COMING HOME

Home—home is where the heart is.  The word summons images of a mother scurrying around the kitchen preparing a delicious meal for her family. It reminds us of the strength of a father’s arms lifting us up when we fall down.  There is the remembrance of the family Bible on the table.  We can almost smell the coffee perking in the morning, when we would rise to get ready for school, or of cookies in the oven when we came open after school.  So many memories.  Maybe you are making some for your family today.  Those children will remember for good or for bad—indelible impressions imbedded on their soul.

I think of coming home to God.  The prodigal son went to the far country and squandered his inheritance on wine, women, and wickedness.  When he ran out of money, he ran out of fair-weather friends, and his heart turned toward home.  There was a Father waiting with open arms, to forgive and restore—a son once dead, now alive; lost, but then found.  Have you come home to God?  Have you repented of your sins and raced to your Father’s house?

I think of returning home to church after wandering for a while.  Old Jacob couldn’t get along with his brother, was a bit of a disappointment to his father, and off he went away from Bethel (the word means the house of God).  Then came the day of his return.  Back to Bethel, back to the house of God and the rebuilding of an altar, in a restored relationship with the Lord, that was profound.  He would never be the same.  Jacob had a bit of a limp after that—a wrestling match with God he won by losing—but it was a sweet reminder of God breaking him in order to bless him.  Have you drifted out of church involvement?  Have you intended to come back?  Must God break you to get your attention?  Come back to the house of God—we will welcome you!

I think of going home—our real home in heaven.  There is coming a glad day when we reach that place we were fashioned for.  Home—safely home—in the glory of God’s radiance, to see Jesus face to face and fall in awe at His nail-scarred feet, to abide in the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit, and to see the saints of old while we embrace loved ones who died in faith.

Homecoming Day, September 9, is a time set apart to remind us of this holy trinity of truths.  The day begins at 10:30 in the auditorium.  In the words of the old Gospel song, “Oh what singing; oh what shouting; On that happy morning…!” when we have a joyous family reunion.  We hope Dr. John Tiller will be able to lead us to the throne of grace in prayer.  A very old Bible belonging to a charter member will be presented.  We will have a choir ranging from little children to senior saints.  Caitlin McCarson will join the choir in soul-stirring music.  Her husband Derrick will bring us God’s Word.  There are a number of other exciting things planned! Following the service, we will have a delicious dinner on the grounds.  The finest cooks in the world will prepare it—the members of Pole Creek. As we complete the meal we will move across the road to dedicate our beautiful new pavilion to the glory of God, and have an outdoor baptism!

Come home!  And bring somebody with you!

THE CHURCH: WHAT AND WHY?

The church is a big deal.  I know that many want to see the church as just an antiquated organization with little relevance to their daily lives.  Even a growing group, who say they are followers of Christ, will behave as though the church is not significant for them—they believe in Jesus, but don’t need the church to be a Christian.

It’s just not so.  A child needs a family.  A football player needs a team.  A worker needs a business.  A soldier needs an army.  A student needs a school.  There are a great many things you can do as an individual.  Being a Christian is not one of them.  Yes, our response to Christ is an individual decision, but that decision is made as the result of a witnessing community, the faith is to be professed publicly in baptism, our spiritual growth occurs in a fellowship of disciples and disciple-makers, and our spiritual gifts are designed for the church to engage in its ministries and mission.

I might quote an abundance of verses that drive home this point.  Suffice it to say that the entire New Testament teaching concerning Christianity concerns life in the church—and that very few references are about the church as a global, spiritual body of believers, but most present the church as a local body of saints, the church at Ephesus, the church at Rome, the church in Corinth, and so forth.

If I had no other Bible verse than this one, I would see the church as a very big deal: “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph.5:25b).  The value of something is determined by what someone is willing to pay.  If Jesus values the church so much He was willing to die for her, that makes Pole Creek Baptist Church a big deal.  In the end the church will judge angels, reign with Him, and share His glory.

So, what is the church and why does it matter?  The next five sermons will deal with the nature, function, governance, teaching, and responsibility of members to the church.  It is a big sermon series because the church is a big deal.

