Sermon Tone Analysis

Prayer

Introduction

Beginning today, we will be in a short series to start the year by looking at what we'll call "Firm Foundations."

In the next couple of weeks, we'll study the disciplines of developing disciples and devoted giving.

During our time in the Word today, however, we'll cover the discipline of Daily Bible Studies.

Now, is daily Bible reading necessary for salvation?

Not at all.

Is daily Bible reading crucial for growth in the believer's walk with Christ?

Absolutely.

As such, we'll be making the case today that as we move into the New Year, we must strive to discipline ourselves further in studying God's Word, help others do the same, or both.

So, if you would, please open your Bibles with me to Matthew 6:33.

If you keep your finger there, we'll jump over to 1 Peter 3:15.

While we start with familiar passages, we'll actually deal with several scriptures this morning.

Before we read the text, though, a few years ago, the American Bible Society shared that nearly 9 out of 10, or 87% of American households, own a Bible and that the average home actually has 3 Bibles.

(1) While that sounds good, Arizona Christian University completed a study that found that less than 6% of all Americans have a Biblical Worldview.

(2) Now, how is it that 87% of Americans have easy access to a physical copy of the Bible, while nearly 94% either don't have, or outright reject a Biblical Worldview?

Lifeway Research helps us answer that question.

According to a study from 2016, 43% of Americans have read anywhere from none of the Bible up to several stories.

(3) A more recent study shows that among church-going Americans, around 40% read their Bibles once a week or less.

(4) That's not among all Americans but only those who actively attend church.

Speaking of attenders, in 2012, Lifeway Research interviewed nearly 3,000 protestant church-goers.

Ninety percent shared that they "desire to please and honor Jesus in all I do," while only 19 percent read the Bible daily.

(5)

**CHANGE SLIDE** - "We need to know..."

Do you desire to please and honor Jesus in all you do?

I certainly hope that you do, but I must tell you that if we aren't spending time in His Word, we simply aren't going to grow in our sanctification, and therefore we aren't going to be developing into believers who turn our desire to please God into a reality.

So today, we're going to cover why we should be reading the Bible and how we can develop a discipline of reading the Bible.

I want to keep things simple; however, one thing has to be clear:

We need to know the Word of the God if we want to grow in knowing and understanding the God of the Word.

So, let's look at our first text, Matthew 6:33, together.

We'll read on into verse 34.

**CHANGE SLIDE** - Seeking God...

Seeking God brings Comfort.

As Jesus was giving the Sermon on the Mount, He included a section where he exhorted the people not to be anxious for things like food, water, shelter, or clothing.

He tells them that while God fully sustains the birds, for example, each and every human being is of more value to God than the animals.

In the context of this passage, the anxiety He refers to comes, ultimately, from a distrust of God.

Yet, in Romans 8:32, the Apostle Paul reminded his readers, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

God loves us and demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Because of His great love for us, He will certainly meet our needs and sustain us as needed for our good and His glory.

Where can you and I go to seek the Kingdom?

The Scriptures.

Where can you and I go to learn of God's love?

The Scriptures.

Where can you and I go to know God?

The Scriptures.

Jesus is telling those in the crowds in Matthew 6, at least as we see in verses 25-34, that seeking God brings comfort.

In God's grace, He has revealed what He desires us to know of Him in two main ways.

In General or Natural Revelation, God has revealed aspects of His being, attributes, and power.

In Special or Supernatural Revelation, God gives further revelation of His being, names, attributes, works, and will for the salvation of His people.

All special revelation centers on the person and saving work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is Himself, the full revelation of God to mankind.

(6)

Special revelation has come to us and is shared with us in the Holy Scriptures.

The more we study, the more we learn about God.

The more we know God, the greater our Hope is in Him, and the less this world and all that is in it causes us to stumble and fall.

Turn over to 1 Peter 3. Our focus will be on verse 15, but let's pick it up in verse 14.

**CHANGE SLIDE** - 1 Peter 3:14-15.

**CHANGE SLIDE** - Knowing God...

Knowing God Brings Hope.

We saw that Jesus was teaching about the concerns or anxieties regarding what to eat, where to sleep, and how to get shelter.

In chapter 3 of Peter's epistle, he deals with concerns or fears regarding those who cause our suffering.

Peter's point was that although suffering is to be expected, no one can ultimately, or in a final sense, harm or destroy us because God is watching over us.

Those who suffer for righteousness' sake will be blessed.

Peter says, "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

To "make a defense," in this context, means to give an answer or a rationale.

Our hope in Christ must be so strong, clear, and genuine that we are ready to confess Christ as our Hope for salvation at any moment to anyone who should ask, whether they mean us good or harm.

Three things I quickly want to point out:

We cannot consistently grow in our knowledge and understanding of this hope from God unless we read the Bible.

We cannot rely only on others to share this Hope from God.

We must be like the Bereans and study the truth for ourselves, thereby obtaining hope and making it ours.

We can only give an answer for this hope within us and combat falsehoods or heresies if we know our Bibles.

In other words, we cannot share our hope if we can't articulate it, and we cannot spot the lies around us if we aren't grounded in the truth.

2 Tim.

2:15 says: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

We study to know Him and to make Him known without shame or fear.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says: "Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.

For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."

We don't study to boast in our own strength or wisdom but in the truth of who God is.

In 2 Corinthians 10: 17-18, Paul tells us, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Through the careful study of the Scriptures, we learn what God approves of and what He desires.

Micah 6:8 reminds us, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

So, why do we study the Scriptures?

To keep it simple:

First, we study because the more we seek after Him in the Scriptures, the more we are comforted by His promises.

Second, we see that the more we know God, the greater our Hope is in Him, and the less this world and all that is in it causes us to stumble and fall.

So, then, how are we to develop a discipline of daily studies?

Here are some simple practices to help you with daily reading:

**CHANGE SLIDE** - Begin a daily Quiet Time

Begin a daily Quiet Time.

For success, you need to plan.

Schedule time into your day, whether in the morning, at night, or in the middle of the day.

Figure out what works for you and set aside some time to get quiet and alone with God to read and study the Word.

**CHANGE SLIDE** - Use a Bible Reading Plan

Use a Bible Reading Plan.

Inside your bulletin is a Q.R. Code for a study we are doing together as a church.

I would love it if you joined us!

With this particular plan, in around 15 minutes per day, you can read through the entire Bible in a year.

There are countless other plans, most of which are free.

**CHANGE SLIDE** - Download a Bible App...

Download a Bible app on your phone or tablet.

Search "Bible" in your app store.