Open the Book

John Wesley was a great 18th-century preacher.

If you never said is that you do in Savannah, Georgia. You need to see that you're visiting there and that he said this, we have the quote.

There's I want you to know one thing, the way to heaven.

How to land safely on its happy sure God himself has condescended to teach me the way for this very and he came from heaven. He has written it down in the book will give me that book at any price give me the book of God. I have it here is knowledge enough for me.

Let me be homogeneously bring Latin for a man of one book. It was a preacher of the gospel. There was very well educated, went to Oxford well educated read many many books but when it came to preaching he had, and rightly so in a sense only one book, the word of God and I want to preach a message today on open the book and by the book. I mean, of course, the holy Scriptures and some churches. There's great emphasize on rituals, liturgies, traditions, other churches, perhaps another end of the spectrum focus on performance, inspirational plantar church trying to be so cruel that they end up being a mere reflection of the surrounding secular culture and in the United States will regret the fact that there are no Bibles in our public schools, but I've often said that the greater tragedy is that there are often no Bibles in churches is that tragic that millions today throughout United States will go to church where really, there's no Bible ready basket of errors usually have contacts may be put on the screen, but there is no serious consideration of the word of God. In fact, opening the book preaching the Bible is seen by many as old-fashioned as being judgmental, bigoted, authoritarian, unsettling, not appropriate in contemporary society. Some preachers have gone so far as to say that the days of saying the Bible says out over that that is inappropriate that that is irrelevant what my answer to that is that the apostle said Scriptures say removably been studying the gospel according to Matthew. We saying that Matthew on several occasions in the first two chapters refers to the Scriptures. The holy Scriptures say in the early part of the great commission outlawed there's a sense the disciples out in the world to make disciples of all the nations.

He said there are two your to baptize those who believe and then he says your teeth, your to teach them to observe all that I commanded you, so I side with the apostles, rather than with the cool contemporary preacher of all view of Scripture leads to low view of God.

A low view of sin, the low view of the grace of God's that the Bible is not preached. If people are not saying the Bible says what are they saying what is being preached self-help motivational political activism, social justice, the preacher's personal journey, commentaries on movies techniques to have a happy life how to live a successful and profitable prosperous life. Is that what the church has come to like a kind of a rule today society message. I think one of the reasons why the Bible is not preached in many churches is that people don't want to hear it and I sometimes question if the preacher himself really believes it.

People today want to determine their own truth, millions about contemporaries believed that are no absolute standards that are no objective reference points.

Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do, I'll make these decisions for myself and many have adopted the philosophy of emotive visit that it popular today. It's a morality based on what I like and what I dislike about like something is good if I dislike something is bad. We have this on social media. It only likes and dislikes.

Truth is, then whatever you wanted to be in this man's but are no moral absolutes, or why then would you turn to the Bible at Calvary. I trust we will always say let's open the book. Here is truth. God is our Creator. We believe we believe that in the beginning God not only made the heavens and the art, but he created us in his image that we are made by God and answerable to God and God is our Creator defines what is good and what is right, the president, not the Congress. Not that not the Supreme Court, and certainly not Silicon Valley, which largely controls Google and Facebook and control social media. For example, millions today. This is astonishing is this just happened in the last 20 years or so.

Millions today. Now accept the fact that gender is a social construct did you hear the pacing statement from some airlines that they're not stopping addressing the part the passengers as ladies and gentlemen, you can say that I thought Kroger might be someone there who is migrating between male and female Sunday who wakes up in the morning and says I'm 40 years old. I've always been a man but I feel like a woman. I do not have to call me. She on I'm not quite sure when I am in so they airlines.

This is true, say, some of them but you can't be addressed as ladies and gentlemen, this is the madness of the crowd isn't that the someone is said it's a viewing of life through the lens of social media through the media, rather than as defined by this book, the Bible, surely the critical question certainly for those who take the name of Jesus Christ I can understand the atheist defining his own truth, but for those who are followers of Jesus Christ. Those who profess to believe in a God who profess the Jesus Christ is the son of God. Surely the question is always on any subject is as God spoken in this work is God what anything to say on this subject.

And so, my passion, my calling is to glorify God through the exposition of Scripture as I want you to come to Calvary church with the Bible. Is it what I got mine on my iPhone.

Okay, how do I know when you're looking for your iPhone you're not in fact check in your your texts. Let me tell you something. Yes that I travel I the Bible on my iPad in my iPhone and many other places. Yes, that's true.

