WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.640 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.480 Helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandProquay.org. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.399 Thank you for what you have done. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:25.120 We have a reason to praise. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:28.879 We have a reason to worship because of what you've done. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:32.399 And we know you did what you did because of who you are. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:34.399 And we celebrate that this morning. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.079 We investigate that this morning. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:45.840 And I pray that as we open our scriptures, we can drill these truths down to our hearts in a way that we sing even louder and live even bolder lives. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:54.799 God, I pray as you embark on this journey in the next three or four weeks, three or four weeks, and you can be with us in the reading of your word. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.960 Fill the space, fill our hearts, fill our minds as we open up the scriptures. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.280 Thank you, Lord, for what you've done. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.359 It's in your beautiful name I pray. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:06.079 Amen. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:07.840 You can be seated. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:16.560 Go morning, how are we good? 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:22.560 Hey, if you're your Bibles, we're going to grab those and go to uh 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:24.480 Okay, 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:28.480 We're gonna take a little bit of a pause from the book of Acts in the month of July. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:33.840 We're gonna switch gears and slow down into a series we're calling Simple Truths, Big Difference. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.000 Okay, simple truths, big difference. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:44.239 So as you're flipping there to explain why we're doing what we're doing, I have a picture here for you of a young woman named Blandina. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:49.359 Okay, Blandina, this is a painting, obviously isn't a picture, but this is a painting of Blandina. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:53.840 So she was a believer in the second century in Lyon, France. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:56.719 Okay, in about in the in the in the second century. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:01.920 And she was a believer in a time when it wasn't very convenient to be a believer in Christ. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:07.840 Okay, matter of fact, it was suspicious and dangerous to be a believer in Christ in her context. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:13.759 Okay, um Christians were considered, in her context, Christians were considered to be cannibals. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:20.319 People would walk by Christians and hear them joyfully talk about eating the flesh and drinking the blood. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:29.840 Christians were considered to be insurrectionists, meaning rebels, because they would worship their Lord, Lord Jesus instead of their Lord Caesar. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:38.479 In her context, Christians were considered to be atheists because they would worship one God instead of the big compendium of Roman gods. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:50.800 And Christians were considered to be practicing incest because they would speak joyfully about having these love feasts called communions, where they would just focus on loving their brothers and sisters. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:59.919 So sometime in the second century in Lyon, France, in her day, her city fell into a frenzy, and people demanded that Christians be eradicated. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:06.479 And one of the people arrested was a 15-year-old named Blandina, and she was set to be tortured. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:15.680 They tied her to a stake and let animals, wild beasts, um, they let wild beasts loose, and nothing happened. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:22.560 Literally, she started praying for the executioners, and the wild beasts just looked at her and did nothing. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:31.439 And this embarrassed the executioners, therefore, they tortured her and tortured her and tortured her and tortured her and tortured her and tortured her, and she didn't die. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:36.719 She just kept praising God and encouraging others, and finally the executioners were embarrassed. 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:44.080 Someone got a dagger and ended her life, and her last words were I am a Christian and nothing wrong is done among us. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:53.360 Now, that's a simple statement, but the truth behind that statement is Jesus is worth living for, and Jesus is worth dying for. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:56.000 Jesus is worth living and dying for. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:03:59.439 Now, you came to church on a holiday weekend. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:00.879 You probably believe that. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:04.639 If I were to quiz you at the door, you probably believe that. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:10.800 But the way that she held on to this simple truth, it made a huge difference. 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:19.199 In the next four weeks, I want what I want to do is I want to check our grip strength on the truths we say we hold. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:24.399 So if you go to the gym, you will find people holding um big plates and they're just holding it out. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.759 They're working on their grip strength. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:27.360 So I want to work on our grip strength. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:35.920 I want to check our grip strength on the truths that we say we hold, because this book is pregnant with truth. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:43.680 It is pregnant with simple truths that whenever we hold them tightly, they change everything. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:53.360 They change us into living more interesting lives, more joyful lives, more resilient lives, more heroic lives, brighter lives, different lives. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:59.279 There are a lot of things that Christians claim to believe, but we don't really believe them, we kind of just lean that way. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:00.959 We just assent to them. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.279 They're opinions, they're not convictions. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.240 And there's a difference between opinions and convictions. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:11.839 Opinions are things you would argue for, convictions you would die for. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:23.279 So my prayer for us for the next four weeks is that some of the simplest truths of our faith would overflow from our head to our hearts and become deep level, heart-level convictions. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:25.759 And we're gonna start here in 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.079 Um, just a little bit of context as we go in. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:29.920 Paul is locked up, okay. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:40.160 He's basically on death row, writing a letter to a young pastor, and he's using his last words to encourage a young pastor, a young pastor, and he wanted to encourage Timothy and all believers. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:45.040 And in this section we're about to jump into, he's talking about where the world is going. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:46.560 And it isn't pretty. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.480 Okay, it's not cute, it's not getting better. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:50.079 People are not getting more moral. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:56.240 And he's saying, listen, there's gonna be godlessness in the last days, and it's not just out there, it's from behind the pulpit. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:06:01.360 There's gonna be false teaching, and these false teachers are gonna have uh a corrupt character. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:11.680 Okay, even Christian leaders are gonna be invited into deeper and deeper levels of depravity, and Paul understands what we should understand that only dead fish go with the flow. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:13.680 Christians shouldn't. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:16.720 So you see in verse 10 right there, okay. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:20.480 What you see in verse 10, you see the words, you however. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:24.480 Okay, there's an emphatic climate, you however. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:28.240 And in verse 14, it happens again, but as for you. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:30.480 And that's what we're gonna jump into. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.680 Okay, we're gonna look at verses 14 through 17 in our time this morning. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:35.040 Look with me. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:07:02.480 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you have learned it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make one wise for a salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:20.800 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:27.920 Our first simple truth is this the Bible is the word of God. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.360 Again, you're here on 4th of July weekend. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:38.720 If I were to quiz you at the door, most of us who profess the faith in Christ, you would say, Of course, the Bible is the word of God. 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:45.279 Okay, but this we have the preserved words of the eternal God. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.759 And I want to check our grip strength on the that that truth we say we hold. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:58.720 So the American Bible Society is a company who does these massive, massive surveys, and they want to chart out the the relationship between Americans and their Bibles. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:03.920 And they come up with this um 85% of uh of American households have a Bible. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:10.000 Um, 71% of Americans are curious about the Bible andor Jesus. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:18.800 44% of America thinks that the but the the America will be worst off without Bible reading. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:25.199 However, fewer than one in five Americans are scripture engaged. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.199 So I have a chart here of those who are scripture engaged. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:35.039 Okay, ABS surveyed and they came up with this chart. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:41.200 So as you can see off the top, 29% of people who have a Bible have it for decoration. 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:44.799 Okay, it's just decorating the house and it's it's spreading good luck. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:45.279 Okay? 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.039 That's what it's doing. 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:56.480 And as you go down the list, what you notice is 75% of Bible owners engage it once a week or less. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:03.840 So despite the curiosity and even the respect of the Bible, people tend not to read their Bible. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:08.080 Now, this was two years ago, but where are you in this and why are you there? 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.960 So the passage here shows that the Bible is the word of God. 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:16.639 Therefore, number one, we read with resilience. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.120 We read with resilience. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:21.039 Look at verses 14 and 15 again. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:34.480 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:40.240 And how from childhood you went from being you have been acquainted with the sacred writings. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:42.159 So the command is simple for Paul here. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:43.440 Hey, continue. 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:49.279 Okay, keep going in the scriptures, continue in the sacred writings, in the holy scriptures. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:52.559 This letter was written uh roughly AD 67. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.360 Okay, that's three years after something horrible. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:59.200 In AD 64, Emperor Nero made a sport of killing Christians. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:07.279 Therefore, one of the things that happened is a lot of Christian leaders, a lot of pastors, a lot of Bible teachers kind of softened their resolve when it came to the scriptures. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:11.840 Okay, it got convenient to back off from the scriptures, and he's saying, listen, Timothy, not you. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:13.120 Continue in them. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:17.440 Okay, you learned the Bible from trustworthy sources. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:20.559 Myself, your grandmother, and your mother. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:27.360 Okay, and you learn them over a long period of time from childhood, and you've come to firmly believe them. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:33.679 And this same God who captured your heart back then as a child is still ruling and reigning and speaking through the scriptures today. 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:35.919 Continue in the scriptures, Timothy. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:37.919 The world is changing, Timothy. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.480 The novel things are becoming more attractive, Timothy. 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:47.279 But despite the godlessness in the last days, despite people, even preachers abandon it, continue in it. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.159 Friends, Paul understands what we need to understand. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:58.720 The word of God can go in and out of popularity, but it would always be relevant. 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:04.159 It can jump in and out of popularity, but it will always be relevant. 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:09.519 Now, most people in our society don't read a thousand-page books. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:12.159 That's just not the context we're in. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.559 So a book this big, okay, is just gonna be foreign to our taste. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.960 But friends, something gigantic is at stake here. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:29.360 I used to make fun of people who read big books, and now my whole life is about this book, but something gigantic is at stake here. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:32.000 Listen to what God says in Jeremiah 9. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.639 He says this, thus says the Lord. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.360 Let not the mighty man boast in his might. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.360 Let not the rich man boast in his riches. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:50.720 Let not the uh the one let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and he knows me. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:57.279 For I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:00.240 For in these things I delight. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:06.559 This passage tells us that knowing God is our highest honor and privilege. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:13.360 And to have a relationship, to have a great relationship with God, you need a healthy relationship in his word. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:17.919 To have a healthy relationship with God, you need a healthy relationship in his word. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:21.600 Now in Timothy's day, the pressure was more extring. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:24.559 What's the word? 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.000 Extrinsic, is it? 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:27.919 I was trying to impress you, it didn't work. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:28.399 Okay. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:32.639 The pressure was external, it was coming from the outside, okay? 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:34.159 It was out there. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:37.759 For us, okay, it's in here. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:40.799 Okay, there's all sorts of reasons people don't continue. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:41.600 It's tough. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:44.639 All sorts of reasons people don't uncontinue it. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:49.120 But friends, it's something gigantic, knowing God is at stake, so be resilient in it. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:54.159 Find a translate, a robust translation that you can understand. 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:56.480 You know what the best translation is? 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.320 The one you'll read. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:08.879 Listen to it on audio, read it in groups, read it out loud, use commentaries, use charts, use maps, use Bible studies, um, use resources, continue in it. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:17.840 So whether you've been studying the Bible for decades or just became a Christian during our time of worship, resolve to be a people who continue in the word. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:22.080 We have to be resilient to continue in the word. 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:23.919 Now, um UFC. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:25.919 You know what the UFC is, right? 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.720 Okay, you have the Ultimate Fighting League. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:29.360 No? 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.639 Oh, the Ultimate Final Championship. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.799 It's one of the most bloody activities in the world. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:37.039 It's a sport, it's kickbox, MMA. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:39.279 Um, there was a fighter recently. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:42.159 Uh I was I saw this video came across my phone. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:50.000 A fighter recently, um, in a he was in a highly anticipated, a highly anticipated fight. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:57.360 And in between rounds, okay, in between rounds, he looks, he looks across to his opponent. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:02.080 He's bloody, his face is bloody, his lips busted, he's drenched in sweat. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:07.120 He looks across to his opponent and he says, You're not gonna beat me. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.639 You're not gonna beat me. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:10.320 I'm prepared to die tonight. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:12.720 I'm prepared to die tonight. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:18.159 And I'm looking at that, I'm like, man, I've never been more sure that that's not what I want to do with my life. 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.200 I feel so much more comfortable here. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:23.120 I'm prepared to die tonight. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:28.320 What he's saying is, it doesn't matter how hard you hit me, doesn't matter how hard you stream, I'm not quitting. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.080 I am not giving up. 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:31.279 I have one more chart for you. 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:32.960 Here's this last chart right here. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.559 Um, this is a chart. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:40.639 Um, the frustrations with Bible reading, not enough time, don't know where to start, lack of excitement. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.080 That's the big one. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:47.600 Difficult relating to the language, layout and difficult to navigate. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.480 Stories are confusing. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.039 My question for you is where do you fall on this? 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:02.320 And I want you before you read to resolve, like the UFC fighter, I don't care which one of this comes up, and I don't care how intense it is, I'm not stopping. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:04.240 I'm not giving up. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:08.399 If knowing and enjoying God is at stake, I'm not giving up. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:12.720 This is worth, this is worth resilience. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:16.000 Let's make up our minds to continue in the word. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:20.639 The Bible is the word of God, therefore we read with resilience. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:23.360 Number two, okay, the Bible is the word of God. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:25.600 We read to stay awake. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:27.519 Okay, we read to stay awake. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:28.879 This is kind of counterintuitive. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:38.080 Oftentimes some of us who struggle with sleeping want to read our way to sleep, but I'm telling you, my my argument is the Bible, we read to actually wake up, to stay awake. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:41.600 Okay, one of the things that makes the Bible so unique is its range. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:51.120 Okay, the history books that you, whatever you studied, text history or social studies, the history books that you had at your school have a very limited scope, very limited range. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:56.799 From like the 1800s to the 1900s, or from here to, or just studying this country. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:01.440 This Bible starts at the beginning of human history and ends at the eternal state. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:05.440 Okay, it starts at the very, very beginning and it ends at the very end. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:07.039 Okay, it's range. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:13.039 So we actually have documentation, revelation of what happened in the opening moments of time itself. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.600 In the opening moments of time. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:19.279 And in the beginning, we have a God who is being a creative God. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.519 He wasn't the universe was not made off of a war between good and evil. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:31.600 No, there's a God, no obligation, no mandatory, not out of boredom, not out of loneliness, who creates out of an extension of his glory. 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:36.159 And when he does something interesting, he makes trees that make more trees. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:40.399 Okay, he makes plants that multiply more plants. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.279 And then he participates in this multiplication. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.360 He doesn't make more gods, but he makes man in his own image. 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:50.159 Makes mankind in his own image. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:54.720 And there's no one to work the garden, therefore, in Genesis 2, 7 says this. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:17:08.079 Then the Lord God formed man of dust, the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:12.960 And the man became a living creature. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:19.359 So the as it's man of dust, some commentaries literally call Adam mud man or dirt man. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:24.480 Okay, but he breathed into Adam and he became a living creature. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:32.640 And that begins a pattern in the Bible of God being so powerful that his breath is insurmountably powerful. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.319 Just the breath of God is insurmountably powerful. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:42.640 He even has the ability to breathe life into anyone and anything, and when he does, it changes everything. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:43.920 The breath of God. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.519 Now look at verse 16, those first few words. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:56.480 All scripture is breathed out by God. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:01.680 All scripture is breathed out by God. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:04.160 These words wrote they were breathed out by God. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.160 Theo, the word there is the nustos. 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.200 Theo means God. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:10.480 Nustos means breath or spirit, meaning God breathed. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:15.599 So the powerful breath of God is preserved in these pages. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:21.039 With that in mind, we read to stay awake. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:27.200 We read the power of God to actually stay awake. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:33.680 Okay, I told you this story a couple years ago, but it bears repeating for our context here here this morning. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.880 A couple years ago, I was preaching at this church to our youth. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:40.160 And it was nighttime, and the students were praying as I was preaching. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:44.960 They were going, I was like, I'm killing this. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:53.039 And afterwards, a student comes up to me and he goes, Hey man, I just want to let you know, when you were talking, I was falling asleep. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.799 And I was like, How dare you? 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:57.519 So I preached the whole thing back to him. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:58.160 Just no. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:07.200 But he was like, When you talk, when you were when you were talking, I was falling asleep, but I went, I got up and I went to the bathroom to splash myself in the face and wake up. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:14.880 And after I was angry at that kid, I walked away and went, isn't that the Christian life? 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:24.720 Even whenever you're born again, even if you love Jesus, this world has a way of rocking you to sleep and having you relax your resolve. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:29.119 And we need to splash ourselves in the face with this book. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.799 We douse ourselves with the breath of God to stay awake. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:35.440 We douse ourselves with the breath of God to stay awake. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:40.160 Friends, whenever we read, we're awakened to the fact, listen, there is a God. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:46.000 Your five senses won't confirm him this morning, but there is a God. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:57.279 And there's not one molecule in the whole universe that's quote unquote doing its own thing, ruling and reigning over everything. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.240 He created everything. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:59.680 So he has authority over everything. 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:02.160 There is a God on his throne right now. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:24.720 Okay, whenever we read, we're awakened to the fact that listen, the birds outside, we walk out of here, the birds outside that you ignore, the grass you mindlessly step on, the sky you don't even look at sometimes, all of those things we don't even look at have God's autograph on them, that have his glory autograph on them to make you and I sing and to make you and I comforted. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:34.880 Whenever we read, we're awakened to the fact that there's an enemy who hates your faith and hates your family. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:38.960 And he's already defeated, but his number one rule is lie. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:41.119 His number one trick is lie. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:47.519 Whenever we read, we're awakened to the fact that right now we are locked in a story. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.599 And whether you believe or not, we are locked in a storyline. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:58.160 And despite what uh American media wants to tell you, we are not the main character. 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:01.200 It's not about us, but it does concern us. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:04.079 Okay, this story is salvation history. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:10.400 Verse 15 says the scriptures are able to make one wise for a salvation through faith in Jesus. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:12.720 Listen, you are being saved. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:19.839 That word salvation isn't just referring to the cross, and it's not just referring to the you're innocent on judgment day. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:21.920 That's referring to right now as well. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:26.400 You were saved, you will be saved, but right now you're currently being saved. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:31.200 The Holy Spirit has not pulled a cramp since the book of Acts. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:35.839 He does not have back issues now, he's not gotten older and more chill now. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:40.079 He's as powerful as he was when the scriptures were documented. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:50.799 And right now, no matter how bored you are or even distracted or tired or hurt you are, right now, if you are indwelled by the Spirit, you are having surgery done on you right this second. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:58.079 There is surgery being done in your heart and in your soul right this second to confirm you to look identical to Jesus. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.759 What that means is. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:08.480 Look, Chip and Joanna Gaines, they got nothing on the renovation that's happening in your heart right now. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.799 You're being molded to look like Jesus right this second. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:19.920 Whenever we read, we're awakened to the fact that this is literally the closest you've ever been to seeing his face. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:28.880 When you walk back out of these doors today, you will be one church service closer to seeing him. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.920 We read to stay awake. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:41.440 It's the question: how often are you prone to falling asleep to the patterns of this world? 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:47.359 How often does spiritual amnesia make you live out of your sight, not your faith? 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:50.559 What does that look like for you? 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:58.480 Boxer, boxers who are on the verge of getting knocked out. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:02.400 They go back to their corner and they get these things called smelling salts. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.599 You know what that is, right? 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:09.680 Some of the smelling salts, what they have in there is like this ammonia, and it'll wake you right up. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:14.640 Okay, so even if you're woozy after the last couple of hits, whoo, you're you're you're awake. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:19.519 Okay, what it does, it irritates your membranes, even makes your heart go a little faster. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:22.640 We are fighting the good fight of faith. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:25.359 We're fighting the good fight of faith. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:31.519 And we need to frequently these smelling salts right here, going, oh, wake right up. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.599 We douse ourselves the breath of God to stay awake. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:37.119 The Bible is the word of God. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.400 We read with resilience, we stay awake. 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:46.160 And also, um, the Bible is the word of God, therefore we read because it pays. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.839 Okay, we read because it pays. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:24:00.720 Um whenever elementary Leo or Junior High Leo was asked to do a chore, uh I wish I could go back to those days. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.759 I thought those were hard. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:09.440 I I whenever I was asked to do a chore, I would just think in my head, like, what's in it for what's in it for me? 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:09.839 Right? 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:12.240 Like, what's well how does this pay? 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:17.279 I'll do it, but is this gonna end in like, oh, here's a Capri Sun? 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.559 Or is it in an allowance raise? 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:25.599 Because depending on which one it is, that's it's gonna determine my effort, right? 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:27.519 I have a range of effort. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:33.440 Um when people approach the scriptures that they think, okay, what's what's in it for me? 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.559 What's in it for me? 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:37.279 And sometimes we can land on some unhelpful things. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:46.079 People often read for, hey, I'm reading for just the emotional satisfaction, uh, the emotional satisfaction of checking off my religious duty for the day. 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:47.119 Did it? 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:48.720 Right? 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:52.079 Or people often read to make God love them more. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:59.119 Listen, reading is not gonna make God love you more, it's not gonna increase the love of God and make you make you aware more aware of it. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:01.039 It's not gonna increase the love of God for you. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:05.279 Or people often read so God will owe them a favor. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:07.279 God, I'm a Bible reader, you know. 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.799 Afflict all of them. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:09.519 Not me. 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:11.519 I read it, I get up early and read. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:18.160 But in verse 16, it tells us the Bible that the scripture's advantages and its benefits or its profits in being in the Word. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.279 Look at verse 16. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:37.759 All scripture is breathed out by God, and it's profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:44.400 Okay, as you can see, scripture is profitable or beneficial for the first one right there, is teaching. 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.039 Okay? 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:50.240 Or the word there could be doctrine is profitable for doctrine. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:53.759 So you and I at our core, you and I are revelation receivers. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:58.160 Okay, you're not meant to run on relatable song or your friend's advice or your own wisdom. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:01.599 You and I are revelation at our core, revelation receivers. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:05.119 God didn't drop Adam and Eve in the garden and go figure it out. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:07.839 He starts talking to them. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.920 He starts speaking to them. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:11.759 Okay, he blessed them and talked to them. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:18.799 So in the Bible, we find God's official proclamation of his love, pardon, cleansing, righteousness, peace, and things like these. 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:23.680 Okay, the Bible gives us truth, true teaching, true doctrine. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.519 It reveals a talking God. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:30.240 And he tells us about himself, about man, the world we live in, and the world to come. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:36.000 And listen, every other doctrine needs to be measured according to this one. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:38.880 Everything else is measured according to this one. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:42.000 So I'll never forget a few years ago, I met with a cult. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:47.119 Okay, someone asked me, I like to learn more about, I'm not gonna say who it is, like to know more about blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.720 And I was like, yes. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:54.319 So they took me into their place, and there was like five or six of them, and one of me, and I'm like, ready, I'm about that action. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:56.559 I'm like, all right, I'm surrounded in here. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:27:03.519 But we were talking and talking and talking, and it just shocked me how much when I, whenever I asked them, how did you come to this conclusion? 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:05.519 Like, how did you get here? 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:10.240 And I remember almost all of them, if not all of them, said the same thing. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:14.480 When I prayed about it and knew it was true, yada yada yada. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.799 And this is too late. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:23.599 I should what I should have said was this isn't, you wouldn't measure a door like that. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:26.480 You wouldn't pray about how tall that door is. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:30.079 What you do is you measure it against a fixed point. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:33.839 You put a measuring stick next to it. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:37.519 That same way, friends, everyone has a working doctrine. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:44.960 Okay, next time you're listening to your favorite songs or watching your favorite movie, ask, hey, what's the doctrine behind these words or this scene? 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:46.880 What's this director to communicate? 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:49.440 And then you measure it against the teaching. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:52.319 It's profitable for teaching. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:56.960 Paul is saying the Bible is helpful because it's the truth standard. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:00.960 Every other doctrine needs to be measured based on this one. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:02.079 It is truth. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:12.480 When we eavesdrop on Jesus praying, he's praising God and he's asking God to sanctify them, sanctify his disciples in his truth. 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:19.039 In John 17, 17, Jesus says, Father, your word, your word is truth. 00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:22.400 So it's profitable for teaching, it's profitable for doctrine. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:28.640 It's also, if you keep going there, scripture is profitable not just for teaching, but for reproof and correction. 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:37.920 Now, studies show that an American is exposed to about four to 10,000, anywhere between four and ten thousand advertisements every single day. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:51.119 And that could be billboards or commercials or um on Instagram or scam likely, or you are exposed to thousands and thousands of advertisements every day. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:58.640 Not only that, you're exposed to so many shows and music and media, and friends, all of them are preaching something. 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:01.680 All of them are preaching to you. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:05.039 Everything in this world comes from a worldview. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:09.680 Everyone has a doctrine and media presses it against your face. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:14.079 Like, for example, there are certain country artists. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:25.839 See how quiet a guy that just if you listen to them all day, you'll just come to the conclusion that finding the one is the meaning of life. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:35.359 Or there are certain news channels that if you watch it all day, they'll have you believing voting correctly means you're saved. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:36.960 Right? 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:40.880 If we're not careful, friends, our flesh loves that type of cheap wisdom. 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.720 We love that type of worldly wisdom. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:44.559 Okay, we'll believe it if we're not careful. 00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.839 Our flesh loves that type of stuff. 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:50.880 And what Paul is saying here is this the scriptures are profitable for reproof and correction. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:57.279 In other words, the word of God is a laxative to your bad ideas you collect from being in this world. 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:05.519 The world of God is a laxative to the bad ideas you collect by being in this world. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:07.440 Have you ever gotten to colonoscopy? 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.599 I'm not saying this to be crass. 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:14.640 This is what I could come up with weeks ago when I was thinking about this. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:24.319 You're either given a pill or a liquid, and what it does is it purges or it cleanses you, or it purges what's in you and it leads to cleansing. 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:31.759 In that same way, this book does not contradict itself, but it will contradict you. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:44.480 And it's irritating sometimes, but it will purge, the Holy Spirit will use it to purge what's in you, and that will lead to cleansing, no matter how uncomfortable it is. 00:30:45.920 --> 00:30:49.440 This is still uh the Jesus calls this world Satan's world. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.640 Now he has them on the leash. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:58.240 He can't do anything outside of the sovereignty of God, but his best trick is to lie, and you can't spot lies if you don't know the truth. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:01.920 So this book is profitable for reproof and for correction. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:06.880 Scripture is also profitable and beneficial for training in righteousness. 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.640 This is exactly what it sounds like here. 00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:12.799 Training or instruction here has the idea of child rearing. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:19.680 Okay, it has in it, um, and hasn't it like all that the parent needs for growth and developing or maturing a child. 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:22.559 Okay, the Bible is a training school for righteousness. 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:26.240 It's not gonna tell you what's wrong, but it's gonna train you up to look like your king. 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:31.759 Ethical things that make you look and identify or to look like your father, look like your king. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:39.200 Other books have training in music, rhetoric, but the specialty of the Bible is training in righteousness and leading to the righteous one. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:41.759 Okay, leading to the righteous one. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:46.400 So the Bible um is God's word. 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:50.319