Memorizing the scriptures

1) I have read some of the stories about military soldiers who were POW’s.

2) There are tales of how these men passed the time and how they were treated.

3) Unlike someone who is confined to prison, many soldiers did not have access to the Bible.

4) Men gathered and tired to piece together various parts of the Bible while in enemy hands.

5) One man knew a few verses, another knew some more, and others knew a little more.

6) In the past a lot of people memorized various parts of the Bible.

7) There are stories about prisoners who were in solitary confinement.

8) Stories say these men tapped out encouraging Bible verses to fellow prisoners using Morse Code.

9) Earlier generations of people often memorized the scriptures.

10) Preachers and non-preachers (men and women) memorized great sections of God’s word.

11) Today this memorization is a lot lesson uncommon among people, even in the church.

a) A great thing for Bible class teacher to do is to memorize as much of God’s word as possible.

b) This will help teachers time and time again in the classes they teach.

c) It is also a useful thing for non-teachers.

12) When we think about memorization, some quickly think “that is not my thing.”

13) It is like trying to recall names – some just seem to not have much skill in this department.

14) A Christian might reason:

15) “I can’t remember where I put my car keys, let alone passages from the Bible.”

16) The truth is that we all do have some ability when it comes to memory.

17) We can put into our memory a lot of information and pull it out when needed.

a) We can remember phone numbers, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers.

b) We can remember how to get from one place to another and the names of many streets.

c) We remember the names of friends and enemies, and how people are related.

d) Much of daily life involves memory.

e) We can incorporate this important ability into our Christian lives.

18) Tonight we want to consider some information related to putting to memory God’s word.

19) The first point begins with is the realization that memorizing parts of the Bible is possible.

20) It is something we can do if we start with a reasonable number of verses.

21) Most can’t memorize a chapter a night or a chapter a day.

22) Suppose that we decide that we are going to memorize 40 verses every single year.

a) It will not be long before a new year begins – 2009.

b) This would be a great goal for a new year.

c) If we are age 12 or up, we can decide we will memorize 40 verses during year after eyars.

d) This means we are committing to memory less than one verse a week.

e) We select our memory verses based on a theme.

f) If we have not memorized verses on how to be saved, this is a good place to begin.

23) We might memorize Heb. 11:6, a verse that describes the necessity of having faith.

24) We could also memorize Jn. 8:24 where Jesus said if we do not have faith in Him we will die in sin.

25) For repentance, we could memorize Lk. 13:3 – unless we repent, we will perish.

26) Repentance is also taught in Acts 17:30.

27) Confession is dealt with in places like Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Tim. 6:12.

28) Baptism is associated with verses like Acts 2:38; Mk. 16;16; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:20-21.

29) In 2-3 months we would have ready at a moment’s notice all the verses that deal with salvation.

30) Then we could add other verses about New Testament worship and church organization.

1) We could then commit to memory key passages that relate to Christian living.

2) Other doctrinal points could be added to the verses we know.

3) We have little reference cards in our tract rack to help us find key verses on important topics.

4) Memorization is something we can do and it is something to teach our children.

5) They may not try to memorize as much as they do, but this is also an excellent activity for them.

6) Children as young as 3-4 can start to memorize the Bible.

7) Deut. 6:7 told the Hebrews to train their children “diligently.”

8) This diligent instruction surely included the memorization of God’s word.

9) By the time a child is 5 years old he likely has the ability to quote small chapters in the Bible.

10) This is a skill is one that needs to be taught to our children.

a) We often have goals for our children; Bible memorization can be a goal.

b) Some families work on this through competition.

c) Family members may challenge another.

d) Husbands and wives, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren challenge each other.

e) This is something that can be done with a youth group.

f) Families and teens may make flash cards to better recall verses.

g) If effort is put forth in this regard, it will work.

h) Paul said we will “reap in due season if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).

11) He did not have in mind memorizing the Bible, but the principle in this verse certainly applies.

12) If we invest time and energy into this activity, it will be productive.

13) It will also help us fulfill part of God’s will.

a) We have often said that it is wrong to pick and choose what God wants us to do.

b) We cannot select the commands we like or are easy and discard everything else God has said.

c) God wants His people to put to memory His word.

d) Deut. 6 was cited earlier; this 6^th verse in this chapter speaks of God’s word being “upon the heart.”

14) The Jews were expected to have God’s word in their minds (committed to memory).

15) Think about the number of Jews who did not know the Ten Commandments.

16) Unless people were incapable of learning, it would have been hard to find such a person.

17) Jews put the Ten Commandments to memory. Such was also true for other Old Testament laws.

18) David said (Ps. 119:11) that he had “hidden God’s word in his heart.”

19) He then gave an explanation for this; he knew this information in his memory would help him avoid sin.

a) Paul told the Thessalonains in 1 Thess. 2:13 that God’s word “works” in people.

b) I wonder if Christians today really stop to consider the significance of this point.

c) If God’s word is in a person’s mind, it will “work.”

20) Parents rear children and want their children to make good choices in life.

a) They want their children to avoid some of the costly mistakes that other young people have made.

b) God has given us a great tool to accomplish this.

c) One of a parent’s best weapons against children making bad choices is the Bible.

d) We can help our children put into their minds the word of God.

e) If we are a Bible class teacher, this is one of the things we are doing.

f) We are helping mold minds for decisions to be made for many years to come.

g) Children will see the opportunity to do evil, but will often remember what is right.

h) In many cases the scriptures they learned will allow them to choose good over evil.

i) Bible class teachers and parents have a huge impact on the decisions people make.

21) This is not only true for children, it is true for adults.

22) Adults are put into situations where they are tempted to do what is wrong.

23) The Bible verses we have committed to memory “work” to help us choose what is right.

a) God’s word helps us make the right choices, but this is not all.

b) Putting God’s word to memory can and will enrich our lives.

c) Listen to Josh. 1:8 – READ

24) Suppose we told people “there is information that will allow you to do well in life.”

a) “If you memorize these things, you will be rich and successful.”

b) People would sign up in droves and they would commit the material to memory.

c) This is basically the promise given to Joshua.

25) God did not promise to make Joshua a millionaire.

26) He meant that if this man would commit to memory His word, he would have a good life.

27) This promise is still true.

28) If we have in our minds what God’s word says, we will make the best choices time and time again.

29) We will be able to develop and keep good relationships because the Bible is guiding our choices.

30) We will be able to get along well in the workplace, in our homes and neighborhoods.

31) Our lives will be bettered in virtually every other as well.

32) Paul picks up on this point in Phil. 4:8.

33) He said the Christians at Philipp were to “Think on” some things.

34) They were to think on what was true, lovely, of good report, etc.

a) People often think on (put to memory) things that are evil.

b) They will put in their minds the exact words that someone said to them (unkind words).

c) They will memorize who said those words, when those words were said, and how they were said.

d) They will recall who else heard them and all the various details about how they were wronged.

e) People spend lots of time putting into their minds things that are bad for them.

35) If we will commit God’s word to memory and let that work, our head is filled with good instead of evil things.

36) Memorize what will help and bless us instead of what will gnaw at and destroy us.

37) We need to work on memorizing on God’s word because it is part of the Christian armor.

38) Eph. 6:17 says the scriptures are the “helmet of salvation.”

a) We may have a copy of the Bible, but that copy of God’s word is not a very good helmet.

b) We might have multiple copies of the Bible, but owning many Bibles is not enough.

c) For us to have a true helmet against temptation, God’s word needs to be in our minds.

d) This is knowledge we need to absorb so fully that it literally becomes part of us.

e) We become as familiar with it as our telephone number or the address where we live.

f) We remember computer passwords and usernames as well as e-mail addresses.

g) God’s word is to be something we know inside and out.

39) This is why Paul said in Col. 3:16 “let the word of Christ dwell in you.”

40) We cite this passage when discussing music and worship and this is right.

41) There is more in this verse than the type of music we are to have in worship.

42) God’s word is to “dwell” in His people.

43) If this all Paul had said, it would be enough. Paul said let this word dwell in us “richly.”

44) Our minds should overflow with God’s word.

45) Previous generations understood this point and literally did what Paul said.

46) Young soldiers were often able to get from their memories large parts of the Bible while in enemy hands.

47) The last 1-2 generations have not done nearly as well with Bible memorization.

48) If things are not changed, future generations will probably do even worse in this area.

49) Paul said Timothy knew the scriptures from the time he was a young child (2 Tim. 3:15).

a) Many of us have heard parents or grandparents praise small children.

b) We hear how they learn to do various tasks before other children.

c) We hear how they can read better, read longer, read faster, or read bigger words than their peers.

d) When was the last time a parent spoke about their children memorizing the scriptures?

e) The most important thing—something of eternal value—is hardly ever mentioned.

f) Peter said to “sanctify Christ in the heart” (1 Pet. 3:15).

g) One of the ways we do this is through Bible memorization.

50) If we do not know the Bible very well, there will never be a better time to start than now.

51) As stated earlier, the beginning place is information about salvation.