No Apologies - "Trust The Story" - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
1 Peter 3:15 - but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
CAN I TRUST THE STORY OF THE BIBLE?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – 16 All Scripture is inspired by God(God Breathed), and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
SERMON TITLE: “TRUST THE STORY”
What is The Bible?:
- 66 Books (39 OT, 27 NT)
- 40 Human Authors
- 3 Languages (Hebrew, Greek & Aramaic)
- Over 1500 Years
- On 3 Different Continents
1. HISTORY *CONFIRMS THE RELIABILITY OF THE *BIBLE
PIC: "DEAD SEA SCROLLS"
PIC: "THE GREAT ISAIAH SCROLL"
THE EARLY CHURCH DID NOT CREATE SCRIPTURE. THEY RECOGNIZED IT.
The Canon - "Measuring Rod" or "Standard":
- Written by an apostle (seen Jesus) or close associate
- Agreed with orthodox teaching.
- Were widely accepted & used by churches.
- Evidence of divine authority.
2 Peter 3:15-16 – 15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.
2. THE *RESURRECTION VALIDATES THE *STORY
PROPHECIES OF JESUS:
- Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver: Zechariah 11:12-13 → Matthew 26:15
- Pierced hands and feet: Isaiah 53:7 → Matthew 27:12-14
- Crucified with Criminals: Isaiah 53:12 → Mark 15:27-28
- Resurrection foretold: Psalms 16:10 → Acts 2:24-32
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 – 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time;...
3. WE CAN *TRUST THE *STORY BECAUSE WE *KNOW THE *AUTHOR
PIC: "Bible Cross-Reference Graph"
Psalms 119:89 – Lord, your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven.
Psalms 119:160 – The entirety of your word is truth, each of your righteous judgments endures forever.
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.