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Gather Around The
Good Stuff
2 Timothy 3:16-17
One of the
hardest lessons that we have to learn in life is just because you are a
part of a successful partnership does not automatically mean that you
are personally successful. Just because you work for Wal-Mart the
largest and most successful department store in the world does not mean
that every member is living up to their potential and are achieving
personal success. Christians who attend Mega churches and worship on
Sunday Mornings with 1,500 of their closest friends does not
automatically mean that they are more spiritual than those Christians
who worship on Sundays with a group of less than 20.
In 2000, Pizza Hut was enjoying the financial backing that comes from
being a part of the worlds largest restaurant company, PepsiCo. Along
with the other restaurants under the PepsiCo umbrella they were
successful, but Pizza Hut was coming on hard times. It was not enough to
have to compete in the fast food world against the burger chains but now
the competition intensified among other Pizza Chains. They needed to get
the attention of a society on the move, that was interested in eating
fast and trying to be healthy. That’s when we were first invited to
“Gather Around The Good Stuff!”
The good news tonight is that we in the church can also make that same
offer to our community. But just like any great offer if no one takes
advantage of that offer it becomes worthless. We really have “The good
stuff” here with us tonight, but what impact has it made on our lives? I
guess that depends on where you fall on the Bible scale.
The Bible is a book that over the years has provoked a lot of different
opinions. Mark Twain once said, "The Bible has noble poetry in it; and
some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good
morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies." On
the other hand, Woodrow Wilson once said, "When you have read the Bible,
you will know it is the Word of God."
The attitude of most folks in this country seems to lie somewhere in
between those two extremes. In our own community, most of the residents
will affirm the Bible as God’s written word, but then seem to know or do
little about it. In a recent Gallup Poll, 82% of Americans said they
believed the Bible was in some sense the word of God -- I’m amazed at
how high that number is -- yet half of them couldn’t name one of the
four gospels.
Its one thing to say, “I believe the Bible is the Word of God” and
something else altogether to believe that truth such that it makes a
difference in what we learn and how we live. The Bible is the foundation
for what we believe and how we act it is truly the “Good stuff”. If we
are serious about being known again as a church that exalts Jesus Christ
and establishes the direction of our lives from the teaching of the
Bible, then we have to gather around the good stuff again.
I want to share with you tonight five reasons when we gather around the
Bible, that we are gathering around the Good Stuff.
The Bible is Inspired
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
There are several different ideas about the inspiration of the Bible.
There are some people who believe that certain men are inspired in the
sense that they are exceptionally talented. In this sense, one might say
that Shakespeare was inspired, Michaelangelo was inspired, Beethoven was
inspired. These folks would say that the Bible is a beautiful book
written by some very talented men. But that’s not at all what Paul meant
when he said that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God".
The word Inspired here is literally translated, “God-breathed.”
Scripture is God-breathed. What he’s saying here is that God breathed
out Scripture. God spoke it. It is the very word of God.
Combine that with what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20-21: “knowing this
first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
for, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter is talking specifically about the Old Testament prophets and he
says that scripture doesn’t come from any human source. It isn’t a
question of some men having intimacy with God and knowing God and
watching God work and then writing down their best understandings of
God. It’s not that. Scripture did not arise from a human source.
Prophecy never came by the will of man. Nobody ever said I think I’ll
write some Scripture this evening. No prophecy was ever made by an act
of the human will. Rather, men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
And although the Bible was written by men, they were not its ultimate
author. Scripture is truly and actually God’s word. It is written in
human vocabulary and at times and under circumstances we study as normal
human history, it was the activity of the Holy Spirit in those prophets
that determined the outcome of their speaking and writing. Someone has
described it like sunshine passing through a stained-glass window -- it
took on the "coloring" of a given author’s personality, yet provided
light and warmth only because it was coming from the God who is light.
They spoke from God, writing exactly what God wanted said. That’s what
inspiration is.
