I miss hearing all of your voices as we sing.
We have some people here, and I'm glad at least that we can sing together with.
We unfortunately can't really do Passing of the Peace.
We are all scattered about, so please just turn with me right away to 2 Timothy 3, verses 10-17.
We're taking a little break from our series in the Book of Acts for this morning.
We were actually scheduled to have a guest preacher today.
He was going to drive up from Pennsylvania, but for obvious reasons, he couldn't come up,
and I had to fill in last minute because that was a way to retreat earlier this week.
And so I'm preaching a message I had prepared before, although it still took a lot of work
to make it more applicable to our congregation.
But it's something that I haven't preached on yet for our church yet.
So please turn with me to 2 Timothy 3, verses 10-17.
We pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Father, we come to the reading and preaching of your Word.
We don't come to it like we come to any other book.
We come to it trembling.
We come to it in awe because we know that here you meet us.
Here you address us as your people.
Because your Word is the scepter by which you rule over all creation.
So we humble ourselves before you now.
We ask that you would speak to us.
Help us to think of your Word, relate to your Word,
and submit to your Word,
as we ought to teach us.
And in it,
bring us to
an encounter with your Son, Jesus Christ.
Fill our hearts with His beauty and His glory today.
We ask in His precious name.
Amen.
2 Timothy 3, verses 10-17.
You, however, have followed my teaching,
my conduct,
my aim in life,
my faith,
my patience,
my love,
my steadfastness,
my persecutions and sufferings
that happened to me at Antioch,
at Iconium,
and at Lystra,
which persecutions I endured.
Yet from them all,
the Lord rescued me.
Indeed,
all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted,
while evil people and impostors
will go on from bad to worse,
deceiving and being deceived.
But as for you,
continue in what you have learned
and have firmly believed,
knowing from whom you learned it,
and how from childhood
you have been acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
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.
After decades of research,
pollsters George Gallup Jr.
and Jim Castelli
concluded that,
quote,
Americans revere the Bible,
but by and large,
they don't read it.
And because they don't read it,
they have become a nation
of biblical illiterates.
According to a survey,
over 50% of graduating high school seniors
in our country
think that Sodom and Gomorrah
were husband and wife.
12% of adults think that
Joanna of Arc was Noah's wife.
And over half cannot name
the four Gospels.
When asked who preached
the Sermon on the Mount,
many people responded,
Billy Graham.
Not only are people
in our culture
increasingly ignorant of scripture,
they are also increasingly
contemptuous of scripture.
I remember,
this feels like forever ago now,
but in 2008,
when then-president-elect Barack Obama
announced that Rick Warren
would be the minister
who prays at his inauguration,
there was a public outrage
because Warren believed
in the biblical definition
of marriage
as the union between
a man and a woman.
And to quell this controversy,
Rick Warren did a round
of interviews,
including one with
the Today Show with NBC,
where he was interviewed
by Ann Curry.
And during that interview,
in an effort to cast doubt
on the reliability of scripture
as a moral guide,
Ann Curry asked Warren,
But the Bible,
which you claim
is the authoritative source
for morality,
also teaches that people
who eat shellfish
should be put to death.
How can you believe
such a thing?
Warren goes on
to give a good answer
about how Christ fulfilled
the Old Testament law
and so on,
but he doesn't challenge her
on the misinformation
because nowhere
in the Old Testament
is there a death penalty
prescribed for eating shellfish.
Our culture is biblically illiterate.
People don't know the scriptures.
Most of them have never read
the scriptures.
And yet there is this
widespread assumption
that the Bible
is a regressive relic
full of error
and barbarity and bigotry.
The fact that a TV anchor
and their staff
didn't bother actually
to check the Bible
exposes their presumptions
about the Bible.
And in light of,
in this kind of climate,
it can be increasingly
more intimidating
for us to turn
to the scriptures,
for us to turn
to the scriptures
as our authority,
to use the scriptures,
to minister the scripture
to others,
to reference the scriptures
for our life,
as our source of morality,
as our guide.
But 2 Timothy 3,
10-17 teaches us
that in order to live
a godly life
in Christ Jesus,
we must remain
in the word of God.
For it is what makes us
wise for salvation
and equipped
for every good work.
In the passage
immediately preceding
this passage
that we read this morning,
Paul talks about
the godlessness
that will characterize
the coming days.
He warned Timothy
about false teachers
in the church
who are lovers
of self and pleasure
rather than lovers
of God
who have the appearance
of godliness.
They have the appearance
of godliness
but not the power
of true godliness.
These people
are always learning
but never able
to arrive at a knowledge
of the truth.
Sometimes people think
that they are being
humbled by always learning,
always questioning,
but never arriving
at an answer,
never making a decision
about Jesus.
But if God has revealed
his truth to us
in his word,
refusing to believe it
and continuing
to seek out alternatives
is not humility
but hubris.
So in verses 10 to 13,
Paul offers himself
as a contrast
to these false teachers
as an example
of the godly life
that we are to live
that Timothy should follow.
So he says in verses 10 to 11,
you, however,
have followed my teaching,
my conduct,
my aim in life,
my faith,
my patience,
my love,
my steadfastness,
my persecutions
and sufferings
that happened to me
at Antioch,
at Iconium,
and at Lystra,
which persecutions
I endured.
Yet from them all
the Lord rescued me.
Paul knows that
Timothy has been
following him
and observing his life
and so he is exhorting
Timothy now
to follow his example
and I don't think
Paul is arrogant
as he does this
when he points
to himself as an example.
It's not arrogant
for a doctor
to tell a resident
come and watch me
and learn from me.
Likewise,
it's not arrogant
for a mature believer
to tell a less mature believer
to come with me
and watch me.
Imitate me
as I imitate Christ.
And I think,
in fact,
it would be irresponsible
for us not to do that
because spending time
with someone
and learning from their life
and example
is an important aspect
of Christian discipling.
So the Christian faith
has to be taught
and it has to be caught.
And by no means
is Paul claiming
to be perfect.
He knows that
all that he is
is by the grace of God.
But nevertheless,
Paul's life
was consistent
with God's teachings
and he demonstrated
faith, patience,
love,
and steadfastness
in his life.
But note the surprise
items on this list
of things that Paul
cites as an example
of godliness.
Not only has Timothy
followed Paul's teaching,
conduct, aim in life,
faith, patience,
love, and steadfastness,
he is also followed
and he is exhorted
to continue to follow Paul
in his persecutions
and sufferings.
And we're familiar
with what he's mentioning here
because we've been going
through the book of Acts.
We've seen what he suffered
in Iconium and Lystra.
He was stoned
and left for dead
in Lystra.
God didn't keep Paul
from suffering
and persecution,
but he says
that from them all
the Lord rescued me.
Paul didn't pray
to be kept
from these sufferings
and persecutions,
but the Lord did
rescue him through them.
The Romans
persecuted Christians
for a number of reasons,
but mainly because
they refused to worship
the pagan gods
and claimed that
there was only one God.
They heaped insults
upon the Christians
and scorned them
as an exclusive,
antisocial,
and narrow-minded sect.
Likewise today,
persecution is an
unavoidable reality
for the Christian.
As Paul continues
in verses 12 to 13,
indeed,
all who desire
to live a godly life
in Christ
will be persecuted,
while evil people
and imposters
will go on
from bad to worse,
deceiving
and being deceived.
Persecution
is not a cause
to doubt
and question
what we have learned
and firmly believed.
It is all the more
reason to believe
that what we have learned
is true,
because all
who desire
to live a godly life
in Christ
will be persecuted.
If we are not
persecuted
by a godless world,
we were just talking
about this last week,
it's a sign
that we do not have
an authentic faith
and witness.
