“It’s a strange thing: the book has never been so accessible. According to the Guinness Book of Records, L. Ron Hubbard’s writings of Scientology have been translated into 65 languages; the Quran is supposed to be read in Arabic so it has not been translated as much; The Book of Mormon is in about 100 languages. But 2,656 languages have all or some of the Bible. Some 65 million copies of the Bible are brought or distributed in the U.S. every year. Nothing else is a close second. The average house has at least three. People cheer the Bible, buy the Bible, give the Bible, own the Bible – they just don’t actually read the Bible. According to George Gallup, one-third of those surveyed know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Fewer than half can name the first book of the Bible; 80% of born-again Christians believe the phrase ‘Go help those who help themselves’ is in the Bible (it’s Ben Franklin, if you’re curious).” –John Ortberg.
There is a tale told of that great English actor Macready. An eminent preacher once said to him, “I wish you would explain to me something.”
“Well, what is it? I don’t know that I can explain anything to a preacher.”
“What is the reason for the difference between you and me? You are appearing before crowds night after night with fiction, and the crowds come wherever you go. I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth, and I am not getting any crowd at all.”
Macready’s answer was this: “This is quite simple. I tell fictional stories but I act like I believe it. You are preaching the truth, but you don’t act like you believe it.”
The bottom line is this: Is the Bible the word of God or not? If the Bible were the mere words of men, then it would be the greatest work of men that has ever been written. Its prose, its drama, its tragedy and its triumph show that it is a masterfully written work. If the Bible were just the words of men it should at least be standard reading for everyone just like the works of Mark Twain, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Shakespeare and others.
One point to consider here is that the Bible is 66 books written by 40 authors over 1,600 years. Even if it were the works of men it would be the most unique and unusual book ever written. No other book but the Bible has had that many writers over such a long span of time that contains such a consolidated, consistent message. Not only that, but the Bible is one-third prophetic and its prophecies are 100% accurate. There is no question among all scholars that the Bible is the most fascinating of all books.
If the Bible is the word of God then shouldn’t we carefully, fearfully, reverently pour over every word, discover every page and search out each precept as though it contains the most important information we could know and treat it as though it were the most precious possession we could attain?
The Bible claims to be the word of God and to contain the truth. Jesus said, “Thy word is truth.” He declared the Bible’s truth. Shouldn’t that be enough encouragement for us?
Since most all of us own a Bible we must believe it is very important. But since we don’t read it, what is that saying? Are we treating the Bible as the words of men rather than the word of God? Why don’t we cherish its words, desire its contents or care about its message?
Our hearts are not right with the word of God because our hearts are not right with God.
Watch sermons and read sermon texts and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack Ward’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Watch his sermons on his Facebook page. Find him on Rumble, Bitchute and Brighteon video platforms.