Download January 15- Loves the Word

(9 Marks)
"I will run in the path
of your commands
for you have
set my heart free"
- Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
Mark 1:
A Disciple loves God passionately…
Mark 1:
A Disciple loves God passionately…
and shows it through obedience
For God's glory and our joy
"I will run in the path
of your commands
for you have
set my heart free"
- Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
Law and Prophets
Never take your word of truth
from my mouth,
for I have put my hope in your laws.
I will always obey your law,
for ever and ever.
I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.
I will speak of your statutes
before kings
and will not be put to shame,
for I delight in your commands
because I love them.
I reach out for your commands,
which I love,
that I may meditate on your decrees
- Psalm 119:43-48
God's Word is more Powerful
Than we recognize
And has more Potential
Than we allow
Mark 2:
A Disciple loves the Word of God
Mark 2:
A Disciple loves the Word of God
Because it leads to Freedom
“If you hold to my teaching, you are
really my disciples. Then you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you
free…I tell you the truth, everyone
who sins is a slave to sin"
God's Word leads to Freedom
We seek what we seek
For what it gives us
Freedom
Growth
Purpose
Joy
Peace
Security
God's Word leads us into
And directs us toward
What we really need
God's Word leads to Freedom
From seeking what can't be found
Salt water only appears to satisfy
God's Word leads to Freedom
From religion and the rules of men
“Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light”
- Matthew 11:28-30
God's Word leads to Freedom
From religion and the rules of men
God's Word leads to Freedom
From religion and the rules of men
What rules of men?
"I will run in the path
of your commands
for you have
set my heart free"
- Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
What it says about itself:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the
servant of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work
- 2 Tim. 3:16
What it says about itself:
…no prophecy of Scripture comes from
someone's own interpretation. For no
prophecy was ever produced by the will of
man, but men spoke from God as they were
carried along by the Holy Spirit
- 2 Peter 1:20-21
What it says about itself:
For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit,
of joints and of marrow, and discerning the
thoughts and intentions of the heart. And
no creature is hidden from his sight, but all
are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to
whom we must give account
- Hebrews 4:12-13
It claims to be the Word of God
What I believe directs my actions
3 Possibilities:
* Clever tales written by men
* Was from God but has been changed
* Is the Word of God
3 Possibilities
* Clever tales written by men
- Reject and walk away
* Was from God but has been changed
- Pick and choose
* Is the Word of God
- Embrace and love
*Clever tales written by men
1600 years
+ 3 Continents
+ 3 Languages
+ Over 40 very different authors
+ Wide variety of circumstances
= Supernatural Unity and Fulfilled
Prophecies
8 Fulfilled Prophecies
(let's play quarters!)
*Was from God but has been changed
- More than 5,600 of the NT alone (99.5%)
- Integrity of Bible Translators
- Peter= Sinks, called "Satan"
- Resurrection of Jesus
If God can't protect the integrity of his
Word, I'm not sure I want to trust him with
my eternity
*Was from God but has been changed
I'll just decide what's convenient and throw
out the rest 
*Was from God but has been changed
If you believe what you like in the gospel,
And reject what you don't like,
It is not the gospel you believe,
But yourself
- St. Augustine
*Is the Word of God
Spiritual book
Expect God to speak and change me
Precious and scarce (51= illegal!)
Reveals truths I can't find anywhere else
If the scriptures are not from God, how
can I know who God is? Or what Christ
has done?
More evidence for authenticity
Than for any 10 pieces of Classical
Greek Literature put together
If it is
What it claims to be
(And evidence suggests it to be)
Should that change
how I handle it?
Purpose: Reveal God
General Revelation= everyone
Special Revelation= some
Purpose: Reveal God
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims
his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals
knowledge.
Purpose: Reveal God
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart…
Purpose: Reveal God
Moreover, by them
is your servant warned;
in keeping them
there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent
from hidden faults.
Purpose: Reveal God
Keep back your servant also
from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
…Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer
- Psalm 19
God initiates
We respond
Nature= General Revelation
Response: Praise God and seek more
Word= Special Revelation
Response: Confess and walk closer
God initiates
We respond
The Bible is God initiating the
Revealing of himself
In such a way as to change us
For his glory and our joy
…from childhood you have been
acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus
- 2 Tim. 3:15
…these are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God, and that by believing you may
have life in his name
- John 20:31
Martin Luther
and the Reformation
"My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?"
- Psalm 22
The righteous will live by faith
- Romans 1:17
God's not behind the couch…
God's not behind the couch…
(He's not hiding!)
A Disciple loves the Word of God
Because it leads to Freedom
Reveals God
Develops the Disciple
Ever been tempted?
Ever been tempted?
What do you do?
And the tempter came and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become
loaves of bread”
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man
shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from
the mouth of God’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city
and set him on the pinnacle of the
temple and said to him, “If you are the
Son of God, throw yourself down, for it
is written, “‘He will command his
angels concerning you,’ and
“‘On their hands
they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot
against a stone’”
Jesus said to him,
“Again it is written,
‘You shall not put the Lord your God
to the test’”
Again, the devil took him to a very high
mountain and showed him all the
kingdoms of the world and their
glory. And he said to him, “All these I
will give you, if you will fall down and
worship me.”
Then Jesus said to him,
“Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship
the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve’”
- Matthew 4
When Jesus is tempted…
Word of God!
God's Word is more Powerful
Than we recognize
And has more Potential
Than we allow
In all circumstances take up…the
sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God
- Eph. 6:16
For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of
spirit, of joints and of marrow, and
discerning the thoughts and intentions
of the heart
I can only use it in battle
If I first apply it personally
(No friendly-fire allowed)
God's Word is more Powerful
Than we recognize
And has more Potential
Than we allow
"I will run in the path
of your commands
for you have
set my heart free"
- Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
Homework!
Psalm 19 and 119
What does it do?
Do I need that right now?