Back to the Basics: Can You Trust the Bible? HOOK

Transcription

1 Back to the Basics: Can You Trust the Bible? HOOK Over the years, movies and films have played an important role in our culture. From making us laugh to making us cry, Hollywood has developed the ability to tell compelling stories. Based on the lines from famous movies below, test your group s movie trivia skills: Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you re gonna get. (Forrest Gump) We ll always have Paris. (Casablanca) I'll never let go. (Titanic) May the Force be with you. (Star Wars) To infinity and beyond. (Toy Story) We re not in Kansas anymore. (Wizard of Oz) I want the truth!... You can t handle the truth! (A Few Good Men) Yo Adrian, we did it! (Rocky II) Attitude reflects leadership, Captain, (Remember the Titans) Stories captivate our attention and leave us with memorable moments. A good story stays with you long after the movie ends. There is one story that transcends any movie screenplay or special effects: the story of God s redemptive work throughout history. It is the true story of the lives of real people in real places who encounter the real and living God. As Christians, we are a part of this story. In this room today, some of you may approach this topic with doubt, skepticism or confusion. The reality is that this is robbing you of some of the joy of your Christian walk. How can you know if the story of the Bible is true? Can you have confidence that the words have authority? We believe you can be confident in the truth of Scripture because God has preserved His Word for us to know and learn from, even today.

2 BOOK Main Point: God has given us the Bible so that we may know who He is and be equipped to do what He says. Some have called it The Greatest Book Ever Written. Throughout history, kings and rulers have sought to remove and even destroy it. Men, women and children have been put to death for affirming its teachings. Scholars have devoted their lives to proving or disproving its contents. Without question, the Bible is the most unique book the world has ever known. Here are some interesting facts about the writing of the Bible that you might not know: Written over a 1,600-year period Written by more than 40 writers from every walk of life from king to peasant; philosopher to fisherman Written in different places from the wilderness, to a comfortable room, to a dungeon Written at different times from war to peace Written during authors different moods from the height of joy to the depths of despair Written on three continents Asia, Africa and Europe Written in three languages Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Written concerning hundreds of controversial issues 1 Has been read by more people and published in more languages than any other work 2 In speaking about the Bible, one author describes it this way: It claims to be the Word of God and the source of absolute truth. If this book has made such astonishing claims about itself, one must ask, Is it reliable? Where did it come from? Did the events described in the Bible really take place? Can I trust that it is God s Word? 3 Year after year, people have attempted to cast doubt upon the legitimacy and credibility of the Bible. People have wondered how they can know that the Bible is the same as when it was originally written, and they do not know if they can trust a book that seems to be full of myths. Jesus and the authors of the Scriptures clearly claim that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. First, let s consider what the Bible has to say about itself. 1. The Bible is inspired by God. 2 Timothy 3: Timothy 3:16 states that all Scripture is inspired by God; inspired, when translated from the original language means God-breathed. This gives us the mental picture of God breathing His life into the writings of the authors. Just as the wind fills the sails of a sailboat and propels it, so the Spirit of God filled and moved the authors to write what they did. The writers, however, did not merely take dictation. Naturally, the words in the Bible reflect the temperaments, education and cultures of the people who wrote them, but the result is exactly what God intended. 1 Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, 1972, p Bill Wilson, ed., The Best of Josh McDowell: A Ready Defense, 1990, p Taken from the Practical Christian Living curriculum. Used with permission from Mentoring One 2 One.

3 2. The Old Testament authors claimed their writings are the Word of God. Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 6:1 9; Joshua 1:8; 2 Samuel 23:1 2 Old Testament writers used many phrases to indicate that they believed they were writing God s words. Using the verses above, ask people to respond with words or phrases that the authors use to show they believe they were writing the words of God: Deuteronomy 4:1...the decrees and laws I am about to teach you Deuteronomy 6:1 9...these are the commands, decrees and law the Lord your God directed me to teach you Joshua 1:8...all that is written in it 2 Samuel 23:1 2...his word was on my tongue In the examples above, we see that Moses, Joshua and David believed they were conveying God s Word to the people. 3. The New Testament claimed the same divine authority as the Old Testament, that they were writing the words of God 2 Peter 1:16 21, 3:16 In 2 Peter 1:16 21, what did Peter believe about Old Testament prophecy? Based on 2 Peter 3:16, what did Peter call Paul s writings? Peter argued for the truthfulness of the message that he preached based on his own personal experience with Jesus. He also fervently believed that the life and the message of Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies. This is why Peter can conclude in v. 21 that prophecy, and Scripture overall, do not have their origin in the will of man but that he and the prophets were speaking from God. 4. Jesus acknowledged the reliability and the divine authority of the Old Testament Scriptures. Matthew 5:18; 22:23 32 Jesus made extensive use of the Scriptures. Read Matthew 5:18. What did Jesus say in this verse to indicate that the Bible is reliable? Read Matthew 22: What did Jesus say in verse 31 to indicate that the Bible is God s Word? Note on Matthew 22:23 32: The Sadducees were a Jewish religious group. They often asked Jesus questions with the intention of tricking Him. Jesus put an end to their hypocritical inquiries by quoting from the Old Testament book of Exodus. During the time of Jesus, the book of Exodus was already several hundred years old. Jesus boldly said that Exodus was not just

4 God s revelation to those who were alive in the days of Moses, but also to those who were alive then. Jesus not only confirms the inerrancy of the Old Testament writings by teaching them authoritatively, but also affirms their preservation when He declares later in Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away. 5. The Bible claims to be true. Psalm 18:30, 19:7, 119:160 The Bible attests numerous times to its correctness, trustworthiness and flawlessness. Based on the Scripture examples, how is God s Word described? Psalm 18:30... the word of the Lord is flawless. Psalm 19:7... the law of the Lord is perfect. Psalm 11: all your words are true, all your righteous laws are eternal. 6. The prophecies of the Bible were confirmed in the life and work of Jesus. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 24, 25; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1 The inclusion of many specific prophecies sets the Bible apart from all other works. The fulfillment of these prophecies points to the reliability of the other information presented in the Old and New Testaments. The number of prophecies is astounding. Use the table below as an example (taken from Starting Point, p. 42):

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6 TOOK Even with all the facts presented, you must still come to the place where you have to make a faith decision to accept the Bible as true or untrue, divine or fake, powerful or insignificant. You must choose to have the faith to believe that the Bible is God s divine Word to you. By faith, choose to believe that the Bible is God s inspired Word and use the following suggestions to help you live a life that is honorable to Him. 1. Believe God s Word is true. We can have faith that the Bible is entirely reliable. The Bible is not just any story; it s a true story of God s movement throughout history to reveal Himself to broken people. God used human writers with distinct personalities, experiences, learning and interests to record exactly what He wanted us to know about His plan to reveal Himself. The Bible is infallible and without any mixture of error. We can place our faith in the truth of God s Word and the story that it tells. 2. Read God s Word. It is impossible to develop a friendship with someone whom you never talk to; in the same way, it is impossible to grow in your relationship with God if you do not spend time reading the Word of God. As a follower of Christ, spending time in God s Word should be a priority. We will discuss specific ways you can accomplish this in week 4 of our Back to the Basics series. 3. Obey God s Word. Obeying God s Word helps you build a strong spiritual foundation and produce spiritual fruit. Remember, 2 Timothy 3:17 says that God s Word is useful. If you choose not to obey God s Word, your spiritual foundation will be weak and unsteady, and you will be unable to produce lasting spiritual fruit.