This Week's Memory Verse

Everything begins with the glory of God. That’s why we started with 1 Corinthians 10:31 last week. Since one of our central things this year is Scripture memory, we move next to a powerful verse about the Bible.
This week’s verse is Hebrews 4:12, which says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
It’s hard to boil this verse down to something short, but here are seven quick statements about things we see in this verse.

1. The Bible is the Divine Word
The Bible is the Word of God. God’s very words to us. God doesn’t speak anywhere else. He has spoken.

2. The Bible is the Living Word
It’s not a natural book. It’s a supernatural book.Every other book in the world is a dead book
This book alone has life in it, it living, is active.

3. The Bible is the Powerful Word
This is from the word the word we get “energy” from. It’s energetic, dynamic, powerful
The book has power. Power to both save us and change us.

4. The Bible is the Razor Sharp Word
When you really study Scripture, it will cut deeply right where it needs to.
This two-edged sword cuts both ways.
It convicts and converts, damns and saved, exposes sin and forgives it.

5. The Bible is the Piercing Word
The Bible penetrates the outward mask and shield you have on.
Know why a lot of people don’t really listen when the Bible is taught? They don’t like it.
They don’t like the conviction of God’s Word, so it’s easier to just kind of casually listen and be more interested in the text message that just came in than in What’s being preached.

6. The Bible is the Judging Word
What is exposed by the piercing and cutting is then judged.
Once the Word of God opens us up and strips us down, we’re “exposed”
You stand -stripped naked and uncovered.
You understand that you stand guilty before a holy God.
You can only come to Him in repentance and belief.

7. The Bible is the Saving Word
It judges to bring us to Christ that we might receive forgiveness and mercy.
3:7 - 4:11 is a call to repentance - God is speaking through His Word
God is calling. God is pleading.
4:12 & 13 is the final plea.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Rob
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* This post is a summary of a fantastic sermon by Steve Lawson on Hebrews 4:12.