The Bible: Gods Perfect Word - Sermon

2 Timothy 3:14-17

THE PERFECTION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

Series Intro: We are all gathered here today because we believe in the sovereign God. And this
sovereign God revealed Himself to man. This man was inspired and instructed by God to
communicate His will through oral in the ancient times and in writing thereafter. Thus, we
believe in the God of the Bible; the Christ of the Bible; the plan of salvation revealed in the Bible;
and everything else written in the Bible.

We hold up our Bibles and we say, This book is the Word of God! I believe it is true
from cover to cover. It is without error and it is absolutely perfect. I believe that too, but I
fear that many do not know why they believe that. Friends, everything we believe either stands
or falls on the accuracy of the Bible. Therefore, it is imperative that we know why we believe
what we believe about the Bible.

I would like to take the next few Sunday services and preach a doctrinal and exposi-topical
series entitled The Bible: Gods Perfect Word. I would like for us to consider the doctrine of
Bibliology. That is a word that means The study of the Bible. I think it would be good for
us to get to know our Bibles better. We need to know where it came from; why it can be trusted
and why it carries ultimate divine authority. So, have your Bibles ready and follow with me as
we study The Bible: Gods Perfect Word.

Sermon Intro: A good word that describes the Bible is the word unique. The dictionary
defines the word unique as follows, 1. only one: being the only one of its kind 2. better
than others: superior to all others 3. unusual: different from others in a way that makes
something worthy of note. It is the only book of its kind in existence! Several features point
out its uniqueness, and by way of introduction, I want to share those features with you today.

The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years

The Bible was written by over 40 different authors (Among them were kings, military
leaders, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, tax collectors, poets, statesmen, musicians,
scholars and shepherds.)

The Bible was written in many different places, at many different times and by people
experiencing many different moods.

The Bible was written on three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe.

The Bible was written in three different languages: Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.

The Bible is written with many different literary styles: Prose, poetry, historical narrative,
romance, law, biography, parable, allegory and prophecy.
 The Bible addresses hundreds of difficult issues without a single contradiction when it is
read in its context and in its original meaning.

The Bible is a book of great diversity, yet, in spite of this, it unfolds a single continuous story,
and it does so without ever contradicting itself.

The Bible has for its main character God Himself, made known through the person of His
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, the Bible is a unique book! But, this uniqueness was not accidental, it was
purposeful. How can this be? The Bible achieves its uniqueness through a process known as
Inspiration. It is that process that I would like for us to investigate together today. Our
text, verse 16, says that All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The word
inspiration literally means God breathed.

If God has given His Word, delivered by His very breath, then it stands to reason that the
scripture He has given us is absolutely perfect. Lets look into the matter of inspiration and think
together for a while about The Perfection Of The Holy Scriptures.

I. THE PROCESS OF BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

(Ill. What process did God use to get His Word into the hands and hearts of men? There
are three terms that must be addressed as we deal with this matter of Inspiration.)

A. Revelation - The first step in getting the word of God on paper is the process known as
revelation. This is the process whereby a man hears from the Lord just what the Lord
wants written down. At varying times, God used varying means to give His revelation to
men.

He spoke through angels - Gen. 18; 19; Luke 1-2; Matt. 28; etc.

He spoke through an audible voice - Gen. 3:9-19; 6:13-21; 12:1-3; Ex. 20:1-17;
Josh. 1:1-9; 1 Kings 17:2-4.

He spoke in a still, small voice - 1 Kings 19:11-12

He spoke through nature - Psalm 19

He spoke through animals - Num. 22:28

He spoke in dreams - Gen. 28:12; Matt. 1-2; Matt. 2:19-22

He spoke through visions - Isaiah 6:1-6; Daniel 7; 8; 10; Acts 16, 19

He spoke through Christophanies Gen. 18:1-33; Ex. 3:2; Dan. 3:25; 1 Kings 19:7
 We do not know the exact process by which God spoke to the original authors, but
we have Gods Word on the fact that He did, 2 Pet. 1:21, For the prophecy came not
in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost. So, revelation is God telling a man what He wants written down.

B. Inspiration - The second step in the process is inspiration. This is man writing on paper
what God has told him to say. As we have already seen this process is said to be God
breathed.

The Bible clearly claims inspiration for itself, 2 Tim. 3:17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Heb. 1:1.

Paul believed his writings were inspired, 1 Cor. 4:2; 15:3; 1 Thes. 2:13; 4:15.

Peter believed his writings were inspired, 2 Pet. 3:2.

Peter believed the writings of Paul to be inspired, 2 Pet. 3:15-16.

Somehow God superintended the process of getting His word into a man and then
through that man onto paper. Inspiration has been defined as, Gods
superintendence of the human authors so that, using their own individual
personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in
the words of the original autographs, Charles C. Ryrie.

But, the question comes, how did He do this? Well, of course, there are many
different views, but only one correct view. Let me share a few of those with you.

Natural Inspiration This theory holds that there was nothing supernatural involved
in the writing of the Bible. Men we inspired in the same fashion as
Shakespeare,Milton; Dante; etc.

Spiritual Illumination - People who hold this view believe that the people and the
words were inspired. They believe that any devout Christian can be inspired to write
more Scripture.

Partial Inspiration - This view says that only the elements in the Bible related to
faith are inspired. There may be scientific or historical error, but God has preserved
the massage of salvation. The problems with this view are clear! If you cannot
believe even a part of the Bible, how can you believe any of the Bible?

Conceptual Inspiration - The concepts of scripture and not the words are
inspired. God just gave a man an idea and he wrote what he thought about that
topic.

Divine Dictation - The biblical writers were merely automatons in the hand of
God. He came upon them and overrode them. He moved the pen and merely used
their body as a vehicle to write His Own Words. If this is true, then why do John,
Paul, Peter, James, Matthew, Moses, etc all reveal differing styles?
 All of these, among others, are false views of inspiration. Allow me to share with you
the biblical view of inspiration. Most fundamentalists believe in what is called the
Verbal, Plenary Inspiration of the Bible.

This simple means that we believe that all (plenary) the very words (verbal) of
the Bible are inspired. This is the claim of the Bible, 2 Tim. 3:16; Matt. 4:4; John 6:63,
and it is the position we gladly affirm this evening.

What this means is that God gave His Word to human authors. But, He did not
override their personalities. He did, however, guide their choice of words. When they
had written down all that God had given them in His revelation, they had produced a
perfectly inspired record of Gods revelation. God breathed His Word through human
vessels giving the world a perfectly inspired statement of His Word to men!

C. Illumination - The third process is getting the Word of God to men is the process known
as illumination. This is the process by which God uses the inspired written record
of His revelation to speak to the hearts of individual people. This is when the Holy
Spirit causes the light to come on in the human heart and men see themselves as they
are and Jesus as the need of their heart. It is also the process whereby the Spirit of God
allows us to understand the truth of the Word of God. Thus, the cycle of inspiration is
complete. Since inspiration is our topic this evening, we will leave the subject of
illumination until a later time.

II. THE PROOFS OF BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

(Ill. Now that we have something of an idea of what inspiration is, how can we be sure that
our Bibles are genuinely inspired by God? Well, the bottom line is that it does come down to
faith, but faith is never a blind leap into the dark. Our faith can rest not just in the fact that
God personally breathed His Word through men, but that His Word will stand up to several
important tests as to its perfection. Let me share a few of those with you.)

A. It Passes The Historical/Archeological Test - For many years people laughed at Bible
believers because the Bible referred to places, people and events that had no basis in
recorded history. However, through the good grace of God, He has allowed the
archeologists spade to uncover many items from the ancient past that confirm the
factual nature of the Word of God. Not a single piece of evidence had ever surfaced that
contradicts the Bible at only point of its history.

(Note: Consider these important discoveries:

For years men said that a place called Ur of the Chaldees never existed. Then proof
was discovered that proved it did.
 The historicity of Josephs rule in Egypt confirmed by a tablet found in Yemen. It
seems that a clay tablet was found in the tomb of a rich woman who record here
efforts to buy grain from a man named Joseph in a land called Egypt.

The seal of Baruch, Jeremiahs scribe has been found.

Jezebels makeup saucers have been found.

Brick in Egypt have been found that were made without straw.

The death of Jesus has been proven to be a historical fact.

The list could go on for hours, but suffice it to say that the Bible has been and
continues to be proven accurate in every detail it records!)

(Note: This kind of accuracy is something else that no other religious text in existence
can claim. Ill. The Book of Mormon!) The Bible can be trusted!

B. It Passes The Scientific Test - Others have mocked the Bible and claimed that it was
woefully inaccurate in matters of science. However, time has once again vindicated the
accuracy of the message of the Bible.

The Bible says the earth is a sphere, Isa. 40:22. Man discovered this in the 15th
century.

The Bible says the earth is suspended in space - Job 26:7. Sir Isaac Newton
discovered this in 1687.

The Bible claims the number of the stars is innumerable, Gen. 15:5. Abraham could
only see about 1,200 stars in his day. Now, we know that there are trillions of stars
in the heavens.

The Bible contains rules regarding medicine and sanitation that where thousands of
years ahead of their time. (Ill. Washing and quarantine)

Many, many more specific items could be mentioned here, but these should suffice
to show the superiority of the message of the Bible.

The Bible can be trusted!

C. It Passes The Prophecy Test - There are literally thousands of prophetic predictions
made in the Bible. Some of these prophecies are quite dramatic in nature. For instance,
Isaiah mentions Cyrus the Persian King, by name, 125 years before he was born.
 Not a single one prophecy made in the Bible has ever failed, or will ever fail, to come
to pass! Some of the most remarkable prophecies are those related to the Lord Jesus
Christ.

For instance, if you were to take just a few of the most specific prophecies
concerning the Lord Jesus and His birth and earthly life, you can see how astonishing
the accuracy of the Bible truly is. Consider just these seventeen prophecies:

1. He would be born in Bethlehem, Micah 5:2

2. He would be preceded by a forerunner, Isa. 40:3

3. He would enter Jerusalem on a colt, Zech. 9:9 (By the way, Jesus
entered Jerusalem on the exact day Daniel had prophesied hundreds of years
earlier, Dan. 9:25-27.)

4. He would be betrayed by a friend, Psa. 41:9

5. His hands and His feet would be pierced, Psa. 22:16

6. He would be wounded by His enemies, Isa. 53:5

7. He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, Zech. 11:12

8. He would be spit upon and beaten, Isa. 50:6

9. The betrayal money would be cast down in temple and would be used to buy a
potters field, Zech. 11:13

10. He would be silent before His accusers, Isa. 53:7

11. He would be crucified with thieves, Isa. 53:12

12. People would gamble for His garments, Psa. 22:8

13. His side would be pierced, Zech. 12:10

14. No a bone in His body would be broken, Psa. 34:20

15. His body would not decay, Psa. 16:10

16. He would be burial in the tomb of a rich man, Isa. 53:9

17. Darkness would cover the earth, Amos 8:9.

Someone has calculated that the odds of just these seventeen prophecies coming to
pass is 1 chance in 480 Billion X 1 Billion X 1 Trillion! That is the number 480
followed by 30 zeros!
 In other words, it would be like taking one grain of sand, painting it gold, and hiding it
somewhere among the 200 million stars and the millions of planets, moons and
asteroids of the Milky Way, then blindfolding a person and sending him out to find that
one golden grain of sand. The odds are the same that he would find it!

Even if you just take eight of the prophecies that refer to Jesus, it can be illustrated
by the following. Suppose we filled the entire state of Texas two feet deep with silver
dollars. We marked one with an "X" and stirred up all the silver dollars throughout the
state. Then, we blindfolded a man and allowed him to go anywhere he wishes in the
state of Texas, stop, reach down into the silver dollars and pick one out. The odds that
he would find the one marked silver dollar are 1 in 1017, or one in one hundred
quadrillion, or one in 100 million billion. Those are the odds!)

The Bible can be trusted!

