I grew up out in the country. My parents bought a bit over two acres on the corner of my grandpa’s 150+ acre farm, built a house on it and raised a family. I spent a LOT of my “growing up” years running around the countryside, including my grandpa’s farm. One summer night, two buddies and I decided to go camping back on my grandpa’s property. We had a few “select” spots where we liked to camp, and that particular night, we chose a spot on the “farm road” to ran along/around all of the fields on his property. We took our gear back there, including my friend’s Honda mini-bike, set up camp, and then went out walking. We were about halfway down my grandpa’s ¼-mile driveway…that cut straight through the woods…headed out to the “hard road” when a truck suddenly started coming down the drive! It was almost 9 o’clock at night and frankly, NOBODY came down my grandpa’s driveway that time of day, so we did what any self-respecting 12-year olds would do- we dove into the woods before the headlights caught us! From the safety of the brush, was watched the truck pass us and head toward my grandpa’s house. I knew that A. whoever it was, they didn’t belong there and B. our stuff was unguarded! So we started running back toward the house.
When we got to the edge of the first field and rounded the corner, we could see our campsite. And the truck was parked RIGHT there! They were stealing our stuff…including my friend’s mini-bike! I sprang into action! I ran to my grandpa’s house, slid open the pantry window (the door was locked!), climbed in and went to my grandpa’s bedroom. A widower by that time, he was in bed reading and was MORE than a little surprised to see me burst into his room! I was nearly beside myself! “Grandpa- somebody is stealing our stuff!” Stunned, he replied, “What?” “There’s a truck and they’re stealing our stuff!” Still trying to get his bearing in the presence of this babbling grandson, he replied, “What?” I could see I was getting nowhere…at breakneck speed! SO…I went straight to the meat of the conversation, “Where’s your gun?” Apparently choosing to stick with his current line of conversation, he replied, “What”?” “Your gun! Where is it?” My grandpa then made a HUGE tactical error- he actually TOLD me where it was! I mean, I was 12…AND babbling like a complete idiot (insert your joke here!)…and he actually TELLS me where the gun is! (Pointing) “In the closet. Why?” I didn’t have any more time for idle chit chat so I said not a word but went straight to my work! I got the gun, a rifle, out of the closet…and ran out of his bedroom!
When you left his bedroom, you were immediately in the dining room. Through the swinging door at one end of the dining room and you were in the kitchen. The pantry window that I climbed through was also in the kitchen. As I burst through the swinging door into the kitchen, I turned toward the window through which I had climbed…and there was a man climbing IN the window…after me! At that moment, I did what any self-respecting country kid would do in that circumstance…I squared off, pointed the rifle at his head and yelled, “Don’t move!” There was moment…that felt like a lifetime…and then, this guy put his arms up in front of his face and yelled, “Don’t shoot…it’s Uncle Jerry!” It was my mom’s brother, checking up on us! After he changed his shorts, we had a very uncomfortable laugh about the whole thing!
Proverbs 25:26 Sometimes a godly person gives in to those who are evil. Then he becomes like a muddy spring of water or a polluted well.
When we talk about what the Bible is, we seldom stop to consider what the Bible ISN’T. Today, we continue our current sermon series, looking at that very thing- What the Bible Isn’t, looking at 7 things the Bible isn’t. Today, we will look at the fact that the Bible isn’t a weapon. The jumping-off point is that the Bible, at its core, isn’t a club we use to gain political power or force others to obey our rules. I have shared that some of these “what the Bible isn’t” topics might be a little controversial. This is one of them. Why? Well, 2Corinthians 10:4 says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” “That sounds like the Bible IS a weapon, Pastor! So why are you saying it ISN’T?!” Good question! Let’s look at that.
Matthew 26:50-54 So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then the men stepped forward. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him. In that moment, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword. He pulled it out and struck the servant of the high priest with it. He cut off the servant’s ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who use the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I can’ t ask my Father for help? He would send an army of more than 70, 000 angels right away. But then how would the Scriptures come true? They say it must happen in this way.”
Two hunters from got a pilot to fly them out into the backwoods of Canada to hunt deer. Four days later, the pilot returned to find that they had bagged six big bucks. They started loading them into the plane, but the pilot stopped them. “The plane can only hold up to four deer.” The two hunters objected strongly. “Last year we shot six, and the pilot let us put them all on board; he had the same plane as yours.” Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six deer were loaded. However, even at full power, the little plane simply couldn’t handle the load and crashed just a few moments after take-off. Climbing out of the wreckage, one of the hunters asked the other, “Any idea where we are?” The other hunter thought for a moment, then said, “I’m not SURE…but I think we’re pretty close to where we crashed LAST year!”
So how is “the Bible as a weapon” a bad thing? Well, In the 1860s, Southern preachers defended slavery by taking the Bible literally. They used as their ammunition Ephesians 6:5, which says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling” and Titus 2:9, which says, “Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect”. God-fearing Christians who wanted to preserve slavery could find words in the Bible to back them up.
