“Are You Devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching?”
Introduction:
When their son left for his freshman year at Duke University, his parents gave him a Bible, assuring him it would be a great help. Later, as he began sending them letters asking for money, they would write back telling him to read his Bible, citing chapter and verse. He would reply that he was reading the Bible--but he still needed money. When he came home for a semester break, his parents told him they knew he had not been reading his Bible. How? They had tucked $10 and $20 bills by the verses they had cited in their letters.
The early church was a devoted church. Sometimes I wonder what happened to the church over the centuries. These people living in the first century had such a fire to do the will of God. The church today is classified by many scholars as lazy and apathetic. What a sad commentary on the times in which we live. I believe though I have figured out the secret to getting the church on fire again. I know how the church can grow like it once did 2,000 years ago. I know how we can have a congregation full of fired up followers of Jesus. I believe the answer is simple, and that is go back to the Bible. We need to return to the book in which God has entrusted us with.
When I say we need to go back to the Bible I simply mean Christians need to devote themselves to the study of God’s Word. I think that people naturally assume that the only people who need to study the Bible in depth are those who are teachers and preacher, but I believe that every Christian has a duty to study God’s Word. Every Christian should study so that they can answer people’s questions and doubts about the Bible. Every Christian should be able to defend their faith and tell someone how to be saved. I pray that each person here knows the plan of salvation, it has been quoted and talked about many times here, and I hope you have retained it. I do not believe there is such thing as a Christian who cannot lead someone to Jesus.
We all need to study the scriptures and attempt to learn what we can. Not only do I think that we are obligated to spend time studying God’s Word, but I think that each Christian should have an overwhelming desire to know what God has to say to them.
The early church has a biography written about them in the book of Acts, and I believe it is summarized in one sentence. This sentence should be our goal for life, and what we strive to devote ourselves to. The truth is we all must be devoted to something. The question is what are you devoted to? Are you devoted to your job? Are you devoted to money? Are you devoted to your family? I think it is a compliment to say you are devoted to your family, and that you were a hard worker, but I hope when I day people can sincerely say that I devoted myself to something different. I hope people could read our scripture text this morning and say that applies to Jason Cole, and I hope that we all want that.
Text: Acts 2:42
I hope that we can do some personal examination and ask ourselves, are we devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching?
I. God’s Word is Inspired and Perfect
II Timothy 3:16
If you were to go home today and read a novel you would read a book that may have errors in it. If you were to read the newspaper today you may read some errors in information. Many times in the paper they foul up the information. If you were to go home today and read the Islamic Holy Book called the Koran, you would read a book that may teach some practical moral values, but it was written by men. If you were go home today and read your Bible you would read a book that is perfect in every sense, it is completely historically accurate, it is completely true in every sense, and it is written in a way in which God through the Holy Spirit compiled what He had to say to us.
The Bible was composed by 40 different people over a period of 1600 years on three different continents, and yet there has never been a contradiction. God’s Word is inspired and perfect. There over the years have arisen many critics of the Bible, they try to disprove God’s Word, but they cannot do it because it cannot be done.
a. Answers every question
Ronald Reagan said, “Within the covers of one single book, the Bible, are all the answers to all the problems that face us today--if only we would read and believe.”
It is great to know that whatever our problem and whatever situation we are in the Bible offers some help on the issue. The Bible naturally does not address every issue because the Bible was written in a specific time in a specific place. Something were just not issues when the Bible was written, but I believe there are principles for every issue that we may deal with. There is no better source to go to for any problem than to God’s Word because it has been tried and tested and proven true. The Bible not only answers every question you may have, but it does so in a practical and efficient way.
b. There is only one interpretation
II Peter 1:20
I hear many people saying, that in the Bible there are many different interpretations of what something may mean. I admit that there are many interpretations of scripture that have come out, but only one is correct. There is absolute truth in the world today. In the past few years there has been what scholars call a worldview shift. The shift is from what is called modernism, to what is now called postmodernism. Postmodernism is basically a belief that says that there is no absolute truth and that we cannot be sure of anything. I disagree with this and think that the Bible does teach absolute truth. We can be sure that we believe what God intended for us to believe. We can be sure that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Him. We can be sure that those who believe in Jesus and are baptized into water will receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. You can cut on the television and hear a preacher say contrary to what you believe on some issue, but I can assure you that there is one ultimate truth and someone is right and someone is wrong. Both people cannot be right. It is important for us to realize this. We must realize that although many people may not believe something is true if God’s Word teaches it then many people are wrong. There are not many different possible interpretations, but there is one ultimate truth and it can only be found by those who are devoted to the Apostle’s teaching.
