternal hope. We know that one day God will destroy all and rebuild a new heaven and a new earth. But Jesus also said that he came for us to live live more abundantly here on earth. We also know that we are subject to a scantificaltion process here on earth. We know that we arent supposed to Trust jesus, assume the fetal position and hope for the best.

It’s also easy for us to look inwardly and panic at the state of things. We are all a mess. Tempers, Lust, Addiction, Anxiety - all of it, sin. We know it’s a mess, but we don’t maybe know what to do with it. We know that we are supposed to be christians, we are supposed to be getting better, but we are left confused. Maybe we’ve been a christian for 30 years and nothing has changed. Maybe we are a fresh christian and we don’t feel that it’s working....

Change is needed! In us, and in the world around us! We know that Jesus is the change agent, but what does that mean practically? What does that mean for me? What do I do now?

This morning, we are going to be discussing the importance of God’s word in our lives, and in the lives of the people around us. We are going to be discussing the effect that the bible can have on us, if we let it. Finally, we are going to be discussing how we read our bibles, and interact with scripture in a way that I pray will enlighten some things for all of us in the room.

Are we ready?

Before we get into the weeds this morning, I want to read the beginning of 2 Timothy 3.

It provides context as to WHY Paul is saying what he said

2 Timothy 3:1–9 ESV

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

That feels a little similar.

With that context in mind, let’s read our passage of focus this morning

2 Timothy 3:15–17 ESV

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. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Let’s start with v16 - could you pop that up for us?

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

This verse starts with “All Scripture”

All Scripture is Good for Us

We must not cherry pick.

When we sit down for a bible study, we can start with the knowledge that every scrap of it is good for our souls.

I sat down to study the book of Matthew one time. When I read my bible, I like to copy it out by hand on one side of the notebook, and take notes on the other side. I remember starting with Ch 1 and getting the lineage of Jesus.

I dutifully copied it out and wondered how on earth I was going to take notes on this. I couldn’t get past the names let alone the meaning for their order or even the the reason they were in scripture to begin with.

But I KNEW that this passage HAD to be good for me. I KNEW there was something to learn. Turns out...

Isn’t that amazing!

All of it is good for digestion.

When we are in God’s word, we can hold to the promise contained in the beginning of V16 and know that there is something here for us.

Even the weird bits

There are some parts of the bible that are odd, and confusing. People sleep around. People do weird things with family. There are some laws that are so specific, you can’t help but imagine that God knew it would happen if it wasn’t in there. There are some hard bits too, like murder. It’s hard to understand why God would ask his people to do the things that he asked them to do. It’s hard to know that God allowed all the males, except Moses, to be thrown into the nile. It’s odd to sit down and read the parts of Genesis that tell the stories of just despicable sin people engaged in.

But these passages have something for us. We know this because this passage says “All”

Prescriptive vs. Descriptive

A note… Often when discussing God’s Word. People like to say that it’s so contradicting and full of murder and genocide and sexism and yuck. Why would you read it? Why would you worship a God that approves of the stuff in Gods word?

Here’s the deal. Some of the bible is Prescriptive and some of it is Descriptive.

What do I mean?

Prescriptive - Love the Lord your God with all your Mind yours soul and strength. That’s a good thing that we should all do!

Descriptive - Moses kills an Egyptian Guard. It’s obvious that God isn’t asking us all to start our ministry by killing someone. Christianity isn’t a religious hit club.

Some of the things that are in Scripture are God asking us to follow him, and God setting a standard on how we should live. Some of the things in scripture are God telling a true story, and showing us the consequences of sin. Either way, there is value in what scripture? ALL SCRIPTURE

The OT Has Value!

Remember, when Paul wrote this letter, it was mid to late 60’s AD. We arrived at our current canon of scripture after 300 AD. So when Paul is saying “scripture” he is saying OT!

Yes, we are in the new covenant. Yes, Jesus came to fulfil the Law. Yes, the NT can seem happier and more fun. But Paul here is telling his young apprentice that the OT is good for you. DO NOT LEAVE THE OT OUT OF YOUR BIBLE READING BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE IT ALL THAT MUCH.

The NT has Authority

But Tim… What about the NT? Well, Paul is on record as calling one of the writings in the book of Luke “Scripture”

1 Timothy 5:18 - Its a direct quote, word for word on the greek, of Luke 10:7. Paul called this passage scripture.

Further, as things were happening and moving and shaking as the early church was growing. People started to write and pass stuff around. We didn’t just start including random stuff!

The NT you’re holding in your hand had to pass the test.

It’s author had to be an Apostle/Prophet, or have a special relationship to one. Mark to Peter/Luke to Paul...

Witness of the Spirit

The appeal to the inner witness of the Holy Spirit was also made to aid the people in understanding which books belonged in the canon and which did not. Clark Pinnock writes:

The Spirit did not reveal a list of inspired books, but left their recognition to a historical process in which He was active, God's people learned to distinguish wheat from chaff, and gold from gravel, as He worked in their hearts

Finally

Acceptance The final test is the acceptance of the people of God. Jesus told His disciples:

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

The OT and NT have a cohesiveness, that is only possible though the power of the Holy Spirit that was promised to us by Jesus. We can read these promises in the Gospels that, let’s remember, were written by eye witnesses.

