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based in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate on your precepts and contemplate your ways I will delight myself in your statutes I will not forget your word amen well please take your Trinity Salter and turn to Psalm 96 Saul 96 will stand as we sing together you let us pray our Father in Heaven we come again into your house on this Lord's Day evening and we come to praise and worship you the psalmist says you are coming again you are worthy to be praised worthy to be glorified Lord God you are gracious and merciful to have saved us from our sins we praise you for the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord we praise you for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit who works in our hearts and in our minds we praise you for your grace Lord God that is that is evident each and every day certainly as the hymn writer says twas grace that taught our hearts to fear and certainly our Father we know that to be the case and we know that you have put that fear of God in our hearts that we might not depart from you father we just praise you for these good gifts we praise you for every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ we would pray tonight though we are few you would be exalted and glorified in our in our singing and are praying and as we look to the Holy Scripture we ask that you would forgive us again for our transgressions and our sins Lord God as we look to the scripture as we look to that only rule for faith and practice and we see or law Lord God we see how far short we come and truly this does magnify the grace of God who had saved us but nevertheless we pray for cleansing in the blood of the Lord Jesus we pray that you would wash us from our sins that you would put the spirit in us Lord God that we might pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight the Apostle says we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts we just pray that you would help us in this as well we are to pursue a perfect holiness and the fear of God we ask Lord that you would just enable us in these things that we may be faithful witnesses in this lower world that we may indeed be shining lights in this crooked and perverse generation that we would have a boldness and a courage to hold forth the word of truth we ask for opportunities in our daily lives to be able to testify concerning the grace of God in our Lord Jesus we pray our Father for more people to come under the preaching of the word of God we pray for more and more people to come out of darkness into marvelous light that those who blaspheme and those who engage in all manner of wickedness would find salvation in and through our Lord Jesus we would pray that's Lord God for your glory sake and for the good of souls we ask that you would look with favor upon the children and the young people in this congregation Solomon says they are to remember their Creator in their youth and we pray that they would do so enabled by your grace that they would hear the preach word and they by grace would believe that word and they would realize that a young man cleanses what cleanses his way by taking heed according to the Word of God we pray that you would surround them and protect them and watch over them we pray that she would keep them and cause them to rise up and to be faithful adults we pray for this church that it would have many generations in the future that it would continue to go forward and that our Lord Jesus Christ would build this local church and we know and trust that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it we pray our Father for those in our midst that are ill we just commit them to you and pray that you'd watch over them she would bless them that you would help them certainly ongoing pain and chronic illness is a discouragement to anyone when we pray that you lift their spirits and encourage their hearts and strengthen them with might and the inner man so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith we also pray for all of the ladies that are pregnant we ask that you would look with favor upon each and every one she would protect mother protect baby we pray these little ones would be born healthy and strong that you would grant race to each of the parents to take seriously the admonition to bring up their children in the fear and training of the lord god almighty lord help each of us as parents help us as grandparents to be faithful to to these little ones help us to be good examples and help us to be earnest teachers of the truth of God's Holy Word we also pray that you would be pleased to bless other churches that we are in association with we thank you for the saints and Lewiston Idaho we pray that you would look with favor upon that church we pray for pastor Kelly that he would continue to know your nearness and your goodness in his life and ministry and that that church would be a faithful testimony in that city we also pray for the church in kirkland washington we thank you for dawn and for Stefan Lindblad we pray that each of these men would glorify you in their preaching and teaching and praying that they would be faithful Shepherds to the flock there that you would grant these men great race and use that church in a mighty way in that part of the world we also pray for a brother Richard Barcelos in Southern California we thank you for this dear man we pray that you would encourage his heart we pray for their local church that more people would attend that they would know the the goodness of God upon that ministry that you would use that local body in that community to extend the kingdom of Jesus Christ here on earth and our Father we pray that you would continue with us now we pray that you would fill each and every one of us with your spirit we pray that you'd help us to worship you as we ought and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn in your Trinity hymnals to number six hundred and ninety number 690 again we'll stand as we sing together you you you they turn in your Bibles to lamentations chapter 44 our scripture reading lamentations chapter 4 beginning in verse 1 how the gold has become dim how changed the feingold the stones of the sanctuary of scattered at the head of every street the precious sons of zion valuable as fine gold how they are regarded as clay pots the work of the hands of the potter even the Jackals present their breasts to nurse their young but the daughter of my people is cruel like ostriches in the wilderness the tongue of the infant clings to the roof roof of its mouth for thirst the young children asked for bread but no one breaks it for them those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets those who were brought up in scarlet embrace ash heaps the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom which was overthrown in a moment with no hand to help her her Nazarites were brighter than snow and whiter than milk they were more ruddy in body than rubies like sapphire in their appearance now their appearance is blacker than suit they go unrecognized in the streets their skin clings to their bones it has become as dry as wood those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger for the east pine away stricken for lack of the fruits of the field the hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children they became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people the Lord has fulfilled his fury he has poured out his fierce anger he kindled a fire in Zion and it has devoured its foundations the kings of the earth and all inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem because of the sins of her profits and the iniquities of her priests who shudder who shed in her mitts the blood of the just they wandered blind in the streets they have filed themselves with blood so that no one would touch their garments they cried out to them go away unclean go away go away do not touch us when they fled and wandered those among the nation's said they shall no longer dwell here the face of the Lord scattered them he no longer regards them the people do not respect the priests nor show favor to the elders still our eyes failed us watching vainly for our help in our watching we watched for a nation that could not save us they tracked our steps so that we could not walk in our streets our end was near our days were over for our end had come our pursuers were swifter than the Eagles of the heavens they pursued us on the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness the breadth of our nostrils the anointed of the Lord was caught in their pits of whom we said under his shadow we shall live among the nations rejoice and be glad Oh daughter of Edom you who dwell in the land of Oz the cup shall also pass over to you and you shall become drunk and make yourself naked the punishment of your iniquity is accomplished o daughter of Zion you will no longer send you into captivity he will punish your iniquity o daughter of headon he will uncover your sins amen will let us pray our Father in Heaven we see the judgment and the wrath of God is most severe we pray that you would cause us as a church to be faithful when lord jesus promised the churches in Asia Minor that if they did not repent of their sin he would spew them out of his mouth it is not be the case here God may we seek by your grace to be faithful may we seek to avoid those judgments those curses that wrath that is associated with with unfaithfulness and our Father in Heaven we pray for the church as a whole for local churches throughout this earth that they would be safe and secure and stabilized by our Lord Jesus Christ she would cause us to flourished thrive to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Savior that we may be faithful with the tasks that you've entrusted to us may we preach the word may we call sinners to repentance and faith may we seek to edify and encourage and build up the people of God we would pray that you would revive us that you would fill us with the spirit she would help us in these things and we pray through Christ our Lord amen well you may turn again in your Trinity hymnals to number 219 number 219 we'll stand as we sing together you you you they turn in your Bibles to second Timothy chapter 3 second Timothy chapter 3 hour versus focus tonight will be verses 16 and 17 do you want to read the chapter beginning in verse 1 however to remind us of what is going on in this particular section so 2nd Timothy 3 beginning in verse 1 but Novus that in the last days perilous times will come for men will be lovers of themselves lovers of money boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy unloving unforgiving slanderous without self-control brutal despisers of good traitors headstrong hottie lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power and from such people turn away for of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins led away by various lusts always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth now as Janice and generous resisted Moses so do these also resists the truth men of corrupt minds disapproved concerning the faith but they will progress no further for their folly will be manifest to all as there's also was but you have carefully followed my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering love perseverance persecutions afflictions which happened to me at Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord delivered me yes and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from whom you have learned them and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures you're able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work amen we'll let us pray father thank you for the scriptures thank you for what Paul testify it's concerning Scripture we pray now for grace as we look to this your word help us God to see the profitability the usefulness the utility of your word and may we daily seek it out and may we daily seek to hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against you again forgive us of our sins and supply us with your spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll remember in this particular section and verses 1 to 9 the Apostle indicates what is going to be or what the last times or last gays are going to look like now those last days of the first of the period between the first and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Timothy was to avoid such people according to verse 5 which indicates that these things were true in Timothy's time and so after having summarized what these men look like what these false teachers look like Paul then in verse 10 met sets up a contrast he says the Timothy however has carefully followed Paul's doctrine as manner of life as purpose as faith and so on so what we have are these evil men in the last days but Timothy rather has been faithful and has pursued those things which are which are pleasing to God and which are good for a faithful minister he does the same thing again in verse 13 notice evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and yet another contrast but verse 14 you must continue in the things which you have learned and in the things which you have learned and been a short off knowing from whom you have learned them and then he introduces this statement or makes this statement and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ G Timothy had been schooled in scripture from his youth he had a godly mother he had a godly grandmother and they were faithful to bring the word to bear upon Timothy as well Timothy had the Apostle Paul as a model as an example and as an instructor in the Christian faith so Paul Van sorts Timothy to continue in those things he must be faithful steadfastness and perseverance is the end game with reference to Timothy in his ministry and then having introduced or having mentioned the Holy Scriptures he now amplifies in verses 16 and 17 George night says the reminder of Timothy's long acquaintance with the scriptures and their central function leads Paul to conclude this section with a fuller statement on the divine origin and specific usefulness of Scripture and on the purpose that it serves in the life of the man of God so verses 16 and 17 serve as an effective capstone on all that Paul has said up to this point and as well it furnishes for us a wonderful study in the doctrine of Holy Scripture so tonight we're going to look at verses 16 and 17 under three considerations first the identity of Scripture through a second the authority of Scripture and then thirdly the utility of Scripture or the usefulness or the profitability we're going to spend some time on the identity of Scripture because I think that we need to rehearse this we live in a day and age where both in the charismatic and in the Pentecostal circles they want to add to Scripture they do this by prophesying they do this by tongs well we believe in a closed can it we believe that the scripture is the word of the Living God and that any guidance or any leading or any word we're going to get from the Lord it's going to be via the spirit through the written word as well there are competitors out there with reference to the Christian faith the Mormons they have several other books that they consider canonical you've got the Quran that is a book that is claimed to be from God or from along so it is important that Christian have a robust and a biblical understanding of the doctrine of Scripture so let's look first at the identity of Scripture notice in verse 16 he says all scripture all Scripture it might also be translated every Scripture but the endgame is the same all Scripture is given by inspiration of God now the context indicates that what's in view primarily is the Old Testament notice in verse 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which you're able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus when Timothy was a child the only scriptures that would have been available to Timothy was the Old Testament now remember even as late as this particular epistle is written it's the last letter written by the Apostle Paul probably around 80 64 or 65 just prior to his death even at this particular point they didn't have the New Testament bound up together they didn't have Bibles in the manner that we have that certainly the books were circulating they were going from the churches from church to church they were being read the apostolic documents but the primary reference to this statement all Scripture is the Old Testament I'm going to argue in just a minute that it includes the New Testament but we need to appreciate what Paul says here concerning the Old Testament again within the church today the Old Testament is not always held in high esteem it is the word of the Living God it is applicable it has much to say to us in our generation several passages indicate this in Romans 15 the Apostle Paul there tells us what Scripture what purpose scripture gives romans 15 for for whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope so it's important for us to appreciate and to see how God asst teams the Old Testament Scriptures and how we as God's people must esteem them turn back to Luke chapter 24 just highlight this particular point when we consider all scripture or every scripture certainly the Old Testament is the primary referent in 2nd Timothy 360 just notice Jesus a scheme for and Jesus instruction from the Old Testament Scriptures Luke 24 25 then jesus said to them o foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken ought not the Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into his glory and beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself so you have to appreciate what this passage asserts he expounded from Moses and the prophets he expounded them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself so Moses and the prophets testified concerning the Lord Jesus notice in luke 20 for 44 then he said to them these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms notice concerning me you're not reading your Old Testament you're not learning passages concerning our Lord Jesus john 5 39 Jesus says to his detractors you search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and these are they which testify of me and then again in verse 46 for if you believed Moses you would believe me for he wrote about me but if you do not believe his writings how will you believe my word so you see the esteem by which or with which our Lord Jesus can takes the Old Testament and then add to that every time every instance in the New Testament where the author says as it is written and then provides a quotation from the Old Testament there are passage after there's passage after passage after passage in the Old Testament or in the New Testament rather that is an Old Testament quotation and then add to that illusions as we saw this morning in Romans chapter one what the Apostle is saying concerning those Gentiles outside of Jesus Christ he essentially brings from Psalm 106 that was concerned and nish with Israel and their departure from God at hora so as we look at 2nd timothy three sixteen all Scripture certainly includes the Old Testament but as well we ought to consider the reality that this also includes the New Testament again the New Testament as we have it was not bound together at that time with the Old Testament but I want to offer several lines of evidence to support the reality that what Paul says here includes the New Testament three things we ought to consider with reference to the New Testament and specifically with reference to the Apostles in the first place the unique role that the Apostles had in the early church the unique role the Apostles had in the early church Herman Renner boss says for the communication and transmission of what was seen and heard in the fullness of time Christ established a formal Authority structure to be the source and standard for all future preaching of the gospel Ritter boss says that Christ established this formal Authority structure it's not Pope's it's not Cardinals it's not the sorts of hierarchy that we often associate things with but these apostles served a primary role in the early church Ritter boss goes on to say from the beginning of his public ministry we see Jesus intent on sharing his own power with others so that this Authority would take visible tangible shape for the foundation and extension of the church on earth so we have to appreciate that when Jesus came into this world he can find his ministry to Israel his primary function was to live and to die and to rise again so he gets these twelve men in he gives them this authority to be his representative so that when he ascends on high these men will continue the task of preaching and teaching and planting churches and educating others and then normatively as the church progresses throughout the ages there are two offices in the church the elders on the Deacons but the apostle serve a foundational role initially and we ought to appreciate that reality because then we'll understand that they understood their place as the servants of Christ in this capacity notice in John 13 several passages in John's Gospel there are others we could turn to but I want to give us several so that you can see the unique role of the apostles in the church notice in John 13 at verse 20 most assuredly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me John 20 he says essentially the same thing in verse 21 but notices well in John 14 John 14 26 when the helper comes whom I shall send to you from the father the Spirit who proceeds from the father he will testify of me and you also will bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning now it is the case brethren that the spirit does testified to us it is the case that the spirit is the spirit of truth to the people of God in the 21st century but note the connection between the two verses when the helper that is the spirit cons whom I shall send to you from the father the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the father he the spirit will testify of me Christ and you also will bear witness in your apostolic ministry so you see the spirit as he bears witness to us in that sense according to the scripture in this instance he is in a special way teaching the Apostles because they will go out and preach and teach the gospel to others because you have been with me from the beginning notice as well John 15 verses I'm sorry John 16 verses 12 and 13 John 16 verse 12 I still have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now however when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he will not speak on his own authority but whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you things to come again the spirit tells us things today by the word doesn't whisper in our ears he doesn't give us little you know messages up in the clouds the Spirit testifies according to the scripture but in this context the spirit in a particular way is going to lead Peter's going to lead Paul he's going to lead James is going to lead Matthew it's going to lead these men as they pan the scriptures of the New Testament notice as well what we have concerning the apostles and their own understanding of their place we have the unique role of the apostles and then as well the Apostles understanding notice in mark 11 mark 11 the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God amazing statement isn't it the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God mark knows what he's doing mark understands his place and his position in this particular process notice in John 21 verse 24 John 21 verse 24 just showing the Apostles understood what they were doing John 21-24 this is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true look at 