Sunday, August 31, 2025
Saturday, August 30, 2025
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Way of Life 8-31-25
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Way of Life 8-31-25
INTRODUCTION
What does it mean to make something “a way of life”?
Growing up we learn actions that should be “a way of life.”
Brushing our teeth
Bathing
Wearing clean clothes
Going to church
The Word is the source of life.
The Word is the certainty of life.
The Word is the beacon of life.
The Word is the discerner of life.
The Word is the equilibrium of life.
The Word is the hope of life.
The Valuable Bible
A story was told of a man who loved old books. He met an acquaintance who had just thrown away a Bible that had been stored in the attic of his ancestral home for generations.
“I couldn’t read it,” the friend explained. “Somebody named Guten-something had printed it.”
“Not Gutenberg!” the book lover exclaimed in horror. “That Bible was one of the first books ever printed. Why, a copy just sold for over two million dollars!”
His friend was unimpressed. “Mine wouldn’t have brought a dollar. Some fellow named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it in German.”
Eric Ferguson, Sermon Central, May 12, 2008.
The Word is truly valuable because the Word is the way of life.
LET US PRAY!
I. WE SHOULD BE IN THE WORD DAILY
“I was never out of my Bible.”
John Bunyan
A. Warning against neglect
Psalm 119:15-16 NIV
“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
Psalm 119:15-16 NIV
THE BIBLE IS A COMPASS
Just before the outbreak of the First World War, a small ship named the Endurance set sail from Briton with a crew intent on being the first to cross the South Pole. The ship reached Antarctica, but became ice bound in the Weddle Sea. Soon they had to abandon their ship and the 28-man crew took to their lifeboats.
They were trapped on the ice for over a year. A desperate decision was made to take four men in a 20-foot lifeboat across the roughest sea in the world to a whaling station on South Georgia Island some 800 miles away. At the helm was a man named Worsely. All he had to guide them that 800 miles to South Georgia Island was a map, a watch, a sexton, and a compass, but it was all he needed if he used them well. A mistake as minor as being off by only one degree would have proved disastrous.
The four men in that boat endured seas that raged higher than a ten-story building. They were constantly cold and wet from the waves that constantly drenched the boat. They had only the most meager of rations. The journey did not take days, but two weeks. But Worsley, whose most sophisticated tool was a compass, managed to get that lifeboat the 800 miles to South Georgia Island and eventually the entire crew of the Endurance was saved. As a result, Worsley was a hero.
The whaling captains who sailed those waters considered him one of the wisest navigators in the world. Worsley was brilliant, but all of his brilliance would have been worthless if he not used the compass. Worsley was wise because he used the compass to guide him. Being wise is a matter of using the compass you’ve been given to get where you need to go. Fools choose not to use the compass.
Perry Greene, Sermon Central, November 18, 2011.
B. Daily
Joshua 1:7-8 NIV
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:7-8 NIV
II. WE SHOULD INSERT THE WORD INTO OUR LIVES
THE BIBLE IS THE BLUEPRINTS
Can you build a real house without blueprints? Sure you can throw up a square storage shed maybe without them, but do you not need to have some kind of visual plan of the dimensions, how many rooms, where the rooms go, and so on in order to start building an actual house?
I remember when I worked through school with a summer job putting together farm equipment, fertilizer spreaders, tedders, hay mowers and such. My first day all I saw were a bunch of big metal pieces laying around and some bags of nuts and bolts. If I had been told to get building without any written instructions or at least a machine that had already been put together to go by, there’s no way I could have even begun.
You can have the perfectly prepared property, all the materials and building skills necessary, lots of manpower and money, but if you don’t know what you’re building and why, none of it is of any use. This is why Bible intake is the most important spiritual discipline. The Bible is the primary, and to some degree, the only way that God authentically and decisively communicates with us. Do we love to hear from Him through his word, or do we just want to talk to him.
Sean Harder, Sermon Central, August 5, 2011.
