Why Bother with the Bible? (Part 4 of 6)

If you've ever wondered if there really is a God, look up at the night sky or watch a magnificent sunset.

But if you want to know who God is and understand how to live a life that's pleasing to him. You need more than creation.

You need to open the Bible and read God's word today on Truth for Life will discover why every one of us would be lost without Scripture hears Alastair back with more question has to do now with not what is the Bible but has to do with what is the Bible for what is the Bible for well first of all there at the end of verse 15 because it is through the holy Scriptures. The he had a dramatic side that holy writings that a man or woman is made wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, never asking the question had I-beams all I find myself asking the question my learning what it means to live as a saved person but those are the only two options. The Scriptures are given to us to make men and women wise for salvation and to equip them. Then with everything that goes along with what it means to be say when and listen carefully. Once you upon is doing this little section is simply reminding Timothy of the impact of the word of God is had upon his life, and upon his family. We set a wonderful heritage has near godly grandmother and a godly mom. The two of them had a wonderful impact on onto these young life the way that many of you are having today. I applaud all godly grannies and I applaud all godly mom even as I revere the memory of my own mother and my own grandmother as I speak to you. How can I quantify what their prayers have meant how can I understand what their nurturing in the gospel has meant how can I ever repay the debt I owe to that who taught the Bible to me and under whose tutelage, I became convinced yes there were pastors and yes there was my father.

And yes, there were multiple influences, but I have a sneaking suspicion that others along with me this morning. Enjoy this great and wonderful benefit and never minimize it, even when your children run away and when they tell you that they would have no interest in it and they hate coming to the service and they don't like their teacher and all those other things, know that at least one rap scallion goes out before them, namely myself. Having jumped out of the window in my Bible class and run off to play with my friends having been thrown out the door by my Bible class teacher having been sent home by my Sunday school teacher on frequent occasions. I know by personal testimony, those from whom I learned the Scriptures and have become. Can then just of these things. I know not how the spirit moves convincing man of sin, revealing Jesus through the word, and creating faith in him, but I know whom I have believed, and I'm committed to that which is made available to me against the day and that was Timothy's experience the place of his mind and thinking. The key is inserted the key of the mind inserted in the lock of Scripture. Opening the door way to salvation. The Bible is a Bible under which we calm, Jim Packer years ago, wrote a wonderful little book.

I pulled it off my shelves again this week, under God's word, but he makes the point. The Bible is not primarily a book for the speculative thinker. The scientific investigator or the literary critic, but it is rather for the individual who, having learned from the world around him and from his own heart.

Something of God and of his own need now seeks to know God and to find salvation now why would that be the case will because the Scriptures have been given to make is wise for salvation. You'll notice is not the Bible that saves us, it's the Bible that make size.

Why is so that we might be saved. Read the acts of the apostles and you discover that when the apostles begin to proclaim the good news on the Jerusalem streets and beyond what they're essentially doing is simply taking the Old Testament Scriptures and saying this is him that this Messiah was to come is actually come in the person of Jesus and in the great decorative statement of Peter following Pentecost in following the healing of the game beautifully says salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. The Scripture has been given to educate us to educate us to tell us what we won't get anywhere else that let me go to confession for the last time this morning although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifests the goodness, wisdom and power of God as to leave men inexcusable, yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and all of his will, which is necessary unto salvation.

Therefore it please the Lord in various ways and at different times courting Hebrews 1 to reveal himself and to declare that his will unto his church and afterwards for the better. Preserving and propagating of the truth and furthermore sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan of the world to commit the same holy unto writing which makes the holy Scripture to be most necessary. These former ways of God revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. Now if that's a bit of an earful. They then work it out and in more bite-size chunks but actually it occurred to me that Sam 19 says this very thing doesn't it, where does it begin the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day on the day after his speech, and night on Tonight Show with knowledge there is no speech or language where this voice is not have what is that speech and language.

It is the speech and language that is known in every language of every nation of humanity under God's son where they stand out under the night sky and look up into the vastness of the heavens where the bio down before monetizing her and say look at the immensity of this where they consider the continental divide and say how could this possibly be on all of this speaks to them in a way that is confirmed by their conscience, for there is no place on the face of the air in which men and women have not been born with an innate awareness of right and wrong source is the confession confirming the Scripture, God has made himself known in the morality of man by means of conscience, and in the grandeur of his handiwork. Every time I hear a newborn baby cry and touch a leave for see the sky and I know why. I believe right whoever that was well believe what you can believe in the existence of God, but you can believe enough to be saved because there is not enough there to be safe. That's why Sam. 19 then goes forward.

I think about verse seven are into eight and he then says that the statutes of the Lord are our right, rejoicing the heart of the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.

