Sermon for Sunday February 19th, 2006
Why Want the Word by Larry Pruitt
Psalms 119:105-119:105
(The thoughts and ideas for this lesson are attributed to Tommy Vernon (now
deceased) who encouraged me to preach as a young man.
Psa 119:105 Thy word
Paul told Timothy the preacher to preach the word "in season and out of
season".......Do we as hearers want the word in season and out of season (in
other words always) Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a
liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when thou art judged.
How much do you want the word?
Do you want the word if it is different from your belief ?
Do you want the word more than feelings, or experiences or still small voices?
(Some religions put direct revelations from God in direct opposition to the
written word, letting their feelings or experiences with God dictate their
actions contrary to the written word.
But we should want the word...
The Holy writ began to be written over 3500 years ago, but it’s message is still
relevant today. It is the oldest book the world has in existence. The Bible
holds the distinction of being the first printed book and the King James or
Authorized Version of the Bible is today the best selling book in the world. The
Bible contains 3,536,489 letters, 773,693 words, 31,173 verses, 1,189 chapters
and 66 books. The word "and" occurs 46,277 times and the word "reverend" but
once. (And by the way refers to God not man)
The existence of the Bible is almost a miracle (not in the sense of a Bible
miracle), but in the sense that it is one of a kind in that it came down through
the ages to us today intact and as a unit. It has withstood its enemies, man has
tried to burn it out of existence, man has given his life to preserve it, its
pages are stained with the blood of martyrs. It has withstood because God is in
it and with it. It has withstood false religions. It has withstood the
negligence of its friends.
The Bible is printed in around 2500 languages and dialects. It is produced in a
new dialect at the rate of 1 every 6 weeks. More than 1 million copies annually
are sold every year. Someone has said though the Bible is the best selling book
of all time, it is also the least read book of all time. Too many of us are
willing to let our faith rest upon preacher’s and teacher’s words and not upon
our own investigation.
In 1360, John Wycliff began translating the Bible into English. He completed his
work in 1382, 22 years later. Back then pages were copied by hand, it took more
than 10 months to copy one Bible. Some one must have wanted the Bible back
then......men would sometimes pay $100 for just one page of the Bible just to
read its words. Why did men want the Bible this badly?
Why should we desire it today?
Reasons why we should want the word:
1. It is from God....it is His word. John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself;
but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and
what I should speak....This passage in the Bible teaches that the word came from
God.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:....the Spirit through the inspired word reveals unto the
Christian that we are God’s children.
The Bible is written for man. 1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils;
So the Spirit, (Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, the third person in the Godhead, God
the Spirit----------always capitalized.......
So the Spirit beareth witness, furnishes testimony. The Spirit furnished Philip
with instruction on the Gaza road in Acts 8. The Spirit told Philip to go near
and join thyself to this chariot. God spoke directly to Philip.
1 Cor 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God.
We use words to convey our thoughts. No one knows what we think unless we tell
them. No one knows what God thinks unless He speaks to them through His
word-------we use words to convey our thoughts. So does God.
John says in, 1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood,
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
The word is also truth. You see the Spirit and the Word are both truth.
In Acts 2:4 the record states, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." The
Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost--the Spirit gave the utterance.
Remember these were imperfect men. Remember in Gal 2:11-15 when Paul rebuked
Peter.....listen to Paul the inspired writer....But when Peter was come to
Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. {12} For
before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they
were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the
circumcision. {13} And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch
that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. {14} But when I
saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said
unto Peter before
Peter would not eat with the Gentile Christians when the Jews were around and
Paul pointed out his error to him in no uncertain terms. The apostles were
imperfect men, made mistakes like you and I do, but the word of God, the Bible,
is perfect because the Spirit (who is truth) gave them utterance.
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to
behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the
pillar and ground of the truth.
The word of God depends upon us, (the church) for proclamation. By itself, the
written word can only sit on the shelf and collect dust. The church is the only
voice the Bible has......We should want the word because it is the word of
God......
2. We should want the word #2 because it produces faith to those who read and
hear it.
Rom 10:13-17 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
{14} How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it
is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things! {16} But they have not all obeyed the
gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? {17} So then faith
The word of God produces faith. When we read and study it, when we hear it
preached and taught it produces faith in our lives. We need to read it and study
it and apply it to our lives so that it can produce much needed faith. The book
of God’s word was given for the purpose of producing faith in our lives as we
read in,
John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book: {31} But these are written, that
ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name.
A story is told of a man who for all practical purposes was an agnostic, he did
not believe in God. He was talking to a lady who was a faithful church member.
He said, "I’ll bet you can’t
even tell me what the preacher preached on Sunday". She replied, "No I can’t,
but do one thing for me, get that basket over there in the corner and fill it up
with water for me." Well, he did and after a few minutes of running water
through the basket, the man said, "You know that this will not hold water" The
lady said, "No, but it is cleaner for just having the water run in it." So like
our minds, when the word of God flows through it, though we may not retain
everything we hear we are better for just hearing it.
But we should want the word because it produces faith in our lives.
3. We should want the word because it is powerful. Heb 4:12 For the word of God
The famous preacher Marshall Keeble is credited with the saying that, "it cuts
both coming and going"
In the beginning God spoke the worlds into existence......In Gen. Chapter 1 we
read 11 times---"And God said" John in his gospel begins, John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. down in
verse 14 he says, John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full
of grace and truth. Jesus was the word in the flesh
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast
thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how
sayest thou
4. We should want the word because the worlds were framed by the word of God.
(Bible)
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of
God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
framed-to make thoroughly fit
Heb 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
Col 1:16-18 {16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
5. We should want the word because the word quickens us.
Psa 119:50 This
Eph 2:1-5 And you
we are dead in sins and the word of God quickens us (or makes us alive). We are
brought from death into life.
Adam and Eve - heard a lie, believed a lie, and obeyed a lie, making them
children of the devil. If we hear the word, believe the word, and obey the word
it brings us back alive or quickens us. Making us the children of God.
Life is in the seed....In Luke 8:11-15 in the parable of the seed and the sower.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. There are two
elements to a seed--the physical part we see and the germ of life we can’t
see........What you plant is what you get. If we plant corn seed we get corn
plants, tomato seeds we get tomato plants, the word of God planted in good and
honest hearts produces Christians, those who have been and are being quickened
by the word.
6. The word of God begets us.
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be
a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1 Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
A child is begotten of the Father and born of the Mother. Spiritually we are
begotten of the Word and born of the water and the spirit. It is not a physical
birth but a spiritual birth. We become new creatures in Christ, the old man is
put off. behold all things become new. So the word of God begets us...(prepares
us to be born again)
7. The word of God contained in the scriptures frees us.
John 8:32-34 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
{33} They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any
man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? {34} Jesus answered them, Verily ,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
The word is truth and the truth will set us free. We become free from the
bondage of sin. We have the liberty from sin in Christ so we are freed.
If you drive down the road and see something standing in the road with feathers,
webbed feet and it waddles and quacks---having all the characteristics of a
duck, you think it is a duck. If you see someone with the characteristics of a
sinner (in other words they act like a sinner) then you think they are a sinner.
But the Bible, the word of God can free us from the shackles of sin.
8. The word of God saves us from sin.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
The word will save us and keeps us saved. We must however follow that word in
obedience for it to work to our benefit.... But God be thanked, that ye were the
servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which
was delivered you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness. Rom 6:17-18
The only way to be saved is through the word--not through a direct operation of
the Holy Spirit separate and apart from the word.
The word saves us.
9. The word of God contained in the New Covenant sanctifies us.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
to sanctify means to separate or to set apart. We are set apart by God’s word,
called out unto God to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
10. The word of God purifies us. 1 Pet 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls
in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren,
The word cleans up our hearts....."As a man thinketh in his heart so is
he".....not the blood pump but the mind.
Jesus says blessed are the pure in heart. So we need to have pure hearts, and to
have pure hearts we need to obey the pure word.
11. The word of God gives light. Psa 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth
light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John speaking of Jesus who was and is the life and light of the world. 1 John
1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
in verse 6 John says that if we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in
darkness, we lie and the truth is not in us.
Darkness denotes sin..........Light denotes righteousness.
The word of God shows us the light so that we might walk in it and have the
cleansing blood working for us.
12. The word of God gives us something to live by. Paul says to walk by the same
rule. Christ tells us how to live in Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It
is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
The Bible tells us how to live like Christ did, and live so as to be pleasing to
God the Father.
13. The word builds us up. Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God,
and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an
inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Paul was speaking to the Ephesians elders who came to Miletus to see Paul on his
way to Jerusalem.
When we are down, we can read God’s word to be lifted up and when we are up we
can be lifted to greater heights by the word. Worship and Bible classes should
build us up, provide spiritual food.
14. The word of God stands forever. Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away.
1 Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The word of God will stand, even when the earth is burned.
15. The word will judge us. John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall
judge him in the last day.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is
CONCLUSION
Do we really want the word. We should. I hope that you will find good reason to
want God’s word in your lives and we will become in the church known as men and
women of the book.