A. Hide God’s Word in our hearts
Psalm 119:9-16 NIV
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
Psalm 119:9-16 NIV
B. Ways to hide the Word in our hearts
1. Memorize
2. Meditate
3. Apply
4. Speak
5. Study
III. WE SHOULD DO WHAT THE WORD SAYS
A. Do what it says
James 1:22-25 NIV
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
James 1:22-25 NIV
B. Blessed in the doing
John 13:12-17 NIV
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
John 13:12-17 NIV
The Bounty’s Bible
The English ship Bounty, commanded by Lt. William Bligh, journeyed to the South Pacific in 1787. Many signed on considering the voyage a trip to paradise. Bligh appointed a young friend, Fletcher Christian, to the post of second in command. The Bounty stayed in Tahiti for 6 months and led by the happy go lucky Fletcher Christian enjoyed paradise to the fullest. On April 28, 1789, Fletcher Christian staged the most famous mutiny in history. He and his mutineers set Bligh and his supporters adrift in an overloaded lifeboat.
The mutineers aboard the Bounty immediately began quarreling about what to do next. Christian returned to Tahiti, where he left some of the mutineers, kidnapped some women, took some slaves, and traveled with the remaining crew a thousand miles to uninhabited Pitcairn Island. There the little group unraveled. They distilled whiskey from a native plant. Drunkenness, disease, and murder took the lives of all men except for one. John Adams, a.k.a. Alexander Smith, found himself as the only man on the island surrounded by an assortment of women and children.
Then an amazing change occurred. Smith found the Bounty’s neglected Bible. As he read it, he took its message to heart, then began instructing the little community. He taught the colonists the scriptures and helped them obey its instructions. The message of Christ so transformed their lives that twenty years later, in 1808, when the ship Topaz landed on the island, it found a happy society of Christians living in prosperity and peace, free from crime, disease, murder --- and mutiny. Years later the Bible fell into the hands of a visiting whaler who brought it to America, but in 1950 it was returned to the island. It now resides on display in the church in Pitcairn as a monument to its transforming message.
Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes, pp. 53-54.
CONCLUSION
THE BIBLE CHALLENGE
During a question and answer session at a recent speaking engagement, a university student asked, "Why do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?"
What is so special, so unique about the Bible that Christians believe it is literally the inspired word of God? Let us consider the following facts about the Bible:
First, the Bible is not just one single book. This is a more common misconception than many people realize, especially with people who do not come from a Judeo-Christian background. Rather than being a single book, the Bible is actually a collection of 66 books, which is called the canon of scriptures. These 66 books contain a variety of sorts it has history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters, and apocalyptic.
2nd, these 66 books were written by 40 different authors. These authors came from a variety of backgrounds: shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others. And most of these authors never knew one another personally.
3rd, these 66 books were written over a period of 1500 years. Yet again, this is another reminder that many of these authors never knew or worked together with one another in writing these books.
4th, the 66 books of the Bible were written in 3 different languages. In the Bible, we have books that were written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.
And finally, these 66 books were written on 3 different continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Once again, this is a testament to the varied historical and cultural circumstances of God’s people.
So we have 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents. What’s more, this collection of books shares a COMMON STORYLINE, the creation, fall, and redemption of God’s people; a COMMON THEME, God’s universal love for all of humanity; and a COMMON MESSAGE, salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to following God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. Also these 66 books contain no historical errors or contradictions.
After the above facts were shared a challenge was given. "If you do not believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, if you do not believe that the Bible is of a supernatural origin and then try this test. Go to any library in the world, you can choose any library you like, and find 66 books which match the characteristics of the 66 books in the Bible. You must choose 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, written on 3 different continents. However, they must share a common storyline, a common theme, and a common message, with no historical errors or contradictions. If you can produce such a collection of books, I will admit that the Bible is not the inspired word of God.
It truly is impossible, for any collection of human writings. However, the Bible passes this test. The Bible contains 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents, with no historical errors or contradictions. The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, bears the mark of Divine inspiration.
