Intro. Looking at characteristics of the men that God used, men of prayer; men of faith; men who had come to the cross in their own lives. Now we see another characteristic; they were men of the word.
I. NOTE HOW PETER HERE BEGINS TO POINT OUT THE TRUTHS OF THE SCRIPTURES TO THE PEOPLE.
A. In those days they did not have family Bibles.
1. The scriptures were all handwritten.
2. They were written by separate books.
3. The books were in scrolls.
4. They did not have concordances.
5. The scriptures had to be in their hearts.
6. It is interesting to me how that Peter quoted at length from several of the books of the Old Testament in the different sermons that he preached.
B. As he wanted to call to their minds the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy, he could not just look up the passage in a book, nor could he say, hand me the Deuteronomy scroll, John. It had to be in his heart.
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING AND TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD.
A. This is to model your ministry after the ministry of Jesus Christ.
1. Listen to what Jesus said about the scriptures:
MAT 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
MAT 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
MAT 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
MAT 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
MAT 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
MAR 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
JOH 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
LUK 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
LUK 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
LUK 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
LUK 8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
LUK 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
LUK 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
LUK 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
JOH 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
JOH 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
JOH 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
JOH 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
JOH 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
2. Look at how often Jesus quoted the scriptures.
MAT 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
MAT 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
MAT 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
MAT 11:10 For this is [he], of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
MAT 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
MAT 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
MAT 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
MAR 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.
MAR 9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
MAR 9:13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
MAR 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
LUK 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
JOH 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
JOH 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
JOH 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
B. Look at the place of the scriptures in the ministry of Paul.
Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
ROM 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
ROM 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
ROM 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
GAL 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed.
GAL 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
GAL 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
1TI 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.
2TI 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
C. God has magnified His word above His name.
1. As we previously pointed out as we were studying chapter 2, one of the primary functions of the early church was their continuance in the apostles' doctrine.
2. This, with prayer, was the top priority for the apostles.
3. Look at the place of the Word in the early church.
Act 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples [unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Act 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Act 10:36 The word which [God] sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
Act 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Act 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.
Act 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to [their] minister.
Act 13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
Act 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Act 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Act 18:11 And he continued [there] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
III. HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.
A. Get an understanding of the whole picture. A good survey of the Bible.
1. It is necessary to see the whole picture to better understand the parts.
2. One of the great problems is that people come with an isolated scripture usually taken out of context, and declare their difficulty of understanding the scripture. Or they want you to explain the passage apart from the context.
B. Seek the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit to help you to understand.
1. Jesus promised that the Comforter which was the Holy Spirit who the Father would send in His name, that He would teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance which He had spoken.
1JO 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
