His Book, His Voice, His Son

---

GBGV #1

Pastor David Staff

His Book, His Voice, His Son Scripture: Luke 24:24-27 & various This message targets our need to embrace God’s primary intent in giving us a written revelation: to speak of His Son’s rescue and redemption mission, powerfully drawing us by the Spirit and grace to a faith response, and into the company of God’s forever saints. The Bible is about many things, but all find their powerful fulfillment and climax in the Son, our life now and forever. The teaching will demonstrate the centrality of Christ to the Scriptures: our understanding of them, and application of them.

Good morning! And Happy New Year! And welcome to the first Sunday in our Winter Teaching series “God’s Book, God’s Voice.” Please do me the honor of finding a Bible (perhaps you received one for Christmas!), and opening it to the front. Find the “Contents” page, or perhaps yours reads “Table of Contents.” Someone once said: A Bible in one’s hand is worth two in the bookcase. Someone else: A Bible stored in the mind is worth a dozen stored in the bottom of one’s trunk. Still another: We get more out of the Bible when we let it get into us. So, what do we have here, sitting open in our hands? Is it a text book, of history, or science, or perhaps religious philosophy? A quick glance at the CONTENTS suggests that it is more like a small library, almost like one of your bookshelves at home, filled with (it looks like) 66 books. And if you made that observation, you would be right on target. The Medieval Latin biblia “books,” from Greek, plural of biblion book.i Your Bible is a collection of books, and they are arranged in this Bible in two sections (The Old Testament, 39 books, and the New Testament, 27 books) topically. It’s true that the more you sit and look at this, the more questions pop into your head. I’d be interested to hear yours. Mine run like: o o o o

What’s a “testament,”ii and why is one Testament (section) labeled OLD while the other is labeled NEW? Where did these books in each of the Testaments come from? When were they written? By whom? And who in the world put this “library” together? Why is this “library” or Bible called “HOLY”? I find that on the edge of this book, and on the front page. What does that mean? And if this is a “library,” where do you start reading? No one would go into a public library and try to find the 1st book on the 1st shelf and just start reading it. No, you’d go find the book in the library that you were interested in, or needed to read for an assignment, or for personal interest. So…where should you start? Over the next 8 weeks, this is the key idea we want to understand and experience. Jot this

down, because we are going to explore this together: This sacred book – this library – spoken by the True & Personal God, is His remarkable gift, that I might experience His loving, growing, & eternal friendship. To begin to understand this, let me take up 3 “What is…?” foundational questions. 1|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1

1st – What’s in it? (What is in this “sacred book”?) 2nd – What’s the purpose? (Why did God provide written revelation?) 3rd – What’s the point? (What outcome is God intending?)

1st – What’s in it? What is in this “sacred book”? There are in the Bible a total of 31,102 verses, which is an average of a little more than 26 verses per chapter. Contrary to popular belief, Psalm 118 does not contain the middle verse of the Bible. There are 1,189 Bible chapters in which those verses are arranged, or an average of just over 26 verses per chapter.iii 66 books share those chapters, 39 in the Old Testament, 27 books in the New. Historically, God spoke His written revelation to us over 1,500 years, beginning as early as 1450 BC, with Moses. You’ll sometimes hear the phrase “progressive revelation,” meaning that God’s written revelation was given over 15 centuries. The books of the Old Testament were spoken and written through prophets and songwriters and prophets from 1450-400 BC. The books of the New Testament were spoken and written through Jesus’ apostles during the years A.D. 40-90. In this Divine library there are History books, Law books, Song books, Poetry books, Biographical books, Instructional and Personal Letter books, and books of Prophecy. And along the way, whenever God’s people (in any generation) recognized what they were hearing, or reading, was genuinely a “thus saith the Lord” (i.e., from God), they called it “Scripture.” #1

In this Sacred Library, only those books which God Himself “breathed” out were included.

This is why you hear Paul saying this to his spiritual son and ministry apprentice, Timothy: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[ you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

#2

This Sacred Library (or collection) is tied together by One Person, and One Theme.

