MORNING MESSAGE: John Cline
Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
Reader: Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu
This will be a different type of sermon from what you normally hear from me. I will still do my usual verse-by-verse look at our chosen passage but that will be near the end of the sermon. First, I will be doing an overview of the Bible, something I have never done before.
Crossroads.com sent out an article this week, timely for today’s sermon. Here is how it starts: “If I were the devil, I would do everything in my power to keep you from the Word of God. I would say anything I could think of, anything I thought you would believe, anything that works, to get you to read other things.” The article is entitled “15 Lies Satan Tells You about Scripture”. It reads this way:
- “You already know it, so don’t read it.”
Satan is lying to you. You do not know the Bible. I’ve studied the Bible for 50 years and in no way could I say I “know it”. I certainly know a great deal about it, but there is so much more to learn. There is so much more in the Bible for me and you to learn.
- “No one can understand it, so don’t read it.”
Even a child can understand a great deal of Scripture, as I have been delighted to see with my grandchildren. Meanwhile, a person with a Ph.D. will find plenty in the Bible to challenge them. But having a good commentary is essential, I believe, in really understanding the Bible.
- “It’s boring. So don’t read it.”
The Bible is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
- “It’s better left to the professionals. So, don’t read it.”
This was a lie Satan sold to the Roman Catholic church during the Middle Ages. By restricting the Bible to only Latin – and not allowing it to be printed in the language of the people – great injustices occurred. Courageous individuals such as John Wycliffe and William Tyndale were martyred for translating the Bible into English. In 2016, four translators of the Bible into Arabic were martyred, and on and on.
- “You need to understand Greek and Hebrew to know what it really means. So, don’t bother reading it.”
Nope! The translations of the original languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek – into English convey very well the meaning of the Bible.
- “The English Bible was not translated correctly. If you doubt that, listen to preachers say, ‘The translators got this wrong. What it really says is…’ So, don’t read it.”
Such a common lie but it is simply that, a lie. Remember, this article is entitled, “15 Lies Satan Tells You about Scripture”. Going on…
- “It’s contradictory. So don’t read it.”
There are no contradictions in scripture regarding any doctrine or teaching of consequence. There are places where, e.g., one writer says 100 people were killed while another writer says it was 1,000. But, if you dig, you will learn that scholars usually have solid explanations for that sort of difficulty.
- “Experts disagree on what it means. So, don’t read it.”
Satan’s lying. The Christian church, no matter what denomination, agrees with 90 percent – or even more – of the Scripture messages.
- “The Bible is outdated. Not for our modern times. So, don’t read it.”
Nope! It’s as contemporary as this morning’s news. Or even more so!
- “The Bible is just a bunch of rules. So, don’t read it.”
Satan’s lying. Scripture is anything but a bunch of rules. It contains the greatest stories, inspiring teachings, and blessed insights imaginable and all of those have amazed and blessed people throughout the ages.
- “You are so far beyond that. The Bible has nothing for you. So, don’t read it.”
The best response to this is: “Let me see for myself.” Then, open it. But, have a good commentary with you.
- “Men wrote it. So, forget about it being divine. Don’t waste your time reading it.”
This is another half-truth that is a whole lie. God did use humans to write the Bible which means it did not drop to earth fully written.
- “Reading the Bible will turn you into a religious fanatic. And you don’t want people thinking you’re a nut. Do not risk that by reading the Bible.”
You may have heard the saying, “A fanatic is someone who loves Jesus more than you.” What reading the Bible will do is introduce you to the Saviour, teach you about salvation, and nourish your soul. Instead of making you weird it will make you whole.
- “No one with intelligence reads the Bible anymore. Only religious fundamentalists and extremists. So, don’t read it.”
Some of the smartest people on the planet, including scientists and professors and philosophers, read and love the Bible.
- “You’re too busy. You can read it some other time when you are feeling spiritual, when you have plenty of time, when you’re older. Just don’t read it now.”
That’s the 15th lie. People are not too busy; only too lazy, too worldly, etc. to read the Bible. But we should read it.
