Holy Bible, Book Divine
Main Text: II Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Core statement: Knowing the Scriptures is vital to our faith and all Christians should study and know it well.
Introduction:
William was being pursued by the authorities. His offense was against the King of England, and capture meant certain death. He escaped his homeland and found his way first to Germany and finally Belgium. Rarely venturing out of the haven he had found, he continued his illegal activity.
Some time later, he met a fellow Englishman named Henry who befriended William. Henry convinced William to come out of his hiding place for a meeting, and there waiting were the Belgium authorities who arrested and imprisoned William.
You see, William’s offense was so severe that the King of England had convinced the Belgium authorities to work with him to capture the outlaw. William was imprisoned for 500 days – almost two years – in terrible conditions. Finally he was tried and convicted. Then, on October 6, 1536, William was first strangled and then burned at the stake.
So, what was William’s offense that warranted such a punishment? Surely a horrible murder or maybe treason. No, William Tyndale’s offense was translating the Bible into the English language. Tyndale felt strongly about getting the Word of God into the hands of the common person. He once was disputing with an educated man and said, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scripture than thou dost." His final words before he was killed was a prayer that God would, "open the king of England's eyes" so that the Bible could be translated into English. Less than 75 years later, that prayer would be answered and what we now know as the “King James Version” of the Bible was authorized by King James I.
Baptist too have felt strongly that God’s word is vital to our faith and that all Christians should study and know It well. When Baptists began, they would commonly write “Statements of Faith” or “Confessions of Faith.” Many of these are full of Scripture references and statements concerning the Bible. Let me read from one. This one is from 1611 and is called, “A Declaration of Faith of English People:”
23. That the scriptures off the Old and New Testament are written for our instruction, 2. Tim. 3.16 & that wee ought to search them for they testifie off CHRIST, Io 5.39. And therefore to bee vsed withall reverence, as conteyning the Holie Word off GOD, which onelie is our direction in al thinges whatsoever.
And, here’s what our current confession, called the Baptist Faith and Message, says on the topic:
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
Why is it that Tyndale would feel so strongly about getting the Bible into the hands of common people that he would die for it? And, why do Baptists put such an emphasis on Bible study and knowing the Word of God?
There’s an old hymn called “Holy Bible, Book Divine.” It was written in 1803. Here’s how it goes:
Holy Bible, Book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came;
Mine to teach me what I am.
Mine to chide me when I rove;
Mine to show a Savior’s love;
Mine thou art to guide and guard;
Mine to punish or reward.
Mine to comfort in distress;
Suffering in this wilderness;
Mine to show, by living faith,
Man can triumph over death.
Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner’s doom;
O thou holy Book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine.
Let’s look at this Book Divine for a few minutes and see why we feel it is so important.
I. First, we believe that it is the Word of God –;
II Timothy 3:16-17 -- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
II Peter 1:19-21 -- So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The Bible is a special book. It was written by men. Some even “investigated everything carefully,” as Luke 1:3 says. But, their writing was directed and influenced – the verses above say, “moved” – by the Holy Spirit so that what was said was as though it were spoken by God.
We can see small
examples of this in many other areas. I like to go to art museums. Sometimes,
while reading about a painting, it will say, “this person painted it, but
you can see the influence of some other painter who was his or her mentor.” Or,
in music, you can hear how one composer influenced another composer. The
writing of the Bible is at a much higher level. I don’t believe it worked
like dictation does, where one person writes down word-for-word what another
says. I believe that God used the personalities and education and experiences
of each writer to create a message that said exactly what He wanted said.
II. God’s Word is eternal
Isaiah 40:8 -- The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Matthew 5:18 -- For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.
When I think about all I do while I am hear on earth, I have come to realize that there are only a few things that will ever outlive me. One is worship; another is touching people’s souls; and finally, there is Bible study. Nothing else lasts.
Some of you maybe have been to Texas. It’s a bit different over there than it is here. We have beautiful wild flowers like the Bluebonnet – our state flower. But, it only blooms for a few weeks in the spring. (Just about now through maybe April or possibly into May.) Then they will fade away and be gone. Our grass does a little better. It can handle our Texas heat, where it gets up over 100 many times during the summer, but over the winter, with lows down around freezing or even below, the grass turns brown. Just within the last few weeks has it begun to turn green again.
These verses
are telling us that all the things we do and have are like the wild flowers
and the grass in Texas. They last just for a time and then they are gone. But
God’s Word is eternal; it lasts forever. You can always know that when
you are reading or studying God’s Word, it is not wasted time. I Corinthians
3 (13) talks about how everything that is not done for eternal purposes
will burn up. Where would you like to invest your time? In something
eternal, or in something temporary?
III. God’s Word will help you avoid sin
Psalm 119:9-11 -- How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping {it} according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
All Christians should be concerned about staying pure in an impure world. The Bible says in I Thessalonians 4:7-8, “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” God’s Word is the way we can stick to a path of purity.
We can’t avoid temptation. Even Jesus was tempted. The Bible says that Jesus was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). So, how did Jesus combat temptation? Do you remember Matthew 4:1-11, where Jesus was tempted by Satan? Satan used ... or should I say “misused” Scripture to tempt Jesus. How did He respond? Each time, Jesus quoted Scripture back to Satan, using it correctly. If we don’t read and study the Bible, we won’t have the ammunition needed to fight off Satan’s attacks.
