An invitation to study the Bible
1. Suppose we were invited to appear on a game show and had a once in a lifetime opportunity.
2. The game show host said he would ask us just one question.
3. If we could answer his question, we would instantly receive 10 million dollars.
4. His question is this: List one of the top ten books from three years ago (2004).
5. That was just a few years ago and all we need to remember is one of the top selling books.
6. Many would think and think and finally shrug their shoulders and say they give up.
7. A lot of books make an instant splash and then go by the wayside. We forget about them.
8. One book that has stood the test of time is the Bible.
9. In culture after culture there has been an on-going interest in the scriptures.
10. The Bible may be called a single book, but it is composed of 66 distinct parts.
11. These parts involve various types of literature. There is poetry, history, law, prophecy.
12. We find parables, wisdom literature, and genealogies.
13. Many men wrote the various parts over a period of several years.
14. Many claim to know a great deal about the Bible, but often that is not the case.
15. The Bible is often not studied, perhaps because people may fear what it says.
16. In some ways the Bible is a very dangerous book.
17. It is dangerous the evolutionist because it talks about an all powerful God who created all things.
18. It is a threat to those who believe in and practice hate because it contains information on love.
19. It has undesirable material for the anarchists because it talks about order and law.
20. Liars can’t stand it because it requires truth and honesty.
21. Worldly people run from this book because it says their way of life is the wrong way.
TODAY WE WANT TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT GOD INVITES US AND ALL OTHERS TO STUDY HIS WORD. WE WANT TO PONDER WHAT THIS MEANS.
a) Our first passage comes from the book of Jeremiah, Jer. 36.
b) God’s prophet was told to “take the roll of a book” and do some writing (verse 2).
c) God said He had some things “against Judah and all the nations.”
2) When God invites us to study His word, we need to realize that what we read is not all good news.
3) God’s word tells us about things that are wrong (sin); things that will destroy.
4) God invites us to read about the bad, but also to hear the good news.
5) Such was also the case with Jeremiah – verse 3 – READ
6) God has always invited people to hear His word so they can avoid punishment.
7) Not everyone wants to accept this invitation – verses 23-24 of this same chapter – READ
8) Some hate God’s word so much they tear out pages from the Bible or they burn the book.
a) God invites all to listen to it and learn from it, but there will always be those who refuse.
b) The wise and right choice is to accept the invitation to study.
c) We want to learn, know, understand, and obey what is in the scriptures.
d) God’s invitation to study His word is not something we want to save for old age.
9) In 2 Tim. 3:15 Paul said, “from a babe thou has known the sacred writings.”
10) We have Bible classes for young children; here we seek to have classes for every child.
11) Why do that? We seek to help people from an early age accept God’s invitation to learn.
12) Our Bible classes are one way—a very good way—to learn more about the inspired books.
13) We may need to get up a little earlier to attend classes. We may need to go to bed a little later.
14) Coming to and participating in class is worth it.
15) Listen to Acts 20:32 – READ
16) God’s word “builds us up.”
a) It is true that some of God’s word contains warnings; God invites us to know what those are.
b) God also invites us to study because it make us feel better.
c) Americans spend a lot of money on books to make them feel good.
d) From joke books to pop psychology, our society is always looking for answers.
e) God has answered man’s greatest questions in a special volume; He invites us to use it.
17) Related to this thought is Ps. 119:105.
a) David said God’s word was a “lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path.”
b) David did not need to sit down and ask himself what was right and wrong.
c) When he was king David didn’t need to find a bunch of lawyers to make a series of laws.
d) He had a code of ethics (a moral compass) from the creator of all things.
18) Many years ago I remember my dad telling my mom he did not believe in “frozen dinners.”
19) Mom was a good cook and she was very faithful in providing 3 meals a day.
20) Frozen dinners were growing in popularity and dad did not want any part of that movement.
21) This week I did a little looking into the history of frozen meals.
a) Apparently the first full meal frozen dinner was available in 1945.
b) From what I read these were typically used on military and civilian aircraft.
c) About 1950 the frozen dinner market really caught fire.
d) The appeal of this market was and is, “it is already made.” Meals do not need to be created.
e) Heat and serve has been popular for more than 50 years.
22) This is what David had with the law of God; it was a ready made code of ethics.
23) This is also what we find in the New Testament.
24) We have a “ready made moral code” in the word of God and God invites us to use it.
