Small Group Leaders Facilitation Worksheet:
Produced by Rhema Bible Church North:

2. THE BIBLE-THE WORD OF GOD

[Second of a four part series]
ICEBREAKER: The last time we were together we discussed 12 aspects with regard to The Word of God. Can
anyone tell me what they were?

[Allow for feedback]

QUESTION:Has your attitude changed toward the Word of God?

[ Allow for feedback[

INTRODUCTION:
Tonight I want us to look at the supremacy scriptures:

2.THE SUPREMACY OF SCRIPTURE:

  1. IT BEGINS WITH GOD AND NOT MAN:

READ:John: 1v1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

  1. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD’S TRUTH:

READ:Psalm: 119v142; 151; 160

Verse 142: Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is TRUTH.

Verse 151:You are near, O Lord and all Your commandments are TRUTH.

Verse 160: The ENTIRETY of Your word is TRUTH and every one of Your righteous judgments enduresforever.

2 Timothy: 3v16-17
Verse 16All Scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Verse 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

REMEMBER!

THE WORD WILL ALWAYS CONFIRM ITSELF, IT IS CONSISTANT –

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSESS LET EVERY WORD BE ESTABLISHED

[Matthew: 18v16, Deuteronomy: 19v15]

  1. SCRIPTURE POINTS US TO THE SUPREME GOAL:

READ:Philippians:3v14

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God IN CHRIST JESUS.

QUESTION:Does anyone have any idea WHAT the “supreme goal” might be?

[Allow for feedback]

CLARITY:CHRISTLIKENESS/CHRIST ACTUALIZATION!

READ:Romans:8v28-29

Verse 28:And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God andare the called according to His purpose.

Verse 29:For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.

  1. SCRIPTURE IS DIRECTED AND FOCUSED:

READ:Isaiah: 55v11
So shall my Word be that goes out of my mouth; It shall not return to me void, But it shall
accomplish what I please, and it shall proper in the thing for which I sent it.

Now THAT is what I call direct and focused!

  1. SCRIPTURE BRINGS REPROOF:

READ:2 Timothy: 3v10-17

Verse 10: But you have carefully followed my “doctrine”, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance,

Verse 11: 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.

Verse 12: Yes and all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Verse 13: But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Verse 14: But you must continue in the things, which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

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.

Verse 16: ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Verse 17: that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

  1. SCRIPTURE HAS A HOLISTIC APPROACH:

READ:1 Thessalonians: 5v23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely: and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians:2v14

But the NATURAL man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

  1. SCRIPTURE IS BOTH PERSONAL AND INDIVIDUAL:

READ:Psalm: 18v6

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

Deuteronomy:32v10

He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He ENCIRCLED him, He INSTRUCTED him, He kept him as THE APPLE OF HIS EYE.

Psalm:18v6

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

  1. SCRIPTURE DEALS EFFECTIVLY WITH GUILT, FREEDOM AND FORGIVENESS:

READ:1 John:1v9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm: 103v12
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Jeremiah: 31v34
No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

POINT

There is a TUG of WAR many times between THEOLOGY/PSYCHOLOGY in the area of “GUILT” only Scripture has the universal answer to “GUILT”!

If we confess OUR sins… Then what??

READ:Romans:8v1

There is therefore NOW no CONDEMNATION (The Holy Spirit CONVICTS us NOT condemn us) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

  1. SCRIPTURE GIVES US A STANDARD OF CONDUCT:

If we look around today we can see that we live in a very LAX society.

Anything goes!

Freedom of expression!

Do YOUR own thing!

Titus: 2v1 –10Gives us qualities for a sound church

Psalm: 119v1-11Gives us qualities for a sound individual

READ:Philippians: 1v27 Message Bible

Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news,

  1. SCRIPTURE IS HOLY SPIRIT Inspired:

READ:2 Peter:1v21

For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were MOVED by the Holy Spirit.

We have such great resources as Children of the Most High God!

John:14v26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John: 15v26 Amplified Bible

But when the Comforter (Counsellor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He (Himself) will testify regarding me.

Acts: 1v8 Amplified Bible

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

No Holy Spirit – No ability, efficiency or might to witness effectively for Christ!

  1. THE WORD GIVES MEANING TO LIFE:

No place, no body, no theory, no organization, can give to man the sense of MEANING which is revealed in the Living Word and through the written Word!

READ:1 Corinthians:2v9

But as it is written (Isaiah: 64v4) Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things, which God has prepared for those who love Him!

John: 10v10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it MORE ABUNDANTLY!

  1. THE INFALLIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE:

The Word of God is an eternal body of TRUTH

READ: 1 Peter: 1v25

But the Word of the Lord endures forever......

Psalm:19v7-11

Verse 7: The law of the Lord is PERFECT, converting (restoring) the soul; The testimony of the Lord is SURE, making wise the simple;

Verse 8: The statutes of the Lord are RIGHT, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is PURE, enlightening the eyes;

Verse 9: The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Verse 10: More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Verse 11: Moreover by them Your servant is warned. And in keeping them there is GREAT reward.

Psalm:111v7-8

The works of His hands are verity and justice; They stand fast for ever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness.

POINT:Whatever we are dealing with – what God says on the matter IS the FINAL word.

How many of you have heard this:“If God’s Word says it, I believe it and that settles it!

QUOTE:Brother Hagin:

“If God’s Word says it, that settles it, whether you believe it or not – your believing will make it real in YOUR life BUT it is STILL REAL anyway!

READ:Psalm: 119v160

The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgements endures forever.

  1. IT IS ENDURING:

READ: Isaiah: 40v8

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.

1 Peter:1v25

But the Word of the Lord endures forever.

  1. IT IS HARMONIOUS:

READ:Acts:15v15

And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written…

The Word confirms ITSELF – Truth threads throughout the Word of God!

  1. IT IS Living and Active:

READ:Hebrews:4v12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of SOUL and SPIRIT, and of joints and marrow, and is a DISCERNER of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Which could be good or bad thoughts!).

  1. IT IS THE SOURCE OF NEW LIFE:

READ:1 Peter:1v23

Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God, which LIVES and ABIDES forever.

  1. IT IS OUR SPIRITUAL FOOD:

READ:1 Peter:2v2

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may GROW thereby.

Hebrews:5v12-14

Verse 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the ORACLES (sayings, Scriptures) of God and you have come to need MILK and not SOLID FOOD (meat).

Verse 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilfulled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe

Verse 14 But SOLID FOOD (meat) belongs to those who are of FULL AGE (Mature), that is, those who by reason of USE (practice) have their senses exercised to DISCERN both GOOD and EVIL.

QUESTION:Is your attitude toward the Word of God changing and What steps are you going to take to improve your relationship with God through His word?

[Allow time for feedbackdiscuss any questions that may arise]

CLOSE:

Produced by Rhema Bible Church North:
VM 20/03/12Page 1 of 6