WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.160 Happy Other's Day. 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:09.759 You know, from the beginning of creation, God created two different types of human beings. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:12.880 Men and women. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:23.519 And in the best of circumstances, women were biologically designed to bear children. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.399 There are two different types of human beings. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:36.640 Women being under the best of circumstances biologically designed to bear children, unlike men. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:48.000 But not only are women designed in that way physically, but even psychologically, women are by nature designed to nurture. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:01:02.640 I was just listening the other day to a psychologist who was talking about some different studies that had happened over the last 20 years where they studied differences between the male response and the female response in the home. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:17.359 If you have children in the home, there were some studies that were done over a period of time that found that a woman is awakened a lot more easily to their children crying in the middle of the night. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:21.840 Where men often can sleep through it. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:23.840 And often do. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:32.719 Where a man, on the other hand, was awakened not by a child in the home, but by any sound. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:36.159 It can sound like an intruder outside the home. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:46.400 What's so unique is God has wired men and women differently, biologically and physiologically, for his glory. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:51.760 And so when we think of Mother's Day, we just we thank God for creating women. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:02.959 And for the first time in his creation, he said, not good. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:08.639 Now it's not that his creation was not good, but it was not done. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:16.080 And so he created Eve, Adam's counterpart, both a part of Adam and his counterpart. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.120 And then, of course, Adam is presented with a woman. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:25.120 God brings the woman to the man, and he had been counting, of course, not counting, but he had been naming all these different animals. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.759 He'd been naming, you know, giraffes and porcupines and antelopes. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.680 And all of a sudden, the woman is presented to the man and he becomes a poet. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:38.319 He says, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:40.240 She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:41.840 You're like, Adam, where did that come from? 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:42.800 Right? 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.280 God created these two different people for his glory. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:03:07.360 Now, on Mother's Day, we of course recognize women, but let me just say also that we recognize that Mother's Day can be especially difficult for women who might be mourning due to infertility, the loss of a child, or the loss of a mom. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:11.199 This is why the church is so important. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.960 He draws near to those who are crushed in spirit. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:33.599 That he is the Lord of those who both rejoice and who weep, and the church is to be those who weep with those who weep, and those who rejoice with those who rejoice. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:41.599 So, church, as always, let's be thankful for mothers without apology, but let's also even still be prayerful. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.479 For those who are having a difficult day. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:04:05.039 The church is a people of exile who experience the joys of the Lord and the reins of life, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep, thankful and prayerful. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:07.520 Happy Mother's Day. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:11.599 Now, we do have a lot of alms missing today. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:25.680 And so after this, or if you're a member here, if you would just hang out before we tear down our our uh our location here, I'm let to see if some of us can deliver some of the mugs that we have with flowers in them to some moms that are at home set. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:28.560 All right, so if you can hang out, maybe you can help out with that. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:32.480 Now, your Bibles are open, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 14 through 17. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:33.759 Let me ask you a simple question. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:35.360 You can follow along in your notes. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:41.199 And the question is, what is that Bible you have open in front of you? 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.079 What is the Bible? 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:48.560 This does in some way pertain to Mothers Day, and you'll see how in just a moment. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.120 Well, the Bible, of course, is the book in front of you, sure, but what is that book? 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:00.319 Well, your Bible is an anthology, just a literary term that means it's a collection of a lot of books. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:03.839 66 to be exact, 39 in the Old Testament. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:10.560 An easy way to remember that, by the way, is there are three letters in the word old and nine letters in the word testament. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:14.000 Trick to remember how many word uh books are in the old testament. 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:14.639 39. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:16.800 In the New Testament, there are 27 books. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:22.240 Um, they are compiled together by the providence of God and his spirit. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:34.399 It includes somewhere around 1,500 years of the work of God, 40 different authors, somewhere around that, three different languages, and three different countries it was written in. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:48.000 The languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, the countries, of course, Asia, Europe, and Africa, all compiled into one book that God, by his sovereignty, has provided for you, and you have it open. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:58.399 In that book, there are differences, not disagreements, differences. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:10.560 There are different literary styles, there are different themes, both of which reveal different attributes of God and expose different characteristics of man. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:13.759 It admonishes our sin. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:21.920 It proclaims the salvation that has come, it prophesied future events, and it instructs us in righteousness yet. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:34.879 With all of these differences, it includes one comprehensive, overarching story of the plan of God to redeem sinful men who did not deserve it. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:38.560 Salvation brought in Christ Jesus. 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:41.680 The Old Testament is the promises God made. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:45.839 In the New Testament, we see the promises God made kept. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:50.160 The Bible is God's word, it is where he speaks. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:56.560 So, in short, quite simply, the Bible is God's word to mankind. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:00.319 Hebrews chapter 1 tells us exactly that. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:07.120 Long ago, in many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.720 It's the prophets that make up, of course, the sedenteen prophets of the Old Testament. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.879 But the writer of Hebrews says, In these last days he is spoken to us by his son. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:25.360 That is Jesus, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also created the world. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:30.319 John 1 tells us that the Son is the Word of God. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:33.360 So get this. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:17.839 In the Bible, we have both the authoritative and inerrant words of God sufficient for life and godliness as his people. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:38.399 When we open the Bible, the book that sits on our shelf, the book that we carry in our hand, the book we can read and understand our own language, the book we take to work, the book we read in the mornings, the book we teach our kids, when we open the Bible, God steps through the expanse of eternity to speak words of life to those dead in sin. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:43.600 Words of truth to those confused about their world. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:50.639 Words of hope to those who feel overcome by darkness. 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:54.639 Words of caution to those wandering away from God. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:09:03.679 Words of encouragement to those faltering in their faith, and words of hope to those enduring this faithfulness. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:14.159 If we are to meet God on a regular basis, we meet him here through prayer and his word by his spirit. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:19.120 You know, we believe as a church what Christians have believed for a very long time. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:26.480 And that is that the best way to live is in submission to the words of God. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:30.080 You know, Christians all over the world. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:40.639 In China, for example, used to hide pages of their Bible inside of cookbooks so they wouldn't be persecuted for their faith and so that they could open and read God. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:42.399 His word. 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:54.799 Christians in Yemen, even now, missionaries, hide Bibles under sand so that they can, as the church, drive a Bible on their way to an undisclosed location to meet and hear the words of God. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:05.679 We believe the Bible not only is the words of God, but that by God's Spirit, He speaks through His Word, not only in our mind, but to our heart, that we might be changed. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:09.039 And that's what we're going to talk about this morning. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:18.879 There are three reasons this morning I want to encourage you to read your Bible, not just as I preach it on Sundays, but every day of your life. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.480 Three reasons to pick up that Bible and open it. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.639 I'll just do it, tell them to you what they are, and then we'll walk through them as we open our text. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:28.639 The three reasons are these. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:32.799 God saves people by his word. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:36.480 God sanctifies believers through his word. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:39.840 And God supplies his children in his word. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.399 If you didn't get those all down, we're going to go through them one by one. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.840 The first, God saves people by his word. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.279 Your Bibles are open. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:48.960 I'm going to read out loud. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:11:07.279 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been equated with the sacred rites, which are able to make you wise for salvation through Christ Jesus. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:12.240 Now, Paul is writing to Timothy here. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:16.879 This is most likely Paul's last Lared as he awaits his death under the Emperor Nero. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:26.960 He tells Timothy who he is stationed at Ephesus to instruct right behavior and uh instruct right doctrine and correct false behavior. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:33.600 He tells Timothy, hey, listen, the word of God must be primary in the church. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.120 And it must be primary in your ministry. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:46.159 He is instructing him to continue in the truth he has already learned. 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:53.600 Then tell him to look for something new and novel, but urges him to remain faithful to the fundamentals of the faith. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:12:01.279 And he first tells him to consider the source of where he learned the truth of God. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:04.639 Because the source was trustworthy. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:10.639 So let me ask you: who taught Timothy the Word of God? 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:13.840 Side Timothy chapter 1. 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:15.200 You can turn over there if you want. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.559 Verse 5. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:19.600 We know we taught Timothy the Word of God. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:31.840 Because Paul says to Timothy, I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:37.919 And now I am sure dwells in you as well. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.159 Now we don't know the entire story here. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:54.879 We do know that Paul went to Lystra and Derby, the area that Timothy was from, on his first missionary journey, preaching the gospel to Jews in the synagogues. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:58.960 We don't have interaction with Timothy during that first missionary journey. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.600 We have interaction with Timothy during the second missionary journey. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:13.600 Timothy, at that point in time, is a person of faith who has kind of notable amongst the church that is meeting in Lystra and Derby. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:19.039 And is commended to Paul to say, hey, do you mean another worker? 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.200 Let us recommend Timothy. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:27.120 We learn in Acts chapter 16 that Timothy's dad was a Greek, his mother was a Jew, his grandma also was a Jew. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:37.919 And so most likely the instruction that Timothy had about anything considering, you know, containing the word of God was from his grandma and then his mom. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:42.799 And then they heard the message Paul spoke. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:48.000 They told Timothy what all he had learned as a child was all about. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:49.600 Jesus. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.240 They'd pass down. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:55.919 The scriptures. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:58.399 And who they pointed to. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:00.639 To young Timothy. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:06.559 You see, it's almost as if in modern days grandma had a book on her shelf. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:08.639 She'd take off right over. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.840 She'd read the blanks. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:14.320 She'd show with her daughter. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:18.879 Her daughter grew up on her thing about that book. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:24.000 More important than drew up on the book, the gong of the book. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:37.919 And at Ma, she may have had some sort of struggle marrying outside of the Jewish people, which was still frowned upon, still taught her soul the God of that book. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:55.200 And then in God's providence, God sent Paul, former persecutor of the truth and of God's people, to preach the gospel to grandma and the mom and Tippy. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:06.639 These were women of the word passing down the truth of the Bible to a man God used in miraculous ways recorded in your body. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:25.519 Growing up, I heard my mom say a few different times. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:27.440 I didn't read my Bible today. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.039 And I made a pledge to the Lord that I'm gonna need him as Lord once a day. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:38.159 Now I didn't know about that pledge when I heard it. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:43.759 But it didn't make me think, you know, I don't think I've ever seen my mom go a day without her Bible. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:47.200 Even after we watch a movie. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.639 She'd stay up. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.240 I'd go to bed. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.919 Her bible would be up there. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.759 After her tragedy. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:58.080 After family trips. 00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.759 I'd go to bed. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.279 Go somewhere else. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.720 She'd have her bible. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.679 So I just say, the mom in the room and future moms in the room. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:11.120 Please be a woman of the murder. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:13.759 I'm a pronounct. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:22.960 You are too. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:24.000 Most of you. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.679 In some way or another. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:45.200 I say that because while God is sovereign in calling people to faith, however he chooses, to open our eyes, you know, remove the cotton balls in our ears, he sends a messenger every time, in some sort of way. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:58.879 There is a messenger who shares the gospel to open our blind eyes so that we hear the gospel, and God, through his sovereign power, opens our eyes to the truthfulness of the gospel, not only hearing with our mind, but embracing it with our heart. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:02.000 God does that sort of thing, but he does it through a messenger. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:03.279 That's what Romans chapter 10 says. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.839 How will they hear unless someone said to them? 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.319 Twice as beautiful are the feasts. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:28.480 So a word to children, you are here on this Mother's Day. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:34.079 Be thankful for your mom that she's here this one, and that she wants to sing by your side. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.519 And a word to mom's. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.960 Yeah, you may want many things for your kid. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:19.279 To be an incredible soccer player, to find a good lady, to be well-mannered, but above all, make sure that your most focused attention is to their spiritual well-being because they will die. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.119 And what comes after is most important. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:25.279 Will they be prepared for heaven? 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:34.319 So, mothers in the red, teach your children to know God, to love God, to walk with God. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:37.599 Teach them the scriptures. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.279 And then Paul says something extraordinary. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.640 Let's look at the statement. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:48.480 He says, the sacred writings, you see it, that make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:54.880 Now, the sacred writings, of course, at this moment in salvation history, we did not have the New Testament books passed around. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:56.960 Paul is literally writing one of the New Testament books. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:59.440 There was not a bound book that was floating around. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:03.440 There were scrolls of the Old Testament that were opened up at the synagogue. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:08.559 And then, of course, there were writings of Paul circulating, writings of James circulating. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:17.119 And so what he's referring to of these scriptures that are able to make you wise, he's referring to the Old Testament. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:26.799 And he says that the scriptures have the ability to impart wisdom unto salvation through the power of God's Spirit. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:29.599 He says his word is powerful. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:36.880 So the Bible is not just a book of wisdom, it is a book of wisdom for salvation. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:39.839 It points somewhere. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:44.319 Jesus testified to that, that Moses and the prophets pointed to him. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:53.200 Paul said before King Agrippa, you know the scriptures, how that Jesus would have to die and resurrect. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:56.400 Paul says that's in Moses' writings. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:03.839 And you go to look for Moses' writings, and upon further examination, with God's spirit and dwelling you, you start seeing things. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:18.240 A bronze serpent on a pole, a son pardoned, who is going to die, and a substitute, a ram with a thicket of thorns upon the ram's head. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:29.119 Going through the waters of God's wrath, safe on the other side, led by God, singing on the other side. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:33.920 You see pictures and foreshadowings of Jesus the Christ. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.920 And this is through faith. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:38.880 Merely reading the Bible doesn't save you. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:42.160 Coming to the one that you read about saves you. 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:43.680 Faith in Jesus. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:46.400 Scripture calls for faith in Christ. 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:53.200 So saying you know scripture in your mind is not saying or is not the same thing as submitting to scripture in your heart. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:57.200 Just like knowing who Christ is doesn't make you a Christian. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:04.240 You know, many Jewish people in the Old Testament, Pharisees, for example, knew the Old Testament very well. 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:19.359 If they continued following the rabbi, they would not only have memorized the first five books of the Bible, but would begin memorizing different parts of the rest of the Bible, the Ketuvim and uh the prophets and the songs of the song book, the Psalms. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:29.920 But many, according to Jesus, walking on the face of the earth when he did 2,000 years ago, knew a lot about God, but missed God. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:35.759 They didn't know God personally, like Caiaphas staring Jesus in the face, still conspiring to kill him. 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:46.480 So it is altogether possible if we've talked as we've talked over the last couple weeks to know about God and not know God. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:48.079 That's a dangerous place to be. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:57.519 So make sure when you open the scriptures, you recognize this is not just offering moral aphorisms, this is offering salvation through Jesus Christ. 00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.680 This is the word of 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:15.039 God unto salvation for all of we want wisdom, not merely not merely the perception of wisdom, but wisdom. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.000 First Corinthians tells us we must humble ourselves. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:24.319 If we want the wisdom of faith, let no one deceive himself. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:28.559 If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:30.640 What did Paul say in 1 Corinthians chapter 1? 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.319 I sought to know nothing among you except for Christ and a crucified. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.880 Because many of you thought you're wise. 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:46.319 Listen, what must you know to begin to know Christ? 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:49.839 You must know you're not God. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:58.079 You must come before God, repent of sin, and run to the mercy Jesus freely provides at the cost of his own life. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:14.720 If we're to become wise of the salvation, we must be brought low ourselves, or be brought low by God to recognize how sinful we are and how in need of the salvation he provides we are. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:24.880 Scriptures passed down to us are enough to provide wisdom for salvation. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:33.039 And then Paul's first 10 years, verse 14, he says, continue in. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:34.880 See that? 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:44.319 Continue in what you have already learned and firmly believed. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:47.200 Question you should ask is why? 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:57.200 Well, number two, not only does God save people through his word or by his word, but he sanctifies believers through his word. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:01.200 Verse 16, we see why he's to continue in. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:09.119 Because all scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:15.839 So why are we to continue in the word having already believed in it and have a lot of it like if we already have it memorized? 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.079 Well, here's your answer. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:34.880 And maybe you want to write this down because God in his word continues to confit, continues to counsel, and continues to correct Christians in their life by his word. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:44.240 God's word is not only containing the wisdom to save you, but the power to sanctify you. 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:58.480 Text says scriptures breathed out by God, which means the Bible you have open is a supernatural book, written by the hands of men, but spoken out of the mouth of God. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:06.799 The Bible is not human in its origin, it is a divine work and a divine gift from God. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:12.000 And not only is it breathed by God, but it is profitable. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:20.559 All scriptures not only by God, from God, and leads to God, but it also does something powerful in us. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.640 You see these four things he lists. 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:24.640 Why is the Bible necessary for the believer? 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.880 Because it teaches, trains, reproves, and corrects. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.640 Let's look at those four things just real quick. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:30.319 Make sure we understand what they mean. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:30.799 Okay. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:34.559 First, the four things are kind of divided in twos. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:38.799 The first two are like in the positive, if you will, teaching and training. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:43.920 Teaching is in the general sense the doctrine of God. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:50.559 Training is in not the general sense the doctrine of God, but the personal sense. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:53.839 This is how you live then under God's instruction. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:59.839 So part of discipleship is Sunday mornings where we gather around the word of God. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:01.359 We have a word-centered church. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:04.240 We preach the word and we bring ourselves in submission to the word. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.279 That would be teaching. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:15.200 Training would be one-on-one relationships where you continue to grow throughout the week with someone else who's walking beside you toward Jesus. 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:20.640 Then he says two other words to describe that the Bible does in believers' lives. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:22.000 It reproves and corrects. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:28.319 Again, here's now to the kind of more negative, not negative effect, but kind of the opposite side of the coin from the positive. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:29.119 Here's what it does. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:32.720 Here's what it does now against sin in your life. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.960 In the general sense, it reproves. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:39.759 So it rebukes or rebuts false teachings. 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:44.240 Here's doctrine it teaches. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:47.200 Here's doctrine it reproves. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:50.079 These are bound teachers. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:55.200 You should not listen to them because they are hard or they're fast and loose, I mean, with the scriptures. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:58.400 They don't teach what God said, they teach what you want to hear. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:01.039 And they use some of God's word to make it sound there. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:04.079 And then it corrects. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:07.119 Of course, general, now, again, personal. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:10.880 And there are some things in your life that need corrected. 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:16.799 As you're walking side by side with Solomon, he was training you in the words of God. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:23.200 Hey, there's some things that might need to change in your life in order that your life might be aligned with what God desires for you. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:35.680 God's word is one of the primary means that God sanctifies us. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:45.359 And prayer, he may reveal some things to us and press upon a ox subjects to us that we need to rid of in our own lives. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.920 But you want to know what those are? 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:50.079 By opening the Bible. 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:55.359 God's desire for you as you've looked the last two weeks, two weeks, is holiness. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.799 What does holiness look like? 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:01.440 Well, with human hands, it looks like Jesus, who is the very image of God, the exact imprint of his nature. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.799 You want to know what holiness looks like? 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.160 Look at Jesus. 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:05.599 You want to live like Jesus. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.400 Open the word of God to know what Jesus was like. 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:15.599 And God, by his spirit, will shape you into the image of his son so that people on earth see his son. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:25.119 Sanctification is what God does in us through his word. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:29.119 You can think of the word sanctify by thinking of sanctuary. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.680 Sanctuary is often known as like a holy place. 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:37.519 Well, you are the holy place of God, according to scripture, the dwelling place of God. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:48.720 And if God dwells in you, he desires to clean inside of you what should not be there and purify you, preparing you for heaven. 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:50.720 God does that through his word. 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:59.279 Sanctification is this lifelong process by which believers grow in the likeness of God, Jesus the Son. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:03.279 Here's a picture, maybe, to kind of paint it for you. 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.920 Bible tells us we are sheep. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:09.200 Bible also tells us God's word is food. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:20.160 You know, sheep, they graze, they wander, they get lost, they are easily injured and equipped to die. 00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:27.759 You live on the words of God that you might live. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:38.400 When we open up the scriptures on a Sunday morning, there is a servant, it is the shepherd, but is also a sheep. 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:52.400 And what we do on Sunday mornings is basically I come up here, there is a steedic trough, and I take off the top of the feeding trough so that we all could gather around the word of God and feed for our soul. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.039 That's what a Sunday morning is. 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:58.880 God's word is supernatural food. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:03.440 You know, when I was in college, um I worked out religiously. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:09.119 I thought I was gonna be like the next power lifter, or not power lifter, bodybuilder, or something like that. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:14.480 And when you go, when you kind of get into working out a lot, you go and buy protein. 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:18.480 Uh I guess you do it on Amazon or on bodybuilding.com or something like that now. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:29.920 Um, but you used to have like these something the superstores, and I'd go to something the superstore and I'd see on the the packaging of all these different pro protein packs pictures of dudes that I'm like, man, I'm gonna look like that. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:33.519 I'm gonna try to look like that, right? 00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:44.559 You feed yourself this protein over and over and over so that your body can feed itself on protein so that you look more like the guy on the outside of this big old bottle. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:49.039 Well, in the Bible, it's not too different from that. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:56.880 What you do is you feed on the supernatural food of the word of God so that you look more like the person on the inside of the Bible. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.799 That's what we're doing. 00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:09.680 Sanctification is the lifelong process by which believers grow in the likeness of God, and God has given us his word to do just that, to feed us that we might grow. 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:14.799 Now here's the thing before I move on to point number three. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:19.440 Sanctification is always right, but it doesn't always feel gay. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:21.920 There's four words used. 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:24.480 Teaching and training can be fun. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:28.720 Reproof and correction rarely ever is. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:56.880 But I have been told by those who do that uh if you want to have a pretty set of flowers, oftentimes you have to take out shears or scissors and cut them so that they grow stronger and more full. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:03.119 Sanctification is one of those processes by which God cuts at the things that need to be taken away from our lives. 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:04.880 And it can hurt. 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:06.640 But it's good. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:11.119 When we submit our lives and the word of God, it will sanctify us. 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:14.400 Our life won't get easier, but it will get stronger. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:15.759 Here's the third thing. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:18.960 Third reason you should open up God's word every day and read it. 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:22.079 God supplies his children and his word. 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:29.440 Verse 17, that the man of God may be complete and equipped for every good work. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.000 Write this down. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:39.440 God has given us his word to equip us for whatever meet we may encounter in life. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:44.720 God has given us his word to equip us for whatever we may encounter in life. 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:54.880 A long time ago I played a joke just to um think through how to teach this to students, and and I opened up Siri uh in front of the room and I said, Siri, what should I do? 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:59.200 And of course, Siri responded, perfect for the moment. 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:00.720 Well, I can't answer that. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:07.440 There are things this world does not have answers to. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:10.480 They are typically the most important things. 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:19.519 And where the most important questions come, the scriptures have the most important answers. 00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:24.160 God's word can answer the questions of your soul. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:26.960 In fact, let's just think about what God's Word provides. 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:33.759 The stories of God's word help us see examples of people encountering hardship with faith. 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:40.480 The law in God's word helps us see our need for God in every part of our life, down to the core of who we are. 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:49.519 The songs in God's word help us recognize our inadequacy to understand all there is to life, but we can still thank and rejoice in the one he does. 