The next time you encounter someone who asks you why you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, try sharing this challenge with them. Better yet, don’t wait until you’re asked, just go ahead and share this challenge with a friend today. You don’t even have to mention the Bible up front; just ask them if they think it would be realistic to assemble such a collection of books. After they say, "But that’s impossible!" you’ve got a ready-made opportunity for sharing the truth of God’s word with somebody!
Ron Carlson, Dec 19th 2008
Dennis Selfridge, Sermon Central, Jul 25, 2009.
We should be in the Word daily. We should insert the Word into our lives. We should do what the Word says.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Saturday, August 23, 2025
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Hope of Life 8-24-25
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Hope of Life 8-24-25
INTRODUCTION
Hope
What is 750,000 miles long? It could wrap itself around the earth 30 times and it grows an additional 20 miles longer with each passing day?
It is the line of people on earth who do not know Jesus.
Guy McGraw, Sermon Central, March 18, 2002.
The Word is the source of life.
The Word is the certainty of life.
The Word is the beacon of life.
The Word is the discerner of life.
The Word is the equilibrium of life.
Romans 15:4 NIV
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
LET US PRAY!
I. THE SCRIPTURES GIVE US INFORMATION
Romans 15:4 NIV
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
A. Transformation
Romans 12:2 NIV
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2 NIV
B. Information
1. Record
2. Principles
Colossians 3:16 NIV
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:16 NIV
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV
C. Formation
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
II. THE SCRIPTURES GIVE ENDURANCE
Romans 15:4 NIV
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
A. Endurance
1. Patience
Endurance is patience concentrated.
Thomas Carlyle
2. Brave perseverance
B. Scripture
Hebrews 10:36 NIV
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36 NIV
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV
"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory."
William Barclay`
III. THE SCRIPTURES GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT
According to Hallmark, 90% of consumers want more choices in encouragement cards that will allow them to share support in unique ways for real life situations.
CMA e-Newsletter, 4/2/07.
Romans 15:4 NIV
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
A. Encouragement
1. Comfort
William Arthur Ward once said: “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”
B. Scriptures
John 16:33 NIV
““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33 NIV
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Romans 8:28 NIV
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 NIV
IV. THE SCRIPTURES GIVE HOPE
Franklin D. Roosevelt said: We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world just beyond the horizon.
Romans 15:4 NIV
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
There is a river in Switzerland fed by two uniting streams, bearing the same name, one of them called the ‘white,’ one of them the ‘grey,’ or dark. One comes down from the glaciers, and bears half-melted snow in its white ripple; the other flows through a lovely valley, and is discoloured by its earth. They unite in one common current. So in these two verses we have two streams, a white and a black, and they both blend together and flow out into a common hope. In the former of them we have the dark stream-’through patience and comfort,’ which implies affliction and effort. The issue and outcome of all difficulty, trial, sorrow, ought to be hope. And in the other verse we have the other valley, down which the light stream comes: ‘The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope.’
So both halves of the possible human experience are meant to end in the same blessed result; and whether you go round on the one side of the sphere of human life, or whether you take the other hemisphere, you come to the same point, if you have travelled with God’s hand in yours, and with Him for your Guide.
Let us look, then, at these two contrasted origins of the same blessed gift, the Christian hope.
McLaren’s Expositions
A. We might have hope.
1. THE hope
2. The hope of the Messiah
B. Scriptures
Romans 15:13 NIV
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 NIV
1 Peter 1:3 NIV
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
1 Peter 1:3 NIV
CONCLUSION
A group of students visited a psychiatric institution to observe a variety of mental illnesses. One of the individuals was a tragic case. He was referred to as “No hope Carter.”
He was a victim of a venereal disease and was going through its final stages when the brain is affected. Before he began losing his mind, his doctors told him that there was no known cure for him. He begged for a ray of hope but was told the disease would run its course and then end in his death.
Gradually his brain deteriorated and he became more and more despondent. Two weeks before his death he paced in his small room. He was in mental agony and his eyes stared blankly. Over and over he muttered two words, “No hope! No hope!”
Perry Greene, Sermon Central, Sep 17, 2012.