The preachers of the North had to be more creative, but they also found a way to argue that God was on their side, emphasizing that the Union had to be preserved so that the advance of liberty around the world wouldn’t be stopped. One Boston preacher preached, “If the Union is lost, the world is lost.” Some preached that God insisted that slavery be ended at all costs. The Battle Hymn of the Republic even points to that fact- “In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, while God is marching on.”
70 years earlier, George Washington had all but foreseen this reality and offered this warning, “Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.” But maybe Abraham Lincoln offered the best perspective on religious warfare. “My concern is not whether God is on our side. My greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”
How else is the Bible used as a terrible weapon? Did you realize that, ironically, the Westboro Baptist Church is picketing a variety of churches in the Quad Cities right this very minute…as we speak about the Bible not being a weapon?
We all know they’ve been outspoken about their hatred of homosexuals. Did you know that they picketed the funeral of a young man named Matthew Shepard simply because he had the audacity to be beaten to death by men who didn’t agree with his orientation? Did you know that they have also attacked Catholics and Jews? Did you know that, at some of their “rallys”, they have stomped on the American flag? Did you know that they have also picketed at the funeral of American soldiers killed in the line of duty? They’re bullies.
Bullying is more and more being addressed and dealt with in the schools. And it should be. Anybody who chooses to pick on or harass someone else simply because…they can…is a coward. But it’s still a problem. Christian bullying is also still a problem. Using the Bible to try and bully others is NOT part of God’s plan. It’s GOOD to have your own, strong spiritual beliefs. But it’s NOT good to try to force others to have the same beliefs. If you are sure of your faith- that’s awesome! But it is NOT a reason to proof text the Bible in an effort to show others why they’re wrong.
In fact, making others feel bad, telling them they’re wrong- it’s probably the worst way to encourage them to have any interest in searching for God. Why would anybody seeking more and deeper meaning in their life be inspired to go to the church of a person who tries to scare or shame them? Aren’t we supposed to encourage others to look for God, instead of driving them away? Our role of is not to put others down, but to live a life of love, charity, humbleness and joy…so that others notice and want to know more about what we have.
We can’t use the Bible to proclaim God’s love and grace while at the same time use it to flaunt our righteousness and shame someone else. We can’t use the Bible to encourage people who mourn and also use it to tell them they’re doing it wrong. We can’t use the Bible to celebrate the diversity of all who bear the image of God and also use it to demand that everyone think exactly the same thing. We can’t use the Bible to exalt Jesus and also use it to shield ourselves from its truths. In fact, we can’t “use” the Bible at all! And that’s the problem. We try SO hard to USE the Bible to further our own agenda instead of simply letting it reveal the truth of God to us. We want to use it…like a tool. And that does NOTHING but cheapen it.
I have heard Christians, trying to “explain” to someone else why they’re wrong, say, “You just need the Bible!” Sometimes, people use the Bible to stop a conversation. Sometimes, people use the Bible to beat someone up. Sometimes, people use the Bible to prove that they’re “right”. If we’re not careful, the Bible becomes a tool that makes us feel good about ourselves. It justifies our opinions and our worldviews. It makes us feel…correct. If we’re not careful, the Bible stops being something that reveals our hearts and instead becomes a weapon designed to kill a conversation and diminish a threat.
Don’t get me wrong- basing our worldview on the Bible is absolutely what we should do. Having our beliefs formed by the God’s Word instead of our own opinions is the right approach. The Bible is indeed a weapon, but it’s a weapon in the kind of fight that a lot of us don’t even notice is going on- a spiritual fight. It’s no accident that God has revealed His written Word as a weapon of offense against the work and wiles of the devil. But when we simply use the Bible to justify ourselves by being more right than others, we’re abusing God’s Word. And we tend to do that when the Bible is too comfortable to us. The stories don’t shock us any more. The power of the Word no longer shines a light into the darkest recesses of our heart, no longer illuminates the brokenness of our hearts.
Instead of us serving God, we expect His Word to serve us. We read it and regurgitate it. And that’s an AWESOME approach is we are planning a trivia night or if you’re trying to win a debate. On the other hand, that approach stinks if you want to be truly transformed.
If we’re too comfortable with the Bible, too jaded by it, then it can’t adequately bother us. Instead, we use it to point out everybody else’s mistakes. We’re way too comfortable using the Bible to win an argument, but not NEARLY as comfortable letting it challenge us to look at life a new way. The Bible was never intended to be “used”. It was intended to be a living, breathing thing with which we interact.
2Timothy 3:15-17 You have known the Holy Scriptures ever since you were a little child. They are able to teach you how to be saved by believing in Christ Jesus. God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.
The Bible does not…and cannot…save us. Because knowing the Bible doesn’t guarantee that we know Jesus. Instead, God’s Word points us toward Jesus- “the Word made flesh”- He is the only One Who can save us.
Thanks for stopping by- I pray you have a blessed day! Please make sure and come back again tomorrow, and stick with Jesus!
Tomorrow-
Stick With Jesus 