Persecution
is evidence
of a godly life
and therefore
a cause to rejoice.
Remember what Jesus
said in Matthew 5,
11 to 12,
Blessed are you
when others revile you
and persecute you
and utter all kinds
of evil against you
falsely on my account.
Rejoice
and be glad,
for your reward
is great in heaven,
for so they persecuted
the prophets
who were before you.
for you.
When we are persecuted
for our faith,
then we are like
the true prophets
who were persecuted
before us.
When we are persecuted
for our faith,
then we are following
in the footsteps
of our Lord Jesus
who was crucified.
Paul is preparing
young Timothy
here for persecution.
Be prepared,
Timothy.
If you live
a godly life,
if you live
according to the Bible,
you're not going
to be popular.
No,
you're going
to be persecuted.
So don't think
it's strange
when you are persecuted.
All who desire
to live a godly life
will be persecuted.
But as for you,
Paul continues
in verse 14,
continue in what
you have learned
and have firmly believed,
knowing from whom
you learned it
and how from childhood
you have been acquainted
with the sacred writings.
The relative pronoun here,
whom,
is plural in the Greek.
So we know
that it's referring
to more than one person
that Timothy
learned the Christian faith from.
Since Paul notes
that Timothy
has been acquainted
with the scriptures
from childhood,
it is likely that
the whom refers
to Timothy's mother,
Eunice,
and his grandmother,
Lois.
Earlier in 2 Timothy
chapter 1 verse 5,
Paul has said to Timothy,
Timothy's father
was a Greek unbeliever,
so Timothy got
his Christian upbringing
from his mother
and grandmother.
And Paul is telling Timothy,
take these women
who have taught you
the scriptures
very seriously.
don't dismiss
what they have told you
as old wives tales.
Don't dismiss them
because they are not
current with the times.
Take these women
of godly character
very seriously.
Be very slow
to walk away
from what your mother
and grandmother
have taught you
from the scriptures.
I want to take some time
this morning
to directly address
the younger members
of our church
because so many children
teens and young adults
walk away from the Lord
after they leave
their parents' house.
If you have had
the privilege
of having parents
who brought you up
in the instruction
and discipline
of the Lord,
remember what you
have been taught
and don't depart
from it.
Don't throw away
what you have learned
from them
just because
what you have been taught
is scorned
by your peers
and professors
and mocked
in the media.
Remember that
all who desire
to live a godly life
will be persecuted.
And remember
who taught you.
Remember their life,
their teaching,
their faith,
patience,
love,
and steadfastness,
their persecutions
and sufferings.
I also want to address
the parents
in our church.
What your children
most need
to be acquainted with
first and foremost
is not their schoolwork.
It's not the SATs.
It's not their
extracurricular activities.
Soccer,
baseball,
piano,
dance.
It's the sacred writings.
That's what Timothy
was acquainted with
as he grew up.
What kind of aim
in life
are you modeling
for your children
and imparting
to them?
Are you aiming
for Harvard?
Harvard.
That's not high enough.
Instead of parenting
your kids toward Harvard,
you should be parenting
your kids
to heaven,
to the kingdom of God.
When they look
at your life
and example,
will your children
learn that your aim
in life
is to please the Lord
even through persecutions
and sufferings?
Or will they learn
that your aim in life
is health,
wealth,
and happiness?
Notice the contrast
between verse 13
and verse 14.
Evil people
and imposters
will go on
from bad to worse,
deceiving and being deceived,
but as for you,
continue in what you have learned
and have firmly believed.
Evil people will go on.
They will progress
in evil.
They will move on,
but you must continue
in the path
that you are on.
The word continue
more literally means
to remain
or stay,
which makes the contrast
with the evil people
and imposters
who go on
from bad to worse
a little more obvious.
The evil people
of this world
will continually progress
further in their transgressions,
but as for you,
don't go on.
Don't move on.