The Scriptures give us information. The Scriptures give us endurance. The Scriptures give us encouragement. The Scriptures give us hope.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Saturday, August 16, 2025
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Equilibrium of Life 8-17-25
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Equilibrium of Life 8-17-25
INTRODUCTION
Ron Freeman tells of this experience while learning to preach.
I [Myself] and several other preaching students were permitted to visit Brother G. E. Steward, a masterful preacher of the gospel, who was holding a gospel meeting in Houston, TX, in the summer of 1972. We were permitted to bring lessons at that meeting.
He was following Brother Keeble’s manner of training preacher, in many of his gospel meetings. Keeble would come up behind the younger preachers, and deliver the lesson for that evening; building on what they had presented.
Brother G. E. Steward, did the same thing, the night we visited and preached in Houston. After the meeting was over, he talked to all of us young preachers. His main comment on our presentations was: “Not enough scriptures.”
He stressed, “I heard a lot of your words; but, not enough words from the Scripture.” He continued: “Fill your sermons and preaching with the word of God. The power of our preaching is in the Word.”
Ron Freeman, Sermon Central, September 23, 2019.
The Word is the source of life.
The Word is the certainty of life.
The Word is the beacon of life.
The Word is the discerner of life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
LET US PRAY!
I. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED
2 Timothy 3:16a
“All Scripture is God-breathed”
2 Timothy 3:16a NIV
A. “All” Scripture
2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
Clement, Bishop of Rome, A.D. 70-96. Ad Cor Ep. i. 45. Ad Cor. Ep. i. 47.
“Clement mentioned by St. Paul (Philippians 4:3), who, as history tells us, was the second Bishop of Rome, exhorts his readers “to look carefully into the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit;” and in another place in the same writing he expressly refers to a well-known New Testament Epistle thus:—“Take up the Epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle, what did he write to you in the beginning [that is, in the first days of the preaching] of the gospel? In truth, divinely inspired πνευματικῶς, [divinitus inspiratus], he wrote to you Corinthians about himself, and Cephas, and Apollos, because just then factions [party spirit] existed among you.””
Polycarp of Smyrna, A.D. 108. Ep. to Philippians, cap. iii.
“Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, a disciple of St. John, in the one letter we possess of his, tells us “that neither he nor any like him is able to attain perfectly to the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who, when he was with you, before the men who were then living taught the word of truth perfectly and surely.””
Athenagoras, A.D. 160-180. Leg. pro Christ. 9.
“This Athenian philosopher, who, while studying the Holy Scriptures with a view of refuting Christianity, was converted by the very writings he was endeavouring to bring into disrepute, writes (using the same strange, powerful metaphor which we found in the above quotation from Justin): “The prophets, while entranced . . . by the influence of the Divine Spirit, they gave utterance to what was wrought In them—the Spirit using them as instruments as a flute-player might blow a flute.””
B. All Scripture is God-breathed.
1. Theopneustos
a. “God-breathed”
b. “Inspired by God”
2. Writing
Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmon College, Peter Stoner, has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes of 600 college students.
The students carefully weighed all the factors, discussed each prophecy at length, and examined the various circumstances which might indicate that men had conspired together to fulfill a particular prophecy. They made their estimates conservative enough so that there was finally unanimous agreement even among the most skeptical students.
But then Professor Stoner took their estimates and made them even more conservative. He also encouraged other skeptics or scientists to make their own estimates to see if his conclusions were more fair. Finally, he submitted his figures for review to a Committee of the American Scientific Affiliation. Upon examination, they verified that his calculations were dependable and accurate in regard to the scientific material presented.
For example, concerning Micah 5:2, where it states the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Stoner and his students determined the average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present; then they divided it by the average population of the earth during the same period. They concluded that the chance of one man being born in Bethlehem was one chance in 300,000.
After examining eight different prophecies, they conservatively estimated that the chance of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies was one in ten to the power of seventeen. That’s a 1 with 17 zeros after it! That is one in one hundred quadrillion!
