David’s Blog

A Love Of Scripture

Sunday, February 11 Love of Scriptures

Read Psalm 119 in conjunction 

Passion:

What’s your passion?

What is my passion? Twofold answer:

1.  To make Scriptures come alive in my own life. 
2. To make Scriptures come alive in the lives of others and spread a passion to hear God’s heart. Is there life in Scripture? 2 Timothy 3:14-16 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

Notice, what Paul was showing his readers was the thing that pointed them to Christ Jesus? “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures” I looked it up in the Greek, it is “gramma” which is a writing document, and one of the possible definitions was “sacred writings (of the OT)”. This is based off of Strong’s concordance and a very good resource by the name of Karl of MacDaniel. Paul seems to be asserting that careful study of the Scriptures, or as we know it “OT” will point us toward Christ, and more specifically Jesus as the Christ. I believe that as we look at the Apostolic letters, especially Hebrews, the writers are asserting that careful study of OT as a whole, Law, prophets and poetic writings, that there are clear Christological imagery being used. The reason why I want to bring this up is so that when we study the OT we can be aware that the OT is pointing towards a coming Messiah, the NT spends time proving why Jesus is that Messiah.  

Look at each purpose of Scripture: 

• Teaching- 2 Timothy 4:1-3,  We probably understand this one the best. We are here in church for the very reason to learn. We listen to sermons, some of us listen to our favourite teachers through podcasting, or DVD’s. Some of the lessons that we receive from Scriptures are plain and obvious. Sometimes we need the guidance of someone to show us something that we have never noticed before. This was the amazing thing about Bible College. The profs would talk about some verse, and shed a different light on the verse that would challenge thinking, or be different from how I have known that verse to be. A funny anecdote, how many have seen the Veggietales, Jonah and the Big Fish? I never knew till I watched that video that Jonah was upset that God had saved the Ninevites.

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  •  Examples of “teaching” in the bible:
    • OT-Moses, had the incredible task of bringing the law to the Israelites, he writes it out twice. Deuteronomy is this repeat of everything that was already stated. He also wishes Israel to know this and take it to their hearts, Deut. 6:4-9 referred to as the “Shemah”, he stresses the importance of knowing the law. He also brings about a series of “blessings and cursings” that will happen if they obey or disobey. He is very specific in what will happen. You can find that in Lev. 26; and Deut. 27-28 
    • NT- Jesus, one of His first sermons in Matthew after the beatitudes, He talks about the fact that He has not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, then He begins to preach about some of the 10 commandments. In Acts 8:25-40, teaching the Ethiopian about Isaiah, verses 34-38, if Philip did not have an understanding of the Prophets writings, did not partake in any kind of study, granted he had the advantage of incredible teaching from the Holy Spirit, he was able to teach the Ethiopian what he was reading, and explained who it was that Isaiah was talking about.

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  •  Reproof & Correction How many have experienced this? How many have curled themselves up reading the bible, and something just hits you? Sometimes the New Testament, the one that we go to for comfort, can bring something that hits us hard. An example for me this past couple of weeks was Hebrews 6:1-8, that talks of people who have “tasted” the Word of God and have seen God work in their lives, and then fallen away, and how difficult they will have it. 
    • Luke 2:34-35; “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed–and a sword will pierce even your own soul–and to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’” Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 
    • Examples of “rebuke or correction” 
      • OT: 2 Kings 22:8-20, What rebuked him? What caused this young King to fear God? The Law is referred to as the Pentateuch Genesis-Deuteronomy, my theory, is, is that he was read the blessings and the cursings and he could see the destruction around him as nearly word for word what Moses said would happen should they turn away. Prophetic teachings are very clearly warnings against the rampant disobedience. We have an advantage, we can appeal and repent directly to Jesus, we can embody and take on the sacrifice that allows us to appeal to God. We can learn how much God hates sin. As you read the prophets through you can see God’s heart in that He has no desire to punish
        Israel, and He gives them every opportunity to turn away from their wickedness, I have found that I have seen how much God’s heart just breaks for His people.
      • NT: Jesus again, He offers reproof to Satan himself in the temptations. What is interesting, is how Satan attempted to use Scriptures to his advantage, but Jesus turned it around. Jesus also often engaged the Pharisees and religious leaders in their theology by quoting the Law, Psalms, and other prophetic writings. How do you suppose some of the churches would have reacted when they received some of the apostolic letters? 1 Cor. 5:1-3, a church that allowed a man to sleep with his own mother. Could you imagine how they felt when they read this? You can read through Revelation 2-3 and it is amazing how you read these passages, you can take these churches and apply it directly to our own churches.   
  • Training in Righteousness I looked up training, it’s paideia which can also mean chastening, nurture, instruction and chastisment 

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   1.  
      1. The whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body
      2. Whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing passions: a) Instruction which aims at increasing virtue b) Chastisement, chastening, (of the evils with which God visits men for their amendment) 

• Righteousness, which is dikaiosune which means: 

1.  
   1. In a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God a) the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God b) integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting
   2. In a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due  

• What does this tell me personally? Paul seems to be asserting, that study of Scriptures, including the OT and NT will bring us to a condition that can bring us to this state that is acceptable before God. The Scriptures are not just merely for bringing teaching into our lives, or bringing rebuke and correction, but in how our whole lives are structured. The passion I want to spread is a desire for Scriptures to transform our entire lives. A desire to get discussions going about what they are learning about Scriptures, how Scriptures are transforming our lives through teaching, and correction. That it draws us into a deeper relationship with God. That the whole idea of God being exalted and high above us, as was talked about last week, we can understand where that comes from.
• Start small, ask God to reveal a verse to you that you can keep coming back to, like a promise for your life. For me, Isaiah 54:10 is the major “theme” verse for my life. God has promised it to me over and over, and has given me context and expands on it.

Date Posted: Tuesday, February 13th, 2007
Categories: Uncategorized
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