Luke 24:32 (11/27/24)

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Luke 24:32 (11/27/24)

Let It Burn

November 27, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Luke 24:32

* Tony Evans - “The purpose of the written Word is always to lead us to an experience with the living Word.”

* What does an experience with the Living Word feel like?

* It burns!

* Jeremiah said that God's Word was like a fire shut up in his bones and that he could not hold it in.

* Backstory - Jesus rose from the grave.

* He showed up to many people - two of whom were walking to Emmaus.

* He talked with them about how Moses pointed to the Messiah.

* He shared Scripture.

* Look how it affected them:

* vs 32 - “They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

* When Jesus opened up the Scriptures to these guys their hearts burned.

* The little spark of faith they had, which was clouded with doubt, was fanned into flame when Christ spoke the Scriptures.

* This is how God's Word works - it requires faith in our hearts first, which becomes a little spark, but then God's Word enters the mix we will see a great burning fire inside of us.

* When the devil comes along to blow our light out this very act will actually ignite us into an even greater flame!

* So dedicate yourself to the devouring of God's Word and watch what happens in your heart.

* NOTE - If you ever have the chance to be a public speaker, your one job is to lead people to the point where their hearts burn!

* You want to set them on fire with what comes out of your mouth.

* And you do this by knowing Scripture, using the right stories at the right time, and having a burning passion for God’s Word in your own heart.

* The more of God's Word you put in your heart, the more of you is purified by its fire, and the more of its fire will get into others!

Psalms 119:97-104 (12/11/24)

December 11, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Psalm 119:97–104

* If we love God, we will love His Word. * It might not be immediate, but the more time we spend with Him, the more of Him we’ll want. * The Bible is a book all about Him! * The book of Psalms is like a love letter to God. * It’s a prayer journal that we get to peek inside of. * Psalms 119 is the longest psalm, and is made up of blocks, each one containing eight verses. * We’re in the MEM section. * vs 97a - “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” * Dwelling in God’s Word is a continual meditation of the poet’s life. * How did the poet get to this point? * The next seven verses show us the steps he took to get there. * 1) He knew he was in a battle. * vs 98 - “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.” * The first step to falling in love with God’s Word was the recognition of the immediate and sustained threat of enemies. * Because of that threat, he recognized his reliance on God’s Word. * Knowing you’re in a fight is the first key to winning the battle over evil. * 2) He knew the value of teachers. * vs 99 - “I have more insight than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.” * His teachers prepared him to trust in God’s Word. * He became wise because of them. * 3) He welcomed “elders” into his life (older people) * vs 100 - “I understand more than the aged, because I have observed your precepts.” * Elders model the way and also keep us accountable. * These elders lived by example, which led him to seek out teachers, which led him to prepare for conflict. * 4) He knew he could easily be just like his enemies. * vs 101 - “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your Word.” * Being repulsed by this discovery is what led him to listen to his elders, learn from his teachers, and prepare to be someone different. * 5) He discovered that God’s way was the best way to live his life. * vs 102-103 - “I have not turned aside from your ordinances, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” * 6) He based his thinking on truth, not the falsehoods of the world. * vs 104 - “From your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.” * With this examination in mind, we can see the connection to the next verse in the NUN section. * It elaborates on how deeply God’s Word has changed him. * vs 105 - “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

John 4:34 (12/11/24)

December 11, 2024 • Benham Brothers • John 4:34

* Our work is our primary form of worship. * But the most important thing for us to recognize is that our work is not about us - it’s about HIM! * vs 34 - “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish HIS work.” * Jesus was put on earth to do God's task - He was just responsible for carrying it out. * This is so important for us to remember - what you're doing right now is God's work. * Changing those diapers as a stay-at-home mom… * Plumbing toilets as a school janitor… * Writing a paper as a high school junior… * Opening another office as an entrepreneur…. * All of that is God's work that He's put you here on this earth to complete. * And the better you complete that work the more glory God is given. * Think about Jesus at 29 years old - what did His day look like? * He went out and worked a blue-collar job. * But was this statement true for Him then just as it was true for Him now? * He had the same assignment - to bring God glory - but He had a different venue. * He went from working in a vocational business to a vocational ministry. * Our work is to bring God glory. * We do that by completing the "works" He gives us to do. * Be faithful where you are with what you have and God will be brought glory.

John 1:19-23 (12/4/24)

December 4, 2024 • Benham Brothers • John 1:19–23

* How you see yourself determines how you behave yourself. * Satan knows this. * If he can get you confused about who you are, he's won the battle. * One of the keys to knowing who you are is knowing who you are not! * John the Baptist is a great example. * vs. 19-21 - “And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” * God is the great I AM. * John knew he was the great I AM NOT! * EX: Joseph & Daniel * vs 22-23 - “So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” * John knew he was simply the voice to prepare the way for Jesus. * EX: Christ’s donkey * As such, John never took credit from Christ; he gave it all to Him. * And when he was thrown in prison, even though he went through a real trial of his faith, he knew that his job as preparer was over. * His lap of the race was done--and now it was time for Jesus to shine. * Note - John aligned his identity with God’s Word. * Notice how he pointed back to an OT scripture. * vs 23 - “He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” * We too should align our identities with the truth of God’s Word. * The more time you spend in God’s Word the more you learn about yourself! * Then, and only then, Satan cannot rob us of our identities.