9.00am and 10.30am Sunday 18 July 2004
Rev Des Botting
Readings: Psalm 119:89-96; Colossians 1:15-28
If you were asked, What book has most influenced your life, how would you answer? How many of you have at least one complete Bible in your home? How many have three or more copies? Statistics say that 92 percent of Americans have at least three Bibles in their homes. How many of you read the Bible on your own every week? (Only 34 percent of American Christians read Gods Word on their own during the week, and of that group, only 13 percent claim to read it daily.)
Included in your bulletin is an article entitled Seven Ways to Ignite a Passion for Reading the Bible from Back to the Book by Kathy Woodhouse.[1] It is a very good article. As it says in paragraph seven, If we truly believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and that it instructs us in righteous living and equips us for every good work,[2] then we should be eager to delve deep into it pages. People make many excuses as to why they dont read the Bible, such as,
I dont have time to read.
I dont know where to begin.
I just dont get it.
The Bible is do dull.
I dont see how the Bible applies to my life.
I hear it read in church every Sunday. Isnt that enough?
The Bible makes me feel uncomfortable?
This article provides practical help in overcoming excuses like these that keep us from Gods truth.
This morning well look at a number of stories that illustrate the truth that Gods Word Endures Forever. Psalm 119 spoke of the timeless endurance of Gods Word. It says, Our Lord, you are eternal! Your word will last as long as the heavens, and that the laws you made are still in effect today.[3]
The reading from Colossians speaks of the need of endurance, staying power, for those who follow Christ. Paul encourages the Colossian believers to stay deeply rooted and firm in their faith. He said, You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news, the hope of sharing in Gods glory because Christ lives them. He finishes by saying we use all our wisdom to warn and teach everyone, so that all of Christs followers will grow and become mature. [4] We all need to hear this kind of encouragement, but it will be particularly relevant if youre struggling in your faith at the moment.
Endurance is a quality that isnt possessed by many things. Most of the products we buy dont last. They break easily, wear out or become out of date. Take running shoes, for example. Depending on how much running one does, they may only last three months before the soles need to be built up in places. When we were having trouble with office computer, the repairman said it wasnt worth fixing, as he said it would only be a matter to time before wed run into other problems. The laptop I bought back in 1997 has been superceded by several new models so that its now virtually worthless. Toyota are now selling a new car that has both a petrol and an electric motor and boasts very low litres per km (64 mpg). They say the electric motor will last the life of the car. It made me wonder, given that its extremely costly to run a car in Japan which is older than five years, how long do they consider to be the life of a car.
Endurance is a quality we often associate with certain kinds of recreational and sporting events, such as triathlons, marathons, swimming Cook Strait, tramping long distances. We admire people who put their bodies through such strain even if we cannot do these things. But with all these things there comes a time when it can endure no further.
But this is not so with Gods Word.
1. Gods Word ENDURES. The Bible has survived numerous attempts to
a. DESTROY it. King Jehoiakim of Judah destroyed the first edition of the Book of Jeremiah in 597 BC,[5] but he couldnt prevent Jeremiah producing another, larger edition which is what we have in our Bibles today. The Syrian Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to destroy copies of the Hebrew Scriptures during his reign 175-164BC. The Roman Emperor Valerius Diocletian who ruled 284-305 AD made an edict ordering the burning of every copy of the Bible. In the 1500s thousands of copies of the Bible were burned in European countries by those who opposed the distribution of the Scriptures to ordinary people. In the 20th century Communist authorities in the Soviet Union, China and elsewhere attempted to destroy Bibles. And these are just some of the attempts over the centuries to do away with the written Word of God. Despite all the opposition, the Bible has survived.
b. The Bible has survived many attempts to DISCREDIT it. Celsus in 178 AD, Porphyry 232-303 AD, Roman emperor Julian the apostate who reigned 361-363 AD were men from the time of the Roman empire who wrote books attacking Christianity, and that included an attack on the integrity of the Bible. From the 18th century there have been attacks on the Bible by a number of thinkers. One of the leading critics was French rationalist Voltaire who lived from 1694-1778, who predicted that within 100 years of his death Christianity would be swept from existence and pass into history. The hundred years have long passed, but the Bible stands. Voltaires house in Paris has been used for many years by the Bible Society. The Bibles critics come and go, but the Bible endures.