D. It Passes The Unity Test - What God begins in Genesis, He ends in Revelation.
(Ill. Gen. 1:1; Rev. 21:1; Gen. 1:27-28; Rev. 21:9, etc.) This is in spite of the fact that it
took 1,500 years to write the Bible. It is the unfolding of a single story from beginning to
end. This could never be duplicated by any human work!

The Bible can be trusted!

E. It Passes The Honesty Test - If this were merely a human book, it would gloss over the
failures of the people found within its pages. However, the Bible does not hide Noahs
drunkenness, Samsons lust, Davids adultery, Elijahs depression or Peters denial. It
tells the truth from cover to cover!

The Bible can be trusted!

There are many other areas in which the Bible could be put to the test, but I just want
you to know that it passes them all with flying colors! No human book could accomplish
this! Just what I have mentioned this evening is proof positive that we have in our hands
a divinely inspired Bible!

III. THE PRODUCT OF BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

(Ill. We know what inspiration is and we can see the Gods fingerprints all over His Word. If
we accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God, what does that teach us? What can we
take away from such an examination? We are left with three precious truths that must never
be taken for granted.)

A. The Bible Is Infallible - This word means that the Scriptures are incapable of
failing! Everything the Bible says is truth and all everything it promises will come to
pass! The Scriptures are in every sense perfect and they are a perfect revelation of the
mind of God to man!
 B. The Bible Is Inerrant - E.J. Young defines inerrancy this way, By this word, we mean
that the Scriptures possess the quality of freedom from all error. They are exempt
from the liability to mistake, incapable of error. In all their teachings they are in
perfect accord with the truth.

When people say that the Bible contains mistakes and errors, they are calling the
very character of God into question! We are told that God simply cannot tell a lie, Heb.
6:18. If He claimed inspiration for His Word, then that Word must be inerrant. If it isnt
then God lied when He claimed to have inspired the original text.

C. The Bible Is Complete - When the Apostle John laid down his pen at the close of the
book of Revelation, the revelation in the Scriptures was perfect and fully complete. There
has not been a single inspired word since that time and there never will be. God has
finished His Scriptures and we hold in our hands the perfect and complete record of that
revelation. If you lived 10,000 life times and read every book ever written and that would
ever be written, you would never again encounter another book like the Bible. In fact,
you would never again encounter any other Scripture. The Bible is complete!

(Note: The final analysis is this: when you read your Bible, you are reading the very
words of God! You can base your faith upon it! You can trust your eternity to it. You
can embrace its message knowing that it reveals the very mind of God to man! It cannot
fail! It cannot err! It will never be corrected, updated or amended! It is complete and it
is perfect!)

Conc: I trust this hasnt been too academic. I hope this message has served to help to further
anchor your faith in the blessed Word of God. I thank Him for His perfect Word! I am thankful
that this book has revealed the sin of my heart and pointed out that I was headed to Hell! I am
also thankful that God illuminated my heart to allow me to see not only myself and my need, but
also Jesus Christ, the solution to my problem.

There may be someone here that has never been saved. Jesus loves you my friend and He
wants to reveal Himself to you. Wont you come to Him and be saved today? Others here are
guilty of neglecting their Bibles. Wont you come and confess that to Him and begin a new love
affair with the inspired Word of God? Others may like to just come and bow before Him and
thank Him for His perfect Book!

The Bible: Gods Perfect Word - Sermon #2

Psalm 12:6-7

THE PRESERVATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

Intro: Last time we examined evidence for the inspiration of the Word of God. We learned the
blessed truth that God literally breathed His Word through human personalities to give us an
inerrant, infallible and inspired record of His revelation of Himself and of His Son the Lord Jesus
Christ.

I do not wish to be repetitive, but I do feel that we need to review a few of the terms we
encountered in our study, and I would like to add a new term to list.

Revelation - The process by which man heard from God exactly what God wanted written
down.

Inspiration - The process of man actually writing down what God wanted said. This is God
filtering His Word through human personality.

Illumination - The process by which God uses the inspired record of the revelation of
Himself to speak to the hearts of humanity.

To this list, I would like to add the word Preservation. This is the process by which God
has supernaturally protected His word through many reproductions and
translations. The idea of preservation holds that God has faithfully superintended His Word
down through the ages, so that even today, some 3,500 years after portions of the Bible were
written down, we can say that what we possess, what we love and what we read are the very
words of God!

Now, we have already discovered the tremendous truth that the original autographs, that is,
the writings of the original authors were divinely inspired. Sadly, none of those original
autographs have survived to this day. In other words, you cant go anywhere in this world and
find a scrap of paper containing the actual writings of Paul, John, Moses, Peter, James, Daniel,
Isaiah or any of the other biblical writers. Since that is true, how can we be confident that the
Bibles we possess today are in fact accurate and are the very Word of God? Just as the
inspiration of the Scriptures can be decisively proven using both the internal evidence of the
Bible itself and the external sources of historical and scientific evidence, it can also be proven
that the Bible has been divinely preserved down to this very day. With that in mind, lets take
some time this evening to examine this issue of The Preservation Of The Holy Scriptures.

I. SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN PRESERVED BY GODS PROMISES

(Ill. Lets examine the internal evidence from the Bible itself. The Bible contains several
passages that affirm Gods intention to preserve His inspired Word for all generations.)

A. Old Testament Promises Of Preservation

 Psalm 12:6-7, The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a
furnace of earth, purified seven times. [7] Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou
shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Numbers 23:19, God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man,
that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken,
and shall he not make it good?

Psalm 89:34, My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out
of my lips.

Isaiah 40:8, The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God
shall stand for ever.

Psalm 119:89, For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

B. New Testament Promises Of Preservation

Matthew 5:18, For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not
pass away.

Titus 1:2, In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before
the world began;

1 Peter 1:25, But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word
which by the gospel is preached unto you.

C. To my mind, the conclusion from these verses is crystal clear: God had indeed promised
to preserve His Word! The internal evidence is overwhelming! I have given you nine
passages that explicitly state Gods intentions in this matter.

The question I have for you is this: How many times does God have to say anything
before we can conclude that He means it? Once! We have the promise of God, Who
cannot lie, Heb. 6:18, Who identifies Himself as the Faithful and True Witness, Rev.
3:14, that He will forever perfectly preserve His Word, and that is good enough for
me. However, while that may be all the evidence Bible believers need, that is not all the
evidence we have!

II. SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN PRESERVED BY GODS POWER

A. Jeremiah 36:1-32 tells the story of God giving Jeremiah revelation and inspiration to
write a portion of the Word of God. Jeremiah writes as he is commanded and king
Jehoiakim listens to the word of God. He receives illumination fro the Lord, but he
rejects the message. He takes the scroll Jeremiah has written and he literally cuts it to
 pieces and burns it in the fireplace, Jer. 36:23. Apparently, he thinks that destroying the
written word will erase what God has said. However, Gods word is settled, not on earth,
but in Heaven, Psa. 119:89. God merely sent His word again through the prophet
Jeremiah, Jer. 36:28. Despite the actions of Jehoiakim, God preserved His Word!

That is just one small picture of what God has always done in regard to protecting
and preserving His Word down through the ages.

B. Down through the ages, there have been several concerted efforts by pagan unbelievers
to eradicate the Word of God.

In A.D. 303, the Roman emperor Diocletion ordered the confiscation and destruction
of all the Christian scriptures. Thousands of early copies and possibly some original
autographs were burned. However, the Word of God was not eradicated! Earnest
believers protected the Word and hid it away in the catacombs, in caves and in
graves. Thus the Word of God survived that attack!

The French humanist Voltaire once said, "Another century and there will not be a
Bible on the earth." Two centuries have gone, and the circulation of the Bible is one
of the marvels of the age. After he died, his old printing press and the very house
where he lived was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and made a depot for
Bibles. On December 24, 1933, the British Government bought a book called Codex
Sinaiticus from the Russians for half a million dollars. On the same day, a first edition
of Voltaire's work sold for eleven cents in Paris bookshops.

Joseph Stalin This bloody butcher took over all of Russia upon the death of Lenin in
the late twenties. From this point on until his death in the fifties, Stalin instituted a
"ban the Bible" purge from the U.S.S.R. such as had never been witnessed before.
The miserable man literally attempted to wipe the Word of God and the God of the
Word from the Russian peoples minds. Did he succeed? A recent poll taken
in Russia shows that today more people than ever believe in God and His Word.

For thousands of years the enemies of truth have sought to destroy the precious
Word of God. Every attempt to do so has failed miserably as the Bible continues to
be read and loved by millions of people.

C. In 1526, William Tyndale had produced the first English translation of the Bible to be
printed on a printing press. This new version was hated by the Roman Catholic Church
and in particularly by the Bishop of London. A certain man named John Packington, who
knew the Bishop and his hatred of the Tyndale translation, but who was also secretly a
friend of Tyndale, went to the Bishop of London and told him he knew how to get all of
Tyndales Bibles. The Bishop told him to get them and that he would gladly pay
whatever they cost. The Bishop of London promised to buy them wit the intention of
burning them a Pauls Cross Cathedral in London. Packington when to Tyndale and told
him of the deal he had made with the Bishop. Tyndale responded by saying that he
knew the Bishop would burn his Bibles. However, printing the Bibles had left Tyndale
deeply indebted.

Tyndale decided to sell the Bibles to the Bishop of London. He saw several
advantages in doing so. First, he could use the money to pay his way out of debt and
 have even more Bibles printed. Secondly, when the people of England saw the Bishop
of London burning the Word of God they would be come enraged. So, the enemy of the
Word of God actually allowed Tyndale to pay off his debts, correct the text of his
translation and print three times the number of Bibles that had been destroyed!

Later, when some of Tyndales associates were arrested and asked where they
received the money to print their Bibles, they answered that the money came from the
Bishop of London. This one instance is proof that God is able to preserve His Word
despite the attempts of all its enemies to destroy it.

III. SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN PRESERVED BY GODS PROVIDENCE

(Ill. Despite the fact that God promised to preserve His Word and that He has exerted His divine
power to preserve His Word, there still may be some doubt in a few minds about whether or not
we have an accurate record of Gods inspired in our hands today. Well, we do not have the
time needed this evening to examine all the evidence that exists for the preservation of the
inspired Word of God, but we do have time to look at a small portion of the evidence that exists.)

(Note: Let me say first of all that the Old Testament text has never really been questioned at
to its authenticity. The Jewish scribes were faithful copyists of the divine text. You may
have heard of all the extensive efforts they went to in order to ensure that their copies
matched the originals in every detail. They actually had men whose only job was to count
the letters in the copies. They counted the jots and tittles, Matt. 5:18, or the little horns
that formed parts of the letters themselves. If the number of letters, of jots and tittles, did not
match the number in the original, the copy was destroyed! If there was even one error, no
matter how small in the text, the copy was destroyed and the copyist started over. These
Jewish scribes were so faithful to the Word of God when they came to the name of God,
they would wash themselves, and get a new pen before they wrote Gods name. Then they
would discard that pen and use another to proceed. Due to their meticulous care of and
reverence for the Old Testament Scriptures, the Hebrew text, called the Masoretic text, has
never been questioned!)

The issue we face is related to the New Testament. The question is this: can we, with
confidence, really say that we have a copy of the inspired word of God? Lets take a
moment to examine the evidence. Every English Bible in existence today came from one of
two streams of Greek texts. One stream is called the Alexandrian Text, while the other is
called the Byzantine Text. The Byzantine Text has come to be known as the Majority Text
or the Textus Receptus (The Received Text). There is no way, in the time we have allotted,
that we can examine all the nuances of each textual line. However, we can look a couple of
astounding particulars that should help the issue to become clear.

A. The Perversion Of The True Text - (The Alexandrian Text) - This text family receives
its name from the fact that it originated in Alexandria Egypt. It was the work of such
early church fathers and Clement and Origin. Both of these men are held in high esteem
by biblical scholars, but it should be noted that both of these men rejected a literal
interpretation of the Bible, leaning instead toward an allegorical interpretation. This
 simply means that they believed the Bible was a collection of spiritual stories designed to
teach truth. Much could be said about these men, but it is enough to know, for now, that
they did not accept the Bible as it was literally written. This fact alone makes the texts
that they had a hand in creating suspect.

