No Bible – No Hope!
Just How Important the Bible is
to the Soul
1 Peter 1:18-25 |
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Aug 6, 2017 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I.
Introduction
A.
THE most neglected thing today is the Bible
1.
The
most printed and published Book – over 6 billion copies in over 3,000
languages
2.
But the
least read Book! At least in the western world! People think the
following sayings are actually in the Bible…
a.
“God
helps those that help themselves”
b.
“Money
is the root of all evil”
c.
“God
wants you to be happy”
d.
“Just
follow your heart”
e.
“Do
your best, and leave the rest to God”
f.
“Bad
things won’t happen to good people”
g.
“To
thine own self be true”
h.
“A
penny saved is a penny earned”
B.
Nations, and laws were based upon the words in THAT Book you hold in
your hand
1.
Laws
that have held societies together for hundreds of years at a time – not
from referendum to referendum
2.
Laws
that protected life, and homes, and freedoms – REAL freedoms
3.
Laws
that went deep, and had meaning, and were the
4.
Now
don’t get me wrong, there have never been any perfect
societies, but those that actually lived by the Bible, and not by
a Church’s edicts, or by everyone’s own personal whims, were great
societies!
C.
And now societies are stripping away anything related to that Book from
their laws, and our cities and cultures are becoming fiercer and more
deadly warzones every year
D.
Folks, without the Bible, we have no hope! I’ll say it again!
E.
No politician, philosopher, theologian, teacher, movie star has any real
answers to the mess we are all in today, and the real mess we are all
heading into real soon!
F.
Our culture, our families NEED this Book!
1.
Not
just on our coffee tables
2.
Not
just as an app on our phones
3.
Not
just as a gift at a wedding, or a christening
4.
But as
a source of solid truth, and daily feeding!
5.
And by
the way, NOT just on a Sunday morning either!
G.
Because only the Bible can save and salvage the human soul!
II.
Message
A.
A Parable About the Bible (Luke 8:4-15)
1.
The
Parable Story
a.
A Sower
/ Farmer
b.
Some
Seed
c.
Falls
on Four Different Soils along the way
1)
Wayside
– footpath
2)
Rocky
soil – unplowed dirt
3)
Thorny
Soil – neglected soil
4)
Good
soil – soft, prepared soil
d.
Good
Fruit from the seed – that is the goal of the farmer
2.
Explanation
a.
The
seed is the word of God (Cf 1Peter 1:23) – perfect seed for fruit
b.
Wayside
hearers are hard, uninterested, quickly taken advantage of by demons –
unsaved. And they don’t even know its happening!
c.
Rocky
hearts are only superficial believers – want no depth of faith, and WILL
fall away
d.
Thorny
hearts are don’t care about their lives – are like hoarders who just
gather things and ADD Jesus to the pile, and end up with the world
crowding Him out of their lives
e.
The
good hearts, are those that hunger for truth, for God, for reality, for
righteousness in their lives, and get it … ALL from the WORD of God!
3.
What is
it all about? All of that, about a seed!
a.
Without
the seed, there would be no real life come from that soil – only rocks,
and thorns, and nettles would ever appear.
b.
Without
the seed, it would make no difference what condition the soils were in,
in the first place – they would have wasted all their efforts without
the seed!
c.
Lastly,
without the sower, none of the soils would have ever gotten the seed!
d.
Ponder
those three great farming truths, and then replace the word SEED with
the Bible, and SOIL with people’s hearts!
B.
The Life Giving Seed of the Word of God (1Peter 1:22-25a)
1.
IT Gives Salvation (1Peter 1:22,23)
a.
Peter
calls it “Redemption”
1)
The Meaning of Redemption (1Pet 1:18,19; 2:1)
a)
The
RE-purchase of persons or things from the possession and power of
captors by the payment of a ransom. The transfer of ownership of people
or possessions by paying what they are worth.
b)
Examples:
i.
If you
bought your home, you are every month redeeming that house FROM the bank
when you pay your mortgage!
ii.
When
you personally pay someone else’s debt so that they don’t have to –
that’s redemption.
iii.
It is
like a Ransom is when someone pays for something that used to be theirs
iv.
