BOOK, CHAPTER, AND VERSE

1. In recent weeks a lot of attention has been paid to the subject of authority.

2. People have asked who should have the authority to screen airline passengers.

3. Others have asked if pilots should be given the authority to carry guns.

4. The authority of state governors has been and continues to be discussed.

SINCE OUR NATION IS THINKING ABOUT AUTHORITY I WANT TO EXPLORE THIS SUBJECT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF CHRISTIANITY.

A. In this lesson my goal is to relate authority to preaching and teaching.

B. What should preachers and teachers do?

C. If we come to a worship service or a Bible class what should we expect to hear?

D. What has God authorized preachers and teachers to do?

E. In our country we know what many receive when they attend worship or Bible classes.

F. Some who stand in pulpits use their time to tell jokes and funny stories.

G. What some hear at worship can be heard in Saturday night comedy clubs.

H. There are preachers who relate wonderful stories.

I. There are also those who make relentless demands for money.

J. With respect to teachers there are some are called teachers but they do not teach.

K. In some places Bible classes are like school recesses.

L. Students play kickball or engage in similar activities.

2. What should we expect from the people who preach and teach?

3. Let’s begin our study by examining the word preacher.

4. This word means “a hearld, a proclaimer.”

5. This word occurs several times in the New Testament and one of these occurrences is 2 Pet. 2:5.

A. Peter said that someone who lived before the Old Testament Law was given was a preacher.

B. Peter’s readers were apparently familiar with this person.

C. According to the text this preacher preached “righteousness.”

D. Let’s read the verse – 2 Pet. 2:5.

6. Noah was a preacher. He was a man who tried to teach people about spiritual things.

7. Noah didn’t devise his own message.

8. He was not a storyteller and a bearer of jokes.

9. He was not involved with fun and games.

10. This man had a message from God. He preached the message that God gave to him.

11. He was a herald of salvation. He proclaimed the way to deliverance.

12. He also proclaimed the fact that those who didn’t obey would be lost.

13. Another preacher who lived under the Old Testament was John the Baptist.

14. John preached in the wilderness (Mt. 3:1).

A. What did John say?

B. What kind of message did this man have?

C. Matthew 3:3 tells us. READ.

D. John turned people to God.

E. He encouraged people to live in the way that God wanted.

15. In the New Testament we find that preachers and teachers engaged in this same type of work.

A. There is a message called the gospel (1 Thess. 2:9).

B. Paul told the Thessalonians he had “preached” this message to them.

C. Paul said he often preached this gospel among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:2).

D. The gospel Paul preached said that people must have faith (Rom. 10:8).

E. This faith must be in Jesus, the person who was the sacrifice for sin (1 Cor. 1:23).

F. Preachers teach people about Christianity and help them live as Christians.

16. IF PREACHERS AND TEACHERS ARE GOING TO DO THIS JOB THEY MUST HAVE SOME AUTHORITY. IN FACT, THIS IS TRUE FOR ALL WHO ARE CHRISTIANS. IF WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH PEOPLE (SALVATION AND CHRISTIAN LIVING) WE MUST HAVE AUTHORITY. WHAT AUTHORITY DO WE HAVE? WHAT AUTHORITY SHOULD PREACHERS, TEACAHERS, AND ALL CHRISTIANS USE WHEN WE SEEK TO TEACH PEOPLE?

