WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:15.519 All right, well, as you're grabbing a seat there, if you would turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 3, we are continuing in our We Believe series, which is really a series on doctrine and just understanding what do we believe about what the Bible says. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.280 Well, we're starting it off with what do we believe about the Bible? 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.199 We're spending three weeks in that. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:22.480 And so this is week two. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:31.039 Last week was the Bible is clear, and uh trust that that was uh a blessing to you uh by God's grace. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.719 Um and as we uh jump into this, uh let's get there. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.479 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:45.679 Now, I'm uh you know, I'm sure at certain points you know in your life uh the question has come to your mind before. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:48.560 Um, is this really necessary? 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:50.560 You ever asked that question? 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:59.439 You know, for you maybe it was as you were filling out uh a very lengthy application for some reason. 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:02.159 You know, paperwork, lots of paperwork. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:02.560 Really? 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:02.960 Really? 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:04.079 Is this necessary? 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:15.680 You know, for you, maybe it was when you were at work and you took uh a tongue lashing from your boss about something that was just utterly trivial, utterly trivial. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:17.760 Do we need to be going through this right now? 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:24.480 You know, or maybe for you it was, you know, when your kids they go, you know, absolutely nuclear. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:25.760 You've had that before? 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:31.359 They've gone absolutely postal over, you know, as far as you can tell, a complete non-issue. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:33.519 Is this really necessary? 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.319 We ask that question actually quite a bit. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:49.760 Now, for professing Christians, I don't know if you realize this or you're aware of this or not, but it's a question that that many of us have have thought or you know, even asked out loud about the Bible. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.920 We've asked this about the Bible. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:53.599 Is it necessary? 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:56.319 Is it is it essential? 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:03.519 You know, do I do I really need to know it the way that you know people seem to keep pounding away on me about? 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:04.640 Do I really need to know it? 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.560 Do I need to read it and study it? 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:11.360 You know, do uh does it actually help me uh in everyday life? 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:19.439 Is it something that I that I need, or is it possible, is it possible for me, you know, to just to just do fine without it? 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:21.759 You know, I can get by, I don't really need it. 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:26.479 And we even ask the question is it is it necessary for my you know for my relationship with Christ? 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:35.360 Is it does it really need to be the uh you know so central and the focus of our of our church and our discipleship? 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:37.599 Is the Bible necessary? 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:42.560 Well, I'm sure you can guess what we believe about it, right, as a church. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:48.400 We believe that the Bible is necessary, it is extremely necessary, and and really here's what we mean by this. 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:52.080 We'll get our friend uh Wayne Grudom to help us out with this. 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.439 All right, this is what he says. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:03:03.759 He says, the necessity of Scripture, it means that the Bible is necessary for knowing the gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and for knowing God's will. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:14.560 But it is not necessary, bear with me here, it is not necessary for knowing that God exists, or for knowing something about God's character and moral laws. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:33.919 Okay, so if you, you know, if you look out onto uh out into creation, you know, and you're out there in the woods or something, or you know, you go to BC and you see the mountains and you see the way that it looks and the way that creation itself functions and all of that, it it screams at us that there's a creator. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:36.960 And Romans chapter 1 actually points us to that. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:53.439 Or if you to you know were to stop and think and consider how uh humanity is wired, and we have uh, you know, we have a moral compass, we have uh a moral code, and and all humanity uh, you know, across all centuries and from the beginning of time have a sense of right and wrong. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:56.639 You know, all of that screams of a moral code giver. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:00.080 And Romans 2 actually covers all of that. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:08.319 Okay, those those types of things, you you don't need to have the Bible, you know, to know those things, at least on some level. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:15.520 All right, humanity, you know, we see these things, we see creation with our own eyes, and and deep down, you know, we know these kinds of things. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:20.240 We know good and bad, we know right and wrong uh in our hearts. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:26.720 Okay, but the Bible is extremely necessary for well, a lot of things. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.120 All right, and that's what we're gonna be talking about here this morning as we get into this here. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:45.279 So, you know, I think it would be really appropriate as a way to honor the Lord and his word if you would all stand right now, and we will read just two verses here, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 14 and 15. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:46.639 Okay, read along with me. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:05:04.639 It says this, but as for you, continue in what you have learned and firm and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 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. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:17.839 Lord, we come before you now, Lord, recognizing that, you know, it's very easy for us to say with our words and even maybe even with our minds that the Bible is necessary, but do we really live like it? 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:20.240 Do we live like we really need it? 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.680 Do we do we live like it's absolutely crucial for us, Lord? 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:34.319 Or or have we gotten into a kind of a mode, a way of living, a rut where, you know, we're quite content to just live, you know, over here and the Bible is kind of over there. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.680 Well, Lord, I pray that you would show us the goodness of your word. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.319 I pray that you would show us what it is necessary for. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:42.800 God, would you illuminate this to us? 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:47.360 Would you give us again incredible confidence in the Bible that we all hold that we all have? 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:58.319 Lord, would you show us how badly we need it and then show us how it just directs us to you and who you are, and and so that we can know what's on your heart and go after those things to your glory. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:00.319 Lord, would you help us again, we pray. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:01.839 In Jesus' name. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:02.800 Amen. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:03.439 Amen. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:05.120 Well, you can take a seat. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:21.680 All right, now that the that the unbelieving world, okay, the world kind of outside of you know Christianity, Christians, the church, and all of that, that you know, that the unbelieving world would question the scripture and the necessity of it or you know, or even slam it, you know, that shouldn't be a shock to us. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:22.079 Right? 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.160 There should be zero surprises there. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:35.759 We wouldn't expect the unbelieving world, you know, to believe you know what we believe and to hold it with the same kind of you know um love or respect as we would have for it. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:50.000 Okay, but that that followers of Christ these days, that that churches question the scriptures and the necessity of it and even slam it is, I don't know, concerning, I think, on one level. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:53.439 I don't think that's you know the greatest thing in a world uh in the world. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:07:13.040 And I remember years ago I had a conversation with uh a friend of mine that I was working with, and we, you know, this very topic kind of came out, and we were talking about the idea how how Christians and even churches have kind of drifted away from you know the necessity of the scripture and and even talking, you know, poking holes at it, and you know, all of that kind of thing. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:25.279 And I remember he just had you know this amazing remark about how you know ridiculous it is for us as Christians to undermine the very source that reveals to us the salvation that we claim to have. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.720 And I just thought, exactly, right? 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.600 That is so good and so right on. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:40.800 As Christians, we have to have this locked in in our minds and in our hearts and in our actions, just the necessity of the scriptures. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:46.560 You know, attacks come from the outside for sure, and unfortunately, they even come you know from the inside. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:54.480 We can't afford to, as the church, as believers, to waver in our understanding and our convictions on these things. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:59.600 They have to be strong, and we have to be firm in all of this. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:04.399 Because as the days go on, the days get more and more evil, don't they? 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:10.800 And we are gonna be, you know, encouraged to and forced to compromise on these things. 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:18.399 So we need to understand and believe firmly from a conviction standpoint that the Bible is necessary. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.160 It is necessary. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.000 Now, here's the first thing. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:31.040 If you're following along there and you got some notes and you want to write this down, okay, first thing is it drives me to continue to absorb and trust it. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:33.120 It drives me towards this. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.039 Take a look at verse 14. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:36.559 Verse 14 says this. 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:49.759 It says, but as for you, you understand now this is the apostle Paul, and he is writing this to Timothy, his young protege, this you know, up and coming kind of you know rising superstar. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:09:00.080 If you want to look at it like that, he writes it to Timothy and he says, But as for you, continue in, continue is a really great word that you should probably underline or highlight. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:08.960 It means to dwell in, to remain in, to park yourself in, and do not, you know, go away from. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:10.879 It says, continue in. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:12.159 Well, continue in what? 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:15.759 Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:22.799 Okay, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:24.320 Interesting there, right? 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.879 From childhood he had learned from some people. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:28.480 Well, who is he talking about here? 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:38.000 Well, likely according to the context of 2 Timothy, back in chapter 1, verse 5, it talks about his, it talks about his mother, uh Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:47.919 And so we had this godly heritage, these amazing women of faith who, you know, pointed young Timothy uh to the scriptures from a very early age. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:51.840 And of course, Paul knows this, and he probably knew his family very well. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:56.720 And Paul might have even, in some ways, been, you know, referring to himself and you know, the discipleship. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:02.080 You know, we sat together and we talked about these things, and your conviction for the word of God was growing right before my eyes. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:04.000 It's like, don't wander away from this. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.360 Don't wander away from this. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:13.039 And so what he says here, he says, continue in what you have learned, okay, learned, and firmly believed. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:34.159 Now, that poses such a good question to us these days, as believers, and really as the as the modern church, do we have that that same kind of drive, that that urgency, that again, that conviction that that Paul is encouraging and and and pushing Timothy to have. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.279 Do we have that? 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:47.679 Do you have that to further you know, or continue that word is to to absorb and trust the Bible in deeper and and greater ways. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:52.960 Now, if you are honest, if we're honest, which is, hey, that's always a good thing. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:58.399 There's right to be honest, even if that is, you know, painful and ugly and you know doesn't make us feel good. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:02.000 Honesty is always a good thing. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:14.639 Okay, maybe for you, you have sensed, you know, over the last, I don't know, while maybe a long time, maybe a shorter time, maybe for you you've sensed kind of in your life, kind of a growing boredom with the scriptures. 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:19.200 And you're like, you know what, I'm I'm I'm not that fired up about it. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:22.879 And it's to the point where I don't even really like to admit it. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:32.000 And I and I and I wish that I was excited about it, and I have these, I have these little flash in the pan moments where I'm kind of excited about it. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:40.559 But you know, after I leave church or whatever it might be, I you know, I kind of forget about that and I'm not super excited about it. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:53.759 You know, instead of that, instead of that flame being you know fanned in your life and and and that that flame growing you know larger and and brighter and hotter, and the intensity is growing and growing. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:58.799 And I can't wait to be in this book and to study it because when I do that, I'm coming before God Himself. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:08.240 You know, instead of that growing and getting more intense for you, your passion for the Bible has grown smaller. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:17.759 It's it's gotten dimmer and and colder, and that fire is dangerously close to grow uh to going out. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:30.399 Now, if I could kind of let you in on my life a little bit and to be really honest and you know, hopefully transparent before you, I I, you know, I remember uh sensing that this was beginning to happen with me. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:34.720 And uh, you know, a while back I started to realize this, and you know what it's like, right? 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:36.000 You don't even want to admit it. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:46.240 And it's like, no, I'm gonna still you know put on a good front and you know say all the right things and you know make it at least look like I care about all these things, but inside I was growing cold, and I started to realize that. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:53.919 And so what I started to do is just kind of give it some serious thought and and some prayer and started to ask kind of the question and kind of interact with the Lord about this. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.159 Why, why is this, why is this happening? 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.279 Why do I not seem as fired up as I I used to be? 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:28.240 I used to have this voracious appetite, and I was going for it, and I was soaking it up like a sponge, and and what I started to realize as I as I was thinking about it is that while I had grown as a Christ follower, by God's grace, and I had you know great people in my life, and I had an awesome small group that loved me and was caring for me, and and people that you know pressed in on me on some things, and the Lord was merciful and gracious, and all of that while I was growing, my approach to the scriptures had not. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:29.440 Right? 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:52.960 And I was making uh a mistake that I think that a lot of us make, a lot of believers do, and they go years and years and years into this, and they keep making the same mistake, and it's approach, it's an approach thing, kind of a mental thing that if we're not careful, it kind of zaps out our desire and our passion for the word of God. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:14:00.240 And and I think it's a big reason why we struggle with passion and we stop seeing the scriptures as so necessary for me. 