PILGRIMS MAKING PROGRESS

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  (Hebrews 11:13)

Scripture gives Christians the title, “pilgrims,” as those who are traveling through this world to their real home in heaven.  Identifying ourselves in this manner helps us evaluate the focus of our life here and whether we are progressing to our goal hereafter.

Based on this truth, I will lead a Wednesday night Bible study of John Bunyan’s classic, “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”  We will begin August 1, so you will find securing a copy of the book before the end of July helpful.  I have a few more copies of the special edition we are distributing which you can purchase for $11.  I can order more, when these are gone, but the price might increase by a few dollars.  You may already have a copy—and you can download one very cheaply—but it might be helpful to have the same edition as it has Bible study and personal reflection questions, and as we study we can all be “on the same page” as it were.  I am going to do my best to record these studies for those who cannot be there each session or who are prevented from attending.

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a Baptist pastor in England.  Bunyan was arrested for preaching the Gospel, and spent twelve years in prison.  He would later be jailed again for a briefer time.  It was during his imprisonment, that he would have a dream, which became, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” that would be published after his freedom was obtained.  That book has been one of the most published and widely read books in the English language, other than the Bible.

Here are some reasons to study it:

1.      It “is a vivid portrait of every true Christian’s spiritual journey.” We can see ourselves in this book—the challenges, pitfalls, and blessings of our pilgrimage.

2.      It has “many rich word-pictures.”  A picture is painted over and over that gives us many fresh insights into Scriptural truths.

3.      It “shows the difference between true and false Christians.”  Not all who profess faith truly possess faith and we need to examine our hearts accordingly.

4.      It has a theme, the precious doctrine of “the perseverance of the saints.”  It challenges us to press on in faith, and that we endure to the end not in order to be saved, but because we are saved—that the grace that saves us, seals us, sanctifies us, and secures us for heaven.

(The italicized words come from an article “Why We Should Read ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress,’ ” by Brian G. Hedges, published in “The Banner of Truth” magazine—that motivated me to do this study)

I have read it at least three times, and am looking forward to studying it with you.

Your Fellow Pilgrim,

Pastor Dennis

STEPS OF SORROW ON THE HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN

God is aware of the most intimate details of our lives.  He sees the hidden hurts, and feels our deepest sorrow. 

None of our steps are obscured from Him--He counts everyone.  Sometimes those steps take us where we would not wish to go--into deep valleys of grief.  Our earthly wanderings may find us in an unemployment line, a homeless shelter, a hospital room, a divorce court, or a funeral home, for instance.  We are reminded that this world is not home.  We are pilgrims passing through. 

Yet, it is good to recall that God counts every step, and He knows the final one which will bring us to our true home above.  When tears wet our pillow in dark nights, and none other sees, it is clearly observed by God--and He cares!  The psalmist says that He puts those tears in a bottle and documents each sorrow. 

Earth's heartaches are invested in heaven, where they draw interest and will pay great dividends in eternal joys.  Paul puts it like this, "For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor.4:17 HCSB)  All of earth's hurts, will be washed away by eternity's happiness.  What seems to be an enduring, crushing burden will be seen as momentary and light compared to what God has for us!

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony: THE MYSTERIOUS POWER OF SCRIPTURE EXPERIENCED, Part 4

In this series, we have entered the courtroom of truth and have presented witness after witness of the trustworthiness of the Bible.  We have listened to the logical rationale for why God must speak and that Scripture is the way He would have chosen.  We have examined evidence that is found internally in the text and externally in archaeology, history, prophecy, and science that verifies the Bible’s veracity.  Then we have considered this week the experiential testimony of what the Word of God has done in its God-given power.  At last, I add my own witness.  This Book has been life-changing for me.  I have read it through repeatedly, studied it intensely, and have taught it extensively for over forty years—and I am more certain of its authority and accuracy today than ever.

Paul wrote:  “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ ” (I Corinthians‬ ‭1:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)‬‬

This is the message which the world says is foolishness, but which God in His grace has infused with saving power to those who will believe it.  There is something of mystery how God can take such a message and employ it to transform a life.  I cannot fully explain how, but I have experienced it, and seen that life-change in many people.  I cannot fully explain electricity, but I am not going to sit in the dark until I do!

