God’s Word is Like ….
Acts 8:26-40
During the months of May and June I’m preaching on the Authority of God’s Word. I have spoken on the “Power of God’s Word” and the importance of “Fathers’ Passing on God’s Word to their Children.” This morning I’m focusing on what “God’s Word is Like…”
Most Americans refer to our country as being a Christian Nation, but a small minority of people actually read and study and Bible. According to the Barna Research Group 70% of Americans don’t know what John 3:16 says. 38% don’t know that the book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament and 32% don’t know that Jesus had 12 disciples. Yet 9 out of 10 American adults own at least one Bible. 75% of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.”
From the ministry of the followers of Jesus and the life and teaching of Jesus we see the importance of knowing and applying the Word of God to our lives.
I. God’s Word is Like Finding Good News at the End of a Journey
(Acts 8:26-40) God’s Word is the answer to a person who is on a journey searching for truth. The person finds truth in God’s Word. A Ethiopian Eunuch was searching for truth. He was the treasurer for the Queen of Abyssinia in Ethiopia. He was a wealthy man. He had his own scroll. Biblical scrolls were hand written and were expenses and could not be afforded by non wealthy people. The Eunuch was religious but was searching for truth. He journeyed from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship. He was probably there on the day of Pentecost. He may have even heard Peter preach, but he continued to search for truth.
God used a lay evangelist and preacher to give the truth to the Eunuch. Philip was one of the seven lay ministers appointed to assist the Apostles in compassion and outreach ministries. Philip traveled to Samaria and was the key person to lead the people of Samaria in a revival and seeking the Lord. There was such a response that the Jerusalem church sent Peter and John to assist in follow and training the new converts.
While Philip is seeing great results the Lord has another mission for him. When God has a special mission he doesn’t go to someone waiting for God’s call and something to do. He goes to busy people actively serving the Lord.
Philip is sent 60 miles to southern Palestine near the border of Egypt in a dessert area. Acts 8:27, Philip didn’t waste any time he immediately started on his journey. If he would have waited he may have missed the opportunity to witness t the Eunuch.
When Philip arrived in Gaza he met a man sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit directed Philip to stop near the chariot. He heard the man reading aloud from Isaiah 53.
He began his witness by asking a simple question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Eunuch responded: “How can I know unless someone explains it to me?” Philip climbed up into the chariot with the Eunuch and explained to him the good news about Jesus starting with the scripture in Isaiah 53. (Prophecy of the coming Messiah and his suffering on the cross for our sins) Jesus is the answer to Jew or Gentile searching for truth.
You may search for truth in many places and many religions and many experiences, but Eternal Truth is found only in one person, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “To the Jews who believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Roghelio
David Rostad pastors a church in southern Wisconsin where migrant workers come from Mexico every summer to toil long hours in the fields. They live in rough barracks and the work is exhausting, but the money is attractive. David and the congregation reach out to these people by holding Sunday afternoon services and Wednesday night Bible studies.
One Wednesday a man named Roghelio stopped by at starting time, asking quietly for a Bible. “Sure, we’ll be glad to give you one,” the leader said. “In fact, we’re just about to start our study. Why don’t you join us?” Too shy to stay, Roghelio grabbed the Bible, and darted out the door.
Surprisingly, the next week he returned—in a starkly different mood. He smiled, talked freely, and before the evening was over told the following story.
“I looked down the list of contents in the front of the Bible you gave me,” he said, “and I didn’t recognize a lot of the names. But then I saw the section about ‘job.’ I thought to myself that since I came up north here for a job, maybe this part of the Bible could help me. So I started reading there.”
Roghelio read about a rich man who suddenly ran into all kinds of trouble and lost his cattle, houses, even his children. The man’s friends came around and tried to explain why this had happened, but didn’t make much sense. Then near the end of the book, God showed up and put everything in perspective. “I read about how awesome God is,” Roghelio reported, “having made the world and the weather and the animals and everything. I realized His great power. And I knew I needed to surrender myself to this mighty God.”
Roghelio had become a committed Christian—by reading the book of Job! The Word of God speaks for God, from Genesis to Revelation. The end of a long journey searching for Truth stands a person – Jesus.
Where are you on your journey? Have you found Truth? The bible says you will find Truth when you seek for God with all your heart.
God’s Word is like finding truth at the end of a journey when searching for Truth.
II. God’s Word is Like Good Soil.
Jesus did most of his teachings using parables and stories. On one occasion he told the story about a farmer sowing seed while sitting in a boat (Matthew 13:1-23). Jesus said a farmer went out to sow his seed. His hearers could picture a Palestinian farmer walking across a field with a bag of seek slung across his shoulder and scattering the seed as he walked. Jesus said some of the seek fell on a path, some fell on rocky soil, some fell on thorny soil and some fell on good soil.
Jesus said the soil represents the way people hear God’s Word.
Hard Path soil represents people who have calloused hearts and resist listening to Truth. Jesus said that Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20) Jesus said that Satan, the god of this world is the great soil and heart hardener.
