October 28, 2008
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FOUNDATIONS [#2]
taught Awana Varsity 10/08/2008
based on the series www.marshillchurch.org/sermonseries/doctrine/
reference the book "Bible Doctrine" by Wayne Grudem
You can hear the aduio of this message here --> http://audio.xanga.com/Eek_71/fe3ae2794240/audio.htmlGod Speaks... Revelation
INTRO
• Our God is a God who SPEAKS!1. What Is Revelation?
• Revelation is Gods chosen means by which He reveals Himself … (His character, His plans, His will, His working in history)
• the distance between God and man is great… without Gods self disclosure we would not know Him… we would only be left with our own SPECULATIONS.
• 2 Categories of revelation…» GENERAL Revelation
• available to all people, reveals a great deal but not specifics (Gods name, redemption, etc.). There is enough revelation in creation to CONVICT mankind, but not to CONVERT mankind
• CREATION… Psa 19, Rom 1… we see His Power, His Beauty, & His Love
• PROVIDENCE… Acts 14:17… we see His Loving care
• CONSCIENCE… Rom 2:14-… we see Gods law written on the human heart» SPECIAL Revelation
• directed to a smaller # of people, reveals God in clearer, more specific, and in more unusual ways
• MIRACULOUS… visions, dreams, angels
• JESUS… Jn 1:1, Heb 1
• SCRIPTURES… 2 Tim 3:16-172. What Are the Scriptures?
• Gods words… written down.
• The Bible is a Book, but it is also a collection of books… a LIBRARY of books…
» 66 books (39 OT + 27 NT) arranged by Genre… (5 Books of Moses, History, Poetic/Wisdom,
Major Prophets, Minor Prophets, Gospels, History, Pauls Epistles, General Epistles, Prophecy)
» over 40 authors, from every walk of life including kings (David), Fishermen (Peter),
Military Generals (Joshua), Prime Ministers (Daniel), Cupbearers (Nehemiah), Doctors (Luke),
Rabbi's (Paul), Tax Collectors (Matthew).
» written over a 1,500 year span, over 40 generations; written in different places,
The wilderness (Moses), Prison (Paul), in exile (John on Patmos), on 3 different continents
(Africa, Asia, Europe); written in different times and situations, in times of war (David),
times of peace (Solomon), some writing from the heights of joy, others from the depths of
despair.
» The Bible has more manuscript copies and are more early than any other ancient literature.
Well over 24,000 manuscript copies, some as early as 125 AD (within 30 years of being written!).
In comparison...
Text Written Earliest Copy # Copies
• Caesars Gallic Wars 50 BC 900 AD 10
• Plato 387 BC 900 AD 7
• Aristotle 353 BC 1100 AD 49• Regarding the Scriptures, we believe in Verbal, Plenary, Inspiration, & Inerrancy
» verbal = the very words
» plenary = ALL of it
» Inspiration = from God
» inerrancy = w/o error in the original autographs
• 5 good reasons to believe the Bible
» Historical & Scientific accuracy
» Unity & consistency, even on the “big issues” of life
» Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies
» Unique Gospel message & the testimony of millions of changed lives
» The Testimony of Jesus
» (not to mention its very survival)• Followers of Christ are a people of The Book. We know God through His Book. We meet Christ in the pages of this Book. We see the cross in this Book. Our faith & love are kindled by the glorious truths found in the Book. We have tasted the divine majesty of the Word & are persuaded that this Book is God's inspired & infallible written revelation. Therefore, what the Book teaches matters... Doctrine is important for worship and life and mission. Being equipped to follow Christ is being saturated by the Bible!
3. What The Bible Says…
• reference Isaiah 55:11; Psa 19:7; 119:11; Prov 30:5-6; Heb 4:12; 2 Pet 1:20-21; 1 Pet 1:24-25; 1 Cor 15:1,3-4; 2 Tim 3:16-17;
• Acts 17:10-11 Bereans
• 2 Pet 3:15-16 Peter sanctions the writings of Paul
• 1 Tim 5:18 Paul sanctions the writings of Luke
• Rev 22:18-19 No one else is given authority to write Scripture4. What Jesus Says…
• Matt 23:35 Outlines the OT by listing the 1st and last martyr (in the Hebrew bible 2 Chronicles is last book). Similar to saying from Genesis to Malachi
• Luk 24:44 Outlines the OT by listing all 3 sections of the Hebrew Bible
• Matt 22:32 Jesus uses one word from the OT to prove His point (am instead of was)
• Matt 5:18 Heaven and earth will pass away before God's word will pass away (see also Matt 24:35)
• Matt 22:43 Jesus states that when David wrote the Psalms that the Spirit of God wrote through him
• John 14:26 The Holy Spirit will remind and instruct the writers in ALL things
• John 16:13-14 The Holy Spirit will give the writers knowledge of ALL things and things to come (Revelation)
• John 17:17,20 Jesus predicts people will believe because of the writings of His disciples
• Jesus believes the:
» Account of Creation - Matt 19:4-6
» Account of Noah and the Flood - Matt 24:37
» Account of Jonah - Matt 12:39-41
» Account of Sodom - Matt 11:23-24CONCLUSION
• "What if I say the Bible is Gods Holy Word, complete, inspired w/o flaw?;
But from day to day its pages stay unread & I fail to learn from Gods Holy law;
What if I do not go there to seek the truth of which I glibly speak for guidance in this earthly way? Does it matter what I say?”
• What is our commitment to the Word?... Can we say what Job said?? (Job 23:12)
Comments (2)
I am so grateful to God's Word.
Heather
write in faith!
Thanks!
Comments are closed.