This family of texts rests on about 45 manuscripts, many of which are very ancient,
some dating back to around 330 AD. The two primary texts in this family are
calledSinaiticus (Codex Aleph) and Vaticanus (Codex B). These are the oldest
known manuscripts in existence. Both date from the 4th Century. Codex Aleph was
discovered in the 1840's at a monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai by a man named
Count Constantin von Tischendorf. He saw several old leaves from ancient books in a
pile to be used to start fires in the kitchen. Upon inquiry, he discovered that they had an
even older book in the monastery. The monks then showed him the manuscript known
as Sinaiticus. This ancient manuscript contains over 12,000 corrections and revisions by
someone other that the original copyist. It also contains several spurious books such as
The Shepherd of Hermes, The Gospel of Thomas and the Didache. All of these books
have been rejected by the believing church for nearly 2,000 years.

Codex B was discovered in the Vatican library in 1481. It too, dates from the 4th
Century. This manuscript is the one most relied on by modern Bible translators. This
codex has been heavily corrected by Roman Catholic copyists. By the way, the King
James Translators knew of the existence of Codex B, but chose to avoid it.

What is interesting is that these two manuscripts, which form the basis for all modern
versions of the Bible, disagree with one another over 3,000 times in just the four
Gospels alone! There are 43 other manuscripts that support this textual
family. Remember, every new version of the Bible, with the exception of the NKJV (It
gets its footnotes from the Alexandrian line of texts), was translated from Greek texts
based on these manuscripts. A whopping total of 45 manuscripts stand behind all the
new versions of the Bible.

These texts were taken, translated, collated and come to us today in the form of
the Nestles-Aland 27th Greek Text. This text is considered the standard by most Bible
scholars. Yet, it still only rests on some 45 manuscripts!

B. The Preservation Of The True Text (The Traditional Text) - The other text family
had its origin in the city of Antioch in Syria. The scholars in Antioch took a more literal
approach to biblical interpretation. They considered the Bible to be more than mere
allegory; they believed it to be the very Word of God. As a result, they were diligent in
seeing to it that they were faithful to copy it correctly, employing many of the same
techniques of their Jewish predecessors. It is this textual line that has given the world
many of the great Bible translations: The Erasmus Greek Text, 1522 (Later to become
known at as The Textus Receptus, 1633); Martin Luthers German Bible, circa
1530;Tyndales Bible, 1522; Coverdales Bible, 1535; The Geneva Bible, 1560 and
the King James Bible, 1611.

While the new versions rest on a total of 45 manuscripts, those versions that were
translated from the Majority Text rest on over 5,210 manuscripts! The overwhelming
number of manuscripts agrees with the Majority Text. By the way, when the Nestles-
Aland 27th Text is compared to The Textus Receptus, you find that there are some 3,000
 words omitted in the Nestles-Aland text and some 20 verses are also omitted. Among
the verses omitted are: Acts 8:37 and 1 John 5:7.

C. This is astounding when you consider that Caesars Gallic Wars, which was written in 52
BC has only 9 good manuscripts supporting it and the oldest dates from some 900 years
after the time of Caesar! The Iliad by Homer was written in 900 BC. There are only 643
copies. The earliest copy was made about 400 BC. The textual tradition of the Iliad ranks
a distant second to the NT tradition when you consider MSS numbers, age of
documents, and quality of texts. Tacitus was a Roman who lived from about AD 55-117.
His two long works are Histories and Annals. Only four and one-half of the fourteen
books of Histories survive, while only ten of the sixteen books and two partial books of
Annals survive. The text for both depends on one ninth century MSS and one eleventh
century MSS.

D. When you total it all up, the New Testament rests on over 86,000 fragment and
manuscripts. There is more evidence for the accuracy of the New Testament than there
is for any ancient writing, period! Do we have the Word of God? Absolutely!

E. While the Majority Text has much more evidence in its favor against the Alexandrian
Text, some would argue that the Alexandrian texts are older, and therefore they are
more reliable. Well, older is not always better!

The simple explanation as to why more early manuscripts from the Alexandrian line
exist is that the Majority texts were worn out through use. The fact that many, many
more copies of this line exist is proof positive that it was favored by the ancient church
over the Alexandrian line of manuscripts.

Conc: I have merely scratched the surface of this matter of the preservation of the biblical
text. However, I hope you can walk away this evening confident of the fact that you hold in your
hands, and hopefully in your hearts, the very Word of God. By the way, dont let it bother you
that the two lines of texts seem to be so different. When all the manuscripts are collated and
laid along side the Majority Text, they are found to be in agreement 98% of the time! Of the
2% that disagrees, most is trivial in nature.

The bottom line is this: of all the manuscripts in existent of all variations, the difference
between them that could be called substantive is a mere 1/10th of 1 percent! That is a total
agreement among all the textual lines of 99.9%!

If the two textual lines are in fact so close, then does it matter which version you use
today? I think it does! The overwhelming majority of the evidence rests in the corner of the
Majority Text and thus in the King James Version. For me the argument has been forever
settled! The new versions may contain the Word of God in so far as they are accurately
translated, while the King James Version is the Word of God!

I close with this question: has God perfectly preserved His word to this day? All the
evidence says He has! Therefore, read your Bible with confidence. Base your life upon it with
assurance. It is the preserved and inspired Word of God! God has superintended His word
through thousands of translations and copies. He has never re-inspired the Bible, some think
He did in 1611. He never re-inspired it, but He has preserved His Word and He has preserved it
in its inspired, infallible and inerrant form! Blessed be His great name!

The Bible: Gods Perfect Word - Sermon #3

2 Timothy 3:14-17

THE PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

Intro: In our text, Timothy is challenged to maintain a close relationship with the Word of
God. Paul tells him of the benefits that come from such a relationship. He is reminded that it is
the Scriptures which have taught him what he knows about God. It is the Word of God that has
fed him and led him to this point in his life. The Scripture has been foundational in making him
the man of God he is, v. 14-15. He is to continue in them so that he might continue to progress
as a believer and as a man of God.

Friends you and I need the Scriptures in our lives as well! If we are going to be all we can
be for the glory of the Lord we need a close relationship with the Bible. If we are going to grow
in the Lord as He wants us to, then we need the Word of God. The verses we have read today
have something to say to us about the purpose of the holy Scriptures. They answer, at least
partially, the question of why God gave us His Word.

Why did God feel the need to give His revelation to the original authors of the Bible? Why
did God feel the need to exert supernatural power to inspire His Word? Why has He
demonstrated the same supernatural power in preserving that same Word? While I would never
presume to speak for God, I believe you and I can look into His Word and see for ourselves just
why God gave us His Word. Lets take a few minutes today to examine The Purpose Of The
Holy Scriptures.

I. THEY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF REVELATION

(Ill. Revelation is the process of God telling the original author exactly what He wanted to
say. Of course, just as God revealed His mind to the original author, His inspired Word
continues to reveal Him and His mind to all those who open the book and read, this is
illumination and it is what Timothy had already experienced, according to Paul, verses 14-
15. Notice what the Bible reveals about God.)

A. They Reveal Gods Person - The only way God can be known by us, at least now, is
through His Word. The Scriptures reveal God to be holy, loving, just, eternal, glorious,
exalted, loving, gracious, merciful and infinitely good. They teach us that He is Lord, He
is Sovereign, He is a consuming fire, He is terrible and a God of wrath. In the Bible we
learn truth that man could never have come to by himself. In the pages of the Bible, we
meet God Himself! We could never know Him as well any other way.
 B. They Reveal Gods Power - In the pages of Scripture we can read of the awesome
power of God. We can read of His power to create, Gen. 1-2; ***Ill. Isa. 40:12***; of His
power in impossible situations, John 11; John 6 (Feeding 5,000 and walking on the
storm); of His power to heal; of His power to do anything that He desires to do, Luke
1:38; Job 42:4; Eph. 3:20.

C. They Reveal Gods Promises - Thousands of promises fill the pages of the Word of
God, and every single one will be kept, Rom. 4:21! The saints of God need never fear
that any of the promises of God will fail! (Note: Everything God does is for the glory of
His name! God does nothing that does not exalt Him! However, we are told that He has
exalted His Word above His very Name, Psa. 138:2.)

D. They Reveal Gods Plan - It is in the pages of Gods inspired, infallible, inerrant book,
the Bible that we can read of Gods plan to Save the Sinner - Rom. 5:8; Rom. 10:13;
Satisfy the Saint - Psa. 103:5; Secure the Saved - John 10:28; John 6:37-40; Supply
His Sons - Phil. 4:19; Psa. 37:25.

II. THEY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF REDEMPTION

(Ill. The Bible is the unfolding of the story of redemption. Verse 15 reminds us that the
Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation. From the moment man sinned in
the garden of Eden, there is a continuous red thread that can be traced through the pages of
the Bible. This story of redemption culminates with the death of Christ on the cross for the
salvation of the lost.)

A. They Demonstrate The Wickedness Of The Sinner - The Bible is what teaches us that
we are sinners in need of a Savior, Rom. 3:10; 3:23; Gal. 3:22.

B. They Demonstrate The Wrath Of The Sovereign - Rom. 6:23; John 3:18, 36; Psa.
9:17.

C. They Demonstrate The Worth Of The Soul - 2 Pet. 3:9; John 3:16.

D. They Demonstrate The Way Of Salvation - John 3:16; Matt. 11:28; ***Eph. 2:8-9***;
Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12.

III. THEY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF REINFORCEMENT

(Ill. Verses 16 and 17 speak of the benefits that can be derived from a careful and close
study of the Bible. After we have received Gods revelation and are part of His redemptive
plan, the Bible serves as a reinforcement tool, helping us to grow and to develop into all that
God wants His children to be. I want to point out two ways in which the Scriptures can help
us to develop as believers.)
A. They Build Us Up Through Their Standards - One of the criticisms of the Bible is that
it is a rule book. People do not like the idea that the Word of God tells them how to live
their lives. But, it is the guidelines for living that are found in the Bible that enable us to
live lives that bring honor and glory to the name of God. Jesus said that keeping the
commandments was the tangible evidence that we really love Him, John 14:15. John
tells us that obeying the Word of God is proof of our salvation, 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John
4:6. John also says that the commandments of the Lord will not be harsh to the
believer, but they will delight the soul, 1 John 5:3. Those who determine to live out the
commands and teachings of the Bible will grow! (Note: By the way, dont get hung up
on all the dos and the donts. If you will spend your time doing the dos, you wont have
the time or the energy to do the donts!)

B. They Build Us Up Through The Symbols - The Bible identifies itself through several
clear metaphors and similes. These symbols serve the purpose of helping us understand
what the Bible is and what it can do in our lives. Lets examine of a few of those
symbols today.

1. A Mirror - James 1:23-25 - As a mirror the Word of God perfectly reflects the mind of
God and the condition of man.

2. A Seed - 1 Pet. 1:23 - When the Word is properly planted in human heart, it will bring
forth life, growth and fruit.

3. Water - Eph. 5:25-27 - As water, the Word has the power to cleanse, quench and
refresh.

4. A Lamp - Psa. 119:105; Pro. 6:23 - The Word is a lamp because it shows us where
we are, it guides us into the future and it keeps us from falling.

5. A Sword - Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17 - Called a sword because it has the ability to pierce
the heart. It is equally effective on sinners, saints and Satan.

6. Precious Metals - Gold - Psa. 19:10; Psa. 119:27; Silver - Psa. 119:127; Psa.
12:6 - The Bible is referred to as gold and silver because of its desirability, its
preciousness and its value.

7. Food - Job 23:12 - The Word of God is called food because it strengthens those who
partake of it. (Note: The verb furnish in verse 17, means to be finished,
complete. It is in the passive voice. In other words, this completing ministry of the
Word is something that is done to the one who gets into the word. If you will feed
on the Bible, you will grow!)

