22nd Sunday after Trinity – Sermon 60

13th February 2011 Off By Derek Buckthorpe

Prayer to start

May the words of my lips and the thought of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ
AMEN

Introduction

We live in uncomfortable times – Terrorism – bombing in Afghanistan – never ending violence in Israel – Anthrax scares

It’s at such times that we need – stability – safety – and reassurance

Many people look to their governments – to the Military – to political leaders –

As Christians we should look to God – to prayer – and to our Bibles –  

Point 1   Why the Bible?

 

The Bible is our great nourisher and sustainer in times of darkness and testing – As Christians we consider it – the most wonderful life giving book ever written –

we believe it to be a good read – and to read it will do us good

Nearly all that we know about God is in the Bible – it was written by people who believed in Him – and it tells about our relationship with Him over the last 5000 years

It’s a library of 60 books – some of them brimming with action and adventure – and some extremely challenging and uncomfortable –

Mark Twain once said –

“It isn’t the bits of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me – its bits that I can”

The Bible tells the Jesus story – its soul purpose is so that we should get to know God’s Son – the living word –

God is seen and heard in Jesus – and Jesus is seen and heard in the pages of the Bible –

Many people think that the Old Testament – is irrelevant – but they couldn’t be more wrong – Jesus quoted it all the time – in our Gospel reading there are references to Isaiah, and then He quotes from the two books of Kings – during His earthly ministry – He referred to more than twenty Old Testament characters and quoted from nineteen different books.

Its full of dramas and famous names – the Patriarchs – Abraham, Issac and Jacob, Moses and the Exodus – if you’ve seen the film – don’t forget to read the book – Joshua and Jerico, David and Goliath, King David, Samuel and his riches, those notoriously bad Kings – the prophets – the exile to Babylon – and the return

Its full of history – because it deals with the way God cared for and guided His people over successive generations –

Its also full of Jesus – In the OT there are over 320 prophesies about Him – everything from His birthplace – His birth – His mission – His death – and they all fit together like a smooth fitting lock –
The New Testament – brings us face to face with Jesus – His mission – His life – His disciples – His struggles with the establishment – His passion – His resurrection –

He tells us about God – and His Kingdom – through – His parables – His miracles – His obedience – His love – If you’ve managed to get to one or more of the “I am” discussions – then you’ll know how important – the pictures that He paints – are for us –

The Acts of the Apostles show us how the church was started and began to grow – the 21 separate letters sent to different churches and individuals – guide them over their difficulties and misunderstandings – and the last book Revelation looks forward to a time when God’s kingdom is fully established

Reading and studying the Bible – will increase our knowledge and understanding of God – It will encourage us – and sustain us in our Christian faith – it will develop and strengthen our character and help us to come closer to Jesus –

As Paul writes in His letter to the Romans

“The scriptures written long ago were all written for our instruction – in order that through the encouragement they give us – we may maintain our hope with perseverance”

Reading the Bible is important – and so is understanding it 

Point 2  Looking and seeing

 

For many people the next oldest literature they’ve ever read is Shakespeare – and that was probably at school – in order to read and understand Shakespeare – most of us need to use special notes – because the language and culture has changed so much –

Well not surprisingly – the Bible too has special notes – to explain the background and intentions of the writers – and to help us understand what it says – there are – commentaries – dictionaries – booklets – leaflets – books on every book – (we have a display of them at the back of church) –

Then there are the study aids – like Everyday with Jesus – New Daylight – that give us daily readings and take us through a reading plan so we don’t miss any of the important parts –

We all need to work out what the words mean – if we want them to do us any good –

The Jews in our Gospel reading had the same problem –

Jesus was invited to His hometown Synagogue at Nazaret to read the second lesson – and to preach – They’d heard the reports of His preaching and power – and were eager to see what He could do –

He took the scroll and read from Isaiah 61:

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me
Because He has anointed me
He has sent me to announce good news to the poor
To proclaim release to prisoners and
Recovery of sight to the blind
To let the broken victims go free and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour”

And when He sat down to preach – (they didn’t stand in those days) – He began with the words:

“Today, in your hearing this text has come true”

On the face of it – things seemed to go well – no objections – no resistance – but Jesus realized they didn’t really understand what He was saying –

You can imagine the conversations – nice words – lovely voice – such grace – wonder what He means? – Surely He doesn’t expect us to believe He’s the Messiah? – After all its Joseph’s son – He might have done some good things in other towns – but He hasn’t done anything to impress us here –

So instead of the usual question time – Jesus brought their thoughts out into the open – with His own questions –

Suppose you’re going the quote to me “Physician heal yourself” – and we’ve hard your doings at Capernaum – do the same here –

“Truly” He said “no prophet is recognised in His own country”

But when they still hadn’t twigged – He gave them the examples of Elijah and Elisha – who healed Gentiles because their own countrymen had rejected them and rejected God –

This caused an uproar – healing Gentiles ahead of Jews – how could He suggest that Scripture supported such a thing – they were so incensed – that they tried to kill Him –

Understanding and reading of the Scriptures is vital if we are to grow as Christians – we must all make the effort to nourish ourselves and use every opportunity to learn from whatever source we can find –

we are the “strong” that Paul talks about in his letter to the Romans – as Christians – we know more than most – about what the Bible’s for and how it can help –

we have a responsibility to keep “strong” – by reading it and applying it – daily to our lives –

we also have a responsibility to encourage others – so that they too can be touched by Jesus and see how He can work in their lives –  

 
Point 3    How does it help

The Bible holds up a mirror to life – it reflects our personal lives – and the human condition – its about people without aeroplanes or computers – mobile phones – or cars – people who live their lives in very different circumstances to ours –

But – it deals with the constants in life – situations that make people laugh – cry – run away – cheat – kill – give their all for their beliefs – it talks about people – who are faithful in friendships and relationships – who fall in love – give birth – fall ill – who die –

The Bible tells us how we can live together as people and as Christians – how we can carry each others burdens and bear each others weaknesses –

The Queen Mother got it right when she wrote
“Men turn this way and that in search of new sources of comfort and inspiration – but the enduring truths are to be found in the word of God”

God wants us to know His mind – to grasp His heart – and to soak ourselves in the scriptures – so that we come to know and depend on Him –

 

Conclusion

 

To follow Jesus’ example we will need encouragement, endurance and hope – so we can keep going under difficult circumstances – maintain our walk with Jesus even when we have doubts and concerns –

Prayer and the Bible will help us in this – they are essential if we are going to succeed in living a life of self sacrifice like Jesus –

The issues are black and white – we draw our strength from scripture – so that ultimately we can draw our strength from God –

“From every corner of the earth turn to me and be saved; for I am God, there is non other” –
is God’s call through the Prophet Isaiah

what greater assurance do we need than that –

Prayer to finish

In the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit

AMEN