IT DOES MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE
June 26, 2005 AM
Sermon Outline
MT 22:29 & ACTS 17:11
INTRO: I love to read. Reading permits you travel to places you have never been, to enjoy adventures you could never experience otherwise, to feel the emotions of others in situations in which you will not likely find yourself, to accumulate personally the knowledge of the ages. My favorite book of fiction has been for many years Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. My favorite book of non-fiction is Mark Twains autobiography. My favorite book for continued reading is the Bible. Now, which one of them has really made a difference in my life? Thats easy ... the Bible. However the fact that it has made a difference in my life is the result of what I believe about the Bible! It does matter what you believe about the Bible, my friends.
I. SOME CONTEMPORARY POINTS OF VIEW...
A. It is great literature - but not significant beyond that
B. It is filled with Jewish legend and lore - great stories
C. It is not historically reliable - most red letters not really Jesus words
D. It is filled with errors and contradictions - no dependable
E. It is out of date - not in step with contemporary culture and times
F. It has no real authority
II. THE BIBLE IS THE PRODUCT OF INSPIRATION
A. But wasnt Dickens inspired when he wrote his great novels?
1. this is certainly what many, many people would say
2. and with our contemporary definitions I suppose that would be correct
B. However, we cannot use contemporary definitions for such discussions
1. consider three texts: 2 Tim 3:16,17 - 2 Pet 1:21 - 1 Cor 2:10-13
2. the Bible, its contents, its very words, are breathed out by God - the Holy Spirit revealed, and faithful men of God recorded
C. How can I have confidence in this when the world is scoffing?
1. contrary to what may have been said, the Bible is absolutely accurate
2. the errors and contradictions simply do not exist
3. the various internal and external evidences are too compelling to ignore
4. I hope you will forgive my zeal for this book in calling it a great miracle!
III. THE BIBLE ISGODS WORD TO HUMANITY
A. It is not a word of God as some might propose
1. there are, it is true, many other documents purporting to be from God
2. writings of Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Mary Baker Eddy, etc. claim to be revealed from God - typically, there is contradiction with the Bible as well as other serious, obvious deficiencies
B. 1 Cor 2:9,10 with 2 Pet 1:3,4 - Bible is the all sufficient word from God
1. indeed, we are repeatedly warned against adding or deleting
2. Deut 4:2 - Prov 30:5,6 - Rev 22:18,19 - the Bible is all we need - anything more than this will ultimately take us away from Him!
IV. THE BIBLES DIVISIONS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
A. There are three very distinct divisions
1. each of these divisions is specific to a particular period of time
2. the specific religious ordinances in each period are not specific to the other periods (Mosaic not specific to Patriarchal or Christian, etc.)
B. You and I live in the period of the new covenant
1. Heb 8:1-7 with Heb 1:1,2 - the ordinances of the old covenant (law of Moses) are no longer keepable - see also Heb 10:1-4
2. Mt 17:1-5 with 28:18-20 - the OT certainly has its contemporary uses - but the NT addresses the period in which you and I now live!
V. THE BIBLES DIRECTIVES, TEACHINGS DO HAVE AUTHORITY
A. Listen to 1 Thes 2:13
1. this verse sets out the choices - either from man or from God
2. if it is from God (and it is), then, it must have authority
3. the compliment to these people was that they recognized the difference and acted accordingly
B. Jno 12:47-50 - This sounds like authority to me!
1. further, rejecting Jesus teaching (NT) is to reject the Father
2. at the judgment the Bibles importance and what you have believed about it will become so very clear ... perhaps even painfully clear
3. how many of us say we believe the Bible is Gods word ... but whose lives do not reflect the authority of the word?
CLOSE: Why do I read the Bible, then? For the simple reason that I believe that in order to spend eternity in heaven with the Father I must conform my life to that which is taught and directed in scripture. Dear friends, it does matter what you believe about the Bible.
Cecil A. Hutson
June 26, 2005