Basic Sermon Outline

PAthways of grace, PArt 2

Living by his word

Mt. 4:4

Sermon Introduct= ion

This morning we are continuing our series entitled Path= ways of Grace. We are examining the various Christian disciplines or means of grace God has given us so that we might walk with him throughout our life.&n= bsp; If you remember, we talked about the Navigator wheel illustration as= a helpful way to remember the essential elements of these pathways of grace.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> If you can look up on the wall her= e we can see the wheel illustration. Remember, Christ is at the center and our obedience to him is the outside of the wheel but the four spokes represent four key means of grace – the word, prayer, fellowship and witnessing. Today we are going to talk about t= he pathway of grace of God’s word as I give the first of a few sermons on experiencing God’s grace through his word.

You know= there are a lot of different ways to approach the bible. Among those who believe = the bible is God’s very word, his revelation of all we need for life with= him and obedience to him there can be many nuances in how we handle the scriptures. I think we can al= l take these approaches at one time or another in our Christian lives. The first approach treats the bibl= e as a great book of theology, which it is, but nothing more. It is a book that te= lls us about God and about his ways. It contains deep treasures of truth and things that will blow your mind. It is seen as worthy of great stud= y and intellectual endeavor. Yet, t= his approach can fail to see that it is much more than a book on theology. Another approach like this one see= s the bible as a inspired guide book, full of principles and truths for successful living, which it is. It is st= udied and applied vigorously as the answer for any and all of our problems. Yet, it isn’t seen as anythi= ng more than a self-help book of sorts. Another approach is to see the bible as a great holy book, The Holy Bible, that contains the very word of God.= Every word is revered as inspired and worthy of our deepest piety. It seasons our conversation and mu= st show some proof text for any and every action. It stands as the height of our piety. Yet, it can take on a = status only worthy of one of the members of the trinity. If someone were around us when we = take this approach they may think we follow the Father, the Son and the Holy Bib= le.

Now there is a lot of truth in all three of these perspectives but there is something slightly off in each one. What I want to do this morning is = talk about the fundamental nature of the word of God and how we are to relate to it. Now, you probably realize= that this is a very challenging endeavor – I know I do. So let’s go to God in prayer= .

TEXT<= /span>

Then Jesus was led up = by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²And after fasting fort= y days and forty nights, he was hungry. ^{3 And the tempter came and said to h=
im,
“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of
bread.” ⁴But he answered, “It is written, ̶=
0; ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, bu=
t by
every word that comes from the mouth of God.’“ - Matthew
4:1-4 (ESV)}

1.&n= bsp; Intro<= /o:p>

Many of us are familiar with the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. He has just been baptized by John in the Jorda= n, he is ready to embark on his ministry throughout Israel but before he starts h= e is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He is more or less subjected to th= e same sort of temptation that Adam and Eve faced in the garden except this time, = as the Perfect Adam, Jesus succeeds where Adam and all of humanity failed.

So in this, the first temptation, Jesus is obviously ve= ry hungry after going without food for forty days. Hunger would not even be the right= word to use, famished, emaciated, starving to death would be more fitting. And in such a weakened state the d= evil comes to him and tempts him. = He says, if or since you are the Son of God, command these stones to become lo= aves of bread. Jesus, as the Son o= f God, why wait to eat, just turn these stones into a few loaves of that nice roas= ted barley bread your mom always made, do you remember it when it came out of t= he oven nice and crisp and the smell filled the air? Now I’m embellishing the acc= ount but I think I do so in line with what it was like for Jesus at that point t= o be tempted.

2.&n= bsp; We live by = His Word

Now what I want to focus on this morning is Jesus’ amazing reply. What does he say? That’s right, R= 20;man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” That is an incred= ibly profound statement he makes, quoting the OT book of Deuteronomy, chapter 8. He basically says that fee= ding a hungry stomach is not the essence of our existence. Satisfying our need for food isn&#= 8217;t the basis of life. For that m= atter, having clothes on our back or a roof over our head or being surrounded by family and friends, as good as all those things are, is not what life is about. Man does not live by b= read alone – mankind’s life is not ultimately determined and fulfill= ed in any of these things. Jesus= is saying, the only thing that brings true life are the words of God. The things that come out of the mo= uth of God are what impart life to mankind, to you and to me, today.

This is what I want us to get first and foremost as we = study the various pathways of Grace, the means by which we experience God’s grace. Among the various mean= s of grace, the word of God stands out as pre-eminent and essential –for by his very words we find life and without his word there ultimately is no life. The intake and understa= nding, the reading and hearing and memorizing and discussing and applying of God’s word is not an option for the Christian –for without the = word there is no Christian and without continuation in the word there is no continuation of the Christian life. We live by his word and we need it more than we need our daily bread, more than we need clothing and shelter and family and friends – we ne= ed his word – we need his life that comes to us through his word.

Some of you may be thinking, “What is he talking = about? – I am living my life just fine without the word. Does the word make my heart beat?<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Does the word make my brain function? How exactly does th= e word give me life?” Those ar= e good questions. Before we continue, maybe we need to define what life actually is. You see, life is more than a beati= ng heart, a functioning brain, a warm body or even quality relationships. Listen to how Jesus defines life. = “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) Life involves knowing God and God the Son, Jesus Christ. An= ything short of this is not true life, for this sort of life is described as etern= al, as it should be, for real life is not temporary but should go on forever, we all know this intuitively, it is why we all grieve at the passing of a loved one, life is meant to go on forever. But only true life is eternal life, that is, life knowing God. So life is to know God, not just k= nowing about him but knowing him as God, as Savior and Lord and your most intimate friend. We all can attest to = this intuitively. We all know the difference a deep stable vibrant relationship makes in our lives. We know the difference between fee= ling entirely alone and feeling surrounded by true friends. Well, how much more is the necessi= ty of being surrounded by the truest and deepest and most necessary friend. Truly= we do not live if we live apart from knowing God.

Apart from the word of God there is no knowing God. He has inextricably bound knowing = him to his word, apart from his word there is no knowing him and there is no life. For a matter of fact, t= he word is even called the word of life. Listen to these verses:

For it is no e= mpty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in t= he land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

&n= bsp;

Simon Peter an= swered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,<= o:p>

&n= bsp;

holding fast t= o the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not ru= n in vain or labor in vain.

&n= bsp;

The word of God is an essential means for creating spir= itual life in us and sustaining spiritual life. Wayne Grudem says the following in his systematic theology:

&= nbsp; “Even before people become Christians, the Word of God as preached and taught bri= ngs God’s grace to them in that it is the instrument God uses to impart spiritual life to them and bring them to salvation. Paul says that the gosp= el is the “power of God for salvation” (Rom. 1:16) and that the preaching of Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God”= (1 Cor. 1:24). God caused us to be born again or “brought...forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18) and Peter says, “You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). It is the written Word of God, t= he Bible, that is “able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). ”[1]<= o:p>

Also, Grudem teaches us that the word sustains our life= :

&n= bsp; “Moreover, once we have become Christians, Paul reminds us that it is the Word of God = that is “able to build you up” (Acts 20:32). It is necessary for spiritual nourishment and for maintaining spiritual life, because we do not live on bread alone but on “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). ….

It is the Word of God that convicts us of sin and tu= rns us to righteousness, for it is profitable “for teaching, for reproof, fo= r correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). It gives direction = and guidance as a “lamp” to our feet and a “light” to o= ur path (Ps. 119:105). In the midst of an ungodly culture Scripture gives wisd= om and guidance like “a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:1= 9). Moreover, it is active in giving wisdom to all, even “making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7). It gives hope to those who are in despair, because Paul says that it was written “that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4)….. And Peter encourages the Christians to whom he writes, “Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation”= (1 Peter 2:2). ^{^[2]}<= /a>

Folks, man does not live by bread alone but by every wo= rd that proceeds from the mouth of God. Now I want us to get this right.&nb= sp; I believe if we understand how the word functions we will experience= the life God intends for us. I wa= nt us to understand the absolute necessity that God’s people be people of t= he book. I want us to get this n= ot that we might be merely “people of the book” but that we experi= ence and share the very life of God. We live by his word – that is why we need the bible! This truth will help protect us fr= om the various errors on our right and our left.&= nbsp; It will protect us from seeing the bible as a book of theology or a = book of principles or the third or fourth person of the trinity. The role of the word is that we mi= ght have true life, that is an enduring and real relationship with the living G= od. It isn’t about theology, it isn’t about principles, it isn̵= 7;t about biblicistic pietism – it does include some of those elements bu= t it is ultimately about God himself and our wonderful privilege of knowing God, abiding in a relationship with him and obeying him. It is about God and any study, and reading, any hearing, any sharing, any memorizing, any thinking about the w= ord must be about God.

