Let's open our Bibles together
to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 3. The pastor's in New Jersey this morning. Brother Dale was originally going
to bring the Sunday school message this morning. As you know, he's
not going to be able to make it. I'm as disappointed as you are. Let's look at this passage of
Scripture together this morning. We're going to look at one verse
of Scripture from 2 Timothy 3, verse 15. This is a familiar
passage. We've heard this on many occasions,
but I feel led to teach from it again this morning. Paul speaking
to Timothy, he says this, he says, from a child, 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. I hope
we can see three things from this passage of Scripture this
morning. Three things. One, the need for a reverence. But the scriptures, these are
the holy scriptures. Paul's speaking to Timothy, he
said, these are the holy scriptures. Second, the importance of knowing
the scriptures. He said, you've known, you've
known the holy scriptures. And then third, these scriptures,
these holy scriptures, he says, they're able to make thee wise
unto salvation. I pray the Lord would enable
us to see these three things this morning. First, the reverence for the
Scriptures. Our pastor, he put in the bulletin
last week an article by Milton Howard. And I thought about this
and I thought this goes right along with what I'm trying to
say this morning. I want to read this. He said, I believe our thoughts
of God are reflected in every part of our worship service.
What part will the preaching of God have in the service? Will
the truth of Christ and his saving work be the message? Are the
hymns we sing such that glorify God? Are the words true to the
scripture? Are we faithful to join with
God's people? Do we come on time? come in quietly, do we dress
appropriately? He said, we don't want to set
rules or say anything that would keep people from coming to hear
the gospel. But we live in a time when everyone wants to be casual.
But there's nothing casual, nothing casual about the worship of Almighty
God. These are the holy scriptures. When God's word is being read,
We don't want to be disrupted. We don't want to do anything
that would take the attention off of the Holy Scriptures. And
there's an honor for God's Word. You know, it's through God's
Word that God is pleased to speak to His people. Turn over to Nehemiah
chapter 8. Look at these first three verses
of Nehemiah chapter 8. Here in verse 1 we read, And
all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the
street that was before the water gate. And they spake unto Ezra
the scribe, and they said, Bring the book. Bring the book. Bring God's word. And they spake unto Ezra the
scribe, Bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord
commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the
law before the congregation, both of men and women and all
that could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh
month, and he read therein before the street that was before the
waterway, from the morning until midday, before the men and women
and those that could understand, in the ears of all the people. They listened to what was being
read. They listened to God's Word. It's worthy of our attention. It's worthy of our reverence. And side note there, that a reverence
for God's word, but there's also a reverence for those who preach
God's word, who bring the message, who faithfully declare God's
word. We read in 1 Timothy 5, verse
17, let the elders, let the elders that rule well be counted worthy
of double honor, especially those who labor in doctrine, in the
word and in doctrine. Our pastor, our pastor, he's
faithful. to preach God's word. He's worthy. He's worthy of our honor and
our respect. Well, our text reads this. Thou
hast known the holy scriptures. The scriptures, God's word is
holy. It's set apart. It's a book. It's a book like no other. First
Timothy 316, all scripture is inspired by God, 2 Timothy,
I'm sorry, 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture, it's inspired by God. It's God, it's God breathed.
Consider this, the Bible, 66 books written over a period of
1500 years by 40, 40 different, 40 different authors, most of
whom never even, never even met each other or consulted with
each other on what they were writing. written in three different
languages, on three different continents, and yet all the scriptures
agree. Isn't that just incredible to
think about that? And listen, the scriptures tell
the same story. They tell of the creation, the
fall, and the redemption of God's people. How is that possible? Three of us could sit down and
talk about something for an hour and we couldn't write down the
same thing. Yet God's words, this is God who at sundry times
and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers
by the prophets. God's word. He wrote it. That's how that's possible. He
wrote it. He laid on the hearts of these men what to write, what
to put down, in pencil and paper, or I guess maybe they wrote on
stone, but they wrote the same thing. They're all in agreement. He spoke them, the Scriptures.
They're the Holy Scriptures. We're not to add to them, and
we're not to take away from them. Look at a few passages of Scripture. Turn over to Revelation 22. Revelation 22, beginning with
verse 18. I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that
are written in the book. If any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part out of the book of life, out of the holy city, things
that are written in this book. We're not to add to it. We're
not to take away from it. Look back in Genesis, Genesis
chapter 3. See an example of this. Genesis 3 verse 3. But of the fruit of the tree
which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, now this
is Eve speaking, you shall not eat of it, neither shall you
touch it, lest you die. Eve just added a couple words
there, didn't she? Is that what God said? If we
look back in chapter 2, He said don't eat it. And then Satan,
look what he says here in verse four, the serpent said unto the
woman, ye shall not surely die. Just one word, not. I said, don't add to it. Don't take away from it. Some
time ago, me and Abby, we were Christmas shopping. She was shopping, I was just
wandering around the store, but I saw this coffee mug. I picked
it up, and on it, it had this inscribed on it. It said, I can
do all things through Him that gives me the strength. You picked
up on that, didn't you Earl? I picked up on that. Him. You
know, that leaves a whole lot open for translation, doesn't
it? I can do all things through Him. Him could be just, could
be any number of people, couldn't it? God's Word, it says this, I can
do all things through Christ. Through Christ. Big difference,
isn't it? Big difference. You know, I don't
know what translation of the Bible that was. It really doesn't
matter. I know it wasn't I know it wasn't
the King James Version because it speaks Christ, Christ. And each time these new translations,
I bet a new translation comes out every month, every time it's
watered down more and more and more. They're easy to read, they're
easy to, sometimes we use them to study. There's no room for a Bible that
does not speak of Christ. It takes Christ out of the Scriptures. I just say that as a word of
caution. The Holy Scriptures, there's
a reverence for them. They speak of God. They speak
of our Savior. Second, the importance of knowing
the Scriptures. Our text says this, thou hast known. Thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures. Now that word know, it means
to be aware of something. It means to develop a relationship
through meeting and spending time. You younger ones, us older
ones can identify this. At some time you found someone
that caught your eye. And maybe you got their phone
number, or maybe you met, but you spent time with them. You
got to know them. OK? God's Word, if we're going
to get to know God's Word, we're going to have to spend time in
it. In reading, in studying, in hearing God's Word preached,
attending the worship service. Consider this, consider a couple
of scriptures here. 215, study, I'll just read, study
to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. We need to
spend time in God's Word, reading God's Word, studying His Word,
hearing His Word preached, being attentive to the Word. And listen, When we don't understand, when
there are things we don't understand, and that's commonly the case,
we need to ask. We need to ask. You young people, ask your parents.
We have things we don't, we ask our pastor, or we go to God in
prayer and ask Him. Give us understanding. Show us.
Isn't that what Moses prayed? Show me thy way. Make it plain
to me. Turn to Exodus 12. Is it okay to ask? Look at verse
26. Speaking to the children of Israel.
He said, it shall come to pass when your children shall say
unto you, what's this mean? See that there? Ask. And then look at Acts chapter
8. That's a child asking. Look at
Acts chapter 8. Look at beginning with verse 27 of Acts chapter 8. Philip arose and went behold
a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch. Here's a man of great authority
under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasure. Come to Jerusalem for the worship was returning and
sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah, the prophet. When the
spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself into this chair,
chariot and Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the
prophet Isaiah, and he said, Do you understand what you're
reading? And he said, how can I? How can I understand these
things except some man guide me? So I hired Philip that he
would come up with him. You know the rest of that scripture. Philip joined him in the chariot
and he started that same scripture and he preached unto him the
Lord Jesus Christ. The scriptures, they're holy. They're the holy scriptures.
We need to have a reverence for it. Second, the importance of
knowing these scriptures. And then third, these scriptures
we read are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Our text,
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ
Jesus. These scriptures, they testify,
they speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures, they
testify of our sinfulness and our inability. Look at Psalm
53. Beginning with verse 2, God looked
down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any
that did understand. Were there any that sought after
God? Verse 3, every one of them, every last one of them is going
back. They are all together become filthy. There is none that do
us good. No, not one. Not one. These scriptures, they declare
our sinfulness and our inability. They declare Christ's blood,
the efficacy of Christ's blood. Over in 1 John, we read the blood
of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Holy scriptures, not
some of our sin, not most of our sin, but all sin. All right? Listen to a few more
scriptures. I won't have you turn, but listen
here. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God. Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth forever. We read of his own will, but
yet he us with the word, the word of truth. we should be a
kind of first fruits of his creature. The Holy Spirit, this word, the
Holy Spirit uses this word to convince us of sin, to reveal
Christ's person and work, and to beget life out of sin through
the word, through the word. When Adam took that fruit, God
said, in the day that you eat thereof, thou shalt surely die. Adam took that fruit, death passed
upon all men. And when God's pleased to save
a sinner, that sin that separated us from God, but when God's pleased
to save a sinner, the scriptures declare this, when a man's redeemed,
when he's brought back to God, the Spirit of God. Life itself
is placed within us by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God dwells
within us. We read of Christ in you. Christ
can't explain that, but I can declare it. Christ in you, the
hope of glory. Well, and true wisdom. True wisdom in salvation is in
a spiritual knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that comes
from the Scriptures. It's more than just knowing about
God or knowing that there is a God. It's to know. It's to know Jesus Christ. It's to know Him. It's to know
Almighty God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Turn with me
to another Scripture. Luke 24. Luke 24. Beginning with verse 44 of Luke
24. And He said unto them, these
are the words. These holy scriptures. These
are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you.
All things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning men. These scriptures
declare the Lord Jesus Christ. Then opened he their understanding
that they might understand scripture. And He said unto them, Thus it
is written, and thus it behoove 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
in Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these
things. You have, listen, you've heard
these things, you've seen these things, these things have been
revealed unto you. Back there in verse 44, they're
all concerning Him. They're all concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ. The Holy Scriptures, a reverence
for the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures, the importance
of knowing. The Holy Scriptures, that which
is able to make you wise into salvation. I said three points,
didn't I? But here's a fourth. Here's a
fourth. Look at Ephesians 6 verse 4. This message was originally purposed
for my Sunday school class, but something to consider, just something
to consider. The teaching of God's Word. Our pastor is faithful to teach
the Word. These that teach our Sunday school
classes, they're faithful to teach God's Word. That's not
their sole responsibility. We all have some part in teaching
the Scriptures, especially those of us with children. Listen here.
Look at Ephesians 6 verse 4. He says, you fathers, here's
a word for fathers. You fathers, provoke not your
children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture. That
word means instruction. Bring them up in the nurture.
Bring them up in the instruction and the admonition. That word
admonition means to call attention to. Call attention to. bring
them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Turn back to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy 1. Beginning with verse 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God according to the promise of life which
is in Christ Jesus. Timothy, my dearly beloved son,
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus
our Lord. I thank God whom I serve from
my forefathers, with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembered
thee in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see
thee and being mindful thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.
Look at verse five. When I call to remembrance the
unfeigned faith, the sincere faith that is in thee, which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice,
and I'm persuaded it's in you also. I wonder, I wonder how many times
Timothy wanted Maybe stay up late on a Saturday night. And
Eunice told him, no Timothy, go to the worship service tomorrow. You're going to have to get to
bed early. How many times he maybe, but
mom, but mom, how many times? Paul said, that faith I see in
you, That faith I've seen in your mother, that faith I've
seen in your grandmother. How many times? How many times
did mom or grandma have to send Timothy
back to get a shirt that matched his pants or wrestled him to
the worship service? But you see that? When I call
to remembrance, the sincere faith that's in thee. You are first
in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice, and I'm persuaded
in thee, thee also. Turn with me to one more scripture
and we'll quit. Turn back to Deuteronomy 6. This thing doesn't require a
doctor of divinity. You don't have to be a John Gill. Look in verse 2. Actually, verse 1. These are the commandments, the
statutes, and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded to
teach you that you might do them in the land where you go to possess
it. Fear the Lord. See that in verse 2? Thou mightest,
fear the Lord. Keep His commandments, His statutes,
which I command thee, and thy son, and thy sons' sons, all
thy life, all the days of thy life, that days may be prolonged. Look at verse three. Hear therefore,
O Israel, observe and do it, that it may be well with thee.
Hear the word, hear the word of the Lord. Look at verse four. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our
God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God, fearing hear him, love him. And the words which I command
thee, verse six, shall be in thy heart. It's hard work. Look at verse seven, thou shalt
teach them diligently. Thou shalt teach thy children
diligently. Unto thy children shalt thou
talk with them when you sit in the house, when you walk by the
way, when you lie down, When you rise up, teach them at all
times. He says, teach your children.
And he says, if you look back there, teach them diligently.
That means to hone or sharpen. Take a stone and sharpen that
knife. Any of you have had a pocket
knife for any time at all, you know it gets dull. Sometimes
it gets dull pretty quick. And you've got to go back, sharpen
that knife again. Gets dull, go back and sharpen
it again. Teach them diligently. This isn't a one-stop shop. They've got to hear it over and
over, just like we do. You've got to hear it over and
over and over again. He says you teach them. You teach
them. Talk about them when you sit
in the house. Talk about them when you walk by the way. How
much of God's creation declares His glory that we see Every,
every day. Teach him when you lie down.
Teach him when you rise up in the morning. Teach him at all,
all times. Turn back to 2 Timothy. From a child. Verse 15, 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. I pray God will be pleased to
bless this. I pray there'll be good instruction
for all.