The Things Concerning Himself (Lk 24:25-27, 44-49)

April 25, 2010 in

Today I want to point out one more feature of Jesus’ words to the disciples that will help direct us as we approach the Old Testament. Too often in Christian circles there is a tendency to approach the Old Testament as though Christ had not come and given us the definitive interpretation of its meaning and significance in Himself and His Kingdom. As we will see in the course of this morning, Christ and the Apostles were convinced that what the prophets had anticipated, what all Israel had awaited, was precisely what Jesus had done while on earth and what He was continuing to do as He reigned, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, at the right hand of the Father.

All the Scriptures: Identifying the Word of God (Lk 24:25ff)

April 18, 2010 in

Last week we learned that our calling as the people of God is to respond to the Word of God with willing and eager hearts. Our hearts are to be inclined to the Word of God, loving it, treasuring it, valuing it – and from this heart attitude will proceed a life changed, transformed, and remade into the image of the One who gave us His Word.

 
But this response begs a certain question, does it not? What is the Word of God? Where are we to find it? How to identify? Is the Old Testament part of the Word of God? Only the NT? Only portions of both? And, of course, in addition to these types of questions, there are related questions we could consider – what are we to make of other holy books, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, etc? The related questions we’ll reserve for another time. Today I want us to consider the more narrow question of the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments – are both to be considered the Word of God for Christians?

Our Hearts Burned Within Us: Responding Appropriately to God’s Word

April 11, 2010 in

In several weeks we will begin studying the book of Nehemiah. There are a number of issues I want us to understand as we approach this book so that our heads and hearts are in the right place. Today I want us to address the heart. How is it that we should respond to the Word of God?

I address the heart first because, as both Jesus and Solomon tell us, it is out of the heart that the mouth speaks; the heart that controls the mind and directs it whithersoever it will. We study, we value, we respond to what we love, to what we esteem and revere. So our hearts must be rightly directed to God’s Word and, if this is accomplished, our understanding of the Word of God will grow accordingly. So how should we respond to the Word of God?