Almighty Sovereign God has preserved his OT word for his people, as well as the sacred words contained in the NT.

All 66 books are good for you and me.

If is ALL good, we should make it a “life habit” to read all of it constantly.

Everyone is different, so everyone will read differently.

90 Day

1 Year

3 year

5 year

All of this is good, because it’s a pattern.

Read for Content, read for conviction. You read then you re-read!

- Why is it normal to re-watch movies but when it’s suggested to re-read scripture we are the weird ones?

You will have favorites! You will have some passages that make you cringe, and some that make you chuckle, but you MUST read all of it at some point. You’re not going to be a scholar in all of it, and some of it you’ll become so familiar with you can almost quote it. But it’s all there for you and our Life’s habit should be to read it!

MIlitary Letters - They always got home. Could you imagine if your family skimmed them at dinner and said “well dad’s still alive” and went back to the busyness of their day?

Scripture is “breathed out” by God

God gives scripture life!

Much like God breathed life into the nostrils or lungs

This term was a common literary device of the day, it was used when the author wanted the reader to pay attention - Pay Attention!

A living thing has the agency to affect other living things and effect change in how they live.

That being said, when we read the bible we don’t want to ask the question “what did this mean to you…” we want to ask “What did this do to or for you”

We MUST read scripture with the expectation that it will DO something TO us!

We must look for God to change us in some way be it our behaviour, our thoughts or our feelings on a matter.

Mere Expectation changes how we prepare.

When I get something new and exciting, I prepare for it! New couch, shampoo the carpets, new baby? new baby stuff. Important guest, deep clean the house. When you’re not expecting anything, you don’t do anything.

When we enter God’s word with the expectation we will be changed for the better we get so much more.

More Butt kick!

More Soul refresh

More inspired to do his will!

It goes on to say… Let’s pop v 16 up again

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Scripture is Profitable for Teaching, Changing Hearts, Changing Behaviour and Training in Righteousness

You cannot have profit without investment

Profit is interesting, because it dosen’t come from thin air. Buisness owners in here will be able to attest to this. You have to spend a little money, with the hope, that people will buy what it is that you’re selling. If you invest a little, you gain a little. If you invest a lot, you sometimes get a lot. If you invest wisely, you’re life is easier. If you invest poorly, maybe it’s a little harder to gain a profit. Either way, we are being called to invest ourselves into the digestion of God’s word

We invest time and are taught about who God is

We invest time and effort and have our heart changed

We invest time and effort and have our behaviour changed

We invest time and effort and are taught a righteous way of living

We will not see these profits unless we invest!

Investment can be scary because we are never promised returns! Never promised profits! But this passage is a promise that investment in God’s word cannot produce anything but spiritual profit/fruit

This passage is a personal one! We read, we study, we invest and we see profit though the application of God’s word in our lives! We see more of God becaoisue we know who he is. Our dispicible hearts are moved closer to God because the Living Word is working in us, our behaviour is changed because we are shown a better way and we are able to have testimony and life more abundant here on earth because weve been trained in righteous living! It’s not a religion thing at all! God’s living word is one of the primary ways we are scantified! Will you invest? Because you’re promised returns! If you’ve accepted Jesus but you’re not seeing much fruit READ HIS WORD. Devour it!

My dad gave me some of his books, as I was going through them I happened upon a book called “millionaire for life” and I read him the title over the phone and said: “I guess with our current finincial situation it’s safe to assume this has gone unread”. If someone was in your house and they saw a bible on your shelf… Church. LETS GET AFTER IT. To change US. Not to brow beat people with scripture.

But there is still a responsibility to others

This passage speaks about our responsibility to self, and to everyone around us.

Reread v 15

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

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.

How did Timothy get here?

Grandmother & Mother 2 Timothy 1

We all see what is going on around us, the next generation does not seem as equipped as the one we belong to! We have the abiliy, no the calling, to do something about it in the name of Jesus!

Timothy was in God’s word at age 5.

Parents, you’re the primary discipler of your child, You can do this!

Non parents, wither because you’ve not had a child yet, or because you’ve graduated into an empty nest be a paul, find a timothy!

Dont wait for them to come to you. They wont do it. Go to them. Find a cool person, or a person that has the potential to be much cooler with you as a friend and say, “Hey, i’d love to take you out to a coffee” Start meeting with them, asking them hard questions, holding them accountable, read a book with them. Older ladies, you’re instructed to teach the younger women! Men, do the same Titus is clear!

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV

that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

God wants to equip you for every Good Work

God has your life planned out.

Not one thing, but many. It’s one by one.

Adulthood, marriage, parenthood, mentorship, death.

You’ll do a lot, and scripture will prepare you as you walk through life.

So! Instead of lying around in a panic like we were at the start of this message -

Go! Prepare!

Our final charge this am is for us all to go prepare!

- Small Groups

- Bible Studies - Other things.

You don’t know what Monday holds, go then and prepare for Monday! To not is insane!

Christian, go prepare for the rest of your life until the good work that has been started in you is brought to completion. When you accept Christ, that’s all you know. You need to know more! Don’t hind in a fetal position. Be changed! Then do what God has called you to do one day at a time!

Non Christian - Are you fed up with V1-9?

V16-17 is the answer

Scripture tells of

- Creation

The Fall

Solution

Finding that solution personally

Heaven and How we get there

Purpose

Prayer