David wrote, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was on my
tongue." 2 Samuel 23:2. Jeremiah said, "Then the Lord put forth his hand
and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: ’Behold, I have put words
in your mouth.’" Jeremiah 1:9.
One Bible researcher counted more than 3,800 times when the writers of
scripture used some variant of the formula, "The Word of the Lord came
to me, saying...."
In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul said, “For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you
heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who
believe.”
Do you see why it’s so significant that we be certain about this? If
this is not the Word of God, if this book was written by mere humans,
writing down their own ideas and making empty claims about someone they
call Jehovah or Jesus, then I have no responsibility at all to read it
or follow it. It might make for interesting reading. It might even offer
some good moral principles, but they would still be of no greater
importance than those offered by Mohammed or Buddha, Confucius or Plato.
But if, on the other hand, this really is God’s Word, the very thoughts
of the Creator of this universe, then we have a responsibility, an
obligation, to sit up and listen to what he has to say. And, beyond
that, a responsibility to alter our thinking, to change our lives. This
book becomes the absolute truth and the final authority for everything
we do or say. The Bible is inspired.
The Bible is Infallible
That is to say that everything that it affirms is absolutely true.
What it says about capital punishment is true.
What it says about homosexuality is absolutely true.
What it says about marriage and divorce is true.
What it says about worship, is absolutely true.
Do you get the idea? Because the Bible is inspired, because it is the
Word of God, it is perfect, and flawless.
It is not a history book but all of the history contained it it’s pages
is correct.
It is not a science book, but all of the science found in it’s pages is
correct.
It is not a geography book but it’s geography is correct.
Everything it says is true. Everything prophetically, everything
spiritually, and everything it gives us in terms of direction in life is
absolutely true. It is infallible. That’s why it’s our standard for what
we believe and practice.
The Bible is Sufficient
Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in
what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you
learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the
sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training
in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for
every good work.
The scriptures do not only contain what we need to find salvation; they
contain what we need to be made complete or mature. Other books help us
to understand this book, but all spiritual truth necessary for life and
godliness is found in this book. We don’t need this book plus this or
that collection of church doctrines. We don’t need the Bible plus the
writings of this person or that person. We don’t need the Bible plus
this or that philosophy. The word of God is sufficient.
There’s an interesting situation described by Jesus in Luke 16 where
Jesus tells about Lazarus, the beggar, full of sores and the rich man.
You remember Lazarus died and went to Abraham’s bosom, the place of
blessing. The rich man died and went to Hades where he was tormented.
And the rich man said, "I have five brothers, and I don’t want them to
come here.” He said, “Please send Lazarus back from the dead to tell
them, so that they don’t end up in this place of torment.” In verse 29,
“Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear
them.’" That’s the Word of God. He says, “Let them read the Word of
God!”
The rich man says, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the
dead, they will repent.” Tell me that wouldn’t be some powerful
incentive to live right -- to have someone come back from the dead and
tell you for certain what’s waiting on the other side.
But in verse 31, Jesus shares with us these words of Abraham: “If they
do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded
though one rise from the dead.” Why? Because the Word of God is powerful
enough. The Word of God is sufficient. It’s all we need to show us how
we ought to live.
The Bible is sufficient for salvation. It is sufficient to give us the
doctrine, the reproof, the correction, and the instruction needed for
righteousness. It is sufficient to make a man of God perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works, lacking nothing. The Word of God is
absolutely sufficient.
The Bible is Authoritative
That is to say that when it speaks you better listen. It’s not a book of
suggestions. It is not a book to be put alongside other books. It is not
a book on an equal level with the writings of Confucius or Buddha or
Muhammad. It alone is authoritative.
Isaiah 1:2 says, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord
hath spoken." This is an authoritative book. Right and wrong is not
determined by a popularity contest, and it’s not determined by a poll,
it’s determined by what God has said.
