Sermon: The Word of God

As you take a copy of God's word this morning and if you'll turn open to the book of Hebrews. Using a Bible Pew Bible there right in the Rack in front. You can turn right to the page number 1,003 trying to Hebrews chapter 4 this morning. As we continue our way through this book.

this morning Hebrews chapter 4 and we're looking at verses 12 and 13. Hebrews chapter 4

and let's pray before we open the word together this morning.

Our Father we confess even as we sit here this morning that

our hearts are often like Stone. Some in this room. No doubt have been perpetually stoned. So we pray. This morning that you would break up. For our hearts are stone that you would make them malleable.

That you would make them. receptacles for sowing of the seed of your word as it goes out this morning.

Pray that where there is Hardness of Heart that you would root it out.

Pray that where there's Darkness you would bring light.

Speak to us. Oh Lord. We know that we have heard from you today as we depart this place. We pray all of this in the strong name of Christ Jesus. amen

Hebrews chapter 4 we're going to back up to verse 11. Which is 11 through 13 or Texas this morning in our verses 12 and 13.

This is the holy inherent sufficient word of God. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of Disobedience and our verses this morning. 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 the intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight.

But all are naked and exposed. the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. Though the grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. amen

recently read of an elderly French woman who had for years been cooking over a stove top in her kitchen and above her stovetop decades before she had put on the wall above a stove top and icon the icon painting and She would look at it every time that she was. She was cooking on that stove top and as the years passed and she was getting older. This was just a couple of years ago. She decided to save her family some time and energy and that she would begin to auction off.

Different things that she owned so that it would be easier on them. And so she took down that icon one day that painting and she took it to and appraiser and the appraiser. appraised it as not just an icon painting, but it was in fact a 13th century masterpiece. By whom many called the father of the Renaissance the Florentine painter. chimaubiere and it then went to auction. It's old. No doubt to the Glee of her. Descendants who she was trying to save some time and hassle.

It sold for 26.6 million dollars.

I'm guessing that none of you have such a beautiful Masterpiece anywhere in your home, but you might want to check. Uh something that you've disregarded because you didn't recognize its value. But I dare say that. Many of us have an even more beautiful Masterpiece in our home. Probably not hanging above or stovetop, it probably sits on a bookshelf or sits on the table beside our bed and we don't quite value it as it should be valued.

Context for our verses is that the writer of Hebrews? Who despite Jeopardy gate this week is not Paul. But the writer of Hebrews is reflecting upon the Jews in the wilderness having received the promises of God. They have heard from God they heard his word and they have ignored this word and it has been costly to them. Has been extremely costly to them. And so his concern is is that as his readers are receiving this letter and as

they have heard the promises of God and as we can say by extension us having received this word. He is concerned that we know its value. That we receive it. And that we respond appropriately.

to its value

Five Points this morning before we look at five applications Five Points. The word of God is inspired. living active piercing and disclosing Five Points the word of God is inspired. The living it is active. this piercing and is disclosing. first the word of God is inspired again notice the context you'll remember from the previous weeks as we spent about three weeks looking at this. The writer of Hebrews has quoted from Psalm 95 and

as he is quoted from Psalm 95, we have talked about over these weeks that Psalm 95 was a Psalm of David. These were his words David's words. But what the writer of Hebrews is pointing out now is that these were not just David's words. These were also God's words. And we have to hold on to both of these truths both of these realities simultaneously. David wrote Psalm 95 Psalm 95 is David's heart prayer before God. But it's not just David's word.

They are also God's words. David was moved by God to write those words. And that moved in the sense that he became some kind of machine who just took down what God told him to write not some kind of zombie or in some kind of entrance state where he lost his mind, but rather God moved David in that he worked through David's intellect. He worked according to David's own personality. He worked through The Man David to write words that were inspired by

God. They are David's words. And they are equally God's words. And second Timothy a book Paul actually did write second Timothy. He gives us some insight into this. He says for the scriptures for all scripture is breathed out by God. Peter will pick up this idea and he gives us a little more of insight into the inspiration the scriptures and second Peter chapter 1 verse 21 where he States this for no prophecy and by that he's meaning all the scriptures.

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man but men spoke from God as they were carried Along by the Holy Spirit. They are David's words. And they are God's words. Bible Is an amazing book? It's amazing book. If all of these different authors and all of these different personalities and all these different Johns of scripture a Michigan State University's campus, you will have professors that don't believe a thing

about this book. And yet we'll teach this book in the literature class. Because it's an amazing book. But that's not primarily what makes it amazing. What makes it amazing is that the Sovereign holy God Of Heaven and Earth speaks to you. And I through these words. These are his were. It's inspired.

second word of God is living. living a quote you every Sunday. It's not as a mere formality. It's not to put on some kinds of bells and whistles after the reading of the word of God. I quote for you every Sunday morning from Isaiah chapter 40 Peter. Will then quoted in First Peter. The grass withers the flower Fades the word of God is forever. to living It lasts. It's forever. So many things that you and I that we highly value

have no Eternal value so many things that we want to hang and frame and that we want to Center our lives around have no lasting value. This is lasting. This lives forever and ever. Now it's not that this these Pages themselves are inherently living. But rather because Christ lives. And because he has life. And because these are his words and he is The Giver of Life these Pages. This book is living because by these words you can have

life. It's living.

to purposes to bring life Bring life from Death to bring light from Darkness to bring. A rebel to a child that's living it brings everlasting life. third word of God is active. These are not dead letters. That are active.

Isaiah God will say through the prophet. I have Isaiah and Isaiah chapter 55 my word that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the things for which I sent her as I remember memorizing it when I would just college student years ago from the King James. My word does not return void. It's active. It's working. It is efficacious. It is always working. It's working

this morning.

and say Well it doesn't always seem to be the case Jason. That it's working that it's efficacious. I can think of family and I can think of friends who have heard the word or I can think of my own heart at times. It hasn't responded favorably to the word of God the Jews and the Wilderness and the context here and and Hebrews 4 is he's looking back they heard the promises of God and they didn't respond favorably to the word of God. How is that effectual?

Well that leads to our fourth point. The word of God is piercing. It's effectual but not always to life. the word grants life But it can also bring judgment. It's a reason that the writer of Hebrews says here that it is a two-edged sword. It has edges on both sides. This idea of the word being a sword. It's often pictured this way in scripture. If you think about in Revelation Jesus, we have this image of the glorified Christ

and from his mouth comes a sword. It's the word of God. We think of that great chapter in Ephesians of the armor of God. The sword of the spirit is what it is the word of God and the writer of Hebrews is saying he says it's a two-edged sword. It pierces it cuts, but it can cut them one of two ways. When a surgeon Cuts he cuts to heal, but when an executioner Cuts he cuts in judgment. And as the word goes out it Pierces.

and it cuts it can cut and that it heals or it can cut in that it executes judgment. the word were even this morning as you're sitting here right now over these next minutes, it's working. It doesn't return void. It's active right now.

many will maybe even some here this morning come to the word and think I'm sitting in judgment over the word. You're not sitting in judgment over the word. the word sitting in judgment over you that's how it works. And it's active this morning. In your life this morning.

The two options you you either receive it by faith and then it is a healing slice. Or you receive it with Hardness of Heart and then as a judging slice. It's active.

It's one Theologian rightly said he said belief and unbelief reception and rejection of God's word are not primarily matters of the intellect. They are essentially moral issue. That is you and I have a moral issue before us this morning. This is not a intellectual exercise. Now don't misunderstand me. There's a cognitive part of our faith. We're speaking words and words are going out and they're coming in your ears and you're

entertaining them in your minds and your thinking upon them. And so there's a cognitive part of our faith, but it's not in essence an intellectual exercise. It isn't simply you and I grabbing a hold of arguments. It isn't you and I simply being convinced that this just makes sense. No, it's a moral decision. You and I are making this morning will we receive this do we actually believe that that is a good word and it is right and it is

true. You're making a moral decision this morning. Always a moral decision a matter of the heart.

