The Word Series - The Centrality Of God's Word - 2

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[0:33] Father, thank you for the privilege to hear your word. Sanctify us by your truth. Your word is truth. You send your word and heal them of all their diseases.

[0:49] The man said, only speak your word and my servant shall be made whole. Your word is a word of power, word of healing. His light, his food, his water, and his everything to us.

[1:02] Speak your word clearly to us. And let us encounter you. In Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.

[1:14] Last week I spoke about how Satan has an agenda. And his primary and first agenda is to attack God's word. All right.

[1:26] So, Satan's primary agenda is to attack God's word. Because if you have God's word, you will be sorted. If you have God's word, you are actually sorted.

[1:41] And so, what Satan can do to jeopardize your future, your laughter, your peace, and keep you in bondage is to take the word from you.

[1:52] Right. So, in Genesis chapter 3, we see from verse 1 how Satan came in the form of a serpent. God, the serpent is subtle.

[2:04] He's cunning. One of the characteristics of Satan is he's cunning. He's a deceiver. Satan is a deceiver.

[2:16] That's one of his names in the scriptures. There are several names in the scriptures for Satan. One of it is he's a deceiver. And he loves to deceive.

[2:28] Genesis chapter 3. Now, the serpent was more cunning. Let's all say cunning. Say it again. The serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field.

[2:42] Which God had made. And he, the serpent, said to the woman, Has God indeed said? Right. The first question ever, ever recorded is to question the trustworthiness.

[3:01] That word. I'll come to it later. Not today. The trustworthiness. All right. So, to question the trustworthiness, authenticity of God's word.

[3:11] So, her first question is, has God said? All right. Has he said you shouldn't do that? And the first thing he did was to generate, create doubt.

[3:27] So, remember, doubt. Say doubt. Doubt. He'll be fine. As long as he can get you to doubt God's word.

[3:40] Satan will be fine. As long as he can get you to. So, listen. It doesn't matter how many demons are cast out of a person. If we don't teach the person the word, the demons can come easily.

[3:51] It's not a problem. They will come back. So, it's the word of God that secures your future.

[4:04] And Satan's number one agenda is to cast doubt. To question the integrity. The trustworthiness. The reliability of God's word. So, to make you doubt God's word.

[4:17] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So, he said, has God said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden? He actually changes the word in there.

[4:28] God didn't say every tree of the garden. God actually said you should eat of every tree of the garden. He said, has he said you should not eat of every tree?

[4:39] He didn't say that. He didn't say that. So, number two, he tries to make you doubt the word of God. And then number two, try to distort God's word.

[4:53] So, we can clearly see that Satan wanted to distort the word. Twist the word. Has God said you shouldn't eat of any tree of the garden?

[5:08] Every tree of the garden. But God said he shall eat of every tree. So, he first of all distorts. And Eve also jumps in with him. Eve changes the word in three ways.

[5:24] Number one, let's look at what Eve said again. And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat the fruit of the tree of the garden. What did the woman say?

[5:35] Now, flip your Bible to chapter 2. Let's look at it like we did last week. Chapter 2, verse 16. What does it say?

[5:49] Saying, huh? Of every tree. How many trees? How many trees? What did Eve say?

[5:59] You may eat of the fruit of the garden. She left out every.

[6:11] She took something out. She left that out. Alright. You may eat of every tree of the fruit of the garden. And then, what again did Eve say? What again did Eve say?

[6:23] You may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden. God said, you shall not eat. Alright.

[6:34] God said, you shall not eat it. Nor shall you touch it. So, she added touch. God didn't say touch. Right? She added that. And you shall not touch it.

[6:46] So, she takes some out. And adds some. In our modern day, you know, sometimes you are not allowed to say some things. In spite of what the Bible. Actually, the church is not supposed to be saying some things.

[7:00] So, some ministers of the gospel have to adapt their style to be culturally very sensitive and relevant.

[7:13] Because the culture, our modern day culture, does not embrace some things. So, sometimes ministers are pushed and want to stay away from things like hell and sin.

[7:28] They don't really want to mention someone will go to hell. Or there is the reality of hell or sin. And so, I remember I was on a call some time ago.

[7:39] Years ago, Christians were encouraged that when you go out and you are winning a soul, someone comes to Jesus. Jesus, don't be quick to say that when you are leading the person to say the sinner's prayer, don't tell the person to ask God to forgive me of my sins.

