Open your Bibles, if you would,
to Psalm 119, and then put your finger in 2 Timothy 3, where
we'll be reading two verses from Psalm 119, verses 8 and 9, and
then we'll be going right to 2 Timothy 3. The name of the
message is the Scriptures. The Scriptures. Psalm 119 verses 8 and 9, the
Scriptures declare, I will keep thy statutes, O forsake me not
utterly. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse
his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Again,
I will keep thy statutes, O forsake me not utterly. Wherewith shall
a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according
to thy word. Now turn, if you would, to 2nd
Timothy chapter 3. 2nd Timothy chapter 3. And we'll
read verses 10 to 17. 2nd Timothy 3 verses 10 to 17. Thou hast fully known my doctrine,
manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience. persecutions, afflictions, which
came unto me at Antioch, at Ikium, at Lystia, what persecutions
I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and
all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,
but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving
and being deceived. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them. In that from a child thou hast
known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works. Now I'll be asking some questions today and we'll
be looking at the Scriptures for the answers. Because the
Scriptures are our final authority. Everything we believe stands
on this book. And is proclaimed in this book. So we'll be looking at this book
for the answers again because it's the final authority for
believers. The first question is this. Are
all the books of the Bible of the same divine authority? Are
they all divinely inspired? The Bible is a collection of
66 books. There are 39 books in the Old
Testament and 27 in the New Testament. And we read in Timothy that the
author of these books, which make up the Bible, the Scriptures,
is God. It's God. Look at 2 Timothy 3.16. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. There's the source. And it's profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Holy men of God we know were
moved by the power of God, so that while using their own writing
styles and personalities, they recorded exactly what God intended
them to record. They recorded exactly what God
intended them to write, because the Holy Spirit is the true author
of the Scriptures. God the Holy Spirit. The Bible
was not dictated by God, but it was perfectly guided and entirely
inspired by Him. Turn, if you would, to 2 Peter
1. We saw this in our study in 2
Peter, and we'll read this again. And remember the more sure word
of prophecy is the Scriptures. the Scriptures. 2 Peter 1 verses 19 to 21, 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. Well,
we know that's Christ. Knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, But holy men of God spake as
they were moved by who? The Holy Ghost. There's the author. There's the author. Now think
of this, the Bible was written by 40 men of diverse backgrounds
over the course of 1,500 years. 40 different men of diverse backgrounds
over a course of 1,500 years. And yet this book never contradicts
itself. Never. Because the author of
the scriptures is God the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit. Isaiah was a prophet. Ezra was
a priest. Matthew was a tax collector.
John was a fisherman. Paul was a tent maker. Moses
and David were shepherds. Luke was a physician. All of
diverse backgrounds. And yet they all agree with each
other. There's one message of redemption
all through this book. One message of redemption all
through this book, beloved. The message of redemption is
in the Old Testament and the message of redemption is in the
New Testament. It proclaims salvation through
the Lord Jesus Christ in Him alone. No other way. He alone is the Redeemer of the
saints of God, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. All the saints of God are saved
by the same Redeemer, born again by the same Holy Spirit, and
have the same Father. All of them. And the Scriptures
testify of Christ. They testify of Christ. They
proclaim also the one true God, Jehovah, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, the great three-in-one. They proclaim who He is. The second question is, what
makes a man or a woman wise unto salvation? Well, the Scriptures in our text tell us that the scriptures make one
wise unto salvation, but we know that they must be illuminated
by the Holy Spirit of God. The born-again believer is regenerated
and given eyes to see Christ, granted faith and repentance
before God, and they flee to the Savior. The Scriptures are the only able
to make one wise unto salvation. A person cannot become wise unto
salvation by learning, or by praying a prayer, or by doing something. You must be born again. You must
be born again. And the Scriptures proclaim the
one true Redeemer. The One who is the Way, the Truth
and the Life, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit uses
the Word of God to convince us of sin, doesn't He? To show us
our desperate, desperate need for Christ. And for the believer, we are
continued to show our desperate need for Christ. As we grow in
the grace and knowledge and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why
do you think Paul cried out, O wretched man that I am? He's
a saved man. And near the end of his ministry,
near the end of his ministry, he says, I am the chief of sinners.
