Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

True or false quiz:

Do you know how to define sufficiency of Scripture?

did you know that God has equipped you to serve by giving your a gift

You know what your gift is

You are presently using your gift?

You want to serve but you don’t know what that looks like

Definition of the Sufficiency of Scripture:

“God has given me all that I need for life and Godliness through His great and precious promises” 2 Pet 1:3-4

“All Scripture is profitable for all aspects of life”. 2 Tim.

3:16

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” Prov

“The Bible contains all that we need to know God’s will and live a life pleasing to him” Heath Lambert.

The problem is that many people do not think that the Bible addresses these things.

We think it is only a book for Sunday, Christmas, and Easter but has no relevance to life in between.Read the Text

Outline:

The Sificiency of Scripture: “Equip” (2 Tim.

3:16-17)

The Stewardship of Grace: “Serve” (1 Pet.

4:10-11)

Summary: The Scriptures are sufficient to equip us to serve by teaching truth, exposing lies, recovering us from sin, and training us to pleases God.

Prayer:

The Sufficiency of Scripture: “Equip” (2 Tim.

3:16-17)

Source (v.

16)

All Scripture- the entire thing (at this time the “sacred writings” that Timothy has been aquainted with from childhood- OT).

Is breathed out by God- this is all one word meaning, “understood as the air that was physically expelled out of the lungs of God”.

Since they are from God, they are without error.

it is only used here in the NT.

No one else’s words are like this...

2 Peter 1:21 “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.”

Content (v.

16)

and Profitable for -useful beneficial, enhancing well-being.

It is not just right, it is meant to lead to live, want, respond, right.

Teaching- “didaskalia” intstruction, teaching, educating or instruction; activities that impart knowledge or skill.

Despite what you may think, none of us are neutral or a blank slate.

We don’t start that way and we don’t go through life like that.

We are constantly being taught by what we see, feel, and think.

The Bible teaches us about these things.

It teaches truth (about ourselves and others).

Imgaine how profitable this is

to in the early stages of life and molding the mind- kids and teens.

to a new believer

in a culture

In decision making

Reproof- “elegmos” rebuke, an act or expression of criticism and censure to those in sin

This is punctiliar, it is that moment in time when you rebuke and make it know that what someone is doing is wrong or sinful.

The word (elegmos) occurs only in here in the NT but twenty times in the LXX, where to fail to reprove is a sign of contempt (Lev 19:17)

He writes to Christians at Ephesus, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose [= rebuke] them” (Eph 5:11).

Exposes lies

Imagine how profitable this is:

in times of temptation or compromise

when my emotions are taking control

Everyone else is doing it

When I don’t see the danger waiting on the other side

At the beginning of substance abuse, pornography, anger, gossip, and bitterness.

Correction- “epanorthosis” correction, the act of offering an improvement (according to a standard) to replace a mistake when someone is in error

how is this different from reproof?

Pastors do not merely rebuke: they restore and point in corrective directions.

“If convicting is regarded as a negative measure, the activity that follows, ‘correcting,’ is positive, aiming at the goal of recovery.”

It recovers us from sin

Imagine how profitable this is:

after giving in to substance abuse, pornography, anger, gossip, and bitterness

From emotions of shame and guild that have us so beaten down we cannot get out of bed or look at ourselves in the mirror

When I am so dissappointed by the expectations of life that I no longer have the desire to live

When I need hope that things could actually change, that I could actually change

to the one that gave their life to something or someone only to see it all fall apart.

Training in righteousness

Training- “paideia” discipline, training, instruction upbringing, the whole education and instuction of a disciple (both the cultivation of mind and morals); understood as the rearing and education of children

Used the most in Hebrews

In righteounsess- “dikaiosyne” righteousness, adherence to what is required according to a standard; for example, a moral standard, though not always.

This is not just the discipline or the training in general, it is in something, in righteousness!

Aquinas serves as a suggestive example: “The effects of Scripture are fourfold: regarding the speculative reason, to teach the truth and to reprove falsity [= NIV ‘for teaching, rebuking’]; regarding the practical reason, to free one from evil and to lead him to good [= NIV ‘correcting and training in righteousness’].”

Summary: Teach truth, expose lies, recovers from sin, trainings to please God.

How can that be profitable:

gives hope for the future

keeps me focused on God’s goal after the kids leave the house, I change jobs or locations

To know that God is not done with me

re-establishing godly values and habbits

Objective (v.

17)

That the man of God- remember, Paul is addressing Timothy here.

Timothy is a leader in the church at Ephesus, he is the pastor.

So what are you saying, is this only for leaders in the church?Only for men?

Well, what is the purpose of the Pastorate or church leadership...the word of God is sufficient in these areas in order that...

May be complete- “artios” capable; proficient, fitted out, furnished or equipped with every necessary component (for a task or purpose).

equipped

for every good work- the way that this is written could be pointing to this as the summary of the 4 things mentioned above about what the scriptures are profitable for.

Wait a minute, what equipps for every good work?

Is it our experience, the fact that we have been through the exact same thing as someone else? Not!

It is the Scriputres!

Why? because they point to Jesus and He is our high priest who knows what it is like to be tempted in every way yet without sin.

You don’t need to be pointed to a counselor that has been through exactly what you have in order to be profitable, you need to be pointed to a a saviour that created you and knows you better than anyone on this earth.

Application/Implications:

That sounds great Jer, but it sounds like this is more a message for you, the other pastors, and deacons of our church.

What does this have to do with me?

I am so glad you asked that!

Our role as leadership is to take the sufficient Word of God and teach you how to serve one another.

That just as we are complete and equipped for every good work, we in turn teach, expose, correct, and train you with the same sufficient source as we have, the Word of God!

Does your understanding of sufficiency include all 4? Most of us, me included, would whole heartedly agree: The Bible is the right place to go to teach truth and expose error.

But how many of us agree with as much charisma that the Bible is the right and only place to go to guide me in the correct direction recovering me from evil and effectively training me in a life of righteousness that pleases God?

Matt’s off-road recovery: people are out enjoying themselves having a ball living life and then they get stuck.

They make a call, he finds them, attaches their vehicle to his, pulls them out, and then leads them back to the main road.

Maybe this is why I want a jeep.

Because as believers, you and I are in the recovery business.