Appreciating the Word of God – Part 2 “the fruit-bearing Word”

Reliability of the written Word Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." God instructed the Jewish people carefully watch over His Words Torah scroll has 304,805 letters, takes about 1 year to write by professional scribes Even a single missing or misshapen letter invalidates the entire Torah 1

Preservation of Ancient writings Ancient writings – measure time between actual events & oldest reliable copy of original document Time from Caesar  1,000 years later (10 copies) Time from Plato  1,200 years (7 copies) Time from Aristotle  1,400 years (49 copies) Time from Jesus  years (5,600 copies) 2 More ancient manuscript support for accuracy of Bible than any other ancient literature

God’s Word written to be instructional Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Man is designed to need instructions God’s“writings”were to “give us hope” Atheists have no hope, naturalistic scientists have no hope, materialists have no hope.

Written to be both authoritative & instructional 2Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" “Scripture” is “God-breathed”, making it authoritative “God-breathed” – Scripture has “intrinsic” qualities, revealing God’s inspiration (Book - Hebrews) “profitable for teaching”– we all need instruction spiritually & morally

Written to be near to us Deuteronomy 30:11-14 "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” Paul quotes in Romans ,& applies to us

God’s Words meant to give a better life Deuteronomy 30:15, 19-20a, "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity … 19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land …" Israel’s security tied to the Word, not their military

God’s Words are transformative Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." What will change my life for the better? The entrance of God’s in-breathed Word What will give me hope for my future? All that’s written is meant to give you hope

Engaged in “Word therapy” Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Nothing affects the outcome of our lives more than what we do with the Words of God The Word of God is for the “here & now” not just the “sweet by & by” Isaiah 61’s promises: healing of broken hearts, comfort & restoration of soul, repair of families

The transformation parable Luke 8:5-9, "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great. As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Parable of the sower Luke , “His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. “

Parable of the sower Luke , “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance."

Jesus explains the parable Luke 8.11b, “… Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.” If God’s Word is to be “life giving” & “transformative”, what do we learn from this parable? Fate of the Word of God is going to be determined by the soil, not by the seed

The Word of God has an enemy Luke 8.12, "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. “beside the road”, right next to it – listening the world & listening to God at the same time “birds” - there is spiritual warfare against the Word in your life - from many sources “the road” - we cannot eat at the table of the world & expect progress with God

The seed needs roots & water Luke 8.13, “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.” “root” - seeds need water to grow. God’s Word needs Spiritual water. Your “devotional life”& “prayer life” waters God’s Word in you The Word of God is meant to be transformational & not just informational. Salvation is more than Church attendance

“I’m just too busy” Luke 8.14, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” Thorns are“worries, riches, pleasures” that “choke out”the life of the Word of God in us We live in an“age of distraction”, many things want our attention, but God’s Word also needs our attention

The promise of a changed life Luke 8.15, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." “honest & good heart”, later Paul refers to a “sincere faith” (1Timothy 1.5, 2Timothy 1.5) “hold it fast” – “take hold of & not let go”, to “possess it” “hold it fast” – an enduring action (Hebrews 3.14)

Fruit = the reality of a God-transformed life Luke 8.15, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." “bear fruit” – the goal of all seed is to produce “fruit”- i.e. transformation in our lives If“fruit”= “change”, than “change” happens as we deepen our relationship with the Word “with perseverance”– “to abide amidst trials”; our faith will be tested, but “hold on”

The fruit-bearing Gospel Colossians 1:3-6 “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth”

References 1 Chabad.org – site on Judaism 2 Carm.org – Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry