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I want to welcome you again this morning.

First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.

I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

With that said, we are currently doing that through the NT book of Act. A book written by a First Century disciple named Luke, who wrote it for a couple of reasons:

First, to give us a history of the church. How it started, who was there, and the circumstances that surrounded it.

Second, to give us a template of sorts. A template that teaches us how to accomplish the mission Jesus gave us to take the Gospel into the rest of the world.

So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to mcf.life where you can listen to all of the messages leading up to today.

Today however we are picking back up in Acts 17 as we continue with the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey.

You may recall we last left Paul in the city of Thessalonica where he had successfully planted a growing and thriving church.

But as we learned, where there’s great opportunity for the gospel, there will also be great opposition.

And such was the case in Thessalonica, because as more and more people started to put their faith in Jesus, the more the church in Thessalonica faced persecution, to the point that many of the believers were threatened and some were even killed.

But regardless of the persecution, the church at Thessalonica stood strong in their faith and became a beacon of hope throughout the entire region. We know this because in his letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul writes:

1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

Paul says the Thessalonian church’s influence and impact became so great that word about them spread throughout the entire region, so much so, that when Paul traveled from city to city their reputation preceded them.

All that to say, while the Thessalonica church faced great opposition, they faced even greater victories as they put their hope, faith, and trust fully in Jesus.

And the fact is, if we put our hope, faith, and trust fully in Jesus, we will experience victories as well.

But as we learned, because of the extreme persecution, Paul became a target and was forced to flee from Thessalonica, which takes us today to a new city and a new opportunity for Paul to share the gospel.

But before we get to this new city and this new opportunity, I want to begin today by laying some groundwork for where Luke is taking us today.

And to do that, I want to begin by asking you an important question that I think every Christians needs to consider, and the question goes something like this:

Question - When it comes to your life and what you believe about God, what is the basis for your beliefs and decisions?

For example, when it comes to how a relationship with God works, what do you base that belief on?

Do you base it on what you learned in catechism class?

Do you base it on what you learned in Sunday School?

Do you base it on what your church or denomination taught you?

Do you base it on what your parents taught you?

Do you base it on what you heard your pastor say?

Do you base it on what secular culture says about God?

What do you base what you believe about a relationship with God upon?

Or when it comes to your morals and ethics, what do you base those beliefs or decisions on?

Do you base it on what your parents taught you and how they lived their life?

Do you base it on what you see modeled and promoted in our culture?

Do you base it on personal opinion?

Do you base it on what makes you happy?

What do you base your moral and ethical decisions upon?

Or when it comes to your marriage and how you love and treat your spouse, what do you base that on?

Do you base it on what you see modeled and promoted by Hollywood?

Do you base it on how your parents loved and treated one another?

Do you base it on what secular culture says a relationship should look like?

What do you base it on?

Or how about this, when it comes to your finances and how you spend your money, what do you base that on?

Do you base it on how much money you have or don’t have?

Do you base it on what the stock market is doing?

Do you base it on what the culture says you should or shouldn’t spend it on?

Do you base it on how your parents handled their money?

What do you base your belief about money and how you spend it?

I think these are great questions for us to consider this morning and questions we all need to be willing to ask ourselves, because the fact is, we are all basing what we believe about life and God on something.

That’s true, right?

The question then is, “Are you basing your decisions and beliefs on the right basis, and if not, what should you be basing those decisions and beliefs on?”

Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to base some of the most important decisions in my life on the wrong source or sources, especially when it comes to my relationship with God.

That being said, what I’d like to suggest to you this morning is there is a way to know if your basing your decisions and beliefs on the right source or sources.

And not only that, but that there is actually a single source to base all of those decisions and beliefs on. A source that can guarantee every decision you make concerning life and your faith in God is on track.

Now, some of you might be thinking, “Come on pastor, a single source for all my decisions and my belief about God?”

Yes, a single source. A source that Luke is going to highlight today.

