God's Word and You, Part 8

All right today we're gonna finish God's Word to you We're gonna begin with letter s this morning That's what we are in the alphabet and we're gonna finish all the way down through Z And I'm sure many of you are wondering what word we're gonna come up for the letter Z But you just bear with us and we will tell you But we're gonna begin by looking at second Timothy chapter 2 verse number 15 this morning Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed Handling accurately the word of truth you need to be the kind of man the kind of woman that is committed to the study of God's Word and of course, that's what the letter s represents study God's Word We want you to be students of the word.

We want you to be more than just hearers of the word We want you to be more than just readers of the word. We want you to be students of the word That is we want you to get out your pencil and paper and as you open the Word of God to be able to to ask yourself some questions to be able to Answer those questions to be able to accurately interpret the Word of God that you might be able to accurately Present the Word of God to people who ask you about the truth that you hold in your hands The Bible says in Ezra chapter 7 verse number 9 and 10 these words from the first of the first month He began that as Ezra to go up from Babylon and on the first the fifth month He came to Jerusalem because the good hand of his God was upon him for Ezra had set his heart to study The law of God and to practice it and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel Ezra was a man who committed himself to the study of the law of God Listen, we need to be students of the Word of God.

I know many of you read your Bible and that's great I know many of you have quote devotions Yeah Read a little excerpt from this book or a little excerpt from that book and a verse here and a verse there and that's good But we want you to go further To be students of the Word of God year ago when we did our series alone with the Almighty We give you we gave you ten questions that you can ask every time you read a passage You will be on your way to becoming a student of the Bible Let me review those questions for you Number one, is there a pattern for me to follow number two?

Is there a potential sin for me to avoid number three? Is there a purpose? For me to embrace Number four, is there a precept to obey? Is there a promise to claim is number five? Is there a perspective on the Godhead? I need to receive Is there a problem I need to explore my own life. Is there a principle? I need to share with other people. Is there a prayer that I can offer? Is there a praise? to be given ten Simple questions we put them on a little card and some of the you some of you have them in your Bible even today as We speak that if you just ask ten Simple questions and answer them you'll begin to to study the Word of God and it will get you further and further into the scriptures We need to be students of the Word why because you know what?

Precision in interpretation is important accuracy in interpretation is important And go to a lot of churches You can hear a lot of things about what the Word of God says You know just this past week.

I was listening once again to my favorite TV station and listening to this young man preach about the righteousness of Christ and As I I listened to him preach about the righteousness of Christ Telling people that if they have the righteousness of Christ, that is they are equal with God And if they're equal with God they can do what God does that is they can walk on water and they can raise people from The dead he really believed that And he was getting the people in the audience to believe that as well Thinking that if if God's righteousness dwelt in them and they are right with God They are equal with God if they are equal with God.

They can do what God did when he was on the earth So subtle, but so wrong happens all the time We need to be students of the Word of God so that we don't give a ballpark interpretation We don't give an idea of what we think the text means, but we give an accurate translation to what that text does mean for your life and for mine That's so important But to do that you need to be a student of the Word of God You need to study the Word of God and I want to encourage you to do that next letter T teach God's Word if God's words gonna be a part of your life.

You need to teach God's Word you say well, I don't have to get the teaching. That's okay you don't have to have the gift of teaching to teach God's Word why because the Bible says that we are to go into all The world and preach the gospel we have to go into all the world and make disciples Baptizing them in the name of the Father and in the name of Son in the name of the Holy Spirit Teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you if God has called you to be a disciple maker and he has Then God has called you to be a teacher God wants you to be actively involved in a teaching ministry if you're a mother you need to teach your children if you're a father you teach your wife and Your children, maybe you could teach a Sunday school class Maybe you could teach one of the person so but if you're not actively teaching somebody else the Word of God You are disobedient to the Word of God because we are to make disciples and I know what James 3 says James 3 1 says don't many of you seek to become teachers for with the come the stricter condemnation.