All of
creation, every grain of sand, every drop of water, every soul ever
born, all belonged to God, until Adam surrendered himself, his family
and the course of nature to the slavery of sin! And then came Jesus!
v.
Redemption is another word for SALVATION
c)
Eph 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace
2)
What
were we redeemed from?
a)
Our
“Vain conversation” – empty lives – all talk, only failures – ending in
a grave
b)
Traditions of our parents – religious and philosophical
c)
Sin
most of all – every last sin we have ever done or will ever do! (2:1)
Because of the blood of Christ, you can lay every sin aside
b.
The
Purifying your souls – cleansing them
c.
Being
Born Again (Cf 1Peter 1:3)
1)
These
are the words of the Lord Jesus in John 3:1-7
2)
A
spiritual birth – invisible – on the inside
3)
Given
ETERNAL life now – I only got 70+ years from my parents!
4)
Born
into a big family now – the family of GOD – the brethren
5)
Maybe
none of this is a big deal to you right now
a)
But I
am SURE there are days you WISH your heart and your mind and your
conscience were clean and washed and clear!!!
b)
I am
certain you WISH this Bible were true – that just MAYBE, God really did
love you so much that He gave His only begotten Son to take your place
and die so you could be forgiven, and LIVE forever!
c)
I am
sure you sometimes WISH you had a family history of faith like the
countless millions throughout history who have just trusted the words of
this BOOK!
d)
But
then again, what do “I” know?
6)
Of the
SEED of the word of God implanted in our hearts, like seed in soil!
d.
Just by obeying the truth of this BOOK - The BOOK you hold in your hand,
you can be Born Again!
1)
It is
unbelievable that a Book, with simple words on a page can be a SEED that
gives eternal life!
2)
So many
people throughout history have searched and fought to discover the
fountain of youth.
3)
I found
it right here – or rather, IT found ME!
4)
John
6:63
2.
It is NOT Like Corruptible Seed
a.
Human
seed is corruptible
1)
Can be
corrupted, it decays, is flawed
2)
Constantly has to be worked on, improved upon, and held together
3)
Ends in
death, and a coffin in a grave
b.
But the
Bible is Incorruptible
1)
It
cannot decay, does not wear out, fade, or become out of date
2)
Cannot
be bought, bribed, or corrupted
c.
A
Living Seed - The word of God
3.
It is
NOT temporary – which is only grass
a.
But an
enduring seed - abiding forever (1Peter 1:25; Mt 24:35)
4.
It is What You are Hearing Right Now! (1:25)
a.
The
Simple Gospel
b.
From
the Bible – from the mouth of God
c.
IT can
save your soul!
d.
IF you
will just believe it! With all your heart!
C.
Mankind is at a Loss Without It! Without the Bible…
1.
You
could never know God - unless he tells us about Himself in the Bible
2.
You
could never be saved from your sins! No one can be saved without hearing
and believing the literal words of the Bible (Rom 10:17)
a.
Ps
119:93
b.
Because
only IT gives life (John 6:63)
c.
THAT’S
why people throughout history have worked so hard to painstakingly copy
and publish and preach the life-giving words of the Scriptures!
3.
You
could never know if the Jesus
you are following is the right one (2Cor 11:2-4) – there are lots of
Jesus’ out there
4.
You
could never test the spirits to see if they are from God, or form hell
(1John 4:1)
5.
You
could never know really what love is
a.
Animalistic urges
b.
Romantic feelings
c.
What is
it without God showing us in His word what real, sacrificial, committed
love looks like and IS like?
d.
There
is no hope for your home and family without the Bible
e.
There
is no hope for your sanity, and peace without THIS BOOK!
6.
You
will only live by popularity, or by sword – you would never have
anything to really live for or die for
7.
You
could never know yourself (James 1:23-25)
8.
And you
would actually have NO faith at all (Heb 10:17)
D.
The Bible is Jesus in a Book!
1.
The
Bible and Jesus are Nearly the SAME!
a.
Just
How Much Like Jesus is the Bible?
b.
They
certainly don’t LOOK alike
c.
But
according to God, they are VERY similar
2.
The
Written Word of God and the Living Word of God
a.
Is
Truth
John 14:6
John 17:17
b.