That being the case, I have two goals today:

Goal #1 - To walk through this next story and discover what this single source for life decisions and faith is.

Goal #2 - To determine how we can best utilize this single source when it comes to the decisions we make and our belief about God.

So, to get us started, let’s pick back up where we left off as Paul leaves Thessalonica and arrives in a new city. Beginning in verse 10, Luke writes:

Acts 17:10 ESV

10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Couple things I want you to notice first in this opening passage as Paul leaves Thessalonica:

First, instead of heading west down the main highway to the next city, which would have made the most sense, Paul actually dips down to the south to a city called Berea. A remote city literally located out in the middle of nowhere.

To give you some perspective, think of it like this. if you were to travel West on highway 36 towards Colorado, there are some key cities you might stop at along the way for food and gas.

For instance, as you travel West on 36 you might stop in Bellville, Smith Center, Phillipsburg, or maybe even Norton. And the reason you’d stop in one of those cities because all those cities are on the main highway and they have some essential conveniences.

But have you ever noticed as you’re traveling down 36, there are other cities you could stop at, but you don’t. Why not? Typically because they’re off the highway a little bit.

For example, just past Mankato you’ll see a sign for a little town called “Ionia”. A little sign pointing south that says, “Ionia 12 miles”.

If you drive a little further West down 36 you’ll see another sign pointing south that says “Downs 25 miles”.

In fact, there are signs and gravel roads like this all the way down 36 that lead to little remote towns 10-30 miles off of the main highway. Cities off the beaten path.

That’s what the city of Berea is. It’s a little city, off the beaten path, that isn’t really a destination point for most people, and you’d have to go our of your way to get to. And this is where Paul goes next.

So, what does this tell us? I think it tells us a couple of things:

#1 - It tells us the gospel isn’t just for the most popular or populated places. That when Jesus said take it into all the world, He meant all the world. Even to a remote rural city like Berea.

#2 - It says that God wants to do big things in small places. And that a great move of God isn’t based on the size of a place as much as it is on the size of faith that place has.

Because as we’re going to see in a moment, while Berea is a small rural town off the map, it’s a place where God is going to do a big work.

And that’s good news for us as well. Because let’s just be honest, even though Marysville is on highway 36, Marysville isn’t the biggest place on the map and not really a destination point for most people, but it is a place where I believe God wants to do a great work. Amen.

Which leads us to the second thing I want you to notice. Because Luke says as Paul enters Berea, he goes to the Jewish Synagogue first. So, why does he go there first?

Well, as we’ve learned this is Paul’s practice when he enters a city. He always goes to the Synagogue first. Why? Two reasons:

#1 - Biblically speaking the Jews are first in line to receive the good news of the gospel, so Paul starts there.

#2 - If Paul wants to plant a church in a city, it makes sense to start with a group of people who already have a Biblical foundation, which is exactly what he would have found at a Jewish Synagogue.

But as you may recall, while it was Biblical and smart for Paul to go the synagogue first, it didn’t always go well for him. We saw this specifically in the city of Thessalonica as only a few Jews believed and followed him.

But as we’re going to learn in a moment, the Jews in Berea are different than the Jews in Thessalonica. How so? Listen to what Luke tells us about them:

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica...” Acts 17:11a (ESV)

Luke says the Jews in Berea are different than the Jews in Thessalonica in that they are more “noble”.

So, what does that mean? Does it mean their more classy? Does it mean their of a higher social class? Does it mean they buy name brand instead of generic? Does it mean their Bronco fans instead of Chiefs fans? Sorry, I had to throw that in there.

Actually the word “noble” here is translated from the Greek Word “eugenes”, and it’s the idea that these Jews were more open minded and willing to learn. Which is why Luke goes on to write that:

“they received the word with all eagerness...” Acts 17:11b (ESV)

Luke says they were more noble because they were more open to what Paul had to say. Which means, as Paul started to share the gospel, the Jews in Berea were all ears.

