Reasons for
Studying the Bible
Why Study the Bible?
John 6:66-68
April 15, 2012
AM
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (John 6:66-68)
A.
Why
study this Book?
1.
Because it is the words of eternal life!
2.
That
should be enough! THIS Book gives eternal life to any believer!
3.
But
there are some more great reasons for pouring through the pages of this Book
like a student, like a sleuth, investigator, who is pursuing the TRUTH
B.
We
usually don’t do things that have no purpose
C.
And
we do great things when there is great purpose
D.
Well, let’s learn four great purposes of each and every one of us learning this
Book!
II.
By-Way of Background, Let’s Answer,
How Can You Study the Bible?
A.
Yes,
you can go to
B.
But
every Christian is to be a STUDENT of one Book – the Word of God!
C.
How
do you do it?
D.
It
won’t happen by accident!
E.
Start by just Reading It from cover to cover (Psalm 119:18)
1.
Not
on Sundays only
2.
But
every day, as something you do just like school work, or office work or house
work
3.
Start in Matthew, then when finished in Revelation, start in Genesis!
4.
READ, READ, READ!
F.
By
Taking Notes – writing down bits of what you learn
1.
Simple notes in a notepad
2.
G.
By
Searching-Out Answers (John 5:39)
1.
The
Pharisees didn’t need to search; they thought they already HAD all the answers!
Don’t make that same mistake!
2.
Pondering, questioning, seeking the truth – like an investigator asks the hard
questions and looks for the clues
a)
Ponder the cross – and the death of Jesus – WHO put Him on that cross?
b)
Ponder creation
c)
Ponder your sin –
d)
Ponder the will of God for your life – search out what it could be from the
pages of this Book!
H.
Connect everything to the Lordship
of Jesus Christ over
you. Everything you learn from this Book is meant to humble you, and raise Jesus
to be Lord of your life.
1.
If
your Bible study only makes you arrogant, or self-righteous, or angry, or
depressed
2.
Then
it is because you read it to justify yourself
3.
The
Bible was written to justify, prove God to be right. Period!
I.
The
Question still is, WHY DO ALL THAT?
III.
Message
A.
To Know the Author (2 Timothy 3:16)
1.
Some
people study this Book to learn
a)
History
b)
Science – way ahead of its time
c)
Prophecy
d)
All
good reasons, but are all dead ends – only information – only knowledge
2.
But
the greatest purpose in studying and memorizing the words on each page, and in
every chapter, is to know the Person who wrote it! That’s FELLOWSHIP!
a)
Not
the Apostle Paul, or Peter, or Moses
b)
But
the Holy Spirit of God who MOVED those men to write these words and pages!
3.
Get
to know the MIND behind these pages (2Peter 1:21)
4.
Get
to know the HEART (Eph 3:16-19)
5.
So
many people are ignorant of God’s WAYS of doing things (Psalm 95:10)
6.
And
do not know His AWE (Isaiah 40:25,26)
7.
To
most people, God is Unknown - “The Unknown God” (Acts 17:16,22-23; John 4:19-23)
8.
God
so desperately wants us to know Him:
a)
How
He feels
b)
What
He thinks about, what His opinion is
c)
What
are His plans
d)
What
makes Him happy
9.
You
cannot ever know the God of heaven without this Book!!!
10.
Because this Bible is not read and learned, we are the most ignorant generation
of all time!
B.
To Win a Soul (1Peter
3:15)!
1.
A
Christian studies the Bible to have answers! (Prov 15:28). Not just to show off,
or to just have knowledge, but to have ANSWERS! The world is FILLED with faults
and problems! Only the Bible has the answers for souls that are sick of sin!
a)
People have almost quit asking important questions because they don’t meet
anybody with some real answers!
b)
STUDY to HAVE an Answer – a Right Answer
c)
Quit
relying on the internet, and on the TV, and even you Pastor to have all the
answers, or your DAD, or MOM
d)
God
wrote this Bible to be preached, and pointed to by common everyday people!
2.
You
cannot win a soul without the words of Scripture! (faith cometh by hearing…)
3.
Get
some answers for this lost and dying world!
a)
Why
you have HOPE!
b)
HOW
to get forgiven by a perfect, all-holy God!
c)
YOU,
open the pages of this Book and find out what a soul is
d)
YOU
Learn what the BIBLE says about hell and who goes there
e)
YOU
Discover what GOD has written about Religion and good works
f)
Learn how to reason with folks about their sin (Isaiah 1:18) – they rarely will
listen, but the TRUTH is the only thing that will make them free (John 8:32)
g)
Learn from the Bible how to reason about sin, righteousness and coming judgment
from Paul in Acts 24
h)
Learn how to instruct people like Phillip did in Acts 8
i)
Use
the pages of this Book to turn people from darkness to light
1)
John
3:14-16
2)
Acts
8:30-35
3)
1Peter 1:23
4)
Ephesians 2:8,9
5)
Hebrews 10:9-14
6)
Romans 10:13
C.
