Your Bible-Why Not Use It? #2 Use Your Bible to DISCOVER (delightfully!) what God has Revealed Psalm 119:147 I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. Pastor David Staff Recently, Pamela and I came to the decision to purchase a newer used car, and within a short period of time, we found one that we really liked. When the great people at our favorite dealership put all the pieces together, we were very thankful to drive it home. It was a couple of days later that Pamela noticed a light had come on inside the vehicle, a small light she didn t understand. She called me about it, and I made a few uneducated guesses about the sunroof button or perhaps some other button nearby. And, somehow, later, the light went away. But when I came home, I discovered that my bride had decided to consult the owner s manual, which I found parked on the TV tray next to our favorite chair. Just looking at it there intimidated me. Admittedly, I m not naturally a manuals guy. Give me something to put together (if you dare), and I ll usually just prop up the picture on the front of the box, dump the parts out, and have at it which means after an hour of frustration, I usually surrender to the step-by-step instruction sheet. I don t know I just often assume things ought to be simpler, more intuitive. But the reality is that doing something right, or understanding something important, often requires more care or careful effort than just guessing or quickly diving in. The manual might be thick, but it is probably much more helpful to take some time and do a bit of purposeful exploring. Who knows, you might just discover how to do it right? If you have a Bible, you might look at it the way I looked at this owner s manual. It s thick, looks detailed. Why would I open that? And if I did, could I find anything truly useful? Last week, we began our Winter Gather worship series with 4 basic questions: #1 How did we get the Bible? #2 What s in the Bible? (It s a small Divine library) #3 What s the point of the Bible? #4 Why did God give Jesus disciples (living in this age) the Bible? I believe that if you give the Bible a serious chance in your life, you will discover that it is a 1 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2
book that you not only should not live without, but you cannot live without. Jesus said it, Man does not live by bread alone, but (he truly lives) by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Here s today s teaching truth: To truly live, I must delight to discover what God desires to reveal to me in the Bible (His breathed-out word) Delight to discover! There is nothing like when God speaks to you when you hear His voice what He wants to reveal to you, through His word. It s no coincidence that right at the heart of your Bible there is a song Psalm 119 -- which sings delight in God s Word Psalm 119: 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. 24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. i Today, I d like to give you a tour in the library. What can we discover? Remember the Bible s point: The only true God, who created all things, and who permitted freely chosen rebellion, is reclaiming through Christ His rule, and redeeming through Christ believing men/women So, let s take the tour together. Let s begin in the Old Testament shelves. First, in GOD S LAW (you ll discover) GOD S LAW REVEALS GOD S PLAN Responding to rebellious choices, a righteous God is sending a rescuing Redeemer. Genesis ( beginnings ), and the whole of God s LAW, is all about the stuff that were begun. BEGINNINGS Universe Humanity Marriage Relationship with God Sin/Consequences Promise through Abraham s Seed Genesis In the earliest moments of sin, holy God promises to begin sending a rescuing Redeemer (cf. Genesis 3:15). We chose to jump in the muck, and immediately God promises to send Someone to jump in the muck 2 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2 with us and pull us out. The LAW is an incredibly fascinating part of the library, with the rescue foreshadowed.
3 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2 I will execute judgments: I am the Lord The blood of a firstborn lamb shall be a sign for you. On the houses, where you are When I see the blood, I will pass over you Exodus 12:12-13 By the way, is the blood of the God s sacrificed lamb over the doorposts of your house? Second, in the HISTORY (books) you ll discover GOD S PLAN PREVAILS THROUGH HIS PEOPLE God s plan of redemptive promise prevails It through people of faith, and despite people of faithlessness When you read the history of God s ancient people through whom God was sending His rescuing Redeemer they were called to obey Him, and to be a light to the rest of the world. But Israel s history is a two-steps forward, three-steps back saga. All kinds of times you almost conclude God s plan will never make it through this outfit. Yet in the darkest hours like the one experienced by Elijah God reassures that His plan will prevail through people of faith. 1 Kings 19:9 (P.301 ESV) There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 14 He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. Here s one of God s greatest spokesmen, Elijah, alone, depressed and discouraged believing he is the only one left in his generation contending for the true God! The Lord says, Elijah let me give you another view get quiet for a minute listen to my whispering voice and let me tell you that I ve got 7,000 who have not kissed the Baal. So get on with what I have called you to do. My purposes through my faithful servants, like you, will prevail. 800 years later, Paul would write to NT Christians in Rome and say this: Romans 15:4 For whatever
was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 4 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2 Third, should you wander on to the POETRY shelf you ll discover GOD NEARBY THROUGH PRAYER/HUMILITY Living which excels expresses prayerful humility toward God (i.e., honesty with God and dependence upon God) Psalm 1 and Proverbs 1 summarize what you can discover Psalm 1 Blessed is the person who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Later on, as you do this week s Connect Group study together, you ll discover some incredible truths as you soak your hearts in Psalm 57. Finally, discover the PROPHETS GOD CALLS THE NATIONS TO READINESS God s urgent call for repentance and readiness to see His promises fulfilled in His Day There is an urgency in the prophets. They were sent by God, filled with God s Spirit, and obediently declared Thus saith the Lord at great personal cost. To read the prophets is to experience the life of true heroes. They usually cut against the grain, showed up when they weren t invited and where they weren t wanted. God used them to call His people, and the nation to readiness. To truly live, I must delight to discover what God desires to reveal to me in the Bible (His breathed-out word) But what s on the New Testament shelves. What is God eager to reveal there? THE GOSPELS GOD S SON IS LIKE NO OTHER The Person who will accomplish God s plan
