Topical Sermons Power Point Show
Scripture Reading: Hosea 4:4-10
Why God's Word Becomes a Strange Thing
Intro.
1. Israel’s changing attitude toward God’s word led to her destruction – Hosea 4:1, 6; 8:1, 7, 12.
2. God’s word became “strange” (a stranger, foreign, & estranged from).
3. Continues to be so today in the church: God’s word is foreign to many Christians. Why? What leads people (whether Christians or not) to wrong conclusions that are not contained in the inspired Scriptures? (What leads Christians to wrong conclusions about truth?)
I. TO UNDERSTAND & LIVE GOD’S WORD REQUIRES PERSONAL EFFORT.
A. Requires Diligence – 2 Tim. 2:15; cf. 2 Pet. 1:5, 10.
1. “To exert one’s self, endeavor,” labor, make haste.
2. Otherwise, we endanger our souls through misusing God’s word.
B. Requires Learning – 2 Pet. 3:14-17.
1. Have the habit of educating ourselves – 3:18; Acts 2:42.
2. Without education in God’s word we are unstable, leading to twisting God’s word & destroying our souls.
II. WHY (HOW) GOD’S WORD BECOMES STRANGE (FOREIGN) TO CHRISTIANS.
A. Some are Untaught (lack of knowledge) – (2 Pet. 3:16); 2 Tim. 2:2.
1. Importance of our Bible classes, etc. – 1 Tim. 4:6, 11, 16; 5:7.
2. Private study: challenge you to read the Bible 20 minutes a day.
3. Help guard you from sin & live with God – Heb. 4:12.
4. When we don’t know God’s word we are tossed about & ruined (Eph. 4:14).
B. Because of a Lack of Good Teaching – cf. Acts 8:30-31.
1. Priests in Israel – Lev. 10:10-11; Hos. 4:4-10. Priests should have been teaching the law of God, but they fed themselves on the sins of the people & shared in God’s punishment of disobedience.
2. Teaching has been replaced by entertainment in pulpits, & Bible classes turned into playtime (children) & fuss time for adults!
3. True teaching sustains the kingdom – 2 Tim. 2:2 (1 Cor. 14:26).
C. Because of Unclear Teaching – 1 Cor. 14:9.
1. We must be as clear as possible when we teach God’s word.
2. The teacher’s clarity is his responsibility before God – Jas. 3:1.
3. The listener’s open heart (hearing) is his responsibility – Lk. 8:18.
4. Sometimes we can be as clear as we possibly can & still people will misunderstand – cf. Jn. 2:18-22; 8:26-30.
a. We do not change the message because truth is misunderstood.
b. Help listeners improve their hearing so God’s word is not “strange” to them.
D. Some are Babes in Christ – Heb. 5:11-14.
1. God’s word will not be foreign to the new convert who applies himself to learning & growing in the word of God.
2. Attitude of desire for word will bring growth – 1 Pet. 2:2.
E. Some are Unstable in Faith – 2 Pet. 3:16.
1. Some are not grounded in the faith – Col. 2:6-7.
2. They drink from the broken cisterns of false teachers, of worldly insight, of self-serving sources (Jer. 2:13; 17:13).
3. So, they are “carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14).
F. Some are Deceived – 2 Cor. 11:1-4, 13-15 (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
1. Personal associations, emotional arguments &/or attachments, distortions of the truth, fear, etc.
2. Accept what they are told instead of examining Scripture (Acts 17:11).
3. Must have an overriding commitment to truth or we will be deceived.
G. Some have Closed Minds – cf. Jer. 6:16-17.
1. Bias & prejudice – Acts 7:54-58.
2. Hardened hearts – Heb. 3:7-8.
3. Contrast: Open hearts to truth – Acts 2:42; 2 Tim. 4:2-4.
H. Some Love to Have it So – cf. Jer. 5:31.
1. Power over unsuspecting people (cf. Rom. 16:17-18).
2. The result of the sins of conceit & selfish ambition – Gal. 6:3; Phil. 2:3.
Conclusion
1. God’s word has become strange to many of God’s people. This leads to much sin, negligence, apathy & eventual punishment – Hos. 8:11-12, 14 (4:6).
2. We must keep open hearts to God’s word in order to obey God & be blessed by Him.
3. May God’s word never be “strange” to us!