Scripture alone is our theme for the day.
As we continue to consider the three sola’s of the prophetic, apostolic and historic Christian faith. The three only’s, the three alone’s that Christians from Adam and Eve through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Peter, Paul and all the Mary’s of the Bible believe – grace alone, Scripture alone and faith alone.
Jesus tells us the power of His Word, the Scriptures, in the parable of the Sower who goes out to sow.
That this seed is the Word of God and that for those who hearing the Word, and hold it fast in an honest and good heart, bear fruit with patience.
Isaiah (55) compares the Word of God to the rain and snow which comes down from heaven, that His Word does not return empty, but shall accomplish that which He purposes, and shall succeed in the thing for which He sent it.
St. Peter says that we should pay attention to God’s Word as to a lamp shining in a dark place, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy 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)
And St. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
How’d you come to that conclusion?
One of my teachers in the faith taught me that I could always ask that question when talking to someone.
How’d you come to that conclusion?
We say all sorts of things, we have all sorts of conclusions about things, about people, about ourselves, and that’s a good question.
How did we come to that conclusion?
When Christians say we believe in Scripture alone, we are saying that the only source of all teaching about who God is, about the ultimate questions of who we are, about what we are to do and what we are to believe is the Scriptures alone.
Our conclusions about those things is from Scripture alone.
What if some famous, really smart person said something different than the Bible? Scripture alone.
What if we don’t understand how this or that could possibly be true? Scripture alone.
What if it doesn’t make sense? What if it contradicts what we’re feeling? What if it’s different than that what my church or pastor said? What if my school, or coworkers, or friends, or movie stars say something different?
They aren’t the judge, they will be judged, we all will be judged, so we ought judge everything, measure everything, compare everything to the Judge’s Word, Scripture alone.
It’s a dark world out there sometimes. We’ve got dark hearts sometimes. And God’s Word is the only lamp unto our feet and light unto our path, we ought pay attention to it.
Jesus today speaks about all these enemies that come along when His powerful Word is heard.
The devil wants to take it away from our hearts.
God’s Word might be received with joy, but because of shallow roots, we would fall away in a time of testing (challenged, difficulty).
Or, God’s Word could grow up very well, but eventually be choked out by what Jesus calls “the cares and riches and pleasures of life.”
The Bible has enemies, but the Bible also fight back.
God’s Word is powerful.
But as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Like a seed, God’s Word doesn’t seem powerful.
That’s the beauty of Jesus comparing His Word to a seed. Because a seed is powerful.
A seed can do amazing things, push up tons of dirt, grow huge, bear an abundance of fruit.
Have you ever seen dandelion growing through concrete and asphalt?
Don’t tell me a seed isn’t powerful.
God’s Word is powerful in that through His Word He produces the fruit of faith in us.
God’s Word is so powerful in that that He goes into our hearts, and that we would begin to see the dangers of the devil,
the dangers of a faith that is strong when things are going well, but struggles when they aren’t,
that we would begin to see our temptations toward always wanting more and always wanting to feel good.
God’s Word is powerful in that He shoes us that Jesus is strong to defeat all these enemies for us, and even in us, keeping us in the one true faith in the midst of so many danger.
God’s Word is powerful. And God’s Word is true.
We ought always measure every conclusion with His Word.
This week, I heard a sermon from Joel Osteen recently, and as your pastor, I advice you to not listen to him and I would to talk with you personally more about it if you do.
But in this sermon, Joel compared who we are with a seed. That we are powerful, that we can push through adversity, that when challenged we can overcome, that we ought never say, “I am weak. I am defeated. I am overcome.”
How’d you come to that conclusion, Joel?
This isn’t based on Scripture alone.
Jesus said the seed isn’t you, Jesus said the seed is His Word. His powerful Word that is your light in a dark place, that is your comfort in adversity, that bears fruit in your especially during times of trouble, and you and He patiently works through you and you patiently receive and believe Him.
Joel says, “Don’t say I’m weak.”
How’d you come to that conclusion, Joel?
God’s Word through the Apostle Paul says Jesus tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. I am content with weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
I’m not picking on Joel as a person, I’m just trying to do my job as a pastor and as a Christian.
Joel’s claim is that he is a preacher and Christian and so the only standard and norm for preaching should be Scripture alone.
And judge me, pick on me, measure and compare everything I say to the only source of norm and teaching of Scripture alone.
Our standards for each other, pastor and hearer, are based on God’s Word.
…Let’s say this together:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
St. Paul say that God’s Word is useful for four things.
First, that He teaches us. God wants to teach you. He wants to teach you about Himself, what He wants you to do, what He has done and is doing and will do for you. Things you don’t know unless He teaches you. Thing you need to be taught. The Bible is useful for teaching
Second, the Bible is useful for reproof. God wants to us to know when we’re wrong. This is a reason people might avoid the Bible, we don’t always like to be shown that we’re wrong in what we’re saying, thinking and doing. We sometimes just want to do whatever we want. But that doesn’t change that we’re still wrong. If we’re wrong, we should want to know. The Bible is useful for reproof.
Third, the Bible is useful for correction. God shows us what is false out there and God shows us what is true and good and beautiful in this life and in the life to come. What is the correct way, the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible is useful for correction.
And finally, the Bible is useful for training in righteousness. When we are wrong, when we have rebelled, when we have acted ignorantly, the Bible points us away from us and on to Christ and His righteousness which covers all our sin.
God in His Word powerfully works to forgive us, constantly pointing out the riches we have at Christ’s expense.
You’re saved by grace because of the death of Jesus and you only know because God tells you.
How do we come to the beautiful and comforting conclusions we have in Christ Jesus?
A conclusion that for us, we have no conclusion, we have eternal life in Christ Jesus that even begins now?
By Scripture alone.
We’ll take the final few minutes hear to consider 2 Timothy 3:16 – easy to remember because 3:16, like John 3:16, many Christians favorite Bible verse.
It’s also easy to remember that the three best Psalm to go to to consider God’s Word are Psalm 1, 19, 119.