Back to the Basics of Scripture
Pastor Don Carpenter
Back to the Basics / 2 Timothy 3:16–17
During Superbowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like the bedraggled Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a suburban home, package in hand.
When the lady comes to the door, he explains that he survived five years on a deserted island, and during that whole time he kept this package in order to deliver it to her. She gives a simple, “Thank you.”
But he is curious about what is in the package that he has been protecting for years. He says, “If I may ask, what was in that package after all?”
She opens it and shows him the contents, saying, “Oh, nothing really. Just a satellite telephone, a global positioning device, a compass, a water purifier, and some seeds.”
Like the contents in this package, the resources for growth and strength are available for every Christian who will take advantage of them.
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Today we’re going to continue our 4-week series called, Back to the Basics. It’s a series about the basics…the foundations of our faith. And, if you were with us last week you’ll recall that we began with the practice of consistent and bold prayer.
Our journey continues today with the very word of God, the holy scripture. It may seem like such an obviously important part of Christian faith and yet for some reason, the Bible is all too often overlooked or ignored in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.
The simple truth is that the Bible is anything but unimportant. As we’ll learn today …The word of God is living, active, and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. And that’s just scratching the surface! The Bible is full of wisdom and surprises.
For instance, the Bible actually consists of 66 smaller books, divided into 2 major sections; the Old and New Testament. Another way to think about it is that the Old Testament is everything that happened before Jesus and the New Testament covers about 70 years of time including the birth and ministry of Jesus along with the beginning of the early church. For our study today, we’ll primarily be in the New Testament, learning from Jesus and some of the original apostles.
Another interesting fact about the Bible is that it is the all-time best selling book in the history of the world and has been translated into 704 different languages. (As of Sept. 2020) And there are entire ministries, like Wycliffe Bible Translators, whose aim is to translate the Bible into every language on earth.
I think we would all agree that it’s important for everyone on earth to have access to the Bible. As I mentioned before, it is living, active, and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training.
Basically, the Bible is amazing. What an incredible gift God has given us. Let’s see what we can learn about the word, from the word.
The Word Is Alive
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Have you ever read the Bible and something just JUMPS out at you? As if the Bible knew what you needed at that moment? Or have you ever just randomly opened to a passage that spoke so clearly into your life, it seemed uncanny.
If you’ve felt either of those things before, then you’re right. And actually the writer of Hebrews describes the words of scripture as both quick /alive and powerful /active.
To be alive in this sense means to be counted among the living, not the dead. The point being here that the writer of Hebrews very much counts the words of scripture among the living just as other human beings, animals, etc… would be. The word active also means effective and productive in it’s work.
For those of us in the room who’ve been reading the Bible for some time, I think we can all agree that the Bible is both living and effective. And to drive the point home, the author of Hebrews says the word is more effective than a double edged sword at dividing (cutting through) soul and spirit.
The word is powerful and able to get down to the heart of the matter.
So again, if you’ve ever read the Bible and it seemed to be “speaking” directly into your situation then I think it’s fair to say that it probably was. And as we grow in our faith it’s important to continue returning to scripture again and again. Submitting ourselves to the word of God and allowing the Spirit to work in and through our lives.
I know that may sound hokey or too overly spiritual but I will tell you this… try it. Try giving yourself a consistent time every day in Bible study and see for yourself just how powerful and “profitable” the word is.
The Word is Profitable
2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV
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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
For Salvation
2 Timothy 3:15 KJV
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:23 KJV
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
For doctrine= that which is taught
1 Timothy 4:6 KJV
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
For reproof= censure, conviction
Proverbs 6:23 KJV
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
John 3:20 KJV
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
For correction= restoration to an upright state
Daniel 12:3 KJV
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Galatians 6:1 KJV
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
For instruction in a righteous life style
Psalm 119:9–11 KJV
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.
2 Timothy 3:17 KJV
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
And here we are again, back at the feet of Jesus. Where it all begins and ends for those who follow Him. Which brings us to our most important point of the day, that the word is where you encounter Jesus because Jesus is the word.
The Word Became Flesh
John 1:1–3 KJV
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 KJV
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the word and the word is Jesus.
Is this why scripture is living and active? Is this why sometimes I feel that while I’m reading the Bible that the Bible is actually reading me? Is Jesus IN every Bible?
I actually don’t know if I can answer all those questions. I do know God’s ways are different from our ways. And I also know Jesus says some other, very interesting things in the gospels that may be of interest…
Throughout John 6, Jesus refers to himself as living bread or the bread of life. When Jesus was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness He says, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) Jesus knew that He didn’t need another loaf of freshly baked French bread from the local bakery. What He needed, and what we need, is the very word of God, the living bread, the bread of life.
There is other “bread” out there that may satisfy your earthly hunger, but there is nothing else that will cure your spiritual starvation.
Only Jesus can do that.
The Word made flesh.
The bread of life.
Scripture.
I believe it to be of utmost importance in the life of a believer to be in the Bible every single day. There’s nothing like it, no other book has ever been written and I can guarantee that there is not another book in existence that we would say is alive and active.
And yet, I understand too that life gets complicated and almost before you know it your Bible reading plan is a bust. Or that devotional you bought to help give you some structure is nothing more than a permanent fixture on your mantle.
So today, instead of another bullet point plan or a bunch of hooting and hollering I’m just going to leave you with a few more words from Jesus.
Many of you will be familiar, as this verse is from the Lord’s prayer where Jesus simply says, “And give us Lord our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
What if Jesus wasn’t just talking about french loaves and baguettes. What if He was talking about the bread of life? What if He was instructing the disciples to pray for Him? And what if God gave us daily access to Christ through scripture?
Wouldn’t that be an amazing way for God the Father to provide for all His kids?
So give it a try this week, and expect that you will find the Bible to be alive, active, useful, effective, and powerful.
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:21 PM January 13, 2022.