Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. What would you do if you found
out there was a book written by God himself? Well, you would
think, I would like to read that book. We have that book. It's called the Bible. The Word of God. Why am I attempting to speak
this morning? Because I am speaking from the
Word of God. Now, in Ephesians chapter six,
Paul has given the six pieces of Christian armor. And the last
one, he calls in verse 17, the sword of the spirit, which is
the word of God. Now, he had already dealt with
the belt of truth. And how do we know it's the truth?
Because of the Word of God. He talked about the breastplate
of righteousness the believer is to put on, and that's a reference
to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That's what protects
my organs, the righteousness of Christ. And then he spoke
of Feet being shod with the gospel of peace, the preparation of
the gospel of peace. What makes me ready? The gospel
of peace. But how would I know that if
it were not found in the scriptures? He speaks of taking the shield
of faith. Well, how would I know what faith is without the scriptures?
He talks about the helmet of salvation. Well, how would I
know what that means without the scriptures of truth? And
then he spoke of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word
of God. That's the sixth piece of armor. Now, the sword is the only part
of the armor that is used for offense. Every other piece of
armor is used for defense, for protection. And the sword is
used for protection. You protect yourself with the
sword. And the Lord used the word in that way when he was
tempted by Satan. He answered every temptation
with, it is written. Oh, the high value the Lord put
on the scriptures. He could have just destroyed
Satan. But he met his temptations with an it is written. Now, the Word of God is the only
thing we use for offense, though. Preach the Word. Not your gimmicks, not your methods.
Preach the Word, the Word of God. Now, I think it's interesting
that when the Lord Jesus is described both in Revelation chapter 1
and Revelation chapter 19, his appearance is described, both
descriptions have a sword coming out of his mouth. And that is
a reference to the Word of God coming out of his mouth. The Word of God is that which
is written by the Spirit of God. I want to read a passage of Scripture
from Galatians chapter 3 that gives us some idea of the awesomeness
of Scripture. We read in verse 8 of Galatians
chapter 3, and the Scripture, and the Scripture. foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in these shall all nations be
blessed. Now, this took place centuries
before the scriptures were written. And yet when God speaks to Abraham,
it says the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith. Personality is given to the scripture,
it foresees, only God foresees, because God ordains. The scripture
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, and thee shall
all nations of the earth be blessed. Now wait a minute, God said that?
Yes, the scriptures said that. That's the high honor of scripture.
When scripture speaks, God speaks. When God speaks, scripture speaks. I think of Romans 9, verse 17,
when Paul is quoting what God said to Pharaoh. He says, for
the scriptures saith to Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have
I raised thee up. Now, wait a minute. Scriptures
hadn't yet been written. The scriptures are the eternal
word of God. It was the scriptures who said
to Pharaoh. God said to Pharaoh, scriptures
said to Pharaoh, same thing. Now, the Word of God, the Scriptures,
are written by the Spirit of God, the third person of the
blessed Trinity. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16 says, all
Scripture, not most Scripture, all Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1,
with regard to the scriptures, that holy men spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost. Now, God used men. He used their
personalities. But every word of scripture is
inspired by God. This is a book without error.
This is a book that is divinely inspired. There's nothing wrong
in it. This is the verbally inspired
Word of God. Now, I realize that a lot of
folks will balk at that. Now, how can we believe the Bible
is the inspired Word of God? How can we believe That's true. I mean, men wrote it. We don't
have a copy of the original. How can we believe that the Bible
is the inspired word of God without any error? Well, I hope this
will help you to think about this. God created the universe. Now, what power it took for God
to create the universe. In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth. Well, somebody says, I'm an atheist.
I don't believe that. Well, that might be so, but you
didn't begin an atheist. You became an atheist because
you didn't like the implications of God. No one is born an atheist.
Everybody knows that God created the universe. You look at the
Creation. And you know somebody made this
and nobody made him. He is eternal. He's all-powerful. He created the universe. And
like I said, somebody that's an atheist, they may be very
intelligent. But I tell you, their belief in atheism, no God,
is illogical, irrational, and intellectually indefensible.
Nobody, by nature, is an atheist. You had to have disliked the
implications of God and decided to become an atheist. It's a
blind leap in the dark. It's actually anti-intellectual.
They try to come across as intellectuals. It's anti-intellectual. It doesn't
even make sense. God is. God created the universe. And if God created the universe,
God can inspire men to write a book that's without error.
Now somebody says, yeah, but we don't have a copy of the original
scriptures. Yeah, we have a copy of the copy,
though, and that's good enough. We have a copy of the copy and
God is able to cause that to be preserved through the centuries.
If we had a copy of the original, men would somehow worship it
instead of God. I see why the Lord has not allowed
that to take place, but thank God we do have a copy of the
copy. And listen to these words with
regard to the scriptures. Isaiah 55 verse 8, God speaking. He says, for my thoughts are
not your thoughts. Neither are your ways my ways,
saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. And my
thoughts than your thoughts. Don't have such a high opinion
of yourself. For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth, and bud that it may give
seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall my word
be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto
me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it. Now, that is the written
word. That is the living word. That
is the word preached. But God's word will never return
to him void. It will accomplish exactly what
he intends for it to accomplish. Now, we need an inspired, written
revelation so we can know if what we're hearing is true. If
we don't have an inspired, written revelation, then all we have
is my opinion and your opinion. And I hope you know that's worthless.
Remember, he said, my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither
are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways above your ways. we need a written
revelation so we can be like the noble Bereans. In Acts 17,
when they heard Paul preach, they searched the Scriptures
daily, whether these things be so. Isaiah 8, verse 20 says,
To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to
these words, the Scriptures It's because there is no light in
them. Now, all of God's people have
a reverence for his word. The Lord said, in John chapter
eight, verse 47, he that is of God, heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not.
because you're not of God. Somebody says, I don't believe
what you're saying is true. Well, all you prove by that is
you're not of God. Because he that's of God, heareth
God's words. The Lord said, if you continue
in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. If a man love me, he'll
keep my words He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. Now in John chapter six, right
after the feeding of the 5,000, 5,000 people, 5,000 men, not
counting women and children, probably over 10,000 people,
were fed by two sardines and five barley loaves. That's not
a lot of food. Christ brought matter into existence
that was not there before and fed those people. That's what
only God can do. And those people liked this because
they got their bellies filled. They thought, we need to make
him king. Now they proved by that they didn't know him because
he already was king whether they knew it or not. They didn't make
him king. He is the king. But they followed
him and he brought a message to them. You can read the content
of the message in John chapter six. And at the conclusion of
that message, they said, these are hard sayings, harsh words. We do not like what you have
said. How can we be expected to hear
such teaching as this? We don't agree with this. And
the Lord told them the words that I speak unto you, their
spirit and their life. These words you find harsh and
disagreeable, their spirit and their life. And those people
that he fed, those 5,000 people, every one of them left him. And
what I think is interesting is he didn't ask them to come back.
He looked at the 12 at that time and said, will you also go away?
And Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words
of eternal life. These words that they find harsh
sayings, we find to be words of eternal life. And we believe
and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living
God. Now understand this, spiritual
life comes through the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God. James 1.18 says, of his own will
begat he us. through the word of truth. 1
Peter 1.23 says, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever. John 17.17 says, sanctify them
through thy truth. Thy word is truth. Romans 10.17 says, faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Now listen to this
statement real carefully. The Word has only one message. And if I don't see that, I may
believe the Bible's the inspired Word of God, but it hadn't done
me any good because I haven't seen the message. The Bible has
only one message. In John 5, verse 39, the Lord
said to some people, you search the scriptures, In them, you
think you have eternal life. You look at this scripture and
that scripture and say, if I can just do this, if I can stop doing
that, if I can do what the Bible says to do, I'll have eternal
life. You search the scriptures. In them, you think you have eternal
life. And they are they which testify of me. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2,
verse 2, I determined not to know anything among you,
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Now, does that mean Paul is just
going to Only deal with Scriptures that deal with the cross? No. Every Scripture teaches Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. And if I don't get to Jesus Christ
and Him crucified through that passage of Scripture, I have
no understanding of that passage of Scripture. Scripture has one
message, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Listen to this scripture
from Hebrews chapter 4. It says in verse 12, the Word
of God is quick. That means living. The Word of
God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and it's a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart." Oh, the Word of God is living and
powerful. It discerns like only it discerns. And this is how the Word of God
is to be received. First Thessalonians 2.13, Paul
says, for this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because
when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us,
you received it, not as the word of men, not as Paul's opinion,
not as some denominational distinctive. You received it as it is in truth,
the word of God. which effectually worketh in
you that believe." You didn't receive it as man's word, but
as the very word of God. 1 Thessalonians 1, 4, and 5,
Paul says, knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God.
Well, how do you know, Paul? Do you have access into the Lamb's
book of life? No, but here's how he answered
this. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God for our
gospel. came not to you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."
Now, that's not talking about assurance of personal salvation.
It means you were assured that this is the Word of God. You know, Peter warns us of those
who stumble at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto also they
were appointed. They were appointed by God to
this end. And John's final warning in Revelation, beginning in verse
18, this is, yes, a reference to the book of Revelation, but
it's every, it's the other 65 books of the Bible as well. For
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 this book. And
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
and out of the holy city and from the things which are written
in this book. Now here's what he's saying.
If you add something to God's word, you're going to hell. And
if you leave out something purposely in God's word, you're going to
hell. That's how serious this thing is. Now, when Paul was
giving his final charge to Timothy, just before he died, here was
his charge in 2 Timothy 4, verse 2, Timothy, preach the word. That's the charge. Preach the
word. Does the word claim to be divinely
inspired? Yes, it does. All scripture is
given by inspiration of God. Preach it. Preach it. Does the word proclaim that God
is in control of everything? God is God. He doeth according
to his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants
of the earth. And none can stay his hand or say unto him, what
doest thou? Preach it. Preach it. Don't explain it away. Don't leave it out. Preach it. Does the Word declare that Christ
was the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world?
You know, that's such an awesome thought. Before creation, Revelation
13.8. Christ is called the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. That means the cross is God's
eternal purpose. Preach it. Preach it clearly. Preach it simply. Preach it surely,
but preach it. Does the Word declare that God
chose who would be saved before time began? Does the scriptures
teach that? Ephesians 1, 4, according as
he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.
Preach it. Don't apologize for it. Don't
water it down. Preach it. Does the word declare
that men are dead in sins, unable to save themselves? And you,
hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins? There
is none righteous, no, not one. There's none that understands.
There's none that seeketh after God. They're all gone out of
the way. They have together become unprofitable.
There's none that doeth good, no, not one. That's found three
times in the scripture. Preach it. Preach it. Declare that men cannot save
themselves and are completely dependent upon God to reach down
from heaven and do something for them. Does the Word declare
and teach that the death of Christ actually saves? Now, the reason
I'm asking that is most people look at the death of Christ making
salvation available, making salvation potential, making salvation possible. Is that what the scripture teaches?
Hebrews 10, 14 says, for by one offering, talking about his death
on the cross, he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified. That's what he did on Calvary's
tree. Paul said in Romans chapter 5
verse 10, for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by the death of his son. That's what the cross accomplished,
the complete reconciliation of all of God's people. Preach it. Preach the word. Does the Word declare salvation
that's all of grace? By grace are you saved, through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. Preach it. Preach it. Does the Word declare the justification
of a sinner? You know, that concept, how can
a sinner be just if he's a sinner? If he's guilty, How can God call
him just? Well, that's the very message
of the Scripture. How God can be just and justify the ungodly. And He can take somebody sinful
like me. And He does take somebody sinful
like me and makes me perfectly just and righteous in His sight. And how He sees things is how
they really are. Me and you don't see things as
they really are, but He does. Does the Word teach that being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that's
in Christ Jesus, then preach it? Does the Word teach that
sinners are actually born of God, given a new nature, a holy
nature, birth of the Spirit of God? To as many as received Him, to them
gave you power to become the sons of God, even to them that
which believe on His name, which were born. Not of blood, not
of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. What about this thing of faith?
Is it true that all you gotta do in being saved is believe
in the gospel? It's true. What, sirs, what must
I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. See, salvation is not by your
works. You look to the works of Christ and you rely on what
He did. Preach it. Does the Word really
teach that Christ is all in salvation? Well, Colossians 3.11 says Christ
is all. Preach it. You're complete in
Him. Preach it. Don't apologize. Don't water it down. Preach it. Does the Word really preach that
we must forgive people? Well, the Lord said, if you forgive
not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive
you your trespasses. Now preach that. Preach it as
I have said it. Does the Word teach that Christ
intercedes for his people? Wherefore he is able to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them. Preach it. Does the word teach that he's
coming again? Behold, he cometh with the clouds. Preach it. Now, Psalm 119 is
the longest chapter in the Bible, 176 verses, and every verse has
something with regard to the word of God. Let me give you
some of them. Wherewith all shall a young man
cleanse his way? By taking heed thereunto according
to thy word, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not
sin against thee. Establish thy word unto thy servant,
which is devoted to thy fear. He said, I've gone astray like
a lost sheep. Seek thy servant, for I do not
forget your commandment, your word. Now, take the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God. And I love what David
said regarding the sword of Goliath. There's none like it. Give it
to me." And we say that with regard to the Word of God. Now,
we have this message on DVD and CD. If you call the church or
write, we'll send you a copy. To receive a copy of the sermon
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