A. Milk - 1 Pet. 2:2 - As milk is nourishes the young.

B. Meat - Heb. 5:12-14 - As meat it nourishes the mature.

C. Bread - John 6:51 - As bread it can nourish everyone.

D. Honey - Psa. 19:10 - As honey it is sweet and provides strength for the journey.
 8. Hammer - Jer. 23:29 - It is referred to as a hammer because it possesses the ability
to tear down and to build up.

9. Fire - Jer. 20:9; Luke 24:32 - It is called fire because it has the power to judge, purify
and consume!

Conc: Thank God for the Bible! God has blessed us beyond our ability to comprehend! He has
given us an inspired, infallible, inerrant record of Himself, His will and His ways. May we take
this blessed old book, may we love it, read it and carry it in our hearts, assuring ourselves in the
fact that it is the truth! And that it will develop us, feed us, lead us and teach us all the way
home to Heaven!

The Bible: Gods Perfect Word- Sermon #4

2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17

THE PROFIT IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

Intro: We have been investigating the Word of God for the past four weeks. We have
encountered the truth that the Word of God is a divine revelation of Gods Person and
Character. We have been reminded that the Word of God was divinely inspired in the beginning
and that it has been supernaturally preserved down to this very day. We have discovered the
purpose for which the Bible was given to man. It was given so that lost sinners might come to
know God in a personal relationship.

I hope that you have a deeper understanding of how your Bible came to be and that you
love for this book is greater than it has ever been. As we finish our time in this series, I would
like to examine the benefits that come from a close relationship with the Word of God. We are
told in 2 Timothy 3:16 that the infallible, inerrant and inspired words of God are
profitable. This word means beneficial, useful, and full of profit. I would like to zero in on
that aspect of the Word of God today and preach for a few minutes on The Profit In The Holy
Scriptures.

I. v. 17 THEY PERFORM AN EQUIPPING MINISTRY

(Ill. The word furnished means to be complete and equipped.)

A. They Equip Us For The Faith - In the pages of the Bible we learn all we need to know
to give us:

1. Saving Faith - 2 Tim. 3:15 - The Bible shows us our condition, our
condemnation and how to obtain our conversion. The Bible shows us a crucified
 and risen Savior Who gave His all that anyone who believes in Him might be
saved. The Word of God is a book about redemption!

One of the most dramatic examples of the Bible's divine ability to transform men and
women involved the famous mutiny on the "Bounty." Following their rebellion
against the notorious Captain Bligh, nine mutineers, along with the Tahitian men and
women who accompanied them, found their way to Pitcairn Island, a tiny dot in the
South Pacific only two miles long and a mile wide. Ten years later, drink and fighting
had left only one man alive--John Adams. Eleven women and 23 children made up
the rest of the Island's population. So far this is the familiar story made famous in the
book and motion picture. But the rest of the story is even more remarkable. About
this time,Adams came across the "Bounty's" Bible in the bottom of an old chest. He
began to read it, and the divine power of God's Word reached into the heart of that
hardened murderer on a tiny volcanic speck in the vast Pacific Ocean--and changed
his life forever. The peace and love that Adams found in the Bible entirely replaced
the old life of quarreling, brawling, and liquor. He began to teach the children from
the Bible until every person on the island had experienced the same amazing
change that he had found. Today, with a population of slightly less than 100, nearly
every person on Pitcairn Island is a Christian.[1])

(Ill. Many years ago in a Moscow theater, matinee idol Alexander Rostovzev was
converted while playing the role of Jesus in a sacrilegious play entitled Christ in a
Tuxedo. He was supposed to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount,
remove his gown, and cry out, "Give me my tuxedo and top hat!" But as he read
the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted," he began to tremble.

Instead of following the script, he kept reading from Matthew 5, ignoring the
coughs, calls, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had
learned in his childhood in a Russian Orthodox church, he cried, "Lord, remember
me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom!" (Luke 23:42). Before the curtain could
be lowered, Rostovzev had trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.[2])

2. Serving Faith - 2 Tim. 2:15 - Here, we are commanded to study the Bible. This
word means to be diligent, to labor. If we will spend the time we need in the
Word of God, we will be able to rightly divide that Word. This is a surgical term
that means to make a straight cut.

In other words, we will obtain a correct understanding of the Word of God and
this prepares us to be a workman, that is, a servant who will not be put to shame
in the face of the enemy! As we study the Bible, we will learn about the Wonder of
God, the Work of God, the Will of God, and the Ways of God! We will receive a
theological education that will enable us to serve the Lord without shame! The Bible
teaches us about the Person, Promises, Prophecies, Plan and Proof of God.
B. They Equip Us For The Fight - Eph. 6:18 - When Paul described the armor of the
believer, he only mentioned one offensive weapon: The sword of the Spirit, or the Word
of God. The word sword comes from the Greek word rhema. It refers to what was
called the Roman short sword. It was much like a dagger. This short sword was on
the belt of every Roman Legionnaire. They carried wherever they went and used it in
many tasks from preparing their food to hand to hand combat.

It is interesting that Paul should use this word for the Bible. In some other places,
the word logos is used. The word logos refers to the whole Word of God. It is
the same word used in John 1:1, where Jesus is called the Word of God. The word
rhema refers to a specific word.

Think of it like this, the logos or the whole Bible brings to mind the idea of a
complete armory. In that armory, there are weapons of every description. When a battle
arises, we should be able to walk into that armory and select the perfect rhema or
specific sword we need to fight that particular battle.

This is just what Jesus did on the Mount of Temptation, Matt. 4:1-11. Three times
Jesus was tempted and three times Jesus walked into the great armory of the Word of
God, entered the Deuteronomy room and walked out with the perfect sword with which
He could stick the devil! (Ill. It is written, Matt. 4:4, 7, 10.)

Of course, before you can do this, you must be familiar with where the right swords
are located within the armory! This means that you need to study the armory and
familiarize yourself with placement of all the swords. Then when temptations and trials
come, you can walk into the armory and find the perfect weapon for the day of your
battle!

By the way, when you try to fight the battles of life and the enemy of life in your own
strength, you will fail, 1 Cor. 10:12. But, when you fight the battles of life with the Sword
of the Spirit, you are assured of victory, Matt. 4:11! Learn the layout of the armory; it will
enable you to fight far more efficiently!

(Note: Notice this: Christian is never really commanded to fight, but he is told to
stand, Eph. 6:11, 13, 14, 15. After all, the battle is the Lords, 1 Sam. 17:47.

Ill. There is a bird called the gray heron that has a very odd mode of defense. When
attacked by the eagle or falcon it simply stands quiet and firm, using its bill as a sword,
allowing the enemy to pierce himself through by his own force.

The Christian's method of defense is very similar. We have the sword of the Spirit
which is the Word of God. When attacked by the enemy, without or within, stand firm
and display the Word, hold it forth. The more fiercely the foe attacks the more surely
shall they pierce themselves with it. Gods Word is a burning fire and all it will consume
all that cross it.)
II. v. 15, 17 THEY PERFORM AN ENABLING MINISTRY

A. They Enable Us To Grow Spiritually - 2 Tim. 3:15 - We are told here that the
Scriptures have the power to make us wise. The word means to teach or to have
understanding. I would submit to you that there are people in this room today who
have not had the benefit of obtaining an extensive formal education, but who know the
ways of God better than many theologians because they know their Bibles. Experts say
that 30 minutes per day for ten years yields the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy
degree, Ill. Psa. 19:7.)

If you will get the seed of the Word within your heart, God will water it and it will
bear fruit! You will grow! (Ill. As you abide in Him, through prayer and through studying
and meditating in the Word of God, you will find that fruit will be produced in your life.
You wont have to struggle to grow in the Lord, you just will! Ill. Furnished in 2 Tim.
3:17 is in the passive voice! How much time and effort are you putting into your study
of the Word? Ill. Psa. 1:2; 119:148.)

(Ill. Listening to some people, it is very easy to see that they do not know very much
about the Bible. The following story bears this out: A pastor entered a class as the
lesson was in progress and asked, "Who broke down the walls of Jericho?" A lad
answered, "Not me, sir." The pastor turned to the teacher and asked, "Is this the usual
behavior in this class?" The teacher replied, "I believe this boy is an honest boy,
and I really don't think he did it." Leaving the room, the pastor sought out a deacon
and explained what had happened. The deacon said, "I have known both the boy and
the teacher for several years, and neither of them would do such a thing." By this
time the pastor was heartsick and reported the incident to the Christian Education
Committee. They said, "We see no point in making an issue out of this thing. Let's
pay the bill for the damage to the walls and charge it to upkeep. Anyway, our
insurance may even cover it.)

(Ill. A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. Evangelist Robert L.
Sumner tells about him in his book The Wonders of the Word of God. The victim's face
was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He was just a new
Christian, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the
Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read Braille with her lips. Hoping to do
the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in Braille. Much to his dismay, however,
he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion.
One day, as he brought one of the Braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to
touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, I
can read the Bible using my tongue. At the time Robert Sumner wrote his book, the man
had "read" through the entire Bible four times.[3])

(Ill. Martin Luthers Bible study method: I study my Bible like I gather apples. First, I
shake the whole tree that the ripest may fall. Then I shake each limb, and when I
 have shaken each limb, I shake each branch and every twig. Then I look under
every leaf. I search the Bible as a whole like shaking the whole tree. Then I shake
every limb--study book after book. Then I shake every branch, giving attention to
the chapters. Then I shake every twig, or a careful study of the paragraphs and
sentences and words and their meanings.[4])

B. They Enable Us To Go Spiritually - 2 Tim. 3:17 - The Word of God gives us all the
tools we need to go to work for the Master. The Bible teaches us about:

Gods Works (What He is doing around us)

Gods Will (What He wants from us)

Gods Ways (How He accomplishes His Will).

As we read the Word of God we discover that there are some things that we are to
avoid and there are some things that we are to do.

As we obey the Word of God, as we do the dos and dont the donts, we will find
ourselves throughly or completely and perfectly furnished or equipped to do
the Lords work in this world!

God saved you to work for Him, Eph. 2:10; James 2:18, 20. The Lord saved us to
work and the Bible tells us how!

III. THEY PERFORM AN ENLIGHTENING MINISTRY

A. We Are Enlightened Through Their Coaching Ministry - The Scriptures teach us

doctrine! This word simply means teaching or instruction. It refers to the body of
truth that we believe and practice as part of the Christian faith. Everything we know
about God and believe as Christians has been taught to us by the Word of God! In fact,
God could never have been known unless He had first reached out to us! Like a good
coach, the Scriptures teach all the fundamentals of the faith and they instruct in the deep
things of God. By the way, we should never base our doctrine on feelings or
experiences or on what someone we admire believed. Everything we believe and do
should be based squarely on a clear Word from God, not on our own opinions,
preferences or prejudices! (Ill. The folly of the Charismatic movement I dont care
what the Bible says; I know what I have experienced!)

B. We Are Enlightened Through Their Chastising Ministry - The word reproof means
to be convicted. It has the idea of putting something to the test. The Word of God will
put your life to the test. It is like a set of scales, or balances. It will show you where you
fall short. It is like a plumb line, it will show you where you do not line up! Scripture will
put you to the test! It is like a mirror, it will reveal the true you, James 1:23-25.
 The word reprove comes from the same word that is translated evidence in Heb.
11:1. In both cases it refers to convincing evidence. In modern language, we would
call it the smoking gun. Sometimes, the Word of God is laid alongside our lives and
serves as the Lords Exhibit A. He shows us from the Word the He has the goods on us
and how we are living. The best thing to do is to bow before Him and deal with
everything that He shows us about ourselves. Never rebel against the convicting
ministry of the Word of God! (Note: Dont get mad at the preacher either!)

C. We Are Enlightened Through Their Correcting Ministry - The Word correction

means to restore to an upright or correct state. The Bible doesnt just show us what
is wrong in our lives; it also teaches is how to fix what is wrong. It teaches us about the
matter of repentance and confession of sin, Pro. 28:13; 1 John 1:9. If you will do what
the Bible says to do about the wrongs it exposes, it will get you on the right path in short
order!

