Equipped with the Bible

Transcript

Rob McFarlane 0:58

Today we're going to talk about being equipped with the Bible. Let's read 2 Timothy 3 verse 14 to 17 from the English Standard Version of the Bible. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and 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 may be complete, equipped for every good work. In 2 Timothy, we see Paul the Apostle writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, and he gives him instructions on how he should lead a local church. In the midst of all these instructions, he has a personal message for Timothy. He says, As for you. We read this in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 14 and 15. He says, But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings. Now we see in verse 14 that Timothy learned from Paul. He says to him, Continue in what you have learned, and have indeed firmly believed, knowing from whom you have learned it, talking about himself. And then in verse 15, he says, From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings. And as parents and perhaps even grandparents, we have a role to play in discipling the next generation. Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 5, I'm reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and now I am sure dwells in you as well. We see that from childhood Timothy was taught the scriptures, and those scriptures equipped him for life and ministry. And then, as an apprentice or a son in the faith to Paul, he learnt from Paul, was able to observe in Paul the teaching at work, and he firmly believed it himself. He then in 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 to 17 gives us three things about the Bible. And these three things applied to Timothy, but also apply to you and I. Some versions say inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. I love that. And we need to have a whole Bible theology. Our understanding of who God is, who God says we are, what God's purposes are, and the part that He wants us to play in His purposes need to be inspired and informed by the Scriptures. The Bible is powerful. And it's powerful because in the Bible we see it has four purposes, four ways that it can equip us. And they are it's there to teach us, to reprove us, to correct us, and to train us. Whenever we spend time in the Bible, whether that's individually or listening to a sermon, we should see those four things take place in our lives. There need to be times when the Bible teaches us how to live. Sometimes it needs to challenge us or to reprove us, other times it needs to correct us, and other times it trains us to live a righteous life. It's inspired by God. Listen to how the easy English translation puts 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. Everything that is written in the Bible comes from God's Spirit. It helps us in many ways. The Bible teaches us what is true, it warns us when we're doing wrong things, it shows us what is right, it teaches us how to live good lives. So we've seen that the Bible is powerful, the Bible is precious, and the Bible is powerful. Number three, the Bible has a purpose. Let's read 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 17. It says that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Now that word complete means mature. That the man or woman of God, you and I, can be matured and complete and equipped for every good work. Listen to how the Passion Translation puts 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 17. It says, then you will be God's servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment that God gives you. God has given us assignments. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that he's prepared in advance for us to do. And we need to make sure that we are equipped and we are matured and that we are ready to fulfill that assignment, to do the good works that He's prepared in advance for us to do. And the way we do that is by spending time in His Word, the Bible. Today we've seen the Bible is precious. The Bible is powerful, and the Bible has a purpose. Let's pray. And as we do, let's ask the Holy Spirit to show us what he wants us to do as a result of what we've heard in today's sermon. Let's pray. Father God, thank you for the Bible. And just like Paul said to Timothy, as for you, you have the sacred writings that are able to make you wise for salvation. We thank you for the sacred writings that are available to us, that have come to us at great cost. Bible translators, people in history who made it possible for us to have the Bible available to us in our own language. And we thank you, Lord, that as we read your Bible, we learn about salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Lord, it's precious and help us not take it for granted. Lord, it's powerful. Help us to be equipped and empowered through your word. Help us to realize that the purpose of the Bible is not to sit on a shelf or to just be a treasured family heirloom passed down or something that we've given as a presentation. But help us, Lord Jesus, to use your Bible, to read it, to reflect on it, to think about it, to put its principles into practice in our lives so that we can be used by you for your purposes. Thank you that you have assignments for each of us. And help us, Lord Jesus, to be equipped through your word to fulfill those assignments. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Holy Spirit, speak to us now. Is there something that you want to say to us as individuals? We want to hear your still small voice. Give us a hunger and thirst for your word that we may grow into all that you've called us to be and be equipped to do all that you've called us to do. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.