Don't graduate
from the Bible
and move on
to loftier studies
and speculations.
Don't progress
from the teachings
of the Bible
onto new ideas
that are in vogue.
Don't alter course
for every wind
that blows.
Instead,
remain anchor
to the word of God.
Don't listen
to the people
who say that the Bible
is old-fashioned,
outdated,
superstitious,
pre-modern,
and narrow-minded.
Don't leave the word.
Remain in the word
and stay in the word
and abide in the word.
trying to stay up to date
with our ever-changing culture
is the surest way
to go out of date.
The surest way
to be timelessly relevant
is to be in sync
with the eternal,
unchanging word of God.
So don't run after
what is trending
or what is viral.
Those are all fads
that pass away
like the clouds in the sky,
but the word of God
is like an immovable mountain
in front of which
all these clouds
pass by and dissipate.
Stay rooted there.
But why is remaining
in the word important?
I'm going to come back
to verse 15
a little later.
Look at verse 16
with me for now.
It says,
All scripture
is breathed out by God.
Older translations
used to say
that all scripture
is inspired by God.
This is where we get
the doctrine
of the inspiration
of scripture.
But this does not mean
that scripture
is inspiring
like a biography
of a Christian missionary
might be.
We say things commonly
like that was
an inspired performance
or you inspire me.
But that's not what
this word means here.
The way the English
Standard Version has it
is quite appropriate.
It says,
Scripture is breathed out
by God.
In other words,
it proceeds
from the very mouth of God.
It is God's very words.
It is His speech
which is why we call scripture
the word of God.
We throw that phrase around
so much,
word of God,
that we sometimes miss
the staggering import
of that statement.
In the Bible,
we are addressed
by God Almighty
who spoke creation
into existence
with His words.
In the Bible,
we hear the very
voice of God.
And I don't mean that
the same way
that we talk about
finding a writer's voice
in some latest fiction
that you read.
In every book,
the human author's voice,
tone,
and perspective
come through.
But that's not what
I'm talking about
when I say that God
speaks in scripture.
God's speech
is qualitatively
different from human speech
because whatever God speaks
comes into being.
Let me illustrate what I mean.
God's word
is the means
by which God
accomplishes His will.
Listen to this.
Psalm 33.
By the word
of the Lord
the heavens
were made
and by the breath
of His mouth
all their host.
For He spoke
and it came to be.
He commanded
and it stood firm.
God created
the universe
by speaking.
Listen to Psalm 107
verse 20.
He sent out
His word
and healed them
and delivered them
from their destruction.
God delivers
His people
by His word,
by speaking.
When I say
let there be light
nothing happens.
I just create
some sound waves
but there are no
electromagnetic waves
no light.
but when God says
let there be light
there is light.
Whatever God says
happens.
So whenever
you open
this book
something is
about to happen.
And whatever
has the breath
of God
is living.
It comes alive.
Ezekiel 37
what happens
God breathes
into the dry bones
and the bones
take on flesh
and return to life.
In Genesis 2
God breathes
into Adam and Eve
and they become
living beings
human beings.
Likewise
it says
the word
is God breathed
it is therefore
living.
That's why
Hebrews chapter 4
verse 12
describes scripture
as
living and active
sharper than
any two-edged sword
piercing to the
division of soul
and of spirit
of joints
and of marrow
and discerning
the thoughts
and intentions
of the heart.
Maybe to use
a more
modern analogy
the Bible
is not only
a recording
of what God
has said
it is a
live stream
of what
God is
saying.
The word
of God
is the only
book in the
world that is
described as
the sword
of the spirit
in Ephesians
chapter 6
verse 17.
It is the only
weapon that God
has given us
in our spiritual
armory.
And how do we
handle swords?
Not carelessly
not without
respect.
We handle
swords with
care
because it is
sharp
because it is
powerful.
That's why
Paul says
earlier in
2 Timothy 2
15 that we
must rightly
handle the
word of
truth.
and this
is why
scripture is
described in
verse 15
as sacred
writings.
