WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:07.040 When it comes to meal time, all right, meals and prep and all of that, I've always really been a big portion guy. 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:08.720 Any of you with me on that? 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:10.720 You're like, you have to have a huge meal. 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:12.960 Like for for you, it's just the worst if you don't. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:21.359 I actually, believe it or not, I actually made this bowl right here back when I was, I don't know, in grade 11 or 12, and I see some smirking. 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:23.199 Okay, don't make fun of the pottery guy. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:42.000 All right, but I actually made this and I gave it to my mom, and uh that sounds really sweet and all, but the reason I made it was selfishly for myself, because I felt like there just wasn't a big enough bowl to contain the size meals uh that I enjoyed eating. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:51.759 And I used to fill that thing up with spaghetti and toss in like eight or nine you know pierogies and eat these massive carb-loading type meals. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:53.520 Now, obviously, I can't do that anymore. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.840 Those days you know are long gone. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:08.480 But for me, back in the day, anyways, right, it was an absolute crime in my mind, all right, to have a small or or insufficient portion size. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:12.799 Because I felt like that would just leave me uh very unsatisfied. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:23.680 Now, when it comes to the Bible, okay, one of the things that we believe as Christ followers, as the church, as Harvest Bible Chapel, is that it's sufficient. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:32.480 Okay, it is sufficient, it is enough, it is adequate for us as Christians and as the church. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:35.439 Now, Wayne Grudom is uh is our friend. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:43.280 He's been helping us out with our definitions here as we've been going through uh our We Believe series here, which we are wrapping up today. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:48.079 And this is what he has to say, this is how he defines the sufficiency of Scripture. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:02:07.599 He says the sufficiency of scripture means that scripture contained all the words of God he intended his people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:11.759 Now, of course, you and I we we don't obey him perfectly, right? 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:12.960 But but that's more on us. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:18.080 That's because of our fallenness, that's because of our brokenness and our sin and all of that. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:26.159 And it's not because, you know, the Bible itself is somehow lacking or somehow inadequate, right? 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:32.479 That's not the reason why we don't obey the Lord fully, it's because of us. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:35.919 The Bible itself, it is sufficient. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:41.919 And so let's really take a look at this now uh from our passage here, 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.000 We're gonna be looking at verses 16 and 17. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:46.319 If you would stand for me, you know, we're in a series about God's word. 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:50.800 I think let's honor the Lord uh in our reading, and so follow along with me. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:55.520 I'll actually start uh back in 14 and the verses we looked at just last week. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:11.199 It says, But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you've been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:13.360 And then here we go, here's our verses. 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:29.039 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 and equipped for every good work. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:35.360 Lord, we come and bow our hearts before you today, Lord. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:51.599 And first of all, we just want to praise you and thank you for being a God who is so good and in your perfect wisdom, Lord, you gave us this book, this book that our church will come and proclaim each and every Sunday, Lord. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:57.919 And I pray that as your people, Lord, we would come to understand its sufficiency. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:07.439 Lord, it is not uh a meal that's too small that that leaves us wanting more and going after other things outside of the Bible. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.599 Your word is enough. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:12.400 Lord, you are enough. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:14.319 And so, God, help us in this. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:22.879 If any of us are unclear or we are not shaken to the core by the reality that your word is sufficient, Lord, would you do that work in us today? 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:34.240 God, I pray that because your word is enough, because your word is sufficient, Lord, I pray that we would we would come before it every single day. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:44.240 Lord, that we wouldn't cast it aside, we wouldn't talk a good game and talk about how great your word is, but really um come before it very infrequently. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:49.680 And so, God, would you have mercy on us as a church as we work through these things? 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.120 God, to your glory, we pray all of this in Jesus' name. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:56.079 Amen. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:56.800 Amen. 00:04:56.879 --> 00:04:59.839 All right, well, you can take a seat, and uh here we go. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.240 Just jump in straight into this here. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:04.560 Okay, the Bible is sufficient. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.959 Okay, the Bible is sufficient, each word being inspired by God Himself. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:10.560 Each word is inspired. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:13.199 Take a look at this from verse 16. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:18.720 Okay, we just read it, but we're gonna go through it and kind of pull it apart, sort of word for uh word by word here. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:23.279 It says this all scripture is breathed out by God. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:25.439 It's breathed out by God. 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:27.839 Now you might be wondering, well, what's that all about? 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:28.720 Yeah, what's that? 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.800 What's he getting at here? 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:46.959 Well, he's saying that that all scripture, okay, not just, you know, not just some of it, not not most of it, no, all scripture, meaning each and every word is, well, is what? 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:48.160 What does it say? 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:50.959 It says that it is, it's breathed out from God. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:52.800 He breathed out by God. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:56.480 And that means that it's it's been divinely inspired. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.399 It's been divinely inspired. 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:11.040 Now, 2 Peter 1, verse 21 kind of helps us kind of understand this and kind of how we got the scriptures and what the Lord was doing, you know, through the writers as they wrote it. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:11.600 This is what it says. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:15.360 It says, for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:21.600 So you think through all the all the Bible writers and the various guys that wrote all of this, this didn't originate with them. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:22.480 That's what this is saying. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:30.639 No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.639 They're carried along by the Holy Spirit, okay? 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:59.600 So the various human authors, you know, that physically wrote down the words that you and I are now reading centuries later, with their with their distinctive, you know, personalities and writing styles and you know, all of that, they were being divinely inspired as they wrote by God Himself in each and every word that they wrote. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.439 Yeah, that's what it means by God breathed. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:11.600 God breathed through the Holy Scripture into these men and wrote the very words that God wanted them to write. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:15.759 Now Jesus Himself, he confirms this actually in Matthew chapter 5. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:16.720 I'm just gonna read it here. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:19.839 He says, Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.399 I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:36.000 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, listen, not an iota, okay, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.000 Okay, what is he doing here? 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:44.480 He's he's emphasizing the the accuracy of the scriptures down to the very letter. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.560 That's what he's emphasizing. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:47.040 Why? 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:49.519 Because they're the very words of God. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:51.040 The very words of God. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:57.920 So because God's word is from God himself, it is breathed out from him. 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:00.240 Listen, we can trust it. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:02.399 We can trust that this is his word. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:07.759 It is accurate, it is authoritative over our lives. 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:12.160 And, and this is important, we must obey it. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.000 We must obey it. 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:25.839 Now, let me ask you a question, and this is extremely critical that you think this through for yourself and and don't be too quick to just assume that the answer is yes for you. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.920 Okay, but here's the question. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.720 Have you truly accepted this? 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:39.600 Meaning, have you truly accepted that the Bible is inspired by God down to every single letter? 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:49.440 Again, it can be really easy to sort of nod along in agreement with me as I'm you know asking that question or stating these things. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:58.000 But listen, listen, a lot of professing Christians out there will say that they hold to inspiration, right? 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:08.720 We can talk a good name, we we know the right answers, we'll we'll say that it's accurate, we'll say that it's authoritative and claim to believe all of these things. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:21.759 But listen, as soon as the Bible contradicts something that that I want or or that I think or that that I believe, then what do we do? 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:24.879 Well, we doubt it, don't we? 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:28.879 And we're like, yeah, I don't know about that part. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:29.759 Right? 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:32.320 Or we or we question it. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:35.279 Did God really say, right? 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:39.679 We asked those questions about the scriptures, we asked these questions about his commands. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.519 Guess who else asked those questions? 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.799 Satan, right, in the garden with Eve. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:46.799 Did God really say? 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.120 Listen, that's a dangerous, dangerous question. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:10:04.240 And when we we do that, we doubt, we we question the scriptures where they're actually very clear, or we reinterpret, you know, what we think they mean to kind of suit our desires and all of that. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:12.080 What it means is that we put ourselves in the position of final authority over the Bible. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:16.080 Okay, now question is that a good thing or a bad thing? 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:18.080 Okay, thumbs up, thumbs down. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.639 Yeah, that's not such a good thing, right? 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:24.000 Putting ourselves in authority over it, yeah, not so good. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:30.000 And essentially the cry of our hearts, we'd probably never say this, we may not even really think it, but this is the kind of the function of our hearts. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:37.120 We would say the Bible, okay, and they therefore God Himself submits to me. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:42.080 I've got the authority, instead of the other way around. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:44.960 Now, do you ever do this? 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:52.559 Have you ever done that before when you've read scripture or you've heard a guy like me talking about it and stating things strongly and with conviction? 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:54.159 Or you're like, nah, no. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:11:04.960 When something like that rubs against your sensibilities, well, hold on a second, that's not the way the world worked, therefore the scriptures must be wrong. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.559 Or, just a suggestion, the world might be broken. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:09.840 Right? 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.519 What really has the authority? 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.720 Is it us or is it God's word? 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:28.240 Listen, if you if you don't truly accept on a heart level that the Bible is inspired by God Himself, guess what you're actually saying functionally? 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.960 You're saying this the Bible is not sufficient. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:37.759 I am, I know what's what. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:49.120 I will not go to the scriptures anymore, I will go to my intellect, I will go, I will look to something else to inform me in all kinds of different ways. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:57.440 And so what we can easily say as believers is that, yeah, the Bible is good, but what we're really saying is, yeah, but only to a point. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:01.919 Okay, only to the point where it actually disagrees with me. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:03.519 Then I reign. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:10.799 Then I climb up on that throne of my life, and then I take the scepter, I put on the crown, I, you get the picture? 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.200 It's me, not the word. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.879 We functionally can easily believe that the scriptures are just not enough. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:21.360 I need to look outside to it or look to myself. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:24.559 Look, the first pillar of our church is what? 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:26.159 Should we do a pop quiz? 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:27.360 See how many of you know? 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:34.399 We walk past that, you know, that that stand, that pop-up stand, the big sign out there, and it says what the four pillars of our church is. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:36.080 I won't do that to you. 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:37.600 One of these days I'm going to, right? 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:38.559 I always threaten. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:39.600 I should do it. 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:40.639 I won't do it today. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:46.399 The first pillar of our church is proclaiming the authority of God's word without apology. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:47.360 Now, why? 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.759 Why would that be the first pillar? 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:52.559 Because God's word is enough, right? 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.000 It is sufficient. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:55.840 It is all that we need. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:02.720 God's inspired words to us is what you and I desperately need every single day. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:18.000 We need that in a world where where everything goes, and you know, believe whatever you want to believe, and truth is relative, and you know, hearts that kind of naturally want to go down those paths and follow those mantras. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:22.399 We need God's God's sufficient word. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:39.279 And listen, the the sufficiency of uh of scripture here, it cannot be a loosely held thought that's kind of rattling around in our brains that that we kind of grab onto when it's convenient or when it's easy. 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:47.279 Or listen, if that's the case, we will be very unstable people in a very unstable world. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:52.879 Okay, the sufficiency of scripture that needs to be a deeply held conviction. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:55.840 You know, our hearts need to burn with this. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:58.559 We need to be convinced of this in our own minds. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:00.480 It has to be locked in there. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:05.440 Listen, do you realize that the Lord is looking for believers everywhere? 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:12.639 He is looking for his followers who will humbly submit themselves to him and his holy word. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.480 And so the question is for you and for us as a church, will you be one of them? 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:21.440 Will we be that kind of a church? 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:27.440 I'm telling you, on my watch, by God's grace, the answer is yes. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:30.080 A resounding yes. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:35.840 We will continue to come before God's amazing and awesome word. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:44.720 All right, the Bible is sufficient, each word being inspired by God Himself, which impacts me where I really need it to. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:46.960 Impacts me where we really need it to. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.799 This is the second thing here. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.559 Okay, take a look at verse 16. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:51.919 Again, we'll read that part. 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:54.320 It says, all scripture is breathed out by God. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.360 Okay, we got that. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:58.559 And it says that it is it is profitable. 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:00.159 Now, what does that mean? 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:02.960 It means it makes us money, uh, a lot of money, right? 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:07.039 Makes us wealthy, happy, no problems. 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:08.960 No, that's not right. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.759 Okay, and just in case you thought I was going to all prosperity there, that's not what prof uh profitable means. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:19.440 Okay, it means that it's it's useful, it it's beneficial in what kind of ways? 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.240 Tell me, Pastor. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.320 Well, this the scriptures tell you. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:23.279 Just take a look. 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:24.480 It says, for teaching. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:26.879 You ever feel like you need teaching sometimes? 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.519 I just I just I need, I don't understand. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.879 Well, that's what the Bible's there for. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:32.639 It's to give us instruction. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.519 We need that. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.320 It also says there for reproof. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:38.240 Now that's kind of a bit of an old school word. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:45.039 We don't really use that word in kind of everyday language, but it essentially, you know, just means rebuke or or or reprimand. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.320 Now, if we're honest, we need a little bit of that too. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:57.919 And sometimes the word of God kind of lays us bare there, and there's a need for a for more of a stern approach because my heart is hard and it's proud and needs to be softened. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:01.440 Okay, so it's good for, it's profitable for reproof. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:03.679 It also says for correction. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.120 Hey, you need any improvement in any areas of your life? 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:07.919 I do. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.440 My hands up, right? 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:10.320 We need improvement. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.600 We need we need to be altered, we need that modification. 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.360 God's word does that. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.720 It also says, and for training in righteousness. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.759 Love that part. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.159 Right? 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:25.360 It's training us, it's it's pushing us or nurturing us towards greater godliness. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:32.240 These are the things that God's word is good enough to accomplish in us. 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.200 This is the way, these are the different ways that the Bible impacts us. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.519 Right? 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:45.519 It calls us out when we're hard-hearted, it it teaches us when we lack understanding, it it reassures us when we're fearful or when we're doubting or when we're we're down. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:54.559 Okay, that the Bible is sufficient for every single level, every single step of your walk with the Lord, your growth in him. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.200 Okay, it's enough. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.519 And these are the kind of areas where you and I, we just we just need work done. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:03.600 We need it done. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:28.720 Now, the takeaway for us here, in you know, in kind of a really simple sense, is that God's words here, as they've been delivered to us, you know, in the Bible that we're reading right now, not only did it have the you know, the impact or the ability to impact us in these ways, but they're also enough, they're sufficient to uh to impact us in these ways. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:40.400 And again, I think that's one of those things that can be really easy to kind of believe in our minds, but but again, like deep down, we we often look to extra-biblical things to impact us. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:53.440 We look to things outside of the scriptures to you know inform our identities, to give us meaning, to give us hope, to give us joy and happiness and purpose in all of that. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:18:00.559 And so we're looking to all of those things all the while saying, well, it's because the Bible isn't really good enough, it's not sufficient. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.359 You might be like, well, what kind of things? 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:09.359 What kind of extra biblical things outside of the Bible things do we look at here? 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:16.640 Well, when we don't believe the Bible is sufficient, we look to first of all our feelings. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.240 We look to our feelings. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:21.519 I think this is probably the number one thing we look to, right? 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:24.160 Feelings-driven life. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:33.599 Driven along by emotions, delivered along by what we want, what we like, what we hate, what we feel like in the moment. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:40.319 Emotions and feelings are driving the bus in a lot of our lives. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:48.480 You know, and for us, it it kind of looks like, you know, well, I don't really care what the what the Bible says about blank. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:48.880 Right? 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:49.920 I don't really care that. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:54.079 I'm not I'm not feeling that right now, so I'm not gonna do it. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.839 I'm not gonna do it. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:11.599 Again, maybe you say you've got the Christianese down pat and you know how to give good answers when you're talking with other believers and all of that, but really, again, it's your feelings and it's your emotions calling the shots. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:17.920 And we do this in all kinds of different ways on you know, in on a day-to-day basis, right? 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:23.680 I don't feel like reading my Bible, so therefore I won't. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:30.880 I don't feel like respecting my husband, so I'm gonna be harsh. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:39.359 I I don't feel like loving my wife sacrificially, so I'm I'm gonna be really selfish and make it all about me. 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:44.079 I I, you know, evangelism's hard, prayers hard. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:46.240 Doing these kinds of things is difficult. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:50.319 I don't feel like doing these things, so I'm gonna do what I want to do. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:51.200 Right? 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.119 You see how that plagues us? 00:19:53.440 --> 00:20:01.119 You see how our hearts are so affected by these types of situations on a day-to-day basis? 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:04.400 I don't feel like it, so I won't. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.759 Or I feel like doing the wrong thing, so I will. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:11.359 Okay, when we don't believe that the Bible is sufficient, we look to our feelings. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.599 Here's the second thing we look to pastors and Christian leaders. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.359 Does that sound kind of wrong at first? 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.559 Oh, shouldn't we? 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:26.240 Like, shouldn't we look at you know to our pastors for some direction and some guidance and all of that? 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:30.720 And I'm here to say, well, sure, you know, to some degree, absolutely. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:39.599 But I think sometimes some of us maybe you know, treat pastors, treat, treat leaders, treat people that we respect in kind of a codependent way. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:45.599 You know, and I can't I can't move forward without running this by my small group leader. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:54.880 I can't, I can't move forward without talking and getting my my mentors' thoughts on this or my pastor's thoughts and you know, all of that. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:04.640 And sometimes what we do is we lean into these fallible people instead of into the infallible word of God. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:25.359 You know, and again, sometimes you know, pastors and leaders they don't help things much by kind of you know carrying with them this swagger and maybe this you know inflated sense of authority that you know kind of gives you the sense that well, I I you know I have to you know do what he says first and foremost. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:31.279 Listen, I don't have the highest authority, not at all. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.440 Okay, God's word does, it is sufficient. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:40.480 Here's another thing we look to Christian books and resources. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:51.359 Again, it's not it's not wrong to read great books, it's not wrong to have these great resources that can that can help you understand the Bible a little bit better or encourage you in all of that. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:52.799 I recommend books to you all the time. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:54.880 Like I've had I've shown many of them. 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.759 It's not wrong to read great books, again, they can be a great help in. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.720 Helping us understand the Bible. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:08.240 Okay, but it shouldn't be seen as on par with the scriptures and certainly not above them. 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:23.920 You know, so so for you, maybe you have stopped reading the word as much and you've kind of pushed that aside a little bit in your life because your extracurricular reading, as good as it may be, has been kind of taking over. 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:34.079 And for you, it's been a certain author or a certain podcast or a certain theological website or someone that you follow on Twitter. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:37.279 And these things are determining how you think. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:40.640 These people are determining how you act and how you move forward. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:49.920 And it's kind of like the mindset of, you know, well, I can't, you know, make a decision unless someone like, you know, John Piper or Desiring God tells me what I think. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:53.119 Again, love John Piper, love desiring God. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:57.759 They're great, but they're not the Bible, and they're not God. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:02.400 Here's another thing we look to when we don't believe that the Bible's sufficient. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:02.960 How about this one? 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:04.480 Self-help gurus. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:12.960 I've talked to some of you before, and some of you have spent hundreds and even thousands of dollars going after self-help gurus. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:22.960 You just make yourself better, and you here's your seven things that you can do to make yourself a better person and improve and be transformed, and you know, you've got to you know follow all of their ways. 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:32.160 And it's usually about having the right kind of attitude or mindset or the power of positive thinking, or it always involves, you know, swiping a credit card for sure and giving them money, right? 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:33.039 It involves that. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:38.400 But all of it's so man-centered and so self-centered and not actually what you need at all. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:44.240 You're going down that road, you're you're you're you're effectively saying the Bible is not sufficient for me. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:46.319 I need to look outside of that. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:49.839 Okay, here's the fifth one, last one. 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:52.559 Just our our drug of choice. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:54.720 Okay, our drug of choice. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:01.200 This is something that we look to when when deep down we believe that the Bible is not sufficient. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:03.839 Now, this could be an actual banned substance. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.720 It could be something like that. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:07.920 It could be alcohol and a dependency on that. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:13.200 Or it could be something like uh, you know, something that kind of looks innocent on the outside, like a shopping addiction. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:20.720 I'm gonna be spending copious amounts of money, and I've always got these new things, and Amazon is my best friend, and I live at the mall, and you know, all that kind of stuff. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:26.000 And that's a that's something that you're going to because you believe that God and his word are not enough. 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:31.519 This is anything that you look to to inform your identity and your worth and your purpose. 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:47.200 Anything that you think that you need to make you happy, to make you whole as a person, anything that you think you need to make you complete and be truly full of joy or whatever you think you need. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:52.480 You know, if I if I just have this thing, it will impact me in the way that I need it most. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:53.599 Hey, not true. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:54.240 Not true. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:58.400 God and his word is what you need, that is what will impact you most. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:05.279 It is sufficient when it comes to giving you what you really need for life and for godliness. 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:15.839 Listen, the Bible isn't just like one tool among, you know, many equal tools that you would have in your toolbox. 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:20.000 It's not one among three, four, five, a hundred. 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:21.920 It is the tool. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:22.960 It is it. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:31.440 It is it's the preeminent source of impact that you so badly want to see happen in your life and what the Lord wants to see happen in your life. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:46.240 All right, the Bible is the Bible is sufficient, each word being inspired by God Himself, which impacts me where I really need it to, and effectively equips me for what's ahead. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:49.920 It effectively equips me for what's ahead. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:52.880 Okay, start at the beginning here, verse 16. 00:25:53.519 --> 00:26:01.440 It says that all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:03.599 Okay, we read and looked at all that. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:08.640 And then this that the man, okay, or woman, that the man of God may be what? 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:10.240 Complete. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:15.359 That's a great word, may be complete, equipped for every good work. 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:27.680 Now, it's really important for us to understand and to remember, okay, that we're not saved by our works, we're not saved by our morality or all the good things that we do. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:32.079 However, we are saved by God's grace to do good works. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:32.559 Right? 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:38.240 We're saved to accomplish a lot of things in life to the glory of God. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:44.240 Things like learning to trust Him more fully every single day. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:44.720 Right? 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:45.920 You think that's a good work? 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:47.200 Absolutely. 00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:59.279 Things like worshiping and praying more fervently and loving radically and evangelizing boldly and serving willingly and leading humbly and submitting totally. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:01.200 These are the good works. 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:07.519 These are just some of the good works that the Lord wants to equip you through his word to accomplish. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:13.759 He wants to make you mature, complete the word is there, so that you can do all of this. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:26.799 As the Bible makes an impact on us through its teaching and through its reproof, as the as the verse says there, through its correction and through its training in righteousness, we become complete. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:29.039 God gave you his word. 00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:34.799 Think about it this way: God gave you his word so that you would not remain an unfinished product. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:38.079 That's why you have a Bible in your hands. 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:44.480 It is driving you, God Himself through it is driving you towards an awesome goal. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:46.240 That's what he's doing. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:54.319 That you would be equipped for all the great things that God has in store for you, all the all the great things he wants to do in you and through you. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:58.000 His word impacts you for sure. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.200 We talked about that. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:04.079 Your character changes, and it's so that he can equip you for what lies ahead. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:08.400 Now listen, that should excite you, right? 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:09.920 You should be excited about this. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:11.920 You should be fired up when you think about this. 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:14.720 Well, I come before God's word and I change. 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:19.839 You know, I don't know how to, you know, lead very well, I don't know how to serve very well. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:33.119 I sense that my heart is is hard and it is broken and and and twisted and it warps things so easily, and my relationships aren't all that great, and I wish my marriage was better, and I wish I knew how to parent, and you know, I wish that I was a better employee and all of those things. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:40.079 Well, listen, God's word helps you in all of this, it equips you to become better in all of these things to the glory of God. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:46.000 Stop looking at God's word as this boring, dead book that I guess I better go to because I'm a Christian. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:47.759 No, you get to be in that. 