25) When we look at this moral code, we must be sure to take it as it is written.
a) If we were given an invitation to a party tomorrow at 7, we would go tomorrow at 7.
b) We would not come tonight at 8.
c) A similar thing is true with what God God’s invitation to embrace His word.
d) We need to take it as it is.
26) We do not change, modify, or adapt what is in God’s book.
27) That type of activity is associated with the devil.
28) Satan demonstrated this in Mt. 4:6-7. He incorrectly used a small section of the Old Testament.
29) God invites us to use His word, but He said “handle it aright” (2 Tim. 2:15).
30) In 2 Cor. 4:2 the apostle spoke about “handling the word of God deceitfully.”
31) This is not how God invites us to study His word; He wants us to approach it with care and study.
32) Treating the Bible in this way will require some effort on our part.
33) In Josh. 1:8 an ancient man of God was told to “mediate on the book of the law.”
34) He was instructed to think about it “day and night.”
a) How many things in life are worth our attention “day and night”?
b) A person who is ill may think about their sickenss day and night.
c) Someone who is very worried about something may think about their situation day and night.
35) When was the last time someone thought about field and stream magazine day and night?
36) When was the last time someone thought about Ladies Home Journal day and night?
37) God’s word is in a special category; it is a book distinct from all other books.
38) God says to us, “Look at my book. Keep it before you in all your ways.”
39) God’s advice in this regard is very good because of what Peter said in 1 Pet. 1:24.
a) Peter said, “grass withers.”
b) We can still look outside and see grass that still looks pretty good.
c) We do know that grass has a limited life. It goes dormant. Grass also dies.
d) Peter said the word of God abides forever.
e) God invites us to use, but handle carefully, His abiding word.
40) Many of us have worked at a job where we had to follow a manual.
41) It may have been a training manual or some other type of book to do a job.
42) If this were in the past, we could probably go back to that job and see some big changes.
43) The company has revised the manual. Maybe they have a new manual. Maybe they have no manual.
44) God has given us a manual for life, and Peter says this manual never needs updating.
45) If man can live in outerspace someday or live under water, God’s word will still be just right for him.
46) God says to the world, “My word will stand the test of time anywhere man is. Use it.”
47) We find many statements in the Bible about using the word of God.
a) One passage that brings to mind a great truth is Josh. 8:34.
b) Joshua had built an altar (Josh. 8:30).
c) Some sacrifices were made on this altar (verse 31).
d) Then we come to verses 34-35 – READ
e) How much of God’s word is important to us? Josh. 8 says “all.”
48) We know this is an Old Testament verse, but we can learn something from it (Rom. 15:4).
49) We learn from this Old Testament account that every part of God’s word is useful.
50) Some parts may not be applicable to us at every moment of our lives.
a) When we are 5, the parts about raising children will not be appropriate for us.
b) When we at 72, “children obey your parents” will not have much application.
c) We can seek to be familiar with all of God’s word and apply it in every way we can.
d) God invites us to learn His word from cover to cover and that is an invitation we want to accept.
e) God’s word will be a source and tool to mold and shape our lives and benefit us in multiple ways.
51) God’s word is given a two-fold description in Jer. 23:29 – a fire and a hammer.
a) We have recently seen the devastation a fire can cause by all the acres burned in California.
b) A fire is a powerful force that sweeps things away.
c) This is what the word of God does; it is capable of burning away many things.
d) It helps exposes what is impure and wrong. It also burns away error.
e) We often hear people claim the Bible is understood differently.
52) One person has their interpretation, another sees something else; it is just one big mess.
53) God says that is not the way His word works.
54) God does not invite us to a book of confusion; He invites us to a book that is like fire.
55) It exposes error and leaves people with the truth.
56) God’s word is also like a hammer.
57) Throughout the ages the Bible has worn out the hammers of many skeptics.
58) People have tried to pound its claims out of existence and they have failed every single time.
59) Others have tried to destroy the scriptures, but God’s word is like a fire—it roars back into life.
60) God’s word is like a hammer in other ways; it will work on a person’s spirit.
61) People can be resistant to God just like a rock may seem resistant to a hammer.
62) God’s word is a force that changes hearts.
63) A person with a hard heart can have it softened if they accept the invitation to study.
64) The doubter can have that rock of doubt crushed by being exposed to the scriptures.
65) Preachers sometimes fail in their handling of God’s word. Jonah ran away.
66) Others did not faithfully proclaim the message.
67) When the Bible is read, truly taught and properly applied, it works
68) God invites us to study a book that is so powerful the world must accept it or hate it.
69) What have we done with God’s word in the past and what are we doing with it now?