THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD OF GOD
Oct
8
Written by:
10/8/2011 9:06 PM
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD OF GOD
Sept. 18, 2011
(Isa 40:8 NIV) The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
The Apostle Peter referred to this Bible passage in first letter he wrote. (1 Pet 1:24 NIV) For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, (1 Pet 1:25 NIV) but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.
There are many reasons why the Word of God is very important. In this message I would like to consider 5 very important reasons.
(1.) Jesus is the Word of God! We can see that Jesus is the Word of God very clearly in John 1. (John 1:1 NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. We know from John 1:14 the Word is Jesus. (John 1:14 NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus is also called the Word in Rev. 19:13. (Rev 19:11 NIV) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. (Rev 19:12 NIV) His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. (Rev 19:13 NIV) He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
(2.) The Word of God is the truth! We know from the first reason above that Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus also said he is the truth. (John 14:6 NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. There is only one truth. Jesus proved he is the truth! Everything Jesus has said or will be fulfilled. The most amazing concerned his death. (Mark 10:32 NIV) They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:33 NIV) "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, (Mark 10:34 NIV) who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." Everything happened exactly as Jesus told his disciples. Jesus was the first and only person to predict his death and resurrection from the dead.
Anything that does not agree with the Word of God is not the truth and should be rejected since it is a lie. We should never go against the Word of God.
(3.) The Word of God stands forever. (Isa 40:8 NIV) The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." The Word of God never changes. It was true yesterday, today and forever! We can always depend upon it. In the world we live in things are always changing. In the same way Jesus never changes. (Heb 13:8 NIV) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(4.) Through the word of God we learn the “Biblical World View.” Everyone has a world view. It is the way we look at life or perceive things. It is the lens that we look at the world through. Our world view influences how we talk and act. It influences how we treat each other. Through our world view we view life. Why are we here? What is the purpose of our life? What happens after we die? Naturally, the beliefs, values and behaviors of a culture a person lives in influence a person`s world view. As a Christian our world view should be based on the Bible. The Bible should be the lens through which we view the world.
The Apostle Paul gave a God summery of the “Biblical World View” in his message to the Greeks in the 17th Chapter of Acts. (Acts 17:24 NIV) "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. (Acts 17:25 NIV) And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. (Acts 17:26 NIV) From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:27 NIV) God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:28 NIV) 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' (Acts 17:29 NIV) "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill. (Acts 17:30 NIV) In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:31 NIV) For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
(5) The Word of God helps us to understand the times we are living in. Israel is the key to God`s time table for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Israel is much in the news today. It is not an accident that Israel is getting so much attention. The Word of God is being fulfilled right before our eyes! Through the Word of God we can understand the importance of the nation of Israel. Jerusalem is the only city in the world that was chosen by God. (Ezek 5:5 NIV) "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
The prophet Zechariah spoke about Israel as the apple of God`s eye. (Zec 2:8 NIV) For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you--for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye-- When we understand the Biblical world view we learn realize that Israel is the center of the world. Eventually, all the nations will turn against Israel. That certainly seems to be happening these days. Now Israel`s former allies, Turkey and Egypt, are turning against Israel. The result of all the nations turning against Israel will be the last Great War, “Armageddon.” Then Jesus Christ will return.
I have only considered five reasons the Word of God is important in this message. There are, of course, many more! Yes, the Word of God is very important.