Good morning, and a blessed Thursday to you.  Today in our time of devotion together I'm going to share with you something from one of our Confirmation lessons.  This is one of my favorite lessons that we do in the two-year cycle.  In this lesson we have a series of questions or statements, and the kids are supposed to answer if it's a matter of myth, or if it's a matter of faith.   So I'm going to invite you to play along.  Here’s the statement: The Bible contains the Word of God.  Is this a matter of myth, or is it a matter of faith?  If you answered “myth” you are absolutely correct.  I know it seems weird, because it seems like it should be a correct statement… that the Bible contains the Word of God. But it's not. It is in fact a myth.  So to understand why this is a myth, we're first going to define what the Word of God is.  Now, do we define what the Word of God is?   Absolutely not! What or who defines what the Word of God is… the Word of God define for us what the Word of God is. 

Let’s look at John 1:1…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Then skip down to verse 14..

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son full of grace and truth. 

So the Word of God is Jesus Christ. 

Let's go to 1st Peter 1:25…

but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

That word is the good news that was announced to you.

So the Word of God is Jesus.  The word is announced, or preached, and proclaimed. 

So we have the Word defined as Jesus. The word is proclaimed.

2 Peter 1:19-21

So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God

The Word of God is Jesus. The Word of God is proclaimed. The Word of God is Scripture written by the prophets and the Apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit. So it makes a  really, really big difference when one says “the Bible contains the Word of God” or “the Bible is the Word of God.” You might be thinking that I’m getting too nitpicky to make this distinction.  But it's important to be nitpicky here. Because if I say that the Bible contains the Word of God, then I am placing myself in authority over God's Word. If the Bible only contains the Word of God, then I get to pick and choose what is relevant and what is not.  And I no longer have to answer to it, but God's Word then answers to me.  I get to decide what I like, and what I don't like; what verses I can ignore or disobey, and which ones to believe.  However,if I believe the Bible is the Word of God, I am by definition putting myself under its authority.  I am held accountable to the Lord and what His Word says.  I don't get to pick and choose.  I don’t get to decide what to ignore, throw out; what is not relevant or what is relevant, because I am under the authority of God's Word. It's so important for us to return to this lesson over and over and over again. Because the moment we start thinking that the Bible merely contains God's Word, is the moment that we find ourselves going off track, in danger of falling into heresy, or into false teaching, and false belief.   

Scripture is absolutely unique. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 it says…

 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  so that the person of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

God, the Holy Spirit gave his chosen people the words to write.  He gave his chosen writers the thoughts they expressed and the words they wrote. This does not mean that they were like robots, that they took dictation from the Holy Spirit.  Each writer wrote in his own style.  Each writer wrote of his own experiences.  But it is all breathed, all inspired by God the Holy Spirit. No other book fits in this same description. It is unique in all books. It's also unique in that it is completely reliable. We know we can be under the authority of God's Word because it is reliable. It says or it does what it says. And it is God's Word. It's not human’s word. We are fallible. We make mistakes. We err all the time. God's Word is inerrant. It doesn't have mistakes. It can't have mistakes. It is the final, the first, the always Eternal Word for us.   And it has eternal, complete authority over and for us. We should find comfort in this because, as humans we are flaky and wishy-washy.   We change our minds. God is consistent. And we have his consistent story of mercy, of righteousness, of justice. We have it all.   From Genesis to Revelation we have God's story for humanity.  And so let us use the words of Martin Luther and turn to the Lord in prayer.

Eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Grant us your Holy Spirit, who writes the preached word into our hearts, so that we may receive it and believe it, and be gladdened and comforted by it in eternity.  Glorify your Word in our hearts. Make it so bright and warm that we may find pleasure in it, and through your inspiration think what is right. By your power fulfill your Word for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.  

Have an amazing rest of your week. Turn to God's Word. See what he has to say to you today, and then share that with someone else. I will look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. God bless.

Pastor Malinak