[7:54] Don't tell the person to say I'm a sinner. Because it may be offensive to the person. It may be offensive to the person because, I mean, your boss just gave his life to Christ.

[8:05] And he said, let me pray with you. He said, tell your boss that, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I mean, it's not sicker sensitive. It's offensive to the ears because of our cultural moods.

[8:20] But the point I'm trying to say is that Satan always desires for us to change, distort, and leave some things out.

[8:32] But you know what I discovered in 1 Corinthians? I found out in 1 Corinthians that it says that, chapter 1, it says that the gospel we preach is foolishness to some people. So you don't have to seek to sound intelligent.

[8:49] Do you understand what I'm saying? So long as what they define as intelligence is concerned. If it means being different or various from what God's word says, stay away from that.

[9:02] You see, so you don't have to try to attempt to sound intellectual. You don't have to attempt to sound very popular.

[9:16] It's not necessary. You don't have to attempt to sound very, very wise. Because it says, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 18, it says it clearly.

[9:28] The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But to us who are saved, who are being saved, is the power of God. In verse 24, but to those who are called, both the Jews, so let's go to verse 22.

[9:42] Let me show you something from verse 22. For Jews request a sign and Greeks look for wisdom. Verse 23, but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews' stumbling block and to the Greeks' foolishness.

[9:57] That's what we preach. The Jews want a sign. The Greeks, the intellectuals, they want wisdom. Something that sounds, you know, intellectually powerful.

[10:10] That's why nowadays most of us pastors have been pushed like we have to always bring out some new revelation. Something very powerful. You know, something that people haven't heard before.

[10:20] So that it will make us sharp. It will make us look very intelligent. So we can appeal to the minds of listeners.

[10:31] People don't get converted because their minds have changed. They got converted because their hearts have been affected. And the word affects the heart before it begins to transform the mind.

[10:44] Any heart that has not been affected and changed by the word cannot produce a transformed mind. Praise the Lord.

[10:55] So Satan, first of all, tries to make us doubt, make you doubt. And then the next thing, try to distort God's words. Okay, even if you don't doubt it, really, it's, I mean, God can say that everybody will be going to hell.

[11:10] So many, I mean, thousands of people don't believe Jesus. They will go to hell. That's what the word says. Jesus himself said, yeah, Matthew chapter 7, verse 13, I suppose. He says that narrow is the way that leads to eternal life.

[11:24] Enter to the narrow, broad is the gate, the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it. Many. Many. Say many.

[11:34] Many. Yes, yes, yes. Majority carries the vote, eh? Okay, many. Many. The majority who are carrying the vote. Are going to hell. Amen.

[11:45] Amen. God has never worked with majority. Yes. Yeah. And he's never bothered about with minority. He's always worked with his intentions and his word.

[11:58] So if you are on the side of God's word, you are safe. Amen. so he he distorts the word and makes you know God come in then the next thing he does it's not just distorts the word look at it again that's very interesting then the same purpose then the same purpose to the woman you will not surely die in fact the woman left something out as well so the woman said you shall not eat it nor shall you touch it then the last thing is he said lest you die God said you shall surely die she said lest you die she make it softer milder you know what you mean yes you die say the way it is leave the word it may sound foolish the bible says that but we preach the cross foolishness to the Greeks and to the Jews it makes them rather stumble but he said but for to those of us verse 24 of 1 Corinthians chapter 8 to those of us who are saved or called it is the power he says that but to those of us who are called say called oh come on say it again called

[13:06] I can't hear say it again to those of us who are called what it is but whether Greek or Jew it doesn't matter you see you are preaching to the Jew and normally Jews don't they want the sign so if you preach the cross it will become a stumbling block for them and you are preaching to the Greek and normally Greek want something intellectual so if you go and preach the cross it's foolishness to them but bible says that but amongst the Greek there are some who are called amongst the Jews there are some who are called and those who are called when you preach the cross they respond to it are you getting what I'm saying those who are called people says those who those he foreknew he also predestined and those he predestined he also called so those who are called he says for those who are called both Jew and Greek Christ is the power and the wisdom of God so I want to shout hallelujah hallelujah so she leaves she softens it and then the next point is that

