Sermon Title: Prepare for change; Prepare to Change (Embrace The Word of God)
“Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (John 8:31-32)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Lord Jesus Christ must be the sole certainty in the Christian’s life; and His Teaching must be the only constant that establishes, fortifies and empowers the Christian’s heart and mind.
To be truly free from the pervasive depravity of this world, the Word of God must saturate and surround the Christian’s life.
For Christ is the Truth (Ref: John 14:6); who alone, will set us free and who alone, has “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68b).
That Christ has set before us the choice to hold onto His Teaching is not only a divine exhortation, but must also be considered a divine warning against descending into the depravity of this dark world.
Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, the inevitable degradation of the world has long since been foretold by the Apostle Paul who reveals the damning spawn of the wickedness of irreverence before the Holy God. (Romans 1:18-32)
The deepest embrace of the Word of God keeps us from the defiance of this world who:
- Knew God, yet “neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (Ref: Romans 1:21);
- “Exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Ref: Romans 1:25);
- “Did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done (Ref: Romans 1:28); and
- “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Ref: Romans 1:32)
Let us be very clear.
To know God is to be present to Him.
To be present to God is to devote time to draw close and pray to Him.
To pray well, you must know the heart of God.
To know the heart of God, you must know the Word of God.
Hence, to know God is to know the Word of God.
But there’s more.
In our Lord’s own words:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
The knowledge of the Word of God is fulfilled only in utter obedience to put God’s Word into practice.
Such knowledge and practice of God’s Word transforms us into the image of Christ as New Creation beings. (Ref: 2 Corinthians 5:17)
For this is the “living and enduring” Word that saves us, and matures us in our Salvation:
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25)
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3)
This is the Word that must be “humbly accepted” if and only if the Christian resolves to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent” that stymies the heart and mind of the believer from fully attaining the Truth of God’s Love.
“ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:21-22)
This is also the Word that is “alive and active”, and “God-breathed” – which reveals a divine embodiment of the Word of God when utterly accepted and applied in the Christian’s life.
“For the word of God is alive 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.” (Hebrews 4:12)
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
For this is the Word “written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
To learn, obey and practice the Word of God prepares the Christian to have hope; but more significantly, come into encounter with Jesus Christ, our Living HOPE!
Jesus Christ – the Embodiment of the Word of God
Here we look at three texts that speak to Christ as the Word of God.
Psalm 119:9 inquires of every child of God –
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
To which, we observe in Matthew 4:3-4 , Christ’s own response to the devil who “came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Holiness is the goal of every believer; and only by living according to our Lord Jesus Christ may we remain “on the path of purity” - which is, holiness.
From the onset, God gave this command to Israel in Deuteronomy 8:1-6:
“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.”
To obey every command of the Lord - is to revere Him; and be found in right relationship with God.
To embrace His Word is to embrace God.
Psalm 119:11 reveals a deep revelation of what the believer must do to remain firmly in the favour of God:
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
To which, our Lord Jesus Christ completes our understanding in John 15:7:
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
And further reveals that if His words remain in us, our only wish, or desire, would be the fulfillment of the divine reality as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer:
“‘Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name,
Your kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Psalm 119:105 illuminates our lives on the efficacy and necessity of God’s Word:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
To which, we are shown in John 1:4-5 that Christ is both Word and Light of God
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
It remains utterly important to the Christian that to know God is to know the Word of God because Christ is the Word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
And He is the Word, and Truth, who sets us free from the bondages and wages of sin!
“ Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ...Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:31-32, 34)
To embrace God’s Word is to embrace our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have no excuse to feel isolated or distant from God.
We have His Word – along with His words printed in the Bible.
If we don’t intentionally set aside time to read the Bible, we will never know God; much more embrace Him in right relationship – having received His Grace of Salvation and Gift of Eternal Life!
If you are unfamiliar with the Word of God, you would suffer the tragic condemnation that comes with conforming “to the patterns of this world” (Romans 12:2).
For only the Word of God displaces the wicked thoughts of the human mind.
Never depend on commentaries, devotion or online preachers and teachers.
Such teachings and revelations are regurgitated information that was never primarily meant for you.
