I BELIEVE THE SCRIPTURES 2
I Believe the Scriptures
Bible Text: 2 Timothy 3:16–17
Series: I Believe
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
This morning we began a new series entitled “I Believe,” focusing on the Bible doctrines that every believer should know and understand. Our first message dealt with the Scriptures—their inspiration, profitability, and sufficiency.
Tonight, I want to go a little further and give us some truths that I hope will cause us to love our Bible even more.
I love my Bible. I have several Bibles that are special to me. Some have different covers, and some belonged to family members and people who have meant something to me. But what makes the Bible precious is not the cover, the notes written inside, or who owned it before me.
What makes the Bible precious is what God said.
The real test of what the Bible means to us is not simply what we say about it in church. The rubber meets the road when we are walking through a difficult time, facing a dark day, or trying to find our way through something we don't understand.
What the Bible means to us in our darkest moments is far more important than what somebody else can tell us about the Bible.
1. THE WORD OF GOD WAS WRITTEN FOR A PURPOSE
The Bible was not written merely to be impressive.
It is an amazing book. Forty different human authors, writing across different periods of history and from different backgrounds, give us one unified message. The Bible contains historical information, practical wisdom, instruction about marriage and family, finances, relationships, and countless other areas of life.
But the greatest purpose of the Bible is not simply to teach us how to live a better life.
The Bible was written to tell us about Jesus Christ.
John 20:31 says:
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
The Bible was written so that we might know who Jesus is, believe on Him, and have life through His name.
The Bible was also written to give us hope.
Romans 15:4 says:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
When we go through difficult times and wonder if God will be faithful, we can look at the people who have gone before us.
God was faithful to Moses.
God was faithful to Abraham.
And the same God who was faithful to them will be faithful to us.
The Bible is also written to give us assurance of our salvation.
1 John 5:13 says:
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…”
God knew that we would sometimes struggle with doubts and questions about our salvation, so He gave us not only His Son but also a Book about His Son.
You can know.
A Bible With Everything We Need
Years ago, I heard a story about a young man who became rebellious and wandered away from his family.
He left home and went to the next town, living a life of rebellion. His father told him when he left, “When you get to where you're going, if you need anything, just let me know.”
Eventually, that young man got to the bottom of himself. He had lost everything and found himself in a desperate situation.
So he wrote his father a letter.
He told him, “Dad, I'm in a tough place. I'm in a difficult way, and I could really use $100.”
The father received the letter.
A few days later, the young man received a package in the mail. He rushed out and grabbed it, expecting to find the $100 he had requested.
But when he opened the package, there was a box inside.
He opened the box, and inside was a Bible.
Being the rebellious young man that he was, he said, “What's this? He's always trying to force the Bible down my throat. He's always trying to get me to read the Bible.”
And he threw the Bible to the side.
Six months to a year later, he finally came to himself and decided that perhaps the best thing he could do was go home.
He returned home, sat down with his family, and began to repair his relationship with his father.
After the meal, he said, “Dad, I have one question. You told me that if I ever needed anything, I could reach out to you and you'd help me.
“I sent you a letter telling you exactly what I needed. I needed $100. You got my letter, and you sent me a Bible.”
His father looked at him and said,
“You must have never opened it.”
The young man went and got the Bible. He opened it—and inside that Bible was the $100 bill.
His father had given him exactly what he needed. It was there all along. He just never opened the Book.
I believe that's a picture of the Word of God for us.
Everything we really need in life is found in this Book.
The comfort you need is here.
The strength you need is here.
The peace you need is here.
The wisdom you need is here.
The hope you need is here.
Don't leave the Book unopened.
2. THE WORD OF GOD HAS GREAT POWER
We often say, “The Bible is powerful,” but that is more than a church cliché.
The Bible describes its own power.
The Word Is a Fire
Jeremiah 5:14 says:
“Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire…”
The Word of God is like a fire that does a work in the heart of man.
The hardest heart can be softened by the Word of God.
The Word Is a Hammer
Jeremiah 23:29 says:
“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
The Word of God can break through the hard places of the heart.
That's why we need to give the Word of God to people who are lost.
We don't have to come up with clever words or impressive arguments.
Give them the Word.
It is a fire.
It is a hammer.
The Word Is Surgical Instrument
Hebrews 4:12 says:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
The Word of God gets beneath the surface. It exposes our thoughts and intentions. It identifies the problem. It cuts away what needs to be removed.
It does a surgical work in our hearts.
There is power in the Word of God.
3. THE WORD OF GOD GIVES US OUR STANDARD
We live in a world where very few people want standards.
People don't want to lead.
People don't want to set an example.
People don't want to be told what is right or wrong.
But the Bible was given to give God's people precepts by which we can live.
The church is not supposed to gather in a building, hide from the world, and become secret disciples of Jesus.
We gather together so that we can be strengthened by God's Word and then go back into the world and live for Christ.
We influence people every day.
The question is: What kind of influence are we having?
We cannot live according to God's standard if we don't know God's Word.
The Word Keeps Us From Sin
Psalm 119:11 says:
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
If you show me someone who is constantly dabbling in sin, I'll show you someone who has drifted from the Word of God.
We need the Word every day because it helps keep us on the straight and narrow.
The Word Keeps Us From Drifting
Deuteronomy 11:18 speaks of God's Word being before our eyes.
Just as blinders help an animal stay focused and plow a straight line, the Word of God helps us stay focused when the world is pulling us in every direction.
We are constantly being distracted.
We're looking to the left.
We're looking to the right.
We're being influenced by the world around us.
We need the Word of God keeping us on course.
The Word Helps Us Serve
Colossians 3:16 says:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
Not poorly.
Not occasionally.
Not just a little bit.
Richly.
When the Word of Christ dwells in us richly, it affects how we teach, how we worship, how we sing, how we encourage one another, and how we serve the Lord.
The Word of God makes a difference in how we live.
DON'T LIVE BENEATH YOUR BLESSINGS
There was another story told of a man who traveled from New York across the Atlantic to England on a steamship.
He had spent everything he had to purchase his ticket. Because he had nothing left, he brought some fruit and crackers with him to eat.
The next morning, passengers invited him to breakfast, but he declined.
At lunchtime, they invited him to lunch, but again he declined.
At dinner, he was invited to join the other passengers for a wonderful meal, but he declined again.
Eventually, the captain heard about the man who wasn't eating with the other passengers. He went to him and asked, “Why haven't you come to breakfast, lunch, or dinner?”
The man explained, “Captain, buying this ticket took everything I had. I could afford the ticket, but I couldn't afford the meals.”
The captain looked at him and said,
“I don't think you understand. When you bought the ticket to get on the ship, it included all the other blessings that came with it—including the meals.”
That man had been living beneath the blessings that were already his.
And I wonder how many Christians do the same thing.
The day you trusted Christ, if I can use the illustration of a “ticket” to heaven, that ticket came with blessings.
It came with the comfort found in this Book.
It came with the encouragement found in this Book.
It came with the conviction found in this Book.
It came with the correction, reproof, and rebuke found in this Book.
But it also came with the joy, strength, peace, hope, and wisdom found in this Book.
Don't live beneath your blessings.
Everything you need for the journey has already been provided.
You just have to open the Book.
OPEN THE BOOK
We can preach about the Bible until we're blue in the face, but eventually the rubber meets the road.
What are we doing with the Word of God?
Are we reading it?
Are we studying it?
Are we digesting it?
Are we allowing it to correct us?
Are we allowing it to encourage us?
Are we allowing it to direct our lives?
The Bible is not simply something to carry into church.
It is not something to put on a shelf.
It is not something to use to prove how much we know.
It is God's Word given to us for our good.
The Father has already provided what we need.
The Book is in our hands.
The blessings are inside.
Open the Book.
Read it.
Study it.
Believe it.
Live it.
And let the Word of God do its work in your life.
What a blessing it is to have the Word of God.
And what a blessing it is to know the One the Word of God reveals to us—
Jesus Christ.
Bible Text: 2 Timothy 3:16–17
Series: I Believe
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
This morning we began a new series entitled “I Believe,” focusing on the Bible doctrines that every believer should know and understand. Our first message dealt with the Scriptures—their inspiration, profitability, and sufficiency.
Tonight, I want to go a little further and give us some truths that I hope will cause us to love our Bible even more.
I love my Bible. I have several Bibles that are special to me. Some have different covers, and some belonged to family members and people who have meant something to me. But what makes the Bible precious is not the cover, the notes written inside, or who owned it before me.
What makes the Bible precious is what God said.
The real test of what the Bible means to us is not simply what we say about it in church. The rubber meets the road when we are walking through a difficult time, facing a dark day, or trying to find our way through something we don't understand.
What the Bible means to us in our darkest moments is far more important than what somebody else can tell us about the Bible.
1. THE WORD OF GOD WAS WRITTEN FOR A PURPOSE
The Bible was not written merely to be impressive.
It is an amazing book. Forty different human authors, writing across different periods of history and from different backgrounds, give us one unified message. The Bible contains historical information, practical wisdom, instruction about marriage and family, finances, relationships, and countless other areas of life.
But the greatest purpose of the Bible is not simply to teach us how to live a better life.
The Bible was written to tell us about Jesus Christ.
John 20:31 says:
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
The Bible was written so that we might know who Jesus is, believe on Him, and have life through His name.
The Bible was also written to give us hope.
Romans 15:4 says:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
When we go through difficult times and wonder if God will be faithful, we can look at the people who have gone before us.
God was faithful to Moses.
God was faithful to Abraham.
And the same God who was faithful to them will be faithful to us.
The Bible is also written to give us assurance of our salvation.
1 John 5:13 says:
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…”
God knew that we would sometimes struggle with doubts and questions about our salvation, so He gave us not only His Son but also a Book about His Son.
You can know.
A Bible With Everything We Need
Years ago, I heard a story about a young man who became rebellious and wandered away from his family.
He left home and went to the next town, living a life of rebellion. His father told him when he left, “When you get to where you're going, if you need anything, just let me know.”
Eventually, that young man got to the bottom of himself. He had lost everything and found himself in a desperate situation.
So he wrote his father a letter.
He told him, “Dad, I'm in a tough place. I'm in a difficult way, and I could really use $100.”
The father received the letter.
A few days later, the young man received a package in the mail. He rushed out and grabbed it, expecting to find the $100 he had requested.
But when he opened the package, there was a box inside.
He opened the box, and inside was a Bible.
Being the rebellious young man that he was, he said, “What's this? He's always trying to force the Bible down my throat. He's always trying to get me to read the Bible.”
And he threw the Bible to the side.
Six months to a year later, he finally came to himself and decided that perhaps the best thing he could do was go home.
He returned home, sat down with his family, and began to repair his relationship with his father.
After the meal, he said, “Dad, I have one question. You told me that if I ever needed anything, I could reach out to you and you'd help me.
“I sent you a letter telling you exactly what I needed. I needed $100. You got my letter, and you sent me a Bible.”
His father looked at him and said,
“You must have never opened it.”
The young man went and got the Bible. He opened it—and inside that Bible was the $100 bill.
His father had given him exactly what he needed. It was there all along. He just never opened the Book.
I believe that's a picture of the Word of God for us.
Everything we really need in life is found in this Book.
The comfort you need is here.
The strength you need is here.
The peace you need is here.
The wisdom you need is here.
The hope you need is here.
Don't leave the Book unopened.
2. THE WORD OF GOD HAS GREAT POWER
We often say, “The Bible is powerful,” but that is more than a church cliché.
The Bible describes its own power.
The Word Is a Fire
Jeremiah 5:14 says:
“Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire…”
The Word of God is like a fire that does a work in the heart of man.
The hardest heart can be softened by the Word of God.
The Word Is a Hammer
Jeremiah 23:29 says:
“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
The Word of God can break through the hard places of the heart.
That's why we need to give the Word of God to people who are lost.
We don't have to come up with clever words or impressive arguments.
Give them the Word.
It is a fire.
It is a hammer.
The Word Is Surgical Instrument
Hebrews 4:12 says:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
The Word of God gets beneath the surface. It exposes our thoughts and intentions. It identifies the problem. It cuts away what needs to be removed.
It does a surgical work in our hearts.
There is power in the Word of God.
3. THE WORD OF GOD GIVES US OUR STANDARD
We live in a world where very few people want standards.
People don't want to lead.
People don't want to set an example.
People don't want to be told what is right or wrong.
But the Bible was given to give God's people precepts by which we can live.
The church is not supposed to gather in a building, hide from the world, and become secret disciples of Jesus.
We gather together so that we can be strengthened by God's Word and then go back into the world and live for Christ.
We influence people every day.
The question is: What kind of influence are we having?
We cannot live according to God's standard if we don't know God's Word.
The Word Keeps Us From Sin
Psalm 119:11 says:
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
If you show me someone who is constantly dabbling in sin, I'll show you someone who has drifted from the Word of God.
We need the Word every day because it helps keep us on the straight and narrow.
The Word Keeps Us From Drifting
Deuteronomy 11:18 speaks of God's Word being before our eyes.
Just as blinders help an animal stay focused and plow a straight line, the Word of God helps us stay focused when the world is pulling us in every direction.
We are constantly being distracted.
We're looking to the left.
We're looking to the right.
We're being influenced by the world around us.
We need the Word of God keeping us on course.
The Word Helps Us Serve
Colossians 3:16 says:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
Not poorly.
Not occasionally.
Not just a little bit.
Richly.
When the Word of Christ dwells in us richly, it affects how we teach, how we worship, how we sing, how we encourage one another, and how we serve the Lord.
The Word of God makes a difference in how we live.
DON'T LIVE BENEATH YOUR BLESSINGS
There was another story told of a man who traveled from New York across the Atlantic to England on a steamship.
He had spent everything he had to purchase his ticket. Because he had nothing left, he brought some fruit and crackers with him to eat.
The next morning, passengers invited him to breakfast, but he declined.
At lunchtime, they invited him to lunch, but again he declined.
At dinner, he was invited to join the other passengers for a wonderful meal, but he declined again.
Eventually, the captain heard about the man who wasn't eating with the other passengers. He went to him and asked, “Why haven't you come to breakfast, lunch, or dinner?”
The man explained, “Captain, buying this ticket took everything I had. I could afford the ticket, but I couldn't afford the meals.”
The captain looked at him and said,
“I don't think you understand. When you bought the ticket to get on the ship, it included all the other blessings that came with it—including the meals.”
That man had been living beneath the blessings that were already his.
And I wonder how many Christians do the same thing.
The day you trusted Christ, if I can use the illustration of a “ticket” to heaven, that ticket came with blessings.
It came with the comfort found in this Book.
It came with the encouragement found in this Book.
It came with the conviction found in this Book.
It came with the correction, reproof, and rebuke found in this Book.
But it also came with the joy, strength, peace, hope, and wisdom found in this Book.
Don't live beneath your blessings.
Everything you need for the journey has already been provided.
You just have to open the Book.
OPEN THE BOOK
We can preach about the Bible until we're blue in the face, but eventually the rubber meets the road.
What are we doing with the Word of God?
Are we reading it?
Are we studying it?
Are we digesting it?
Are we allowing it to correct us?
Are we allowing it to encourage us?
Are we allowing it to direct our lives?
The Bible is not simply something to carry into church.
It is not something to put on a shelf.
It is not something to use to prove how much we know.
It is God's Word given to us for our good.
The Father has already provided what we need.
The Book is in our hands.
The blessings are inside.
Open the Book.
Read it.
Study it.
Believe it.
Live it.
And let the Word of God do its work in your life.
What a blessing it is to have the Word of God.
And what a blessing it is to know the One the Word of God reveals to us—
Jesus Christ.
Recent
Archive
2026
February
March
April
May
HOLDING THE LINE AT HOMEJESUS FOR MY FAMILYHABAKKUK: WEEK 1 - WHEN LIFE DOESN'T MAKE SENSETHE BURDEN FOR THE HOMEHABAKKUK: WEEK 2 - GOD IS AT WORKWHAT WE SAY IN OUR HOMESHABAKKUK: WEEK 3 - LIVING BY FAITHTHE VALUE OF THE HOMEHABAKKUK: WEEK 4 - FROM WAITING TO WORSHIPFamily Under Fire SMALL GROUP STUDY GUIDETAKING OUR FAMILY HOME
June
July
THE PEOPLE OF GODBE STRONG IN OUR OBEDIENCEBE STRONG IN OUR INTEGRITYLOOKING TO THE LORD FOR HELPWHY WE MUST PREACH CHRISTBE STRONG TO THE ENDBE STRONG - SMALL GROUP STUDYTHE LANGUAGE OF SALVATION - CONDEMNATIONBROTHERS AND SISTERSTHE LANGUAGE OF SALVATION - JUSTIFICATIONTHE LANGUAGE OF SALVATION - PROPITIATION
2025
November
Categories
no categories
No Comments