Is
Spirit
John 4:24
John 6:63
c.
Is
Perfect
Heb 5:9
Ps 19:7
d.
Is
Eternal
Heb 13:7
1Pet 1:23
e.
Is
Light
John 8:12
Ps 119:105
f.
Reveals
Our Minds 1Chron
28:9
Heb 4:12
g.
Gives
Life
John 10:10
John 5:24
h.
Saves
1Tim 1:15
1Peter 1:23
i.
Did you
know any of that?
3.
Do you
realise that the BIBLE is just about almost the exact same as having
JESUS around ? Pretty cool!
4.
The
Eternal Word of God in heaven became the Living Word of God on earth as
Jesus, John 1:1-3, 14
5.
He has
now returned to His throne in heaven, and left us with the perfect
Written Word of God, the Bible
E.
Stand in AWE at God’s Word!
1.
It IS the very words of God (1Thes
2:13) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye
received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually
worketh also in you that believe.
2.
It terrifies me (Isa 66:2) For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received
the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh
also in you that believe.
3.
Comforts me (1Thes 4:18) Wherefore comfort one another with
these words.
4.
It is
better than any vision, feeling, magic or miracle (Jer 23:28) The
prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my
word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?
saith the LORD.
5.
It is perfect – no flaws – needs
nothing more
6.
It is TRUTH
(John 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth.
7.
It is ETERNAL (Mt 24:35) Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
8.
Feeds me – with both milk and meat (1Pet 2:2) As newborn
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
9.
Keeps me from sin (Psalm 119:11) Thy
word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
10.
Reveals God (Isaiah 46:9,10) Remember the former things of old:
for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like
me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the
things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will
do all my pleasure
11.
Exposes ME (Jer 17:9,10) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart
12.
Cuts me – in my heart (Acts 2:36,37) Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in
their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men
and brethren, what shall we do?
13.
Heals me – in my heart
14.
Produces lasting fruit in me – actual accomplishments and effects that matter
15.
NONE of that happens in any of our lives without the Bible!!!
F.
Beware of ANYONE corrupting the source of your life (2Cor 2:17)
1.
Would
be like someone poisoning the water supply
2.
Doesn’t
even have to be in large quantities
III.
Application
A.
“How come the Bible hasn’t worked in my life?”
1.
Maybe
your heart is so hard, and so cold towards God that you won’t even give
it a chance! (Ps 34:8)
2.
Maybe
you just want only a little bit of the Gospel, but afraid to accept it
all as one big package!
3.
Maybe
you think you can just ADD pinches of the Bible to your life and expect
it to make a BIG difference when it will do nothing until you are
willing to DUMP ALL of your old life and just believe Jesus!
4.
I can
preach it all day long, but until you believe it, it will do you no good
at all (Heb 4:2)
5.
It
would be the greatest day of your life if you talked to God right now
and said, LORD, I’M HUNGRY FOR YOU, for your truth! My heart is messed
up, and full of sin. But I am ready for everything to go. If only you
would put YOURSELF in me!
B.
The process works as follows
1.
Someone
preaches the Bible – exactly as written (1Cor 1:18)
2.
Someone
hears it (Rom 10:17)
3.
The
Holy Spirit works with the word on the heart of every hearer
a.
He
works WITH the words preached
b.
They
start to understand it – if not yet, then later – at least a seed was
planted
4.
They
either believe it or not
a.
The
most powerful force in this universe is your ultimate choice to believe
or to reject the words of this Book!
b.
Your
ETERNITY hangs on what you will do with that Book!
5.
The
person who believes it then yields to its truths:
a.
That
they are lost, without hope and without God
b.
That
Jesus is their only Saviour
c.
That
Jesus can and will save them, if they would just call on His name
6.
They
receive the following things:
a.
The
gift of God which is eternal life (Rom 6:23)
b.
The
Spirit of God, in them crying Abba Father (Gal 3:2)
c.
The
forgiveness of all sins, past, present and future
7.
They
start to live differently, by the power of the Spirit in them!
IV.Invitation
A.
Believe what God has said about you, about how much trouble you are in
with God, and about Jesus taking the blame and punishment for all your
sins
B.
Believe it, and then live it! |
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