[14:16] Satan said in the verse 4 you shall not surely die what happens what does he mean by you shall surely die don't mind him you shall not surely die denier deny that that cannot be true deny it outright you cannot die denies it he denies God's word and then he said oh I am the Lord that healed you do you think God can heal you God can heal you of the sickness hey let's forget it and then number so number one doubts number two distorts number three denial complete denial number four is is defamation defamation of God's character I said God is trying to keep pull a fast one so you can keep that's why I say you should give your tithe he's trying to he's just trying to collect money from you this I mean I don't know how many of you the number of you who have not heard this you hear people saying that all these people they are just after your money they tell you the church is after your money what have you got read the Bible

[15:30] Jesus when the poor man came and gave her all her money he says they said oh please come and take it back Jesus just left it there rather to tell other people that you should be doing things like this so when they make statements like oh poor people's money someone doesn't have anything to eat and then look the poor people alright so it's so important to understand that Satan will try to distort God's word and defame God and say that God is trying to teach you can you imagine listen to what he said he said that verse 4 then the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be open and you'll be like God God is trying to keep something away from you he doesn't want you to be married he's trying to keep your marriage that's why he's telling you don't go with that boyfriend that's why he's telling you don't go and live with that girl he doesn't want you to be married look at your age look at your age you want to follow God so he will say that God wants to hurt you he wants you to feel that

[16:53] God is not for you God is not they say God is good God is not really good if I mention of God's character it's very important so and then the last one is that you'll be God it gives you it's like you you want deity you also now become God we're on our way already to becoming like him in sons God Jesus Christ came that we can be like him he came to take man into God but Satan was trying to go ahead praise the Lord now quickly let's look at revelation I want to explain a few things about say the Bible is God's word say it again say it very last time louder that's where we are dealing with so watch this the reason I took my time to say all this is just to let you know Satan likes to attack God's word so if he's going to attack

[17:53] God's word where is he going to attack it from he's going to attack the Bible all right now but why is the Bible the God's word that's where this whole thing is going Bible because then if you know see some people will believe it that's what we say but then sometimes you have to understand why it is so why are we saying it some people wrote this all right so it's very important Christians as time goes out I'll try and take my time to explain the authority of the Bible the infallibility say infallibility these are very strong theological infallibility of the scriptures inerrancy of the scriptures and then the inspiration of the scriptures so I'll go into this morning I don't think I can go into inspiration but definitely I'll go on the inspiration if I don't go on the inspiration of scriptures the scriptures are inspired the word of God is inspired this is called the word of God not the words of God the word of God that's the

[18:56] Latin the word of God not the words of God this doesn't contain the words of God this is the word of God there are two different things it just contains the word of God no it is the word of God but not everything inside is clearly from God it is the word of God that's the exercise we are going on now but first of all let's go systematically from revelation say revelation say it again revelation now the God if God exists and God cannot be seen since he is a spirit and since there is no scientific apparatus scientific method that can pick up God alright or can discover God how then can you know that there is God before we even talk about his word see this is the problem when people say I don't like theology what do you mean by you don't like theology you need to like it because everything about your belief hinges on what you know theology so you gotta know oh please

[20:09] I just need a miracle because the problems I'm going through Satan can give you a miracle and after giving you the miracle you have sold your destiny so you must know what is not from God and what is from God in the first place if you say I believe in God who is God alright but that's not my topic now because there are a lot of people who say I don't believe in God some of you have seen too many people who say I don't believe in God I don't believe in God I don't believe in God and they don't even have any hardcore strong evidence because someone has told you we don't have to so they are naively foolishly say okay me too I don't believe in God alright now you being a believer you must actually know why you also believe in God not just okay in my church we believe in God so that's all no Bible talks about in 1st chapter 3 verse 15 it says that be ready to give and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you you must be able to tell somebody this is why

[21:10] I believe God's word is true hallelujah so two ways to find out to discover God to find God theologians call how God has revealed himself is called revelation the word revelation comes from the Greek word apocalypse some of you have heard before apocalypse and usually it conjures images of some strange movie apocalypse is simply the Greek word for revelation which means that to uncover that's what revelation is about now God cannot be taught God is revealed so we have two types of revelation we have general revelation and special revelation let's all say general revelation I can't hear you say special revelation what's general revelation according to this is nice man are you ready for this according to Psalm 19 verse 1 shall we all read it together verse 1 the heavens let's go from your Bible let's go the heavens show his handiwork alright what declares the glory of God the heavens and what the firmament what do they do has anyone got a different translation which renders the firmament show his handiwork differently the skies what do the skies do the skies display his craftmanship you must really be intentional and blind to just say you don't know there is

