WHY CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? 40 Days In The Word – Part 1 Rick Warren January 21-22, 2012
Welcome 40DITW Your life is going to change dramatically during next 40 days To understand HOW & WHY- watch VISION NIGHT online
o The heart of 40DITW – 6 Small Group Studies You’ll learn how to unlock the Bible for yourself (show DVD/workbook) Devotional Method of Bible Study Review “HELPS” in Workbook Not in a group yet? You can start one!
Not in a group You can join or start one today
o 2nd component: 40 DAILY VIDEO DEVOTIONS Starts Mon. 40 top Bible teachers. I teach Day 1 Sign up at (screen) 40DITW.com
o 3rd component: 6 Easy Bible verses we’ll memorize together - key chain with verses.
o 4th component: 6 WEEKEND MESSAGES 2. Foundation - What is the Purpose of the Bible? 3. Illumination - How can I see what God wants me to see? 4. Interpretation - How do I know what it means? 5. Integration - How do I integrate God’s Word into my life? work, family, finances, 6. Application - How can I USE God’s Word effectively? make decisions, defeat temptation, help others, comfort TODAY: 1. INSPIRATION: Why can I trust the Bible?
The Bible is the most translated and most read book in the world 2 TIM. 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
PS.119:86 “All of your commands can be trusted” NCV How do I know this? SHOW TIME MAG COVERS
I CAN TRUST THE BIBLE BECAUSE…
1. IT IS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE! Not just doctrinally .. but every other area too! Why? God CANNOT LIE! SCREEN HEB. 6:18 “It is impossible for God to lie!” PS. 33:4 “The Word of the Lord is right and true.”
Intro Tom: 1. Most of the Bible is from eyewitness accounts 2. Archeology always confirms the Bible eventually 3. The Scriptures have been copied with extreme care!
2. IT IS SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE! The Bible wasn’t given to be a science textbook. Doesn’t use scientific language but it never gives bad science! FACT: always ahead of contemporary views!
J. Kepler (astronomer) “Science is thinking God’s thoughts after him!’
o Reason its accurate: The Laws of the Universe are God’s Laws! So he understands them even when we don’t! SCREEN PS.148:5-6 (NLT) Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being. He established them forever and forever. His orders will never be revoked.”
FACT: Science constantly changes! Quickly Obsolete. ILL: Medical views.. Paris Louvre Library- 3 ½ miles of old science books – almost all obsolete!
1861 French Academy of Science “51 Incontrovertible Scientific Facts that prove the Bible is Wrong” Today- all 51 facts have been proven wrong by SCIENCE!
One proof- not a man-made book is what the Bible DOESN’T SAY! - You’d expect it to promote the current science of the day!
For 1000s of yrs everyone believed… 1 T he earth was flat ! Yet, 2,600 yrs ago Isaiah said (SCREEN) ISA.40:22 “God is enthroned above the sphere of the earth” Jesus “One sleeping/ one working
2 The earth has to be held up! Greeks: A giant named Atlas…. Hindus : Giant Elephants held up earth their backs they stand on the back of giant turtle on a giant serpent swimming in a sea Egyptians: Earth is held up by 5 pillars Moses “schooled in the wisdom of the Egyptians” Yet none in Bible!
Screen JOB 26:7 (NLT) “God stretches the sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing!” How did Job know that?
3 The number of stars could be counted 150 BC – Hipparchus announced 1,022 stars in the universe! 150 AD – Ptolemy concluded 1,026 (found 4 more) 2,600 yrs ago JER. 33:22 :”The number of stars are infinite”
From Hippocrates on for 2,000 yrs- science taught HUMORALISM all illness& temperament caused by 4 Body Fluids: BILE BILE BLOOD PHEGM You wont find that in the BIBLE
4 Too much blood made you sick. “Must bleed people to keep them alive!” Science didn’t know until 1628 that blood circulates! William Harvey Washington got sick. Bled him 3x. Died! TODAY: We GIVE people blood to help them get well! (Transfusions SCREEN: LEV. 17:11 (NLT) “The LIFE of every creature is IN its blood!”
5. 25% of all Europe died of bubonic plague in Middle Ages They didn’t know the value of quarantining the sick! But Long before science discovered germs, God said…
LEV.13:4 (NLT) "…Put an infected person in quarantine for seven days.
PR. 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless.” In fact, it’s more than accurate. It’s pure! It’s perfect! PS. 12:6 “The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay and purified seven times!”
3. IT IS PROPHETICALLY ACCURATE! The Bible has predicted 1000s of events that happened just as God said! Over 300 about Messiah- where & how he’d be born, die - CROSS
2 PET. 1:21 “No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God's direction.” GW
MT. 26:56 “But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures." NLT
REV. 22:6 “The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord …sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
4. IT IS THEMATICALLY UNIFIED One unified message! Next wk- we’ll talk about that unified theme What’s so amazing about that? The Bible is one book made up of 66 books Written by over 40 different authors - over a period of 1,600 years! in over a dozen countries on 3 different continents! in at least 3 different languages by people from all walks of life! Farmers & kings, soldiers & shepherds, princes & priests, historians, fisherman, tax collectors, scholars, businessmen, MD caves, ships, palaces, prisons, deserts
COULDN’T GET A MORE DIVERSE GROUP over 1600 yrs. yet they make one book with one story without contradiction.
ILL: Gave out 50 pieces of colored paper- cut it any way you want. What are the ODDS they all fit perfectly to form a map of USA!
LK. 24:27 “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in ALL the Scriptures concerning himself.” The theme of the entire Bible is God’s plan of redemption! The star of the story is Jesus. You can see him in every book!
JN. 5:39 "You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”
5. IT IS CONFIRMED BY JESUS (TOM) MT. 5:18 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter not the least stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished!”
6. IT HAS SURVIVED ALL ATTACKS The most despised, derided, denied disputed, dissected, disputed, debated, outlawed & destroyed book ever! YET STILL THE BEST SELLING, MOST READ Source of more great ART, MUSIC & ARCHITECTURE
MT. 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Voltaire “Within 100 yrs the Bible will be forgotten” His home became headquarters for French Bible Society
1 PET. 1:24-25 “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." ILL; Gravity- You don’t break God’s laws.. they break you RECOMMEND HAROLD SALA BOOK 7. IT HAS TRANSFORMING POWER Nothing can change lives like the Bible! Your life has been changed by it! JN.8:31-32 Jesus said “If you continue in my Word, then you are my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!”
Q: Do any of you believe everything you read online?
WHY IS THE AUTHORITY& INERRANCY OF GOD’S WORD IMP? Your salvation depends on it!
If it’s not reliable – you’re in a heap of trouble! THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US …. (list benefits)
THE BIG Q: WHAT WILL BE THE AUTHORITY FOR MY LIFE? The World or the Word? GOD or ME? How’s that working for you?
ROM. 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The will of God is found in the Word of God God’s plan for you is good pleasing and perfect
PRAYER: Dear God, from this day forward, I will accept the Bible as your flawless Word to me and I will make it the Final Authority for my life- even when I don’t understand it, it is not popular, it is not easy, or I don’t like it. You are God and I am not. Thank you for loving me enough to speak to me through your Word. Thank you that you are not silent! I want to LOVE your word, LEARN your word, and LIVE your Word.
CARD 1. Sing up for a Group Today. ONLINE- you can join us! 2nd Go to 40DITW.com & register for video devotions 3. RECOGNIZE HOSTS - & dismiss eaarly
Each wk Memory Verse. MONDAY AM- I teach the 1st devotional on… COL. 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (practice this aloud several times with the congregation)
Take the last 2 min to be quiet & think about this verse!