All right, well, this morning I'm going to completely abandon my usual style and method,
and I'm going to tell you right at the start of the message what my main point is and what
the aim is.
This one's for you, Ellie.
This morning, I want to encourage and motivate you to spend countless hours in 2023 with
God in the pages of His Word.
Now, I realize that Christmas is two weeks away, and probably the last thing on your
mind right now is when and where and how much you will read the Bible this next year.
I know that there's lots left to do in preparation for Christmas.
We're just two weeks away, and there's probably shopping and preparations and decorating and
cleaning and tidying, and the list goes on.
And you're right, most of the things of 2023 can just wait until 2023.
But there's one thing that I hope you'll start to think about now before you wake up to a
new year, and it's arguably the most essential and important thing that we can give our time
to in this new year ahead.
It's so foundational to how this next year will go for you and for me.
And so I am praying that by the end of this message, you will take a Bible reading plan
off of the table right there at the back of the sanctuary and resolve to spend countless
hours with our great God and Savior in the pages of His Word and follow through with it.
Let me start by asking you this question.
How do you want 2023 to go?
What kind of year do you want it to be?
Do you believe that the time you spend reading your Bible can make all the difference in the year ahead?
What is this book?
This is the most precious and valuable book on planet Earth.
It's the collection of the many times and various ways that God has spoken to us.
It's the true story of what's been going on in our world since God made it.
And through these pages are written the very words that God has said to men and women and even
children through the ages.
There is no other book like this.
If this book contains the very words of God,
should we not read it and meditate on it again in this year ahead?
Why spend countless hours scrolling through feeds filled with the words of men
when we can spend countless hours turning through these pages that are filled with the words of the living God?
I hope that some of my enthusiasm and passion is contagious,
but I know that it's not enough to change your heart.
And so this morning we want to look at a number of passages from God's Word
that can motivate us and encourage us to give ourselves to His Word in the year ahead.
We're going to start with John 17, verse 3.
All these passages will be on the screen.
And my first reason out of five
for why you should spend countless hours in God's Word in 2023
is because this book is at the heart of our relationship with God.
It's not just a history book or some ancient writings.
This is a book through which we can have relationship with God.
Jesus was praying to His Father in this passage in John 17.
He said,
Father, the hour has come.
Glorify Your Son that Your Son may glorify You.
For You granted Him authority over all people
that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they know You,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ,
whom You have sent.
What is life?
Let's just set aside that adjective eternal for just a moment.
What is life?
This is life,
that they may know You,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ,
whom You have sent.
How do we know who God is?
We know it from His Word,
from what He has said about Himself,
and revealed to us in the pages of the Bible.
How do we know who Jesus is?
How do we get to know Him better?
We know it through the eyewitnesses accounts
that we have right here
in the Word of God.
Do you want to experience more fully
that abundant life,
that joy
of having relationship with Christ
in this year ahead?
Then you need to get to know Him even better.
And you can do that
by spending countless hours
reading and meditating
on the things God has revealed
about Himself in His book.
This book is at the heart
of our relationship with God.
For my second point,
I'm going to borrow a little from David Jeremiah
and something I heard from him
here in Sunday school a couple weeks back.
This book is the place
where our faith grows.
Another reason why we should spend
countless hours reading it
in this coming year
we often use this language
of growing in our faith.
And it sounds wonderful.
Yeah, I want to grow in my faith.
Can we grow in our faith?
Well, the Bible says,
yes.
Paul, speaking to the church
at Thessalonica,
said this in 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 3.
We ought always to thank God for you,
brothers and sisters,
and rightly so,
because your faith is growing
more and more.
Can our faith grow?
Yes, it can.
It can increase.
But how does it happen?
Paul wrote this to the church at Rome.
Romans 10 verse 17.
Faith comes from hearing
and hearing from the word of Christ
or hearing from the word of God
depending on your translation.
The point Paul's making here
is that faith comes
when we hear the word of God.
We cannot trust
unless we have something
to trust in.
And God has spoken.
He's given us words.
He's revealed himself to us
so that we could put our faith
in him
and in his word.
And so we can grow
in our faith in God
as we hear and read
and come to understand
more about him.
And the more that we know him
in these pages of his word,
the more we trust him.
The more we see
just how trustworthy he is.
So this book, the Bible,
is the place
where our faith grows
because this is the place
where God speaks.
And think about this.
We want to grow in our faith.
The more that we trust God,
the more faith we have in him,
it changes and affects
everything in our lives,
doesn't it?
Worry gives way to the peace
that passes all understanding.
The problems and the challenges
that we face in our daily lives,
they begin to shrink
as our faith grows
because we know
the good and gracious king
who has promised
to carry us through them.
The one who calms storms
with a word.
As our faith grows,
God leads us down paths
that we might have been reluctant
to choose.
Paths that really will
spare us hardship
and heartache,
pain and trouble.
This book, the Bible,
is the place
where our faith grows.
Do you want your faith
to increase in 2023?
Do you want all the benefits
that come with that?
Then resolve
to spend countless hours
in this coming year
in God's word,
in the greenhouse of faith,
the pages of his word.
number three.
This book is the place
where we find everything
we need for life.
2 Peter 1, verse 3.
Peter writes and he says,
God's divine power
has given us
everything we need
for a godly life
through our knowledge
of him
who called us
by his own glory
and goodness.
Through these,
he has given us
his very great
and precious promises
so that through them
you may participate
in the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption
in the world
caused by evil desires.
Do you hear this?
We know that God's words
are powerful.
When we go back
to the beginning,
Genesis chapter 1,
we read about
how God's words
brought the whole universe
into being.
He spoke and it was.
That same divine power
has also provided you and me
with everything we need
for a godly life.
for life
and godliness.
How does it come to us?
Through our knowledge
of him.
There it is again.
How do we get to know him?
Through the pages
of his word.
This is where he has
revealed himself
through the centuries.
So this book
is the place
where we find
everything
that we need
for a godly life.
Now we might be tempted
to push back here
and say,
really?
Everything?
You know,
I believe the Bible
has lots to help me
with some things.
Maybe spiritual things,
maybe the things
about salvation.
But everything?
Well, I didn't write this.
This is
God's own word.
Everything
we need
for life
and godliness
or for a godly life,
God's word
provides us
with the knowledge
of God
that we need.
That's what it says.
I think that's what it means.
Think about it.
What does God's word,
the Bible,
touch on?
does it not provide
the comprehensive framework
and understanding
of all that we need
to know
for life,
for a godly life?
It tells us
how the universe began,
where life came from,
where we came from,
how and why
God made us,
what the purpose
of our lives is,
how defying God
ruined everything,
how God
in his goodness
has been working
mercifully
to redeem
and save
and restore.
It gives us
many pictures
of how everything
will come
to its final end
in our world,
what the final destiny
will be for the universe
and everything in it.
This book
reveals to us
who God is,
his glory,
his many wonderful
attributes,
how he relates
to all kinds
of people
in all kinds
of situations.
This book
is full of wise words
and loving instruction
for every area
of life,
from the beginning
of life
to the end
of life.
God gives us
what he knows
is essential
for relationships,
for marriage,
for parenting,
finances,
prayer,
worship,
work,
administration,
planning,
speaking,
justice,
for knowing good
and evil,
for helping
the needy,
for how to
prioritize,
for character
building,
for encouraging
those who are
discouraged,
for how to live
together as the
people of God
back then
and today,
for how to make
peace with others,
for how to endure
hardship and suffering,
for how to handle
temptation,
for how to make
decisions,
for how to act
wisely in countless
practical ways,
for how to love
and be a neighbor.
And the list
could go on.
This book
really does
reveal to us
everything that we
need for life,
for a godly life.
It touches on
every emotion
that we will
experience.
It speaks to us
about what to do
with all of them,
whether it's anger
or frustration
or grief
or unforgiveness
or bitterness,
sorrow,
worry,
anxiety,
fear,
doubt and unbelief,
joy,
happiness,
passion,
zeal,
laziness,
apathy,
the list goes on.
It speaks to all
of it.
And what's so
beautiful about
this book is that
it doesn't just
come to us
all this knowledge
of God in the
form of a rule book
or a dictionary
or an encyclopedia.
God gives it all
through a great
variety of genres.
History
and poetry,
law
and love song,
liturgy
and victory
chant,
proverbs
and parables,
spectacular
visions
and dreams,
records
and personal
letters,
covenants
and confessions,
prophecies
and proclamation,
wisdom
and oracle,
all of these
woven together
through the
great narrative
telling us
the story
of God
and of us
and our world.
This book
really is the place
where we find
everything we need
for life
and godliness,
the place
where we grow
in our knowledge
of God.
So,
why should we
spend countless
hours
in God's words
in 2023?
three,
we've heard
a few
different reasons.
Number one,
this book
is at the heart
of our relationship
with God.
This book
is the place
where our faith
grows.
This book
is the place
where we find
everything we need
for life
and godliness.
And number four,
this book
is full
of very
great
and precious
promises.
We're still
in 2 Peter
chapter one
verse four.