[22:40] God because the heavens alone the heavens display all heavens declare the glory of the Lord everything created point to the fact that there is God so nature tells us about the God of nature you don't need to live beyond nature look at nature it will tell you there is a God behind nature do you understand what I'm saying that is called general revelation it's so general Romans chapter 1 verse 8 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and righteousness who surpass God to verse 20 now for since the creation of the world his invisible attributes his what what is the meaning of invisible you can't see so you can't see God but his invisible attributes are clearly seen very interesting he's invisible you can see being understood by the things that are made so when you look at listen hey I like this I like this I like this I like this listen to this everything created points to the fact that there is

[23:48] God anything you can see tells you there is God your shoe is a fact that there is God it tells you it's pointing to the fact that there is God God just your shoe tells you it's a statement to you that there is God that your nice dress your car keys your home keys the key is pointing to the fact that there is God nature points to the fact that there is a God behind nature it's called general revelation general revelation it is in other theological circles it's called immediate revelation say immediate what's the meaning of immediate what's the meaning of media media means means okay so we have the print media the electronic media means means to transfer information okay media so immediate you don't need any means to know you don't need any other things to do everything tells you that is

[24:59] God so it's an immediate revelation you don't need someone to now teach you through it or tell you that and looking at creation tells you there is God it's theological circles is also immediate revelation and then we have the special revelation in immediate revelation cosmos that's what we read cosmos when you look at the firmament when you look at the galaxies everything tells you there is God and then when you talk about even nature just the human being the physical human being tells you there is God we look at the human being hey we are so complicated and complex and not just our physical existence of physical look our physical being even our psychological makeup tells you that we are very complex our psychological makeup we are very complex it points to the fact that there is God so it is a very that's why it makes sense when

[26:04] Bible says that the fool has said in his heart there is no God because it takes an intentional blanking of your intelligence it doesn't matter how you choose to call it you can slap something else on it but if you are going to be very truthful to the facts then everything points to the fact that there is a creator so as I normally say the argument of atheism atheism is not an intellectual argument because if you are going to use intelligence it is too obvious it is a moral argument because as soon as you admit that there is a creator you must also admit that he has his standards he has his requirements and you must be accountable and people do not want to be accountable they want to shy away from the issue of sin if they say there is God then sin is valid that's the whole thing it's not about oh I'm morality and so as soon as why why why why how did you realize how atheists particularly are so mad and upset about the church more than any other religion they can't stand the church and everything they want to pick on the church what does the church say about it why is the church saying why is that everything they want to the church to other religions they don't touch them and then we have special revelation say special revelation and the special revelation is what

[27:39] God has given to us in his word all right now nature okay the revelation of nature points us to the God of nature the revelation of the Bible points us to the God of redemption so if you want to know more about this God which we can see in nature actually and I think in Acts chapter 17 verse 27 Paul even mentions that if you want to see more about the God of nature you have to go to special revelation and listen all revelation about God is contained here anything outside of this is not of God let me put it another way every preacher preacher or any preacher who teaches or preaches and doesn't base his point his message on

[28:47] God's word in spite of the fact that he may be genuine in his heart what he's doing is he's busily eclipsing God so in a modern day church a lot of the time God has been eclipsed not intentionally but unintentionally most of the time and sadly in a very gentle way we may end up preaching so many things without actually revealing God and anything you preach that does not reveal God is worth the rubbish it doesn't matter what it seems to promise you or can do for you so every teaching must be based on God's word every teaching must be based on God's word accurate interpretation of God's word special revelation is from scripture so all scripture is given to us to see to see the to know God better know him closely and to also know his redemptive plan this is not a history book all right this is not a history book it is a book that reveals