A. Noah’s authority came from God.

B. John’s authority came from God.

C. Paul’s authority came from God.

D. Where should our authority come from?

E. Whether we are a preacher, a teacher, or a faithful Christian, it must come from God.

F. Our authority must be based upon God’s word.

17. Again and again we find that preachers and teachers were people who spoke words from God.

18. These people had a message that was authoritative because it was based upon God’s word.

A. Earlier it was noted that some who are now preaching and teaching are known for many things.

B. Some are good storytellers. Others always have a new supply of jokes.

C. Still others offer political commentary on social issues.

D. There are also those who are more like cruise ship coordinators than teachers.

E. When we look at God’s definition for a preacher (or a Christian teacher) we find something else.

F. Any teacher who is pleasing to God is proclaiming the message that is found in the Bible.

G. Those who teach use scripture as their basis when they teach.

H. Several years ago there was something called book, chapter, and verse preaching.

I. This meant that religious information was confirmed with scripture.

J. People made a point and then said, “This is true because this verse says so.”

K. This type of preaching is no longer too popular in many places.

L. In the church many have turned their back on it.

M. In the denominational world this type of preaching is hard to find.

N. I will be the first to admit that some did a poor job with this type of teaching.

O. In an effort to provide the right source of authority some misused certain passages.

P. On some occasions preachers and teachers in the church misapplied some verses.

Q. People taught the truth but the went to the wrong passage to prove the points.

R. That was wrong.

S. Though the abuses were wrong, book, chapter, and verse preaching is right.

T. This is the way that we as Christians must communicate with people.

19. The people described in the Bible based their message upon the word of God.

20. This made their message authoritative.

21. I checked the expression “It is written” in the ASV.
When Bible writers said “It is written,” they were basing their authority upon scripture.

A. These three words are joined together three times.

B. I then checked “Thus Saith Jehovah” (this occurs 283 times).

C. In thirteen places I was able to find “The word of the Lord.”

D. The phrase “word of Jehovah” occurs 241 times.

E. The words “The Lord said” are found in 219 places.

F. In Rom. 3:19 Paul said, “The law saith.”

22. The people God was pleased with in the past used God’s word to present an authoritative message.

A. Those who were inspired presented a verbal message that had authority.

B. There were also instances when inspired people quoted from existing scriptures.

C. Here are a couple of examples..

D. The first one comes from Acts 17:1-3.

E. Paul went to Thessalonica.

F. When he got to this place he went into a Jewish synagogue.

G. Paul’s initial effort in this place lasted three weeks. READ Acts 17:1-3.

H. Paul was a preacher who based his case upon the scriptures.

I. This was not an isolated instance.

J. Look at the next chapter (18:28).

K. This passage describes a man named Apollos. READ 18:28.

L. This man used the Old Testament scriptures to substantiate his claims about the Lord.

23. Acts 8:35 says that Philip “began with a scripture” to teach someone about salvation.

24. Another reference that shows Christians used the scriptures is Acts 28:23.

A. For what we teach, say, and do, we must appeal to the scriptures.

B. When we speak we must say, “This is right because God’s word says it. Here is the verse.”

C. In 1 Pet. 1:23 Peter said that we are “begotten again.”

D. In Jn. 3:3, 5 Jesus said a similar thing.

E. He said we must be born anew (again).

F. If we are not born again (Jn. 3:3) we cannot be saved (Jn. 3:5). We will not be in the kingdom.

G. How are we begotten again and born anew?

H. According to 1 Pet. 1:23 this occurs “by the word of God.”

25. Since we are not divine we need an authoritative source to tell us about salvation.

26. The Bible says this source is the word of God.

27. This word helps us find salvation and stay saved.

28. After salvation the authority of scripture continues to be relevant.

A. Listen to 1 Cor. 15:1-2. READ.

B. In order to be saved there is a condition.

C. Paul said, “If we hold fast the word.”

D. We must hold on to God’s word and use it as our source of authority.

29. We cannot control what people in the religious world do.

30. We can, however, have some control over what happens in the Lord’s Church.

31. Where we worship we must must require a thus saith the Lord from those who preach and teach.

32. Our Bible classes teachers need to present God’s word so they teach with authority.

33. When we as Christians speak to others our message must be based upon scripture.

34. When we do this we will be distinct from all other religious groups.

A. The subject of authority is a Bible subject.

B. In the ASV the word authority occurs 60 times in the New Testament.

C. Of these 60 occurrences 37 of the references are found in Matthew-John (Lord’s life).

D. If we preach Jesus we must say some things about authority.

35. The plan is to study this subject in more detail in the coming weeks.

36. Today we are presented with a simple truth:

37. If we are going to speak for God and serve Him correctly we must have authority.

38. This authority is found in His word.

39. Is this the commitment we have made?

40. In our lives and in our dealings with others will we base our lives and our worship on, “Thus saith the Lord”?

41. Will our faith e based upon “It is written” and “The Lord said”?

42. Will we be the type of people who want book, chapter, and verse for what we do?