The testimonies of the Lord are sure making. Why is this simple so that one does not happen by way of natural religion happens as a result of the Bible, taking hold of the mind of a man or woman of a boy or a girl. If you think about this.

I think it will make perfect sense to I read the New York Times and was excited to see the word Cleveland appeared in the New York Times unfamiliar with the plain dealer stealing from the New York Times. Some of their articles, but I don't often see the word Cleveland in the New York Times and it was referring to the fact that Case Western University has hosted this almost global conference on cosmology and therefore we are to be proud that this was the location that was chosen for this event and from around the world came some of the brightest physicists on mathematical minds dealing with the issues of cosmology, I began to read the article, it was clear to me that I didn't understand much of what was going on except I think that the debate was largely between two groups, both of whom agreed that the universe was expanding, but one group believe that it is expanding at a slowing rate and another group believe that it is expanding at an increasing rate and it had something to do with 5 million or billion years ago. I don't recall and it was fascinating and I said my life. I wish I could even understand the 10th of this material.

I was also study my Bible.

I'm thinking about today.

I said you know all of this wisdom cannot address the issue of making a man or woman wise unto salvation. We need the Bible for the and, incidentally, those of you who regard yourselves as intellectual sophisticates to smart to believe this. You cannot by any other means be brought to faith in Jesus, except through this, you can know enough about God to be rendered without excuse. That's why Paul begins Romans one, as he does, he says, and so all men are without excuse quietly without excuse, because they know enough about God to know that exists. Therefore, when they say he doesn't exist when the exercise their willful unbelief.

They're going against what is actually made claim to they have made a great exchange but it is by the Scriptures that a man or woman is made wise for salvation turned not only turn you to one other passage returned to first Corinthians, just for a moment to familiar words, isn't this the great argument of Paul to the thinkers in Corinth. All these people coming in saying and oppose a bit of a dimwit. He's here with some strange story about Jesus of Nazareth.

So Paul in first Corinthians chapter 1 and in verse 18 he writes to them in these as well as distant knowledge that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, just pause there for a moment. If you are perishing next to where the Bible uses another word that I used in other words, if you are on your way to an eternity without God.

When you listen to me or anyone else teach the Bible concerning the nature of salvation you think it's daft you think it's foolish. You may think it's trite and perhaps beneath your level of intellectual awareness. I mentioned this simply to let you know that God is not taken by surprise by the reaction of man and neither is the lesser Corinth jar survey and see if the message of the cross is actually the power of God for it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise intelligence of the intelligent arm of restraint. In fact, he says why don't you come up and stand up here beside me, wise man. Where is the wise men.

Where is the scholar. Where is the philosopher of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world. How do you mean Paul well what I mean is, since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom didn't know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those notice who believe who believe no one is saved without believing so really there is a fundamental question that is before us if the Bible makes us wise tells us stuff that we can learn anywhere else or tall Army prepared to listen to what the Bible is saying what is it saying to us was how the wisdom goes, the good the bad the new, the perfect God made the world and emitted imperfection man turns his back on God's sin enters into the world and the world as we know it today in man as we know him today is not as God made them in all of its pristine beauty and and reality but buddies is man messed up by his rebellion into that sorry condition God comes because he is a wonderfully loving God and he comes to introduce men to the remedy for his predicament, providing in his own son, our Savior, and a guide and a friend. And when men and women believe in that song, then not only is there life now transformed by the look forward to a day when that which is becoming new within them will become perfected and have for what the Bible says is first of all, did you know your lost, I was lost only briefly this past week in Detroit for short time long enough and I was wrong and apparently in a very way that is untypical of a man, I pull in almost immediately when I lost some caricature of man that would drive all the way to Chicago before the admit that there on the wrong road. I am not one of them. I am perfectly and quickly prepared to say help me out and I pulled in and the man who spoke like I'd sold disease causing these Norse and local he should be lost, but I was lost, but he knew it he knew enough to tell me I was going in the absolute wrong direction. So I turned around and when the other way and as a result of listening to someone who knew what I did not know the lost boy was found and was set on the right track. The Bible says that you and I are lost willfully helplessly and naturally and that Jesus has come to find us that salvation is a gift of God to us and that God is given it to us in Jesus Christ because we cannot save ourselves. The Bible is able to make is wise for salvation I can ever think of this without thinking of someone of whom I erred to my encouragement just a couple of months ago I told you this man before but I want to tell you about them again because many of you weren't listening the first time and others of you weren't here English right scientist, physicist a confessed atheist. He was quite prepared to tolerate a fight at his wife and his daughters. Three of them should go along to church. She thought it was somewhat beneath him without seeking to disparage his wife in any way. He was quite happy for her to attend. When I visited their home in the course of the my responsibilities in Scotland.