But take this from me someone who knows a little bit about Bible study you enjoy your delights and moving of this next week of enjoying and find the leading and studying and knowing and memorizing this book will be intensified. If you have an actual book difficult without screen is good and there's just not the same experience.

So the beginning of this year. If you don't have a Bible by a Bible you can afford it, I'll buy one for you, but you can take the one in the pew as some of you got very many old Bibles is a lot like my old Bible guide when you been writing the nothing for years. You're living on the experiences of the past when I get a new Bible and read it, study it and underline it and put a note in the margin. Let's keep opening the book of goodbye Bible, by the way we use the English standard version at Calvary. Now, let's think of an example of people who open the book turn to a Nehemiah chapter 8, which is one of the main text this morning that's in the Old Testament's if your not sure what it is is an index in the Bible and from the view using the pew Bible, we have on the worship notes the page 412. Take a minute and turn that there one of the keys to learning the Bible is not just to listen to it, but is to actually see it market and your understanding of it. Your learning on your meditation of it will increase Nehemiah chapter 8 here. Nehemiah and Ezra to godly men open their my age, verse one, and all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Watergate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that the Lord had commanded Israel to Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard on the first day of the seven month and you ran from it. Facing the square before the Watergate from early morning until midday in the presence of the man and the woman, and those who could understand what is the end of verse three in the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law, concentration, focus key to understanding and to hearing the voice of God is to pay attention. Jesus says he who has ears to hear, like a mere these people are attentive to the book of the law, and Ezra the scribe stood on the wooden platform that they had made for the purpose and was beside him stood Mike to Thyatira Shema and NIR Uriah Hill Kia my CI on his right hand on. I and Michelle McKay, Joe pressroom has bandanna Zechariah and Michelin on his left hand and Ezra opened the book in the sight of all of the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it, all the people stood Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God and all the people answered, amen, amen.

Lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worship the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Also dress you up by nine chert Abbaye Jenin group job thigh with Daya my CI Aleta Azariah Joseph Brad Hanahan rely on the Levites help the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book from the law of God clearly and they gave the sense, so the people understood the reading Nehemiah who was a governor and Ezra the priest and scribe in the Levites who taught the people said to all the people. This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep for all the people wept as they had the words of the law that he said to them, go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who is nothing ready for for this day is holy to our Lord and do not be grieved for the joy of the Lord is your strength for the Levites calmed all the people saying the client as they slowly do not be grieved, and all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing because it is that understood the words that were declared to them the amazing passage. An example of the book Scriptures.

In this case the book of the law being open with the contact spoke very briefly the context.

The Babylonians was and is before swept into Israel and 605 BC they had destroyed Jerusalem that destroyed the temple, and he took many God's people into captivity.

We call that the Babylonian activity.

But when the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians king Cyrus allowed many of the people. The Jewish people tube to be repatriated and to go back to Israel temple is rebuilt around 515 BC underlined 445 BC Nehemiah referred to in the story returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. Amazingly, in spite of the opposition from within and without the walls of the of the Jerusalem and some of you have been to Jerusalem the walls of Jerusalem will go very quickly.

In fact, in 52 days and that the story of Nehemiah takes place at the end of the Old Testament canon. I realize the book of Nehemiah is not that at the end of your Old Testament, but Nehemiah is a contemporary of Molokai, the beginning is going to be 400 silent years before a man comes looks very strange.

Preaching a strange message that were to think of in a few weeks. John the Baptist 400 silent years, but here in Mi-8 we read of a very, very important events. Notice verse one there was a collective desire to hear the word of God.

All the people gathered as one man into the square before the Watergate does not Watergate Washington.

By the way, this is Watergate Jerusalem and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, that the Lord had commanded Israel. Verse five Ezra opened the book and the signing of all of the people, and as he opened it. People stood. They wanted that the book be brought and so the book of the law is brought in here is Ezra the priest opens the book he had the book.

He knew the book as a seven tells us that Ezra was skilled in the law of God.

Ezra 7 verse 10 Ezra had sent his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

I reread that during this week and I was very convicted because as a preacher how important it is that I and all of us to preach and teach the word of God are skilled in this book the holy Scriptures, Ezra had sent his heart to study the law of the Lord, study it, not just to read it flippantly, but to study it and then to do it.

There's some people love to teach, but they don't want to study. They want to take someone else's notes that Wunderlich quickly. A common trend and write a little outline and then regurgitate that is not Ezra he's studying the word of God and he's doing it. He is personally engaged in the law of the Lord. It is transforming his life. You want someone who's going to teach you and preacher who knows the Scriptures and also who is living at the Scriptures so challenge to my fellow pastors to those of you who lead by groups to those of you who are teaching and mentoring others.

Make sure that you study and make sure that you yourself are being changed, transformed by the word of God. It is not transforming you why you teaching it to someone else so Ezra is a wonderful example to us skilled in the law of the Lord is a priest. He does it he obeys the word of God and then he teaches it, and how wonderful the people of God, with a desire to hear the word of God do you do you come to Calvary without desire. I will be doing with a desire to hear the voice of God. We just signed word of God speak. We want to hear.

Don't wait to hear the word of God and then it says in verse eight there were those who gave the sense, so that people understood the reading state the word of God is to be read. It's to be started this to be obeyed and it is to be explained. Who was it explained to verse two. Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly man and woman and all could understand and all who could understand what they heard would be a reference to children, not babies who couldn't understand it. But young children and one of the things that Calvary that I praise God for is that we have children and students in a service such as this from third grade upwards, third, fourth, fifth graders as you come in and I hope you pick up the questions every week.

I prepare questions on the passage and on Monday tomorrow morning I will read all of the answers that are 3rd to 4th and fifth graders that I remember when I started this many years I would go at Calvary.

I got a few emails from people saying you can't expect third and fourth and fifth graders are to understand the Bible and I'm saying why not what age they going to learn that we have this phenomenon. People keep quoting the Scripture of the divide the statistic. Rather, about 75 mini percent of high schoolers who go off to college no longer attend church.

My conviction is many of them have never been in a corporate worship service at all go through Sunday school to go to youth group, but there never in corporate worship. Nortel great respect expect of children to sing the hymns see these old-fashioned hymns.

Yes, these old-fashioned interests. We expect them to learn them. We expect our children to sing hymns and we expect our seniors to sing contemporary praise songs you see with these contemporary praise songs.

I don't know about like them weeks prejudicing them as well write why because we are the family of God, and not everything we sing and do is for your personal benefit. There are people who are younger than those people who are older people whose tastes are very very difference, but it is my strong conviction based on Scripture that corporate worship and biblical preaching are essential for mature violence, spiritual growth. If you're not in corporate worship, you will not be a balance growing Christian civil I have my little Bible study. You little Bible study in the mall for little Bible studies and big Bible studies and I really encourage you to go to life group. We have large groups. We have electives with all kinds of things going on at Calvary under important. They have their place but they are secondary. Yes, secondary to corporate worship, use, and why do you say that well turn to Deuteronomy chapter 31 what is the biblical pattern. If you are a parent you know how much children can understand if you as a parent have that expectation. My parents expected me from when I was about four or 5 to 6 and listen to preaching, including boarding, preaching, yes I will bring all my dad would ask me about what we heard, that takes discipline that takes concentration that takes parents who are giving leadership to their family.

But if you as a parent look on corporate worship is casual, some Sundays, not other Sundays. How can you expect your children to see the importance of corporate worship. Deuteronomy 31 Joshua is going to succeed Moses verse 12 assemble the people, men, women and little ones and the sojourner within your times immigrants for what purpose that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God and be careful to do all the words of this law and that their children who have not known, it may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you're going over the Jordan to possess a reading of the law whose hearing the longer this is the law. This is the law, you say well it's A bit boring. It may be to you.

It's the voice of God so that the man and the woman and her children may do all that they will hear it and that they will fear the Lord. Naturally, all of us want to do her own thing. God is saying no you to listen to my commandments you to humble yourself to fear the Lord and you are to do what I am telling you because I am your God. I'm the one who delivered you from from Egyptian slavery. I'm the one is going to take you into the promised land. So here all of the Israelites, including children are hearing the law again in Georgia just a few pages over Joshua chapter 8 Joshua eight verse 35 I'm stressing this because some people don't agree with me on this, but think biblical pattern is clear.

Think of this when Paul writes to the church at Ephesus. Ephesians 6 verses one and two is a passage the children. Children honor your father and mother and children were there in the church at Ephesus when that letter was a wreck of course the word down the corridor playing a little game. I don't think so. There were there in the church healing the reading of the work unit is in Joshua eight verse 35 there was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all of the assembly of Israel and the woman and the little ones. It is the women little ones the children and the sojourners who lived among them.

