"A Case for the Word" (2)
Notes
Transcript
“A Case For The Word”
Colossians 3:12-16 – “Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly”
Text Before Sermon
John 17:1-3, 6-8
17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.”
John 17:12-17
13 Father, I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Introduction
Buffalo Illustration
· Like the church body
· Nourish and raise the young, teaching them what they need to know to grow up to maturity equipped for life
· They protect young from predators
· They have defensive and offensive weapons
Main Text
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Prosecuting Attorney
· Burden of proof
· Present a compelling argument/case
· Convince, persuade, influence, challenge,
· With goal of personal transformation
SERMON BODY
· Difficult sermon to prepare – too much regarding the Bible
· Concentrate on some of the most important information we need to know regarding Scripture
Before presenting my case, we must 1stlook at what Paul is talking about in the text itself
3 aspects in verse - “The word of Christ”
· Dwell richly
· Teaching and admonishing each other based on Scripture in all wisdom
· And singing with thanksgiving
· They represent Godly living through mutual involvement in the lives of others
How can the Word of God dwells richly
· Dwells in us also as Christ dwells in us through the Holy Spirit
· He puts His Word on our heart and in our mind. SCRIPTURE?
· Singing is one means of this – it teaches us
· There is a richness in “the word of Christ” which makes it an inexhaustible source for our Christian life
Who should teach Word – Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom
· Definition of admonish: To warn, advise, exhort, encourage
Already mentioned in 1:28 regarding Paul’s role in ministry with the goal
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
· Paul now extends his ministry to a shared responsibility of the Church
Ephesians 4:11-16 – in more detail
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Matthew 15:14
If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
· False teachers
· New Christians
In all wisdom
· Wisdom is in Christ in 2:2-3
2 Paul’s prayers and ministry is so the Colossian’s hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
· Wisdom received from Scripture and wisdom to teach it (Methods)
· Wisdom to know best way to admonish (Methods)
· Looked at earlier
Singing with thanksgiving
· The most effective way Scripture is taught and the admonishing (application) that goes with it is through the teaching and preaching of the Word in the sermon
· But singing also effectively teaches and encourages
· It has always been an important tool for Christian teaching as well, drawn from the Bible - Theology and doctrine – Good example is Colossians 1:15-20: The singing of the supremacy of Christ and Philippians 2:5-11: The singing of Christ’s work on the cross
· Also teaches us how to live out our faith – a form of admonishing – Our response of Godly living because of Gospel truth
· Important: The singing must give primary attention to what is communicated and secondary attention to how it is communicated.
· Why there are 150 Psalms
We sing our faith
· Thanksgiving in our heart
· We don’t just sing from our mouth, but also we sing from our heart of gratitude to God
· Heart in the Biblical use refers to the totality of a person’s being
· The entire being is involved in the song
· To do this, we must fully know and embrace the transforming power of God’s grace in our lives through the work of Jesus Christ
· A thankful heart is the natural response we have because of God’s grace and mercy through Jesus for our redemption and salvation
Let me get started on presenting my case for the Word with facts and it’s importance
· The text is referring to the Word of Christ dwelling richly in the Church body as a whole
· But for this to happen we 1stmust personally know Scripture so it dwells in us richly
The inerrancy of Scripture
DEFINE WHAT THIS MEANS
Proverbs 30:5-6
5 Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Who wrote the Bible?
· Westminster and Heidelburg
· Scripture?
Person not pen:
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
So why is it so important to study and know Scripture so it dwells in us richly?
God commands that we know and apply Scripture
Joshua 1:8
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
God also commands that we be obedient to Scripture
Along with our Scripture for today:
Luke 6:46-47
46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Luke 11:28
28 Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
The Word of God (Bible) is God’s primary way He speaks to us
“I don’t hear God speaking to me.”
Hebrews 1:1-3
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets (Prophets received God’s direct revelation which they communicated to the people of Israel), 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power
Overall purpose of the Word
Word of God is all sufficient for…. (Westminster and Heidelburg)
· Scripture sanctifies us….
· It is all sufficient for redemption and salvation
· All sufficient for knowledge of the Triune God
· All sufficient for a saving relationship with Jesus Christ
· All sufficient for Godly living, living out our faith
Who wrote it and purpose:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – Go to verse for who wrote it and why
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Gives us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding
Proverbs 2:6
For the Lordgives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding
It Protects Us during spiritual warfare
Like the armor of the Buffalo – Armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-17 – Both defensive and offensive weapons
Ephesians 6:10
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Part of that armor is:
17 The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
It comes with power to transform our life
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Hebrews 4:12
12 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.
· Comforts the afflicted and convicts the comfortable (luke warm)
Conclusion
In Colossians 3:12-17 we’ve been about what it looks like to live a Godly life
That a functioning faith should affect every area of our life
· Our faith in Jesus and all He’s accomplished must translate to Godly living
· Well, knowing God’s Word informs us of how to live Godly lives and why
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
· When Word of God dwells in us richly, it becomes central to our lives – It is then always on the forefront of our minds – It dictates our behaviors, qualities, and words
· When the Word of God is central and dwelling in us richly, it produces: evidence of our faith, living a Godly life, spiritual growth and maturity, and a strong relationship with Jesus
· If not, Word isn’t in use
· All of these things are directly proportionate with our time in Scripture
· The input of God’s Word = output of Godly living
Let’s not be like those in:
Hebrews 5:11-14
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
· We don’t study Scripture to only receive knowledge but also to result in transformed lives and action
· A church who studies the Word is a healthy, thriving church
· We are carrying out God’s will both personally and as the church as a whole
· The fact is: The church body and ministries all operate under the authority of Scripture
Teaching and Admonishing in all wisdom
· This is discipleship in the church body – Can’t do if you don’t know Scripture – Knowing Scripture that leads to action - We are to present everyone mature in Christ
Application
It may have been a while since you’ve read Colossians in it’s entirety so:
· I encourage you to read it, if possible in one sitting
· It helps us understand all Paul is teaching the Colossian church
· It also reminds us what we have been learning to apply it to our lives individually and as a church body
· Also get a head start for next week by reading the Scripture references in the bulletin
I want to inform you of what I do to determine application which can help you in your personal Bible study
· Most every passage in Bible has applications and implications for our lives
· Some passages, the application is written right in the text like what we looked at today
· Others require us to learn what the text is teaching and then draw out the application
As I study, these are the things I am looking for and then write down – NOT GO INTO DETAIL, IT IS IN YOUR BULLETIN
1st, always prayer before reading
· What does it teach me about the Triune God
Read provided Scripture references: 2 birds with one stone
· You are in the Word
· You will be learning all about the Word – hopefully convincing you to make it a regular part of your life