D. We Are Enlightened Through Their Commanding Ministry - Instruction in

righteousness refers to Instruction that aims at increasing virtue. The Bible will
tell you what is wrong with you. It will also tell you how to fix what is wrong with
you. Then, it will tell you how to live so that you can avoid being found in the wrong the
next time around. Literally, the phrase instruction in righteous means that which
cultivates the soul. The Word of God, if read, believed and lived out in your life will
cause you to become more like Him!

(Ill. There are several tools God uses in maturing us for His glory. Sometimes, He will
use adversity to shape us. There are times when God will use chastisement to speak to
His children. However, the Bible is the primary tool God uses to develop His
children, Rom. 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:15.)

Conc: A New York enthusiast had a good collection of paintings, one of them being the
Leaning Tower of Pisa, which hung over his writing desk.

For a long time he noticed that it persisted in hanging crooked despite the fact that he
straightened it every morning. At last he asked the housekeeper if she was responsible for its
lopsided position each morning that he came to his office. "Why, yes," she said, "I have to
hang it crooked to make the tower hang straight."

Does that sound strange? That is exactly how a lot of people read the Bible. Many people
twist the Word of God in order to justify their own opinions or actions, or doctrine to make them
all appear right. Let us not twist the Scriptures to suit our own fancy. Let us be sure to hang the
picture right! Preachers and teachers need to be especially careful that we cut it
straight, James 3:1. We must not allow our opinions to cloud the message God wants His
people to hear!

There is great profit in the Word of God! But, only as we take it like it is written and conform
our lives to it! Thank God for the Bible!
[1] Signs of the Times, August, 1988, p. 5.

[2] J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 121.

[3] Robert L. Sumner, The Wonders of the Work of God.

[4] http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/b/bible_study_of.htm

Series Title

Gods Lost And Found

Series Introduction: Luke 15 has been called Gods Lost and Found Department. In these
32 verses, Jesus uses no less that 4 illustrations dealing with the lost and with Gods desire to
see them saved and restored to fellowship with Himself. Verses 3-7 record the Illustration of
the Lost Sheep. Verses 8-10 record the Illustration of the Lost Silver.Verses 11-24 give us
the Illustration of the Lost Son. And, Verses 25-32 relate the Illustration of the Lost Sibling.

The backdrop for these heavenly stories with earthly meanings is found in verses 1-2.
In these verses, Jesus is seen reaching out to the lost and dying. We are told that publicans
and sinners came to hear Him preach. Publicans were also known as tax collectors. These
people worked for the Roman government and were despised by the Jews because they were
friendly with the enemy and they placed on the people harsh and unfair tax burdens. Sinners, on
the other hand, referred to the Jews who did not keep the Mosaic Law, and were looked down
on by the Pharisees and other religious peoples.

It was these poor people who no one cared about that Jesus reached out to! In fact, He
stated that as His very reason for coming into the world, Luke 19:10; Mark 2:17. Yet, when
these people gathered themselves around Jesus, to hear Him teach, the religious establishment
went crazy and began to criticize Jesus for receiving sinners. The word receiveth means
to allow access to oneself. The very people the religious world should have been reaching
out to, were the very ones they shunned. Jesus, on the other hand, came to the world for lost,
hurting, sinful people, and He reached out the them.

Jesus, knowing the hard hearts of these religious people, told them the parable that makes
up the verses of this chapter. In this parable, Jesus uses four illustrations to teach them the
value of every lost soul. He even uses this parable to teach them that they themselves might not
be as secure as t hey thought they were.

I would like to take the next few Sunday mornings and look into this chapter in detail. I want
us to enter Gods Lost and Found Department together and learn the truth that every soul
matters to God, even yours!
 Gods Lost And Found #1

Luke 15:3-7

THE LOST SHEEP

Intro: One day a shepherd counts his sheep. He expects to find 100 in his flock, but is
dismayed to discover that one of the flock is missing. Motivated by the danger to the sheep and
the loss to himself, the shepherd takes immediate action to restore this sheep to its proper place
in the fold.

In this vivid account of searching, saving and shouting, we can see a clear picture of the
love, longing and labor of the Lord Jesus for the lost. There is a picture of salvation in these
verses that we do not want to miss today. If you are here lost today, you are going to hear how
what Jesus has done for you and how you can be saved today. If you are saved, you will be
reminded of His love and His grace and you will be given an opportunity to thank Him today. If
you are saved, but arent as close to the Shepherd as you need to be, you will be given an
opportunity to set that right today as well. Lets examine these verses together today as we think
about The Lost Sheep.

I. V.4 THE SHEPHERDS COMPASSION

A. For A Lost Sheep - The word lost is the same word that is translated perish in John
3:16. It means to be lost, ruined, or destroyed it is used to refer to being sent away
into Hell! In other words, this little sheep is in great danger! It is headed for ruin. It is
headed for destruction. The shepherd knows this and is concerned about the condition
of the sheep! He is moved to do something to save this lost sheep. By the way, this
sheep is lost because it wandered away! It is lost by its own fault! (Note: Friend, God
knows the lost condition of humanity, Isa. 53:6, 1 Pet. 2:25, John 3:18, 36. He knows
the lost condition of your heart as well. He knows that you are lost because of the sin of
Adam, but He also knows that you are a sinner because you choose to be one! He
knows where you are living and where you are headed if you do not get saved. He
knows that Hell is the end of the road for every soul that is not in a personal, saving
relationship with Jesus Christ, Psa. 9:17; 2 Thes. 1:8-9; Rom. 6:23a. Not only does He
know the condition of the lost, He is moved to do something about their lost condition!)
 B. For A Loved Sheep - This sheep may have wandered away from the shepherd, but it
was still precious to Him. There was value in that sheep and the shepherd wanted it
returned to his flock. He cared about that one little lost sheep. (Note: The Good
Shepherd loves the lost sheep in this world also! Friend, if you are lost today, I want you
to know that God loves you! How do I know? First, He said it, Jer. 31:3; John 3:16.
Second, He showed it, Rom. 5:6-8! If you ever doubt the love of God for you, then look
no farther than Calvary!)

C. For A Lone Sheep - Just one sheep was missing, yet the shepherd still went. Another
shepherd might have counted the personal cost and decided to let that one sheep go
and be lost forever. But, this shepherd saw the value in just one sheep and he went after
it. (Note: Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came to this world to die for the lost sheep -Luke
19:10. I am convinced that Jesus Christ came into this world to die because He deemed
every lost soul precious - Ill. Luke 15:7; John 10:3; Rom. 10:13; Rev. 22:17.Friend, He
died for you!)

II. V. 5 THE SHEPHERDS COMMITMENT

A. It Was A Sacrificial Commitment - For the shepherd, the search was dangerous and
death was a possibility. (Note: For the Lord Jesus, death was an absolute certainty -
John 10:11; John 15:13; Rev. 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; John 18:37. Remember the price
Jesus paid extended far beyond Calvary - Phil. 2:5-8.)

B. It Was A Successful Commitment - The shepherd did not stop until his mission had
been completed and the sheep had been found! Jesus did not stop on His quest until He
was able to cry, It is finished, John 19:30! (Ill. Isa. 50:7) (Ill. Mark 10:45) His labor
had not been wasted, but He returned to the fold with the very thing He went after! (Ill. It
may appear to us that Gods cause is failing in this world, but Jesus will not be
disappointed by the harvest He reaps from this world! When we arrive home in glory, we
will learn that the Good Shepherd perfectly fulfilled His mission, and all those He saved
by His blood will be home in Heaven! - John 17:24; John 6:37-40 - Notice the usage of
the words all and every one.)

III. V. 6-7 THE SHEPHERDS CONQUEST

A. It Involves Rescue - The sheep has been found and is rescued from the danger in which
it had been! (Ill. The word saved means to rescue from all harm and danger. That
is what the Great Shepherd does for all His sheep! His delivers them from the danger
and the damage of their sins! All of Gods sheep are delivered from the Penalty,John
3:18, 36; the Power, Rom. 6:11-14 and ultimately from the very the Presence of their
sins, Rev. 21:27.)
 B. It Involves Rest - The sheep is not responsible for getting itself home. It may have
wandered away, but the getting home is the responsibility of the shepherd! After it is
saved,it finds itself resting upon the strong shoulders of the shepherd! (Ill. Thank
God, the Lords sheep are not responsible for getting themselves home either, but they
are kept by the power of God, 1 Pet. 1:5, and they rest upon His precious promises
for their salvation, John 10:28; John 6:37-40; John 6:47; Heb. 9:12. The Lords sheep
are saved by grace and it is grace that sees them home, Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 11:6. None
of the Lords sheep need ever fear being left behind!)

The shepherd was able to lift the sheep and bear it upon his shoulders all the way back to
the fold. He had sufficient stamina to finish what he had started. (Ill. The Lord did not
start this mission to fail. He went after the sheep for the express purpose of bringing
them home! Notice His confidence - Luke 19:10, to seek and to save; John
6:37,him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out; Heb. 13:5, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee; John 3:16; John 5:24; John 6:47; John 10:28. Dont worry
about ever being lost again, just be sure you get in! Our strength will wain along the way
and we will fail many times, but His strength never wavers! Our arrival in Heaven has
never and will never depend upon you and me, but upon Him!)

C. It Involves Rejoicing - This shepherd was able to rejoice with his friends and neighbors
because his lost sheep was found. He was overjoyed with the rescue of this one, lost
sheep. (Note: Jesus makes it clear that Heaven gets excited about the salvation of
just ONE lost soul! Why? Because fellowship has been restored, Eph. 2:12-17; Job
9:33. Because usefulness has been restored. God cant use a dirty vessel, but He can
save a sinner by His grace and use them in amazing ways for His glory!

Conc: Friend, where are you in your relationship to the Shepherd? Are you lost out on the dark
mountains of sin? Do you need to be rescued today? If so, then you can be saved if you will
come to Jesus! Others are saved, but are you as close to Him as you need to be today? If there
is a need in your walk with Jesus, you come and talk to Him about it. Others are saved, sure,
and secure on the Shepherds shoulders today, why dont you just come before Him to worship
Him, thank Him and to pray for the lost in our midst today? Still other know and are concerned
over lost folks today. Notice that this shepherd left the 99 and went after the lost one. If there
was ever a day when the church needed to get her eyes off the 99 and on the lost one it is now!
If there is a need, then you come before the Lord and get the help you need right now.

Gods Lost and Found Series #2

Luke 15:8-10

THE LOST SILVER

Intro: Recently, during the process of moving from our old house to the house in which we now
live, I was amazed at the amount of loose change I found lying around here and there. There
were pennies, nickels, dime and quarters in the strangest places, all just waiting to be found and
put to use. How many times have we seen pennies in the floorboard of the car, in the bottom of
the washing machine or just lying on the sidewalk and said, Well, its just a penny. It isnt
worth the effort to pick it up.?

In truth, we are very wrong in our judgement regarding the worth of that lone cent. If took the
time to pick up each penny you found, in a short time, you would have a dollar, then two, then
ten, etc. Benjamin Franklin said, A penny saved is a penny earned. He was absolutely right!
When we reach down and save just a single penny from disuse, we have earned ourselves
something that has the potential to contribute something of value to our lives.

In this illustration, Jesus tells the story of a woman who lost one coin. Instead of just
shrugging her shoulders and walking away, she went about the process of finding that coin and
restoring it to its proper place. This illustration, as well as the illustrations of the Lost Sheep and
of the Lost Son, are designed to teach us that God sees the value in every single individual! For
instance, in the illustration of the Lost Sheep, the shepherd was looking for just 1 out of 100. In
the story of the Lost Silver, the woman is looking for 1 out of 10. In the illustration of the Lost
Son, the father is looking for 1 out of 2. In the story of the Lost Sibling, the father goes to him 1
on 1.

I would like to take a few minutes this morning to look into these precious verses. I want to
see why this woman attached such value to just one coin and why she went to such lengths to
insure that it was restored to its proper place. There are some reasons why all of this happened
and are revealed to us in the illustration of The Lost Silver.

I. THE SILVER WAS INVALUABLE

A. In that day, married women wore a headband that was made up of coins strung together.
These coins were typically given to the bride by her father when she was married. This
headband served several functions in the life of the married woman of that time.

1. It declared her status as a married women. It told other men that she was
unavailable. It served the same purpose as our wedding ring.

2. Those coins also declared her independence. They were a constant reminder to
her husband that if he divorced her, she was able to make a fresh start. She might
be his wife, but she could make it without him. This one coin was the equivalent of 1
days wages. Evidently, she and her husband were very poor, because she only
possessed 10 coins. Many wealthy women wore headbands comprised of dozens of
coins
 3. It was used to identify sinful women. When a woman had been guilty of
unfaithfulness, a coin was sometimes removed from her headband to tell everyone
who saw her that she was an adulteress.

4. In other words, these coins were there to bring glory to the bride! As long as that coin
was missing, her beauty was marred and incomplete! With this in mind, it is easy to
see why the loss of one coin was enough to cause this woman to fly into action to
find it.

B. That coin was precious to this woman. That is why she gets so worked up over it.
However, it had absolutely no value at all while it was lost! It was good for nothing! It
could not adorn her head. It could not grace her life. It could not be used to provide the
essentials of life. It was useless as long as it was lost. That is why it was imperative that
it be found! It was just one piece of silver, but it was worth everything to this woman! The
silver was out of place and out of service!

C. Of course, the object of this parable is to teach the value of one sinner to the Lord. You
see, like that lost silver, people were not created to live lives of sin and disobedience to
the Lord! God made man for one purpose: for His Own glory, Isa. 43:7! When God made
man, He made him in His image, Gen. 1:26. He made man for fellowship, so that He
could walk with man in the cool of the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3:8. When man sinned, he
became a lost soul. His sin separated him from the presence of God, Gen. 3:23; Isa.
59:2.

A life lived for the Lord is a beautiful and powerful thing, but a lost life is of no value at
all! But, when that life is found and restored to its proper place by the power of God, that
life can be all God designed it to be in the first place!

D. For this woman, her life could not be complete until she had found the coin that she had
lost. It filled an important place in her life. God is complete with or without you and me,
but when we are saved by His grace, filled with His Spirit and used for His glory, we
serve the function of adorning the Lord and of bringing glory to His Name!

II. THE SEARCH WAS INTENSE

A. When this woman realizes that a coin has been lost, she springs into action to see that it
is restored. To her, it is a valuable thing! She lights a light, begins to move things about
and to sweep and search the house until the coin is found. She had a will to find it,
she worked to find and in the end, she won because she found it!

B. That coin was lost in the darkness (Houses in that day had no windows), it was lost in
the dirt (Houses in that day had dirt floors), it was lost in disuse(A lost coin cannot be
used), and it was lost in the dwelling (It was lost in the house). What a picture that coin
is of men who do not know the Lord!
 1. Lost men are in darkness - They may be brilliant intellectually speaking, but
spiritually, they are blind, 2 Cor. 4:4. They are all lost in the black darkness of
spiritual ignorance! They do not know their condition and they do not know what they
need, until they are sought after by the Lord, Eph. 2:1; John 6:44.

2. Lost men are in the dirt - When a coin was stamped, it was stamped with the image
of the ruler. When a coin was lost in the dirt, the image of the ruler on that coin would
be hidden and marred. So it is with lost men! They were made in the image of God,
but that image has been marred and they need to be cleansed so that the image of
the Lord might be restored. (Ill. If you dont think men are dirty, just look at our world!)
Man needs someone to reach into the dirt of his life, lift him out and clean him up! (Ill.
Men tend toward dirt, just fail to bathe for several days and see what I mean. That is
also true spiritually! Men tend toward dirt! They need the intervention of the Lord to
cleanse than and make them whole again.)

3. Lost men are in disuse - Just as a lost coin is unusable, so is a lost life. It must be
cleansed and restored before the Lord can use it for His glory.

4. Lost men are everywhere, even in the dwelling - I have found lost coins in the car,
in the yard and one the street. I have also found them in the house. The same is true
with lost men, they may be found everywhere, even in the house of the Lord!

C. When this coin goes missing, this woman sets about the business of finding it. She
makes up her mind to do whatever it takes to find her lost coin. And, thats just what she
does! She lights a light, moves the furniture, sweeps the floor and looks everywhere for
her lost coin. And, she does not stop until she has found it!

In this, she is a picture of God! He has done everything that is necessary for the
salvation of lost people. He loves them, Rom. 5:8; Jer. 31:3; He provided a perfect
salvation,Acts 16:31; He gave His Son to pay the redemption price, 1 Pet. 1:18-19;
Rev. 1:5; John 3:16; He calls men to come to Him, Matt. 11:28; John 6:44; when they
come, He saves them completely and eternally, John 10:28. He has a perfect plan to
save lost people!

D. We may wonder why this woman went to all this trouble over one coin. We spend more
than a days wage on a room for vacation, or we blow that much on junk from time to
time. Her reason was that this one coin was of immeasurable value to her. She was
willing to do anything to see it restored! To her, one coin had tremendous value.

When it comes to people, we live in a society that places little value on the individual.
Think of child abuse, or the fact that we are reduced to mere numbers (Social Security
Number; Inspector #12, etc.). But, from Gods perspective, every person has value!
Praise His name that He saw value in your and me! He loves those who are lost and He
labors to find them and save them! Regardless of who you are, the Lord loves you and
sees value in your life. He will save you, cleanse you, change you and use you, if you
will come to Him by faith! (Ill. At the end of the way, every coin will be in its proper
place!)
III. THE SUCCESS WAS INDESCRIBABLE

A. When this woman found that coin, she retrieved it and she restored it to is proper place.
Just as that coin could not lift itself out of the darkness, the dirt and the disuse it was
in, neither can the lost man deliver himself. But, when the Lord comes to the lost sinner,
He releases him from his darkness, removes him from his dirt and redeems him
from his disuse, Eph. 2:1-22! This was a cause for rejoicing, so she called her friends
and neighbors together and said, Lets have a party! I found the coin that was
lost! And they began to rejoice! What a happy day it was for this woman.

B. Verse 10 makes the transition to Heaven. We are told that there is rejoicing in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents. Heaven gets excited when a
lost one is found! Why? Something of value has been restored to its proper place. God is
glorified. A soul misses Hell. That which was unusable is available for the Masters use.
That which was dirty and made ugly by sin is clean and beautiful by the grace of God! It
is a glorious day when a lost person is saved by the grace of the Lord God! Nothing
honors Him like a soul being saved!

Conc: If there is a final word it is this: God is interested in what others think is worthless! He
doesnt care what you may think about your own worth. He does not care what others may think
about your worth. He looks at you through the eyes of His love and grace and sees you as
being worthy of His Son. If you are like that coin, lost in the darkness, the dirt and the disuse of
your sin, I invite you to come to the Lord this morning. You might even be lost in the dwelling
this morning; a church member but never saved. You need to come to Jesus! He is still
seeking and saving that which is lost. If there is a need, or if there is just praise in your
heart this morning for the day He lifted you out of you darkness, your dirt and the disuse of your
sin, this altar is open! You see, to God, there is value in your life!

Gods Lost and Found Department #3

Luke 15:11-24

THE LOST SON

Intro: For the last three weeks, our attention has been focused on Gods Lost and Found
Department. Verses 1-2 of this chapter tell us what motivated Jesus to give the four
illustrations that make up these verses. The enemies of Jesus were criticizing Him because He
received sinners. They are astounded that someone like Jesus Christ would spend His time with
publicans and sinners. They are stunned that He would receive such wicked and evil people.
In response, Jesus tells them four stories. All of these stories are designed to teach the same
great truth: Every soul is precious to God, even yours!

Today, we are going to look at the illustration of The Lost Son. As Jesus moves through
these stories, He is placing greater and greater emphasis upon the value of the thing lost. In the
illustration of The Lost Sheep, there was 1 sheep out of 100 missing, just 1%. In the illustration
of The Lost Silver, there was 1 coin out of 10 missing, 10%. In the illustration of The Lost Son,
there is 1 son out of 2 missing, or 50 %. In the first 2 stories, the objects missing were animal
and material. In this illustration, the object missing is a human. Each time, the object lost grows
in value and importance. Jesus is trying to tell us that Every soul is precious to God, even
yours!

Now, many preachers will use this passage to preach to backsliders. And, there is plenty of
application available to use it in that fashion. However, the actual interpretation of this passage
deals with lost things. The Lord is speaking about the salvation of lost souls and He is trying to
impress upon all those who read this passage that Every soul is precious to God, even
yours!

With these introductory thoughts in mind, lets turn our attention to the message contained in
these verses. It may be that there are lost ones in the service today. If so, let the Lord show you
how precious you are to Him and come to Him for salvation. It may be that there are saved ones
here today, and you are not as close to the Lord as you used to be. I hope you learn the truth
this morning that you can come home again. All I ask is that you allow the Lord to speak to your
hearts today and that you heed His voice when He does. Lets look into this passage and
consider together the illustration of The Lord Son.

I. V. 11-12 A HARSH REQUEST

(Ill. The request of this younger son was for his share of the inheritance. According to Deut.
21:17, he was entitled to one-third of his fathers estate. His request was legal, since a man
could divide his estate while he lived, but it certainly was a cruel request nonetheless.)

A. It Was A Shocking Request - When this boy asked for his father to divide the estate, he
was in effect saying, I wish you were dead and no more say in my life! I am tired of
you and I want to be free from you and your control in my life. Few of us would
ever say that to our dads! (Note: The lost man lives his life with just that attitude! He
might as well say to God, I wish you were dead! Because, he lives his life as if God
was dead!)

B. It Was A Selfish Request - Notice what this boy said to his father: Give me! His focus
is on me. His life is all wrapped up within himself and he cares for no one else,
especially not the father. But, this father is so gracious! He could have refused and
kicked the son out, but he doesnt. He merely does what his son asks him to do and
gives his boy what he asks for. The Bible says, And he divided unto them his living.
Literally, this father has poured his life into building his estate so that he might have
something to hand down to his sons. This father gave his son the result and sum total of
his life and work. The younger son wanted what the father could give him, but he did not
 want the father! (Note: In this, he again pictures the lost sinner! The lost person takes no
thought for God. Their attitude toward God is Give me! They want His air, His food, His
water, His time, His world, etc, but they do not want Him involved in their lives! When
God made man, He literally poured His life into man, Gen. 2:7. And, every day that men
live upon the earth, they consume the resources that God created for them, yet they do
not want Him in their lives. They want what He can give them, but they do not want Him!
What a tragedy! No wonder the Bible calls such men Fools!, Psa. 14:1.)

(Note: Friend, if you want to live your life like there is no God, then He will allow to do just
that! If you want to take all that He can give you without acknowledging Him, He will let you
do that too. But, you need to know that end of such a life will be a Christless eternity! Is that
what you want as the sum total of your life?)

II. V. 13-16 A HARD REALITY

(Ill. The son gets just what he wants, but soon finds out that all that glitters is not gold!)

A. V. 13 The Reality Of Sins Pleasures - He takes his fathers grace and he squanders it
by living a wicked, self-indulgent life. The words riotous living refer to a life totally
given over to sinfulness and wickedness. In other words, when this boy left home, he
also left behind all his moral restraints. He lived in such a way as to gratify every whim
and desire of the flesh! Did he have a good time? Oh yes! (Note: I will not be so foolish
as to try and tell you that there is not pleasure in sin. The Bible itself makes that
statement for us, Heb. 11:25. However, notice the last phrase of that verse, for a
season. Just as the trees outside this building were green and full of promise this past
spring, they are now wilted and the leaves are dying. Friends, the seasons of life
change! And when they do, that which brought you pleasure at one point will bring you
pain instead! Ill. A life lived in the bottle. Ill. A life lived indulging sexual sins. Ill. A life
lived for fleshly pleasures. Ill. A life lived for self. All these end up in the same place!
Yes, there is pleasure for a short time, but is eternity without God in Hell worth the short
time spent in the pleasure of sins embrace? (Ill. How an Eskimo kills a wolf.)

B. V. 14 The Reality Of Sins Price - Eventually his money ran out and along with the
money, he also lost the friends who had helped him spend it! The far country, a land of
wine, women and song had become a land of weeping, worry and sorrow. He
found out too late that sin carries with it a high price tag!

1. Sin Brings Separation - This boy finds himself broke, alone and miles away from a
father who had done nothing but love him. Still, by his own actions, he is separated
from that father by a wide gulf of sin, pride and ignorance! (Note: So it is with every
soul that is lost in sin. They are separated from God, Isa. 59:2. He loves them, Jer.
31:3; John 3:16, but their sins stand between them and Him! What a waste and
what a tragedy!)
 2. Sin Brings Sorrow - He began to be in want - Life had turned upside down for this
boy. When the music stopped, the friends left, and the money was all gone, this
young man found out that he had some needs that he could not meet. His sin had
robbed him of everything of value and it left him hopeless and helpless in the far
country. (Note: That is how sin treats all its victims! It will promise you the world, but
it can only deliver hopelessness, desolation and death, Rom. 6:23; James 1:14-15.
You see, we always say, It pays to live for God! And, it does! But, did you know
that it also pays to live for the devil? It pays dividends that you cannot even imagine!
Broken lives, ruined marriages, shattered dreams, damaged trust, health problems,
hopelessness, depression, defeat and death are all part of the pay package of sin!
Someone rightly has said, Sin will take you father than you want to go, keep you
longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay. Dont
worry, sin always pays off, Gal. 6:9!

C. V. 15-16 The Reality Of Sins Pain - Because of his foolish decisions, this boy found
himself in a mess. He learned some valuable lessons!

1. Sin Brings Shame - Here is a Jewish boy who finds himself feeding the pigs! For a
Jewish man to stoop to this level would mean that he had reached the very bottom of
the barrel of life! He must have been filled with shame! Those who heard Jesus say
this must have been shocked beyond belief! (Note: Those who allow sin to have its
way in their lives always come to shame sooner or later. Ill. The shame of a wasted
life! The shame of a wasted youth. The shame of wasted opportunities. But, worst of
all, there is the shame of a wasted eternity! It is a disgrace to sacrifice your finances,
your fitness and your family on the altar of sin and self-indulgence! What a shame
to live that way and what a shame to die that way! It doesnt have to be! Sadly, many
live like Hell and dont seem to be bothered by it at all! There will come a day, when
they will be ashamed in His presence, 1 John 2:28! )

2. Sin Brings Suffering - Here he is, no home, no help and no hope. No one cares for
him at all. He is starving and would have taken the pigs food if he could have. He is
suffering because of the choices he has made! (Note: Sin has not changed! It always
brings suffering, Pro. 13:15! Many suffer in this life because of the things they loose
to sin, health, wealth, family, etc. But, those who allow sin to play itself out to its
ultimate conclusion find that Hell is all they have to look forward to at the end of the
way! Friend, dont let that happen to you!)

3. Sin Brings Sadness - No one cares whether he lives or dies! He is alone and lonely.
He is hungry and broken. What a sad shape to be in, but for this young man, it was
the first step in getting him home. (Note: Nothing is any more sad than a life broken
by sin. Nothing hurts as badly as seeing a life that was once filled with potential,
dashed to pieces on the cruel rocks of wicked living. It doesnt have to happen, but
you might as well know today, you will not go into the far country and come back
happy! No one ever wandered off into sin and came back glad they did. They all
returned broken, defeated and humbled, Ill. David and Samson. If that is what it
takes to get you started toward home, the praise the Lord!)
III. V. 17-20a A HUMBLE RETURN

A. V. 17 The Sons Realization - when he came to himself - This boys entire time in the
far country had been a time of insanity. He hadnt been thinking clearly! Now, the fog lifts
and he remembers how good it had been at home with the Father. He remembers that
even his fathers servants were in better shape than he is! What a realization! (Note:
Seeing where you are is always the first step in getting to some other place! Friend, a life
lived in sin is a life of insanity! Why? Because the sinner is blind to his condition and to
his ultimate destination, 2 Cor. 4:4. If the devil came to sinners and said, Now, youre
going to like this sin for a while. Its going to make you feel good! But, eventually,
youre going to die, and when you do, youre going to burn in Hell forever., he
would lose a lot of business! He doesnt do that! He tells people, Its fun and youll
love it. There are no consequences! Youre going to live forever so enjoy yourself.
Live it up!

The first step in getting out of sin is to realize that you are in sin in the first place, Rom.
3:23. When that is settled, you will begin to see that Gods servants are happy. They
have hope. They are not trapped in the same bondage you are in and you will want to be
set free! That is the first step in getting out!)

B. V. 18-19 The Sons Resolve - He makes up his mind to go home! He is tired of life in the
far country. He longs for fellowship with the father. He wants to go where he can be
loved, fed and cared for. He wants to go home! Even as he makes up his mind to go
home, he realizes what he has done! He sees his own unworthiness and he is willing to
go home under any circumstances at all. He just wants out of the far country and back in
the fathers house. You can see his change in what he says. He left home saying Give
me!. He returns home saying Make me! Before, he did not want to be under the
fathers authority. Now, he is willing to be a slave, if that is what it takes to go back
home. I see a boy who is willing to confess his wrongs, repent of his sins and return
to his father. (Note: That is where every lost sinner has to get to before they will ever
be saved. The Lord accomplishes this through what we call conviction. He sends that
Spirit of God to show us our sins and reveal our impending judgment, John 16:7-11.
The Spirit shows us where we are. He takes the blinders off and lets us see our
condition, and he points us to Jesus, Who can make all the difference in our lives. No
man is saved apart from the convicting ministry of the Spirit of God, John 6:44.)

C. V. 20a The Sons Return - He gets up and he heads home. He doesnt know what will
happen when he gets there. He may be rejected. He may be humiliated. He may even
be put to death. However, at this point, he does not care! He is tired of the far country
and he is going home! (Note: Friend, that is what conviction will do for you! The Spirit of
God will make the blackness and end of sin so real and the salvation Jesus offers so
glorious that you will do anything to get to Him. You will pay any price. Stop any sin.
Embrace any truth, just to be saved! Do you remember the feeling of Gods conviction
upon your life? If you are saved, you do! You remember how He hung you out over Hell
and how He pointed you to Jesus. Thats why you came! If that was not your experience,
then maybe you need to look at your salvation experience again! Ill. I think the greater
the sinner, the deeper the conviction! Dont let the fact that you were raised in church
and good person cause you to doubt your salvation. If the Lord showed you your
condition and pointed you to the Savior and you received Him by faith, then you have
 done all He requires to be saved. Its all about leaving the far country and coming home.
Have you?)

IV. V. 20b-24 A HAPPY REUNION

A. V. 20-21 He Found Reception - As this young man headed home, he did not know what
he might find there. What he found was incredible! He found a father who had
beenlonging, looking and living for his sons return. He found a father filled
with love, compassion and grace who received him and loved him back into fellowship!
The father wouldnt even allow the son to finish his little speech. He just loved him back
into a right relationship.

1. Ran - Ill. Considered undignified for a man to run. Ill. Why did this father run to the
son? - Ill. Deut. 21:18-21. God runs to meet the sinner to quickly extend mercy and
put away danger! He literally interposes Him self between un and His wrath, 1 John
2:2. (Ill. If the neighbors had cast stones, they would have struck the Father first!
That is what the doctrine of justification is all about! We are given a right standing
with God - Rom. 8:33-34!)

2. Kissed - The verb kissed is in the present tense. Not just one kiss, but continual
kissing. The ultimate sign of acceptance by the Father. When we return home, the
Father kisses us back into the family - 1 John 1:9. (Ill. The Law demanded death,
but grace extended the kiss of love and reconciliation! Because of forgiving grace,
there was a feast instead of a funeral!)

B. V. 22 He Found Restoration - When this boy came home, he had everything he threw
away restored by the good grace of the Father.

1. The Robe - His Purity - Here stands the son in the rags of his sins. He doesnt look
like a child of this father. But, the father orders the best of his robes to be brought
and to be put on the son. This robe would cover all the stains and dirt of the pig pen.
This robe would make him look like the father. Imagine a servant walking up, who
had net been there when the son returned home and seeing this boy from behind in
the fathers robe. He would naturally mistake him for the father! This robe served to
erase all the visible signs of this boys sinful past. (Note: When a sinner comes
home, they also receive a robe from the heavenly Father, Isa. 61:10; Rev. 7:9-14.
This righteousness is not the righteousness of good works or of human goodness.
No, this is the very righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to those who receive Him
by faith,Phil. 3:9! When we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, all the pain
and the stain of our past is forever washed away! All the dirt and the filth of a life of
sin is forever washed away from us! And, if you are not very careful, there are times
when the saints of God might be mistaken for their Father! Certainly, they are viewed
by their Father as though they had never been away from home at all, 1 Cor. 6:9-
11!)

2. The Ring - His Privileges - After the robe came the ring. The ring was a symbol of
son ship and authority. The one with the ring could speak for the Father! The one
 with the ring had access to all that belonged to the father! The one with the fathers
ring was in a position of great privilege! (Note: When old, lost sinners repent of their
sins and come home to the Father, they are given the great privilege of being
recognized as His sons, 1 John 3:1-2. They are given the privilege of speaking for
the Father,Act 1:8. They are allowed access to all that belongs to the Father as
well, Rom. 8:17, Psa. 24:1; Psa. 50:10. When we come to the Father, He opens the
storehouses of His grace and gives us everything He has! What a privilege belongs
to those who go home to the Father!)

3. The Shoes - His Position - The father calls for shoes to be brought for the feet of his
son. Only the slaves went barefoot, sons wore shoes! This boy returned home
desiring to be just a mere hired servant, but the father is determined to recognize his
position as a son! In the boys eyes, he didnt even deserve to be a slave, but even
lower, even a hired servant. The father, however, looked at him and said, This is
my son! The father alone determines the position and worth of his children! (Note:
Let me just remind you today that you are not a nobody if you are saved by grace!
We have this idea that we are supposed to think of ourselves as just old sinners
saved grace. Well, let me tell you, when you were saved by grace, you became a
child of God! He no longer sees you as a slave or as a sinner, but he sees you as
His darling child, whom He loves like He loves His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ!
We are right to humble ourselves in His presence, but lets never forget that if we are
saved by grace, that it is the Father Who determines our standing in the family and
not we ourselves! What I am saying is this: Dont let the devil or the flesh keep you
down by telling you that you are not worthy to be a child of God. If you are truly
saved, you have been accepted by the Father in Heaven and He has called you His
child! Sounds to me like you are in a special place of privilege!)

C. V. 23-24 He Found Rejoicing - Ill. The fatted calf was kept for special occasions. The
fatted calf was the Father's way of sharing His joy with all around. Instead of a wasted
life, the father was celebrating a life redeemed and restored! Everything that was
missing in the pig pen was given to him when he returned home. (Ill. So it is when a
sinner returns home to God the Father! There is rejoicing in Heaven. There is rejoicing in
the House of God. And, there is rejoicing in the heart of the redeemed sinner!

Conc: Where are you this morning? Are you lost in the far country? Do you need to come
home? If you do, there is no better time to do that than right now. The Heavenly Father is
waiting to receive you, clean you up, wrap you in His righteousness and begin the celebration. If
you are not saved you come!

If you are saved, how long has it been since you thanked the Father for the gracious
provision He has given you in Jesus? Maybe you are saved today, but you are away from the
Father. You can come home too! Wherever this message finds you today, I challenge you to get
before the Lord right now and do business with Him!

