Sermon Central
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Transmission Of The Text Series
Contributed by Steve Malone on Jul 3, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: In this message we will look at the transmission of the text and in the process discover that the bible has been copied so much and so early that you cannot hide the original text.
How We Got The Bible
#TransmissionOfTheText
Good morning MGCC!!!
I gotta to tell you there is no place that I would rather be than where I am right now!
In this room, with you His people (His church, the body and bride of Christ) – gathered to praise His name and – seek His face.
I MEAN – this is some seriously crazy stuff (though we tend to forget) that we are doing right now…
LIKE BEING - in the presence and listening to the voice,
OF - The One who spoke this world into existence, who holds the oceans in the palm of His hands and who breathed out billions and billions of stars.
LIKE - the star VY Canis Majoris…
(PICTURE OF THE STAR with our sun)
UNDERSTAND – this a star so huge (I mean look at this image)…THAT - 3 quadrillion 729 trillion earths would fit inside.
(a hard number to get our brain around)
1 quadrillion pennies would…
• weigh over 3 billion tons
• when stacked would be 986,426,768 miles high (or to our sun and back 5.3 times)
YES - Brothers and Sisters VY Canis Majoris is CRAZY BIG…
AND THAT - is just one star, that our God simply breathed it out of His mouth…
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. – Psalm 33:6
YOU KNOW MGCC - I think at times it is very good thing to remind ourselves of the immeasurable greatness and majesty of the God who presence we are in, whose name we just worshipped and whose word we have gathered to hear….
Let’s stand as we read God’s Word…
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:10,11
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16,17
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit… - 2 Peter 1:20,21
PRAYER…
OKAY – we are in our 4th week of a very important series of conversations about understanding the Bible.
Understanding Words that this ocean holding, universe creating, Star breathing God…
ALSO breathed out to us and for us…
NOW – it is important for me to remind you on the 2 goals for this series…
Goal #1 – To take a look at the overwhelming evidence that demonstrates (contrary to the onslaughts of modern culture) that The Bible is not just another book or mere ink on paper, but that it really is from God, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Goal #2 – Motivate, encourage, challenge and inspire people to read the Bible like never before… because it really is from God and because in this series they will be given tools to equip them to understand and apply the Bible better.
OKAY – here is a fact… it is not a good fact or an encouraging fact… BUT NEVERTHELESS – it is a true fact…
FACT - many believers do not read God’s Word (The Bible) on any type of a regular basis.
Why is that?
1. It is hard to understand
2. They don’t really believe that it is from God.
I MEAN – if you were handed an envelope with a letter in it and you knew that it was from God (I don’t know how you know but you just know)…
AND – in this letter God tells you about Him, about life, about salvation, about how to live life to it’s fullest and about how to have a guaranteed forever in an unimaginable perfect place, as opposed to a forever without Him in a terrible place.
Would you open it up?
Would you read what it says…
Goal #2 – Motivate, encourage, challenge and inspire people to read the Bible like never before… because it really is from God and because in this series they will be given tools to equip them to understand and apply the Bible better.