Oh folks, this is so important to get. We must avoid these other errors.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Listen to these startling words Je= sus gave to some of the best bible scholars the world has ever known – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;= and it they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you m= ay have life.” John 5:39-40 (ESV) .= Isn’t that so startling! You can diligently study and search the scriptures, you can memorize= the entire bible, as the Pharisees pretty much did, and yet miss the very purpo= se of the bible – to know God and walk with him.

Donald Mostrom writes the following in his book, Intima= cy with God:

Imagine yourself on a cold day outside a large window. The heat of the room = within has steamed up the window, and as you come close, you realize that someone = has written with his finger on the inside of the window. You stand there reading what has b= een printed. Your eyes are focuse= d on the writing. But suddenly you become aware that you can see through the writing to the room beyond, and a person, presumably the writer, is standing immediately behind the window. Your sudden change of attitude is something like what happens as God confronts us with His living presence wh= en we thought we were just looking at the words of Scripture. = [3]

Now, we can’t take this metaphor too far. For the word of God is more than w= riting on a steamed up window, it is the very words of God , it is the canon of his revelation to mankind and the means by which he speaks to us and communicat= es to us in objective unequivocal revelation.= Yet, even so, the point of the word of God is a relationship with God – life itself and apart from this approach to scripture, we have a deficient view of the bible and are in danger or missing out on the life he= has for us. Listen to Donald Most= rom again:

He intends so much more than merely to gain our acquiescence to objective truth about himself. The goal is a faith which embraces his person and what he has done; the goal is real fellowship with Christ….The word of truth, the gospel, accompanied by a sovereign wor= k of authentication, the gift of life, and faith in Christ results in establishi= ng a personal relationship with the Sprit of God. [4]

He is the person behind the window, focusing our att= ention upon himself by his word and bringing to bear on us the necessary power to = set up and develop our relationship with him.&= nbsp; Until we see this and become thoroughly aware of this role of script= ure, we have not understood the real use of the word.[5]

So, what do we do with this truth? If the bible isn’t primarily= a book of theology or a book of principles and if it isn’t some spiritu= al talisman but the word of life, what are we to do with it? Well, we are to pursue life with G= od by pursuing the scriptures. Let us saturate ourselves with the bible and take every opportunity we have to take in the word of life. Let us listen to the word preached = with ears eager to hear the voice of God through the preaching of his word. Let us read the bible voraciously = with hearts ready to encounter the living God.&= nbsp; Let us study his word to understand it as a whole and its parts and their interconnectedness. Let= us take advantage of the many excellent resources we have for studying the bible. One to start with is a= good solid study bible, like the Reformation Study Bible put out by Ligonier ministries. Add to that Matth= ew Henry’s commentaries, available free online and you are well on your = way to knowing God’s word very well.&nbs= p; Let us memorize God’s word and meditate on it that it might si= nk into the deep recesses of our brains and our hearts and affect all of who we are. Again, listen to Donald Mostrom as he describes the lifestyle of one who is pursuing the life found through God’s word:

Let us rather, when the Sprit of truth opens up bibl= ical material in such a way as to convict us of sin, freely respond to the Lord = in confession and repentance. Wh= en we grasp something more clearly of His nature and works, let us come back to h= im with praise and thanksgiving. When some response of faith toward Christ is indicated as central to our walk with him, let's us make that response in prayer. When we become aware = of a promise of God in the word that clearly applies to our situation, let us co= me to him with a claim of faith built on that promise. .. Form the habit of approaching t= he Bible or sermons built on the bible or any other vehicle by which biblical truth is brought to you.. with the expectation that the living God will confront you personally and teach you the appropriate responses of faith to make to him on the base of those truths.&n= bsp; In this way your fellowship with him will be continually enlarged and made more intelligent and effective as you give attention to His message. Do not imagine that you can make continuing progress in your experience of fellowship with God without this function of the Word of God in your life.[6]

Let us pursue and enjoy the word of life. We will be spending some more time talking about how to do this. One illustration that has helped me understand how we are to experience the wor= d of God is the Navigator hand illustration.&nb= sp; Take a look at it here on the wall.= In order to get a good grip on the word we are to use all five finge= rs – hear, read, study, memorize and meditate. We will be spending the following Sundays talking more about these practices and how we enjoy God’s word.

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Thank God for his life-giving word!= Let’s pray.