It may supplement your spiritual nutrition, but it must never be your main source of divine sustenance.
In Spirit and Truth (Ref: John 4:24) , read the Word of God for yourself!
And as the Sunday School Song so resolutely exhort us,
“Read the Bible; pray every day – you would grow, grow, GROW!”
To Change to be like Christ; our Constant must be Christ
Come what may -
EMBRACE HIS WORD – EMBRACE CHRIST!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord, I resolve this day to hold enduringly and firmly to Your Teaching; that I may know You, and be set free from the bondages and wages of sin!
May You – and Your words – be the only constant that establishes, fortifies and empowers my life.
May your words saturate and surround me; and form my paradigm and reality – for You are the Word; and You alone, hold “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68b)
Holy Spirit, grant me the wisdom to know the Word of God that I may know the Heart of God.
May I daily hear the very words of Christ, obey it and put them into practice. (Ref: Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 11:28)
Through Your words that are living and enduring, O Lord, grow me in the certainty and knowledge of Your Salvation; and deepen my faith relationship with you.(Ref: 1 Peter 1:23-25, 2:2-3)
Help me resolve to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted” in me, which saves me. (James 1:21-22)
Lord Jesus, I ask that Your words penetrate my soul and spirit and cut away every darkness, depravity and sin in my life. (Ref: Hebrews 4:12)
Through Your Presence, teach, rebuke, correct and train me in righteousness so that I “may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Thank You, O Lord, for the Revelation that You are the Embodiment of the Word of God!
Through Your Presence and Your Words, set me on the path of Holiness (Ref: Psalm 119:9);
Grant that Your Words remain eternally in me (Ref: Psalm 119:11, John 15:7); and
May Your Words shine upon me that I may live in the certainty of Your Love and Victory now and forevermore (Psalm 119:105, John 1:4-5).
Lord Jesus, You are the Word, Light and Truth of God.
To know Your words is to know You.
To embrace Your words is to embrace You.
May I read the Bible daily – in Spirit and in Truth (Ref: John 4:24)
That come what may, I will forever embrace Your Word; and in doing so, embrace You, my Lord and my God!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (John 8:31-32)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Lord Jesus Christ must be the sole certainty in the Christian’s life; and His Teaching must be the only constant that establishes, fortifies and empowers the Christian’s heart and mind.
To be truly free from the pervasive depravity of this world, the Word of God must saturate and surround the Christian’s life.
For Christ is the Truth (Ref: John 14:6); who alone, will set us free and who alone, has “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68b).
That Christ has set before us the choice to hold onto His Teaching is not only a divine exhortation, but must also be considered a divine warning against descending into the depravity of this dark world.
Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, the inevitable degradation of the world has long since been foretold by the Apostle Paul who reveals the damning spawn of the wickedness of irreverence before the Holy God. (Romans 1:18-32)
The deepest embrace of the Word of God keeps us from the defiance of this world who:
- Knew God, yet “neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (Ref: Romans 1:21);
- “Exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Ref: Romans 1:25);
- “Did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done (Ref: Romans 1:28); and
- “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Ref: Romans 1:32)
Let us be very clear.
To know God is to be present to Him.
To be present to God is to devote time to draw close and pray to Him.
To pray well, you must know the heart of God.
To know the heart of God, you must know the Word of God.
Hence, to know God is to know the Word of God.
But there’s more.
In our Lord’s own words:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
The knowledge of the Word of God is fulfilled only in utter obedience to put God’s Word into practice.
Such knowledge and practice of God’s Word transforms us into the image of Christ as New Creation beings. (Ref: 2 Corinthians 5:17)
For this is the “living and enduring” Word that saves us, and matures us in our Salvation:
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25)
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3)
This is the Word that must be “humbly accepted” if and only if the Christian resolves to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent” that stymies the heart and mind of the believer from fully attaining the Truth of God’s Love.
“ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:21-22)
This is also the Word that is “alive and active”, and “God-breathed” – which reveals a divine embodiment of the Word of God when utterly accepted and applied in the Christian’s life.