My counter to all that is this: the Bible is unlike any book ever written.
It is so consistently the #1 best-selling book in the world that the NT Times “bestseller” list excludes it from every list.
During the 1980’s there were hockey pools in which participants would choose players for their hockey pool team, but no one was allowed to choose Wayne Gretzky to their team because he always scored 60 – 80 points more than the second-place player and so it wouldn’t be fair to anyone else to have Gretzky on their team. In the same way, the Bible is excluded from all book bestseller lists because it wouldn’t be “fair” to the other book writers as the Bible is always, year-by-year, the best-selling book in the world.
Going on, the Christian Bible is made up of two distinct parts. First, there is
The Old Testament/Hebrew scripture is comprised of 39 books divided into three sections: history, poetry, and prophetical.
“Who wrote the OT?” Well, it was many people, individuals such as:
Moses, who recorded the Law and the beginnings of creation. David and Solomon, who wrote songs and wisdom literature.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, who called Israel and other nations to repentance and pointed to the hope of redemption.
Those various individuals wrote their books because they believed
The grass withers, and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
The Bible is unique in that, on a spiritual level, it is
The only book in which the author interacts with the reader.
God uses the Bible to change people’s hearts, thoughts, and lives…
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12,13)
The apostle Paul strongly held to that view of the Bible, stating,
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)
As a historical book, it is like no other ancient book, in that,
Its accuracy is used by historians and scholars as to dates, geographical locations, and customs.
As to its composition, it is unique in that it wasn’t just one author but
It was written by about 40 different authors over a period of 1,500 years, in three different languages and on three continents.
However, those human authors, who wrote on leather parchments or papyrus scrolls because paper had not been invented, were guided by the Holy Spirit as to what to put down in print. The apostle Peter said:
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20,21)
Bible scholars suggest there are between 47 and 300 OT prophecies which were fulfilled in the life of Jesus. It is important to recognize that prophecies about Jesus’ birthplace, lineage, and method of execution were beyond his control or ability to manipulate.
Without God’s direction and involvement, it would have been impossible for writers living centuries apart, in different geographical areas, and writing in different languages, to have given prophecies that would fit together about a Messiah.
Jesus knew He was fulfilling those prophecies. In his resurrection body, he appeared on the road to Emmaus to a couple of his followers who were distraught after his crucifixion.
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)
The New Testament was written after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is about him, but it is important to know that Jesus’ life completed the story begun in the OT, in which a coming Messiah was prophesied about and revealed. To his detractors, Jesus said:
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5:39)
When people ask, “Who wrote the books of the New Testament?” the answer is that there were 8 key authors (plus an anonymous person who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews). Those authors were eyewitnesses to Jesus or close companions of those who were. The authors include:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, who recorded the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, the history of the early Church, and who wrote letters to people and churches.
Concerning the things he had written, the apostle John revealed,
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
So, there was great intentionality in the writing of the 27 NT books.
5 were historical, 1 was apocalyptic, and 21 were letters.Today we have a lot of options for communication. We have cell phones, telephone landlines, laptops, movies, tv, texts messages and email. But, in the ancient world, when you wanted to communicate with someone who lived in a different community, you would write them a letter. The NT letters written by Paul and the other writers were then couriered to the recipients, which were either individuals or churches. I like to picture them being thrilled to receive those letters.
When I was 20 or so, I backpacked around Europe for a few months. In those days of old, backpackers would gather at the main post office of whatever city they were in, hoping that someone from back home had sent a letter to them, care of “General Delivery” to that post office. I’ll tell you: it was thrilling to receive a letter from home!