That's true But God has called us to be teachers of the Word of God if you go back to Deuteronomy chapter 6 We talked about it on Wednesday night that we are to teach our children Diligently as we sit as we walk as we lie down as we stand wherever we go We are to be actively involved in a teaching ministry as parents to our children Why because they need to grow in their walk with the Lord Where is your teaching ministry? Do you have one if God's Word is gonna be a part of your life in this year like no other year You need to be involved in teaching one other Person just one could be your wife.

It could be your children could be a friend of yours But investing in them spiritually why because if you want to be a good student of the Word of God Then set your heart on teaching the Word of God Because when you begin to teach people and they ask you questions You don't have the answer to you've got to go back and find the answer. It requires you to be a student of the Word to look for the answer until you find the answer and teaching Causes you to study your Bible more than anything else Therefore if you want to be a good student of the word teach the word to one of the person your children will ask you All kinds of questions that you need to have an answer to Fathers, can you answer your children's questions mothers?

Can you answer your children's questions you need to be able to answer them you go to work right people ask questions about truth about life About death about the uncertainty of tomorrow. Do you have answers for them? You become a teacher then you become one who who instructs others in in the ways of God You need to be a student of the Word of God. You need to be a teacher of the Word of God So important next need to understand God's You need to understand God's Word Proverbs chapter 2 verse number 6 says for the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and Understanding God gives you understanding if you are a student of the Word God will give you understanding to the text You need to get that from the Lord Jesus Christ The Bible says in Proverbs 3 verse number 13 how blessed is a man who finds wisdom and the man who gains?

Understanding if you want to learn how to live every day in a practical way that honors and glorifies God No, God's Word. That is the book of Proverbs. Why because it's all about living Wisely, and so when you talk about understanding you're talking about the ability to decipher Principles that you might live in accordance with them the ability to grasp truth with insight in discernment Listen what it says over in Proverbs chapter 24 Proverbs 24 verse number 3 by wisdom is the house built and by Understanding it is established and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches Listen your home needs to be built on the foundation of wisdom Understanding and knowledge and if your home is built on that foundation What you have in each of the rooms of that house are something that goes far beyond anything You can ever imagine the book of Proverbs says that each room is filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

I Love over in the book of Acts the chapter in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading out of the book of Isaiah He didn't understand what he was reading and Philip goes up to him and says do you understand what you are reading and he said? Well, how could I unless someone guides me and he invited Philip to come up and sit with him now the passage of Scripture Which he was reading was this he was led as a sheep to slaughter and as the land before its shearer is silent So he does not open his mouth in humiliation.

His judgment was taken away Who shall relate his generation for his life is removed from the earth and the eunuch answered Philip and said, please tell me of whom? does the Prophet say this of himself or of someone else and Philip opened his mouth and Beginning from the Scripture he preached Jesus to him you see for the man to have proper understanding of what he was reading He needed someone to come alongside of him and give him wisdom to teach him Philip was that man? But we as people need to have an understanding of the Word of God Do you do you follow the words of Proverbs acquire wisdom acquire understanding Seek her search for her.

She will guard you. She will protect you. She will be your life That's why the Word of God is so important. You need to understand the Word of God next letter V value God's Word We need to value God's Word the Bible says in Psalm 119 verse number 72 these words the law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver Good Do you value God's Word?

Is it the supreme authority of your life? They are as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago they are just alive now as they were a thousand years ago and Therefore the words that we read are life-changing words if God is the God of life in his word is the word of life Then in order for my life to be sustained. I must read and digest the word of life I must value it as the most precious possession That I own do you value God's Word? More than you value your very life I mean, are you willing to do what God says even if it cost you your life?

Are you willing to do what God says if it cost you your marriage? Are you willing to do what God says if it cost you your job?

Are you willing to obey God no matter what now, you know God's Word is valuable to you You don't want to lose that you can lose everything else, but you can't lose the Word of God next Welcome God's Word Welcome God's Word James says it Well James chapter 1 verse number 21 therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness in humility receive the Word Implanted which is able to save your soul Receive the Word in other words put out the welcome mat to the Word of God Every time you open the Word of God It should be welcomed into your heart over in first Thessalonians chapter 2 verse number 13 It says this for this reason We also constantly thank God that when you receive from us the Word of God's message You accepted it not as the Word of men for for what it really is the Word of God Which also performs his work in you who believe?

There've been people just for a little Illustration there've been people who've never been baptized. They're born again, but they've never been baptized And the Bible says you need you need to be baptized.

They say well, I I'm either too old or it's been too long or Because I don't have to be baptized to go to heaven. It's no big deal But the Bible says you need to be baptized So if that's the case you welcome God's Word by saying Lord if you want me to be baptized I'll be baptized because that's what your word says What is it for you?

The Bible says in Ephesians 429 let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth yet yet this week I heard in our church about people who spoke many unwholesome words against others in the church The Bible says not to do that So either they have taken up the welcome mat and thrown it away when it comes to that verse in Ephesians 429 Because they don't want to receive that part or they're just blatantly disobedient to it.

Welcome the Word of God So when the Word of God confronts my sin, I say Lord, you know what? I have sinned therefore I go and I confess my sin because I want to do the right thing Welcome the Word of God into your life Next what's the next letter X? Oh, that's exemplify God's Word. I cheated a little bit on that one Exemplify God's Word. Hey, listen, what gives you the greatest joy in life? What gives you the greatest joy in your life? Think about it. Don't answer out loud, please Just just think about in your in your own life.

What gives you the greatest joy? What gets you really stoked man? What gets you fired up? What's you know makes the prop really, you know goal full force in your life Have you thought about that What is it really gets you excited Listen to this verse It's very important It's in the Bible talks about joy And that verse is this I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Third John 4 John says the greatest joy in all the world is to have your children walk in truth The greatest joy in all the world is not to give your kids the finest education Said to the finest of all schools.

They become doctors and lawyers. God forbid If you're a lawyer, please don't don't be offended by that, you know, or they become great athletes That's not the greatest joy in the world. The greatest joy in all the world is your children walk in truth Listen parents, you know that when your children walk in truth, it brings supreme joy to your life But when they rebel against truth, what happens? Oh Man, it just tears you up inside doesn't Sure does why because you want them to walk obediently to God the followers were Well, listen, that's the case That means they're going to live truth That means we as parents have to live true.

We have to exemplify the Word of God in our lives It has to be the supreme example of all that we say and do right? Sure. It does Exemplify God's holy Word Why? Letter why not why why but letter why? Yield to God's Word yield to God's Word. See I told you we'd finish today yield to God's Word The Bible says in Romans 12, right?

Therefore I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice Holy acceptable in the God, which is your reasonable service yield to God Yield to his Word It's similar to welcoming the Word of God. You know, you welcome it into your home You welcome it into your heart and then you submit to it you yield to the Word of God Do you yield to all of God's Word you say? Well, I'd like to let me give you an example The Bible says if he's in 521 that we are to be submissive one to another are you submissive to your wife?

You submissive to your husband. Are you submissive to your employer to your employee as an employee? Do you yield to the Word of God by saying Lord if you have said I am to be submissive Then I will do that and the greatest act of submission on the part of the husband is to give his life away for his Wife that's the whole context of Ephesians 5 giving your life away You follow Christ you are yielding to his leadership Saying yes, God, I will follow you wherever you leave and lastly the letter Z Here it is.

You ready? This is a tete This is a tete ton log on fail which means Longingly desire God's Word Zetete ton log on fail which means to the longingly and lovingly desire God's First Peter chapter 2 here goes verse number 2 like newborn babes Long for the pure milk of the Word that by it you may grow in respect to salvation since you have tasted the kindness of the Lord long for the pure Milk of the Word.

Are you that way? This is a great way to end Why because all the things that we've talked about a through Z really stems on letter Z to long to desire God's Word more than anything It's it's your life that without it. You'll die without it. You'll cry without it You'll kick and you'll scream until you get it. That's the way we ought to be now You ever ask yourself why that doesn't happen in your life Why is it that you can go through maybe a whole week maybe a whole month without ever really studying your Bible reading your Bible Memorizing any verses the Bible tells you it tells you in verse number one Therefore put in aside all malice and guile and hypocrisy and ivy and all slander like newborn babes Something you gotta get rid of to put off means to discard to get rid of it It's like when you go home, you know and you got a coat and tie on you can't wait to get home and get the tie off and get the coat off and Take a shower and put on your your relaxing clothes and sit back, you know, you you want to discard certain things There are things that we don't discard and those things keep us from longing for the Word of God.