We see the power of the Word IN CREATING FAITH.   “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom.10:17) This is a matter of salvation.  The Spirit of God used the Word of God to produce saving faith in God.  The seeds of truth were sown in the soil of my soul by my parents and preachers and teachers for eighteen years until faith was produced—and the more I hear it, the more I believe it.

There is a mysterious power in the Word IN CULTIVATING GROWTH.   Believers are to be, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” (1 Peter 2:2).  This is a matter of nutrition.  Being born of the Word, we are then nourished by it.  I will tell you that whatever growth I have experienced in my Christian life has been from feeding on the Word.  Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, appealing to the authority of the Word to overcome the devil, when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matt.4:4)

That leads to the next dimension of the Bible’s power IN CONQUERING SIN.   “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”  (Ps.119:11) This is a matter of sanctification. This is the Sword of the Spirit to beat the Devil.  It’s how Jesus did it. There is no other way.  When I have looked to the power of truth to resist temptation, I have known victory.

Then, there is the power of the Word I have witnessed IN COMMUNICATING TRUTH. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  (2 Tim.3:6-17) This is a matter of mission.  I believe in the sufficiency of Scripture to change lives, build the church, and impact the world.  As a man of God, I have stood equipped with the Word of God to lead the people of God in the mission of God, week after week, month after month, year after year, for more than four decades.  I have never wondered about what to say—trying to figure out some novel message.  I just open the Book, dive in, and then stand with a Bible in my hand, and see its wonderworking power!  Last Sunday, almost 400 souls sat in an auditorium to surrender thirty minutes of their life to hear what I had to say—really what God had to say through me.  That is a mystery and a marvel—a miracle of God’s Word!

Has the Word transformed you?  Have you received with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your soul?  Are you feeding on it?  If you have read this far, then I assume you have some appetite for truth.  O, taste and see the Lord is good!  Have you hidden that Word in your heart through memorization and meditation so you might live a holy life?  Will you be equipped by the Word to be useful for God in this world, so that one day you may hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. …Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matt.25:21)

I cannot persuade you against your will to believe the Bible.  There are people today that refuse to believe the earth is a globe.  They think it is flat!  One of my dear grandmothers died convinced that men never walked on the moon—it was all staged in Hollywood.  What I have done is given you met the burden of truth—that if you weigh all the evidence, it gives you the ground for this verdict: the Bible is the Word of God, beyond REASONABLE doubt.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony, Part 3: THE MARVELOUS POWER OF SCRIPTURE WITNESSED

The Word of God has a transforming power.  We see this again and again in history and in our own experience.  Consider these claims:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 1:16; 12:2 NKJV)

So, we find a life radically changed by the initial action of the Spirit of God through the Word of God—the power of the Gospel—and how that life continues to be transformed into Christlikeness as the mind is renewed through the truth, reoriented to the will of God expressed in the Word of God.

Scripture brings THE TRANSFORMING IMPACT ON SOULS. James writes, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (1:21)

A man was confronted by a skeptic, “Surely, you don’t believe that story about Jesus turning water into wine.”  “Oh, yes, because in my life, He has turned wine into bread!”  How many have been delivered from alcohol, addiction, adultery, atheism, anger, and such through the power of the Gospel!

The Bible also yields THE TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE ON SOCIETY.  We often marvel at the miracle of Jonah being swallowed by a whale and surviving three days to tell about it.  There is a story in the book harder to swallow.  I believe it, but it is incredible!  That is the account found in chapter three of a vile and violent pagan people—an entire city turned to God.

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”  (Jonah 3:1-10)

Amazing!  My heart prays, “God, do it again in Washington, DC and let the spiritual awakening sweep across the land and globe!

Think about the impact the Word has had on our world.

It is woven throughout the fabric of our literature.  The writings of Shakespeare, Dickens, Doestoevsky, Tolkien, and if you want a modern, popular writer: John Grisham, whose works are filled with Biblical themes and allusions.  Marilynne Robinson wrote in the NY Times: “The Bible is the model for and subject of more art and thought than those of us who live within its influence, consciously or unconsciously, will ever know.” 

It is the foundation of our laws.  The Scripture’s influence on English Law is undeniable.  Daniel Webster said in 1820, “ Let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all their institutions, civil, political, or literary.” 

The Word of God has elevated life wherever it has been proclaimed.  Its message gave impetus to the establishment of hospitals, orphanages, and schools.  You might be surprised to know that Harvard, Yale, and Princeton were begun to propagate the Gospel by training preachers.  Great social reforms like abolition and the Protestant work ethic—all have been uplifting for society—and each of these grounded on the Bible.

Our world has never been the same because of the Word and its marvelous power!

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony: The Miraculous Power of Scripture Promised, Part 2

The Word of God is alive.  It is not just inspiring—it is inspired.  The term means, “God breathed”—that is, just as He breathed life into Adam in creation, He has breathed into the Bible eternal life.  It has the latent power of God within its pages, waiting to be tapped.  David, in Psalm 19:7-11, extols the miraculous nature of Scripture.  In our previous study, we noted five dimensions of this dynamic force.  Today, we will observe five more promises.

The Word ENGRAVES THE TRUTH.  It is truth and when engraved on our hearts into conviction will produce righteousness in us.  The Holy Bible generates holiness as we digest its content and incarnate its commands.

Scripture ENRICHES THE LIFE.  When you are on your deathbed, will you call, “Bring me my checkbook” or “Read me my stock portfolio”?  No, you will say, “Bring me the Word of God.  Read me the Bible!”  It’s better than money.  It’s also sweeter than honey.

The Bible SWEETENS THE JOURNEY.  What’s your favorite dessert? Pecan pie, banana pudding, strawberry ice cream?  In David’s day, it would be honey.  I still like to saturate a waffle with it, making sure each square is full of nature’s sweetness.  Yet, David declares that there’s nothing sweeter than the Word of God!

This Book WARNS THE PILGRIM.  Paul reminds us that this is one of the great purposes for the documenting of the Old Testament stories.  

“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”  (I Corinthians‬ ‭10:6-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Our pilgrimage in this wicked world is full of peril, yet God has erected warnings in His Word to remind us to exercise caution.  We are smart when we learn from our mistakes, but smarter to learn from the mistakes of others!

Then, the Bible REWARDS THE OBEDIENT. 

The promise of blessing from those who meditate on its message is oft repeated. 

“Blessed is the man 
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, 
Nor stands in the path of sinners, 
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 
And in His law he meditates day and night. 
He shall be like a tree 
Planted by the rivers of water, 
That brings forth its fruit in its season, 
Whose leaf also shall not wither; 
And whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalms‬ ‭1:1-3)‬

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”  (Joshua‬ ‭1:7-8‬)

This is the key to being successful in all that we do.  Now, this is not a get rich quick scheme.  There is no promise you will always be healthy and wealthy.  But, it is assurance of having all you need to do all God wants—and that is true success.  

This is the miraculous power of Scripture promised!

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony, Part 1

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and the evidence of lives transformed by truth adds weight to the Bible’s claims.  When we add this to our previous lessons concerning the logical rationale for believing the Bible and the internal and external evidence to back it up, there is every reason to answer, “Can I trust the Bible?” with a resounding, “Yes!” 

Consider first THE MIRACULOUS POWER OF SCRIPTURE PROMISED.   Psalm 19:7-11 presents ten promises of the power of the Word of God.  We will look at the first five today.

1.  IT CONVERTS THE SOUL.  The Bible is perfect—complete—nothing needing to be added or amended, subtracted or retracted.  Though it doesn’t tell us all there is to know, or want to know, it tells us all we need to know.  Its power is to convert—to change us—from sinners to saints.  That is an ongoing process which the Scriptures accomplish in us.

2.  IT TEACHES THE SIMPLE.  It is sure—infallible—and will impart the very wisdom of God!  The word “simple” in the original language is rooted in a term for a door.  A simple person has the door of the ears open to everything so that whatever deception or delusion is given access.  The Word of God enters and closes the door.  Then it only opens to the sweet friend of truth and is locked to the knock of the evil foe of error.

  

3.  IT REJOICES THE SPIRIT.  The Word is right, and it is our joy to hear and heed it.  Sorrow comes when we get life wrong.  Wrong decisions lead to wrong directions and ultimately to wrong destinations.  Hell is the ultimate end of those who get life wrong—a place of unimaginable sorrow.  On the other hand to get life right is to experience joy here and hereafter!  That will bring unending rejoicing.  The Bible marks the right path.

4.  IT ENLIGHTENS THE EYES.  The Scriptures are pure, giving clarity—light to navigate this dark world.  Part of my morning ritual is to clean my glasses before I head out to face the day.  I want to be able to see clearly.  You would not want to see me coming down the road without my glasses.  Everything would be a fog.  A wreck would surely ensue.  When we put on our Bible glasses, God’s Word gives us an always clean lens by which we see things without blurred vision.  Our eyes are enlightened by it.  They even make the invisible things of the spirit world visible!

5.  IT ENDURES THE CHALLENGES.  It is clean—a Holy Bible—and despite all the challenges of the wicked it endures.  Satan’s persistent attack has always been against the Word—doubt and denial.  Recall when the serpent beguiled Eve in the garden, he approached her first with a question to cause doubt, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat...’ ” Then, when she continued the debate, he uttered a denial, “You will not surely die!”  The devil has not changed his modus operandi.  He does not need to; it has been so effective.  Yet, despite all the critics and their assaults, the Word endures!  People may falter, but Scripture will not fail.

TRUST AND OBEY

“Practice what you preach!”  Jeremiah would have his faith tested, as God would command him to buy a piece of property in his hometown.  He is “in jail,” so to speak, and his town has been taken by the Babylonians, who are currently besieging Jerusalem.  The prophet had been told by God that Judah would fall, with the survivors taken into captivity—not to return for seventy years.  Jeremiah would not live to see that day, and so it made no sense to buy land where you will never set foot, build on, or farm.

He was told by the Lord to purchase the field in Anathoth from his cousin, Hanamel for seventeen shekels of silver.  Hanamel must have walked out, with his bag of silver jingling, whistling, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” hardly containing his delight that he had made such a shrewd business deal!
It made no sense.  People must have scratched their heads in bewilderment.  Jeremiah was the talk of the town at supper that night.  “He’s nuts!” That must have been a repeated phrase.

What Jeremiah did was not folly, but faith.  He obeyed the Word of the Lord.  It cost him.  Living by faith can be very costly.  God told him to trust Him.  Jeremiah acknowledged that there was nothing too hard for the Lord!  God affirmed this to His man, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.  Is there anything too hard for Me?” (v.27)

He needed that reassurance.  Jeremiah was getting old, and would never live to walk upon that ground he bought.  Or would he?

God went on to speak of a time that is yet to come—a time when Israel will be restored to the land, when they will do more than return to the land, they will return to God in repentance.  God will reign over them and restore them.  The promises made here exceed those experienced by the exiles when they returned in seventy years.  These blessings await the return of Christ and the redemption of Israel—a day that is coming, and maybe soon!

When that happens, there is a man who will have been raised from the dead, and in a glorified body, Jeremiah will walk into Anathoth, display his deed, and claim his land!  Can you imagine the smile on his face.  He had lost nothing.  He gained everything!  It was an investment in time which would pay dividends in eternity.

For us, let us be reminded of the truth proclaimed in the old hymn, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Internal and External Evidence, Part 5

I pray that God has used these studies this week to remind you it is reasonable to believe the Bible.  We have examined the affirmation of archaeology, the testimony of history, and the proof of prophecy.  Today, we will bring another witness into the court—THE WITNESS OF UNITY.

Jesus said this to His foes—the Pharisees:

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.  I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.  How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?  Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust.  For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?  (John 5:39-47 NKJV)

Those self-righteous, religious scholars boasted of their comprehension and commitment to the Law of Moses—yet, they couldn’t see the forest for the trees!  They read the Scriptures—and claimed to believe them—seeing them as a system of rules and regulations to be enforced.  They overlooked that all the laws, ceremonies, sacrifices, prophecies, and so forth pointed to the Messiah to come.  Moses wrote of Jesus and the redemption we need. Truly, there are rules and principles laid out in Scripture, but this is not the core of what the Bible is.  The message is—we are broken because of sin, helpless and hopeless to fix ourselves, but God in His grace and love has provided us His Son to be our Savior.  We begin in Genesis with paradise lost, and everything that follows is God’s love story, showing us how paradise can be restored, so reaching the last book, Revelation, “It is done!” (21:6).

After Christ rose from the dead, He made sure His disciples got the message.

