The Bible

2 Timothy 3:10-17

Introduction

1.      The Bible continues to have its friends and its enemies, often its enemies know more about what is in it than its friends

2.      It is our primary source for learning about God

3.      It is our primary source for learning about ourselves  

Discussion

1.      The need for the Bible in Old Testament times

a.       Consider what life was like for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

b.      Why did God give Israel the 10 commandments at Mt. Sinai

                                                            i.      The first four commandments

                                                          ii.      The moral requirements of the last six

c.       Consider the details for the tabernacle – “According to the pattern”

d.      Deut 4:2  

2.      The need for the Bible in the first century

a.       Jesus is called the “Word of God”

b.      Jesus chose the apostles as the “foundation” for the church – the twelve AND Paul

c.       The warnings

                                                            i.      Matt 7:15-23

                                                          ii.      Acts 20:29-30

                                                        iii.      Rom 16:17-18

                                                        iv.      2 Cor 13:5

                                                          v.      Gal 1:6-9; 3:1; 5:4

                                                        vi.      Eph 4:11-16

                                                      vii.      Col 2:8

                                                    viii.      2 Thess 2:7-12

                                                        ix.      1 Tim 6:3-5

                                                          x.      2 Tim 3:1-5; 4:1-4, 14-15

                                                        xi.      Titus 1:10-14; 3:9-11

                                                      xii.      1 John 4:1-3

                                                    xiii.      Jude 3

                                                    xiv.      Rev 22:18-19  

3.      The need for the Bible today

a.       The treatment of the Bible parallels the treatment of the Constitution

b.      The proliferation of religious views and their accessibility to the average person

c.       The competing views of those groups that claim to be “Christian”

d.      The answer remains the same as it was in the first century  

Conclusion

1.       Read the Bible; read books about the Bible; study the Bible; study the Bible with others

2.      But most of all, let the Bible teach you; let the Bible direct your life; let the Bible teach your family

3.      Our hope is in God who gave us His book and who gave us His Son