It was an interesting encounter and when I suggested that I might pray he said something to the effect of Grand Prix if you want.

It won't affect me you were to the national engineering reports he had a PhD in physics and he was bright, far brighter than me, but of course I'm used to that.

I went home got a copy of basic Christianity was around 930 in the evening. Got a copy of basic Christianity and drove back to his house and put it through his legible with a note that said, maybe you could read this and we can talk about. He radically began to talk. He came intermittently to church. He sat in the balcony never looked at me always looked across the balcony and the journey began in his life and one morning preaching through the 23rd. Some have income to the phrase he leads us in the paths of righteousness for his namesake sermon that frankly I haven't a clue what I said. I'm not sure even then I was was very aware of what I was saying. I can imagine what that phrase means. Even now, but anyway I tried my best leads is in the paths of righteousness for his namesake.

It was one of those events reset well, okay, we did that phrase. Let's move along and God saved him. What from the 23rd Sam he leads is in the paths of righteousness. This is this is in Romans 10 and nine is it you know if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

You can get saved from that of RCC are you here not support the essay from Psalm 23 you know he leads us in the path of righteousness for his namesake. Okay. Bad ever happened. Why, because the Bible makes people lie these for salvation and is missing link for him was simply he could not understand how it would ever be possible to live a righteous life and that was the final piece in the jigsaw farm and in that morning and dropped into lying and this great archetypal protagonists by was his knee to the lordship of Christ, and he was made wise for salvation.

While our time is gone will come back to the let me just give you a thought.

As you go, what you think happens to a culture to a church to a family to a life that neglects the Scriptures anything is happened to the history of the United States of America and neglect of the Scriptures we neglect God's word at our own peril. That's Alastair Bragg on Truth for Life and Alastair will close today's program with prayer in just a minute, so please keep listening teaching God's word is what we are all about you recruit for life as Alastair just explained. Only God's word can open our eyes and help us see that we are lost in the need of a Savior.

This is the gospel message. We fear every day. On this program, we know that when God's word is heard God's spirit works in the hearts of many who are listing to bring them to saving faith. This happens miraculously by God's grace and its through our partnership with you that these messages are heard. Your giving helps cover the cost of bringing Truth for Life to a large listing audience through radio and online so as we prepare to close out our year in a financially solid position. We want to ask you to reach out to us today and make an end of your donation.

Your giving goes directly toward the distribution of this program and will help continue making Alistair's online teaching library free to access and free to share with others. You can give quickly and easily online. That Truth for Life.org/donate or call 888-588-7884 or you can mail your donation to Truth for Life at PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, OH 44139 and when you give. Be sure to request a copy of our featured book. It's titled Spurgeon on the power of Scripture the powerful sermons of Charles Spurgeon have benefited thousands of men and women, including Alastair, when you read these compelling messages about the power of God's word. You'll find out why. Now let's join Alastair as he closes with prayer father, thank you for giving us the Bible is a compendium of theological ideas, certainly not as a sourcebook to allow us to argue with one another about superficial and tangential issues, but rather giving us a book that would allow us to insert the key of our minds into the law of Scripture and would open the door to discover why we exist and how you've pursued us in Jesus and what it might mean to be found and forgiven, made new. Some of us are here this morning and we have never ever believe, help us, Lord, we pray, speak into our life's show is in this book ourselves and our Savior and the Bible shine into the darkness of our hearts if perhaps someone saying well I would love to believe. I don't know what I'm supposed to say, then say something like this just in your heart Lord Jesus Christ. I admit that I'm weaker and more sinful than I ever before.

Believe it through you on more loved and accepted than I ever dared hold.

I thank you for paying my debt.

My punishment and offering me forgiveness and I turn from my sin receive you as my Savior. So then Lord Jesus speak into our lives.

This day helping us to bother with the Bible because it makes us wise for salvation and also equips us so that we might live properly on account of your grace to us many hours of this day in our walking into the week be touched by your grace and your mercy and your comes from the father and son and the Holy Spirit, now and forevermore on if you prayed that prayer along with Alastair like to know more about what it means to be found to be forgiven will encourage you to visit the learn more page on our website to find there a short illustrated video called the story. This video clearly explains God's plan for our salvation. Look for it. Go to Truth for Life.org/learn the Bible is all about Jesus leads unbelievers to saving faith through the power of God spirit. It makes us more like Christ. Tomorrow will learn why it's so important to read God's word regularly about Lapine. The Bible teaching of Alastair Bragg is furnished by Truth for Life Learning is for Living