Palm Sunday

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Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12 all give a Holy Spirit inspired account of the last 5 days of Jesus’ life leading up to the cross. This “Countdown to the Cross” is considered to be the most Holy Week in history. Prophecies were fulfilled, promises were given, and principles were affirmed by Jesus in this brief but powerful moment in time.

It had been about 550 years since the prophet Zechariah stood in Jerusalem to encourage the rebuilding of the Temple. Everyone in Jerusalem was familiar with the hope of Zechariah’s prophecy as recorded in:

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

There was a stir in Jerusalem that spring like never before. It was only 5 days until the Passover that year. Gentiles and Jews from all over the known world had gathered for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Many followers of Jesus believed He was the Messiah and the religious leaders of that day were desperate to arrest and execute Him.

What had once been an annual gathering in remembrance of God delivering Israel from Egypt was now nothing more than a political rally aimed at keeping the ruling party in power. If those in charge did not do something to stop Jesus of Nazareth, they feared the whole world would run after Him and make Him their King. (John 12:19; Luke 19:47-48)

It was on a Sunday, just 5 days before the cross, when we join the account as recorded by the Apostle Matthew who was an eye witness and a participant to these events. Let’s read from his inspired testimony and I’ll supply commentary along the way.

Matthew 21 NKJV

1 ¶  Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

·        This is not the only time we see God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Church send people out in pairs. (Luke 10:1)

·        Ecclesiastes says two are better than one and from creation is has not been the best practice that people be alone. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

2  saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.

·        Of all the Gospel accounts, Matthew is the only one who mentions that the mother donkey was involved in the story.

·        God has a special place in His heart for mothers. Seems like God paid respect to her and her position in this young colt’s life and calling.

3  “And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

·        No doubt the Holy Spirit and angels on assignment were not only guiding the two disciples but also moving on the hearts and minds of the guardians of these two donkeys.

·        One word from Jesus removes suspicions, answers questions, quiets concerns, opens hearts, and makes resources available for His use. “The Lord has need of them …”

·        I can’t tell you the number of times I have released resources into the hands of men and women in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit. All of my questions answered in a moment when I feel the Lord.

4  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

5  “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

·        The nation had been waiting for over 500 years to see this day. Generation after generation read and heard and hoped they would see their King riding into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

·        This was their sign! No wonder they were cheering and shouting …

6  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.

7  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.

·        Some of the disciples could have felt slighted asking the question: “Why are we not carrying Jesus on our shoulders?”

·        But they didn’t. They realized the choice Jesus makes is the best choice.

·        They put their garments, their discipleship garments, on this colt indicating agreement and support both for Jesus and this young unproven, never-before-ridden donkey.

8  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

·        People do what they see the leaders do.

·        If you’re happy and you know it and you’re not ashamed to show it; If you’re happy and you know it say amen!

·        Don’t be afraid or ashamed to show your support for those young colts chosen by God.

9  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”

·        “Hosanna” means “Save Now!”

·        Son of David = Messiah

·        “Blessed is He …” comes from Psalm 118:25&26. Everyone who went to Temple knew this. They were identifying Jesus as the One!

10  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

·        The Bible says when people see you following Jesus, they will ask you to tell them why. It’s something you can count on.

·        It moves people, even a whole city, when they see you worshipping Jesus.

11  So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

This is what Palm Sunday is all about … Correctly identifying the Messiah of the Jews and Savior of the World. It is Jesus! He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace! He is Lord and Savior, Redeemer and Friend. He is the Son of David, the Son of Man, and the Son of God. “This is Jesus!” He’s my King!

Passover for the nation of Israel begins sundown this coming Wednesday, April 1^st. Next Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Invite someone you love and care about to come with you to hear the greatest story ever told. Consider picking up some invitation cards on your way out and give them to friends or place them where others can see and come.

Don’t say no to Jesus for someone else! Happy Palm Sunday …

THE KING IS HERE Palm Sunday

 Today is Palm Sunday! Today is the day that marked the beginning of Jesus’ last week here on earth. It is the beginning of Passion Week. Now there is a lot that takes place during Passion week that we are all quite aware of:

•  Cleansing of the temple

•  Parables of Wedding Banquet, Ten Virgins, Talents, etc.

•  Silent Wednesday (Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver)

•  The Last Supper

•  Jesus arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane

•  Jesus crucified

•  The resurrection (Easter Sunday)

Among the many popular events of Jesus that are found in Passion Week, Palm Sunday is the event that kicks off all of it. However, not everyone knows what Palm Sunday is. Most people have heard of Palm Sunday and know that it's connected to Easter Sunday. However, they couldn’t really tell you much about what Palm Sunday is.