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13 again just trying to give you several passages so you can see how the Apostles viewed their role when it came to this process by which God revealed his word to the churches notice in 213 of 1st Thessalonians for this reason we also thank God without ceasing because when you receive the Word of God which you heard from us you welcomed it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which also effectively works in you who believe as well the Apostle in first Corinthians 7 verse 12 says that he speaks with authority as well the Apostle in first Corinthians 14 37 23 speaks with authority Revelation chapter 1 John is able to say blessed is he who hears the words of this prophecy as well first John chapter 1 verses 1 to 5 the Apostle says we are we saw we held we handle and he testifies concerning these particulars Ritter boss says with reference to a past olicity the reality that the Apostles composed these new testament books he says the Apostolic of a book is determined by whether its content embodies the foundational Apostolic doctrine not whether it was written by the hand of the apostle you see some detractors say well mark and luke weren't apostles what you're arguing is that the apostles knew of their particular role they knew of their particular place they knew of their particular authority but mark and Luke were not apostles this is what Ritter boss means apostolic it's not determined whether its content embodies right is determined whether its content embodies the foundational apostolic tradition not whether it was written by the hand of the apostle Justin Martyr lived in AD 102 165 said for the Apostles and the memoirs composed by them which are called Gospels have thus delivered unto us what was in joined upon them now Justin knew that Mark and Luke were not apostles the idea is is that the apostles oversaw the process mark and Luke though they weren't apostles are still at the stalling in terms of their authority with reference to the Gospels I Renee it's an ad 132 202 is when he lived he said we have learned from none others the plan of our salvation then from those through whom the gospel has come down to us which they did at one time proclaim in public and at a later period by the will of God handed down to us in the scriptures to be the ground and pillar of our faith you know several years ago there was that that da Vinci Code and there was so some other things that alleged these other Gospels in fact you'll see in the news today you know another gospel the Gospel of Thomas of the gospel of whoever has been found and people say well you know all these competing Gospels you know the it was a conspiracy by the church to exclude these very early in the church they recognized Matthew Mark Luke and John I gave Justin martyrs dates he lived from ad 100 to 1 65 typically those who postulate that there was some sort of conspiracy to exclude these competing Gospels they say this took place in the fourth century well it's simply not true it is simply not the case the father's recognized Matthew Mark Luke and John early on the church has a whole recognized it because they were apostolic documents who had come for that had come from the hands of these men and they carried the authority of god most high as well we ought to consider the instruction of the Apostle Paul in his various letters we've got the unique role of the Apostles we know what they thought concerning their particular role let's just see how Paul can considered his letters be treated first uh selonians 527 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren it's a brazen statement if he doesn't think he's writing scripture what do you read in church what do you read or what did they read in the synagogue or in the temple they read the scripture so for Paul to demand that his epistle that came from his hand be read in the church indicates that he realized that it was on par with those Old Testament Scriptures notice in Colossians 416 Paul said his letters were to be exchanged among the churches notice in Colossians 416 now when this epistle is read among you see that it is read also in the Church of the laodiceans and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea why would he say that because he's conscious in the reality that he is a servant of Christ and that he has been given this task to write scripture to the new coven community Paul insisted that his letters be obeyed now if I were to write to you a personal letter unless I'm quoting scripture unless i have got chapter and verse if I've got it something explicit I can't command you are to obey me I said I want you to go out and sweep those side well I can't command obedience there Paul can command obedience because he's writing the very word of God he does this in first Corinthians 14 verse 37 second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 15 we're already near Thessalonians so you can look there second Thessalonians 2 15 therefore brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught whether by word or our epistle and then notice in second Thessalonians 314 and if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle note that person and do not keep company with him that he may be a shame such that if he doesn't obey the word that Paul had written he used to be marked out and he has to be disassociated with or disassociated from and then as well Paul insisted that his words were taught by the Holy Spirit in first Corinthians chapter 2 verses 12 and 13 first Corinthians chapter 2 verses 12 and 13 now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit was from God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God these things we also speak not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual and then I want to look at some explicit assertions to see that the New Testament realizes that it's the New Testament I'm sure there's a better way to say that the New Testament realizes that or the Apostles rather realize or explicitly affirm that this New Testament documents are scripture turned to first Timothy chapter 5 and verse 18 the context is on pastoral remuneration pastoral remuneration paying the pastor notice in verse 17 let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor the honor there isn't parking places is it a placard on the wall it isn't you're a champ pastor the double Honor in view has to do with finances it has to do with money back previous in verse 3 honor widows who are really widows what does that mean it means give them money so they don't have to eat dog food that's what honor means in that context it means the same thing in verse 17 let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially those who labor in the word and doctrine now notice for the scripture says you shall not muzzle and ox while it treads out the grain this is Deuteronomy but as well and the labourer is worthy of his wages that's Luke chapter 10 the Apostle goes to Deuteronomy and the Apostle goes to Luke's writing to validate confirm or a firm or provide as a reason the paying of pastors notice as well in second Peter chapter 1 second Peter chapter 1 I realize we're going a bit slower we're looking at more tax but as I said I think this is so crucial that the people of God have a proper understanding of Scripture now not everything I'm saying here builds that proper understanding we're taking a bit of a thumbnail sketch there are good books there are good helps there is much more to do in terms of study and research so that you have a a good understanding of what's happening with reference to the Bible but notice in second Peter 119 and so we have the prophetic word confirmed which you do well to heat as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns in the morning star rises in your hearts knowing this first that no prophecy of Scripture is it is of any private interpretation for prophecy never came by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit now perhaps peter has in mind Old Testament prophets but note what Peter then says in second Peter chapter 3 at verse 2 well let's look at verse 1 beloved I now write to you this second epistle in both of which I stir up you're pure minds by way of reminder there's the pastoral argument for much repetition in preaching much repetition in breaching boy he says the same thing a lot well Peter says we're supposed to remind so much of the Christian life isn't the introduction of new information it is a reminder of stuff you should already know notice what he says in verse 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior that an amazing statement he puts himself and the other apostles on par with the prophets of all and then de cinch this or to nail this coffin shot not that it's a coffin that needs to be shot to to finish this particular point in the argument look at second Peter 314 therefore beloved looking forward to these things be diligent to be found by him and peace without spot and blameless and consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation Oh question in second Peter 3 is Stauffer saying where is the promise of his coming Jesus testified that he's coming again where is he gone is he gonna come did he lie was he making it up was it just a fake Peter says to be patient consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation preach the gospel brethren because until the Lord Jesus comes there are sinners to be saved that's what that implies and then notice the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation as also our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given to him has written to you as also in all his epistles it's not just one that Peter refers to but that body of Pauline literature that body of epistles that bear the authority of the Apostle Paul notice what he says speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to understand you see Peter admits and Paul there are some things hard to understand i would say in beater there are some things that are hard to understand not impossible not insurmountable sometimes people say well it's so hard to understand the Bible what's so hard about you shall not murder what's so hard about you shall not steal what's so hard about you shall not bear false witness that is simple that is clear that is obvious what's so hard about believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved now when you get into some matters of eschatology or you get into some discussions concerning you know the old man new man law there are some things that require a little bit a little bit of meditation and reflection and contemplation but don't ever let anybody say oh the Bible is just hard it's so confusing it's so difficult no it isn't the vast majority of the Bible is very simple you need to remember that God wrote it for simple people another thing that came out years ago was the Bible Code I think they took the Hebrew text and it was almost like using a decoder ring when you were a kid on your cereal box they would take the Hebrew tax and you know every third letter and they'd write it down that would be the message I remember my son at the time was just a little kid he said why would God ever do that he knows that we're stupid he would write to us in a way that we can understand he was right I wouldn't put it in and you know some code that we need a you know an encoder a decoder ring and we need to have some special no you just read it you just think through it you just contemplate it you just review know reflect upon it and compare it with other places but Peter does admit and some speaking in them of these things and which are some things hard to understand done notice but he goes on to say in verse 16 which on taught and unstable people twist of their own destruction as they do also the rest of the Scriptures so what's the implication if they're doing that with the rest of the Scriptures then Paul's epistles are scriptures