Gods Lost And Found Department #4

 Luke 15:25-32

The Lost Sibling

Intro: This morning we will conclude our time in Gods Lost and Found Department. We have
listened in as the Lord Jesus spoke of a shepherd seeking one lost sheep. We have heard of a
woman who was moved to search for one lost coin. We have seen a father looking for and
receiving home again one lost son. This whole chapter has been about the restoration of lost
things. We have learned, I hope, that God places great value on each individuals soul. Friends,
He wants to see you saved. We saw the shepherd seeking 1 sheep out of 100, or 1%. We saw
the woman seeking 1 coin out of 10, or 10%. We saw the father longing for 1 son out of 2, or
50%. Today, we will see the same father go to another son 1 on 1, or 100%. The lesson here is
clear! God cares about each individual and He wants all to be saved, 2 Pet. 3:9.

Very often, when the illustrations in this chapter are preached, you hear about the sheep, the
silver and the son, but it is a rare day when you hear anything about the elder brother, the
sibling. In fact, I have never heard a sermon on the elder brother, but I have preached on him a
few times. Why is that? I think we avoid this story because it hits too close to home! (Ill. Some
preachers were discussing the Bible one day when the subject of the elder brother and his
identity came up. They were trying to figure out who he was. One older preacher spoke up and
said, I know who he is. In fact, I saw him just yesterday. The other ministers, eager to hear his
response asked, Who is he? The wise old preacher said simply, He is me!)

The Lord Jesus is still talking about lost things. He is still dealing with the attitude of the
Scribes and Pharisees toward lost sinners, v. 1-2. This elder brother pictures one who is
involved in the things of God, but who, sadly, has no real relationship with the father. He might
be in the fathers house, but he is still lost. He is still in the far country in his heart!

As we study this passage today, I want you to listen very carefully because this message is
designed to speak to two classes of people. First, the primary message is to those who are lost
in sin and need to be saved. You might be religious, you might be a church member, you might
be a good, moral person, but you have never been saved. God has a word for you today.
Second, this message has a word for people who are saved, but who have the same spirit an
attitude as the elder brother. That is, people who are upset that God is blessing. People who do
not like it when the prodigal sons come home. People who refuse to rejoice over what God is
doing because it isnt being done their way. The fact is, we all have a littler bit of the elder
brother in us from time to time.

Today, we are going to consider the illustration of The Lost Sibling. It may be that the Lord
will use this message to pinpoint a problem area in your life. If He does, please obey His voice
and deal with whatever issues He exposes. It may be that the Lord will show you that you are
lost today. If He does, then I challenge you to come to Him for salvation today. For the next few
minutes, lets turn our hearts heavenward and allow the Lord to speak to each of us as we
consider The Lost Sibling.

I. V. 25a THE POSITION HE HELD IN THE FAMILY

A. In The Position Of Privilege - He is the elder brother. As such, he is entitled to two-

thirds of His fathers possessions, Deut. 21:17. Since his younger brother has already
received his part of the inheritance, v. 12, everything belongs to this man. When his
father dies, not only will he receive his fathers possessions, he will also become the
head of the family. Much has been given to this young man already and more is on the
way. He has been blessed indeed!

B. In The Position Of Productivity - When we first meet this man, he is in the fields.
That is, he is busy doing his fathers business. While his younger brother has been off in
the far country living it up, this young man has stayed home and he has kept up the
family business. He has been working for the father.

(Note: At this point, in the story we do not know that there is a problem in the life of this
young man. From every outward appearance, he is in good fellowship with his father and all
is well. But, remember that he is a picture of the Pharisees, scribe and religious elite to
whom Jesus is speaking. These were people who were also in a place of privilege. After all,
they had been given the Law and the revelation of the coming of Messiah. They had been
given the truth, and from all outward appearances, they were walking in that truth! The
Pharisees and the scribes looked good to men, but there was a problem within their hearts!
The problem was this: they were lost and undone in sin and the Lord knew it!)

(Note: The same thing might be true of some in this very service! You are a good moral
person. You come to church. You dont cuss, drink, steal or cheat. You have been through
the baptistry and are a church member. From all outward appearances, you are as good as
anybody around you. But, just as Jesus could look into the heart of the Pharisee and see his
lost condition, He can look within your heart and see that you are lost too. You see, you can
fool all of us, but you cannot fool Him, 1 Sam. 16:7. You might be good, moral and active in
your church and still be lost, Matt. 7:21-23. You cant even trust what you feel in your
heart about this matter, Jer. 17:9-10! Just for the record, I am not trying to make anyone
doubt their salvation. I am merely trying to point out the truth that religion does not equal
salvation. Being close to the things of God does not equal being saved by the grace of God.
Being in a church does not make you a Christian anymore than sleeping in a garage makes
you a car, neither does climbing a tree make you a squirrel. You must not depend on who
you are or what you have done for your salvation. You must be born again, John 3:3, 7.
Salvation is by grace through faith, Eph. 2:8-9. Are you saved?)
II. V. 25b-30 THE PROBLEM HE HAD WITH THE FESTIVITIES

(Ill. The context. Here is where things start to get a little too close for comfort for most of us.
But, as painful as it may be, these truths will help us grow in the Lord and to become more
like Him!)

A. He Had A Problem With His Motives - When this boy hears why there is a celebration,
he is angry and refuses to go in to the party. His father comes out and gently pleads with
him to come in with the others. His reply to his father is very telling of this boys heart.
In verse 29, he reminds the father of his faithful service and complains that he has never
been given a feast for what he has done. The bottom line here is this:

1. This man did not care that his lost brother had come home.

2. This man did not care about that which pleased the father.

3. This man did not care about the glory of the father, he wanted the glory for what he
had been doing.

4. This man did not even care about the father, he did what he did for what he could get
out of it.

5. This man even saw his service to the father as slavery, v. 29. He didnt serve his
father out of love for the father, but out of a desire to help himself.

(Note: Sadly, this same mentality is in the hearts of many within the church today. They
cannot rejoice when sinners are saved, because they feel threatened, Ill. Jonah - Jonah
4. They cannot get excited when the church grows, because they see their hold on
power slipping away. They do not care about Gods will being done in the church, if it
runs counter to their personal agenda. They want the accolades, the pats on the backs
and the glory. Their service in the church is not about God, it is about them! When you
see this kind of attitude in a life, either you have a lost person masquerading as a saved
person, or you have someone who is out of Gods will! Friend, what drives your service
in the church today? What are your motives for what you do? Paul tells us there is but
one valid motive, 1 Cor. 10:31.)

B. He Had A Problem With His Mentality - When you listen to this boy talk to the father,
you quickly realize that he is proud, disrespectful, arrogant, defensive and angry. There
is obviously something wrong with the way he is looking at what is happening here. He
should be overjoyed that his brother has returned safely from the far country. He should
be rejoicing that the father has received a lost son home again. But all he can do is
whine, pout and complain.
 Do you want to know what his real problem is? He tells us in verse 30. Look at what he
says, who told him this boy had spent his money on harlots? He hasnt even talked to
the boy or to the father. Do you know whats wrong with him? Hes jealous! He may be at
home in his body, but he is in the far country in his heart! He is as far away from the
father as was the other son when he went away. All he wants to do is live it up like the
other boy did! But, He cant, so he gets mad that one who did the very things he wants to
do in his heart has been received by the father. (Ill. This is what was wrong with the
Pharisees. They kept the letter of the Law outwardly, but in their hearts, they longed for
sin!)

(Note: Friend, you dont have to be a drunk to be out of Gods will! You dont have to be
an adulterer to be in the far country spiritually. You can serve your church, sing in the
choir, preach the Word, or anything else you want to name and still be out of Gods will!
You can sit here this morning mad and resentful over things that may have taken place
here at church, friend, that hinders your walk with God! You can look pious and
righteous today, but have a heart full of malice because of what someone said or did to
you. Friend, that puts you in the far country. You may look as good as anyone this
morning, but you can have a heart that is filled with lust, evil thoughts, desires for sin,
etc. Do you see that I am saying? You can pretend to be anything you wish outwardly,
but it is the condition of the heart that matters, Matt. 15:18-19. When you get saved, the
Lord gives you a new heart, Eze. 36:26. That gives you the ability to live a new life. But,
it is possible for people with new hearts to full of sin and evil. What is the solution? 1
John 1:9!)

C. He Had A Problem With His Methods - (Ill. It was considered to utmost in disrespect for
a young man to argue with his father. But this boy did it in front of the servants and the
guests. He brought as much or maybe more disgrace upon the father as the other son,
because he did what he did in public.) Notice how this young man handled his anger. He
attacked, he criticized and he blamed! This lets you know that his heart is not right!
Why? Because your outward attitudes and actions are a mirror into your heart. Listen to
what Paul says about this is Gal. 5:19-23. What does your heart say about you? You
watch people who can only attack others, criticize them and place blame on everyone
but themselves. That kind of person has real spiritual issues!

(Note: I told you, this hits kind of close to home!)

III. V. 28, 31-32 THE PETITION HE HEARD FROM THE FATHER

A. It Was A Petition Of Pleading - The father went out and entreated this boy to come in
to the feast. The word entreat means to come alongside of another to offer aid
and comfort, to beg, to console, to comfort, to encourage. It is the same word that
is translated Comforter in John 16:13 and is one of the names of the Holy Spirit. This
father loved him. Notice that this son wont even call him father, but the father calls him
son. This father went to this boy in the right spirit, but he was rejected!

(Note: Whether you are saved or lost today, I believe the Heavenly Father is speaking to
your heart. I believe He is touching areas that nee to be fixed. Friend, it may not feel
good at the time, but it sure is a blessing for the Lord to speak to you heart and call you
to come in. If He is calling, why not just heed His voice?)

B. It Was A Petition Of Promise - The father praised him for his efforts, and reminded him
that everything was already his! In effect, this father was saying, I value you and our
relationship together more than I value your works. This boy could have enjoyed
fellowship with the father anytime he wanted, but apparently, he was too wrapped up
within his own legalism and narrow-mindedness to realize it. This boy wanted what the
father had, but he did not want the father, and he did not want anyone else to have the
father either. What a tragedy!

(Note: The same thing is true in many hearts today! People want the church. They want
to feel better about themselves. They want a fire insurance policy, but they do not want
an intimate relationship with the Father. Often, they resent those who do want that
closeness. I just want to remind you this morning, you are as close to the Lord as you
want to be! You have as much fellowship with Him as you want to have. You can have
more, if you want it. Do you?)

C. It Was A Petition Of Priorities - The father tells this boy that is was meet that they
should have this celebration. The word meet means necessary. To the father, the
return of the lost son was a cause for celebration. A lost one had been found. One
considered dead was now alive again. And, perhaps most importantly, a fathers love
and faith had been vindicated and the family name restored. There was much cause for
rejoicing. The father wants this boy to learn the truth that everything isnt about him and
about him getting his own way. There are bigger issues at stake and they should take
priority!

(Note: So it is in the things of God. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than
the glory of God. And, instead of getting upset when things dont go our way, we should
learn to thank the Lord for what He is doing! You see, instead of pouting, this boy could
 have been partying! Look at this chapter, everyone is happy but this boy. The shepherd
is happy. The woman is happy. The father is happy. The lost son is happy. The servants
are happy. The only person in misery is this elder brother. And, he is miserable because
he refuses to be happy. The feast is there, all he has to do is go in and enjoy himself!
But, he is standing out there pouting, because he didnt get his way and because he is
not the center of attention! What a shame! Of course, there are some here to day in
those same shoes! You dont have to stay there friend! The Father is still calling you to
come home, if you will!)

Conc: Have you ever noticed that this is an open-ended story? Did the elder brother ever come
into the feast? We dont know! I think Jesus left it this way for a reason. And here is that
reason: Every individual must write his or her own ending to this story!

If you are lost today, will you stay out, or will you come in? If you are in, but things arent
right, will you stay outside and pout, or will you get in on what the Lord is doing? The choice is
yours today, what will you do? You say, I wont choose! You just did! Making no choice is
making a no choice! But, I pray you wont do that today. If the Lord has spoken to your heart
about salvation or about your personal walk with Him, please come today while He is calling you
to come in. After all, the whole point of this extended parable has been to show the importance
of the human soul to God and to point lost people to a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
He loves you friend, wont you come in to Him?