[30:00] God and his redemptive program for humanity his intentions so we have special revelation general revelation or immediate revelation and we have special revelation and special revelation no I'm not revelation I'm not talking about when you go and sleep and then something is talking to you oh I heard it I heard it no please please please those things are all subject to everything the scripture says because the Bible says that we have a sure word of prophecy this is the sure word of prophecy and the word of God changes us quickly to finish on the subject of revelation so that next we can pick more on the heaviness of God's word the strength of the subject of revelation there are a few things I want you to know about revelation which is the characteristics of revelation the attributes of revelation number one there are four let's write down down quickly number one for a revelation the attributes of revelation number one it is necessary say necessary say it's necessary particularly every revelation but particularly about a specific revelation it's necessary it's that your word is a lamp onto my feet and a light to my path you need

[31:16] God's word it's like I quoted last Sunday Psalm 119 verse 19 it talks about how I'm a stranger on earth do not hide your commandment from me I need your commandment just like a sad nap you're in the middle of nowhere your sad nap goes off both on your phone or in your car wherever you are in trouble you're trying to raise your children without the sad nap you're trying to run a business without you think that bringing your children to church you are doing the church a favor for attendants no and don't leave them to Sunday school teachers after church make sure in your at home the shima the shima the greatest of all the commandments in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 6 7 8 satisfied from verse 4 actually it said hear oh Israel the Lord your God is one God that shall love the Lord that God with all your heart with all your mind verse 6 and these words which I command you today shall be where shall be in your heart go to the next verse watch this and you shall teach them diligently to who your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house what should you talk and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up it must be a culture in your home sister bro it must be a culture in your home get the word in your home it will guide your children and your marriage into his destiny shout hallelujah even your business running your business you need

[32:57] God sad enough you need God sad enough and when you go further from verse 7 he's telling you that tie it on your hands put it on your forehead you shall bind them as a sign on your hand they shall be as frontless between your eyes when the miners are going to mine where do they put their life usually there put it there that's what should guide you the word of God should be central in your life then you know trying to keep God's word away from you because there lies your safety God's word so as long as you can get the word of God from you you can't have faith you only have mental projection you can't have faith because faith comes by hearing and hearing of the word it says that so tie these things let the word of God settle in you in Colossians 3 16 talk about then your future is safe then your future is secure then you can talk about how you know that tomorrow is safe so revelation is necessary the word of

[34:12] God is necessary it is necessary say it necessary shout it second revelation has authority so the attributes of revelation necessity number two authority say authority I'm going to that a bit more next week and number three clarity clarity it must be clear you must know you just it has it this is what he's trying to say listen listen listen listen listen even in Germany even in Germany those who travel from overseas to go and study there they have to they have another course you have to take German lessons the language so that you can understand it's just because why would I come and teach you in Cantonese when you don't understand it so I don't mean that God that will speak to me in some other language I don't understand drop it scripture must be clear

[35:12] God's word must be clear it's clear some some we all know even the most erudite scholars can't still understand certain texts because God's word is very deep so I can understand there are some things Peter said that Paul wrote some things which are hard to understand in 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 17 he said Paul wrote some hard things in his text which are 16 and 17 they are hard to understand so it's okay I understand but when I say it's clear what we mean is that the basic message of salvation the basic message of scripture it's basic message of salvation faith and the love of God is so clear a child can read and understand it that's revelation the revelation of God it must have clarity so it must have its necessity it has necessity has authority clarity and then finally the revelation is sufficient revelation 22 verse 18 if anyone adds to it like

[36:23] Eve did or anyone who takes away from it God said I will deal with the person for I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book if anyone adds to these things God will add to him the plagues that are written in the book and verse 19 verse 19 what does verse 19 say and if anyone takes away from the words of this the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his parts from the book of life from the holy city and from the things which are written in his interest leave it the way don't add to it it's sufficient say scripture is sufficient say the scripture is sufficient so the revelation of God giving to us in scripture is what is necessary it's authoritative alright it has the authority and then so when the Bible says something it settles it doesn't matter who doesn't agree with it it's authoritative settles it and then the revelation of

[37:30] God given to us in scripture is what is clear and the revelation of God given to us in scripture is what is sufficient. And then some theologians add one or some others don't, but it's beautiful.

[37:44] Did you receive something? Lift up your hands and let's thank God for his word. Let's thank God for his word. Tell him that God, I want to even know you more through your word.

[37:54] I want to get closer to you. Thank you for listening. For more resources, please visit caris.org or call us on 0207-740-9960.

[38:06] God bless you. God bless you.