The Right Response to God's Word
"Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
- Acts 17:2-3
There is power in the spoken word of God. When God speaks, light follows. From the very beginning, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light (Gen. 1:3). Later, we read in Psalm 119:130 that, "The entrance of Your Word give light." If you want more light in your life, you will need to spend time each and every day feeding and marinating on the Word.
The Word reveals that we can see the created world and understand the invisible attributes of God by what is created (Rom. 1:20). We know that all things exist for the glory of God because God has chosen to reveal this to us by His Word. There is something rather than nothing and each of us are someone rather than no one because of the Word of God. Therefore, when all is said and done, we know that was done is because God first said it. God always has the first and last word!
Ever since Paul was young and had studied the Scriptures, he knew that the Word explained and expressed the truth...even if he could not see it all. Jesus said to the Jews that believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). Jesus is the Word that was made flesh (John 1:14) and therefore all the Word points to Jesus and Jesus is the main point of the Word. So to miss Jesus is to miss the full counsel of God's Word.
This is why Paul taught and communicated the Word wherever he went. He did not have a personal copy of the Scriptures or have one of the modern leather bound Bibles that we have today. But the Word of Christ dwelt in him so richly that he was able to stand up at anytime and give the Word through preaching, reasoning, explaining, demonstrating and persuading others to believe in Christ. Is this true for you? IT CAN BE. The power is in the Word of God since it reveals the work of God through the Son of God who died and rose again so that sinners can become the children of God by work of the Spirit of God.
God's Word has a purpose to accomplish every time it goes forth and it will not return back to God void (Isa. 55:11). However, reading the Bible or hearing the Word is simply not enough. A person must have a humble and teachable spirit to receive the Word of God and grow thereby. The Word is meant to birth faith and produce action in our lives.
James 1:21-22 says, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." This verse shows us that there must be a meek spirit within us if we are to have hearts that are good soil to receive the Word of God. We are deceived if we think the work is achieved by simply hearing the Word.
Jesus put the emphasis on BOTH hearing and doing the Word. Only when do both can we be the wise ones who built our lives upon the rock and can stand our ground when the rains descend, the floods come, and the wind blows and beats on the house.
Paul would later tell his spiritual son, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).
The Bereans showed that their openness to not only receive the Word but to investigate what they were hearing. Luke, the author of Acts, would write, "they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). But even with that diligence to know the truth, they still needed to take the next step of believing and receiving Jesus that Paul was presenting to them. Many there went on to believe but others did not. There were also those Jews who greatly opposed to them and sought to stir up believers to make Paul believe.
Let us remember that when we read the Word, the Word always reads us. When our hearts are exposed, we must align our will with God's will and return to God. When God's Word is doing its sanctifying work in us, it will be said in our day that we also "turned the world upside down", which is actually right side up for God's glory!
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
- Acts 17:2-3
There is power in the spoken word of God. When God speaks, light follows. From the very beginning, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light (Gen. 1:3). Later, we read in Psalm 119:130 that, "The entrance of Your Word give light." If you want more light in your life, you will need to spend time each and every day feeding and marinating on the Word.
The Word reveals that we can see the created world and understand the invisible attributes of God by what is created (Rom. 1:20). We know that all things exist for the glory of God because God has chosen to reveal this to us by His Word. There is something rather than nothing and each of us are someone rather than no one because of the Word of God. Therefore, when all is said and done, we know that was done is because God first said it. God always has the first and last word!
Ever since Paul was young and had studied the Scriptures, he knew that the Word explained and expressed the truth...even if he could not see it all. Jesus said to the Jews that believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). Jesus is the Word that was made flesh (John 1:14) and therefore all the Word points to Jesus and Jesus is the main point of the Word. So to miss Jesus is to miss the full counsel of God's Word.
This is why Paul taught and communicated the Word wherever he went. He did not have a personal copy of the Scriptures or have one of the modern leather bound Bibles that we have today. But the Word of Christ dwelt in him so richly that he was able to stand up at anytime and give the Word through preaching, reasoning, explaining, demonstrating and persuading others to believe in Christ. Is this true for you? IT CAN BE. The power is in the Word of God since it reveals the work of God through the Son of God who died and rose again so that sinners can become the children of God by work of the Spirit of God.
God's Word has a purpose to accomplish every time it goes forth and it will not return back to God void (Isa. 55:11). However, reading the Bible or hearing the Word is simply not enough. A person must have a humble and teachable spirit to receive the Word of God and grow thereby. The Word is meant to birth faith and produce action in our lives.
James 1:21-22 says, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." This verse shows us that there must be a meek spirit within us if we are to have hearts that are good soil to receive the Word of God. We are deceived if we think the work is achieved by simply hearing the Word.
Jesus put the emphasis on BOTH hearing and doing the Word. Only when do both can we be the wise ones who built our lives upon the rock and can stand our ground when the rains descend, the floods come, and the wind blows and beats on the house.
Paul would later tell his spiritual son, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).
The Bereans showed that their openness to not only receive the Word but to investigate what they were hearing. Luke, the author of Acts, would write, "they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). But even with that diligence to know the truth, they still needed to take the next step of believing and receiving Jesus that Paul was presenting to them. Many there went on to believe but others did not. There were also those Jews who greatly opposed to them and sought to stir up believers to make Paul believe.
Let us remember that when we read the Word, the Word always reads us. When our hearts are exposed, we must align our will with God's will and return to God. When God's Word is doing its sanctifying work in us, it will be said in our day that we also "turned the world upside down", which is actually right side up for God's glory!
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
- Read the Word of God to KNOW the God of the Word.
- Pray as you read to DEEPEN your understanding.
- See Jesus and obey Him to BROADEN your influence.
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