The Practice of Scripture

Transformed - Incorporating the Practices of Jesus: The Practice of Scripture Luke 2:41-47 | August 4, 2024 I want to start this morning with a statement. The Bible is transforming. Do you agree with this? I sure hope so, and because you are here, most likely you do. I have shared this before, but I also think the example illustrates this perfectly. I didn't grow up in the church, and my understanding of God and Jesus was next to nothing. It wasn't until I was 17 years old that I heard a pastor reading and teaching the Bible. It only took a few weeks for me under the instruction of the Word to be saved and truly be transformed to a new man. The Bible is transforming. You may have guessed by now that we're continuing our sermon series of incorporating the practices of Jesus with the topic of Scripture. We'll look at an example of Jesus here momentarily, but I want to first share some concerning information about Bible reading in the US. An article from August 2023 records that the number of Bible users - defined as users who use the Bible at least 3-4 times per year outside of a church setting - has dropped by nearly 26 million, or a 10% from the previous year, accounting for only 39% of Americans. It's obvious that the Bible has taken a backseat to other priorities in the world today. Here's my argument for our time this morning, and I'll use it today as our main idea: Jesus prioritized the Scriptures in His life, so I must also prioritize the Scriptures in my life. The Bible reveals that Jesus not only prioritized the Scriptures, but He did so from a young age. Here's what Luke records in Luke 2:41-47: 41 NOW HIS PARENTS WENT TO JERUSALEM EVERY YEAR AT THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER. 42 AND WHEN HE WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD, THEY WENT UP ACCORDING TO CUSTOM. 43 AND WHEN THE FEAST WAS ENDED, AS THEY WERE RETURNING, THE BOY JESUS STAYED BEHIND IN JERUSALEM. HIS PARENTS DID NOT KNOW IT, 44 BUT SUPPOSING HIM TO BE IN THE GROUP THEY WENT A DAY'S JOURNEY, BUT THEN THEY BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR HIM AMONG THEIR RELATIVES AND ACQUAINTANCES, 45 AND WHEN THEY DID NOT FIND HIM, THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM, SEARCHING FOR HIM. 46 AFTER THREE DAYS THEY FOUND HIM IN THE TEMPLE, SITTING AMONG THE TEACHERS, LISTENING TO THEM AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS. 47 AND ALL WHO HEARD HIM WERE AMAZED AT HIS UNDERSTANDING AND HIS ANSWERS. Maybe you're like me and have always wondered why we don't hear anything else about Joesph after this account. I think I know why. He may very well be the reason why dads are depicted as bozos and dummies in television shows. I mean, he lost Jesus. Let me pause and say it again ... JOSEPH. LOST. JESUS. My theory is that Mary likely kicked Joseph to the doghouse after this event. In all seriousness though, this passage is really remarkable. * First, this is the first time we see Jesus handling the Scriptures. * Second, this is the first time we see Jesus teaching the Scriptures. * And third, this is the first time we see Jesus prioritizing the Scriptures. I think this helps us to understand how Jesus viewed the Scriptures and illustrates to us how we are to view the Scriptures as well. I think, however, a little more background to this passage is important. Of course, after Jesus' birth, we know nothing of His childhood aside from His presentation at the Temple, and this account of Jesus at them Temple at the age of twelve. Luke's account does give us a little bit of context to what happened during this unrecorded period of His life. Let's go back to verse 40, and see what Luke says about Jesus: AND THE CHILD GREW AND BECAME STRONG, FILLED WITH WISDOM. AND THE FAVOR OF GOD WAS UPON HIM. Then, if we jump ahead to verse 52, Luke says: AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND IN STATURE AND IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN Philippians 2:7-8 tells us that Jesus, ... 7 EMPTIED HIMSELF, BY TAKING THE FORM OF A SERVANT, BEING BORN IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN. 8 AND BEING FOUND IN HUMAN FORM, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF DEATH, EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS. What does this tell us? Jesus had to learn the Scriptures, just as any child would in the Jewish home. Of course, His grasp of the Scriptures were - well supernatural. That phrase that Luke uses in verse 47 that they were "AMAZED," is used elsewhere by Luke to describe supernatural events. This also tells us that Jesus's parents were obedient to God's Word and His expectations of the Jewish home. Verse 41 tells us that they went into Jerusalem for the Feast - one of three that they were required to do each year - each year. So, we know that during His childhood, Jesus went to Jerusalem each year, as per the Scriptures. In fact, the Talmud - which is a collection of Jewish teachings - "says that a father had 4 responsibilities toward his son, besides teaching him the law. He must circumcise his son, redeem him from God if he were the firstborn, find him a wife, and teach him a trade." So, during Jesus's childhood, I think it is safe, based on Luke's account from verses 40 and 52, as well as historical context, that Jesus learned the Scriptures from a young age, and grew in His knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. A few weeks ago, when Pastor Pat opened our series, he reminded us how important it is to focus on our inward development, and incorporating these practices from Jesus will definitely point us in the right direction. So, what I want to do for the better part of our time remaining is show you Jesus's relationship with the Scriptures and use His example to hopefully encourage you to follow that example. First, let's discuss: JESUS'S USE OF SCRIPTURE While this passage does not explicitly illustrate Jesus's affirmation of the authority of the Scriptures, He does give us a hint in verse 49, when He responds to Mary and Joseph about His Father's house. We also see in verse 46 that He knew that being in the Word was paramount to His life. What I want to do here, through the example of Jesus, is show you how Jesus put the Word of God first in his life. Of course, I cannot give you all of the examples of Christ's usage of the Scriptures, but I think we can survey His teachings enough to show you what He thought of the Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible - what we call the Old Testament - is traditionally broken into three parts: the Instruction (or the Law of Moses - Genesis through Deuteronomy), the Prophets (which includes Joshua - 2 Kings, the Major Prophets, and the Minor Prophets), and the writings (which includes the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1-2 Chronicles). Why is this important? Well, Jesus - at a minimum references or quotes from all three categories of the Hebrew Scriptures, which of course was the only Bible of that time, as the New Testament hadn't been written yet. I'll provide three ways that Jesus prioritizes the Old Testament Scriptures in His teachings. I don't want to spend too much time here, so I'll only provide a handful of examples in each section. First, * Jesus affirmed the Law of Moses. o At the risk of redundancy, we first see this during His temptation in Matthew 4, when He quotes from Deuteronomy three times. o In Matthew 8, Jesus refers to Isaac and Jacob, in John 8, Jesus refers to Abraham. o In Matthew 19, Jesus references Adam and Eve, and in Luke 11, Cain and Abel. o In Matthew 24, Jesus refers to the flood of Genesis 6. o But I think most telling is John 5:46-47 where Jesus says this to the Jewish Religious leaders: 46 FOR IF YOU BELIEVED MOSES, YOU WOULD BELIEVE ME; FOR HE WROTE OF ME. 47 BUT IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE HIS WRITINGS, HOW WILL YOU BELIEVE MY WORDS?" o With these examples, we see that Jesus taught and affirmed the Instruction section of the Hebrew Bible. Next, * Jesus affirmed the prophets. o In fact, Jesus quoted the Prophets on several occasions. o In Matthew 11, Jesus quotes Malachi. o In Matthew 13 Isaiah. o In Matthew 26 Zechariah. o In Matthew 12, Jesus refers to Jonah, the great fish, and the Ninevites. o In Luke 4, Jesus referenced the days of Elijah. o With these examples, we see that Jesus taught and affirmed the Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible. Next, * Jesus affirmed the writings. o In Luke 24, when Jesus was addressing His disciples after the Resurrection, He mentions the Psalms along with the Law and the Prophets. o In Matthew 24, He refers to Daniel's prophecy regarding the abomination of desolation. o In Matthew 6, He referred to Solomon. o There are countless examples of Jesus using the Old Testament scriptures in His teachings. In John 10:35, for example, He affirms the Scriptures as the Word of God. And of course, John opens His Gospel stating the Jesus Himself is the Word. o I know I've spent a lot of time on this, so far, but I believe it is critical and fundamental for our faith to see the Scriptures the way Jesus did, and by faith accept the entire Word of God as authoritative. o This is why I stated earlier: Jesus prioritized the Scriptures in His life, so I must also prioritize the Scriptures in my life. o Naturally, we'll spend the rest of our time this morning discussing ... HOW TO PRIORITIZE SCRIPTURE IN MY LIFE There are at least six ways to prioritize Scripture in our lives, first: * Pray. o Christianity is a relationship - not a religion - and any healthy relationship requires communication. o When we pray, we are communicating with God, and when we read, He is communicating to us. * Hebrews 4:12 tells us: 12 FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE, SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, PIERCING TO THE DIVISION OF SOUL AND OF SPIRIT, OF JOINTS AND OF MARROW, AND DISCERNING THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART. * God's Word is not only living and active, but also still very relevant. Frankly, it amazes me that it still speaks to us in our culture, even today. o So, what do I pray for when I read? Here are some possibilities: * Pray for God to open your eyes and hearts to receive His Word * Pray for a changed heart * Pray that He teaches us His way * Pray for wisdom to understand and apply His Word * I'm sure you can think of many others o We pray over God's Word because it's transforming. o Next, * Read the Scriptures. o How often? Everyday. o Studies show that if you read 5 minutes a day, you can complete the Bible in three years from cover to cover. o I did one chapter a day and that took me just under three and half years. o Other studies show that you can read 3-5 chapters per day, and you can finish the whole Bible in one year. o Over the past 3 years, Monday-Friday, I've set a timer for 15 