Something else William Tyndale once said, "The nature of God's word is, that whosoever read it, . . . it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man."
IV. God’s Word will light your path
Psalm 119:105 -- Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Have you ever been out at night with no moonlight? Especially if you are walking in the woods or over rocks you know that you need to see not only what is out in front of you, but also what is right at your feet. If you don’t see your feet, you could trip over something. If you don’t see out in front of you, you may not be going in the right direction. I saw a story on the news about the man that went to Kilauea at night. When he left the lava flow, he got turned around and had no idea which way he was going. He tripped on the lava and cut himself badly, but was able to stop the bleeding. He ended up being lost for several days until a young boy on a helicopter ride with his family saw a flash from a mirror the man had and he was rescued. The man had a flashlight, but while he was trying to see in front of him, he couldn’t see what was at his feet and vice versa. God’s Word lets you see both at the same time. Not on a physical path, but on your path through life – God’s Will for your life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” (Another version says, “He will direct your paths.) God’s Word is like those navigational systems they have for cars today. Have you ever used one? I have rented a car with one it in. I can still hear it talking to me. Whenever I would make a wrong turn it would say (in a woman’s voice, of course), “Please return to the prescribed route.” That’s what God’s Word will do for you. If you get off the path God has for you, His Word will encourage you to return to the right path.
What is God’s Will for my life? Do you ever ask that? The promise of the Bible is that God’s Word will show you the way you should go. For example:
I Thessalonians 4:3 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” There, God has said exactly what His Will is for your life. If you ever had a question about it, that’s it. God wants you to be sanctified – that means holy, or set apart – and here it is even more explicit. The Bible says that God’s Will is for us to abstain from sexual immorality.
Here’s another one – actually three – also from I Thessalonians (5:16-18), “Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s Will is that we rejoice always. You may ask, “Even in suffering? Even in sad times?” I think the word “always” is pretty plain here. It means, “always.” But how can we do that? Well, one way is found in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
There are many others, but let’s move on.
V. God’s Word increases your faith
Romans 10:17 -- So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Have you ever
felt like your faith was weak? I know I have. This verse promises that
God’s Word will increase your faith. How does that happen? Well, I think
there are several ways. One of them is reading God’s promises. When we
see what He has promised and we see them fulfilled, our faith increases. Another
way is reading about those who have gone before us and how they were faithful. Hebrews
chapter 11 lists many of those, that’s why many people call that the “Hall
of Faith.”
VI. God’s Word teaches us about Christ
John 5:39 -- You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me
Jesus was telling the Jewish leaders that they are looking at the Scriptures for eternal life, but they are totally missing it. They cannot see that Jesus is the one who gives eternal life and that the Scriptures point to him.
There are many people who have tried to give a theme to the Bible. One person has said that the Bible, “is the story of God redeeming His chosen people for His glory” (John MacArthur, MacArthur’s Quick Reference Guide to the Bible). That sounds pretty good. And, if that is true, then I would say one of the main characters of the Bible is Jesus Christ. It is He who accomplishes that mission.
Now, someone might say, “But Jesus doesn’t come on the scene until the New Testament. That’s the story of Christmas that we hear every year.” Actually, Jesus has been around even before the creation of the world. In fact, John 1:3 says that, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” So, Jesus made everything we see!
So, Jesus was around even in the Old Testament times. Do you remember the story where Jesus is talking to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? They did not understand about why He was crucified. Jesus appeared to them and talked to them while they walked along, but they did not realize that it was He. At one point Luke says, “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27). How would you have liked that sermon?
One person went through the Bible and has shown us where Jesus appears all through it. He says:
In Genesis, He is the Seed of the woman.
In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb.
In Leviticus, He is the atoning Sacrifice.
In Numbers, He is the bronze Serpent.
In Deuteronomy, He’s the promised Prophet.
In Joshua, He is the unseen Captain.
In Judges, He is my Deliver.
In Ruth, He’s my heavenly Kinsman.
In Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, He is the promised King.
In Ezra and Nehemiah, He’s the Restorer of the nation.
In Esther, He is my Advocate.
In Job, He is my Redeemer.
In Psalms, He is my All in All.
In Proverbs, He is my pattern.
In Ecclesiastes, He is my Goal.
In Song of Solomon, He is my Beloved.
In the prophets, He is the coming Prince of Peace.
In Matthew, He is the King.
In Mark, He is the Servant.
In Luke, He is the Son of Man.
In John, He is the Son of God.
In Acts, He is risen, seated and sending.
In the letters, He is indwelling and filling.
And in Revelation, He is returning and reigning.Adapted from Illustrating Great Words of the New Testament, by J.B. Fowler, Jr. (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman, 1991), p.98 as found in A Look at the Book studyguide by Charles R. Swindoll, p. 19.
VII. Finally, The Bible builds our relationship with God
Hebrews 1:1-2 -- God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son ....
John 20:30-31 -- Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Reading about someone helps us to understand the person more. Reading and studying God’s Word will help us understand God more.
I already mentioned how the main theme of the entire Bible is God’s redemptive plan. The last thing that I want to say this morning is the most important. Have you accepted God’s redemptive plan for your life? The Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that the “wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). If we confess our sin, He will forgive (I John 1:9).
INVITATION
There are many other things I could have mentioned: