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Home Sermons 2011 The Bible: Our Authoritative Story (Part 3 of "Maintaining your relationship with God")
 
The Bible: Our Authoritative Story (Part 3 of "Maintaining your relationship with God") PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Charlton   

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired 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.

 Core Idea, Purpose & Summary

Core Idea: Scripture is ‘our authoritative story’.

Purpose: To help the congregation understand what it means to accept Scripture as ‘our authoritative story’.  

Summary: The 66 books of the Bible form one complete love story about the relationship between God and humanity. This love story begins at Genesis and ends at Revelation. For this reason, we can refer to the Bible as the story about God and humanity.

The Bible is also authoritative because God inspired the writing of all 66 books and brought them together for our benefit. The messages we receive through the Bible is from God. That makes them truth. 

Since the Bible is an authoritative story given to us for our benefit, we can refer to it as ‘our authoritative story’. The primary purpose of ‘our authoritative story’ is to teach us about salvation through faith in Jesus. Every time we read any part of the Bible, we should ask, “What does this teach me about salvation through faith in Jesus?” When we prayerfully approach the Bible with this question, the Holy Spirit will bring us into an encounter with Jesus and we will not remain the same.

To take the Bible as ‘our authoritative story’ we must do two things. First, we must read it.  How can you claim it to be authoritative for you if you don’t regularly read it? Secondly, we must allow Biblically derived truths to change the course of our lives. You can claim the Bible as your ‘authoritative story’ until you are blue in the face but until you do these two things, it’s really just another story in your life.

So, is the Bible your ‘authoritative story’? 

The Sermon

I. Introduction: The power of stories – They shape who we become as individuals

     A. We all take part in various stories that affect who we are 

  • Our family , country’s, ethnic and religious stories shape who we become as individuals.
  • Some stories affect us more than others

     B. Our family story 

  • When my family gets together, we often re-tell our family stories
  • Mostly funny stories: Me running after my brother down the street in my underwear
  • Sometimes serious stories: Our Dad and how he hated to see us kids fight
  • We remember these stories because they have molded us into the people we are today.

     C. As Americans, we share the American story

  • We’ve grown up with stories of George Washington not telling a lie when he cut down the cherry tree, Harriet Tubman leading people to freedom and Teddy Roosevelt exclaiming, “Speak softly but carry a big stick”
  • How many of us can remember where we were on Dec. 7, 1941 (Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), April 4, 1968 (Assassination of MLK) or September 11, 2001 (Muslim terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon)?
  • The American story has had a profound effect on who we are as individuals.

     D. Although there are many stories that affect who we are, there is one supreme story 

  • This story involves every person on earth. 
  • This is the mega-story that has the most influence on everyone.

II. The one mega-story that involves every human being

     A. It’s the story about the relationship between God and humanity.

  • If you are a member of humanity then you are part of this story
  • We all need to understand this story

     C. This story is told in the Bible

  • The 66 books of the Bible come together to make one complete story
  • Begins in Genesis and ends with Revelation
  • It is a love story – God pursuing us in a love relationship

     D. What can we learn from this story? Why did God give us this story?

III. The primary purpose of Scripture 

     A. Although Scripture is historically accurate; its primary purpose is not historical

     B. Although Scripture can give us insight into the natural world; its primary purpose is
          not scientific
     C. Second Timothy 3:15 give us the primary purpose of Scripture: “…from childhood you
         have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for
          salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (Emphasis added)
  • The primary purpose of the Biblical story is to teach us about salvation through faith in Jesus
  • Every time you read a passage of Scripture, ask, “What does this have to do with salvation through faith in Jesus?”
  • The Holy Spirit uses Scripture to introduce us to Jesus!!!! 
     D. Let’s continue with verses 16 & 17: “All scripture is inspired 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.”
  • Inspired by God: What we learn from Scripture is truth
  • Teaching: Showing us sound doctrine – the truth
  • Reproof : Bringing us to conviction
  • Correction: Bringing us to repentance – Causes us to turn from sin to God
  • Training in righteousness – Showing us what it looks like to be like Jesus

     E. To sum up 2 Timothy 3:14-17: Scripture is authoritative

  • As stated earlier, Scripture is inspired by God
  • Scripture provides us everything we need to know to be saved
  • All questions regarding God, our relationship with God and how we are saved are referred to Scripture – Scripture is the final authority

IV. Why should we consider Scripture to be authoritative? 

     A. Scripture is inspired by God as evidenced by its continuity

  • Consist of 66 books
  • Written by more than 40 authors of various walks of life
  • Over a time span of about 1,500 years
  • During times of peace/ prosperity and war/sacrifice
  • Yet, all 66 books come together to make one story  - Only God could pull that off

     B. Scripture is inspired by God as evidenced by its historical accuracy

  • Archeology continues to make discoveries confirming the historical accuracy of Scripture
  • Ancient historians such as Josephus verify many Biblical claims
  • Reference: “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” and “Evidence for Christianity” by Josh McDowel
  • Reference: “The Case for Christ” and “The Case for Christianity” by Lee Strobel
  • Reference: “A Biblical History of Israel” by Iain Provan, V. Philips Long and Tremper Longman III

V. What it means for the Bible to be our ‘authoritative story’

     A. We regularly study Scripture

  • Can’t consider it authoritative if we don’t read it
  • Can’t recognize false teachings if we don’t read Scripture

     B. We allow Biblically revealed truths to change the course of our lives

  • I know a guy who unexpectedly came into lots of money
  • After getting out of debt, the guy established a sizable savings and put tens of thousands of dollar into CDs – The guy didn’t need this money – It just sat in the CDs
  • Several months went by when the guy read the parable about the man who built bigger barns to store his excess crops (wealth) and then died. He squandered that wealth by hoarding it (Luke 12:13-21).
  • The parable convicted the guy. He took all the money in his CDs and gave it to the church to help the church pay off some debt.

VI. Conclusion

     A. Is the Bible your ‘authoritative story’?

     B. Do you prayerfully study it on a regular basis?

     C. Do you change the course of your life in response to Biblically revealed truths?
 
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