In the ministry of Jeremiah, one of the unhappiest assignments that he
had as a prophet was to speak against the leaders of his nation who had
misled the people. The prophets had failed, the priests had failed, the
scribes had failed. The wise men of the nation had failed in leading
them to the truth of God and to righteousness. And in Jeremiah 8:9
there’s a summary of the tragedy of that inept leadership.
“The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they
have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?”
What Jeremiah is saying here is you can take all of your leaders, all of
the educators, all of the experts on law and ethics and morality, and
combine them all, it won’t help you a bit, because if you reject the
word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do you have? The answer of course
is that you don’t have any. Wisdom comes from God and it comes through
His Word. And apart from His Word there is no real spiritual wisdom.
This book is authoritative.
The Bible is Effective
In other words, it’s powerful. It changes lives. In Hebrews 4:12, "For
the Word of God is living and effective, or active, and sharper than any
two-edged sword." You talk about a weapon, I’ll tell you, the greatest
weapon there is, is the Word of God. It’s sharper than any other weapon.
That’s what the writer is saying. It pierces as far as the dividing of
soul and spirit. In other words, it gets way down into the heart and
soul and nature of a person. It cuts deep. It penetrates the heart.
Reading the word of God is not the safest activity in which we can
engage. This word jabs at us and cuts us. The first five books of the
Bible are sometimes called The Torah, the root meaning of which is to
throw something sharp, like a javelin, which hits the mark. We do not
read just for information, but for transformation. This is a book that
will change our lives if we allow it to.
I want to go back to a passage I read earlier from I Thessalonians 2:13,
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also
effectively works in you who believe.”
Paul says, We wanted you to grow and mature and change and develop, and
that’s why we were so thrilled that you accepted what we had to say as
the Word of God, because God’s word has the power to effectively work in
you who believe. It will change your life. It will make you a better
person. It’s a powerful book.
I read about a converted African cannibal who sat reading his Bible. A
European trader passed by and asked him what he was doing. When he said,
"Reading the Bible”, the European said, "That book is out of date in my
country.” The African said, "If it had been out of date here, you would
have been eaten long ago." The Bible truly has the power to change
people.
Given that the Bible is inspired, infallible, sufficient, authoritative
and effective, it makes sense that it demands a response from us. In
John 8:47, Jesus said, "He that is of God hears God’s words. You
therefore hear them not because you are not of God." Indifference to the
Bible is a dead giveaway that you do not belong to God because if you
belong to God, you’re going to hear God’s Word.
I’d like for every Christian to be a genuine biblical scholar, but I
know that is both impractical and impossible. It is not unreasonable,
however, to expect that every Christian should be a regular reader and
prayerful student of Scripture. From the youngest member of this church
to the oldest, our goal is to create an attitude toward the good stuff
that will carry outside the walls of our classrooms and beyond the
experience of a given worship assembly. We want people to revere
Scripture as we understand the importance of Bible study.
Have you heard the story about a woman who went to a pet store the day
after she had purchased a parrot. She said, "You told me the parrot
would talk. It hasn’t said a word.” The store owner said, "Does it have
a mirror? Parrots like to look at themselves in a mirror," said the
salesperson. She bought a mirror. The next day she returned, announcing
that the bird still wasn’t talking. "What about a ladder? Parrots enjoy
walking up and down ladders." She bought a ladder and took it home. Sure
enough the next day she was back, reporting no progress. "Does your cage
have a swing? Parrots love to swing." She bought a swing and went home.
The next day she returned sadly to announce that her parrot had died.
"I’m terribly sorry to hear that," said the storekeeper. "Did the bird
say anything before he died?" "Yes. It said, ’Don’t they sell any food
at that store?’"
It is my prayer that we never ignore the good stuff for a mirror, or
ladder, or swing. May we focus on the food, the nourishment that comes
from a regular diet of God’s Word -- the inspired, infallible,
sufficient, authoritative, effective Word of God.
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