Peter says,
through these,
through his
greatness
and glory,
he has given
us his very
great
and precious
promises
so that through
them you may
participate
in the divine
nature.
Having escaped
the corruption
in the world
caused by evil
desires.
Do you know
that the Bible
is full
of very
great
and precious
promises?
One pastor
said it this way.
He said,
the entire Bible
can be summed
up like this.
Old Testament
promises
made.
New Testament
promises
kept.
God's word
is full
of promises
and not
just any
old promises
but very
great
promises.
Precious
promises.
And as we
read through
God's word
we see that
we see part
of why they're
so precious
is because
God always
keeps his
promises.
He is
faithful.
He proves
it over
and over
again
throughout
history.
Let me
ask you
something.
Do you
want to
know
all that
God has
in store
for you?
If you
are a
Christian,
if you
are a
believer
in Jesus?
I do.
It's all
in here.
Countless
promises.
Both the
details of
what he
has promised
and the
assurance
that he
will deliver
on those
promises
through our
relationship
with Jesus.
2 Corinthians
chapter 1
verse 20.
I love
this verse.
Paul says,
for no matter
how many
promises God
has made,
they are
yes in
Christ.
It's as
though Paul
reflects back
on all the
promises God
has made
throughout
history,
throughout the
Old Testament
and he
says,
the answer
to all
of them
is yes,
I will
do that
for you
through Jesus
Christ,
my son,
through the
union that
we have
with him
when we
come to
believe and
be born
again.
God keeps
every promise
he's ever
made to
Jesus,
the son of
man,
and all
those who
have been
united with
him through
his death
and resurrection
by faith.
It's a
wonderful
assurance that
God gives.
But notice
what else
Peter has
to say
about these
very great
and precious
promises.
He has
given us
his very
great and
precious
promises so
that through
them you
may participate
in the
divine nature.
What does
that mean?
I love
this verse.
God speaking
through Peter,
God is
not afraid
to tell
us how
close we
can get
to him
through his
promises.
We get
so close
to God
through the
promises that
we find in
the pages
of his
word that
we become
partakers
of the
divine
nature.
Would you
like to
partake
of God's
divine
nature?
Would you
like to
participate
and be
brought
into
this
wonderful
person,
God,
this
glorious
God?
Would you
like to
have that
most intimate
of relationships
with him?
Peter says
that's what
these very
great and
precious
promises
do for
us.
That's where
they lead
us.
Now some
of you
might be
thinking,
whoa,
this sounds
close to
blasphemy.
Are you
saying that
we are
going to
become
God?
No.
Let me
clarify.
Peter's not
saying that
we become
God,
but that
we become
partakers
in God's
nature.
How does
it work?
Well,
elsewhere,
Jesus and
Paul teach
us very
clearly that
we who
believe in
Christ and
are born
again by
his spirit
we become
one with
Jesus.
We are
united to
Christ so
deeply,
born again
by his
spirit.
So much
so are we
one, are we
united that
we are said
to be co-heirs
with Christ,
sons of
God,
adopted into
the family.
We get to
share in
Christ's
glory.
we get to
share in
his reign.
And there
are many
things that
Christ has
that we
will have
forever.
Life,
immortality,
holiness,
perfection,
incorruptibility,
glory.
And like
Jesus, we
will have the
most intimate
relationship with
God that
we can
ever imagine.
Let's look at
a couple
quick passages.
Colossians
chapter 1
verse 27.
To them
God has
chosen to
make known
among the
Gentiles the
glorious riches
of this
mystery which
is Christ
in you.
The hope
of glory.
A little
later in the
same letter,
Colossians
chapter 3
verses 3
and 4,
Paul says
to them,
for you
died and
your life
is now
hidden with
Christ in
God.
When Christ
who is your
life appears,
you also
will appear
with him
in glory.
There's this
union that
we have
with Jesus.
And a
passage we
haven't got
to yet in
John chapter
17 is
Jesus prays
to his
father.
He says,
my prayer is
not for my
disciples alone,
that's the
ones with
him that
evening.
I pray
also for
those who
will believe
in me
through their
message,
that all of
them may be
one,
Father,
just as you
are in me
and I
am in you.
May they
also be in
us so that
the world
may believe
that you
have sent
me.
I have
given them
the glory
that you
gave me,
that they
may be
one as
we are
one.
I in
them and
you in
me so
that they
may be
brought to
complete
unity.
These are
wonderful
words.
There is
only one
God and
there will
only ever
be one
God.
We
sometimes
refer to
God as
the
Trinity,
Father,
Son,
and Holy
Spirit.