The Person is Jesus. Listen to what Jesus himself said. Before he was crucified, he challenged the experts in the Old Testament with this – John 5:38-40 …You do not have his (My Father’s) word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom He has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

And after his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus opened the eyes of the two men walking home to Emmaus: 2|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1

Luke 24:25-27 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Scholar Norman Geisler, in his helpful book To Understand the Bible, Look for Jesus, observes that Christ Jesus is “found to be the theme of the whole Bible.” Here is but one of his helpful summary charts:

Let me summarize the “What’s In It?” question like this: God’s Book is God’s Shout about rescuing lost people through Christ! According to the Atlanta Journal "The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains 266 words. A recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words." In the Greek, John 3:16 contains 26 words. Twenty-six words concisely point to the Person and the story of Scripture. For God so loved the world, that He gave His uniquely set-forth Son, that whoever believes into Him will not perish, but have eternal life. GOD’S SHOUT!

2nd – What’s the purpose? (Why did God provide written revelation?)

At least 4 reasons… GOD’S written revelation #1 clarifies true knowledge about God beyond what creation revealed. Creation – shows us God’s deity and power (His glory) Scripture – reveals God’s Triune Being and holy, righteous, and loving character Of course, this is precisely what Psalm 19 (p.456 ESV) explains: 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 3|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

#2 distinguishes the true God from the countless false gods sinful humanity creates. Exodus 20:2-4 (p.61 ESV) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Romans 1:21-23 (p.939 ESV) For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Isaiah 45:18 (p. 606 ESV) For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

#3 explains God’s redemptive plan throughout history, especially through prophesy declared and then fulfilled. Paul put it this way: Galatians 4:3-5 (p.974 ESV) In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. More succinctly 2 Timothy 2:8 (p. 995 ESV) “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David…” and 1 Timothy 1:15 (p.991 ESV ) “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” John’s word: 1 John 4:14 (p. 1023 ESV) And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

WRITTEN REVELATION Clarifies the being and character of God Distinguishes the true God from all rivals Provides proof of God’s comprehensive redemptive plan #4 could be (and was) carefully reproduced for every succeeding generation, inviting people in every era to hear the truth and make a faith decision toward the true God. In God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture, Josh McDowell has done yet another exhaustive study on the reliability and accuracy of these ancient books we still hold in our hands. You’ll remember that McDowell started out seeking to thoroughly discredit the Bible.iv In the course of his search, he bent the knee to Christ. “When we analyze how the scribes meticulously copied the Hebrew text (of the OT), and then consider the number of manuscripts in existence and the time element between the original writings and the earliest existing copies, the OT more than meets the test.”v [as for the NT] “All the external evidence – the writings of early Christians, the writings of early non-Christians, and the findings of archeology – resoundingly confirm that the New Testament is historically reliable…the NT is the most thoroughly documented and reinforced writing in all antiquity.”vi What’s in it? What’s the purpose?

3rd – What’s the point? (What outcome is God intending?) This sacred book – this library – spoken by the True & Personal God, is His remarkable gift, that I might experience His loving, growing, & eternal friendship. 4|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1

Good friends, it seems that we all are desperate for loving and growing friendships. The average number of texts per month by 18-24’s today hovers around 4,000 (average of 133 per day). Each month, there are 1.15 billion active Facebook users. We connect and love and growth through an almost incessant flow of words. McDowell urges us to invest in the Words of God: The Bible, God-breathed words of life, is meant to give us everything we need in order to understand who we are, why we’re here, and where we’re going. It is made up of living words from God himself to guide us to the very meaning of life, love, relationships, and the joy God intends for His children. The words in the Bible are very powerful. Yet, for whatever reason, far too many people in the world have failed to be gripped by the power of those worlds.vii Jesus explained the true purpose of Scripture when asked, “Which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important. Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-39). …Scripture was given to lead us into a deeper love relationship with the One who wrote the book, and then also with everyone around us.viii Rather than viewing Scripture as a book that merely teaches us how to believe and how to act, Jesus shows that everything is rooted in how we ought to love…love God and love each other.ix The infinite God is personal. And because He is personal, we can love him, worship him, and please him with our trust and obedience. Because He is personal, he can love us, rejoice with us, comfort us, and reveal himself and his ways to us.x CONCLUSION Beginning this morning, at the beginning of this year, midst all the other resolutions you may have mad about losing weight or making a bit more money or lowering your handicap…resolve to learn in these initial weeks how to consistently hear God’s voice in God’s book. In January and February, I invite you to take this journey with me and all of us at Christ Community Church – a “Did God make my day?” journey. Here are some questions to #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Do I have a Bible in a translation I can understand? Will I make a daily appointment with God simply to listen to him in the Word, before I pray? When I have questions, will I seek help from a fellow Christian I trust? Will I share what God says to me each day with someone else? Will I ask the Lord daily to grow my love relationship with Him, and with others? Copyright 2016 © David A. Staff All rights reserved

