God's Gift of Scripture

Suppose a group of people were discussing how to get to St. Matthias Episcopal Church. One of the group said he would stay on Interstate 25 because, after all, that's where most of the cars went, and the majority of people must know where they're going. Another member of the group disagreed: "St. Matthias is not a national church; it's a Colorado church. It makes more sense to me to take Colorado Highway 105. If I stay on it, it's bound to take me there eventually." Or you could have someone who wants to stay on County Line Road, since our parish is within the confines of El Paso County.

Not very bright, is it? We all know that you must get off the interstate, off the State highway, of the county road, and turn onto Furrow Road to get here. Furrow Road might not be considered as important as those other roads, but that's not the point. You take Furrow Road not because most people travel it, not because it's a significant Colorado thoroughfare, not because it feels right. You take Furrow Road because it's the only road that gets you to your destination.

When it comes to our ultimate destination in life--everlasting salvation in Jesus Christ--what road do you choose to travel? Do you take the road the majority of people take, or the road that seems relevant, or comfortable? Or are you willing to turn off these other roads and take the one road that will get you there, even if very few others choose to do so?

Do you recall today's collect? "Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ . . ."

Do you believe what this collect says? Really believe it? When you come right down to it, isn't it what a person believes--really believes--that shapes that person's attitudes and behaviors. If you really believe that you find your purpose in life through what the majority think, or through what seems most relevant, or through the way you feel, you will live your life accordingly. But if you really believe that the Bible is the Word of God--that when it speaks, God speaks--that God has really caused all the holy scriptures to be written for our learning so that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life in Jesus Christ--if you really believe this, then you will take the road of Scripture to your destination, no matter how many people might think you're silly in doing so. Do you want to embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life? Then you will become steeped in the scriptures. You will work out a daily program of hearing God's Word, reading God's Word, marking God's Word, learning God's Word, and inwardly digesting God's Word..

Three of our Articles of Religion speak directly of the importance of the Bible for our salvation: Articles VI, VII, and XX. Article VI states that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary to salvation. This means that Holy Scripture is the road that will lead you to salvation through Jesus Christ; that Holy Scripture is sufficient in itself; that Holy Scripture contains everything you need to get there. St. Jerome said, "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Jesus Christ." It is not by accident that both the Bible and Jesus are called the Word of God: the Word of God written and the Word of God incarnate. But do we really believe this? Article VII states that the Old Testament is no contrary to the New and, although the civil and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament no longer bind us Christians, the moral laws of the Old Testament do. This means we are still obliged to keep the Ten Commandments. Do we really believe that? Article XX states that the Church has no authority to teach anything contrary to God's written Word, nor may it so expound one place of Scripture in a way that is contrary to another place. This means that the teaching of the Bible from beginning to end is coherent and consistent. Do we really believe that?

When Chief Justice Jay lay dying, he was asked if he had a final farewell address to give to his children. He replied, "They have the Bible." I wonder how many justices of the Supreme Court would say the same thing today.

During the Middle Ages, before the Reformation, ignorance and superstition abounded within the visible church. Religion had been reduced to mere formalism in many quarters. Many great cathedrals were built during this period, but the hearts of most of the people were far from God. A self-seeking and indolent priesthood neglected the spiritual care of their parishes. The Bible had become practically an unknown book to many thousands in those dark days. Few clergy urged its study.

Regrettably, over the past several decades a similar attitude has pervaded many households in our land. Tragically today the Bible has been lost to millions. It continues to sell well. Just about every home can boast at least one copy of the Bible. But how many families actually take the time to read it regularly and to heed its contents?

When you think about it, Holy Scripture fares no better now than Christ did during His earthly sojourn. Because Christ was "found in the form of man," many of His contemporaries regarded Him as only a man, someone like John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah. Many rejected Him because He was only a carpenter's son. Others thought that nothing good could come from Nazareth. And, finally, He was rejected because He was crucified. How could a common criminal possibly be the Word-of-God-become-flesh?

Notice how many people today make the same kinds of mistakes about the written Word. They refuse to accept it as fully God's Word because it was written in ordinary human language; in some places crudely written, or in an obscure way, or with too much simplicity. The inspired Word of God? His faithful revelation? Something He caused to be written? How can anyone in our highly advanced scientific and technological age believe that? They fail to see that God has deliberately chosen a simple way to humble the sophisticated, a seemingly foolish way to confound the worldly wise.

A young woman purchased a book, read a few pages, and laid it aside as uninteresting. Some time later, she met its handsome author. Tender friendship sprang up, which quickly ripened into love and betrothal. The same book was no longer dull. In fact, every sentence had a charm for her heart. For love became its interpreter.

The Bible too is often at first uninteresting, even distasteful, to the natural human heart. But meet the Author. Fall in love with Him and all that will change. The Spirit of God will cause the words to come alive and warm the heart. Then this Book of books will begin to become most interesting. For every sentence will be interpreted by Love Himself.

All the hearing, reading, marking, learning will have no value for you unless the words of Scripture are enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you currently have no desire to open the pages of the Bible; if the weekly reading of the Scriptures here in church is dull and boring; if your Bible at home is gathering dust in the corner, then pray fervently to the Lord to pour His Spirit into your heart to give you a love for this one book that contains all things necessary to salvation. Pray that your faith may be stirred into flame, so that you may really believe that God Himself is its Chief Author, who longs to speak--through the poor, weak, inadequate human words--directly to your heart in love.

The captain of a large ship was a skeptic, a man who doubted the existence of heaven, the divinity of Christ, and many other doctrines of the Bible. After his retirement from active duty, he spent his declining years in a soldier's home. One day the chaplain, who was deeply concerned about the man's salvation, surprised him with a challenge. Handing him a New Testament and a red pencil, he asked the man to strike out everything that he could not believe. Periodically, the chaplain would visit the man and ask him if he had found anything to strike out. The man never replied, only smiled. One morning the chaplain was informed that the captain had died suddenly during the night. The chaplain hurried to his room and found the New Testament clutched in the dead man's hand. Paging through the book, looking for red marks the chaplain stopped at a note written in the margin next to that famous passage, John 3:16 ("God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"). There in red were written these words: "I have cast my anchor in a safe harbor; I am at peace, thank God."

In the Tract Rack at the rear of the church you will find copies of this little booklet, The Victory Bible Reading Plan. It's a simple and practical way of reading the Bible daily so that you cover the entire Bible in a year. If you follow this plan day after day, month after month, year after year, prayerfully and faithfully, I guarantee it will change your life for the better. Pick up a copy and start on the right road today.

"Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

This document is http://www.purl.org/net/tbc/sdg/19981115.htm. The author, Rev. Dr. Robert J. Bryan, was Rector of St. Matthias Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1223, 18320 Furrow Road, Monument, CO 80132, USA, +1 719-481-3998 at the time he preached this sermon.