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.  (Luke 24:25-27)

Like the Pharisees, we can stop our ears, shut our eyes, and steel our hearts to the truth.  Please, consider carefully how logical it is to believe the Bible.  Examine the evidence within and without the Scriptures which witnesses to their accuracy and authority.

If you still wrestle with doubts, don’t despair!  We see from these verses that even those disciples had difficulty believing.  Turning to the Scriptures, however, and listening to the Spirit’s witness of Christ, will yield faith in increasing measure.  “And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’ ” (v.32)

Jesus knew this and so doubled down in His instruction to His followers:

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  (v.44-45) 

The Bible is not just a book, but a library of 66 books.  There are 40 authors writing from 3 continents, over a 2000 year span.  Yet, the message is a beautiful harmony—a symphony orchestrated by one Composer—sacred History which is His story—with Christ, the central figure.  That is miraculous!  There is no reasonable explanation for such unless there was an omniscient Author guiding the words penned by the human authors.  Examine the truth and embrace it to the saving of your soul and sustenance of your spiritual life.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Internal and External Evidence, Part 4

In previous lessons, we have weighed the affirmation of archaeology and the testimony of history as evidences of the trustworthiness of the Bible.  Today, we will add to those witnesses, THE PROOF OF PROPHECY.

The old fisherman, Simon Peter, wrote this:

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  (2 Pet.1:16-21). 

The abundance and detail of prophecies given and fulfilled are another powerful proof that the Bible is true.  Could you predict in 150 years who will be elected President of the United States, or who will be leading Russia or China?  Can you name them?  Isaiah named Cyrus as the King of Persia who would release the Jews from captivity, 150 years before the events (Isaiah 44:28-45:1)!  Jeremiah prophesied the fall of Jerusalem and captivity of the Jews for 70 years exactly as it happened (Jeremiah 25:11-12).  Daniel tells us of the rise of four world empires, as he describes Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 2, 7-8).  One can even calculate the time from his era to Christ’s crucifixion (9:24-27) as he speaks of seventy “weeks” of years—490 years (see the chart).

By the way, if those first 483 years were literally fulfilled, then I would expect the final 7 to be, as well.  That clock for Israel could resume ticking at any point, when the church is raptured

Concerning Jesus, the Old Testament predicted where He would be born, the circumstances of His birth, His life and ministry, His crucifixion, and resurrection—over 300 total prophecies.  Maybe they were just really good guessers! 

It has been calculated that the odds of even 8 of those prophecies being fulfilled by coincidence would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. Suppose that we take that many silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas.  They will cover the entire state two feet deep.  Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly.  Then, blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, that he had one chance to pick up one silver dollar and it be the one marked.  What chance would he have of getting the right one?  Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man!  Yet, we are not talking about eight, but over 300 prophecies!  Prophecy proves the Word of God to be utterly trustworthy.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Internal and External Evidence, Part 3

We have previously considered the affirmation of archaeology affording us evidence of the trustworthiness of the Bible.  Today, our lesson will bring another witness to the court of reason:

THE TESTIMONY OF HISTORY.

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.  (Luke 1:1-4 NKJV)

Luke does not claim to be an eyewitness, but a meticulous historian who interviewed eyewitnesses in his research.  Sir William Ramsey was a renowned historian who purpose to discredit Luke’s history.  The opposite occurred.  Following his investigation, he concluded “Luke’s history is unsurpassed in trustworthiness.”

Although Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of which he wrote, there were eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Christ who provided contemporaneous testimony of the fact.

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.  After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.  Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.  (1 Cor.15:5-8). 

How reliable were these witnesses?  The number of them and the fact they were willing to suffer and die for their testimony make it implausible to explain anything other than that they saw Jesus alive from the dead.

When the Bible is compared to other historical documents, it surpasses them in the sheer volume of ancient manuscripts, their proximity to the events described and the accuracy of the contents.  Erwin Lutzer says that “Entire books have been written confirming the historicity of the Bible in matters related to geography, chronology, history of empires, and customs of each period.”

The Jewish historian, Josephus, wrote in the first century AD and stated, “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous.… Pilate condemned him to be crucified and die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive.”

