Equipped to Serve, Pt. 1

This past Sunday, we talked about the nature of Scripture. Using Psalm 19.7-9, and 2 Timothy 3.16-17, a description of God’s Word was defined.

When we speak about Scripture, often we become bogged down in the theological arguments of our day. Is Scripture inspired? Is the Word inerrant? What does inspired and inerrant mean? Those kinds of questions. From the beginning of Church history, believers have debated the nature of Scripture and the truths God’s Word affirms.

What we need to understand is the central role the Bible has played in the life of the Church and in the daily experiences of believers throughout the church era. If we allow ourselves to be distracted by the arguments for or against some biblical issue, we will be diverted from applying the truth of the Word to our lives.

In Psalm 19, David declared several principles about Scripture in a forthright manner. The Psalmist did not argue for or against any position, he simply affirmed certain truths about the Word of God. In doing so, he gave us incredible insights into both the nature and workings of Scripture.

Paul did much the same in his letter to Timothy. As David did, Paul also declared some fundamental truths about Scripture. His concern was for Timothy to base his pastoral ministry on the reality of the truth Scripture.

From these two texts we learned some key affirmations. Among those is the central essence of Scripture: The Bible is the inspired (Paul said God-breathed) revelation of God. David declared the wholeness, purity, cleanliness and reliability of Scripture. In his comments, Paul focused on the sufficiency of Scripture.

In order to build an adequate and legitimate worldview, we must do so on the foundation of Scripture. We must realize the importance of Scripture for our lives. The Word of God is adequate for our every need. The Word provides all the doctrine we need; the Word shows us our failures, instructs us on correcting our errors, and shows us how to avoid making those mistakes again in the future. Finally, the Word equips us for ministry.

In equipping us for ministry, the Bible enables us to understand how God by His Holy Spirit enables us through spiritual gifts to function as beneficial members of the Body of Christ. In our next study, we will begin looking at spiritual gifts. We will see what they are, how they are given, and how they function. Also, we will consider the role of the Fruit of the Spirit in the working of the gifts. This study should last two weeks.

In preparation for next Sunday’s study, read the following passages: Romans 12.3-8; 1 Corinthians 12.1, 4-31; Galatians 5.22-24; Ephesians 4.11-13. After reading these passages, think about and write down what gift or gifts you think God has given you. If you are uncertain, think about some of your strengths and talents. You do have a gift. Every believer does.