This year is the 550th Anniversary of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed using movable or reusable type, and the first printed Bible. It is also the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the first Bible Society in 1804. A few years earlier 15-year-old Mary Jones of Wales had saved her money for six years and walked barefoot 40 km to buy a Bible of her own. Her tearful pleading for a Bible, as Bibles were virtually unobtainable in Wales at that time, inspired the establishment of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the first of several Bible societies which now provide millions of copies of Bibles worldwide every year.
The Bible is
the best-selling book in the world. Last year over 60 million complete Bibles and over 90 million New Testaments were published.
the most translated book in the world. Parts of it have been translated into 2,355 languages as at 31 December 2003.
the best-preserved ancient book. There are literally thousands of manuscripts in existence today many of which date back to very close to the time when they were first written. No other book has anywhere near as much documentary proof.
Peter, writing to those who trust in Jesus Christ, says, God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever. The Scriptures say, Humans wither like grass, and their glory fades like wild flowers. Grass dries up, and flowers fall to the ground. But what the Lord has said will stand for ever. Our good news to you is what the Lord has said.[6]
2. People have endured great things FOR the Bible. Mary Jones considered the Bible to be so precious that she worked hard to earn money for several years then walked more that 40 km to obtain a copy. The Bible has been a most valued possession of Christians who are persecuted for their faith.
William Tyndale (1494 1536) was convinced that ordinary people in England should be able to read and possess a Bible in their own language. He couldnt gain approval from his church superiors, so he went to Europe, hiding from agents of King Henry VIII and the church authorities. He worked in translating the Bible into English from the original languages and then arranging for the smuggling of copies back into England to his countrymen. He was captured, condemned and executed in Belgium in 1836. His dying prayer was, Lord, open the King of Englands eyes. His prayer was answered by freedom for the Bible that came to England. Tyndales translation became the foundation for subsequent English Bibles.
3. People have endured THROUGH the Bible. The Scriptures say, And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.[7] The word abides is the same word in the Greek as endures elsewhere.[8]
Jesus said, Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didnt even shake.[9]
One of the great endurance stories concerned the crew of the Endurance Sir Ernest Shackletons 1914 Antarctic Expedition. The Endurance was trapped in pack-ice and was ultimately destroyed by it. The crew had to abandon ship and after trekking over the ice with three of the ships boats they were able to get to Elephant Island. From there, Shackleton and four other men made a 1200 km journey, across rough seas of the Southern Ocean to South Georgia, in the largest of the three boats they had salvaged from the wreck, in order to gain help. When they arrived on South Georgia, Shackleton and two others had to cross razorback ridges 4000 feet above sea level and glaciers to get help from the whaling station 29 miles away. In the account of this story from Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong, it says, As they slogged their way through the snow, a strange feeling began to grow on each of the men. The three discovered long afterward that they all had the feeling that there was a fourth. When I look back on those days, Shackleton added, I dont doubt that Providence guided us I know that during that long march of thirty-six hours over the unnamed mountains and glaciers of South Georgia it often seemed to me that we were four, not three. [10]
While the story has been called a testament to heroism and human endurance, in that none of the crew died through the ordeal, it is also a testimony to the power of faith. It was Shackletons belief in God that helped him remain positive in the face of dire danger. His diary and personal account reveal numerous references to his dependence on God. A scripture that seems to have been his favourite was Psalm 139:9-10 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the seas; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.[11] The scripture is addressed to God the assurance that Gods hand was leading and holding him even in the remote places of the ocean.
Barnabas Mam endured through the killing fields of Cambodia under Pol Pot in the 1970s and several years of living as a refugee in Thailand in the 1980s because hed learned a few parts of the Bible. He was able to recall these truths and the words of Christian hymns when he was being interrogated. He said, I was not afraid of the men who could only take my body and not my soul. These things helped me not only to survive but to become more than a conqueror. Hed become a Christian in 1972, just 3 years before Pol Pot took over. Having only had access to the his own Bible for part of that time, Hed remembered only a few verses of Scripture and one short chapter. He said, The only full chapter that I remembered and spoke to myself over and over again during the killing fields was Psalm 23. I never forgot any part of it. I thank God for the memory of the Psalm. Barnabas Mam today in one of Cambodias most prominent Christian leaders. Through the Word of God he endured.
One could share many, many stories such as the one that is on the envelope enclosed with your bulletin about the lost boys of Sudan. One of those about Abraham Nhial, who carried his Bible with him for ten years, past wild animals, through crocodile infested waters, over mountains, through deserts, will be included in the August Parish News. People have endured through the Bible.
There are lessons for us here.
1. Do we value our Bible? To return to that quote from the article included with your bulletin, If we truly believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and that it instructs us in righteous living and equips us for every good work,[12] then we should be eager to delve deep into it pages. David said, O how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.[13]
2. Are we committed to what we learn in the Bible? God has promised not only that His Word will endure, but that those who do His will, will also endure. Does that include you?
SEVEN WAYS TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR READING THE BIBLE
In Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, Kathleen Norris recounts the story of a South Dakota rancher and his bride who received an expensive Bible as a wedding gift from his grandfather. They wrote a thank-you note and stowed the Bible away on a closet shelf.
As time passed, the grandfather repeatedly asked the couple how they liked the Bible. The rancher was confused as to how to respond. Hadn't he already expressed his appreciation? But the grandfather persisted. Eventually, the young man dug out the gift. As he leafed through it, $20 bills fluttered out, 66 in allone at the beginning of Genesis and in each succeeding book.
While the rancher had left a monetary treasure waiting to be discovered, hed also left something even more valuable untouched between those pages: spiritual riches. (It had been missed) all because he hadnt opened the Book.
In American homes the Bible has taken on the status of an icon with little practical value. When asked, "What book has most influenced your life?" in a recent Library of Congress survey, respondents awarded the Bible the top position. But only 34 percent of American Christians read God's Word on their own during the week, and of that group, only 13 percent claim to read it daily.
Why is it that so many people revere the Bible but, by and large, dont read it. Reading the Bible isnt illegal here as it is in Laos. It won't lead to fines and imprisonment as it might in Vietnam. It doesn't cost a week's wages to obtain a copy as it does in the Philippines.
While we dont battle external obstacles to reading the Biblesuch as laws or financial restrictionswe face internal barriers every day.
If we truly believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and that it instructs us in righteous living and equips us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17), then we should be eager to delve deep into it pages. Unfortunately, even though we understand intellectually that reading the Bible will help us grow spiritually, we can't quite seem to get around those internal obstacles. Here are seven excuses that prevent us from cracking the Bookand how to overcome them.
EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES
1 "I don't have
time to read."
But we do
have timeif we read in spurts. If
you count up the number of forms or notices, newspapers and magazines you read
in one year, it amounts to quite a lot.
Unleashing Connection reports that in one year, the average
American reads 3,000 forms or notices, 100 newspapers, and 36 magazinesbut only
three books. These trends suggest that we like to get our information in short
doses that are easy to digest.
"Half the books of the Bible can be read in 10 to 45 minutes each, and many of them can be read in less than 20. The entire Old and New Testaments can be read aloud slowly and with expression in less than 71 hours."[14]
Read just one chapter of the Bible each day, and in a month you will have completed the book of Proverbs (31 chapters) once or the epistle of James (five chapters) six times.
2 "I don't know
where to begin."