Because as you grow in grace, beloved, you see yourself more
and more sinful. We are but saved sinners. Saved
by the grace of God. But again, praise be to God,
there'll be a day when we'll sin no more, when we're in the
presence of our great savior. And what a glorious day that'll
be. Listen to what the scriptures proclaim about the one who begats
life and faith in the sinner. Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible seed by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth forever. The believer in Christ is born
again of the same Father, by the same Holy Spirit of God.
And this glorious birth is not of natural seed, which only serves
to corrupt us, because we're all born dead in trespasses and
sins. No, this is a spiritual birth,
born again by the Holy Spirit of God. Turn, if you would, to
1 Peter 1, verse 23, and look at that again. First Peter chapter 1 verse 23. Scripture declares being born
again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word
of God which liveth and abideth forever. So this speaks of being
born again by the Holy Spirit of God. The very one who is the
true author of the scriptures. The very one who is the true
author of the Scriptures, we're born again of a holy seed, the
Word of God, which lives and abides in us forever, in His
people. What does our first death do?
Our first death only leads us to the dust, doesn't it? To death. Our spiritual birth, our second
birth, by the Holy Spirit of God leads to eternal life. Eternal
life, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And we're made wise unto salvation. Not in the knowledge of the law
or rituals and ceremonies, but true wisdom, beloved. True wisdom to salvation. In
the spiritual knowledge of Christ, which comes from the Scripture
alone, because they testify of Christ alone. And again, this spiritual birth
is by the Holy Spirit of God, who is the author of the Scriptures.
It's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. It
gives God all the glory, doesn't it? All the glory. Turn, if you
would, to Luke, chapter 24. Listen to the words of the Master
as He's talking to His disciples after He's risen from the grave.
Luke 24, verses 44-47. The Scriptures declare this.
Luke 24, verses 44-47. 47 and he said unto them. These
are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
and the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me Concerning me Then look at this
and this is what the Holy Spirit must do We have no understanding
of the scriptures unless the Holy Spirit opens our eyes beloved
He must. Just like He opened Lydia's heart
to attend to the words that Paul was spoken, she is born again,
He must do that to us too. He must also open up the understanding.
Look at this. Then opened He their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them,
Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ, to suffer
and to rise from the dead the third day. and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in His name among
all nations beginning at Jerusalem. The next question is, are the
Scriptures a guide for how we are to live? Are the Scriptures
a guide for how we are to live? Well, the Scriptures are full
of warnings, aren't they? And exhortation for believers.
The scriptures teach us to continuously look to Christ, like Brother
John. That's what they do, they point us right to Christ. They
teach us to not look at the things of this world, and not keep our
eyes on the things of this world, but to keep our eyes on Christ.
Because when we get in a heap of trouble is when we get our
eyes off the Lord, and we get our eyes on the things of the
world. And so they teach us, look to Christ. Set your affections,
set your eyes upon Him. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 1. Romans chapter 1. The Scriptures, again, are full
of exhortation, full of warnings for the believer. And we look
to Christ for everything, don't we, as believers? We look to
Christ for everything. He's our guide. He directs our
lives. He watches over us. And we look
to Him. And Him alone. Look at this in
Romans chapter 1. It says this. For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ." The believer is not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ. No, why? Because it's the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it. To the Jew first
and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed. The scriptures reveal the righteousness
of God, don't they? They do. They reveal the righteousness
of God. The gospel is part of the scriptures.
And what does the gospel do? It reveals the righteousness
of God, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. Well,
there's an instruction for us, isn't it? We live by faith. We
live by faith, just look into Christ. Just look into him. There was a time before the Lord
saved us when we looked to ourselves, maybe our own strength or maybe
our intellect, whatever, but we looked to ourselves. We don't
look to ourselves anymore. Now we look to our Savior. We
live by faith, beloved. We live by faith. So the scriptures
instruct us right here, live by faith. Just trust the Lord.
Trust Him. It's one of the hardest things
for us to do though, isn't it? Just to rest and to repose. The old
timers used to call it reposing. When you're sitting in a chair
like this, you're reposing. The chair is holding you up and
you're fully confident that this chair is going to take you. Just
like when you're sitting on a pew. It's holding you up, you're resting,
you're reposing. You're not moving, you're reposing. That's what
we do in Christ, beloved. We just rest in Him. We rest
in Him. For therein, though, is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, that
just shall live by faith. So the scriptures declare that
the born-again child of God, that we walk by faith. We walk
by faith. And we know, think of this too,
we know that that faith is a gift from God. It's not natural to
us, is it? It's a gift from God. And who's
the object of our faith? Who's the object of every born-again
blood-washed believer? Christ. Christ is the object
of our faith. So we look to Him. Turn, if you
would, to Romans 10. Look at this. Romans 10, verses 1 to 4. Do you know why people try to
establish their own righteousness by doing this and by doing that?
Because they're ignorant of the righteousness of God. I was there. I used to try to think that all
my, what I did was that any good, and I found out I was a sinner
to the core, but I used to think that my good was gaining me merit
and favor with God, that I'm not as bad as those guys down
the street, or I'm not bad as that guy in prison. Well, I found
out that every one of us is just as bad when the Lord revealed
himself to me. Look at this, though, and I love
this. This is one of my favorite portions of scripture here. Look
at this in Romans 10, verses 1 to 4. Brethren, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be
saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, right? Which, remember Romans 1, for
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith, as it is written, a just shall live by faith. See, they're
ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness by their works, by their works, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. Now look at this wonderful verse
right here. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. Christ fulfilled the law in my
place. Now believers love the law of God. We love it. It's
amazing. But all it does is condemn us
if we try to establish a righteousness by it. But praise be to God that
the Lord fulfilled it in our place. Because God's scriptures,
we love God's scriptures, and the law is part of the scriptures.
But beloved, not one of us can fulfill the law of God. Not one
of us. But Christ did it in our place,
hallelujah. And the scripture says right
here very clearly, Christ is the end, and that end there means
end. He's the end of the law for righteousness.
He did it all. He established a perfect righteousness
for God's people that allows us to be in the presence of God
forever. Forever. That's what he did. And the gospel of Christ reveals
the righteousness of God. If we would seek salvation or
life with God, his righteousness must first be found. For God is holy and just and
righteous, and in order to be loved by God, accepted by God,
justified before God, we must be righteous. Not our own righteousness, which
is filthy rags, but we must be clothed in the perfect, spotless
righteousness of Christ. And every believer is. Every
believer is. The Lord Jesus Christ is God,
was God in the flesh, and it's His righteousness that the believers
clothed in. We cannot obtain salvation anywhere
or through anything that we do. Because everything we do is tainted
with sin. That's why the scriptures say
that our righteousness is like filthy rags. Because it's tainted
with sin. But the gospel reveals the righteousness
of God, which is only found in Christ. only found in Christ. And the Word of God directs the
believer's life, doesn't it? It directs our lives. And think
of this, the Word of God settles all arguments, doesn't it? You
know when I'm witnessing the people, I just give them scripture. They ask me a question, I try
to always answer them with scripture. I can't convince anybody of anything,
but the scriptures are used, they're a sword, aren't they?
They're a sword of the spirit, beloved. I tell them the wonderful things
that God's done for me, but I use scriptures to do that too. Because
that's what penetrates, beloved, the scriptures. And the scriptures
settle all arguments. It's the rock of our infallibility.
It's the Word of God, isn't it? It settles all arguments. And we receive nothing as the
truth, but that which agrees with the Scriptures. Measure everything by the Scriptures,
beloved. Measure everything by the Word of God. So if some false
teacher says to you, you must do something to be saved, you
say no. No. Salvation is of the Lord. Period. It's of the Lord. Jonah 2, 9.
It's of Him. He did it all. He accomplished
eternal salvation for His people. And that's what the Word of God
says, right? So that settles it, doesn't it? That settles
it. Now people may not agree with
that, and there's a lot of people who don't, but it don't change
it. Doesn't change it. Have you ever heard the saying
this? Have you ever heard, when I was younger, and I went and
saved, but I used to see this all the time. It said, God said
it, I believe it, and that settles it. You ever see that bumper
sticker? All kinds of bumper stickers like that. And this
is a catch phrase that's popular amongst bumper sticker theology
crowd. They put bumper sticker on there and, you know, but it's
very popular among them. But that's what they say. They
used to say, God said it, I believe it, that settles it. You see
the problem there? Sinful man's got to get himself
in there, don't they? Right? The phrase will be better
modified, God said it, that settles it. Right? God said it, that
settles it. That's it. Right there. Right
there. It settles. There's no arguing
with the word of God. There's no arguing with the scriptures
at all. None. It's the word of God. It's a
lamp unto God's people. It directs us. It lights our
path through this life, beloved. It lights our path. The Scripture
says this in Job, O that I were as in months past, as in the
days when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head,
and when by his light I walked through darkness. Every believer,
we walk through the darkness of this world, don't we? And
the Word is a lamp unto our feet. It directs us. It guides us. It hedges us in, doesn't it?
And who does it hedge us in to? Christ. in Christ alone. Oh, we walk through the darkness
of this world, and the scripture is a light, a lamp, and there's
warnings and exhortations for us to heed. And again, it constantly,
constantly, constantly, I love that, Brother John, constantly,
because it's all through the notes, points us right to Christ.
That's what it does. Keep your eyes on Him. no matter
what craziness is going on in this world. Know that our great
God is in full control. He's sovereign. He's sovereign
over all things, visible and invisible, everything. That's
who God really is. That's the God of the scriptures,
not the God of someone's imagination, who can't do nothing unless you
let him. That's not the God of the Bible. No, the God of the
Bible is a king. He reigns supreme. Supreme. I was talking to a dear brother
this week, and we were just talking about how this world, and in
all the galaxies, and all the everything, and how vast it all
is. And we started talking about,
he likes doing beekeeping. We talked about how intricate
a beehive is, and all this, and how that the Lord, who rules
and reigns everything, keeps everything in place, everything
consists by him, has made this little insect, and it's so, he
says, when you open up a hive, you cannot deny the intelligent
design. Brother Tom said that too. It's
just right through there. It's incredible. And he said
to think that he just did that with that little wee insect and
all the other things in this world that are all kept by him. How great is our God beloved. And then we got talking when
the foolishness of when somebody says, well, he's done all he
can do. What? The God that did all that's done all he can do.