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:05.039 And you know, I'm kind of going through my life and I feel fine as though fine is the standard, right? 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:09.360 Standard's up here, but I'm kind of operating okay for the most part without it. 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:13.120 And this whole Word of God thing, eh, I'll kind of toss it to the side. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.559 And here's what I started to realize for myself, I think that's true for all of us, right? 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:25.279 As new believers, or or maybe in the past, okay, for you, when we read the Bible, we were we were often reading it for the first time. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:25.600 Right? 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:36.879 And so we were kind of soaking it up as as this is this is brand new, and and and wow, this is all exciting stuff, and this is you know hitting me for the first time, and it's it's transformational. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.320 I've never considered this before. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.039 And wow, Lord, is this is this is this for real? 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:44.480 Like, look what you have have done, and you're you're doing this in me. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:57.759 And again, that that we see the transformation, it seems like on a on a daily basis, and you know, wow, again, it's it's just this it's this awesome thing, and there's so much enjoyment, and there's there's so much delight in that phase. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.559 Okay, only hears the thing. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:04.159 We don't stay in that phase forever. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.000 Okay, we don't. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:13.840 And in some ways, depending on who we are, we don't even stay in that, yo, this is all new information phase for very long. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:20.000 Some of us, maybe it's like a year, maybe it's a year and a half, two years, I don't know. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:25.279 But we're we come to the scriptures and we expect it to be new information and new information and all of this. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.399 Well, guess what? 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:42.320 As you read the word, and as you you come and you hear preaching, and you know, you get into a small group and you're you know reading scriptures, and as you're listening to music, and you're talking with other believers and you're learning things about the Lord and about the Bible, guess what? 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:48.639 You begin, at least in a very general sense, to have a pretty good sense of what the Bible says. 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:49.200 Right? 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.360 I I've I kind of get the overall message. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:54.080 I I understand what's expected of me. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:56.960 I understand what's life, what life is all about. 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:01.600 Again, generally speaking, it's no longer giving you anything new. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:03.919 I mean, there's always new things that we're learning. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.039 You understand that, right? 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:11.440 The older we get, there's still new insights and all of that, but just in a general overall sense, we kind of get how it all works. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.120 The Bible, uh, Christianity, kind of all of that. 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:25.840 And if we don't change our approach as we grow and as we mature, listen, we're gonna get bored with it. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:32.639 We're gonna struggle to get into the scriptures, and and for a lot of us, we even just kind of eventually give up even trying. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:38.639 Like, man, I've tried to read and it's just it's dry to me, or it's, you know, dare I say it, it even becomes boring. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:40.080 At least that's what we think. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:44.879 Listen, is the problem with the scriptures, or is the problem lie with the sinner? 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:45.360 Right? 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.480 It's with us, right? 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:55.840 The problem lies with us, and so the realization that I came to, okay, is that I I shouldn't be reading the Bible anymore to learn new information. 00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:01.279 Again, I need to adjust my entire approach, my mindset, my line of thinking. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:07.119 Okay, now I'm I need to be reading the scripture to be reminded of what I already know. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:12.400 I need to be reminded of these ancient and and timeless truths. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:20.319 Okay, it's a it's a very simple yet profound kind of mental and hard approach here. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:22.640 I need to to continue. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.720 That's the word that Paul uses with Timothy. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:32.319 I need to continue to to absorb the the truth of the scriptures because they are extremely necessary in my life. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:34.400 They they encourage me when I'm down. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.799 How great are the psalms for that? 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:45.200 They they they they they they they point out my flaws, which which properly begins to you know dismantle my pride. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:54.720 They remind me of the of the grace and the hope that is mine through Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel. 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.839 And listen, that is a minute-by-minute need. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.839 Do you realize that in your life? 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:02.720 This isn't like I need this Sunday morning for an hour and a half. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:06.240 This is like I need this now and I need this at 3:30 p.m. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.359 this afternoon. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:11.039 I need this Monday morning, I need this Monday at lunch, all the way through. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:12.880 It's a minute-by-minute need for grace. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:18.240 We need to be in the word because it gives us a greater trust in the Lord. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.799 It gives us a greater trust in Him. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.319 So, hey, do you need to make that adjustment? 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:29.039 You know, as I'm saying that, he's like, Yeah, man, I've I've totally kind of fallen into that trap. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:31.599 And I need to, I need to think about this differently. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:38.319 And yeah, I'm I'm you know, I'm reading Mark, the gospel of Mark, for the like 50th time. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.799 And instead of being like, yeah, I've read this before, and you know, I already know where this is going. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.880 No, it's like I need to be reminded of it. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:46.640 You see the difference there? 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:51.119 You need the Bible as much as I do, right? 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:52.240 We all need it. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:56.559 We need reminding of what we already know. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:02.000 And you make this very subtle but extremely crucial, you know, tweak in your life. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:07.599 And I think what's gonna happen as the Spirit is working in you and pouring out his grace is you're gonna start to find that hunger return. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:15.599 You're gonna start to find that appetite is insatiable, and like I need more of this and I want more of this, and actually looking forward to getting up early, you know, maybe even ahead of my alarm. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.240 Imagine that. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:22.319 Where I'm just like, I can't wait to grab some coffee and grab a Bible and just start going and reading and taking notes and praying and all of that. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:24.160 God, I need you. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:28.079 Your word is life, your word is necessary. 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:32.799 I need to continue to absorb and trust it. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:35.440 Here's the second thing. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:43.359 The Bible is necessary, it's necessary, and it leads me to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.079 It leads me to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.599 This is pretty foundational. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:49.279 Take a look at verse 15 now. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:54.319 Verse 15, it says, and and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.359 So that's again, Paul, we read that, he's saying that to Timothy. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:01.440 It's kind of a shout-out to his mom and his grandma, right? 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:11.359 But then it says this, which are able, talking about the sacred writings of scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:13.680 They're able to make you wise for salvation. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:21.440 Okay, so the Bible isn't just necessary because it helps us grow in Christ in all kinds of you know deeper and profound ways. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:28.319 It's it's deeper in the very primary or foundational sense that it reveals to us the plan of salvation. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:29.519 That's what it does. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:35.599 You know, if we didn't have the Bible, how would we know the gospel? 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:38.559 How would we know what salvation is? 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.720 How would we know what God desires, what is required of us? 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.000 Okay, answer. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.759 We wouldn't know. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:47.440 We wouldn't know. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:53.200 Now, if your gears are turning here, okay, you might be kind of like, well, hold on a sec, time out, Pastor. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:21:09.279 You know, what about you know those stories that we hear, you know, once in a while, uh, you know, you know, somewhere where, you know, like a like a Muslim, for example, in a in another country doesn't have access to the scriptures and you know there aren't any public churches, and maybe Christianity is outlawed. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:15.119 You know, you know, what about those stories where I've heard where they've you know met Jesus Christ in a dream? 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:29.359 And as they were sleeping, the the Lord appears to them and you know, and the cross becomes revealed in such a clear way, and and in that moment they they surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:31.680 They turn to him in saving faith. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:37.920 You might be thinking, well, hold on a second, like the Bible wasn't necessary in those instances. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.640 Well, sure they were. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:42.640 Or sure it was. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:54.640 Okay, the Bible is necessary because what ends up happening, okay, the order might be a little bit different, but what ends up happening is, you know, in time they get their hands on a copy of that. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:59.039 Or they have a conversation with uh with a believer. 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:05.200 And They hear the message of the gospel or they read the message of the gospel in the scriptures for themselves. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:12.079 And what that does is that that confirms or verifies the legitimacy of the dream that they had. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:15.680 And they're like, wow, the Lord did come to me in this. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.319 My salvation is real. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.319 Okay? 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:29.519 Saving faith in in Christ through a dream doesn't reveal that the Bible is unnecessary. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:37.279 Okay, instead, what it shows us is that God isn't limited by someone's lack of access to it. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:38.000 Right? 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:55.200 He can move and he can save in the way that he wants to, even if they've never heard the message, even if missionaries have never talked to them, even if they don't have a copy of the Bible, the Lord can move and he can work in sometimes in these untraditional ways. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:02.559 Okay, but listen, their dreams, their salvation claims are only legitimate if they line up with what the scriptures say. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.119 Right? 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.480 That's the plumb line. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:07.039 That is the source. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:13.039 The Bible is necessary, even in unique circumstances like this. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:18.960 Okay, now here's how it leads us to saving faith. 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:20.799 Or you can jot this down if you want. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:25.759 I love Romans chapter 10, verse 14 and verse 17, if you want to. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:27.920 You don't need to turn there because I'll read it. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:31.680 Okay, and this is what, again, the apostle Paul has to say. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:42.400 He says, How then will they, meaning unbelievers, how then will they call on him who in the who they whom let me get that right, in whom they have not believed? 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:47.039 And how are they to believe in him whom they have never heard? 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:53.119 And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:53.599 Right? 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:59.039 Talking about the Bible, talking about the gospel, which the Bible, of course, reveals to us. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:12.240 And then verse 17, he says, so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ, through the scriptures, through the biblical message, read or heard. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:32.640 Okay, and so the the implication here, the teaching here, the understanding that we need to have here is that people cannot come to saving faith unless the word of God, the Bible, the gospel, is heard, unless it's it's preached, unless it's read and understood and then received by that person in faith. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:44.880 It's a claim that the Bible isn't necessary anymore, and we need to get with the times as the church, and you know, the Bible is outdated and doesn't make any sense, and we don't need it. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:25:05.839 Let's modernize, let's get with the program, or you know, to relegate it, you know, subtly or overtly to you know, just one of many tools that we could use if we feel like getting to it, or or to straight up again, just kind of shoot holes, poke holes in it, all of that is to l is literally to tear down the very faith that we claim to stand on. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:21.039 Now, one of my very, very favorite passages in all of scripture that really lays out the gospel for us, I believe, extremely clearly, and doesn't pull any punches or anything like that. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:25.279 It's actually Ephesians chapter 2, verses 1 to 10. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:42.720 Now we've got that on the screen, so again, you can follow along with that, but I'm just going to simply read this and listen and absorb the goodness of the gospel message and and and and glory in it, rejoice in it, love it. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:26:17.599 Here's what it says it says, and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the Prince of Power of the air, that's referring to Satan, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, referring to the unsaved, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:22.720 But God, how good are those two words? 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:34.240 But God, being rich and mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:53.119 By grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show us the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:57.359 And then he repeats it, he emphasizes it, he rams it home. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:01.039 For by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:18.880 And this is not of your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of work, so that no man may boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:28:04.720 Now, if you have not yet personally trusted Jesus Christ, if you are not in a relationship with him, if you are still in some way trusting in your own good works, that hopefully there is a God and hopefully he will, you know, give me a pass someday on the bad things that I've done, all of that, if you are in any way unsure of whether or not you know Jesus personally as your Savior, listen, allow this very clear and very necessary portion of Scripture to lead you to faith in Him. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:09.279 Would you allow that to happen here this morning? 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:15.119 What I'm actually gonna do right now is I'm actually gonna pray. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:19.039 And I'm gonna pray a prayer of salvation. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:30.319 And again, if you do not know Jesus yet, if you are, you know, your sins are still held against you, or you're not sure, you don't have a clear testimony. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.319 Did I do that a long time ago? 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.160 Or have I, you know, have I done that? 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:35.039 When did that happen? 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:36.000 I'm not really sure. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:41.920 Hey, listen, I would encourage you to just kind of pray along silently with me as I pray this. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:53.599 I would encourage you, even just silently, where you are, but but between you and God, if you were to agree with this as I pray this, you would be receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:59.279 And this will be the start of you being born again. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:04.160 This will be the start of a new and awesome life with the Lord. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:09.839 Would you just kind of bow your heads with me and follow along as I pray? 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:16.720 Lord, I I recognize that you are God and I am not. 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:22.799 I believe that you have created me to know you intimately. 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:32.079 But Lord, I also understand that my sins have ruined that opportunity for intimacy, and at the end of the day, there's nothing I can do about it. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:39.680 What's worse is I know that my sin means that I deserve your wrath and your eternal punishment. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:54.319 So, Lord, I thank you for loving me so passionately, so much so that you sent your son Jesus to take that wrath and to take that punishment on himself in my place. 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:59.920 Please forgive me and be my savior. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:01.279 Amen. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:11.599 Now, if you have prayed that along with me or you have agreed in your heart that that is true, can I just encourage you on a couple of things? 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:18.480 First of all, awesome! This is the greatest day ever. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:20.559 And can I say this? 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:23.279 Please tell somebody about it today. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:29.200 Come talk to me, track me down, flag me down, grab my leg, tackle me. 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:30.559 I literally don't care. 00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:37.039 Okay, talk to somebody, the person that you came with, one of our leaders, somebody tell us that this took place in my heart today. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:39.440 I gave my life to Jesus. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.160 Why? 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:42.319 Because we want to celebrate with you. 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:45.839 We we wanna we wanna maybe pray for you, pray with you. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:50.480 We want to encourage you, we want to help you out as you start this brand new journey. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.079 You're gonna have a lot of questions. 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:53.599 You don't have all your questions answered. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:55.680 I get all of that, neither do I. 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:56.400 Right? 00:30:56.480 --> 00:31:00.160 But you will grow and you will learn, and and we again, we wanna disciple you in this. 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:02.799 We wanna give you a Bible if you don't have one. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:07.920 We wanna get some people around you who can be your cheerleaders and your support. 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:10.240 So would you come and tell us this? 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:13.200 Don't leave here today without doing that. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:15.519 All right, church, I want to pray. 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:18.160 We're gonna pray for anybody who has done that. 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:36.640 We're gonna pray that the word of God would continue to take deeper root in our hearts, it would become more necessary in our minds and in our lives, and it would take a prominent place for us in our actions and in our priorities that it would become even more clear to us, that we would love it, that we would go for it. 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:38.240 Why don't you join me as we pray? 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:40.720 Lord, thank you for this time together. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:46.720 Lord, thank you for your goodness, thank you for your word. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:50.319 Lord, we thank you that it just highlights the gospel for us. 00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:54.799 Lord, we just read it in Ephesians 2, 1 to 10, in 10 verses there. 00:31:54.880 --> 00:32:15.359 It has the power to lead somebody from death to life, from sin being accounted to them, held against them, held their eternal destination to, but God provided a way, made a way through your Son Jesus Christ, because of your great love for us. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:29.759 Lord, I pray that as we have just read that and as if we as we have just prayed, Lord, I pray that that those who have maybe made that monumental decision today to follow Jesus, Lord, I pray that you would encourage them, Lord. 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:31.440 I pray that they would tell somebody. 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:37.200 I pray that we would be able to help them and disciple them as a church and love them well through this. 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:51.200 And again, God, I pray that for the rest of us, the word of God would be a fire that is fanned into a bigger, more massive, out of control, raging flame. 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:54.000 Lord, please, we are desperate for this. 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:58.160 Whether we feel the desperation or not is actually kind of irrelevant. 00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:00.160 Lord, we need it and we need you. 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:01.519 Show us this, God. 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:02.960 Do this in our church. 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:04.640 Have mercy on us. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:11.519 God, we pray all of these things in the righteous, awesome name of Jesus. 00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.480 Amen.