And the
good news
of Jesus
is that
we by
faith can
become
united to
a member
of the
Trinity,
united with
Christ,
that he
and his
spirit live
in us
and we
in them.
And so
God lives
in us
and we
in him.
We can
become
partakers
in this
way of
his divine
nature.
And this
comes as a
gift of
his glory
and goodness
through
his promises.
through
believing
his promises
and receiving
what they
offer.
So we
ought to
give
ourselves
to
countless
hours
in this
book,
carefully
reading it,
meditating on
it in this
year ahead,
because it's
through the
promises found
here that we
can become
partakers of
the divine
nature,
lovingly
joined to
God
forever.
this book
is full
of
very
great
and
precious
promises
which
believed
and
embraced
will
lead us
up
into
the
glory
of
God,
into
union
with
God,
through
union
with
Christ.
There's a
second half
to this
one,
a part
B for
those of
you who
love
outlines.
God's
very
great
and precious
promises,
not only do
they make
us
partakers
of the
divine
nature,
but it's
actually
through
them that
we are
empowered
to
overcome
evil
here in
the world
right now.
Back to
2 Peter 1
verse 4.
He has
given us
his very
great and
precious
promises so
that through
them you
may participate
in the
divine
nature,
having
escaped
the
corruption
in the
world
caused
by evil
desires.
How do
we
break
free
from
the
allure
of
sin?
How do
we win
the battle
when we're
tempted
and enticed
to do
evil?
How are we
set free
from the
corruption
in this
world?
Peter says
it's by,
it's through
the very
great and
precious
promises
that God
has made.
Now what
does that
mean?
what does
that look
like?
Sin and
temptation
make promises
to us as
well.
Do this
thing and
it will make
you happy.
Try this
thing over
here, it
will satisfy
you, it
will give
you what
you long
for.
And these
promises that
sin and
temptation make,
they're powerful.
We feel them
so deeply.
But these
promises of
sin and
temptation start
to lose their
power and
their appeal
when we see
the far
greater promises
that God
has made to
us, to
those who
love him.
Let me give
an example.
I'd love to
be rich and
have all the
pleasures and
comforts of
this world.
But Christ
warns me that
if I were
even able to
obtain all of
that, it
wouldn't last.
the day
would come
when my
life would
be demanded
from me.
Death will
come knocking
on my
door.
And so
Jesus promises
me that if
I give up
my life for
me in this
world and
lay it down,
die to
myself and
follow him,
he will give
me something
far greater
that does
last forever,
eternal life
and the
salvation of
my soul for
eternity.
This is
just one of
many very
great and
precious promises
that kills
the appeal
of earthly
riches.
It breaks
the power of
greed.
It helps us
escape the
corruption in
the world
caused by
evil desire,
specifically the
evil desire to
get more and
more and more
and more for
myself.
And amazingly,
this promise of
Christ breaks
the power of
greed by
offering me
a superior
treasure.
Something that
just when I get
my gaze on it,
it enables me to
let go of the
treasures of this
world, the
things this world
loves so dearly.
It's truly a
wonderful thing.
How does God
help us win
against temptation?
He offers
more.
He guarantees
something better
in its place.
Superior
pleasures,
delights,
experiences,
greater possessions
than this earth
contains for a
life that never
ends in the
glorious kingdom
of God when
Jesus returns.
The promises of
God give us the
power that we
need to say
no to temptation
and to evil
desires.
Which means
that to
overcome sin
and temptation
in 2023,
we need to
keep these
very great
and precious
promises right
there in front
of us.
Reading them,
meditating on
them, even
memorizing them.
Do you see the
benefit of spending
countless hours
in these pages
days in the
year ahead?
This book is at
the heart of our
relationship with
God.
This book is the
place where our
faith grows.
This book is the
place where we find
everything we need
for life.
This book is full of
very great and
precious promises
which enable us to
partake in the
divine nature and
escape the
corruption in the
world caused by
evil desires.
And number
five, this book
is full of the
instructions that
we need to
stand firm
through 2023 and
through the rest
of our lives.
Matthew chapter
7, verse 24.
Jesus said this,
he said,
everyone who
hears these
words of mine
and puts them
into practice is
like a wise man
who built his
house on the
rock.
The rain came
down and the
streams rose and
the winds blew
and beat against
that house, yet it
did not fall because
it had its foundation
on the rock.
But everyone who
hears these words
of mine and does
not put them into
practice is like a
foolish man who
built his house on
sand.
The rain came
down, the streams
rose and the winds
blew and beat
against that house
and it fell.
with a great
crash.
This little
parable gives us
such a powerful
illustration.