So, a great question would be, “Why were they more open?” In other words, why weren’t they as close minded, fearful, or skeptical of the gospel as the Jews in Thessalonica were?

Was it because Paul was more dynamic in Berea than he was in Thessalonica?

Was it because Berea had a better sound system and they could hear him better?

What I’d like to suggest to you is they were more open because they had a gauge. In other words they had a basis on which they lived. Something they measured what they believed and how they lived their life.

So what was it?

Was it the traditions they had been taught in Synagogue?

Was it based on the most popular idea or belief of the day?

Was it based on the polls and opinions of others?

Was it based on what somebody posted on Facebook?

Was it based on what made them feel good?

Was it based on a certain political view?

No, it was actually based on one thing. The one thing they apparently based all of their decisions, direction, and beliefs upon.

So, what was it? Let’s find out. Because Luke tells us what it was. Look at what he says:

Acts 17:11 ESV

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Luke says when Paul showed up and told them about Jesus, a teaching they had never heard before, in order to discover if what he was saying was true, they examined the scriptures.

In other words they opened up their Bibles and they looked for themselves.

In fact, they did more than look because the word translated for examine here comes from the Greek word “anakrino” and it’s the idea of trying to learn the truth of something by the process of careful study or evaluation.

So, that tells us two things:

#1 - While they were open to new ideas or new teaching, the Jews at Berea didn’t just believe everything they heard at face value. In other words, they didn’t just jump on the most popular band wagon. They didn’t just watch something some guy on Facebook said and adopt it as gospel truth. No. They were much more careful and reserved in their acceptance of a new teaching or idea.

#2 - It also tells us in order to determine if something was true, they based it solely on what the scriptures said. On what the Bible says. In fact, what Luke tells us, is after every sermon Paul preached and every idea he presented, the Jews at Berea went home, pulled out their Bibles, and examined what Paul had taught.

Why did they do that? They did that because if it wasn’t in the Bible, and if it wasn’t something scripture supported, then it wasn’t going to be something they believed and put their hope in.

Because for the noble Jews at Berea, the way they lived and what they believed about God was based on one thing, what the Bible says. On what God’s Word says.

So, a great question would be, “Why is it so important for us to understand this?”

It’s important because what was true for them must be true for us as well.

Because at the end of the day, regardless of what the teaching is, or who the teacher is, or what your church says, or what your parents taught you, or what your tradition says, or how good it sounds, or how good it makes you feel, or how culturally relevant it is, or how politically correct it is, if the Bible doesn’t support it, if God’s Word doesn’t back it up, then guess what, it’s not the truth and it’s not something you should give yourself to or put your hope in.

Which means, like the Jews at Berea, if we want to live a life pleasing to God and in line with his desires, before we jump on the bandwagon, before we share or retweet, before we make a major life decision, before we adjust our lifestyle, before we adopt or abandon a belief, before we give ourselves to a new way of thinking, before we vote democrat or republican, before we date or don’t date, before we spend or don’t spend, before we do anything of significance we have to be willing to go to the single source of truth and ask the question, “What does the Bible say about this? What does God’s Word say?” Because if the Bible doesn’t support it, and the Bible doesn’t back it up, then it’s probably not something you should give yourself to or put your hope in.

This is how the Jews in Berea lived. By the Word of God. And so when it came to Paul’s teaching and a new way of living, that’s the first place they went to determine if what Paul was saying was true.

And it’s the same place we have to go as well.

And guess what, after careful study, the Jews a Berea discovered that what Paul was saying was true. How do we know? We know because of what Luke tells us. Because look at what Luke says happened next:

Acts 17:12 ESV

12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

Luke says after listening to Paul and after careful examination of the scripture, many Jews believed along with many Greeks. And as a result, there was a revival in the little town of Berea.

And apparently it was such a big revival that word got out. Because Luke writes:

Acts 17:13 ESV

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

Luke says so many people came to faith, that word got back to the Jews at Thessalonica, and it bothered the Jews so much, that they sent professional rioters too to the remote town of Berea in order to disrupt and destroy what God was doing there as well.

Shouldn’t surprise us though, right? Because that’s what the enemy is always going to do. But at this point it really didn’t matter, because the gospel had been firmly established in Berea and there was nothing the enemy could do to stop it.

Because that’s what happens when you base your life and your decisions on what the Bible says. Revival and life change begin to take place as God’s Word takes root not only in the life of an individual, but within the community they live in.

And what was true for them must be true for us as well.

But here’s the challenge. The challenge is, most people and most communities in our country today don’t ever experience the life changing affect of God’s Word in their life. Why? Because the fact is, very few people today often consider what the Bible says.

Now you might be thinking, “Pastor, how do you know that?’

Well, when it comes to our culture, I think it’s pretty obvious that not very many people are asking the question, “What does the Bible say?”

Because they’re definitely not asking it when it comes to abortion when you consider there are 125,000 abortions a day world wide.

They’re definitely not asking it when it comes to sexuality, homosexuality, and transgenderism as our culture embraces and encourages all forms of sexual immorality.

They’re definitely not asking it when it comes to moral and ethical living as people live by their own rules.

They’re definitely not asking it when it comes to marriage and family as the divorce rate climbs, marriage is downplayed, and more and more kids are raised in single parent and broken homes.

I mean it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that our culture isn’t to concerned about “What the Bible says.”

Now, here’s what’s really scary. Not only is our culture not asking that question, but unfortunately, not many in the church are either.

Now when I say that, some of you might be thinking, “Wow Pastor, what a negative thing to say or think about the American church. I’m not sure I agree with you. I think most Christians and churches live by what the bible says?”

Well, if that’s true:

Then why is the divorce rate inside the church the same as it is outside of the church.

Then why are more and more churches and denominations accepting and advocating for the gay lifestyle?

Then why has premarital sex and cohabitation become acceptable in many churches?

Then why are churches struggling financially as people refuse to tithe or give?

Then why is there division in the church as Christians fight over ridiculous matters like masks.

Then why are there so many foster children who need a home but only a few in the church are willing to do anything about it?

Then why are church people often viewed as the most judgmental and hypocrytical?

Then why is pornography as prevalent in the church as it is in the world?

Then why are we more concerned about offending people than we are leading them to Jesus?

I mean if the American church is so concerned about “What the Bible says”, then why do we act and think and look so much like the world?

Could it be it’s because we’re not asking the question, “What does the Bible say?” Or maybe even worse, maybe we don’t even care what the Bible says.

Please hear me, I’m not trying to be negative here. But the reality is, this is a real crisis in the church today, and in my opinion, one of the main reasons many churches have become powerless, ineffective, and have even closed their doors is because their not asking the question, “What does the Bible say?”

And it’s also why the lives and decisions of many “Christians’ don’t look much different than the lives and decisions of the world, and often result in the same heartache and trouble that those in the world face. Because at some point in their journey they stopped asking the question, “What does the Bible say? What does God’s Word say?”

And I’m just telling you church, if we want to be an effective church that transforms a community. And if you want to be the kind of Christian that lives out a transformed life. Then you and I have to be wiling to ask the question, “What does the Bible say?” And not just once in awhile or in a few areas of our lives. But on a daily basis and in every area of our lives.

Because the fact is, if God’s Word isn’t leading and guiding us, then at some point we are going to walk off a spiritual cliff.

The Psalmist understood this. That’s why he writes:

Psalm 119:105–112 ESV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. 107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word! 108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules. 109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. 111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. 112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

The psalmist says, “Listen, I understand that if God’s Word isn't guiding me, then I’m in trouble. That at some point, the enemy is going to set a trap and I’m not going to see it. That at some point I’m going to face some adversity and I’m going to need the encouragement of God’s Word and his promises.”

