Sermon Central
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The Way We Were, Pt 9 God Food Good Word Series
Contributed by Joe Hayes on Nov 11, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Good Food Good Word, don’t take cheep twisted spiritual food.
Noel Edmonds hosts a show called “Are you Smarter than a ten year old?” I want to ask you the question this morning “Are you Smarter than the Bible?” We are not going to have a Bible quiz. I am talking about your approach to life and the Bible’s approach to life.
Do you know better than the Bible when it comes to the issues of life? Do you know better than the Bible when it comes to the decisions of life? Some of our decisions can mean life or death to our spiritual life.
If influenced by some scientists or even some “silly ministers,” we could be led to believe we are smarter than the Bible because it’s out of date, it’s fictitious and has contradictions. “Silly ministers” claim the Bible is not relevant to modern thinking on sexuality, abortion, euthanasia, modern life styles or living arrangements, or modern religious diversity.
The Bible teaches:
Life begins before physical birth. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jer 1:5
Men and women marry and become one. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Gen 2:24
You can’t take another life. “You shall not murder.” Ex 20:13
There will be an increase in religions to take people away from God. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” 1Tim 4:1
Church as it was meant to be, was a community of saints who valued the word of God as their ultimate and final authority. Church when it is as God intends it to be doesn’t think it is smarter than the Bible.
The word of God is the Shepherd’s message.
In Acts it is estimated that the word of God is used 169 times to preach or teach. Paul would have used the Old Testament, the “kerygma,” which was the preaching of Jesus and the Apostles and “didache,” which was a catechism or instructions for Church order.
The foundation or roots of what Paul and others in Acts said was always the word of God and revelation of the Holy Spirit. 1 Thess 2:13
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
The word of God was their ultimate and final authority. They were convinced they didn’t know better than the word of God. 2Tim 3 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”
Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Paul committed the shepherds to “the word of God” or “word of His grace” because it builds up and leads to a share in an inheritance. Acts 20:32.
The word of God is sheep food
1. In the natural, if a person goes without food, weakness, confusion, chronic diarrhoea, irritability, bad decision-making, decreased sex-drive and immune deficiency may be experienced. Advanced starvation will cause your organs to shut down one by one. People in the throes of severe starvation might experience the following: hallucinations, convulsions, muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat.
God’s word is the spiritual food that builds us up, makes us strong, keeps our focus on God clear and makes us fit for the fight.
The word of God reveals (From God’s Word, Will & Ways):
His Compassion, (so we will know how much He loves us, Jn 3:16)
His Character, (so we can become more like Him, 1 Pete 1:15-16)
His Commandments, (so we will know how He wants us to live for Him, Mk 12:28-31)
His Commission, (so we will know what He wants us to do for Him, Mk 16:15-18)
His Coming Again, (because He wants us to be ready for Him, Jn 14:3, Eph 5:27).
If we consistently go without our spiritual food, God’s word, it weakens our spiritual defence, leads to compromise and opens the door of our lives to the savage wolves.
The Word of God is:
1. A Two-Edged Sword – Heb 4:12
2. A Hammer – Jer 23:29 – It breaks the resistance of the heart.
3. A Mirror – Ja 1:23-25 – It reflects the true picture of man.