There is one sin that Jesus cannot forgive. Jesus can forgive many sins, but if a person continues in unbelief he cannot be forgiven. Hearts that remain hard cannot be forgiven. To find forgiveness a person must humble themselves and come to Jesus as the “only way, the only truth and the only life.” John 14:6
Stony Soil represents hearers who accept God’s Word with their emotions only. Like shallow soil with a rock under the surface there is no chance for the seed to take root. Shallow commitments to follow Jesus give up when tribulation and persecution comes. In fact hard times reveals just how committed a person is to Jesus. Jesus said this person has no deep commitment so when trouble comes he quickly falls away.
The Christian life is not a quick fix for what ails you. Jesus doesn’t promise prosperity, or total health, or a life of comfort. Jesus called all who would follow him to “Take up their cross and follow him.” Your cross is not your problems. Your cross is not other people who give you a hard time. Your cross is spelled “SELF.” Jesus said if “Anyone will come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Superficial, selfish commitment does not last because it has no root or depth of commitment. The commitment is not to Jesus but to what the person can get out of being a Christian. The Christian faith is not about you it is about Jesus.
Thorny Soil. Is like the person who hears the Gospel and receives it but gives up when the worries of life or prosperity, choke out his faith. Thorny soil is conditional faith. I’ll believe as long as my faith doesn’t interfere with my life. I’ll believe as long as I need the faith to get ahead. When I’m wealthy and successful I won’t need to believe. Thorny soil hearers represent those who hear and respond with their own conditions and agenda.
Good Soil. Finally Jesus said the seed falls on good soil. Good soil understands the Truth and produces a crop yielding a hundred, sixty, and thirty times what was sown. That’s a great return anyway you look at it.
Good soil hearers understand that Jesus alone is the answer. Jesus alone can forgive sin and give hope of eternal life. Come what may the person looks to Jesus.
What kind of soil/hearer are you? Calloused, Shallow, Conditional or Good soil that is productive?
III. God’s Word is Like the Foundation of a house Built on Rock
Gregory Elder tells a story in Leadership Journal about the importance of a strong foundation. He writes, “Growing up on the Atlantic Coast, I spent long hours working on intricate sand castles; whole cities would appear beneath my hands. One year, for several days in a row, I was accosted by bullies who smashed my creations. Finally I tried an experiment: I placed cinder blocks, rocks, and chunks of concrete in the base of my castles. Then I built the sand kingdoms on top of the rocks. When the local toughs appeared (and I disappeared), their bare feet suddenly met their match. Gregory P. Elder, Del Mar, California. Leadership Journal Volume 6
There are many critics of the church. Many feel the church of Jesus Christ is irrelevant. But they forget that the church is built upon a Rock (Mt. 16:18), over which the gates of hell itself shall not prevail.”
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Jesus told the parable of two men that build houses for their families (Luke 6:48-49). The houses looked nearly identical, same floor plan, same color, same landscaping. There was only one difference. The real difference was in their foundations.
The first man was in a hurry and didn’t have time for architects or engineers or instructions. He wanted it now, immediately all the benefits of the house without the sacrifice. He built as quickly as he could, on a sand lot. By contrast the second man carefully laid the foundation of his home on solid rock. He didn’t want it quickly built as much as he wanted it to last. When the storm slammed into the two houses, the first one collapsed while the second stood firm.
In this parable Jesus describes the person who does not build his/her life on the Word of God and the person who builds his/her life on God’s Word.
The person who does not have God’s Word as his foundation does not have instructions for life and lacks the moral fiber to withstand the storms of life and are tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching or their own fluctuation emotions. They want happiness, but not holiness.
Why get married? Just have sex with whomever!
Why have integrity? Just lie if it will get you what you
want!
Why live by God’s standard? Just have fun!
These people have no solid rock foundation. Like the seed that fell on rocky ground when trials or persecutions come they wither and give in to sinful living.
Those who choose to follow Jesus and build their live on His Word build their life on a solid foundation. As followers of Jesus they do not claim to have all the answers but are teachable and open to God’s Word for instructions. With the Apostle Paul they say: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on.” (Philippians 3:12)
These believers are like the man who a reporter found in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in South Florida. Amid the devastation and debris, one house still stood firm on its fountain. The owner was cleaning up his yard when the reporter approached him.
“Sir, why is your house the only one still standing?” “How did you manage to escape the severe damage of the hurricane?”
He replied: “I built this house myself.” “I build it according to the Florida state building code. When the code called for two-by-six roof trusses, I used two-by-six roof trusses. I was told that a house built according to code could withstand a hurricane. I did, and it did! I suppose no one else around her followed the code.”
Are you following God’s code for your life? If you are building your house on Jesus Christ and His Word you will stand. If you are not merely a hearer but a doer of His Word you will endure to the end.
If a person does not follow God’s Code for life his life becomes as confused as the Winchester Mystery House. Some rooms, doors and stairs don’t make sense. One door in a room opens and goes nowhere. A stair case goes to the ceiling and ends.
I pray that your goal is to build your life on Jesus Christ and His Word and that your life will be productive as good soil and you are no longer searching for Truth and meaning for your life, but that you personally know Jesus – the way, the truth and the life.
I pray that you will find 30 minutes a day to take time for personal devotions with Bible reading and prayer. I pray you take advantage of one of our Sunday school classes and get involved in a regular home group for Christian growth and maturity.
Closing Hymn: “Have Thine Own Way Lord.”