Now the rest is up to you. That's a lie. God saves whom
he wills. by His grace and His mercy. And the God that saves us is
the God who keeps all this in order and control. And He saved
us because He's purposed to save us according to His will. And
that's who the scriptures declare. Now we see why the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of knowledge. That's who God is. That's the God of the blind. Oh my. And think of this, beloved,
the scriptures proclaim that what we are to believe, don't
they? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And the scriptures slay, the
scriptures absolutely slay the traditions of man. They just
slay the traditions of man, the opinions of man when it comes
to salvation. The scriptures just destroy all
those false ways of salvation. And they point the believer to
Christ, who is all that a sinner needs. All that a sinner needs
is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything. Which gets us to
the next point, what is the main purpose of the scriptures? What
is the main purpose of the scriptures? The scriptures tell us all that
is necessary for salvation. It reveals one way of salvation,
one way, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the promised
Messiah in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, what does
it proclaim? The Messiah's coming, he's coming. And Christ is the
proclaimed Savior of sinners in the New Testament. The Gospel proclaims that the
Messiah has come. And that he has saved his people
from their sins. And the epistles proclaim that
the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is coming again. He's coming
again. So the main purpose of the scriptures,
both Old Testament and New Testament, Proclaiming is to proclaim Christ. To tell us about the Lord Jesus
Christ. Listen to what the scriptures
say here. John chapter 20 verses 30 to 31. And many other signs
truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not
written in this book. But these are written that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ. the Son of God, in that
believing you might have life through His name. That's why
John wrote that book. And then it says this in John
1, verse 45, Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found
Him of whom Moses and the Law and the Prophets did write, the
Old Testament, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph. Now turn to
Acts, chapter 10, if you would. Acts, chapter 10. See, the Scriptures,
the Scriptures proclaim Christ. The main purpose of the scriptures
is to proclaim Christ. It's a hymn book. Brother Henry
used to say that. H-I-M. It's a hymn book. It's
all about Christ. It's all about Him. Acts chapter
10, look at this, verses 34 to 43. Then Peter opened his mouth
and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.
But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness,
it is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto
the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is
Lord of all. That word, I say ye know, which
was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee
after the baptism which John preached, how God anointed Jesus
of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about
doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil,
for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all the
things which he did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem,
whom they slew and hanged on the tree." There he goes to Calvary's
cross to die for the sins of his people. And God raised him
up the third day and showed him openly. Not to all people, but unto witnesses
chosen, look at this, before of God, even to us, who did eat
and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded
us to preach unto the people and to testify that he, or that
it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick
and dead. To him gave who? All the prophets'
witness, all the Old Testament. They testified of Christ. They testify. Christ is in types
and pictures and shadows all through the Old Testament, beloved.
All through the Old Testament. It says right here, to Him gave
all the prophets. That's all of them. All of them.
Witness. They all testify to Christ. That
through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission
of sins. Whosoever believeth in Him. And
faith is a gift from God. And God's people believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. So we know from the Scriptures
that the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to give life. And
that life is only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Scriptures reveal the
way of salvation. Turn again, if you would, to
2 Timothy, chapter 3, where we were when we read our text. Chapter 3 of 2 Timothy. The Scriptures
reveal the way of salvation. Again, its main purpose is to
tell us about the Lord Jesus Christ. He, beloved, always remember
this, Christ is the key to all the Scriptures. He's the key. He's the key to all the Scriptures.
All of them. Look at this again in 2 Timothy
3 verses 15 and 16. And that from a child thou hast
known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
Note in verse 15 in the latter part it proclaims that the scriptures,
of the scriptures that they are They which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation." What? Through faith which is in who?
Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. There are some who would take
away parts of the scriptures. They do not agree with. So if
there comes a portion of scripture they don't agree with, well,
they just kind of take it away. You probably met them. Well, they take away election.
predestination, man's utter inability to save themselves. They take
away God's sovereignty and they even take away human responsibility.
But God's people, again, we marvel at these wonderful truths. We
marvel at the truth of God's electing grace. We marvel at
that. We marvel that we're predestined to be conformed to the image
of the sun. We marvel at that. We marvel at man's utter inability,
knowing we were there, and had no ability to come to God, and
yet he made us will in the day of his power. We marvel at that. And we marvel at God's absolute
sovereignty, don't we? How the God of the scriptures
is who he says he is, and how he is in absolute control. We
marvel at that. But there's some. There are some
who seek to ignore these truths or take them away. Well, it doesn't
change it, does it? God said it, God settles it. These are truths from the Bible.
Truths from the Bible. And for the believer, do they
not comfort your soul? Isn't it not comforting to know
that God chose you before the foundation of the world and that
He made you willing in the day of His power and that He regenerated
you and gave you faith and repentance to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ? And isn't it comfortable to know that He's going to be
the one who's going to keep you from falling and one day present you
faultless before the throne of God? Isn't that comforting? It's
wonderful, isn't it? It's absolutely wonderful. Oh
my, makes your soul leap as a believer. And there's some who like to
hold the tradition rather than the scriptures. They've all left
the traditions of man and thereby they reject the scriptures as
the final authority. Now we who are the people of
God, we love the Bible. We love the scriptures because
they reveal Christ to us. And never look at the Bible or
Bible reading as something that you have to do, beloved. Look
at it as something you get to do. It's a privilege. And think of the privilege of
reading the Bible with understanding. That God has given you an understanding
of the Word. Oh my. What a blessing from God. We get to read the Bible. We
get to pray to God. That's wonderful. That's absolutely
wonderful. My. And we've been born again
by the Holy Spirit of God. Now we have a desire to read
the word. Now we have a desire to pray to God, don't we? We have a desire to praise and
glorify our great King who's done everything for us. The next
question is, how are the scriptures a help for a believer? Well,
look again in 2 Timothy 3, look at verses 16 and 17. How are
the scriptures a help for each individual believer? Well, it
says here, 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,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Well, the scriptures
are profitable for us, beloved. They're profitable for us. If
we are deserted by those who who we love, our family, our
friends, we know from the scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ has
said, I'll never leave you nor forsake you. That's comforting.
That's comforting. If an enemy attacks us, we know
that the word of God is the sword of the spirit and is quick and
powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the divide and the sunder of soul and spirit and to the
joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. We just give scripture to them. Somebody starts talking
about what you believe, always give them scripture. As I said
earlier, always give them scripture. Don't give them your opinion.
Give them scripture. Give them scripture. Let's go
back to Psalm 119. Again, how are the scriptures
profitable for us as believers? Look at this. Look at this. This
is wonderful. Psalm 119, verse 11 and 12. You've
heard me often say that It's the love of Christ that constrains
us from sin. And it is, isn't it? It constrains
us from sin. When we think of the love that
the Savior has for us, it constrains us. Look at this in Psalm 119,
verses 11 and 12, as for instruction for the believer.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. That's
the cry of every believer. Lord, teach me your ways. Teach
me your statutes. And isn't that a miracle that
there was a time when we weren't interested in the statutes of
the Lord and the things of the Lord, and now we do? That's a
miracle of grace, beloved. That's an absolute miracle of
grace. How should we search the scriptures? The next question.
Well, we should study and read the scriptures with reverence.
With reverence. Because we know who the author
of the Scriptures is. It's God the Holy Spirit. We
know who they reveal. They reveal the Lord Jesus Christ.
They reveal God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, don't
they? So we should read the Scriptures with reverence. With reverence we should read
the Bible with affection too. Affection. We should read the
Bible as a One commentator said, is a love letter sent to you,
to each believer. And we should pray every time
we read the scriptures. Pray and ask God to illuminate
the scriptures. Just ask him, Lord, please illuminate the scriptures
while I read. And even if you only get one verse, what jumps
out, one verse that gives you, hold on to that for the day.
Run it through your mind. Run it through your mind. Praise
be to God. Give him the glory. Because again,
there was a time, I know when I read the scriptures, I told
you before, before I was saved and I read the scriptures, and
it was just paper and ink. And now I read the scriptures, and
even as a preacher, I read the scriptures and go, well, I wonder
when that got in there. Because it hadn't been revealed
to me. And it's marvelous. It's wonderful. But this book
points me to my Savior. And if you're a believer, it
points you to your Savior. And it's wonderful. I remember hearing
a preacher one time say, and that's where I got that from,
it was from Brother Henry. He said, better to read a chapter
in the Bible than 10 chapters where you have no understanding.
Better to read one chapter with understanding than 10 chapters
where you just read it and it just went right through you.
So just read the word with reverence and affection. The Lord has given
us the scriptures and they're wonderful. They comfort us as
believers. So we should prize the word of
God. It's a light to show us our way. And we should desire
to read the scriptures, eh? Because they're finer than gold.
Yea, much finer than gold. The scriptures are finer than
the most pure, beautiful gold in the world. Sweeter than the
honeycomb to the believer's soul. Let's go to Psalm 130. Psalm
130, and then turn, put your finger in Psalm 130, and then
put your finger in Psalm 46. We'll only look at a few verses
in Psalm 130, but then we'll go read a good portion in Psalm
46. We find hope in the Scriptures,
beloved. We as sinners find hope in the
Scriptures. Look at this in Psalm 130, verses
3 to 5. Look at this, look at this, this
is, what a question this is. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O
Lord, who shall stand? Just let that sit. O Lord, if
thou should mark iniquity, who should stand? Psalm 130, verse
three. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark
iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? No one. If the Lord marked iniquity,
we are all guilty. Look at verse 4, though. But
there is forgiveness with thee. Oh, there's forgiveness with
God. In and through the Lord Jesus Christ. That thou mayest
be what? Feared. And that's a reverent
fear. That's not a slavish fear. That's a reverent fear of who
God really is. But look at those wonderful verses.
But there is forgiveness with thee. With thee. I wait for the
Lord, my soul doth wait, in his word do I hope. Oh my. Now go to Psalm 46. So we hope in the word of God
because it points us to our great God and Savior. We delight in
his word. And now we see here the scriptures
are our comfort in times of trouble and affliction. Look at this
in Psalm 46, the scripture proclaims that God is our fortress, our
refuge, our strength, our very present help in trouble. Psalm
46. And note who it's for, the sons
of Korah. Oh my. God is our refuge and strength.
Very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though
the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into
the midst of the sea? Though the waters thereof roar
and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof,
Selah. There is a river, the streams
whereof make glad the city of God." We know Zion is God's church,
His people. "...the holy place of the tabernacles
of the Most High, God is in the midst of her. Remember in our
Sunday school lesson, the Lord was with Joseph. God's in the
midst of his people, beloved. He says, where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
That's what the Lord said. He's in the midst of his people.
He'll never leave you nor forsake you. God is in the midst of her
and she shall not be moved. Not because of our own strength.
No, no. If it was our own strength, we'd
be moved so many times. But we're not being moved because
God's the one who keeps us and holds us. It's Him. God shall help her and that right
early. He's our help. The heat and rage,
the kingdoms were moved. He uttered His voice, the earth
melted. Oh, the power of our great sovereign
God, beloved. The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah. Come, behold the works
of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He
maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh
the bow and cutteth the spear and sundered. He burneth the
chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God. That's our Savior. I will be exalted among the heathen.
And He is, isn't He? We who are Gentiles were considered
heathen. And what do we do? We praise
the name of the Lord, don't we? He's been exalted amongst the
heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts
is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge,
Selah. So what comfort, what comfort the believer can find
right in this little song? in the midst of trials and tribulations,
whatever occurs in this life, what comfort we can have. Our
God is God over all. And He is in full control. So
we should read the scriptures and love the scriptures as our
great God teaches us through His word about His greatness,
His sovereignty, His one way of salvation. And He teaches
that He alone is the truth. He alone is the truth. The Scriptures
teach us about the Lord Jesus Christ through His Word. Turn,
if you would, to Psalm 86. Psalm 86. All the Scriptures, what do they
teach us? They teach us that our God, He's great and full
of mercy, isn't He? He's full of mercy. And I can
testify of that. And so can every believer. We've
tasted how gracious our Lord is. We've tasted how gracious
our Lord is in and through Christ. Look at this in Psalm 86, verses
10 to 17. For thou art great, and doest
wondrous things. Thou art God alone. There's only
one God. The Scriptures declare that there's
only one God, and that settles it. One God. Teach me thy way, O Lord. And
He does through the Scriptures and the preaching of His Word.
I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. And again, that's not a slavish
fear, that's a reverent fear for who he is. I will praise
thee, O Lord, my God, with all my heart. We've been given a
new heart that hungers and thirsts out the righteousness, beloved.
And I will glorify thy name forevermore and we will here on earth and
in glory forever. The saints who are already gone
are already glorifying the Lord. Right now, right this second,
they're praising the Lord in glory. And we will one day be
there too. Look at that though, forevermore.
For great is thy mercy toward me. Every believer can say that,
can't we? Every single believer can say, for great is thy mercy
toward me. Me. Toward me. Thou has delivered my soul from
the lowest hell. Makes you wanna just shout praises
to him, doesn't it? This is what he's done. Oh God, the proud
are risen against me, and people rise against us all the time.
The assemblies of the violent men have sought after my soul
and have not set thee before them. But thou, oh Lord, art
a God full of compassion, and we know that as believers, and
gracious, Long-suffering. How long-suffering was He with
us when we were dead in trespasses and sins? How long-suffering
was our God with us? Oh, we've tasted the truth of
these verses. Long-suffering. Implenteous in
mercy and truth. The forgiveness of all our sins.
The pardon of all our sins. laid upon the very One who the
Scriptures proclaim. All our sins laid upon Him, imputed
to Him, and He pays for them all. And He cries as it's finished,
and can we not say, the Lord is plenteous in mercy. He is
gracious. He is full of compassion. He
is longsuffering to me. Oh, turn unto me and have mercy
upon me. Give thy strength unto thy servant
and save the son of thy handmaid. Show me a token for good that
they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because the Lord
has hope, hold me and comfort me. He's the one who keeps us
beloved. He's the one who holds us up. The Lord. And we are to contend for the
faith, beloved, by using the scriptures. The scripture says
this, beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you the
common salvation, it was needful of me to write unto you and exhort
you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was
once delivered unto the saints. Oh my. Finally, beloved, we're
to be thankful for the scriptures. We're to be thankful for the
scriptures. Because we've not followed commonly devised fables.
As Peter writes, he says, we've not followed commonly devised
fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received
from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory that this is my beloved
son in whom I'm well pleased. God is only pleased with Christ. And He's pleased with every believer
who's in Christ. What a Savior. And the Scriptures
declare this. They declare this. What a Savior. What a Redeemer is the Lord Jesus
Christ. And we have a more sure word
of prophecy, beloved. Where unto you do well that you
take heed is unto a light that shines in the dark place until
the day dawn and the day star arise in your heart, knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the Scriptures of any private
interpretation 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." 2 Peter 1, verses 19-21. God did not leave us in doubt,
beloved, as to what we are to believe and how we are to live
our lives as believers. No, we have the infallible Word
of God. The infallible Word of God, beloved.
And it's God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. The
Holy Spirit reveals the Scriptures to us and teaches us the things
of Christ. And again, God said it, and that
settles it. There's only salvation in and
through Christ, no other way. Praise our great God, praise
the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Holy Spirit. Glory
to his name. Heavenly Father, we thank you
again for allowing us to gather together and to look into thy
Scriptures. And we marvel again The fact that you are the one
who authored all these scriptures, written by different men over
1,500 years, but yet you are the one who moved them to pen
the very words that they penned. You are the true author of the
holy scriptures. And then we are so thankful,
we who are your people, oh, that the Holy Spirit has regenerated
us and given us an understanding of the scriptures. And Lord,
we just know a little bit. but You continue to reveal Yourself
to us. And we marvel at the little bit
that You've taught us. And we marvel each time we learn
something more, Lord, about Thee. And we see Thy grace and mercy,
Thy long-suffering, Thy compassion in our lives. And all we can
do is give glory to You for this wonderful salvation that we have
in and through Christ. Lord, may You use this message
for Your glory, honor, and praise. In Jesus' name, amen.