Sermon Notes

RHYTHMS OF GRACE

WEEK 3 – READING GOD’S WORD

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

Sanctification: Becoming in practice what God has declared you to be in truth.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.” Romans 12:2 (J.B. Phillips Paraphrase)

hopechurchlv.com/rhythms

If you want to experience the life of Jesus, you must adopt the lifestyle of Jesus by the power of the Spirit.

“Rhythms of grace” are habits/practices based on the life and teaching of Jesus that create time and space for Jesus followers to be transformed by God.

Reading God’s Word

SERMON IN A SENTENCE:

There is truth-revealing, freedom-bringing, life-changing power in the practice of reading God’s word.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

Jesus knew and believed the Scriptures.

1. Less and less people, who claim to follow Jesus, spend time in God’s word.

2. People who claim to follow Jesus are becoming more and more ignorant of the Bible while becoming imitators of the world.

“If you want to be changed, if you want to become more like Jesus Christ, discipline yourself to read the Bible” Donald Whitney

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32

1. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ABIDE IN THE WORD OF GOD

“The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.” Jen Wilkin

2. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CAN KNOW TRUTH FROM THE WORD OF GOD

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“What we give our attention to will shape the persons we become…many of us spend hours every day filling our minds with lies, cutting off our minds from God's Spirit and truth, and only a few minutes each morning, if that, filling our minds with truth…is it any wonder we often see the world more through the lens of secular theory than Scripture?” John Mark Comer

“Satan devotes 168 hours per week to deceiving you. How can we possibly combat that without countering it with time in the Word of God?” John Piper

3. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CAN BE SET FREE BY THE WORD OF GOD

1. The word of God sets us free from the enemy’s lies

2. The word of God sets us free for everyday living

3. The word of God sets us free for eternal life

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

There is truth-revealing, freedom-bringing, life-changing power in the practice of reading God’s word.

“It is impossible to practice godliness without a constant, consistent and balanced intake of the Word of God in our lives.” Jerry Bridges

How we can begin the practice of reading Scripture?

1. Schedule it


2. Pray before reading it


3. Read it with a plan

H.E.A.R.

H – Highlight

E – Examine

A – Apply

R – Respond

“Read until the Spirit speaks or until you want to quit.” Clyde Cranford

“If your growth in godliness were measured by the quality of your Bible intake, what would be the result?” Donald Whitney

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRACTICE FOR THE WEEK