God's Authority
You may have heard it said that it's rude to discuss politics and religion in polite conversation. I don't think that's exactly Biblical - but when family gatherings happen, just like our recent Thanksgiving celebration - sometimes those conversations do occur, and sometimes tempers flare. Any of you have any similar family conversations at your homes?
I'll leave politics to the politicians - but what about discussions of a religious nature? Well, I have a few thoughts there...
I read several articles about why some people reject Christianity. Their main points were because the Bible is full of contradictions and can't be trusted. One of the first things the authors pointed out was right in the very beginning, they wrote, "Genesis 8:4 reports that, as the waters of the flood receded, Noah's ark rested on the mountains of Ararat in the seventh month. The very next verse, however, says the mountaintops could not be seen until the tenth month." 'Gotcha, right?'
Couldn't that simply mean that before the top of the mountain could be seen, the bottom of the ark came to rest on it while the water continued to recede? That's not really a contradiction...
They continued, "Genesis 8:13 describes the earth as being dry on the first day of the first month. But Genesis 8:14 informs us the earth was not dry until the twenty-seventh day of the second month." 'Again - a contradiction!' Unless you look at the actual language and realize there's a difference between the surface of the ground being dry and then everything being 'completely dry'.
I'm not saying there aren't any difficult to understand passages in the Bible - of course there are. But people are going to reject God's Word based on arguments like that...? Truth be told - it's an excuse given by someone who doesn't want to answer to any higher moral authority. But for anyone who wants to follow Jesus, we are called to accept His Word as...
I. Our absolute foundation
I don't really expect a non-believer to follow God's Word. I don't like it - but I don't expect it. But what bothers me is that many Christians can approach the Bible with a similar attitude.
"I believe in God and I want Jesus to be my Savior – but some of the things in the Bible, well – times have changed. Don't get me wrong – I believe in God and trust Him wholeheartedly – but I think some of the views in the Bible may be a little outdated."
If a person says that they're a follower of Jesus – but then they pick and choose what parts of the Bible they agree with or not – are they really following? Or, what if they don't really even know what is actually in the Bible? I want us to look at our relationship with God's Word, the Bible. I believe that many in our society, and even in our churches, have come to believe that accepting God's Word as The Authority is optional. We rationalize that it's not a big deal and that everyone has a right to their own opinion - but what does God say?
Believing and accepting all that God clearly says is not optional for a person who claims to follow Jesus. Do we take the spiritual discipline of reading God's Word for ourselves seriously? Do we accept His truths and then build our lives around those truths rather than trying to fit the teachings of the Bible into what we already believe, or feel? If you do not give God's Word preeminence in your life – you're essentially practicing a self created, self centered religion rather than actually following Jesus.
Let's read Jesus' own words - and this is at the end of what's called the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus concludes His message with a sobering warning. This is from Matthew 7:21-27 (NIV)...
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' (23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (24) Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
(25) "The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
The key to the house that stood was not just in the hearing of the Word. Jesus taught that the key is in the doing of the Word; actually living out the Word. We do have the right to choose to build our lives on a foundation other than scripture – but don't expect anything other than failure in the end.
God didn't give us His Word to burden us. He didn't give His laws and commands to deprive us of anything – He gave us His commands to protect us and to draw us nearer to Him. He gave us His Word so that we could have the best possible life here and for eternity!
God gave us His Word to build our lives on and…
A. To give us hope
I read this recently: "Hope is not optional; it's the lifeline of the soul - the one thing we cannot live without." The Apostle Paul wrote this perspective on God's Word in Romans 15:4 (NIV)...
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
There are people all around us who have hollow, empty lives because they've rejected God's Word and have completely built their lives around the pursuit of money and things, or success, or self indulgence. They do that because they think that it will bring freedom and happiness. It may make for some happy moments, but rejecting God's Word ultimately leads to separation from God – hopelessness.
When Benji and I flew down to Cincinnati on our most recent trip, we flew with a new pilot with Angel Flights. We got to talking and I asked him how he got involved with the program. He explained that he has a good paying job as a software engineer, but didn't really feel like he had a purpose. He paused, and then said, "I know this might sound weird, but I felt like God was telling me I should do this with my life." Yeah, I told him it didn't sound weird at all since I was a preacher. He was quite relieved...
God didn't just give us a book of nice opinions or helpful advice. The Bible isn't merely a textbook of wise sayings; it's the living Word of God! The Bible isn't just for information, it's for transformation – transformation of everything we are and everything we believe and do!
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
That doesn't sound very passive or undemanding - or even overly comfortable. When you read God's Word – it's meant to change you! It requires a response! It requires that you change to align with God, and not the other way around.
Mark Twain, who was not a fan of organized religion, wrote, "Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me most are those I do understand."
God's Word is meant to…
B. Convict and correct you
If nothing I say from scripture here - if none of it ever bothers, or convicts you, or makes you a bit uncomfortable - either you already have everything all figured out - or I'm probably not doing my job right. Honestly, some of the things I say from scripture make me uncomfortable as I say them. It's because when I measure myself against God's Word - I come up short. God's Word is meant to convict us!
We have all sorts of ways of rationalizing when we might disagree with God's Word. "It was written long ago, in a very different culture – it doesn't really have the same bearing on modern life. It's a fine book, but it doesn't really work out for my circumstances and my life." - God isn't interested in our rationalizations. He desires our obedience - so He can then give us hope!
After Jesus' crucifixion, in the book of Acts, when challenged by an angry crowd, Peter stood up and preached a very pointed and passionate message, and concluded with this from Acts 2:36-39 (NIV)...
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
(38) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."
No one likes to feel guilt, but sometimes there are occasions when we should feel guilt. Like maybe when we are guilty...? Peter wasn't preaching just to make the people feel guilty – but they were guilty; they had sinned. Peter was preaching to convict them of that guilt but also to offer them hope, a way to be right with God again; by obeying God's commands! Peter didn't want them to stay in their sin, feeling guilty – Peter wanted them to change!
People don't always like to be corrected. You may have heard of the continuing debate of whether or not teachers should use red pens when grading schoolwork. Some say they may convey unintentional negative feelings and emotional distress in students. Others say - it's a highly visible way to point out mistakes as plainly as possible so we can learn from them.
Not many like to be corrected - but God has clearly given us His truth so we can change, so that we can get back on the correct path that leads to eternal life. God has given us His Word to correct us and to prepare us for His purposes. As Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)...
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, (15) and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So how can you more fully live out God's Word? How can you allow it to change you? A spiritual discipline that we can develop to help us come into line with the Bible is to…
II. Meditate on God's Word
Now, when we think about 'meditation' it might bring to mind some sort of Eastern, mystical practice of chanting some meaningless phrase over and over. That's not what we're talking about here.
In the book of Joshua, when things looked bleak after the death of Moses, the Israelite's leader - God encouraged Joshua, in Joshua 1:7-9 (NIV)...
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (8) Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
(9) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
God told Joshua to meditate on His Word as a way of protecting Joshua. To meditate on God's word is to slowly and reverently read, repeat and reflect on God's word. Meditation involves both reflecting on God's word and then applying it to every area of your life - systematically measuring yourself against God's Word.
Reading the Bible is a great thing and I strongly encourage it on a daily basis! But letting God speak to you through His scriptures, through meditating on His Word will give you understanding and wisdom which will then allow God to change you! It's not enough to just read the words off the screen on a Sunday morning and then forget about it the rest of the week.
As you read scripture, meditate on it – as I always say - look at the context; look at the verses before and after the passage. To whom was it written? Compare what each verse says to other verses from other books of the Bible. Don't just try to understand scripture through a modern lens, by your emotional response or by what social media influencers are currently saying - but always interpret scripture by scripture!
If you find in your relationship with Jesus that you're dealing over and over with the same struggles, or mistakes or doubts – of course pray, but then spend time meditating on God's Word. King David wrote…
Psalms 119:9-16 (NIV)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. (13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
(14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Does that sound like a guy who feels that God's laws are a burden?
God wants us to know His Word and to obey His Word. When we seek God through His Word – we will be blessed more than we can possibly imagine! Growing up I actually used to think about all the things I'd have to give up in order to follow Jesus. I used to wonder what I'd be missing out on. Now I know exactly what I'm missing – and it's nothing but garbage compared to what I've gained in Christ!
So What?
I can't expect that those outside of the Church would accept God's Word as their authority. However, I should be able to expect that followers of Jesus will wholeheartedly work to completely accept God's Word and commands. I say this not to make you feel guilty, but to challenge you to obey God's Word more fully so that you can have the best life you can possibly have! - So that you can have freedom; so that you can look forward with confidence to eternal life!
Do you meditate on the word of God? Can you remember what we just read this morning? Can you remember what you read yesterday morning; this past week? Have you fully and consistently considered how what you've read in the Bible applies to your life?
Meditating on God's word - the word of the One who created you and understands how life works - that makes a whole lot of sense. Spend time with God's Word and you will be blessed if you let it change you!