To the Jewish historian, we add the witness of a Gentile--the Roman historian Tacitus.  He penned these words in AD 116,

[N]either human effort nor the emperor’s generosity nor the placating of the gods ended the scandalous belief that the fire had been ordered [by Nero]. Therefore, to put down the rumor, Nero substituted as culprits and punished in the most unusual ways those hated for their shameful acts … whom the crowd called “Chrestians.” The founder of this name, Christ [Christus in Latin], had been executed in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate … Suppressed for a time, the deadly superstition erupted again not only in Judea, the origin of this evil, but also in the city [Rome], where all things horrible and shameful from everywhere come together and become popular.  (translated from Latin by Robert E. Van Voorst, Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000], p. 43)

So, from Jewish and Roman sources—those who were not followers of the Christian faith—and the history of the Biblical writers themselves which measures up to the standards of how we gauge authentic history, we have every reason to be confident of the accuracy of the Word of God.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Internal and External Evidence, Part 2

Today, we will turn to THE AFFIRMATION OF ARCHAEOLOGY concerning the trustworthiness of the Bible.  The more digging is done in the Middle East, the more archaeology affirms Scripture. 

Weigh the words of Isaiah 40:8:

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

It isn’t that Satanically motivated men have not tried to destroy the Word of God.  No Book has been so attacked, burned, critiqued, and dissected as the Bible.  That, itself, is a powerful testimony—it endures!  Each Lord’s Day, millions of people gather to open and study the Bible.  They don’t do that for Aesop’s Fables or Shakespeare, as good as those are.  The Bible is unparalleled in popularity and influence.  But, can we trust it?

In 1947, a shepherd threw a rock into a cave in Qumran, near the Dead Sea.  He heard a crash.  On further investigation, it was a clay pot that shattered and inside were scrolls of Scripture, dating back a couple of centuries before Christ.  There are fragments of almost every Old Testament book, including a complete scroll of Isaiah. It was one of the preeminent archaeological discoveries made connecting our Bible today with the text used by the ancients.  Compared to the Old Testament texts we have, there is no substantive difference in them.  The promise of Isaiah 40:8 has again been affirmed! The Dead Sea scrolls say what my Bible states,

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

Volumes have been written on archaeology in its relation to the Word of God.  Many proofs have been unearthed.  I will discuss three.

Genesis 1 features the creation of the universe, where we read of God speaking all things into existence in six days and resting in that finished work on the seventh.  The ancient city of Nineveh, in modern Iraq, was excavated.  There was found the library of King Ashurbanipal of Assyria who reigned in the 600’s BC. The library consisted of a multitude of clay tablets—seven of them known as the “Creation Epic.” Although that ancient retelling of the Creation is marred by polytheism (the belief in many gods), it is fascinating to note that it presents creation in six days, with the deity resting on the seventh.  The epic parallels Scripture in that the creation begins with the cosmos in chaos, the beginning with light shining into the darkness, followed by sun, moon, and stars put in place, and on to the culmination of Creation—the making of man. 

Then, there is the Epic of Gilgamesh—a Babylonian flood story.  It features an heroic figure called upon by the gods to build an ark, where his family and all kinds of creatures would be preserved.  In the end, he sends out a dove, a swallow, and a raven.  Archaeologists have unearthed thirty three such flood stories from varying cultures, only two that do not parallel the Biblical story of Noah found in Genesis 6-9.

Next, examining the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, we find the affirmation of archaeology in an ancient monument from Ur of the Chaldees—also located in Iraq. It depicts King Ur-Nammu, who was commanded by the gods to build a tower reaching into the heavens.  Those towers were known as ziggurats.

“Interestingly, a clay tablet was unearthed that tells how the gods were highly offended and in a single night they destroyed what had been built, and the people were scattered abroad and their speech made strange. Again, the most reasonable explanation is that the story of the Tower of Babel did in fact take place.” Lutzer, Erwin W.. 7 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible (Kindle Locations 907-908). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

The skeptic would argue that the writer(s) of Genesis took the ancient stories and put their spin on them.  While that might be possible, it is highly improbable.  The predisposition of those who give their take on such stories is to embellish them, rather than simplify them.  They add details instead.  It is much more likely that the true story as revealed by God to Moses in Genesis shares a commonality with these ancient legends because they were all rooted in the truth—a message that pagans distorted in their plunge into false religion.

We could explore other archaeological finds that affirm Scripture, but I have chosen these in relation to Genesis, because of all the books contained in the Bible, it is likely the most frequently assailed.  Really, it is foundational, and if Genesis is not true, then the rest of the Bible means nothing.  Someone has well said, “If you can accept the first four words of the Bible, ‘In the beginning God…’ then everything that follows should give you no problem believing.”

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Internal and External Evidence, Part 1

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Suppose you are jogging on a mountain trail, and you hear someone groaning.  You look over and see a lady on the ground, just off the path, with blood oozing from her head.  As you stop to help her, she gasps, “Thank you.”  Then you help her sit up, and she tells you her name, that she tripped while running, bumped her head and was knocked unconscious. 

It is possible she is lying.  She may be bait for some thieves in the woods waiting to rob you.  She may have been hurt running away as an escaped criminal.  She may have been knocked senseless and doesn’t really know who she is, despite what she claims.  But as you hear the story, see her condition, note she is wearing jogging apparel and running shoes, you believe her.  It is a reasonable assumption, unless there would be incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.

The Bible makes some remarkable claims about itself—that it is inspired by God. Paul believed it.  Other Bible writers claim it.  Jesus lived by it and fulfilled it as the object of it.  The Bible claims to be the Word of God—inerrant (without error), infallible (will never lead you astray), immutable (unchanging), invincible (always accomplishing its purpose), and indestructible (preserved eternally).

Archaeology, history, prophecy and the unity of the Bible all testify to its accuracy.  Skeptics will say, “You can’t accept the Bible’s own claims—that’s circular reasoning.”  But, if there is evidence to support those claims, then we should see that it is reasonable to trust the Bible.  This is the internal evidence of what the Bible claims and the external evidence that corroborates those claims and will be the subject we explore this week.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Logical Rationale, Part 6

I cannot prove to you that the Bible is true if you do not want to believe.  There are still people who do not believe that man walked on the moon.  If you are willing to examine the evidence with an open mind, you will find plenty to lead you to believe that it is reasonable to trust the Bible.  Here are some more scientific statements in Scripture.

The Bible speaks of hydrology.

For He draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.  (Job 36:27-28)

All the rivers run into the sea,

Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.  (Eccl.1:7) 

Science calls this the hydrologic cycle and it is described in what is likely the oldest book in the Bible.

Related to this, Scripture touches on meteorology.

The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.  (Eccl.1:6)

To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure. (Job 28:25a)

The fact that air has weight was proven scientifically only about three centuries ago.  We call this barometric pressure.  The movement and pressure of the air around us affects weather patterns.  The God who established these patterns knew what is a recent scientific discovery.

Furthermore, the Bible deals with paleontology.  Everyone wants to know, “What about dinosaurs?”  There were dinosaurs and some walked among men.  Two species are described in Job 40:15-41:34. It is interesting that in ancient cultures around the world there were legends of dragons and sea monsters.  Some might even insist there is still one hanging around Loch Ness.  These legends I am convinced are based in reality.  Job knew of such beasts.

Scripture also speaks to physics.  One such place is 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”  In World War 2, the race was on to discover the ultimate weapon—to find a way to split the atom and release great fire and fury.  We did that and the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki happened less than a century ago.  Man has harnessed that energy for productive purposes, as well—and generates electric power by nuclear fission.  One day, God is going to split the atom in judgment, that He might reform the elements into new heavens and a new earth! 

These truths are meant to be more than informational—they are meant to be transformational!  The Word of God that speaks to the physical universe with clarity, can be trusted to speak to the metaphysical with confidence.  Science cannot.  The Bible does.  It tells us about heaven and hell—and that everyone of us will spend eternity in one or the other.  We are told that through faith in Jesus we can be forgiven of our sins.  His death and resurrection in this physical realm have made it possible to have eternal life in the spiritual domain. 

Scripture speaks to the will of God for the believer in this world.  Sadly, I will hear church members sometimes say, “I know the Bible says, but…” which is something we dare not say.  If the Bible says it, that settles it. 

The church must be faithful to the Word.  Is that true of the church you attend?  If not, then you should look for one that believes, preaches, teaches, and seeks to live according to God’s Word.  None will get it right 100% of the time—only heaven affords that kind of environment—but, we sure need to aim at that goal!