The Bible: August 24, 2025
Why God's Word Matters: A Call to Obedience
This past Sunday, we celebrated a special day in Guatemala—the first-ever national holiday for the Bible. This is a huge moment, spearheaded by evangelical leaders who want to highlight the power of God's Word. It's a powerful reminder of the Bible's significance, not just in Guatemala, but in our own lives.
Pastor Michael’s sermon gave us a powerful conviction, straight from Psalm 119:33-34:
"Teach me, Yahweh, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. Help me to understand your instruction and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart."
This is a prayer for a profound change from the inside out. It's a request for God to give us a deep understanding of his commands, so we can respond with radical obedience.
Answering Our Doubts
Our culture often creates distractions that keep us from taking God's Word at face value. Pastor Michael addressed two common questions that can get in the way:
1. "Doesn't the Bible have errors since fallible people wrote it?"
The Bible itself provides the answer. In 2 Peter 1:20-21, Peter, a man who wrote part of the Bible, affirms that Scripture did not come from human will. Instead, "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
Think of it like being in a car. You can look out the window and see different things, but the car is still going where the driver—in this case, the Holy Spirit—is taking it. This means the human authors, with their own unique personalities and words, were guided by God to produce His perfect message.
2. "If it's trustworthy, what is the Bible for?"
The Bible has a clear purpose. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 tells us it is "able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." God’s Word is here to show us who Jesus is, why we need Him, and how to have faith in Him.
Furthermore, all Scripture is "inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness." In other words, the Bible is a tool to equip us for every good work. It prepares and trains us for the ministry God has for us, making us capable and ready for whatever He calls us to do.
Reading the Old Testament Through a New Lens
Sometimes, we struggle to connect with the Old Testament. We wonder what stories about ancient laws and historical accounts have to do with our modern lives. Jesus himself gives us the key to understanding it. In Luke 24:44, He says that "everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
The entire Old Testament points to Jesus. It's a beautifully furnished room, but it's dimly lit. To truly see the treasures within, we need to bring a lamp—and that lamp is Jesus. When we read with this perspective, we see our need for a Savior, and we find Jesus on every page. For example, the detailed laws show us that we can't achieve God's perfect standard on our own. This highlights our need for a perfect Savior who can fulfill the law for us.
A Call to Action
The conviction for us today is to be doers of God's Word, not just hearers. When we hear Jesus say, "Take up your cross and follow me," our response shouldn't be to question it, but to ask, "Where is the cross? I'm ready."
This is a commitment to a life of full obedience. Just as the Psalmist desired one thing—to be in God's presence—we should desire to be fully submitted to His will. As a community, let’s pray for a heart that is not just willing, but determined to understand and obey God's Word, following it with all our heart.