we learn from this all of Paul's letters were written according to the wisdom given to him all of Paul's letters are within the category of divinely inspired Scripture and all of Paul's letters carry eternal consequences to distort them is to risk eternal judgment to twist the scriptures of the Apostle Paul to get wrong the way of salvation to misunderstand the doctrines of grace to misunderstand theology proper in a survey of Paul's letters will bring destruction upon the heads of those who do such again that bespeaks Authority I may give you advice I may give you counsel but I can never say if you twist this it's going to be to your own destruction now you can take it or leave it I'm not giving you the law of God if I'm not explicitly explaining the scriptures of old or new testament to you you're free to take advice and you're free not to but I would never have the prerogative to say if you distort that advice then the wrath of God will be upon you but you see the Apostles do that with those letters written by apostles so when we see in second Timothy chapter 3 at verse 16 all scripture Paul means all Scripture every scripture both the old and the New Testaments notice in the second place the authority of Scripture this will be our last point tonight we'll pick up the profitability of scripture in two weeks time but notice the authority of Scripture we see that in the next clause all Scripture is given by inspiration of God we need to understand what this means it is given by inspiration of God those translations that use the word god-breathed are more accurate here this is what it means it is the Greek word that means get this God breathed all Scripture is god-breathed that's literally what it means inspiration here does not mean inspiring words like good poetry when Paul says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God that doesn't mean you wander up to Mount sham and you take your Bible and you put your head on it and you'll get good feelings the doctrine of inspiration is not what we sometimes think it to be some people are inspired to write poetry some people are inspired to write I don't mean by the spirit I mean they get something somewhere that inspires them or moves them to compose poetry or music or to do a work of art that's not what inspiration means here they weren't wandering around eating fruits and berries and nuts and communing with mother earth and they got moved to write these stories down no it's God breathed through them without eliminating them Paul is Paul and writes like paul john is john and writes like john james is james and writes like James but God breathed his word through those particular men doctrine of organic inspiration that's what is in view here and this bespeaks the authority of Scripture it is given by inspiration of God it is god-breathed if God breathes his word onto the page for us then that carries Authority Psalm 29 says the voice of the Lord shatters the Cedars of Lebanon you see God's Authority at them at Sinai in the book of Exodus you see God's Authority in Moab in Deuteronomy you see god's authority throughout the prophetic literature thus says Yahweh God's Word is authoritative and that's what Paul is highlighting all Scripture is god-breathed Raymond says just as God's breath or his word created all the hosts of heaven just as his breath gave physical life to Adam and all mankind just as his breath gave spiritual life to Israel the valley of dry bones so also his powerful creative breath in its word form is living and active imperishable and abiding and through it God's Spirit imparts new life to the soul that the scriptures are God buried indicates their divine origin because they are divine his divine origin that carries with it the very authority of God our confession says the afore ready of scripture for which it ought to be believed depends not upon the testimony of any manner church but wholly upon God who is truth itself the author thereof therefore it is to be received because it is the word of God the authoritative Word of God what does that mean for you and I it means we ought to be in this book if God breathed it he breathed it for our understanding he breathed it for our instruction in fact Paul goes on to say as much in the remaining section in verses 16 and 17 we ought not to be strangers to the book of God if this Lord in His mercy and in his kindness has spoken to us is divine word brethren it is our blessed privileged to receive that word to read that word to study that word to meditate upon that word to hear that word preach to hear that word defended whatever is whatever the Avenue whatever the media whatever the form is we need to submit ourselves to the authority of God speaking in the scripture and that in its entirety the entirety of your judgments are true the psalmist says that's the way we ought to approach the very book of God so as I said next Sunday night we have the Lord's Supper the following Sunday night we'll look at the last part of this section but I just want to draw it a couple of practical applications with reference to the scriptures in the first place it's helpful to remember three eyes when dealing with Scripture I don't mean eyeballs i mean the letter I the scripture is inspired it is infallible and it is inerrant now probably 30 years ago 40 years ago I'd say in the 60s 70s inerrancy began to be challenged and in fact today an aaron c is denied among some evangelicals professing Ellen evangelicals now infallibility means that the Scriptures cannot lie the scriptures cannot lie inerrancy means the Scriptures do not you see the difference infallibility it cannot lie inerrancy means it does not lie well certainly if you have an infallible word you have an inherent word don't you doesn't that make sense if you have the overarching category it includes the subset just like with the doctrine of immutability if God is immutable as we affirm that he's certainly impossible if the Word of God