So what is Palm Sunday? Why is Palm Sunday important? Why is it important to you?

Let’s talk about it!

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to Passover just like everyone else. He had recently raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany not too long before this. So a lot of people heard about Jesus and what He did. There was a stir taking place among the people of Jerusalem.

With that said, let’s read:

Matthew 21:1-2

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.”

Two of His disciples go to fetch the donkey and they do exactly as Jesus asked.

Matthew 21:6-9

“6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!””

Now, this account may not have all the ooh’s and aah’s like some of the other accounts found in the gospels. However, there is tremendous significance in what we just read.

There is significance in what:

1.    Jesus Claims

2.    Jesus Does

3.    Jesus Receives

 

I.     Jesus Claimed to be the Messiah

Matthew 21:3 — “If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

What is important to keep in mind here is that Jesus spent much of His ministry telling people not to say anything to anyone after performing miracles for them.

•  Healing of the Leper — “See that you say nothing to anyone…” (Mark 1:44)

•  Healing of the Two Blind Men — See that no one knows about this…” (Matthew 9:30)

•  Raising of Jairus’ Daughter — “He gave strict orders that no one should know about this…” (Mark 5:43)

•  Jesus spent a lot of time telling people not to say anything. Why? Because His time had not come yet. However, this time in the text Jesus told them to tell the owner of the donkey that “the Lord needs him.” Jesus was saying that the time is now. His time has finally come.

Jesus was claiming that He was the Messiah. He was claiming that He was God.

•  He was making the claim that He was the one that Israel had been waiting for all of these years. He was claiming to be the one that the Old Testament was speaking about. He was claiming to be the one and only King.

This is important because while Jesus was making the announcement “the King is here” on Palm Sunday, Jesus is also reminding us that He is the king of our life today as well. The King is here today. He is here in this room. He knows what you are going through. He sees what you have battled through. Jesus is saying that He is here for you today.

II.    Jesus Sat on the Donkey

Matthew 21:6-7 — “6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.”

Now this may not seem like a big deal here. But we have to be aware of something. Anytime you read about Jesus in the Gospels, He is never riding anything. He is always walking. Jesus walked everywhere! However, here He chose to ride a donkey into Jerusalem. Now, Jesus could have walked in just like every other time He did. However, Jesus was making a statement. He was making the statement that He was the King that His people had been waiting so long for.

Zechariah 9:9 — “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.”

Jesus was fulfilling scripture from 500 years before this moment when He was riding in on that donkey. He was fulfilling a promise by God from long ago. Jesus was telling them that the King is here.

Jesus is also coming to fulfill His promises in your life as well.

III.  Jesus Received the Praise

Matthew 21:8-9
“8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!””

Palm Branches = Symbol of Celebration and Victory

Luke records that there were pharisees that were there in the crowd and were telling Jesus to get them to rebuke his disciples and get them to stop saying these things. But Jesus responded by telling them that if they didn’t say it, the rocks would cry out and say it. Jesus was not only receiving the praise, He was encouraging the praise!

Now, the real question is, why were the pharisees so upset about what the phrase the people were saying about Jesus?

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

1)   Son of David

•  Jesus was not the literal son of David; He was the son of Joseph. However, the OT discusses how the king and savior of the world would come through the lineage of David. Psalm 89 is a specific text that continuously refers to the future King as the Son of David.

The Pharisees knew exactly what they were saying. They were so upset because they knew they were calling Him the Messiah, and Jesus was encouraging it…

Matthew 1:1

•  2)   Hosanna = Save Us

•  Jesus received the praise of the people as they shouted to Him “Come save us, Messiah, the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” Jesus knew what He was doing! Jesus was saying that the King is here!

The King came, and He is coming back again!

The King is also here today, here in this room.

TAKEAWAYS

1.    You can trust Jesus as your Messiah

2.    You can trust Jesus as your Lord

3.    You can trust Jesus for the victory

Angels

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Where do we begin? Why not begin near the end … perhaps close to the time in which we live.

Revelation 12 NKJV

7  And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,

8  but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

9  So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10  Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

11  “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

12 ¶  “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Angels at war; cleansing the heavens; readying the day of judgement which is to come upon all creation. Who are, what are these angels? 

The word angel(s) appears 283 times in the KJV, one fourth of those, (72 times), in the book of Revelation alone. This does not account for the references to God’s messengers, holy servants, and other mentions of angelic beings.

Angels were very active players mentioned in many of the greatest stories of the Bible. From appearing and talking with Abraham to King David, and from the prophet Daniel to Joseph the husband of Mary, angels play vital roles in the plan of God for every generation. Why would we imagine God has retired them from their duties in our day?

We see angels intervening in the New Testament account of the Apostle Peter when he was in prison facing execution in the book of Acts.

Acts 12 NKJV

7  Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

8  Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

9  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

I wonder if it was the same angel who had previously delivered the Apostles from prison in Jerusalem.

Acts 5

19  But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

20  “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

The Apostle Paul experienced angelic intervention several times. One when he was in the middle of a storm at sea.

Acts 27 NKJV

23  “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,

24  “saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

25  “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.

Personal testimony:

·        Reubel and the motorcycle.

·        The Jerusalem angel at Ramadan.

·        Traveling Angel

Angels are created beings, they were not pre-existent as were God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. God created angels and relegated them to serve Him and His will within the limits He prescribed.

·        Angels fulfill the roles they are assigned by God as messengers, warriors, worshippers, servants, workers, guardians, and guides just to name a few.

·        Angels are of a higher order or creation for this time in which we live. They are not subject to the physical laws of nature as we know them and they excel in strength and wisdom.

·        There are good angels of God and there are evil angels loyal to Satan.

·        There are rebellious angels bound in chains in prison awaiting final judgment.

·        Some angels have wings and some don’t.

·        Angels can appear as humans without notice and walk among us.

·        There is an army of angels ready to come back with Jesus when the trumpet sounds.

·        Angels are on assignment, listening for the word of God just waiting to help His children.

Hebrews 13:2  Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Since our future on planet earth and beyond heavily involves angels and their interventions surrounding the plan of God for our lives, I believe taking a closer look at angels and their activities might be in order. Let’s begin with an overview of the book of Psalms.

The word angel(s) is mentioned 10 times in the Psalms and gives us a varied look at angels. (Added commentary for each verse.)

Psalms 8:5  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

Psalms 34:7  The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

Psalms 35:5  Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD chase them.

Psalms 35:6  Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the LORD pursue them.

Psalms 78:25  Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.

Psalms 78:49  He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.

Psalms 91:11  For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

Psalms 103:20  Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.

Psalms 104:4  Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.

Psalms 148:2  Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 

Unsuitable Mixtures

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Sometimes the unexpected is just the unexpected to the unsuspecting.

The Bible, and indeed the entire world, along with life in general is filled with unsuitable mixtures. What do I mean by unsuitable mixtures? Common elements of life, each valuable in their own right, however when mixed together produce toxicity or some corrosive result.

Just because something is true, (always has been and always will be), does not mean you know it.

Romans 10, verses 14 and 15, says people will not know the truth if someone doesn’t tell them. So allow me to tell you the truth this morning, assuming someone listening may not know it … even though it has always been true.

You probably know vinegar and bleach are in most homes, and both are used in various household cleaning applications. What you may not know is that mixing these together produces chlorine gas which is both toxic and corrosive.

Vinegar + Bleach (produces) = Chlorine Gas

Chlorine gas is a dangerous substance which can cause trouble breathing and if continued, lung damage can result.

So – according to the AI overview of incompatible chemicals, vinegar and bleach are unsuitable mixtures. And by the way, there is a whole list of unsuitable mixtures in life, some you already know about and others you may not.

This leads us to our text for today. Turn in your Bibles with me to the 5^th Book of the Bible, the Book of Deuteronomy. I’ll be reading from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible this morning, specifically from Deuteronomy 22.

Deuteronomy 22: 10  Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.

Let’s talk just a moment about the inherent differences between oxen and asses. I am somewhat of an authority on the subject having personally owned, raised, and worked with cattle and donkeys for several years of my life. As well I am currently a licensed auctioneer with the TDLR, and have more than 20 years experience selling farm and ranch animals on a weekly basis. Plus, as you will understand in a minute, for the past 45 years I have witnessed what can happen with an ox and an ass when they are yoked together.

The Bible paints the picture of oxen as dependable, hard-working, obedient servants. They might make a mess now and then but that’s nothing compared to the benefit they supply. Thank God for the oxen in our lives.

Proverbs 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

On the other hand the Bible paints a picture of the donkey as a stubborn, undisciplined, and selfish beast. The donkey is an unacceptable sacrifice to God, even under the Old Testament law of the firstborn.

Exodus 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck …

The Bible likens some people to donkeys:

·        Genesis 49:14 Issachar is a strong ass crouching between two burdens …

·        Genesis 16:12 (ASV) Likens Ishmael to a wild ass among men. (The NIV says “wild donkey” of a man.)

Let me tell you what happens when you yoke an ox and an ass together.

According to Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible

·        When yoked together, Asses continually attempt to bite oxen … it’s their nature.

·        Unlike Oxen, Asses will feed on poisonous weeds that produce toxic breath.

·        Oxen yoked together with Asses tend to turn their heads away from the toxic breath and continual biting.

·        When the Ox turns his head, his shoulders twist, putting only one shoulder against the load he is pulling.

·        When the Ox twist in the harness, the harness is stretched and the Ass is loosed from the weight of the load.

·        An Ass that is not pulling a load will begin to wander, drag his feet, pull back and eventually balk.

·        An Ox yoked with an Ass has to pull the whole load with only half of his strength, combating the foul and biting mouth of the wandering, balking Ass while he drags the Ass along with the load.

·        The Ox that is left yoked with an Ass, smelling the toxic breath, will become sick, weak and if left in the yoke, will eventually die.

I don’t believe God was teaching this principle purely for the sake of the oxen and asses of that time.

How does this principle play into our lives today? Some truths are timeless and even though we may not plow our own fields, nonetheless this truth applies to us today. We find it written in its New Testament form by the Apostle Paul in his 2^nd letter to the Church at Corinth.

The Corinthian Church of Paul’s day was undoubtedly the worldliest congregation in the Bible. Gentiles from all walks and ways of life had gotten saved in this cosmopolitan city and were just learning how to live the Christian life. These people had been world class sinners and Paul loved them dearly. The Church of today can take a lot of personal advice from the words Paul wrote to the Believers in Corinth. One of the truths he told them we find in:

2 Corinthians 6 NKJV

14  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

15  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

16  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

17  Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”

18  “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

As we heard earlier: Just because something is true, (always has been and always will be), does not mean you know it. And just because you didn’t see it coming doesn’t mean God didn’t.

There are some unsuitable mixtures in life. How will you know if someone doesn’t tell you?

Well … now you know. Save yourself some trouble and if you’re a child of God, don’t get hooked up with an ass – it’s an unsuitable mixture.

And … if you’re an ass – the Lamb of God has given His life for you … so … give your life to Him and become a new creation in Christ Jesus!

Good news!!! You don’t have to be an ass anymore.

Let’s pray!

One of you is going to raise the question. “What should a person do if they are already yoked to an ass?” The Bible has an answer tailor-made just for you. Until you get your prescription from God, just don’t make it worse.

Addendum:

What Never to Mix with Bleach:  www.turi.org

·         Ammonia: Creates toxic chloramine gas, causing severe respiratory damage and chest pain. Found in some window cleaners, glass cleaners, and urine.

·         Acids (Vinegar, Drain Cleaners, Rust Removers): Produces toxic chlorine gas, causing breathing problems, coughing, and eye irritation. This includes vinegar, toilet bowl cleaners, and some lemon-based cleaners.

·         Hydrogen Peroxide:Can cause a violent chemical reaction, releasing oxygen gas and potentially resulting in an explosion.

·         Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol): Creates chloroform, a toxic substance.

·         Other Cleaning Products: Never mix bleach with other disinfectants or detergents, as it can reduce effectiveness and produce dangerous fumes. 

ROCK SOLID CONVICTIONS Part 2 — The Bible

 

Review

Part 1: Our Convictions about God

•   What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

•   God is supreme (there is no one like God)

•   God is good (in all that He is and does)

•   God is sovereign (He reigns over all)

•   Because these are true, then God is worth trusting

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever tried to put something together without reading the instructions? You open the box, dump everything out, look at all the pieces, and think, “I got this.” So you start building. At first, it feels like it’s working. You’re making progress, it looks right, it seems right. But then something doesn’t fit. Now you’re forcing pieces together. Something’s missing. It’s unstable. And now you’re frustrated. So what do you finally do? You go back to the instructions. Not because the instructions changed, but because you ignored them.

That’s how a lot of people treat the Bible. We don’t reject it, we just don’t follow it. We hear it, we know it, but when it comes to real life, we lean on what feels right instead. And then when things don’t work, we wonder why.

Last week we settled who God is. God is supreme, God is good, God is sovereign, and God is worthy of our trust. So if that’s true, then the next question is simple: what place does His Word have in my life? Because everyone is building their life on something. But as believers, we build our lives on the Word of God. So today we settle this conviction: God’s Word is true—and it is my final authority.

THE BIBLE = GOD’S WORD

Before we get into our convictions, lets talk about the Bible as God’s Word. Why do we talk about the Bible as God’s Word? Its because the Bible is more than just a book. It’s more than just history, poetry, letters, and stories that were written long ago. The Bible is called the Word of God because the Bible itself claims to be the Word of God— meaning that it is God speaking.

2 Timothy 3:16 — “All Scripture is God-breathed.”

That means that scripture is more than just man’s idea. While it was written and compiled be different people at different times, they were writing exactly what God intended for them to write. So when you are reading the Bible, you are reading the very words of God. That is why we call it the Word of God.

So when it comes to the Bible, we must realize that we are talking about more than a book, we are talking about the very words of God. It’s upon His Word that we build our lives.

So with that said, lets talk about the convictions that we as Christians should hold concerning the Bible.

ROCK SOLID CONVICTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE

1. God’s Word Is the Truth

John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

We all have opinions about a lot of things. However, God’s Word is not an opinion. It is not a suggestion, it is not advice, and it is not a perspective that I can take or leave. It is the truth. Not “a truth,” not “my truth,” not “your truth,” but “the truth.”

As Christians, we hold fast to the conviction that God’s Word is true. This is important! Because if we don’t believe that God’s Word is the truth, then we will never fully submit to it.

There is a difference between relative truth and absolute truth.

Relative Truth — Truth that changes based on the person, situation, or perspective

•   That may be true for you, but not for me…

•   I have my truth, you have yours…

•   Etc

Absolute Truth — Truth that is always true for all people, in all places, at all times

•   God’s Word is true regardless of feelings, opinions or circumstances…

•   God determines what is right…

2. God’s Word Has Authority (Over My Life)

2 Timothy 3:16 — “All Scripture is God-breathed.”

Not only is God’s Word true, but it also has to have authority in my life. That means that the Bible does not submit to me, and my ideas, and my opinions. Instead, I submit to His Word. Submitting to God’s Word means that I am allowing scripture to shape my life.

At some point, there is going to be something that you and God do not agree on. There may be something that you don’t want to do that God commands you to do in the Bible. That is when you as a Christian must take a back seat to give God the final say on what you do.

When God has authority over your life, then He has the final say in your work life,  financial life, private life, etc. It means that you care more about what God thinks and less about what culture or other people have to say.

So before the moment comes, we must ask ourself: am I are holding on to what I want, or surrendering to what God has said? Because you can know what the truth is and still not surrender to it. As Christians, we give the Bible elite authority in our life.

3. God’s Word Is Sufficient

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

God’s Word has everything needed to lead me and guide me in the direction I need to go. God

Many times people find themselves looking for greener grass on the other side, only to find out that its not. We imagine there’s something better, something easier, etc.

It’s important for us to realize that God’s Word is enough. Notice that it says “Your word is a lamp to my feet…” — A lamp doesn’t show you the whole path, it gives you enough light for the next step.

4. God’s Word Is Trustworthy

Psalm 119:160 — “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

God’s Word is also trustworthy— you can trust His Word. Its trustworthy because it comes from a God who cannot lie. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in life, but God does not.

Trusting God’s Word is simply trusting God Himself. For example, that when you read a promise from God in the Bible, when you trust in that promise you are trusting in God. 

Matthew 28:20 — “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Now that’s a promise to us from Jesus, and we read that promise (we hear that promise) in words, in human language. And when we hear those words and trust in those words, we are trusting in Jesus himself. He stands behind his words. They are the living activity of him. That is the case for the entire Bible…

5. God’s Word Must Be Lived

James 1:22 says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

It is possible to know Scripture and still not live it. It’s possible to read verses, hear the preaching of the Word, and know what it says and still be unchanged by it. Why? Because knowledge does not produce real transformation in our life.

But conviction is proven in how I live. If God’s Word is truly my authority, it will shape my actions, not just my thoughts. Conviction moves from hearing to doing. It takes what I know and turns it into how I live every single day.

TAKEAWAYS

I.      I will build my life on God’s Word

II.     I will give God’s Word the final say in my life

III.   I will trust that God’s Word is enough

IV.   I will trust God’s Word even when it challenges me