To Have an Anchor (Psalm
130:5)
1.
We
need more than religious sounding words, and rituals, and ceremonies
2.
We
need ANCHORS! (Acts 27:27-29)
a)
These promises, these warnings, these truths were written so that we could hold
on to something that will strengthen us, and hold US together during the worst
of storms in our life
b)
The
apostle Paul was on a ship in a major storm like a hurricane in the
3.
You
should study your Bible, learn the very words of Scripture so that you can find
anchors like:
a)
Isaiah 26:3
b)
Isaiah 43:2,3
c)
Isaiah 40:31
d)
Philippians 4:19
e)
1Corinthians 10:13
f)
Psalm 50:15
4.
You
will never have these promises to hold onto until you go looking for them and
find them, and hide them away
D.
Finally, To Approve Yourself before God
(2 Timothy 2:15) – to pass God’s tests!
1.
This
BIBLE is the key to you being approved, being liked by God!
a)
Not
your good works, or your religion, or your intelligence, or your compassion,
but…
b)
But
your life, and whether you are obeying what God SAID
c)
You
can find fault with everyone else, but the question is, Are YOU approving
YOURSELF to God
d)
Are
YOU changing and being changed by this BOOK getting into your heart and mind and
hands and feet (Heb 10:16)
e)
It
is like passing your driving test – you then are APPROVED for driving!
f)
The
same with Christianity! You pass the tests the devil throws at you, and you will
be approved for living! Real living!
2.
Prove to God that you are Unashamed of His Words (Mark 8:38; Psalm 119:46). Like
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unashamed to ANSWER king Nebuchadnezzar
(Daniel 3:16-18)
3.
Prove to God that you will only live for Him and no longer for the world and
that you will do it by faith – like Abraham did!
4.
THAT
pleases God!
IV.
Conclusion
A.
It is not asking too much to Study
the Bible
1.
Just
Read It from cover to cover, every day – you will learn so much
2.
Take Notes
– writing down bits of what you learn
3.
Search-Out Answers
– all the answers – even to questions that haven’t been dreamed of yet – all are
there in that Book!
4.
Connect everything to the Lordship
of Jesus Christ over
you.
B.
WHY DO ALL THAT?
1.
To Know the Author!
a)
The
greatest purpose in studying and memorizing the words on each page, and in every
chapter, is to know the Person who wrote it!
b)
His
MIND – an infinite, perfect mind
c)
His
HEART
d)
HIS
WAYS of doing things
e)
His
AWE
f)
To
most people, God is Unknown - “The Unknown God”
g)
You
cannot ever know the God of heaven without this Book!!!
h)
Once
you get to know this Bible, you will find yourself talking and listening to its
Author!
2.
To Win a Soul (1Peter
3:15)!
a)
Do
YOU what a soul is? That it is eternal, and if not converted, will die forever
in a lake of fire with the devil!
b)
Do
you know how to reason about sin, righteousness and coming judgment?
c)
God
wrote this Bible to be preached, and pointed to by common everyday people!
d)
You
cannot win a soul without the words of Scripture!
3.
To Have an Anchor
(1Thessalonians 4:11; Psalm 130:5)
a)
These promises, these warnings, these truths were written so that we could hold
on to something that will strengthen us, and hold US together during the worst
of storms in our life
b)
How
many “anchors” do you have stored away for the storm that lies ahead of you?
c)
You
will never have these promises to hold onto until you go looking for them and
find them, and hide them away
4.
Finally, To Approve Yourself before God
(2 Timothy 2:15) – to pass God’s tests!
a)
This
BIBLE is the key to you being approved, being liked by God!
1)
Not
your good works, or your religion, or your intelligence, or your compassion,
but…
2)
But
your life, and whether you are obeying what God SAID
3)
You
can find fault with everyone else, but the question is, Are YOU approving
YOURSELF to God
4)
Are
YOU changing and being changed by this BOOK getting into your heart and mind and
hands and feet (Heb 10:16)
b)
Prove to God that you are Unashamed of His Words (Mark 8:38; Psalm 119:46). Like
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unashamed to ANSWER king Nebuchadnezzar
(Daniel 3:16-18)
c)
Prove to God that you will only live for Him and no longer for the world and
that you will do it by faith – like Abraham did!
d)
THAT
pleases God!
C.
God GAVE you His Book
1.
Do
you know its Author?
2.
Are
you even on speaking terms?
3.
He
seeks to reconcile…
4.
Through His only begotten Son
5.
Trust His Word