II. God’s Word judges our thoughts and actions
I heard someone once say that even though they knew the Bible said certain things were wrong that they would not be judged by that because they did not feel guilty about some things that they did even though the Bible said they were wrong.
The truth that that person needed to hear is that we are not judged by what we think is right or wrong, we are not judged by our consciences, we are not judged by what is legal or illegal, but we are judged by how our lives line up to God’s Word.
Hebrews 4:12
While we do not live under the Old Law and we are not bound under the commandments that God’s people once faced, we do have to obey commandments in the Bible. There is an objective to what sin is and what is not. Many people try to speak where the scriptures do not speak and say something is sin that is not, but we ca go to the scriptures and determine that.
Sometimes people say that the Bible stands for basic instructions before leaving earth. Obviously this was not the intent of the word, but I do think that the Bible provides that. Jesus promised that it is by His words that we will be judged, and we have His words recorded in the scriptures, God’s Word will judge us.
We all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day and give an account of what we have done both good and bad.
When we face God on judgment day we are not going to be surprised, He is not going to pull any tricks, He has told us what we must do in order to be saved, and he has told us how to live faithfully to Him. Yet many of us do not spend much time reading the scriptures.
Many of us try to learn the laws of the land so we can obey them. When we begin driving we learn laws that we as drivers must obey. We do not go ignorantly out in the streets driving expecting to naturally know how to drive and what laws to obey. We will be judged by God one day and if we want to know what standard He will go by we must read the scriptures.
The Word of God is convicting and it penetrates to our hearts. There has never been a book so blunt, there has never been a book that led more people to better lives, the Bible is convicting and it judges our thoughts and intentions.
Everything that we do will be laid bare before the Lord and His Word will be the standard by which we will be judged.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to face judgment by God. I want to live as good of a life as I can. I want to know what God expects of me. So often I think we go about our lives and don’t consult with God’s Word. What a shame it is that many people’s Bibles collect dust and yet it is by God’s Word will be judged. If you want to make sure you are in line with the Lord and are doing what He expects you can read the Bible and see what he wants us to do.
III. God’s Word should be properly handled
II Timothy 2:15
We are expected by God to rightly handle the word of God. This is not just the job of the leadership in the church; we are all expected to rightly divide God’s Word. I think this simply means that we are to do our best to learn the truth that is found in the scriptures. I do not think that God is going to give us an entrance test before we get to Heaven, but I do think that we as Christians need to know and be aware of things found in scripture. I think God expects that out of us. I think God expects us to know some of the people in scripture and what they did. He expects us to know about the ministry of Jesus and the start of the church, he expects us to know how to tell someone to become a Christian. This is rightly dividing the word of truth. Did you notice that the scripture says do your best to present yourself to God as workman who does not need to be ashamed. This seems to me to imply several things. First, that it takes effort to be approved by God. Second, we will be presented before God and judged by how we handle the scriptures. I believe the key is that it takes effort to be God-approved. It takes careful study. I hope that we all want to be God approved today, I hope that we all want to be Bible students who rightly divide the Word of Truth, but you cannot be by not picking up your Bible except on Sundays.
a. Quality Study
It is important for you to have quality Bible study time. It is great that you can come freely to church and learn the Bible, but that is not enough. We each need quality Bible study time alone and individually. This means taking out a Bible, getting whatever it takes for you to understand and getting some in depth study. Did you know that God expects us to learn the Bible and learn more the longer we are Christians?
Hebrews 5:12-14
I believe that this is saying that we should be growing in our knowledge of the Bible. In fact this passage says that we should all mature to the point that we can be teachers. I think it is sad that people come to church forty and fifty years and still cannot tell you some elementary truths of scripture. We should be learning the Bible, and we should be growing to the point that we are on solid food. Get in touch with KYOWVA or some other place that makes study easier. Are you devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching? Or are you a Christian still on baby food?
b. Quantity Study
I believe that quality is more important than quantity, but I do not think that can be an excuse for not studying the Bible much. We need to spend time reading the Bible, The only way we can learn is by reading. Paul said to the Colossians to let the words of Christ dwell in your hearts richly. We need to devote time each day to reading the Bible. I really believe we would be blessed if we did. God deserves our time and attention. There is no greater blessing than studying His word and seeing the promises you can claim in Christ.
How can you stand on the promises of God if you are not reading His Word? Get into His Word, learn what he has to say to you, and I promise you will grow in your faith, you will live a happier life; you will see the answers to life’s problems.
Are you devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching?