So, the Psalmist says, “Because of that, I’m going to daily mediate on what God’s Word says?’”

And what was true for the Psalmist, and what was true for the Jews in Berea, must be true for us as well. Because if we’re going to make it in this world and if we’re going to live a life that represents Jesus and leads others to Him, then we have to daily ask the question, “What does the Bible say?”

The question then is, “How do we do that? How do we make that question a part of how we live and think?”

With the time remaining, I’d like to give you two primary ways you can make this essential question a part of your daily spiritual life.

1. Make reading your Bible a daily habit.

Luke writes:

Acts 17:11 ESV

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Concerning the Jews at Berea, Luke says the Jews at Berea examined the scriptures daily. In other words, Bible reading was a regular part of their daily habit and spiritual diet.

So, how does the church compare today?

Well, in a recent survey conducted by Lifeway research, the question was asked of Christians, “How often do you read your Bible?” The results are as follows:

32% said they read their Bible everyday. Sounds pretty good, right, But what that mean is 68% of Christians don’t read their Bible everyday.

So, when do the other 68% read their Bibles?

27% said they read it a few times a week.

12% said once a week.

11% a few times a month.

6% once a month.

12% said rarely or they never read the Bible.

Not good, right? And here’s why it’s not good.

Think of it like this. If these numbers represented how many times a person ate food during the course of a day, week month, or year, would this be a problem?

It would be for 68% of the population? Because the fact is, even if you’re eating a few times a week that’s not healthy. Let a lone a few times a month, a year, or maybe even never.

So, if that’s true for our physical well being, wouldn’t it be true for our spiritual well being. Because the fact is, God’s Word is our spiritual food. The Psalmist puts it like this:

Psalm 1:1–3 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

The Psalmist says there is spiritual nutrition and prosperity for the person who delights daily in God’s Word.

You know what that means then? It means based on this study, 68% of the Christians in the church are either malnutritioned or are on a road to spriitual starvation and maybe even spiritual death. Why? Because they’re not in God’s Word.

And as a result they’re not living their lives according to God’s standards, desires, or Will.

So, what are they living off of? What is directing the way they live and think?

I to say it, but probably worldly junk food.

For some, it’s the junk food of Fox News and CNN.

For others, it’s the junk food of Facebook.

For many, it’s the junk food of secular ideology as they spend hours watching movies and television shows that reinforce ungodly living.

For some men, it’s the junk food of pornography.

For many singles it’s the junk food of pre-marital sex and sexual immorality.

The reality is, the world has a lot of junk food on the shelf that a lot of Christians tend to feast upon.

And then they wonder why they struggle. They wonder why God seems distant. They wonder why God doesn't’ seem to answer their prayers. They wonder why life doesn’t go their way.

And then when things go sideways, they blame God. They say things like, “I wish God would show me what to do? I wish God would give me direction. I wish God would make His Will known too me.”

And what’s funny and sad about that is God has already done that. He’s given them his will. He’s given them direction. He’s spoken to them? It’s called the Bible. And it’s a book that’s full of His Word, full His direction, full of His promises, full of His truth, full of His desires, and full of His will.

The problem is, most Christians aren’t taking the time to read it because they’re too busy consuming worldly junk food.

And as a result, most Christians don’t even know what it says. So, instead of living healthy vibrant lives, they are living half starved and defeated lives.

Church, if you want to live a transformed life, you have to know what the Bible says. And in order to know what it says, you have to read it.

Think of it like this. The average American spends 58 minutes a day on Facebook scrolling through and reading useless information.

Imagine what might happen in your life if you spent 58 minutes a day in God’s Word. 58 minutes a day letting Him speak to you. 58 minutes a day reading something encouraging instead of discouraging. 58 minutes a day reading about His Will, His way, His desires, His love for you, His sacrifice for you, His promises for you, His hope for you. Do you think that could make a difference in your life?

You know what I think? I think it would transform your life. It would change the way you think, the way you live, the way you love, the way you treat others, the way you make decisions, the way you treat your spouse, the way you spend your money, the way you raise your kids, the way you see life itself. Because that’s what God’s Word does. It transforms us. The writer of Hebrew puts it like this:

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

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.

Church, if you want to know what the Bible says, you have to read it.

2. Don’t just read the Bible, study the Bible.

Luke says not only did the Jews at Berea read their Bibles, but they examined the scripture.

Acts 17:11 ESV

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

I think one of the challenges people often face with the Bible is they don’t know where to start or how to study it. And as a result, people either get discouraged and quit reading, or they use it as an excuse to never start reading.

Now, obviously we don’t have time today to go into great depth on how to read and study your Bible, but I would like to give you a few tips on how to begin not only reading but studying God’s Word.

Tip #1 - Pray before you read.

What we have to remember is that the Bible is a spiritual book, the very Word of God. That begin the case, it’s best to approach in with a spiritual mindset. A spiritual preparedness that comes through prayer.

So, before you start reading, maybe pray something like this:

“Lord open my heart to your Word today. Lord as I read please speak to me and show me your truth and your will for my life.”

Tip #2 - Read for quality not quantity.

I think one of the mistakes many Christians make, is they think the more they read in a setting, the more spiritual they’ll become.

What I’d like to suggest to you is that instead of running a marathon, you start with a short jog. To start by reading a portion of scripture, and then stop and reflect on what you’ve read.

To do like we do on Sunday mornings. To read a portion and then consider what it means. I mean imagine if we tried to cover a chapter at a time in the book of Acts. Sure, we’d get through Acts quicker, but imagine all we would miss by not stopping to study and reflect on the details.

The fact is, there are some details God wants to reveal to you.

And I can tell you this, if you make quality your goal, you’ll need more time. Because instead of rushing through a read, you’re going to find yourself

Tip #3 - Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and insight.

The fact is, God wants to reveal Himself to you. So as you read His Word, if something sticks out to you or catches your attention, stop and reflect on that. Ask the Lord show you how that passage, idea, or principle applies to your life.

For example, if you were to read Psalm 1:1 which says:

Psalm 1:1 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Stop for a moment and pray this, “Lord are there people in my life I shouldn’t be getting counsel from? Are there friendships in my life that are working against my relationship with you?”

If you were to pray that, I can promise you that God would speak to you. That He would reveal some unhealthy relationships in your life.

Tip #4 - Invest in a good Study Bible.

The fact is we live in a time where we have access to Biblical information that Christians even 100 years ago would have never dreamed of. Information that you can easily access through a Study Bible.

For most Christians the study Bible I would recommend is the NIV Life Application Bible. In this Bible you will find detailed explanation of each book of the Bible, commentary for each passage, maps, and additional resources to help you understand what you’ve read.

In my opinion, every Christian should make an investment in a good Study Bible.

And let me say this, while I’m all about the Bible App, The Bible App isn’t going to give you the in depth information that a study Bible will provide.

Tip # 5 - Sign up for a “How To Study The Bible Class”.

Now you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, where do I do that?”

I’m glad you asked, because beginning this Fall on Wednesday nights, we’re going to offer some discipleship classes, and one of those is going to be a class I’ going to teach on how to read and study your Bible. A class where we will learn how to read the Bible, understand it, and apply it in our lives. A class that will require some dedication and commitment in order to be a part of it.

So, if you’re serious about not only learning about what the Bible says but how to study it, then when we start sign ups for this class, make sure you get signed up.

Tip #6 - Don’t just read, but apply what the Bible says to your life.

To be honest, I see way to many Christians read the Bible but never apply what it says to their life. James puts it like this:

James 1:22–25 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

James says it’s a waste of time to hear the word, read the word, or know what the word says, but not apply it. And to be honest, I see many Christians do that.

Way to many Christians who say Amen to what the Bible says or to what the pastor preaches, but then walk away and don’t change anything in their life.

Instead, they keep sleeping with their girlfriend. They keep watching trash. They keep gossiping on Facebook. They keep hanging out with the wrong crowd. They keep getting drunk on the weekends. They keep being rude to people.

Let me give you a recent example of what I’m talking about.

Last weekend Pastor Cody preached on love. He talked about how people will know we are Jesus’s disciples by our love. By the way we treat one another and others. It was a good word. I was very encouraged and felt it was a Word for our church.

But then a few days ago, somebody who doesn’t go to our church stopped me. They told me about an interaction they’d had with somebody from our church earlier in the week. Somebody who heard Pastor Cody’s message this past Sunday. And they told me how that person had been rude to them. How they had even lied to them. And then they said this, “I’m not sure how somebody can call themselves a Christian and then act like that.”

To be honest, it grieved my heart. And I walked away thinking, “Wow, they just heard a message on this. Were they not listening? Did it just go in one ear and out the other. “

And what’s even worse, is I’ve been hoping to invite this family to our church, but now they’ve gotten a bad taste. And now I’m concerned even with an invite, they may not come.

Listen, it’s not enough to just hear or read the Word. For it to take root in you. For it to change you. For it to be a blessing to others. You can’t just know what the Bible says, but you also have to apply it to your life. Otherwise, it’s not going to do any good for you or anybody else. In fact, it could push somebody further away from Jesus. This is serious business church.

That being said, as we close today, I’d like for us to practice something this morning that the bible says. Something that God put on my heart earlier in the week that I believe He wants our church to practice this morning.

What it has to do with is a post I saw on Facebook a few weeks ago from a pastor friend of mine in Kansas City. His name is Pastor Ken Kendall. Some of you may recall Pastor Ken spoke here at MCF last June.

The post I saw was an announcement to his church concerning an unfortunate circumstance that had taken place at their church the night before. Because apparently during the night a pipe had broken and flooded their entire church.

Automatically my heart went out to Ken so I text him and told him I would be praying for him and the Village West family.

He quickly text me back and thanked me for reaching out. He went on to tell me that in addition to the flooding of their church, the week before somebody had stolen their main air conditioning unit along with some other equipment.

Again, my heart was grieved for Ken and their situation.

But then Ken posted something this week that really struck me to the core. It was a Facebook Fundraiser to raise $10,000 to cover the deductible on their insurance. And when I saw it two things came to mind.

First, I realized this is a church that needs help.

Second, the Lord put a scripture on my heart. A what does the bible say scripture. The scripture is found in James 2 where James writes this:

James 2:14–17 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

In this passage James basically implies you can’t be a Christian if you don’t practice what you say you believe.

And what I felt like the Lord showed me in that moment is here is a brother in Christ and a body of believers who are in need. And the fact is, we have the ability to help them.

The fact is, God has blessed our church during this pandemic. God has provided in ways I’d never imagined He would and could during this time.

And now its our turn to bless others. Because we have the means. Because I believe it would be sinful for us to be aware of this need, have the ability to help Ken and his church, but do nothing about it. The writer of Proverbs puts it like this:

Proverbs 3:27–28 ESV

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

That’s what the bible says.

Village West Church has a need. And we have the ability to help them. How can we help them? Check this out:

And so, here’s what I’m asking. I’m asking that long with Denise and I, you would be willing to give a financial gift to Ken and his church. That you would practice what the Bible says. That you would put into action the instruction that James gives us, and that today we would leave here applying what the bible says.

Church, I believe if we are going to become the church God has called us to be, we have to be a church that is willing to ask, “What does the bible say.” And not only that, but a church that acts on what the bible says.

And my challenge to you today, is to begin right now. Begin as you walk out of this room and you drop a gift in the offering boxes in the back.

And then continue to live that way as you commit to reading your Bible. As you commit to studying God’s Word. As you commit to asking, “What Does the bible say?”, and then you apply it to your life.