The profound arrival, impact, rejection and resurrection of God s promised Messiah the world s most important Person. Read the Gospels! Read about the words and works of the world s most important person. Sooner or later you will come these seminal words.. #1 Unless you believe in Me, you will die in your sins. and #2 I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly. Read the Gospels and discover a life-giving relationship with the world s most important person. HISTORY (Acts) GOD S CHURCH IS THE WORLD S HOPE The launching of the hope of the world-- the Christian movement called the church The church the body of the Lord Jesus Christ who is filled with His Spirit is the only outfit in the world that has been entrusted with the gospel, the hope of the world. The story goes like this: When Jesus ascended to heaven after his mission on earth, the angels asked him, Did you accomplish your task? Yes. All is finished. We have a second question, said the angels. Has the whole world heard of you? No, he said, not yet. Then what is your plan? Jesus said, I have left 12 men and some other followers to carry the message to the whole world. The angels looked at one another, down onto the earth, then back at him. What is your Plan B? Jesus reply was simply still. I have no Plan B. It s Plan A or nothing ii Hey everyone you and I have been chosen by God to live in the age of the Church. We are God s PLAN A which is why we share here the Lord s marching orders that for us to connect people in life-defining relationships in Christ, we must make sure that iii So cool this past weekend to get some time with one of our young kingdom servants, Kimberly, who has sold out to PLAN A in a very unreached part of the world! What about (discovering) in THE APOSTLES LETTERS GOD S CHILDREN WALK (live) BY FAITH What it means to be a growing disciple in Jesus movement, the Church Perhaps most representative of the letters of Peter and John and James and Paul is this passage from Ephesians 3:14-20. 5 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2
3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. And when you open this library to the final shelf, and the final book, you ll discover in the 6 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2 REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST GOD S SON IS COMING SOON Anticipating today Jesus return tomorrow As his Lord stands revealed in glorified, resurrection power before him, John is told to write: Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so, Amen. I am the Alpha and Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, And who is to Come, the Almighty iv [John] Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are, and those that are to take place after this. v CONCLUSION Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was the pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years. His ministry began there when he was but 19. By age 22 he was the most powerful and popular preacher in England. Over 38 years, he would preach 3,600 times, and publish 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. His fame invited criticism. The first attack in the press appeared in the Earthen Vessel in January 1855. His preaching was a plain-spoken and direct appeal to the people, using the Bible to provoke them to consider the teachings of Jesus Christ. He read his Bible, knew his Bible, preached his Bible usually to audiences numbering more than 10,000. vi One Sunday, when the time for reading the Scripture came, Spurgeon left his Bible closed. Some have found fault with me, he began, contending that I am too old fashioned. I am always quoting the Bible, and do not say enough about science. Well, there s a poor widow here who has lost her only son. She wants to know if she will ever see him again. Let s turn to science for the answer: Will she see him? Where is he? Does death end all? There was a long pause. We are waiting for an answer, he shouted. This woman is anxious.
Another long pause. Nothing to say? he asked. Then we ll turn to the book! Spurgeon cinched his point by reading the wonderful promises found on the POETRY shelves, in the PROPHETS, in the GOSPELS, in ACTS, in the APOSTLES LETTERS and in THE REVELATION concerning eternal life and the resurrection and heaven. vii ------------------------------ Robert Coleman, author of The Master Plan of Evangelism said, Become a person of the Book. Let everyone you work with see how much you love the Word of God. viii ------------------------------ The great teacher on prayer, Andrew Murray, urged, Take time to read His Word in His presence, that from it you may know what He asks of you and what He promises you. Let the Word create around you, create within you a holy atmosphere, a holy heavenly light, in which your soul will be refreshed and strengthened for the work of daily life. ix ------------------------------ It is better, noted P.T. Forsyth, to pray over the Bible than to brood over the self. x To truly live, I must delight to discover what God desires to reveal to me in the Bible (His breathed-out word) Copyright 2018 David A. Staff All Rights reserved i 35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. 47 for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. 70 their (insolent) heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. 77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 143 Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. 174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. ii https://goodnewsmag.org/2014/07/there-is-no-plan-b/ [Phillip C. Thrailkill] Friends, there is no Plan B. The church as a community of worship and witness, the church in all its various local manifestations is the God-ordained means for drawing people to Jesus Christ and into the force field of the kingdom of God iii Christ Community Church s mission expressed in the Six Life Questions God is making our day The Spirit of God is flowing through us We share our tough stuff with each other That our welcome mat toward Christ is getting some wear on it as we invite people to consider placing their faith and confidence in Jesus We fish together in ministry We eagerly invest in the Kingdom iv Revelation 1:7-8 (ESV) v Revelation 1:19 (ESV) vi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/charles_spurgeon vii Originally in Our Daily Bread (Grand Rapids, MI: Radio Bible Class), cited in R. Kent Hughes, 1001 Great Stories and Quotes (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1998), 29. viii Hughes, 24. ix Hughes, 24-25. x Edward K. Rowell, editor, Quotes and Idea Starters for Preaching and Teaching from Leadership Journal (Baker, 1996), 14. 7 P a g e Your Bible Why Not Use it? #2