“For the word of God is alive 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.” (Hebrews 4:12)
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
For this is the Word “written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
To learn, obey and practice the Word of God prepares the Christian to have hope; but more significantly, come into encounter with Jesus Christ, our Living HOPE!
Jesus Christ – the Embodiment of the Word of God
Here we look at three texts that speak to Christ as the Word of God.
Psalm 119:9 inquires of every child of God –
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
To which, we observe in Matthew 4:3-4 , Christ’s own response to the devil who “came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Holiness is the goal of every believer; and only by living according to our Lord Jesus Christ may we remain “on the path of purity” - which is, holiness.
From the onset, God gave this command to Israel in Deuteronomy 8:1-6:
“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.”
To obey every command of the Lord - is to revere Him; and be found in right relationship with God.
To embrace His Word is to embrace God.
Psalm 119:11 reveals a deep revelation of what the believer must do to remain firmly in the favour of God:
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
To which, our Lord Jesus Christ completes our understanding in John 15:7:
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
And further reveals that if His words remain in us, our only wish, or desire, would be the fulfillment of the divine reality as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer:
“‘Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name,
Your kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Psalm 119:105 illuminates our lives on the efficacy and necessity of God’s Word:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
To which, we are shown in John 1:4-5 that Christ is both Word and Light of God
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
It remains utterly important to the Christian that to know God is to know the Word of God because Christ is the Word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
And He is the Word, and Truth, who sets us free from the bondages and wages of sin!
“ Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ...Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:31-32, 34)
To embrace God’s Word is to embrace our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have no excuse to feel isolated or distant from God.
We have His Word – along with His words printed in the Bible.
If we don’t intentionally set aside time to read the Bible, we will never know God; much more embrace Him in right relationship – having received His Grace of Salvation and Gift of Eternal Life!
If you are unfamiliar with the Word of God, you would suffer the tragic condemnation that comes with conforming “to the patterns of this world” (Romans 12:2).
For only the Word of God displaces the wicked thoughts of the human mind.
Never depend on commentaries, devotion or online preachers and teachers.
Such teachings and revelations are regurgitated information that was never primarily meant for you.
It may supplement your spiritual nutrition, but it must never be your main source of divine sustenance.
In Spirit and Truth (Ref: John 4:24) , read the Word of God for yourself!
And as the Sunday School Song so resolutely exhort us,
“Read the Bible; pray every day – you would grow, grow, GROW!”
To Change to be like Christ; our Constant must be Christ
Come what may -
EMBRACE HIS WORD – EMBRACE CHRIST!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord, I resolve this day to hold enduringly and firmly to Your Teaching; that I may know You, and be set free from the bondages and wages of sin!
May You – and Your words – be the only constant that establishes, fortifies and empowers my life.
May your words saturate and surround me; and form my paradigm and reality – for You are the Word; and You alone, hold “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68b)
Holy Spirit, grant me the wisdom to know the Word of God that I may know the Heart of God.
May I daily hear the very words of Christ, obey it and put them into practice. (Ref: Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 11:28)
Through Your words that are living and enduring, O Lord, grow me in the certainty and knowledge of Your Salvation; and deepen my faith relationship with you.(Ref: 1 Peter 1:23-25, 2:2-3)
Help me resolve to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted” in me, which saves me. (James 1:21-22)
Lord Jesus, I ask that Your words penetrate my soul and spirit and cut away every darkness, depravity and sin in my life. (Ref: Hebrews 4:12)
Through Your Presence, teach, rebuke, correct and train me in righteousness so that I “may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Thank You, O Lord, for the Revelation that You are the Embodiment of the Word of God!
Through Your Presence and Your Words, set me on the path of Holiness (Ref: Psalm 119:9);
Grant that Your Words remain eternally in me (Ref: Psalm 119:11, John 15:7); and
May Your Words shine upon me that I may live in the certainty of Your Love and Victory now and forevermore (Psalm 119:105, John 1:4-5).
Lord Jesus, You are the Word, Light and Truth of God.
To know Your words is to know You.
To embrace Your words is to embrace You.
May I read the Bible daily – in Spirit and in Truth (Ref: John 4:24)
That come what may, I will forever embrace Your Word; and in doing so, embrace You, my Lord and my God!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.