To help us understand how large the number ten to the power of seventeen is, professor Stoner gave this illustration. Imagine covering the entire state of Texas with silver dollars to a level of two feet deep. The total number of silver dollars needed to cover the whole state would be ten to the power of seventeen. Now, choose just one of those silver dollars, mark it and drop it from an airplane. Then thoroughly stir all the silver dollars all over the state.
When that has been done, blindfold one man, tell him he can travel wherever he wishes in the state of Texas. But sometime he must stop, reach down into the two feet of silver dollars and try to pull up that one specific silver dollar that has been marked.
Now, the chance of his finding that one silver dollar in the state of Texas would be the chance the Old Testament prophets had for eight of their prophecies coming true in any one man’s life.
But of course there are many more than eight prophecies. There are over 300 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in the life of Christ.
It is clear that what the Bible claims for itself is true - it is God-breathed!
3. Preserving
Wayne Grudem summarizes this conclusion: "The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God he intended his people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly."
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 127.
II. ALL SCRIPTURE IS USEFUL
“We cannot exhale what we've not inhaled."
Vance Havner
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
A. Teaching
1. Instruction
2. Instruction for salvation
B. Rebuking
1. Reproof
2. Conviction
C. Correcting
1. Amendment
a. Stopping sin
b. Adding holiness
D. Training for righteousness
1. Building up
2. Progressing
Napoleon, Emperor of the French said "The gospel is not a book; it is a living being, with an action, a power, which invades everything that opposes its extension, behold! It is upon this table: This book, surpassing all others. I never omit to read it, and every day with some pleasure."
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, said "I am busily engaged in the study of the Bible. I believe it is God's word because it finds me where I am."
Lalachan Abraham, Sermon Central, March 17, 2013.
III. ALL SCRIPTURE IS NECESSARY FOR THE SERVANT OF GOD
"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."
St. Jerome
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
A. Servant of God - highest progression in the Kingdom
B. Thoroughly equipped
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
Colossians 1:28 NIV
“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”
Colossians 1:28 NIV
C. Equipped for every good work
Dr. Walter Martin states with such clarity:
"Into this whirlpool of stagnant human philosophy and perverted revelation came the Son of God who, through His teachings and example, revealed that there was such a thing as divine humanity, and through His miraculous powers, vicarious death and bodily resurrection, cut across the maze of human doubts and fears and was lifted up, to draw all men unto Himself. It has been wisely observed that men are at liberty to reject Christ and the Bible and the Word of God; they are at liberty to oppose Him; they are at liberty to challenge it. But they are not at liberty to alter the essential message of the Scriptures, which is the good news that God does care for lost souls..."
CONCLUSION
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
The Word of God comes from God. The Word of God is useful for our daily lives. The Word of God can equip us for every good work.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Saturday, August 9, 2025
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Discerner of Life 8-10-25
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Discerner of Life 8-10-25
INTRODUCTION
A little boy opened the big family Bible at home. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it closely. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mamma, look what I found," the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy’s voice, he answered: "I think it’s Adam’s underwear."
Reverend Dr. Randall M Deal, Sr., Sermon Central, March 29, 2009.
What the Bible says about the Bible.
Martin Luther made this statement: “Mighty potentates have raged against this book, and sought to destroy and uproot it – Alexander the Great and princes of Egypt and Babylon, the monarchs of Persia, of Greece and of Rome, the Emperors Julius and Augustus – But have prevailed nothing. They are gone while the book remains, and it will remain forever and ever, perfect and entire as it was declared at first. Who has thus helped it – who has protected it against such mighty forces? No one, surely, but God Himself, who is master of all things.”
The Word is the source of life.
The Word is the certainty of life.
The Word is the beacon of life.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
“For the word of God is alive 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.”
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
The Word is the discerner of life.
LET US PRAY!
I. THE WORD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE
Hebrews 4:12a NIV
“For the word of God is alive and active.”
Hebrews 4:12a NIV
A. Alive
1. Quick
2. Living
Acts 7:38 NIV
“He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.”
Acts 7:38 NIV
B. Active
Emperor Menelik II was an African ruler who defeated the Italian army at Adwa in 1896 and established the nation of Ethiopia. He believed that the Bible had the power to cure illness, and he would eat a few pages of it anytime he got sick. He suffered a stroke in 1913, after which he ate the entire book of Kings. As a result, his bowels became obstructed and he died of related complications.