If starting
"In the beginning" with Genesis seems too daunting, flip to the Psalms or
Proverbs and start there. Or begin your journey in the New Testament with
Matthew. You can also poll Bible-reading friends and ask them what their
favourite book isthen try reading it. Or use a Bible with a built-in reading
plan, such as The One-Year Bible (Tyndale House) or The Daily Bible (Harvest
House). These devotional Bibles present Scripture in manageable portions and
work through it in logical sequences.
3 "I just don't
get it."
Many of us
think of the Bible as a technical manual written in Christian-ese. But there are
"biblical help"
buttons a reader
can push to get some quick guidance:
Translations. Choose an easy-to-read translation, like the Contemporary English Version which we use for public reading at our Sunday services, the New International Reader's Version (NIrV; written at a year 9 level) or a paraphrase, like The New Living Translation (NLT) .
Reference tools. Invest in a few basic references, such as a Bible Dictionary (an index of biblical-word definitions), a Bible Atlas (a collection of maps of biblical lands), and a concordance (a biblical word locator) to bring clarity to the text.
4 "The Bible is
so dull."
Not if you
enjoy romance
(Ruth), adventure
(Jonah, Acts), or conflict
(Judges). There are
tales of conquest and war
(Joshua), scandal and
suspense (David and
Bathsheba in 2
Samuel), and deceit and
corruption (Ananias and
Sapphira in Acts
5).
God stocked his library with a variety of styles: narrative, letters, poetry, history, and prophecy. If you naturally gravitate to the biography section in a bookstore, start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). If you love poetry, spend some time exploring Psalms or Song of Solomon.
5 "I don't see
how the Bible applies to my life."
The Bible
offers practical advice
on issues we face
every day: love
(1 Corinthians
13), leadership
(Nehemiah),
marital bliss
(Song of
Solomon), courage
(Esther), and
investments
(Matthew 25). It
has how-to articles
(Proverbs 31)
and time-management
models (Matthew
6:33).
Get a topical Bible (a Bible arranged according to subject) and read every passage about an issue that challenges you. Take notes as you read. Become an expert on what the Scriptures say about that particular subject.
6 "I hear Bible
readings in church every Sunday. Isn't that enough?"
"The Bible,"
says Billy Graham, "is the road map for life." When I examine a map, an expert
like my pastor can show me the most effective route to take. But I become more
familiar with how to navigate the roadlifewhen I read the map and follow it
myself.
7 "The Bible
makes me feel uncomfortable."
Many of us
associate the Bible with negative experiences. Instead of examining Scripture on
its own merits, we plop it onto a "discard pile" along with dry worship,
hypocritical congregations, and insensitive Christians from our past. We'd
rather label it and put it in a box than face up to what it might be telling us
about ourselves.
But conviction is an important and necessary function of Scripture. "For the word of God is living and active," says the writer of Hebrews. "Sharper than any double-edged sword it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart".[15]
As we read the Bible we may find we have to face some hard truths about our inner motives and ourselves. Is that worthwhile? Said the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, "The life which is unexamined is not worth living."
Statistics say that 92 percent of all Americans have at least three Bibles in their homes. Is yours secreted away in a cupboard or just gathering dust on a shelf like the South Dakota rancher? There's a fortune hidden within its pages and within your reach right now. If you havent been doing it, start reading it today.[16]
[1] Included at the end of Website version of this message.
[2] Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
[3] Psalm 119:89, 91
[4] Colossians 1:23, 27-28
[5] Jeremiah 36
[6] 1 Peter 1 :23-25
[7] 1 John 2:17 ESV
[8] Cf. 1 Peter 1:25
[9] Luke 6:46-48
[10] Armstrong, Jennifer, Shipwreck at the bottom of the WorlD, The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance,New York: Crown Publishers, 1998, p. 110.
[11] Psalm 139:9-10 KJV
[12] Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
[13] Psalm 119:97
[14] So says Nashville-based pastor and author Robert Morgan.
[15] Hebrews 4:12 NIV
[16] Adapted from Back to the Book: Seven ways to ignite a passion for reading the Bible. Reprinted from Signs of the Times (October 2002), 2002 Kathy