When below children when below students got a sense of the presence and majesty of God, when will they attain spiritual maturity. If they are absent from corporate worship. Unlike the question asked as I say our groups small groups like groups, electives, Bible studies, they all have their place but nothing is more important than when we come together like this of all ages, men and women, sojourners, people who are new. New to the United States. People from all over the world who may be struggling with the language trying to understand how magnificent because we believe that when we come together as the church of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is within us is able to hold his footage within each of us as individual that's true. But Paul says in first Corinthians 3.

Don't you know he's talking to the church that the Spirit of God dwells within you and this and it true that while we can worship at all as I do and I read my Bible at home and I can meet with man and go over the Scriptures and all of that has its place. Nothing can replace us coming together as the people of God all different ages and ethnicities and cultures and coming together and being reminded that there's a great God.

As we began by singing and exalting our Lord Jesus Christ and reminding ourselves that there is a God, a God who loves me a God who cares for me, but also a God that I must put first and then for the word of God to be opened. Notice the response in Nehemiah chapter 8 when the book is opened. The people answered a man amen they lift up their hands and body done and worship the Lord.

Verse nine and verse nine for all the people wept as they heard the words of the Lord. Have you ever wept when the word of God is been granted ever wept in these pews of God ever impacted you that you realize that God is speaking with me ever wept at the preaching and teaching of holy Scripture say they didn't just hear the word of God the Word of God was impacting them they were responding to its and notice as I read in verses 10 through 12 that the major great rejoicing.

The toll don't grieve the joy of the Lord is your strength and this is the fact that when we come together we may as we make our way to Calvary church on a Sunday morning or Sunday night. We may be a little down, we may have had a tough week. We may not even feel like worshiping, but we feel that we should go in this and that is the case that God in his grace through the worship through the preaching of the word through the Fellowship of one another that our hearts are touched and changed and we leave rejoicing because we realize that there is a God and that he must be first and that God has spoken to me and that God is alive and I am being supernaturally transformed through this worship and through the preaching of the word, and so we must always say open this book is and why should we open the book well turned to second Timothy chapter 3, we must open this book because this book is the word of God.

Second Timothy three verses 16 and 17.

Paul's last letter to Timothy. These verses well-known to some of your second Timothy 316. Paul says all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that a man of God may be completely equipped for every good work.

All Scripture is breathed out by God or is inspired by God sometimes translated all Scripture is God read this book, the Bible, the holy Scriptures is about a breath of God. That means that the Bible comes not from man man is a human agency but this is the word of God. It comes from God. This is God's word. This book is God's word written. This only book ever written by God. We believe the truth than is arrived that not by looking within ourselves and not by listing today ungodly culture. What a foolish thing to do. Truth has been revealed that God has spoken to us. Does God speak to us. He speaks to us in his word, Paul is saying something very very important which is foundational to what we are and do it. Calvary church is that Scripture is breathed out by God. It is inspired by God, the holy Scriptures than our absolutely true and totally reliable.

Some hundred 19 verse hundred and 60, the sum of your word is truth. Jesus prays to his father. John 17 verse 17 and says your word is truth that Jesus says to Pilate. John 18 verse 37 everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice you want to know the truth about something when you know the truth about marriage you want to know the truth about what's right and wrong. Listen to God does not make sense. This book is inspired by God. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice as Jesus. And if that is true, and it is does not make sense then that we opened this book is the very word of God.

We must not only open it. We must study it. We must love it and we must obey it.

And so when we come were always saying open this book is inspired by God. It's also relevant and sufficient for every spiritual need that you have several of the Bible was written many years ago. That's true, but because it comes from God and God is eternal God is outside of time and space. He has given us his eternal word for all generations. In this book so Isaiah writes the grass withers, the flower fades, the word of our Lord stands forever, Peter says the end of first Peter one being he describes the Scriptures as the living notice it living and abiding word of God. That means it doesn't change. It doesn't change whenever Congress Congress passes a certain law to think God's truth changes because some American politicians the site something God's word doesn't change when the Supreme Court makes a certain decision. Is it all I guess God got it wrong.

Supreme Court is wonderful, wise people.

They got it right in God's truth, sadly, doesn't change when media on the social media pontificate about being on the right a wrong side of history. The question is not whether you're on the right of the wrong side of history.

The question is are you on the rights of the wrong side of God's word. It doesn't change it abides forever. The psalmist says some hundred 19 verse 89 forever. The Lord your word is firmly fixed in the heavens notice forever. Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens, but it amazes me and disappoints me when people who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are going to change their views on morality are going to change their views on marriage and the thousand other things because our secular largely pagan society has changed and you either.

We believe this is the word of God, and it stands forever, or let's say let's throw it away. It was maybe all right for my grandfather, but he wasn't as educated as smart as cool as I am and I'm going to live my life my own way I can you do that if you believe God. How can you do that if you believe this is the word of God. Listen all the wisdom that you need is a follower of Jesus is found in this book all the wisdom that you need is a family is fine.

Scripture, all of the questions we have is that how we should organize ourselves as a church in Calvary church is found in Scripture, it's the word of God. But let us not be surprised by the relentless and the constant attacks on Scripture and the motor the motor and motor culture is becoming detached from our Judeo-Christian foundations. The more attacks that are on this book and this teaching will be surprised or did Jesus describe the serpent or enemy, the father of lies and for the time of the garden of Eden adversary the fathers of lies and so the brilliant strategy one when he's had a lot of success. Genesis 3 verse one God really say that he puts the seed of doubt into Eve's mind that God really say that escorts at that and the devil continues to question attack so darts and deception under NMA constantly wants you to question the FRA day on the reliability of this book. We want you to question the goodness of God of God loves you, he would not allow that to happen. He wants you to question the faithfulness of God. The God really say that is that promise really going to be true, and in this way he casts doubts, and that this way he tries to weaken our faith. What's the answer to it is to come back and back and say let's open the book is not wonderful to know that despite of the attacks of the evil one for century. This book is been translated into thousands of languages, thousands of dialects and distill the best read book in the world is not wonderful to think and that's why we had Calvary church. I thing right from the beginning from his beginning 80 years ago the Calvary church has always supported those who are translating the word of God with Wycliffe new tribes. Other mission agencies who raise up linguists and experts and to give their time and their education to translating this book into different languages so that people can read the Bible for themselves. Since the word of God it's inspired it's inerrant sufficient, and it will not pass away. Serrano should've a really believe it.

In fact, I'm not sure if I do, do you think the fact that you don't believe it changes the truth of this book. Do you think your personal view is going to determine what is true. I remember thinking the student Rick. I remember as a very young, inexperienced attorney, I find myself representing a man who had been charged with a serious drug offense in several of the and that he was in those days, a real hippie kind or character and the but as we investigated it was clear that he was guilty of the greatest crimes charged.

So as I consulted with them. He been in custody and song. It was agreed that I would tender a plea of guilty on his behalf and to make some kind of pleated mitigation so that the judge wouldn't throw away the key, as he was sentenced as I met with this man. He kept saying I really these are bylaws I just think that people should be allowed to have drugs and all the rest of it nice about that is your personal view is not the law of Scotland and here are the specific laws and I read them to him and went over to them over them with them.

Here are the laws and hear the facts of your case you are you have breached these laws and so I said well I certainly have. And he said well is aptly guilty but he said only do it once. If you tell the judge that this is a lot of gobbledygook. I said excuse me, he suggest he said that he said you tell the old guy with a wig that he is.

This is all gobbledygook. I said, you know, I know the judge a little bit. I don't know if that's can help your case and he sent he said is I don't accept it. I don't accept the authority and that I want you to say that I should've told him to get lost, but my inexperience and I went to the judge there in Scotland with the: my Lord so I went to my Lord last name was McDonald not related to the golden arches of tall but I fear before him and asked my guilty judges got the dictation from the looks of a guy 50 guy and so he said the he said he got nothing to say misdemeanor I suggest an inner total debit man's background tried to put some tenant reasonable spin for my client and they said, but you're my client said that his view of all of this is gobbledygook on his honor source. It gives me misdemeanor. I said is what you're saying. I said the word of the day is gobbledygook and he said really. I suggest my client believes very strongly that this is a lot of gobbledygook and the judge's said well that may be Mr. Monroe.

Your client may think is a lot of gobbledygook but I'm imposing the maximum sentence FLSA and quite right. But the fact is, you may not accept the authority in the sense God gives you the choice, but this worked is firmly fixed in the heavens, and whether you believe it or not, whether you submit to or not. This is God's truth and back on second Trinity. Here we will see that it is essential for your salvation. Notice verse 14 of second Timothy three.

As for you Timothy. Continuing what you've learned in a firmly believe knowing from whom you learned it from childhood. Notice that parents from childhood infancy you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Why do we open the book because this book is essential for your salvation, how did Timothy come to saving faith the same way as anyone comes to saving faith is through the Scripture from a child. Timothy you've known the holy Scriptures. Notice what they can do. They are, they make you wise unto salvation that is for people to be saved for people to have eternal life, they must hear the truth of this book, biblical evangelism centers on Christ and his word, Paul makes that clear in Romans that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. That is a believing but before there's a believing that is a hearing and before there's a hearing that is an understanding and so the word of God is proclaimed in this book is preached. People here it people understand that and then the trust Christ was in the Jesus John five verse 24 truly, truly, I say to you whoever hearers. My word together, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life with the gospel you here. It is not my words on the use of Calvary church is not something that we concocted this is the gospel.

This is the message of Jesus Christ. If you hear it that you have sinned, but your under the wrath of God because of your rebellion. But God and love sent to center commented die for you and the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose again.

If you hear that word and believe you will have eternal life, and you will pass the government processes from day to life. Why do I preach the Bible. Well, among other reasons, I believe that for all of eternity you will be either in heaven or in hell in this book is the gospel, the good news and I preach it I have to preach it.

I have to warn you after pointed to Christ because eternal your eternal destiny is at stake. Why would we waste her time with anything else telling stories or sharing our little individual experiences rather than declaring the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament says I've said before, here life and that choose life and you shall live as a pulsing limited from a child you've known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation. But this book is also essential for your spiritual growth. Did you notice that in second Timothy three verse 16. This book is profitable for teaching doctrine two weeks ago we thought of the doctrine of the virgin birth without the doctrine of the detailed humanity of Jesus Christ.

Where do we get them from the word of God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, rebuke, you need to be rebuke. Sometimes I need to get approved.

Sometimes corrected put straight is the point you're going off target. Someone is going to put you straight by what authority they their own ideas your own ideas. No, we are corrected by the word of God, for training in righteousness of the mind of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Some of you go to the gym every day and one for notice to well done. You do that because is important that your body you think is in good shape. How am I going to be spiritually in good shape.

How am I going to be useful to my master. How am I going to be ready to fulfill God's calling in my life that I will display and proclaim Christ. How is this going to be done. Answer the word of God. Spending time in God's gym in the word of God every day every day wise that some of you are more dedicated to physical fitness and spiritual fitness good to be concerned about physical fitness much more concerned with spiritual fitness through the word of God.

Paul says we don't have time to look at it in chapter 4. There's opposition to the work. Some people come to church to have their ego's massage to be reinforcing their own prejudices and lifestyles to be made comfortable, and so on, but the preacher Paul is saying to Timothy is answerable to God.

Second Timothy four verse two Paul says to Timothy preach the word what's the word, the word of God.

That's my calling. I think that was very, very seriously. He's giving him a charge in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. This is what God has called me to do, to preach his word.

Will everyone accepted no verse for some local turn away from listening to the truth. Some will not endure sound teaching, having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their on passions verse three know not everyone will accept it, you'll be shocked to know some people get a little ticked off with me through the preaching of the word of God after mowing them I didn't write it and write it on the preacher on the messenger. This is the word of God.

Pres. Ronald Reagan said freedom is never more than one general generation away from extinction. We don't pass it to our children in the blood. Well, God's word will never become extinct. God's word will never pass away, but our commitment Calvary church's commitment to the word of God could pass away that commitment is only one generation away. I have known churches that one student very, very strongly on the preaching and teaching of this book and today are far away and the preaching another message to with the missing I'm saying to you Calvary church today so I went to my fellow pastors and leaders but to all of you the calendula member of this church will you renew will you reaffirm your commitment to this book. May we always love this book. May we study it, may we teach it. May we obey it. And may we always say open this book and that those who will come after me and come after you are children and their grandchildren someplace far as this church is concerned that there will be men and women and young people and students and children themselves that will say open this book we want to hear from God himself, a father, under God, we thank you for this book for the holy Scriptures and the prey even though they may make some person wise unto salvation. And as we begin the new year of ministry at Calvary with all of the events with all of the programs with all the things going on that very sensual and foundational to all of us will be her commitment to the holy Scriptures as the word of God, thank you for giving this word to us and for reminding us that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from your mother's, may we be people of one book for those who don't know Christ open the rise. Father maybe hear the word made to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many pass from judgment to eternal life in Christ name we pray