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:52.559 You get to read that and study that because God wants to use it to transform you. 00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:55.119 He wants to change you through it. 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:07.839 Listen, Harvest, I believe as a church, we have barely begun to scratch the surface on what God wants to accomplish in us and through us. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:13.759 And I don't mean that in a, hey, listen, we should be really discouraged about you know the short distance that we've come as a church. 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:15.279 I'm not saying all of that. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:19.599 What I'm saying is that we've been a church for like two and a half years now, just over. 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:37.440 And the and the more that we cling to the doctrine that the Bible is sufficient, the more we'll dig into it, the more we're gonna want to, the more the Lord will use it to equip us for whatever he has in store for us as a church and as his people. 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:41.039 I mean, have you ever stopped and like really thought about this? 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:43.039 Have you thought about your own life? 00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:54.640 Have you thought about the church and how the Lord wants to take us from where we are to something much more amazing, much more refined, much more pure, much more awesome? 00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.480 Have you thought about that? 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.359 Have you pictured that? 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:01.119 Have you have you have the goal clear in your mind? 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.960 Well, no, I don't know what the goal is. 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:05.200 Well, listen, the Bible tells you what the goal is. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:07.839 He's equipping you for that. 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:10.240 And he wants to do great things. 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:13.359 I mean, just picture what it could be like for you. 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:20.160 The joy as God is working to equip you and making you complete and mature, the joy that you will have in all of this. 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:24.480 The joy that you will have in him, the our hearts that will delight in him more. 00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:27.119 That's the work that he wants to do in you for sure. 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:32.079 You ever wonder, hey, I wish I just wish I was, you know, I delighted in the Lord more than other things. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:35.920 Well, that's what God's word equips you to do and be. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.599 Think about it. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:48.079 We'll as we as we allow ourselves to be made complete by his word, the sufficient word of God, we'll grow, we'll grow wise in an increasingly foolish world. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:56.880 We'll have sweeter relationships, we'll have sweeter friendships among ourselves here and the people that we know. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:59.119 Our marriages will be better. 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:02.559 Our marriages will reflect the gospel more. 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:05.200 We'll see our children. 00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:06.720 Have you pictured this for your kids? 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:19.200 We'll see our children grow up as ones who have been discipled well from a young age, and they're on fire for the Lord at a young age and excited about him and beginning to disciple others as they grow up. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.559 You think about how great that is? 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.319 Does that excite you? 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:31.440 We'll be more effective at loving each other well, even when people are hard to love. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:36.160 We'll see this community become something truly special. 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:38.960 We'll see it become unique. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:43.440 We'll be more compassionate for the lost. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:46.400 We'll hurt for the hurting. 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:48.400 We'll care about them more. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:58.640 Listen, as our church grows and as we are being made complete in these types of ways, and again, that's barely touching the list of things that God wants to do in us. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:01.119 God wants to do so much in our church. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:07.920 One of the dreams, one of the visions that I have for this place is that we would be a church that plants other churches like us. 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:09.759 Do you share that vision? 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:11.440 Do you share that dream? 00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:20.559 I was thinking about it this week, and how amazing would it be is if we planted, I don't know, one, two, three churches, however many God you know decides and would allow us to do. 00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:21.359 And who knows this? 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.480 I was thinking about this. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:28.000 How many people, how many men are sitting here right now who might go on to plant those churches? 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:30.079 And you have no idea. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:36.799 You're just sitting sitting here in the chair right now, maybe much like I was, saying, Nope, not gonna be me. 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:39.359 Don't want to do it, no desire. 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.039 Right? 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:57.680 But the Lord, as He is equipping you, as He is doing this work, making you complete, He's gonna change your heart, maybe on these things, and all of our hearts, and all kinds of different things, and set us off to accomplish much. 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:01.200 Okay, but let me tell you something, Harvest. 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:13.759 We will see very little of that, very little of that, if we do not believe that the Bible is sufficient to get us there. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:16.079 That's the reality. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:18.720