How will you
fare through the
storms, through the
challenges, through
the difficulties of
this coming year,
2023?
Jesus says it all
depends on whether
you hear his words
and put them into
practice.
And to put them into
practice, you must
first hear what he
has to say.
And to hear what
Jesus says, you must
spend time in this
book listening to
what he has to say.
Jesus says if you
hear his words and
don't put them into
practice, you're a
fool.
You're an idiot.
The way you're living
your life is like a
guy building his main
residence on the
sand of a beach.
church.
How short-sighted.
It's going to be a
disaster.
Why is he a fool?
Because he was told
where and how he
should build it.
And he chose to
ignore it.
Foolishness.
But there's something
even more foolish
than this.
The person who has
all the words of
Christ right here
in his Bible
and doesn't even
open it to listen,
to hear.
Imagine that you
were there as Jesus
was speaking these
words to the crowd.
And you look beside
you and there's this
guy there who's got a
scowl on his face.
And he takes his
fingers and he puts
them in his ears.
I don't need to
listen to this guy.
That's you.
That's me.
When we look at our
Bible sitting on the
shelf or on the
coffee table and say,
eh, I don't need to
do that.
I've got better
things to do, more
important things to
do.
That's boring.
You're an idiot,
says Jesus.
You're a fool.
If you disregard my
words, the house of
your life will go
splat.
So let's resolve
today, before this
new year, to not be
idiots and fools, let's
resolve today to spend
countless hours with
Jesus, listening to
his word, reading it,
meditating on it in
2023.
This book is at the
heart of our
relationship with God.
This book is the
place where our faith
grows.
This book is the
place where we find
everything we need for
life.
It's full of very
great and precious
promises, and it's
full of the instructions
that we need to stand
firm through 2023 and
the rest of our lives.
As elders, we were
talking about this, and
we've agreed that each
of us elders are going to
read through the Bible,
the whole thing, in
2023.
We want this to be the
normal for those in
leadership in our
church.
kind of the unwritten
expectation for everyone
who serves as an elder in
this church, that every
year we carefully and
prayerfully read through
God's word, cover to
cover.
And we want to encourage
all of you, we want to
invite you to join us, to
read God's word with us.
And so on the table at the
back, we've made available a
few different kinds of Bible
reading plans so that you can
do that.
Now, we know that
everybody's at a different
place.
For some of you, you've
maybe never tried this
before.
And so reading through the
whole Bible may be a bit
much for you.
We've got a plan for you.
Five by five by five plan,
five minutes a day, five
days a week, read through
the whole New Testament in
the year.
And you get two days a week
just to catch up and
reflect in case you get
behind.
We've got a plan for kids.
We want all the kids to
read.
Parents, help your kids
read through God's word
this year.
We've got a plan back
there called the sweeter
than honey plan.
And it just takes kids
right through select
chapters through the main
story of the Bible with a
good mix of old and new
testaments, Psalms, and
Proverbs.
If you're thinking, yeah, I
want to feast on God's word
this year.
Give me the whole Bible this
year.
We've got two plans for you.
We've got one that takes you
through the Old Testament
chronologically.
It even puts the Psalms and
the prophets in their place
in the narrative so you can
kind of know when they
happen and when they spoke.
That's at the back there.
And we've got a plan called
the book at a time plan where
you just work through a book
at a time alternating back
and forth between the Old
and the New Testament.
And all of these plans are
just 25 readings per month so
you get days for catch up and
reflection.
Christian, and let's do
this.
This could be a really good
year for us as a church.
This is how we grow in our
faith as a church.
If you're really up for a
challenge, maybe you've
already been through the
Bible several times and you
just want to go deeper, I've
got something special for you.
I will give you your own copy
of the Holman Bible Atlas with
all the maps, all the stuff that
talks about what happened in
those trickier parts, where
the Assyrian Empire went down
to attack and blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah.
It's all back there.
You can have a look at that
and just throw your name down
there.
If you want a copy of that, I
will give that to you as my
Christmas gift this year.
Read through it with your
Bible reading plan this year.
Finally, if you don't have a
Bible, we would love to just
give you one as a church.
We've got Bibles for kids of a
couple different ages.
We've got Bibles for just nice
Bibles for you if you're an
adult and we would be happy to
just give you that.
We want to see you know God and
know his son Jesus and we want
this to be an awesome year for
everyone.
Let's pray.
Father in heaven, thank you for
the gift of your word.
I pray and ask that you would
work in our hearts, that we would
hunger and thirst for it, that we
would know that we do not live by
bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from your mouth.
Work that into each one of us, we
pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.