Sean Harder, Sermon Central, July 8, 2009.
1. Mighty in operation
2. Vital power
Jeremiah 23:29 NIV
““Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”
Jeremiah 23:29 NIV
II. THE WORD IS SHARP THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Kathleen Norris tells the story of a South Dakota rancher and his bride who received a leather-bound Bible as a wedding gift from the groom's grandfather. They wrote a thank-you note and stowed the Bible away on a closet shelf, out of the way.
As time passed, the grandfather repeatedly asked the couple how they liked the Bible. The rancher was confused as to how to respond. Hadn't he already expressed his appreciation? But the grandfather persisted. Eventually the young man dug out the gift; as he leafed through it, $20 bills fluttered out, 66 in all--one at the beginning of Genesis and in each succeeding book.
But that wasn't the only treasure, or the best; the spiritual riches of Scripture transform our lives when we read and heed God's word.
Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith. (Robert Leroe, Sermon Central, September 26, 2011.)
Hebrews 4:12b NIV
“Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;”
Hebrews 4:12b NIV
Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV
A. Penetrates
B. Dividing soul and spirit
C. Dividing joint and marrow
III. THE WORD IS JUDGE
I heard of a teacher who quizzed a group of college-bound high school juniors and seniors on the Bible. The quiz preceded a Bible-as-literature course he planned to teach at the Newton (Massachusetts) High School, generally considered one of the best public schools in the nation. Among the most astounding findings he got from the students were:
Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers.
Jezebel was Ahab’s donkey.
The four horsemen appeared on the Acropolis.
The New Testament Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther, and John.
Eve was created from an apple.
Jesus was baptized by Moses.
The answer that took the cake was given by a fellow who was in the top 5 percent of the graduating class, academically.
The question: What was Golgotha?
The answer: Golgotha was the name of the giant who slew the apostle David.
Don Jones, Sermon Central, April 1, 2009.
Hebrews 4:12c NIV
“It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12c NIV
A. Thoughts
B. Attitudes of the heart
C. Everything
Hebrews 4:13 NIV
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Hebrews 4:13 NIV
CONCLUSION
The Word is alive and active. The Word is sharper than any double-edged sword. The Word is judge of everything.
John 12:47-49 NIV
““If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.”
John 12:47-49 NIV
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Saturday, August 2, 2025
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Beacon of Life 8-3-25
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE - The Beacon of Life 8-3-25
INTRODUCTION
New series about the Bible
The Word is the source of life.
The Word is the certainty of life.
Culture comments from last week clarified.
Last week I mentioned that we should not allow culture to demand changes in the Word.
There are cultural changes in the pages of Scripture. (i.e. the Jerusalem council of Acts 15)
Gentile Christians did not have to live by the cultural laws of the OT.
Gentile Christians should abstain from food polluted by idols, abstain from sexual immorality, abstain from meat of strangled animals, and abstain from blood. No other Jewish cultural practices are mentioned for Gentile believers.
Interestingly, this proclamation did not absolve Jewish Christians from the other Jewish cultural practices.
Psalms 119:105-112 NIV
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
Psalm 119:105-112 NIV
This pericope has lines that all start with the Hebrew letter nun.
Hebrew parallelism - “lamp for my feet, light on my path.”
Brian Mavis
BIBLE FACTS:
The system of chapters was introduced in A.D. 1238 by Cardinal Hugo de S. Caro, while the verse notations were added in 1551 by Robertus Stephanus, after the advent of printing.
According to statistics from Wycliffe International, the Society of Gideons, and the International Bible Society, the number of new Bibles that are sold, given away, or otherwise distributed in the United States is about 168,000 per day.
The longest intercontinental telegram ever sent was the text of the New International Version of the Bible, sent from Geneva, where it was translated, to New York for printing.
The Bible can be read aloud in 70 hours.
Brian Mavis, Sermon Central, Jun 6, 2001.
