Building On A Solid Foundation

Text: Matt. 7:24-27

INTRODUCTION:

One of the great tragedies of our time is that we have sorely mistreated the Word of God. We live in a time when our own culture is becoming increasingly antagonistic toward the Bible. Every sacred doctrine of the Church has come under attack with great viciousness and tenacity. The world, indeed, hates the truth of God's word.

What is an even greater tragedy is that the Bible is under attack not only from outside the church, but from within the church as well. Its authority is being questioned by those who once proclaimed it as truth. And many in the Church today would deny its absolute truth, claiming that the Bible is replete with error. It is no wonder that the church is faltering in these last days, since its very foundation is being destroyed by those who assume that the Bible is no more than a compilation of writings by various men; thus whose pages are filled with the biases and cultural orientations of its writers. Sadly, there are many who assume that the Bible is primarily the product of man with very little, if any, input from the Divine.

The attack upon God's word is coming from at least four different fronts:

      Those who deny it - the message of atheism
      Those who pervert it - the homosexual message and agenda
      Those who scorn it - those who mock its message
      Those who neglect it - "The Bible is the best selling book least       read"

Sir Thomas Fuller writes:

I discover an arrant laziness in my soul. For when I am to read a chapter in the Bible, before I begin I look where it ends. And if it ends not on the same side, I cannot keep my hands from turning over the leaf, to measure the length on the other side; if it swells to many verses, I begin to grudge. Surely my heart is not rightly affected. Were I truly hungry after heavenly food, I would not complain of meat. Scourge, Lord, this laziness of my soul; make the reading of your Word, not a penance, but a pleasure to me; so I may esteem that chapter in your Word the best which is the longest.

Yes, the word of God is under fierce attack. But this is not unprecedented. The enemy has from the very beginning attacked the word of God (See Gen. 3). What is unprecedented, however, is the number of so-called born-again Christians who no longer view the word of God as trustworthy, or inerrant.

The enemy knows that without the word of God, the Church has absolutely nothing.

It has no hope, for we are saved by the word. (1 Cor. 15:1-2))

It has no direction, for we are sanctified by the word. (John 17:17)

It has no life, for we are sustained by the word. (Matt. 4:4)

The Church cannot survive without the pure, unadulterated word of God. If we compromise its truth, if we whitewash its content, if we distrust its message there is nothing left; the very foundation upon which the Church is built crumbles, and thus the Church falls.

We must always remember that the Bible is first and foremost the word of God . And as such it is absolute truth .

Paul writes:

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1 Thess. 2:13)

How could we ever believe that the Bible, which speaks about Jesus, who is the personification of Truth, and which was inspired by the Holy Spirit who is called the "Spirit of Truth," would contain false information? It is ludicrous to believe such nonsense!

“Remember the message that was preached to you, that you believed; and that believing, you were saved? Was it not the message of Jesus who as the Son of God, was crucified, buried, and raised again the third day?”

If that message is not a message of truth, then how is it that you were saved? How could something that is a “lie” produce any change in your life?

As Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

TRANSITION:

I believe that those who are in Christ have a seven-fold obligation to the word of God:

1. We must Love the word deeply:

Psalm 119:47
And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him.
John R. W. Stott (1921- )

2. We must Believe the Word wholeheartedly:

1. 1Thes 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

3. We must Study the Word conscientiously:

1. 2 Tim 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth

4. We must Apply the word rightly:

1. 2 Tim 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth

5. We must Keep the Word faithfully:

1. John 8:51*-54
I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

6. We must Preach the Word boldly:

1. Acts 4:24-31, 29*
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

2. Acts 8:1-4
And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men
buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. (NIV)

7. We must Defend the word courageously:

1. Jude 3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

CONCLUSION:

As we read the word of God, and by faith accept the truth of its content, we find invariably that:

                          It gives us peace
                          It gives us hope
                          It gives us joy
                          It gives us direction
                          It gives us life

Read it; Study it; Memorize it; Meditate upon it; and remember...

"A Bible that's falling apart probably belongs to someone who isn't."
---Christian Johnson.