i

www.dictionary.com The word “testament” comes from the Latin and means “agreement” or “covenant.” Thus the Old Testament is the “old agreement” while the New Testament is the “new agreement,” according to http://www.biblecharts.org/thebible/whatdoestestamentmean.pdf. Another source suggests that “testament” is “a statement of belief. The most famous testaments are the two parts of the Christian Bible: the Old and New Testaments. A testament states a belief or gives some kind of direction. The document people leave behind at death is known as the "last will and testament." It gives lawyers directions for dividing their possessions among family and friends. Also, you could say that an A in math class is a testament to your math skills. If you give to charity, that’s a testament to your character. Any testament is a strong statement of some kind.” http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/testament ii

5|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1

Dr. Dane Ortlund of Crossway Books addresses “Why are there two Testaments in the Bible? In short: Because the end of history took place in the middle of history, dividing all of human time into two basic eras. The structure of the Bible reflects this reality. The Old Testament is the book about the first era. The New Testament is the book about the second era.” https://www.crossway.org/blog/2014/03/bible-qa-why-are-there-two-testaments-in-thebible. As for the Bible’s CHAPTER and VERSE divisions: “The first attempted division of the Bible was undertaken by the early Jews. During the time following the Babylonian captivity, they marked off the scrolls into divisions and subdivisions. However, this system was quite different from the one that is in use today. The first modern system of dividing the Bible into sections was devised by Catholic Cardinal Hugo in the mid-thirteenth century. Hugo, who was compiling a concordance to the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, found it necessary to divide the Bible into sections. These sections basically became the chapters we are acquainted with today. As yet, there were no divisions into verses. Later, in 1445, Mordecai Nathan, a Jew, divided the Hebrew Old Testament into chapters. He and a later scholar by the name of Athias are credited with the further breakdown of the Old Testament into verses. In 1551, the New Testament was similarly subdivided into verses. This work was accomplished by the famous English printer, Robert Stephens—of all things, while riding on horseback from Switzerland to France! Ever since that time, the Bible has followed his chapter-and-verse system. Being man-devised, such a system is not perfect. In some places, Stephen's divisions are inaccurate and tend to break the sense of the subject. Because of such imperfections, a new system of supplementing the chapter-verse division with paragraph arrangements has been adopted in most of the newer versions of the Bible. This often helps the reader to better comprehend the subject matter.” According to http://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/BQA/k/179/When-Was-Bible-Divided-Into-Chapters-Verses.htm iii http://www.deafmissions.com/tally/bkchptrvrs.html for specific data on verses and chapters in both testaments and in specific books. iv “In fact, I initially set out to prove that today’s Bible is nothing more than a collection of distorted and unreliable records of historical and mythical events. I reasoned that if we couldn’t trust that the writings of Sripture had been accurately handed down over the centuries, we would have no basis for the truth claims of the Bible.” (p.17) v Josh McDowell, God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture (Shiloh Run Press, 2015), 157-158. vi Ibid., 174. vii Ibid., 14. viii Ibid., 42-43. ix Ibid., 44. x Ibid., 45.

6|P a g e

o f

G O D ’ S

B O O K

G O D ’ S

V O I C E

# 1