Words

A. Jno. 17:17, says, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Words are powerful things----more powerful than we sometimes think. Words are vehicles that convey ideas from the mind of one person to another person. The thing that “sanctifies” the Christian (makes him different, uniquely sets him apart as belonging to God) is God’s truth, encapsulated in His word as stated in Jno. 17:17. Words that speak truthfully about God are exceedingly important things. The danger is that we may cease to be moved by even the most powerful words when we become very familiar with them. Someone once said, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Like a child playing with a new toy we can grow tire of it as the newness wears off. That’s when we begin to discard what is no longer new and seek other interests in life. That’s what’s meant by “Familiarity breeds contempt.” The three most important things or three most important words in our life and in our language are: God.” “Love,” “Bible.” Yet how often do we treat them lightly? How often do we push them back into the dark, dusty recesses of our minds?
1. How important is God to you and your life? Do we fully appreciate the critical difference that it makes whether or not God exists? One predominant and troubling question atheists ask Christians is, “How can God and the Bible have so little impact on the lives of those who say they do believe?“ If God really exists do we understand how important that truth is at the practical level?
a. If God really is, why are we not radically moved and changed and militantly given to converting
people to that belief? Why is God not the center around which everything in our lives moves?
Eccl. 12:13,14, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and
keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every deed into
judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Do you really believe that the
whole purpose of your existence is to serve God as directed in this Word? Do you really
believe that God going to judge the world and cast into eternal torment all those who do not
come to Him through Jesus and worship Him properly? The fact is: We need to recover our
belief that God is real.
(A) What about the kind of love God has and expects us to have? In JNO. 3:16-17, we are
told, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is
not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” That says, “God exists and God
loves us.” Now the question is, “What does that do to move you off your pew, out of your
recliner, into your armour and on to the battle field?” Or has the reality of God, and fact
of lost souls become so familiar that it doesn’t touch you and you no longer care? What
concept of God’s character are your children learning from you? In 2 Cor. 5:14?15, We
are told, “Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for
themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Only the love of God in
our hearts can move is in His direction to do His will. If you’ve not been moved in that
direction, whose love does fill your heart?
(B) God gave us the Bible because He loves us. That Bible is one of the highest and best gifts of God’s love. Ps. 19:7?11, reminds us that. The Bible contains the whole truth on the subject of our most critical concern: being reconciled to God and living in fellowship with Him. “The Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation,” 2 Tim. 3:15. What attitudes toward the Bible do your children get from you?
b. God deals in truth — and truth is conveyed by words. Peter explained it this way in Jno. 6:67-60, when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You only have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
(A) The problem of sin comes down to a problem of untruth. That’s why it should be no

surprise that God has chosen to counteract the problem of sin with truth. John 8:32,
Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." We need to maintain
a love and a respect for the truly important words that convey the ideas that our
relationship with God is based on. May we live every day in recognition of our faith that
God is real. May we rejoice in the love that He has for us, may we love Him in return,
and may we love one another. And may we recognize the Bible for what it is: “Words of
truth from the very mind of God, telling us of His love for us and His plan to save us and
bring us home to Him in heaven.”
(B) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 09/21/03 pm