Paul was the first to write letters which came to be included in the NT, but he was quickly followed by the other writers. The recipients of those letters would have been thrilled to receive them. The letters were different from the OT books, as well as the first 5 books of the NT in that they weren’t history, poetry, or prophecies. They were personal and instructional, applicable to the individual or the church to whom they were written. Whereas the Gospel books were about the birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven of Jesus, the NT letters were instruction guides, outlining how to be faithful, effective followers of Jesus Christ. The topics discussed in the NT letters included explaining what true conversion and newness of life in Christ were about. Relationships within the church, and the importance of the church were also focused upon. The NT letter-writers all held a very high view of the church, a view that too many Christians do not have. The culture of the Roman Empire with its different gods and beliefs were written about so that those early Christians knew how to live in that pagan world which so persecuted Christian believers.
The original readers understood their culture; in a way we can today if we are committed to reading commentaries and digging hard as to what was originally meant. For example, did you know that Paul’s words about us being “predestined” for salvation was written in response to the common teaching in the city of Ephesus that the Greek goddess Artemis decided everything in life for her subjects. Thus, the converts from that false thinking were having their minds assured by Paul that they had no reason to fear Artemis’ control any longer, for God was in control. That is why we read commentaries!
The NT letters, thus, were an entirely new way of presenting God’s Word. We have already seen in this sermon series that Paul believed his words were, in fact, God’s Word – and that the Thessalonian Christians believed them to be so, as well. For instance, Paul wrote,
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
The apostle Peter later affirmed that Paul’s words were God’s own words, a new form of Scripture. Peter said this about Paul’s writings:
His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16)
Paul used scribes to jot down his words, a common practice in the Roman world. To be a scribe was to have a high-paying job but Paul used learned Christian colleagues such as Silas and Timothy as his scribes. The traditional depiction of the letter-writing process is a meaningful one: Paul pacing the room, speaking, and his scribe scribbling. But as was common back in that day of using scribes, as a mark of authenticity Paul would write words at the end of his letters:
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. (1Cor 16:21)
That was in 1st Corinthians. Here’s his sign-off in Colossians:
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. (Colossians 4:18)
To the church in Galatia, his sign-off added interesting words,
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. (Galatians 6:11)
The “large letters” reference could have been due to Paul’s eyesight not being great, but it could have also been Paul underscoring his personal involvement. In 2nd Thessalonians, the letter we have been preaching in, Paul signed off between two verses of benediction:
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. (2nd Thessalonians 3:16-18)
We will finish this sermon by looking at two important points in those verse.
First, the Lord’s “peace” being available to Christians was a recurring theme in Paul’s letters. To illustrate what he meant, consider a lighthouse standing firm amidst a storm. The lighthouse doesn’t stop the storm but provides light and guidance. Jesus, the Christian’s source of peace, stands firm amidst the storms of life, offering His people His unwavering peace. Peace isn’t the absence of strife – certainly the Thessalonians had strife with the persecution they were going through because of their faith and with the uncertainties and division caused within their church by false teachers – but peace is the presence of the Lord in our life. Paul prayed for Christ’s peace in Christian’s lives.
And second, Paul also regularly wrote of God’s grace, a word which means “undeserved favour”. Paul everywhere taught that we cannot ever, through our doing good deeds, impress God enough to be saved through those good works. Why not? Because in our very being, we are sinful, and sin cannot mix with God’s holiness, Paul often explained. The solution to this lay in the sinless one, God’s Son, Jesus, taking our sins and dealing with them by dying on the cross for us. As a result, God sees us as sinless, perfect, and holy, and He welcomes us into His presence. Grace is God’s “undeserved favour” given to us. A well-known acronym that helps in remembering what grace is about is this:
Grace is: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
Every good thing – big or small – is a reminder of God’s grace to us. At the centre of grace is God’s greatest act of deliverance – that being the one through his Son, Jesus, the gift of complete forgiveness of our sins. As a result, we can have peace, God’s peace, deep in our hearts. When we ponder those two truths of God’s grace and peace, we can then live as should, spiritually and relationally, in fullness of life, with our hearts set on the eternal life that lays ahead for us. The brilliance of the letters of Paul and the other early Christian leaders was that transformational faith. The NT letters are why the early church survived. They were God’s lifeline of communication to the first believers. They will similarly transform us today when we read them and heed the words written in them. Let us pray…