Writings
is a reference
to scripture.
It comes from
the same
Greek word.
The sacred
writings
is sacred
or holy
because its
author God
is holy.
And the
basic meaning
of the word
holy is set
apart for a
special purpose.
Something that
is special.
holy is
holy.
So even
though we
normally associate
the word holy
in contrast
throughout the
Bible,
the antonym of
holy in the
Bible is
actually the
word common.
So Leviticus 10
10 says you are
to distinguish
between the
holy and the
common,
between the
unclean and
the clean.
holiness is
an attribute
of God
and it
refers to
God's
transcendence
that he
is far
beyond
and is
separate
from,
differentiated
from the
rest of
the created
order
because he
is the
only creator.
He is the
holy one,
the one who
is set
apart.
By extension
then because
the writings
take on the
character of
the author
and because
the Bible
is a living
book,
it is what
God speaks,
it is God's
act,
the book
is holy,
the Bible
is called
the Holy
Bible.
So don't
let the
fact that
it has
covers and
pages and
ink on
paper like
all the
other books
that you
read fool
you into
thinking that
it is like
any other
book you
read.
It's a
sacred book,
a holy
book.
I went
to a
very liberal
arts college
where every
church history
and religion
class I
took,
they tried
to convince
me that
God's
word is
not special,
that it
is just
one of
many
historical
artifacts,
religious
artifacts,
and that
it carries
no special
authority.
But all
those reading
assignments that
I did
only reinforced
my conviction
that God's
word really
is like
nothing else.
Even the
most remarkable
human literature
is merely
human and
therefore
common.
the Hindu
Bhagavad Gita
is common.
Confucius'
Analects
is common.
Plato's
Republic
is common.
Karl Marx's
The Communist
Manifesto
is common.
Thomas Paine's
The Rights
of Man
is common.
I mean
Shakespeare's
plays are
common.
Homer's
Odyssey
is common.
The Koran
is common.
Tolstoy's
War and Peace
is common.
Tolkien's
Lord of the
Rings even
is common.
The Seven
Habits of
Highly Effective
People
is common.
How to
Win Friends
and Influence
People
is common.
The United
States Constitution
is a
common
document.
But the
Bible is
holy.
And note
that it
doesn't say
that the
scripture
writers are
breathed out
by God.
The human
author of
scripture were
inspired by
God to
write God's
word.
But this
verse says
more than
that.
It says
that the
sacred
writings,
the writings
themselves
are breathed
out by
God.
Not only
the red
words of
Jesus in
that version
of the
Bible that
you might
have,
but every
word in
these pages
of scripture
are breathed
out by
God.
That's an
amazing
reality.
And note
also that it
doesn't say
some scripture
is breathed
out by
God.
Sometimes
because we
do have
favorite
passages and
whatnot,
we say,
oh,
that's a
really good
part of
scripture,
as if
there's a
part of
scripture
that is
not good.
But all
of it is
God's
word.
All
scripture
is God
breathed.
Of course,
in this
case,
specifically,
Paul is
referring to
the Old
Testament
because the
New Testament
canon hasn't
been formed
yet,
but it is
not inappropriate
to apply
this verse
to the New
Testament for
a number of
reasons.
One,
Jesus assumed
scripture level
authority for
his own
teaching.
Remember the
Sermon on the
Bound?
Recall how
Jesus says,
you have
heard that it
was said,
and then he
says in
Old Testament
scripture,
and then he
says,
but I tell
you,
because he
has the
authority to
proclaim God's
word,
he is the
incarnate
word.
And in
John 14
10,
Jesus said,
the words
that I say
to you,
I do not
speak on my
own authority,
but the
Father who
dwells in
me does
his works.
He is
speaking the
Father's
words.
Ephesians
2 20 says
that the
church is
built on the
foundation of
the apostles
and the
prophets,
and Jesus
promised the
apostles himself
that the
Holy Spirit
will bring to
mind to
them the
things that
he has
taught them.
And it's
these apostles
who,
and their
close associates
who are
kind of
writing down
the eyewitness
testimony of
these apostles,
they are the
ones that are
responsible for
writing the
New Testament
scriptures.
And in the
New Testament
itself,
there is a
recognition that
the other
writings of
the apostles
carry the
authority of
the Old
Testament
scriptures.
For example,
in 2 Peter
chapter 3
verses 15
to 16,
Peter writes,
Our beloved
brother Paul
also wrote
to you
according to
the wisdom
given him,
as he does
in all his
letters when
he speaks
in them of
these matters.
There are
some things
in them that
are hard to
understand,
which the
ignorant and
unstable twist to
their own
destruction,
as they do
the other
scriptures.
He puts
Peter,
the apostle
Peter is
putting Paul's
writings in
the same
category as
the other
scriptures,
the Old
Testament
scriptures.
One more
example to
illustrate this,
1 Timothy 5
18,
Paul writes,
For the
scripture says,
You shall
not muzzle
an ox when
it treads
out the
grain,
and the
laborer
deserves his
wages.
To command
not,
there are two
citations there
in that verse.
The first
citation is
from Deuteronomy
25,
4,
where it
says to
do not
muzzle an
ox when
it's
treading out
the grain.
But the
second quote
is not
from the
Old Testament
scriptures.
The laborer
deserves his
wages is
actually a
direct quotation
of Luke
10,
7,
which is
also found
in Matthew
10,
10.
So Paul
is there
already referring
to statements
of Jesus
that's in
the Gospels
as scripture.
So then by
implication,
all scripture
are breathed
out by God.
That means we
can't pick and
choose which
part of
scripture to
accept and
which part to
discard.
This is not
our prerogative
because it's
God's word and
we don't have
the authority to
pick and choose
what part of
the king's
decree to
obey.
Paul completes
his thought in
the rest of
verses 16 and
17.
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.
God's word
teaches us.
We do not
teach God's
word.
God's word
reproves us of
our sin.
We do not
reprove God's
word.
God's word
corrects us of
our error.
We do not
correct God's
word of
error.
God's word
trains us for
righteousness,
not the other
way around.
It is so easy
for us to
place ourselves
above scripture,
to critique it,
to judge it,
to evaluate it,
but the
appropriate posture
is to place
ourselves under
the authority
of scripture.
The scripture
searches us,
examines us,
and convicts us,
and challenges us,
and comforts us.
And God's word,
it says,
is sufficient to
make us
complete.
That's so
encouraging.
It can make us
complete,
equipped for
every good
work.
It doesn't get
us part of
the way.
No, it's
sufficient to
make us
complete,
lacking in
nothing.
It doesn't
equip us only
for some
good work.
It equips us
for every good
work.
Scripture,
as God's
revelation to
us,
is
sufficient.
We don't
need any
additional
revelation to
know and
obey God's
will.
All we need
to know in
order to be
equipped for
every good
work is
here.
All we need
to know to be
made wise for
salvation through
faith in Christ
Jesus is
here.
Do you really
believe that?
하�an?
I think many
of us know
this in
theory but
not in
practice.
And when the
push comes to
shove,
when the rubber
meets the
road,
we turn
elsewhere to
figure out
what we
should do
and how
we should
live.
But instead,
we should say
what Peter
said to Jesus
in John 6,
68,
Lord, to
whom
shall we
go?
You
have the
words of
eternal
life.
And that brings us back to verse 15
Which tells us that scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation
Through faith in Christ Jesus
Nothing else will make us wise for salvation
Salvation is found nowhere else
Why?
Not because we worship the Bible
Not because the Bible is God
Not because the Bible itself saves us
But because only the Bible leads us to Jesus Christ
Who alone can save
Scripture is where the gospel of Jesus Christ
Is recorded permanently and preserved reliably
The inscripturated word is where we meet Jesus
The incarnate word, the Son of God
Scripture is, we're right to say
The source and final authority of all our doctrine
It is not less than that
But scripture is also not merely an encyclopedia of doctrine
It is more than that
It's a relational book
It is a book by which God enters into a covenant relationship with us
It is the book by which God makes his promises to us
And we pledge our allegiance to him by submitting to the word
The Bible reveals Jesus to us
In fact, the Bible is all about Jesus
Jesus said in John 5, 39
You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life
And it is they that bear witness about me
Jesus said
We find eternal life in the scriptures
They were right to search the scriptures
Because they think they could find eternal life there
Why? Because the scriptures bear witness about Jesus
I feel like I've been mentioning this book a lot lately
But just the illustrations tend to just fit
The Insanity of God
The author, Nick Ripken
Tells the story of five Muslim believers
Where Christians are intensely persecuted
He writes
Quote
This is these men
The five Muslim telling the story of their conversion
How they came to know Jesus
They said
One of the five men told me
I dreamed about a blue book
I was driven
Consumed
Consumed really
By the message of the dream
Look for this book
The dream said
Read this Bible
I began a secret search
But I could not find a book like that
Anywhere in my country
Then one day
I walked into a Quranic bookshop
And saw this sea of green books
Lining the walls
I noticed a book of a different color
On a shelf in the back of the store
So I walked back there
And pulled out a thick blue volume
To discover that it was a Bible
It was published in my own national language
I actually bought a Bible
In the Islamic bookstore
Took it home
And read it five times
That's how I came to know Jesus
Another one told me
I dreamed about finding Jesus
But I didn't even know
How or where to look
Then one day
I was walking through the market
When a man I had never seen before
Came up to me in the crowd
He said
The Holy Spirit told me
To give you this book
And he handed me a Bible
And disappeared in the crowd
I never saw him again
But I read the Bible
He gave me three times
From cover to cover
And that's how
I came to know
And follow Jesus
Each one of the five men
Told me a different variation
Of the same story
Each one of them
Had come across a Bible
In some unusual
Miraculous way
Each one had read
The gospel story of Jesus
Each one had decided
To follow him
Why does God use the Bible
In this way
Why is the Bible
So precious to us
Because it's in the Bible
That we meet Jesus
Our Savior
Our Redeemer
Our King
Our Great High Priest
Our Lord
Because in the Bible
We see Jesus
Hanging on the cross
Bearing the weight
Of our sins
Because in the Bible
We see Jesus
Rise victoriously
From the dead
Because in the Bible
We behold the glory
Of the Lord Jesus
And we are transformed
As we behold him
Every single one of us
Came to faith in Jesus
One way or another
Because we read the Bible
Or because we heard
Someone proclaim the Bible
To us
What if I told you
That there is a place
You can go to
Meet personally
With Jesus
I know the address
What if I told you
That there is a number
You can dial
On your phone
To hear Jesus' voice
Brothers and sisters
We can do
Precisely that
Right here in the scriptures
Let us stay here
Remain here
Linger here
Let's pray
Lord
We are so privileged
Where we live
To have
Unrestricted
Access
To your word
It is so affordable
It is available
For free
There are so many
Resources
That help us
To understand it better
Oh Lord
Help us not
To take your word
For granted
Just because
We are near it
And familiar with it
Let us not lose sight
Of what a wondrous
Book it is
What power
There is
Within
Hunger for you
Drive us
So that we might
Know you more
That we might
Hear you
In Jesus name we pray
Amen
If you'd like to
Share your book
And bear your Youtube
And put this
I'll wear you
For in fact
If you could
Help us
Feed us
Where we reign
There is
To us
2
Question
Your
Make
In
Your
Off
3
Before
Ann
This
To us
Here
The
Thing
Talk
To us
Feel
It