Hearts are being pierced. Being cut one way or the other. And that leads to our fifth point. The word of God is disclosing. He says that divides Soul and Spirit of joints and Marrow and Discerning the thoughts and the intentions of the heart some will try to make too much out of this verse and make arguments about whether we are made up of two parts or three parts as human beings. That's not his point in this verse that's not what he is doing.

The argument that is being made is that the very inner part of man is exposed by the word of God. The word is disclosing. It discerns our thoughts. It discerns our attitudes it discerns our motivations and our intentions and it lays us bare before the eyes of God how you and I respond. Lays us bear before the eyes of God.

I can fool one another. We can look the part. No one none of you actually knows what's going on in this mind. None of you actually knows what motivates This Heart.

But God does. And as his word goes out it just blaze this heart open.

Does he receive it in faith, or does he not?

expose naked or always correcting my great answer the small child that used to always say knock it. You're not kid. No naked you're naked. or the eyes of God

No hiding from his knowing. There's no Shadows that cloud his view no obstacle we can erect even in the heart that keeps him in ignorance the word discloses.

In fact, he knows what we often don't. Is it an interesting that even my own heart of my own mind? I don't always know it. I can fool myself. I can even try and fool myself. Jeremiah Was said the heart is to suitful Above All Else and desperately sick. My own heart deceives me. I can make you a fool about me and I can even fool myself about me, but God has never made a fool. never He knows our hearts better than we do all are

naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. He knows all.

he knows all

Aw, he chose your wrote it this way. He said God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters all mind and every mind all spirit and all Spirits all being in every being all creaturehood and all creatures every plurality in all pluralities all in every law all relations all causes all thoughts. All Mysteries. All enigmas all feeling all desires. Every unuttered secret. All Thrones and dominions all personalities

all things visible and invisible in Heaven and Earth motion space Time Life Death good evil Heaven and Hell and you think you are naked before him. always said all

those at all

and who is our creator? Who is our sustainer will also be our judge? And he knows it all.

Not just the point of the rider here and what he is trying to make clear to us in verse 13. Each of us will have to give an account. that this God who knows all it's all encompassing language there verse 13, no creatures hidden from a sight all are naked and exposed. We meaning all we must give an account just to make this absolutely clear. So there's no misunderstanding here this morning every single one of us sitting in this room or

live streaming this morning will have to give an account before him on that last day.

you and what do you have to give an account for?

How you have received this word? And have you look to his son the Lord Jesus Christ and faith and having received him in faith the promise that he extends to you by this word. Have you then sought to live and faithfulness to him? That's what we give an account for.

right of Hebrews his readers and us to listen and respond and abide by God's word. He's so concerned. He said look. This is living. It's active. It's held out to you. All you have to do is receive those promises and live in light of those promises and there's life. Don't you harden your hearts and lose the life that is given to you. As God's word goes out don't Harden your hearts. It's actually meant to lead you to God. You're meant to

draw near to him as you hear his word. And love how the Westminster Shore catechism sums up what the scriptures are says, what do the scriptures principally teach? And it's answers the scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God? And what Duty God requires of man?

So often think about that.

Do you realize?

He didn't have to tell you anything.

He's not compelled to. There's nothing that forces him to tell you who he is. Or what it is that he desires from you. You are a sinner. You are a rebel who's held your fist up against him? And it's amazing me. It is a incredible sign of his gracious loving care for his people that he sends out his word into the world so that you and I would know who he is.

So that we would know what it is that he requires from. This is a gift Beyond gifts.

We don't know what we have.

Here the word of God. We're meant to draw near to God. Instead of hoarding our hearts and Disobedience to it. Let me give you just quick five applications in light of that. first treasure the word of God

I don't know if it's a good thing or not that. We all have 15 Bibles on our shows at home. I don't know if that's a good thing or no. Become so commonplace. I love the videos of when missionaries go to other countries and you see this often and they finally have translated the word of God into that native tongue and you see the response of those. I mean there is laughing and there is crying and there's dancing. Why? Because they're no longer in darkness and they know

it.

