OceanSide church of Christ
Previous | Return to list of sermons | Next |
WHY APPLY THE BIBLE TO
LIFE?
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The Bible must be read (I
Tim. 4:13), studied (II Tim. 2:15), understood (Eph. 5:17), and memorized (Ps.
119:11).
B.
One can do all of these
things, however, and still not benefit from the Word of God. In order to reap the power of the Word
(Heb. 4:12) in one’s life, he must apply the Bible to his life (James 1:22,
25).
But be ye doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves….But whoso looketh
into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a
forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed.
C.
Applying the Bible can be
difficult and uncomfortable. When
such is the case, one may question why he/she needs to apply the Bible at
all.
D.
In this lesson, we will
answer this question: “Why apply
the Bible to life?”
A.
God know us and everything
about us.
1.
Verses that prove our
assertion.
a.
Jeremiah 1:4-5.
Then the word of
the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations.
b.
Matthew 10:30.
But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered.
c.
Example of Nathiel (John 1:47).
Jesus saw
Nathaniel coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom
is no guile!
2.
God knows our talents,
potential, gifts, fears, and foibles.
3.
Who is more qualified to
assist us than one who knows us inside and out?
4.
B.
God loves us and wants the
very best for us.
1.
I
John 3:1a.
Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God.
2.
Jesus assured us that the
Father wants good things for us just as our earthly fathers want good things for
their children (Matt. 7:9-11).
Or what man is
there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a
serpent? If ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father
which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
3.
Point: To fail to do the will of the Father who
loves us and wants the very best for us it to settle for less than the
best.
II. BECAUSE OF WHO WE
ARE
A.
We are
finite.
1.
Definition: We are subject to
limits.
2.
Examples.
a.
We cannot know the thoughts of another (I Cor.
2:11).
For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
him.
b.
We do not know what is in the future (Matt. 24:43).
But know this,
that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come,
he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken
up.
B.
We are
fallible.
1.
Definition: We can easily be wrong or make a
mistake.
2.
Example: the Sadducees and
the resurrection (Matt. 22:29-30).
Jesus answered
and said unto them, Ye do err, now knowing the scriptures, nor the power of
God. For in the resurrection they
neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in
heaven.
C.
We are
fleshly.
1.
Definition: We tend to yield to the lusts of the
flesh.
2.
Man left to his own devices
gravitates quickly into sin (Ex.:
The Gentiles, Romans 1:28-31).
And even as they
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful.
D.
In our present state, we
need direction, wisdom, encouragement, answers, forgiveness, and a host of other
things.
E.
These things can only come
from a proper understanding and application of God’s Word in our
lives.
III. BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE
WORLD IS
A.
Our world is fallen. It is ruled by Satan and is filled with
sin and sinful people.
1.
Three times in John’s
gospel, the devil is referred to as “the prince of this world” (John 12:31;
14:30; 16:11).
2.
John summed up the world
very well in I John 5:19.
And we know that
we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickeness.
B.
Because of these evil
forces, our world is filled with temptation, pressure, pitfalls, violence,
questions, and confusion.
C.
We must live within this
world. We, however, do not what to
be of the world. We do not want to
be influenced by the world. We are
called upon to be the difference makers (Eph. 5:7-11).
Be not ye
therefore partakers with them. For
ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the
Lord. And have no fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
D.
God’s Word directs our
course and fills us with light so we can successfully navigate through the dark
corridors and dangerous crags of this life.
CONCLUSION
A.
Do you want to live a life
without God? Do you want to direct
your own course? Do you want to
walk in darkness alone?
B.
If your answer is, “No,”
then you must learn to successfully apply the Bible to your
life.
1.
II Thessalonians
3:4.
And we have
confidence in the Lord touching you, that you both do and will do the things
which we command you.
2.
Philemon
21.
Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.