Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare
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Key verses: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” Sometimes we give into the temptation to believe that everything depends on us, even our relationship with God. We have to learn the right prayers. We have to be Bible scholars. We have to know all the answers. We have to make all the decisions. Today’s Scripture wakes us up from that nightmare and reminds us that God has given and continues to give us everything we need in our relationship with Jesus Christ. God prepares us and equips us to do what God wants us to do. We simply have to practice using what God has given us. At Skyline, we believe God equips us most effectively through our community. Together, we learn how to use the gifts God has given us and we grow in our relationship with Christ. Three ministry areas at Skyline come under Equip: Small Groups, Education, and Staffing. These three ministries offer opportunities to deepen our faith through Bible study, through sharing our faith stories and our lives with others, through identifying and practicing using the gifts God has given each of us, and through prayer support for one another. All of these areas find their center in God’s Word. This second letter to Timothy emphasizes the importance of God’s Word in our process of salvation. Timothy and his generation did not have the benefit of experiencing Jesus or his original followers first hand. Instead, Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice, taught him the Scripture from childhood, which brought him to “salvation that comes from trusting in Christ Jesus.” (See verse 15.) The two letters to Timothy and Titus make up the “Pastoral Letters” in the New Testament and addressed this later generation of Christians, who had to rely on the testimony of others as well as Scripture to come into a relationship with Christ. Because Jesus had not returned as quickly as the first generation of Christians thought he would, these letters addressed how to organize for a long period of time to ensure that the faith would be preserved. Persecutions of Christians intensified during this time, so this letter to Timothy served to encourage and strengthen the Christians to remain faithful and to rely on God’s Word for endurance. Remember, though, that God’s Word for them referred to the Old Testament, because the New Testament had not yet been codified. But, they read the Old Testament through Christian eyes and saw over and over how God was preparing the way for Christ. Our passage today demonstrates many ways God’s Word prepares and equips us. Don’t forget that God’s Word ultimately points to The Word which became flesh in Jesus Christ. (See John 1:14.) Scripture’s purpose is to draw people into a personal relationship with Christ. As we learn to trust in Christ through Scripture, we gain wisdom, learning to discern “what is wrong in our lives.” Scripture empowers us to straighten out and do the right things. It enables us to follow Christ more closely as we grow in our salvation. Scripture can accomplish these things because it is God inspired, which means God-breathed. Genesis 2:7 reminds us that God breathed us into life in the first place. God also inspired the writers and prophets to speak through the Holy Spirit. (See 2 Peter 1:19-21.) Furthermore, God continues to breathe life into the Scripture, speaking to each individual heart exactly what it needs to hear. God longs to speak directly to your heart through Scripture. Come, expect Jesus to meet you in this place and every time you open your heart to the Word.
Questions for Reflection 1-What comes to mind when you think of the Bible? What feelings emerge? What experience have you had reading the Bible? 2-Who introduced you to God’s Word, both Jesus and Scripture? Who else has served as a mentor for you in your faith? What did you learn from these people? 3-What prevents you from reading Scripture more regularly? How can Skyline help you in that area? How do you feel you need to be further equipped “for every good thing God wants us to do?” 4-How did the Holy Spirit speak to you in worship today? What one thing do you want to stay with you throughout your week? For next week: Read Isaiah 6:1-8. What assurance do you have that God forgives you? Where does God want to send you? What prevents you from answering that call?
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