At various times it has been called: The Road Less Traveled -- Life's Little Instruction Book -- Our Owner's Manual and Warranty -- The Promise and The Spiritual Guide To Life, The Universe and Everything On $5.00 A Day Or Less.
Some people find it repulsive. Some love it; Some love it so much they have made it their god.
It's been on best seller list for more weeks than we can count.
What is it? The Bible.
Next Sun marks beginning of National Bible Week and since we want to pause and give Thanks next week, I thought we would look at and celebrate the Bible today. Why is the Bible so important?
1. INSPIRED WORD OF GOD:
We believe the Bible is the INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. Basically that means that it doesn't come from us. It originates with God. Some folks believe that God took over folks and used them like robots to write the Bible. I don't.
God always interacts with people, in relationships. God inspired these writings and God guided their writing. But the character and personality of the author comes through.
Just like paintings of Jesus. All different. All by various artists. We know they are Jesus. Why? Because they have been inspired by God. Same with Bible. All comes from God. Therefore it important.
2. OUR BOOK - OUR STORY:
A. John Wesley said: "We are a people of the Book." Why? It's our story. It is the story of a particular and peculiar people known as Christians. Not History - though has some history.
Not "just the facts" as Sgt. Joe Friday would say - though it includes facts like genealogy and the census count in Numbers (I wonder who had to proof read that?)
Not romance - but has passionate scenes in Song of songs.
Contains poetry, letters and even hard to understand sections. Mark Twain said: "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me. It is the parts that I do understand."
It's our story, inspired by God and written by folks just like us, people struggling to be faithful in everyday life.
B. It's our story. It's the Church's Book. Tells WHY and WHO not necessarily HOW. The important message of creation is not How but Who. God created all that is. God created us to be in a loving relationship with us.
The Bible Tells us Who and Whose we are. Through creation we find out we are God's people - created in God's own Image.
Bible also tells us that somehow we have broken that image and broken faith with God our Creator. That's called Sin. We've alienated ourselves from God. That alienation widened - no matter what we tried. Bible also tells us that God loved us so much, that rather than let us remain cut off by our sin - God sent Jesus to bridge the gulf of that alienation and bring us back into relationship with God. The Son of God gave his life to bring us back.Æ
C. Because it is our story, our Book, it is normative for a life of faith. Now it doesn't tell us how to run Annual Conference or the fine points of leading a stewardship campaign or even how to lead a committee meeting. But it is normative for our life of faith. In sense it is our Code of Ethics, Code of Behavior, Relationship Guide and Book of Etiquette all rolled into one.
It is the Lens through which we find the focus for life.
It is the compass of our faith - not always give specifics like a Mapsco but it always points the right direction.
It is the foundation upon which our belief system is built.
Without Scripture we really know nothing about God or faith or Jesus and salvation.
Other religions have their sacred books - for Christians it's the Bible. I don't think that you can be a Christian without believing in the Bible. The Bible is our Book, our Story.
3. RELEVANT FOR TODAY:
Some critics say not relevant for today. The story of the landing of the Ark is a perfect description of what you can expect at Cooper and I-20 any Friday night and any night before Christmas. It took Noah 40 days to find a place to park.
The Bible is very relevant for today. Listen to what James says about gossip and the tongue in his letter: "The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ... No one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so." (James 3:5-10)
What can be more relevant than that? What can be more relevant than lessons on how to treat each other and how to live and work and worship together despite our differences?
The Bible will always be relevant. It will always speak to us because it is not from us, it is from God and it has some wonderful things to teach us. Especially in how God sees us. The world could care less about us. But listen to what God says about us in the N.T.
In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke--we are called the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
In the Gospel of John we are called friends of Jesus.
In Acts we are people of the Way.
In Romans we are joint heirs with Christ, sharing his inheritance.
In Corinthians we are a temple--a dwelling place of God.
In Galatians we are sons and daughters of God--one in Christ.
In Ephesians we're saints, citizens with the rest of God's family.
In Philippians we are citizens of heaven, right now.
In Colossians we are hidden with Christ in God.
In Thessalonians we are chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.
In Timothy we are those who have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.
In Titus we are those who have been set apart according to God's doing.
In Philemon we are soldiers.
In Hebrews we are those who have been purified by the offering of our great high priest.
In James we are brothers and sisters.
In Peter we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession.
In John's letters we are children of God who will resemble Christ when Christ returns.
In Jude we are those who are called, beloved in God.
And in Revelation we are those whose names are written in the book of life.
Where else can you hear such powerful affirmation? Not out there. The world says your feet and breath stink, that you don't drive the right kind of car or eat the right kind of foods or dress right. But the Bible helps us walk a little taller. It says we are the children of God.
CONCLUSION:
Maybe you saw the special report Wednesday night about Paul Reed. Paul is a Viet Nam Vet who pulled out some of his souvenirs and booty from the war. Some of which was a Diary and pictures. He decided to translate. In pages of that diary found just another soldier, Nam Van Nia, who missed his wife and family. Who was lonely. Cold all those things he experienced.
Decided to go back and take stuff back. When did, found the soldier. Meeting brought about healing. Paul Reed, holding the diary, told Vietnamese Vet, "This small book taught me not to hate you."
If an ordinary diary can do that just think what the Bible can do.
This small book teaches us just how much God loves us.
The Bible is our Book, the foundation of all that we believe and the story of our relationship with God.
Read it, get to know it.
This is the word of the Lord for this day.