minutes and I've finished the whole bible, with various study notes within 8 months. o But it's less about how much you read, it's about how much you receive in your reading. o As a Church, that's why we provide a reading plan to help guide you in this area. o Next, we must ... * Meditate on the Scriptures. o When you're reading, pick a phrase, a word, or a verse and meditate on it. o What does that mean, exactly? o Simply put, as one author put it, it's like watching a film clip by clip, instead of all the way through. o We should be curious enough about the Scriptures to want to explore it further. o Next, * Memorize the Scriptures. o I'm sure we've all met a student who has made this statement: "I don't test well." o Frankly, I've said that before, and what it basically means is that I can do all that's required, but probably haven't retained enough to pass the test. o So, when we study the Scriptures, it must be for the purpose of knowing the Scriptures. o Part of that can be accomplished through memorizing or knowing the Scriptures by heart. o I had a manager years ago who was very intentional about using the phrase "knowing by heart" instead of the word "memorization." o Now, I don't expect everyone to agree with his reasoning, but I appreciated it at the time, particularly in the context of which he was using it for. o In short, he argued that memorization was simply a task to check off the list, but knowing something by heart implied living it out, knowing it to the core, and applying it. o Recall, weeks ago when we wrapped up Ephesians, we spoke about the sword of the Spirit. Paul affirmed that he was speaking about the Word of God. But the word he used referred more to specific passages or verses to suit the occasion, and of course the example - yet again - of Jesus in the wilderness during His temptation is the best example of this. o This is not to say that "memorizing" Scripture is not recommended - in fact, it is highly recommended. However, if the motivation is to simply memorize, rather than knowing it by heart, then it may not help you when you need it against the fiery darts of the devil. o Here's how David Mathis puts it in his book Habits of Grace: When we learn the Scriptures by heart, we're not just memorizing ancient, enduringly relevant texts, but we're listening to and learning the voice of our Creator and Redeemer himself. When we memorize lines from the Bible, we are shaping our minds in the moment to mimic the structure and mind-set of the mind of God. o Next, * Study the Scriptures o We already saw in our text from Luke 2 that Jesus spent time studying the Scriptures. o In fact, there are two schools of thought on how to interpret the posture of Jesus in Luke 2:46. The ESV reads that Jesus was found "SITTING AMONG THE TEACHERS" o Some interpret this to mean that He was sitting with the teachers and teaching others, or even teaching them. o Others interpret this to mean that He was sitting and discussing the Scriptures with the Jewish leaders. o Verse 47 seems to illustrate a discussion around the Word of God. Like how we meet on Monday mornings, and during the Roundtable time. o Either way, Jesus's example illustrates the necessity of studying God's Word. o Paul gives us a perfect reason for why we study the Word of God in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, where he says that, 16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS BREATHED OUT BY GOD AND PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, 17 THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE COMPLETE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK o Finally, and maybe most importantly, * Apply the Scriptures. o We see the example from our text as Joseph and Mary went to the Temple each year. o When we do everything that we just talked about, we can begin to connect principles, commands and illustrations of the Word to our lives, and live them out. o James told us that we are to "BE DOERS THE WORD." o Applying the Word helps us to differentiate the truth from lies. o Applying the Word guides us and directs us. We saw this several weeks ago when Pat referred us to Psalm 119. Here's an example from Psalm 119:11: I HAVE STORED UP YOUR WORD IN MY HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU. o But you cannot apply the Word, if you don't know the Word. o This is why the New Testament writers pointed us to the Word, and this is why Jesus prioritized the Word. Friends, if Jesus prioritized the Scriptures, then why is it that so many Christians neglect them between Sundays? Great preacher and writer R.C. Sproul once said that it's because Americans are lazy. We would rather turn on the TV or scan social media than spend the time needed to study and know the Scriptures. We saw this morning that Jesus prioritized the Scriptures in His life. We saw, through His example that studying to know the Scriptures is critical and essential for the Christian. As we close, I want to encourage you to start a reading plan if you don't have one already. Buy or download a good Study Bible. Read good commentaries from reputable teachers. In your bulletin, I've included some resources and personal recommendations that could help you. Reach out to myself, Pastor Pat, or one of the elders if you need assistance in this critical area of your faith journey. We must make the commitment to approach and prioritize the Scriptures, like Jesus did. Will you make that commitment? Let's pray. 2