Sermon Cloud

Jess got out the Christmas decorations recently, as I am sure many of you have as well. We had some people over this week and they kind of laughed at our Christmas tree. There aren’t any decorations from here up. Lana believes the tree is a toy hanger and everything on it is a cool toy she can play with.

I used to love getting out the decorations each year, and decorating our real tree with my mom and brother. Any time we get out decorations it takes me back. There is one decoration that’s sticks out in my head. It was a dangly spindle thing with the name Emmanuel spelled out from top to bottom.

Emmanuel is one of those words that you only hear during Christmas. I knew that it had something to do with Jesus and His birth. But I never totally got it, why does Jesus have so many names, that kind of thing. There were a lot of things I didn’t get about Christianity. I got to a point in my life that I wanted to know more, I was sick of all the questions, and having to get info second hand. I wanted to know for myself what God was or who God was.

When I started to open up that book every night before bed it was amazing how clear some things became. With answers came more questions and for 5 years I read a chapter a night. It was as if I had God with me each night. Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ —which means, ‘God with us.’" Jesus was called Immanuel because He was God with us, but God is with us still. He is with us by His Word. I thank God for that youth pastor who put this book in my hands. It changed my life, and it can change lives still.

Bible is a map

I am very bad with directions. My buddy Kris and I used to get lost all the time. We got lost in our own neighborhood once. I remember the first time we drove on the highway. I was going to pick up Jess for our first date. A few of us were going to Six Flags, but Jess needed picked up. So we start driving we knew we had to get on the turnpike. We had no idea where the turnpike was; again I had never driven on the highway. We found out it was north, so we just start driving north assuming we would run into it. We did!

Now once you go through the toll booth you have to make a very quick decision, east or west. I don’t have a clue which way to go. Finally I made Kris guess right or left, and we went left. Just happened to be the right way again. We were 2 for 2 on this epic journey to pick up girls. We thought we were kings of the road. We could go anywhere. The trip home that night was a different story. We took 8 wrong turns. It took us almost 3 hours to make it home.

I tell you all that to tell you this. It was 2003 they had Google maps. It would have been simple to print off directions, but I didn’t think I needed them, or I was so excited I just got in the car and drove. Either way I didn’t take the time to figure out where I was going. If only I would have looked at a map, I would have saved time, money, wear and tear, and dignity, since I had to call Jess 5 times for directions.

Listen to what the Psalmist says in Psalm 119: 105-107 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.  I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.” Too often we walk through life blindly like me and Kris just hoping to get lucky and find our way. We have no clue what is really out there, and how much is out there. We have got to recognize that we live in a world that only looks out for itself.

Thank God, because He gives us His Word. He has given us the Bible to light up our path so you can see where you are going. In this book is all the instruction we need. We don’t have to walk around in darkness John 12:35 says, “The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.” So God gave us His word so that we may know where we are going. We have to start taking the time to look at the map God gives us.

I couldn’t complain to anyone when I would get lost because everyone knew why I was lost. If we are going to change the direction of our homes, our economy, or our country we must know where we are going first.

Bible is a sword

Matthew 4: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3) Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:"'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' (Psalm 91:11-12) Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'(Deut. 6:16) Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'(Deut. 6:13) Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

          Jesus uses the Word of God to fight off temptation. He uses it against the devil. We are able to do the same things Ephesians 6:17 says that the word of God is a sword.  Psalm 119:11”I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” When we know God’s word, we are able to respond to tough situations much easier. We need to know for ourselves what we believe. We cannot rely on others to tell us what truth is when truth is right in front of us. When you are in a tough spot, when you are being tempted you need to be able to respond with the truth of God’s word.

Bible is a mirror

          James 1: 22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man, who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.   What James is saying is don’t waste your time. Why even have a mirror, why use a mirror if you’re not going to use it for its purpose. If you look in a mirror and you got a dangler you pick it right. You don’t walk around all day with it dangling. God’s word can show you what to fix in your life.

          The last verse says But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”  The key here is the word intently. When you read the bible with purpose, when you are looking for answers, when you are hungry for what God has for you that is when you receive the blessings of God.

Close

          Immanuel, God is with us. His word is a light for our path, a sword against the enemy, and a mirror to our souls, but above all else it is God with us, His very words available to His children. Isaiah 40:8“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." This book changed my life. The Bible has guided me through, money issues, relationship issues, and it will help you through it all.

          I want to challenge you today to read God’s word. I know it is a busy time of the year, but we should never be too busy for God. If you don’t have a Bible we are giving them away at the welcome table. Listen to me. Do not walk through life blind and in the dark.

Pray