They get to hear from God.

Church in John whites said it this way. So the reading of scripture is nothing else, but a kind of holy conference with God. What a treasure.

Some accused Protestant Christians of making the Bible an idol as if we worship it instead of God, but you can't separate God from his word. He is his promises to his people. He is a covenant keeping God. You cannot esteem the Bible too much. You cannot pay too much attention to it. You cannot rely upon it too much when you and I turn to God's word. We turn to God when we trust God's word. We trust God when we love God's word.

We love God, you can't value it too much.

Listen to how David speaks about it in psalm 19. The law of the Lord is perfect Reviving The Soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the precepts of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes and that causes him to erupt with this more to be desired are they then gold even much feingled sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb if you know what you

have. Then you treasure it. How can we not?

second be diligent in the word.

diligent in the word There's nothing more needful for your soul. To be in the word of God. nothing

read it. Study it to meditate upon it. You come here weekend and week out to hear the word of God read and hear it preach. Nothing is more needful for you. JC Ryle said it this way said by reading that book we learn what to believe. what to be and what to do how to live with comfort and how to die in peace Happy is that man? Who possesses a Bible happier still is He who reads it happiest of all is he who not only reads it but obeys it and makes

it the rule of his faith and his practice be diligent in the word. Start today. today Come up with a plan today and begin today. Don't come up with the plan today and start tomorrow come up with the plan today start today be in the word. God is speaking to you in his word.

Come here week and week out to hear the word preach. God is speaking to you again. Rio said it so well the chief means by which men are built up and established in the faith is the Bible applied by the spirit. It's able to cleanse them to sanctify them to instruct them in righteousness and to furnish them thoroughly for all good works. The spirit ordinarily does these things by the written word sometimes by the word red sometimes by

the word preach, but seldom if ever without the word Be diligent in the word. You need it. And need it. Difference between life and death. It's the difference between light and darkness. It's the difference between peace and a mess

third have humility as you come to the word. Have humility as you come to the word.

We never sit over the word. The word sits over us.

That's why historically and Protestant churches for centuries. The the pulpit would be elevated. So that you had a visual reminder when you came into the sanctuary that you were sitting under the word. That you were looking up. To hear the voice of God, you were not in judgment over it. It is in judgment over you. So you sit under it? As you respect the word, so you respect Christ. As you step in your neck when hearing the word, so you stuff in

your neck to Christ. Have humility when you come to the word. for

allow the word to search you. Stephen charnock said long ago a man may be theologically knowing and spiritually ignorant. May that not be true of us here. There are a lot of Egghead Christians walking around. Read to be affected. Listen to sermons to be effective. Don't read to check a box don't read disturb information to teach others. Don't listen to sermons thinking how much that obnoxious sinner across the sanctuary and that Pew over there needs to

hear it. Don't listen critiquing the preacher no matter how much he is deserving listen to be affected.

Allow the word to search you. Your heavenly father is speaking to you.

by speak to one of my children and I'm telling them something and they are standing there at full attention and they are shaking their head up and down, but I look at them and I see that their eyes are glazed over and the reality is is that they're not listening to a thing that I'm saying. I'm not pleased by their standing at attention and shaking their head up and down. Going through the motions.

If I'm talking to one of my children and I'm instructing them and I give them some point that I want them to hear from me as their father and they say oh Dad that is such an excellent point. We should go tell. My brother or sister what you just said, they need to really hear that. I wouldn't be. very encouraged

It's true. as you come here that God by his word is speaking to your spouse and he's speaking to your children and he's speaking to that sinner across the room, but frankly, none of that is your concern.

your main concern that he is speaking to you.

Are you listening to your father?

Are you being affected by the word when you're here?

Allow the word to search you.

finally rely upon God to work by his word. Rely upon God to work by his word. the word works reliable Lie, upon it in your life rely upon it and the lives of friends and family members around you at works. Yeah, I am not what I desire to be. Well get your nose in the book. He works by his word. So I can't believe the sin I committed last night the sin. I committed this week the sin. I have been dwelling in. Get yourself under the word.

He works by his word. So I so badly want to see my children come to saving faith and want to see my neighbor come to know the joys of Christ. You rely upon the word you share the word. He works by his word. You can rely on that.

Came across this illustration multiple times this week because there was an illustration that Spurgeon used while he was preaching this text. and he's grabbing a story from the Life of George Whitfield and you can read this account and the dollar more biography on Whitfield, but George Whitfield was the great preacher of the first Great Awakening. And literally tens of thousands of people would come out to hear him preach in a

pastor or in a field and Great Britain or here in the American colonies at the time as the first great awakened. This great movement of God is occurring but it wasn't there weren't just people that were excited about this movement. There were also people that were very upset by this movement of God and and we're opposed to it and opposed to people like George Whitfield who were preaching and one of the Curiosities of history is that they started these different

what they called infidels Society. They were clubs. if people that were opposed to the Great Awakening one of those infidels societies was named the hellfire club. And they were created democristianity the members of the hellfire club would gather together regularly and they would do a mock service. Christian service And they would act like one of the preachers and they would make fun of the preachers and then they would get drunk together and

they would mock a Christian worship service. One of the members of the hellfire club was a man by the name of Thorpe. And Thorp decided that he was going to go out and listen to George Whitfield preach though. He could perfect his caricature of George Whitfield and so he went out to hear him preach and he caught his Cadence. He caught his tone. He caught his message and and he went back to the hellfire club and in a following week. They were gathering together and it was his opportunity to

stand up and to be the preacher for that Hill fire club meeting. So he stood up to do a character of George Whitfield and as he opened up the Bible looking for a text to read his eyes fell upon a text and so he read it and he said except you repent you shall all likewise perish. And then he began to speak upon that text.

But instead of mocking he found himself affected by that text. Before he knew it. He was beginning to preach with Earnest to all those who were members of the hellfire club and he was actually converted by his own preaching.

He then became a preacher. And was a preacher for decade.

word works as Spurgeon said even the scoffer may be reached by the arrows of Truth. God works by his word you can rely on it. There's nothing more reliable in this world. in his word

I want to remind you that this week.

Because it's a hard week for some of you. some of us Go to be with family for. Thanksgiving, brouhaha you sit around the table with family members that

haven't believed this.

so often we sit down and we think oh we got a We got to win him over by our niceness as we come together for Thanksgiving or we got a win him over by I just got to come up with the right argument. No. arguments reason can be helpful to clear ways some debris being nice of course clears away some debris, but God works by his word. So you're looking for little opportunities Thanksgiving week with your family just to scatter a little seeds of the word.

here and there where he opens a door just

share the word. All the pressure is not on you. He works by his word. You don't need to stress out this week. The pressure is not on you. He works by his word. You just shares you have opportunity here and there so little C.

For some of you that would be God with family members that you have sowed the seeds for years. The most painful is adult children that were gathering together with have not seized upon. This word they've hardened their hearts to these truths.

Don't you give up? God works by his word you sewed seeds of the word. And you continue to trust and rely upon him working by his word and you water that word with your prayers. And you just keep praying. And you water that word with your prayers and by God's grace that word will produce the fruit of faith. You don't ever give up.

Keep sharing the word. Keep sowing the seeds of the word. And you keep watering the word with your prayers. No one is too far ago.

is given us word that is living and active. It imparts life.

that work doesn't return void. pray

For father we are thankful for your exceeding kindness. And revealing yourself to us revealing what it is that you desire from? Oh, may we not Harden our hearts? The nation did at the Waters of Maribel. as they did on the banks of the Jordan River we find that our hearts are soft fertile soil for them planting of your word and that we are seizing upon your promises. That we're looking to Christ in faith and that we are seeking

to live more and more in light of the word that we have received. To bring life where there is only death. You bring light where there is Darkness? Thankful that you are a god whose worthy of Our Truth. And God who speaks to us. In Christ's name we pray. amen