is infallible then it's certainly inherent and yet persons continue to challenge and aaron see they say well the Bible is wrong about scientific data the Bible is wrong about these particular historical details the Bible is wrong in this whole host of thing but it's good for what it's designed to do now the Bible is inerrant the Bible is infallible in the Bible is inspired that's what I mean three eyes for a robust doctrine of Scripture brethren when you're out there on the streets and you're fighting with and I mean that not I mean that metaphorically your disk or Singh with people that disagree remember it's an inspired infallible and inerrant word you need to maintain that you need to present that you need to hold fast to that those attributes of Scripture certainly can be added to but that's a good bear sort of boil it down to the to the bare knob and then in the second place we ought to appreciate the necessity of Holy Scripture all Scripture is given by inspiration of God backing up to verse 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus I'd love to be able to hand everybody a piece of paper right now and say I want you to write down for me what I said this morning unbelievers know about God would you be able to get that from Romans chapter 1 his eternal power is God had and the fact that it's righteous with God to judge sinners unbelievers know those three things and it renders them inexcusable without an apologetic that's what general revelation teaches man the fact that we are image bearers and the fact that we live in God's creation we live in is world we cannot escape those three realities but general revelation does not teach us about blood atonement general revelation does not teach us the gospel you cannot look at Mount sham or look at a snowy day and be led to the foot of the cross you can't look at the wonders of the human hand or look at your little baby Todd Ling down the way and say wow isn't God amazing and learn something about substitution arey curse berry you must have special revelation you must have the Word of God you must have this published record this in Scripture ated record where in the gospel is presented and notice that God has not left us wanting he has given us his word he has given us the scripture he has given us this record of special revelation concerning his son and we ought to praise God for it again our confession the Holy Scripture is the only sufficient certain an infallible rule of all saving knowledge faith and obedience although the light of nature and the works of creation and Providence do so far manifest the goodness wisdom and power of God has to leave men inexcusable its what Romans 1 says they know certain truths yet they are and they are without excuse but that does not lead them to salvation that does not lead them to blood atonement the confession goes on after saying that these things do show men certain things leaves him inexcusable yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of god and his will which is necessary unto salvation therefore it please the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself and to declare his will unto his church so we ought to be very thankful to the Lord God for every God breathed scripture and the final point of application you can go where we began this evening psalm 119 I've always thought psalmist here provides for us great example of how we ought to approach the word of god psalm 119 9 how can a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to your word I notice his practice in verses 10 to 16 with my whole heart I have sought you that you in your Bible reading is that you in church attendance with my whole heart I have sought you oh let me not wander from your Commandments I'm not trying to pick on us I'm saying it to me to this something I want more of is what the psalmist tells us in this section let me not wander from your Commandments notice your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you the Blessed preventive preventative maintenance that scripture of Ford's we hide it in our arts so that we might not sin against God blessed are You verse 12 teach me your statutes verse 13 with my lips I have declared all the judgments of your mouth see doesn't that happen you get filled with the word of God you approach God you ask God to teach you to instruct you to learn you to educate you and then it bubbles out doesn't it those persons who are the most effective evangelists and witnesses are those persons who have the Word of God in them because it starts to seep out it starts to come out somebody says something when they say well let me just tell you what the Bible says about that particular thing notice in verse 14 I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all rich honey I found a sack of gold we ought to have that sort of an approach to the testimonies of God and they'll notice in verse 15 I will meditate on your presets see Eastern religion Eastern transcendentalism says empty the mind and meditate the scripture says fill the mind with the word of God and meditate on that I will meditate on your precepts and play your ways I will delight myself in your statutes I will not forget your word I think that's a wonderful practical application with reference to Paul statement in 2nd timothy three sixteen that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God as a result of that let us be psalm 119 verses 9 and following Christians who delight ourselves in God's truth let us pray our Father we thank you for your truth we thank you that you've not less left us alone in this world that you have provided both the old and the New Testaments and we pray now that you would go with us we pray now that you would help us God to honor and glorify you in this coming week pray that you'd grant us each a safe trip home tonight and we pray that you would bring us together again that we may worship you and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation you