“How Does It Read to You”
Scripture:
Luke 10:25-29
C.I.:
Our Need to Understand God’s Word
Today
we begin a new series.
My hope is that by the time we reach the end of it – a revival
will have begun our lives and in the church!
I.
Reasons Why We Need to Understand God’s Word
A.
It Shapes Our World-View
1. World-View = How We Make
Sense of the World!
a.
World-View #1: “What
We Own Determines Who We Are!”
1) (Lk. 12:15), “Beware, and be on your guard against
every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance
does his life consist of his possessions.”
b.
World-View #2: Our
Cause is Noble and Justifies Our Means of Attaining It!”
1) Freedom Fighters vs. Terrorists
– Patriots vs. Homicide Bombers.
2) (Matt. 26:52),
“Put your sword away. - For all who take up the sword shall
perish by the…”
c.
World-View #3: “Might
Makes Right!”
1) Slides re: Martin Luther
King being arrested – Student for democracy at Tienamen Square.
2) (Gal. 3:28; Jn. 8:36),
“For there is neither Jew nor Gentile… If the Son sets
you free….”
2. While some say the Bible
is “out of touch” - The 1st century was a lot like
the 21st century;
a.
“Post – Modernism” teaches that there are NO moral
absolutes!
1) (Jn. 18:37-38),
“Jesus said, ‘For this I have been born and for this I
have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. –
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ – Pilate said
to Him, ‘What is truth?’”
b.
People then were looking for answers to life’s great questions
– just like today;
1) (Col. 2:8), “See
to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy
and empty deception, according to the tradition
of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ.”
c.
They had religious hypocrites – even as we have them now;
1) (Matt. 23:1-3),
“Jesus said to them, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have
seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore, all that
they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to
their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.’”
3. There are Contrasting
World-Views:
a.
The idea of the God who created the world – loved us enough
to live among us – to die in our place (and be forgiven) –
has risen from the dead to give us a hope –to live within
us for strength, courage and encouragement – is foreign to
most people who live in the world. / But for those who are
believers – it forms the basis of our world-view and the decisions
we make in our lives.
b.
(I Cor. 1:18-21), “For the word of the cross is
to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are
being saved it is power of God. – For it is written, ‘I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the
clever I will set aside.’ – Where is the wise man? – Where
is the scribe? Where is the debater of the age?- Has not God
made foolish the wisdom of the world? – For since in the wisdom
of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God,
God was well through the foolishness of the message preached
to save those who believe.”
B.
It is Essential for Revival
1. Every great revival amongst
the people of God – began with a rediscovery of the word of
God!
a.
Give a brief history of the kings of Israel – from the Divided
Monarchy until Josiah.
b.
Josiah ordered repairs to be made to the temple after years
of neglect by God’s people…
1) (II Chron. 34:14b-15a),
“…Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord
given by Moses. – And Hilkiah responded and said the Shaphan
the scribe, ‘I have found the book of the Law in the house
of the Lord.’”
2) How sad the God’s people
had lost God’s book – and it was in the temple all along.
3) Today, the same thing
is sometimes true – God’s book is not found amongst God’s
people!
c.
But when godly leaders hear again the words of God – they
will respond in godly ways
1) (vs. 18-19), “Shaphan
the scribe told the king saying, ‘Hilkiah the priest gave
me a book.’ – And Shaphan read from it in the presence of
the king. – And it came about when the king heard the words
of the law – he tore his robes.”
2) But the book of God is
not for one – but for all the leaders and people of God.
3) (vs. 30-31), “And
the king went up from the house of the Lord and all the men
of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites,
and all the people from the greatest to the least; - and he
read in their hearing the
words of the book of the covenant which was found in
the house of the Lord. – [Rom. 10:17; Deut. 6:4-6]
- Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant
before the Lord to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments
and His testimonies with all his heart and soul, and to perform
the words of the covenant written in this book.”
d.
And so began one of the last great revivals of God’s people
– before they went into captivity.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our
World-View is to be shaped & molded by the word of God
(Is this true for you?!).
When
God’s people genuinely return to His word – the result is
always a revival (are you ready for a personal
revival?!).
(Quote
Mk. 16:15-16).
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