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:56.079 The gospels in God's word help us to know God's heart, God's plan, and his kingdom that is still to come. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:34:04.480 The letters of God's word help us to understand how to live in God's world as his church, obeying his commands. 00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:14.559 And the last book, the revelation of Jesus Christ, helps us lift our gaze off our circumstances and on to our future beyond. 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:23.679 God's word helps us practically so that we persevere and prosperity and through persecution. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:26.239 He supplies our need. 00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:32.480 Ephesians 2, verse 10 tells us that God has prepared good works for us, that we should walk in them. 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:35.039 And God has given us his word to what? 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:36.079 I had you write it now. 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:40.400 Equip us for all we may encounter in life. 00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:42.800 I want to tell you a story. 00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:44.639 Maybe you've heard the story before. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:50.320 A guy by the name of Bart Ehrman is a distinguished professor at UNC Chapel Hill. 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:57.920 His focus is on the inspiration of the Bible, specifically in the New Testament writers. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:01.920 Bart Ehrman is a sell-the-bound ABist. 00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:05.840 Again, he features at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, unless that's changed. 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:08.239 Not to my knowledge, it hasn't. 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:18.880 And he is a critic often of the church and of the fact that down to the book. 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:27.760 Well, every year, so he says he begins his class, number of classes, hundreds of students in this big class they they take. 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:29.840 He begins by asking a question. 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:37.920 The question is simply How many of you have read one of the few Harry Potter books? 00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:42.000 This is not me bashing Harry Potter, actually like the maybe it's a lot. 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:46.559 How many of you have read one or many of the Harry Potter books? 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:50.719 And inevitably, a number of the students in this class will raise their hand when they almost all. 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:11.039 Trusted in Christ. 00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:18.800 And he says, Out of those who just raised their hand, they are Christians, how many have read the Bible cover to cover? 00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:24.880 And only a few of them will raise their hand. 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:34.159 And he said, Well, so many of you just said that you read all of Harry Potter from the beginning to the end. 00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:37.679 I didn't say I believe in God. 00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:39.840 You said you believe in God. 00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:45.280 If you believe there is a God who's written the book, would you not want to read it? 00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:49.440 Are you sure you believe it? 00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:53.039 And so he says that's how he begins his class. 00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:54.000 Every year. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.920 Listen closely. 00:36:56.239 --> 00:36:58.639 God wrote a book. 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:04.480 Pages and pages of his thoughts, his heart, and his actions. 00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:06.800 You can carry it wherever you go. 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:09.760 You can open it up whenever you want. 00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:13.760 If you want to meet him, meet him in his word. 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:17.920 And Moggs, oh while you introduce your gids. 00:37:18.320 --> 00:37:20.480 It's the God of the Bible. 00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:26.559 Passing down the truth of God for generation to generation. 00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:27.920 Let's pray. 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:34.000 With your head bowed, I just want to read a passage of scripture. 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:40.639 Jesus, the very word of God in John 6. 00:37:42.079 --> 00:37:44.239 He said many hard words. 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:49.760 Hard words that require the denial of self. 00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:59.199 Many of the disciples, that's not the twelve, but many of the many, turned back and no longer walked with Jesus from that point on. 00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:03.599 So then Jesus said to the twelve, Do you want to go away as well? 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:13.039 That's when Simon Peter, the spokesman of the twelve, answered him and said, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:18.400 You have the words of eternal life. 00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:21.199 And we have believed. 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:27.599 And have come to know that you are the holy one of God. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:31.360 Your head bowed. 00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:35.119 Can you say civilly? 00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:38.960 Without God's word, I don't know where I'd go. 00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:45.920 And can you say, I'm not going anywhere? 00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:51.760 I will continue in what I have firmly believed I have been taught. 00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:58.800 Because I know the one who wrote the spoke is the Holy One of God. 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:06.719 Church, we're about to sing some of those words. 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:19.199 I pray if you sing these words, or if you read these words, and if you've listened to the words that I've preached, and you do not know the God who has spoken, the God of the Bible. 00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:21.119 You know about it, but you only know him. 00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:26.400