They hinder our desire The first one is wickedness. That's malice all forms of evil. It's the base kinds of wickedness and it's those kinds of things that keep us from designing the Word of God as Because there is some wickedness in our life something that we're hanging on to that's so important to us that we we won't let go That's the malice That's the wickedness and then there's deceitfulness. That's the guile the deceitfulness It's it's a word that means to bait with a hook You know you ever been fishing and you put the little worm on the end of the hook You throw it into the water why because you want the fish to believe you really care about it You want the fish to believe that you're concerned about his diet So what you're going to do is give him the choice choices of all Food that little worm that dangles from the from the hook.

It's a word that means to bait with a hook It's all deceiving, isn't it? You don't care about that fish. You want to eat that fish? You want to catch that fish you deceive that fish? There are people that are very deceitful in their lifestyles, aren't they and that deceitfulness Hinders their desire for the pure milk of the word. There's wickedness. There's deceitfulness and then there's phoniness That's hypocrisy. That's a guy, you know comes to church every week, you know And he wants everybody to think that he's got his life together You know, he holds his wife hand when he walks in the church He kisses her as he drops her off at the nursery kisses his kids Sits in church looks good takes notes then goes home and he beats his wife, you know He goes home and swears that his kids he goes home and in the throws all of his money away He didn't care if he provides his family.

It is a phony life. It looks good on the outside, but on the inside He's right, you know, you can fool a lot of people right pastor the church your study school teacher your friends You can fool them But unless you put all that side that phoniness aside You're not gonna be able to desire the pure milk of the word and thus grow thereby you have wickedness You have deceitfulness. You have phoniness and then you have selfishness Envy it's all about you. It's all about me. You know, there are many people today who come to church And I'm gonna meddle a little bit this morning.

That's my price of preachers prerogative people come to church, you know And they don't like what's happening here or what's going on here and and they begin to criticize But people like to criticize and they do it in subtle ways But you know for all practical purposes, it's it's selfishness You see they go to church because they want the church to minister to them. They don't go to church To minister you see when people complain a lot, you know, they're consumers when people criticize a lot, you know You know, they want the church to minister to them.

They don't come to follow Matthew 20 28 The Son of Man did not come to be served But to serve and to give his life a ransom for many that's the model, right? So you translate over to different individuals like to criticize and and and complain they they go to church because they want the church To minister to them. They're coming to get they're not coming to get and those who come to get our manipulators And the church is a ministering body and you know what happens whenever you minister Guess what you receive but if you don't minister you won't receive Reception is a byproduct of a ministry and you'll find that when people give their lives away and begin to to minister Guess what great things happen.

Same thing in a marriage, right? We were selfish in a marriage We want the spouse to give to us and and if they're not giving to us Then then we complain and we gripe and we bellyache about my knee here and my knee there and guess what? It's about ministry Your marriage is about your ministry to your spouse to give your life away to serve your spouse to serve your family Life is a life of service as a Christian, right? Paul saw himself as a slave Christ saw himself as as a servant of all men And the reason people have a hard time desiring the pure milk of the word is because they are so into themselves Me me me me me Sometimes we don't receive the Word of God and desire it like a baby craves milk because we're too into ourselves So you have wickedness you you have deceitfulness you have phoniness you have selfishness and you have unkindness slander gossip How about you see it comes down to just basically doing what God says right and following his word you lay aside all those things Guess what now you're ready to crave the pure milk of the word If you're not craving it go back and ask yourself this question.

Is there something in my life? That's hindering me from this because it's probably true and say God. I want you to deal with that in my life. Take it away Because the reason we do this series is that you might grow right you might grow That you are living in line with the Word of God Let's pray