The Word is the beacon of life.
LET US PRAY!
I. THE WORD IS A LAMP FOR OUR FEET
Psalm 119:105 NIV
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
The investigation of the meaning of words is the beginning of education.
Antisthenes
A. A lamp or candle
1. A tool to produce light
2. A tool to allow sight`
B. A lamp for our feet
1. For the home
2. For work
Proverbs 6:20-23 NIV
“My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,”
Proverbs 6:20-23 NIV
II. THE WORD IS A LIGHT ON OUR PATH
The little girl was sitting with her grandmother, who had presented her with her first little children’s Bible, in an easy-to-read translation, when she was very young.
Now, a decade or so later, the elderly lady was ready to spend a few sweet moments handing down the big old family Bible, in the time-honored King James Version, to her only grandchild.
Understandably excited, the youngster was asking a number of questions, both about the family members whose births and deaths were recorded therein, and about various aspects of the Scriptures themselves.
Her grandmother was endeavoring to answer all the child’s questions in terms she could understand, but the one that stopped her cold was this sincere inquiry:
"Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus? Was it the Virgin Mary, or the King James virgin?"
http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh
Psalm 119:105 NIV
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Whats in a word? Consider the difference between “wise man” and “wise guy.”
A. A light
1. Torch, lamp, candle
2. Sun
3. God’s radiance
B. A light for our path
1. “My path” gives light to others as well.
2. A journey
3. A pilgrimage
C. The light of Jesus
Matthew 4:13-16 NIV
“Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.””
Matthew 4:13-16 NIV
John 9:5 NIV
“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””
John 9:5 NIV
III. THE WORD PRESERVES OUR LIFE
Psalms 119:106-112 NIV
“I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”
Psalms 119:106-112 NIV
A. The Word directs us to praise God.
B. The Word directs us to learn from God.
C. The Word reminds us to never forget God’s revelation.
D. The Word reminds us to not stray from God’s precepts.
E. The Word proclaims that the Word is our heritage.
F. The Word proclaims that the Word should be the joy of our heart.
G. The Word proclaims that our heart should be set on keeping God’s decrees.
Taiwo Oyradirn
I like to tell this story about my son as a 2-year-old. I always liked to give him a shower/bath and like most kids that age, he liked playing with the water.
Many times, when there’s water and soap on his head and face, he, of course, had to close his eyes. That part he didn’t like. No kid would like that part, right?
It was always funny to hear him say in two-year old tongues, eyes closed, a little panicked, “Who turned off the light? The light is off! Who turned off the light? Turn on the light!”
And then I would say, laughing, as I tried to quickly rinse the soap off his face, “No, nobody turned the light off! You closed your eyes! The light is on. Just open your eyes.”
Sometimes, we act like that. There’s light and revelation knowledge and direction in God’s Word, and yet we ask why it is dark. Sometimes, we close our eyes willfully when light comes from the Word. Sometimes we are not just mature enough to tell the difference.
The issue is not that there are no answers in the Word or that the Word is dark, but that we need to open our eyes.
Taiwo Oyradirm, Sermon Central, March 23, 2019.
CONCLUSION
The Word is a lamp for our feet. The Word is a light for our path. The Word preserves our life. The Word calls us to action.
Brad Beaman
There is a made-up story about a man who had a dream about heaven. The story is not true but the point it illustrates is true. In this story a man had a dream he died and went to heaven. He toured heaven and it was marvelous just as he imagined it would be. He sees mansions, streets of gold and pearly gates. Then the angels showed him a room with shelves and there were rows and rows shelves with mushrooms on the shelves.
The man asked why so many mushrooms in heaven? The angel explained they were not mushrooms, but they were people’s ears. They were the ears of the many people who heard great Bible messages but did not apply the teaching. The result was that only their ears made it to heaven.
Of course, we don’t believe in the immortality of ears, but in practical Christianity we must be more than hearers. We must be doers of the word. There is action required when hearing takes place. If you think attending church and hearing great biblical messages is enough, you deceive yourself.
Brad Beaman, Sermon Central, Oct 8, 2022.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.