Sermon Tone Analysis

The Wonderful Results of Remaining in God's Word

The Gospel of John

John 8:30-36

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - January 11, 2017

(Revised September 11, 2019)

*For about 300 years now, unbelieving scholars, philosophers and atheists have done everything they could to cast doubt on the Word of God.

Many basically question all the miraculous parts of the Bible.

For example, they teach that the creation story, Noah's Ark, and Jonah's whale are all myths.

*They would teach that the burning bush was only on fire in Moses' imagination, and that Jesus appeared to Paul only in his mind.

Many also teach that Jesus wasn't born of a virgin, never performed miracles, didn't die on the cross, and never rose again from the dead.

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*People with that kind of doubt have fallen into the trap God described in Hebrews 4:2.

There the Bible says, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."

*A low view of the Bible will always lead you in the wrong direction.

But when you have a high view of the Bible, you will find it always leads you in the right direction.

And you can echo what the Psalmist said to God in Psalm 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

*God's Word is pure, powerful, eternal, and absolutely true.

It was written by holy men who spoke as they were inspired by God's Holy Spirit.

The Bible then is a one-of-a-kind miracle of a book, because it was written by God Himself, written by the Holy Spirit of God.

*The Apostle Peter explained this in 2 Peter 1:19-21, and said:

19.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

*God gave some holy men the incredible blessing of helping to write His Word, but the ultimate author is God Himself.

The Bible affirms this truth many times.

Alex McFarland and Elmer Towns wrote that the human authors claimed their message was from God over 1,900 times!

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*For example, in the KJV you will find the phrases "God said" 43 times, "the Lord spake" 144 times, and "thus saith the LORD!" 415 times!

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*Listen to a great example from Isaiah 43:1-3:

1.

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3.

For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

*The Holy Spirit of God is the primary author of the Bible, and yes, God used men to help get the job done.

But those men were all moved by the Holy Spirit to say exactly what God wanted them to say.

*Peter and Paul both confirm this truth for us in the book of Acts.

Their statements are great confirmations at the beginning and end of Acts saying: "This is the Word of God!"

So in Acts 1:16, we hear Peter say, "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus."

Then in Acts 28:25 Paul said, "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers."

*Again, the Holy Spirit of God is the primary author of the Bible.

That's why there is divine oneness in this Book even though it was written through a wide variety of men.

*Lewis Chafer tells us "it was written over a period of at least 1,600 years by as many as 40 different authors.

They differed in language, culture, background and experience.

Nevertheless, the Bible, like no other composite book in the world, is one book. . .

Among the authors of the 66 books in the Bible are kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, a doctor, statesmen, scholars, poets, and plowmen of such diverse backgrounds that one could hardly expect their writings to form any continuity. . .

*Obviously the Bible had a divine Editor, -- the Holy Spirit of God, who guided the writers so that all they wrote in perfect harmony."

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*The Bible is a miraculous book, and it can have a miraculous impact on our lives.

No wonder Jesus urges us to remain in His Word, and in tonight's Scripture, He tells us why.

1. FIRST: WE WILL FOLLOW THE LORD MORE FULLY.

*Verses 30-31 point us to this truth, and here the Bible says:

30.

As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

31.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."

*That word "abide" in vs. 31 means we should "continue," "stay," "remain," or "dwell" in His Word.

We should read it, study it, absorb it and apply it in our lives.

This is one of the most important things we can ever do, because then we will be the Lord's "disciples indeed."

*The original word for "indeed" there means "truly," "surely," or "most certainly," so if we remain in God's Word, we will surely be His true disciples, true followers of Jesus Christ in the way we live our lives.

[1] THIS MEANS WE WILL HAVE A LIFE WORTH LIVING.

*Not a perfect life.

But the best possible life we can have in this world.

If we will continue in God's Word, this is the kind of life we will have: When we stumble, Jesus lifts us up.

When we are tired, He gives us rest.

When we're in sorrow, He gives us comfort, and when we are afraid, He calms our fears.

[2] STAYING IN GOD'S WORD GIVES US A LIFE WORTH LIVING.

IT ALSO HELPS US DEMONSTRATE OUR DISCIPLESHIP.

*We will be disciples indeed, or you could say, "We will be disciples in deeds."

People will be able to see the Lord living in us, maybe not all the time.

But the more we really continue in God's Word, the more we will follow Jesus.

And people will see what it means to follow the Lord.

*Staying in God's Word will help give us the life Moses asked for in Psalm 90:17.

There this great leader prayed, "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands."

*Moses was talking about inner beauty that can be seen on the outside, by the way we live our lives.

But this can't happen unless we abide both in the written Word of God and in the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ.

That's why in John 15:1-5, Jesus also said this on the night before the cross:

1. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3.

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4. Abide in Me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5. I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

*If we abide in the Lord, and in His Word, He will surely give us a life worth living, and He will surely help us demonstrate our discipleship.

*One of the most unexpected testimonies I ever saw of this truth came from an atheist.

His name is Matthew Parris.

He is a reporter in Great Britain.

And Mathew witnessed first hand the power of lives worth living.

Eleven years ago, Matthew wrote an article for "The London Times," and it had this odd headline: "As an Atheist, I Truly Believe Africa Needs God."

*The story told about Matthew's recent trip to Malawi.

It was the country where he lived as a boy.

And he went back after 45 years to see the work of a charity.

While Matthew was there, he saw the impact of Christianity being lived out among the people.

*Matthew said the trip renewed his faith in charities.

And he said, "(It) refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood.

It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God."

*He went on to write, "Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa.

Sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts.

These alone will not do.

Education and training alone will not do.

In Africa, Christianity changes people's hearts.

It brings a spiritual transformation.

The rebirth is real.

The change is good."

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*The truth is Christianity does the same thing all over the world, whenever Christ is truly received by faith.