2 Timothy 3:14-17
Introduction: If you could have a personal conversation with anyone, who would it be? Jesus invites you to have a conversation with Him! You need the voice of God in a world of competing voices.
I. God speaks to us through Scripture.
· Don’t discredit the normal way God speaks. The normal way God speaks is always trustworthy. The unique ways may not be because they may not be from God. If you think God is speaking to you but what is being said differs from the Bible, God is not speaking to you!
· 1 Kings 19 – The example of Elijah
“The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.” Baptist Faith and Message
· All – all the Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God!
· Breathed out – inspiration, God-breathed – The word of God not man!
If you want to hear God speak, get in His word!
II. God speaks to us for the sake of our salvation.
· The Bible tells me of my need for salvation.
· God’s provision for my salvation.
· The means by which I can receive salvation through faith in Christ Jesus!
III. God speaks to us for the sake of our sanctification.
· Teaching – The Bible teaches us about God and ourselves.
· Reproof - “to rebuke another with such effectual wielding of the victorious arms of the truth, as to bring him, if not always to a confession, yet at least to a conviction of his sin”
· Correction - “restoration to an upright or right state, correction or improvement” of life or character. Vincent translates, “setting right.”
· Training in righteousness – “the whole training and education of children which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, chastisement, chastening”[1]
That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:11–12, ESV)
If my calling is to equip the saints for the Work of ministry and if the Bible is transfroms people into men and women of God who are equipped for every good work – my primary responsibility is to clearly and to the best of my ability teach the Bible and plead with you to make the Bible the foundation of your life through reading it, studying it, memorizing it, sharing it, and practicing it!
I challenge you to commit to read the entire Bible beginning with the New Testament in 2012.
Read The New Testament in 2012
1. Plan: Use the bulletin insert or download the YouVersion App by Lifechurch.tv.
2. Place: Be consistent about the place and time you read the Bible
3. Pray: Talk to God about what He is teaching you through His Word.
4. Priority: Don’t let trivial time killers keep you from God’s Word.
5. Pen: Consider keeping a journal of what God is teaching you or underline key verses.
6. Persistence: Don’t get discouraged and give up. Jump back in and keep going. (Gal. 6:9)
7. Practice: Don’t just read the Bible, live it out practically. (James 1:22)
8. People: Share with others what God is teaching you.
· Divine Opportunities
· Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
· Church Facebook Page
· Family Devotionals
Knowing that God speaks to me through His Word, I commit, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to read the New Testament with my church family in 2012.
Name ____________________ Partner ____________________ Date _____________
[1] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (2 Ti 3:16). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
