"Taking the Bible Personally"

John 5:21-40 Hebrews 4:9-16

May 3, 2009

          Didn't we have a good time last week?  We thought about everyday garden-variety worship; about living with the delight and praise of a Sabbath vision.  The gifts of God's goodness are all around us!  Hebrews 4 invites us to "make every effort" to enter into Sabbath rest.  Such an eye for God gets developed through a relationship with God's word play.

          We return to an essential bridge stone of Christian living: a life with the Scriptures.  In his helpful book on negotiating life transitions, Terry Walling notes this.  "Christ followers will not discover the deeper purposes of God in a five minute devotional.  Nor will they discover their unique contribution from a Sunday sermon."  He's quite right.  To depend on The Daily Bread and my weekly sermons is like trusting a diet of a daily dinner roll and a weekly bowl of soup to prepare you for a marathon.  You're capable of that marathon - but it takes more nourishment and challenge than that!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

          We have a "personal trainer" for life's marathon and it's called the "word of God."  From John's gospel Christians understand Jesus to be the word of God.  His life is a message.  We also understand the Scriptures that present Jesus to us as the word of God.  With the Spirit's inspiration they are personal trainers that cut right to the heart of our lives.

          We might not like everything our trainer has to say.  There are times the Bible can show us truths about ourselves we don't want to hear.  But the word of God is a good trainer!  The word will also comfort and encourage us when we are discouraged or defeated.  All that's true if we will take the time to show up and be trained!

          The best athletes and musicians practice every day, giving their best effort at the best times of the day.  The most accomplished performers do scales as well as their most famous solos - daily, in prime time.  The greatest athlete practices moves not until he or she can do them right - but until they can't do them wrong.

          Will we let God's word tell us the truth? Will we give God's word the time needed to show us what we're made of?  We need more than soup and dinner rolls to run the race well.

          We need to take the Scriptures personally.  This is often overlooked amidst all the arguing about whether or not the Bible is to be taken literally (We'll do something on that next week.).  The more important question is whether or God's word influences our hearts and minds.

          In John chapter 5 Jesus pleads with people who know all about the Scriptures.  With all of Jesus' healings and acts of mercy and power, they cannot make Jesus fit.  He doesn't fit the categories that developed from all their study.  So they rejected the Son of God in favor of their calcified understandings of a biblical god!  Their studied opinions overtook their ability to see what God was doing right before their eyes - and how the Scriptures were being fulfilled!

            You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

          Lord, have mercy!  May we avoid keeping God at arms length by our study of the Bible. Indeed, may God's word draw us nearer to the heart and mind of Christ.  May the Word of God probe us and transform us.  Let us take God's word personally!

          Let's get into better training and share our experiences!  I've mentioned Anthony Cordeiro's book, The Divine Mentor.  It's in our library now.  He suggests writing a journal to focus or attention.  Read a passage and ask God to show you one thing to ponder.  Write that Scripture down.  Then write the word Observation and write what you've been lead to see.  Next, write the word Application and put down some ideas on how it applies to you.  Finally, write Prayer and pray with your pen a little.  SOAP; it'll clean up your act!  If you share these entries with others you will grow closer to the Lord and each other. 

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

          You find this Jesus in God's word - if you will just take it personally.

TAKING IT HOME: TAKING GOD'S WORD PERSONALLY

LEARN IT BY HEART!

          Jesus and the Bible that reveals him to us are meant to have a personal impact on all of us.  Read over Hebrews 4:12 a number of times, whispering it to yourself.  What parts of the verse are standing out to you at this time?  Memorize the verse if you can.

 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

PRACTICE A "SOAP" EXERCISE

          Pastor Steve mentioned journaling Bible passages as a way to improve our daily spiritual training.  It's even better if you share with others.  Wayne Cordeiro uses the "SOAP" acrostic; Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer.  Prayerfully as God to guide you through this and share it with someone in church or in your family.

SCRIPTURE -- see above!

OBSERVATION

APPLICATION

PRAYER