Better Than The Da Vinci Code!

[prisonchaplain]

Here's another lesson I prepared a few years back--primarily about the Bible. It's ironic that many of the points relate to our discussions about Scripture, and more specifically, the Da Vinci Code. Enjoy!

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE HOLY BIBLE

Introduction: Which should a church emphasize, the Bible or the move of the Holy Spirit?

1. Bible is a reliable written record of God’s Word.

2. The Spirit can deliver God’s specific word for us right now.

3. People can be led astray, in the name of the Holy Spirit.

4. People can be led astray, in the name of the Holy Bible.

CONCLUSION: INSTEAD OF EITHER/OR, HOW ABOUT BOTH/AND?

Proposition: We need the Bible and the leading of the Spirit, to live balanced, powerful Christian lives.

Interrogative: What are the dangers of ignoring the Bible or the Spirit, and what is the benefit of living under both?

Transition: First, we do need the Bible.

I. We need the Bible.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)

A. It’s God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation.

B. It’s profitable.

1. For teaching

2. For rebuking and correcting. Note that discipline may sting, but it also heals and cleanses–much like cleaning a wound with alcohol or peroxide.

3. For training in righteousness. No more excuses for saying you didn’t no better! You should have!

4. For equipping to do good works. You say, “I’d like to do good, but I don’t know how,” or “I’m not capable.” Now you are!

C. It’s objective.

1. Yes, there are different churches with different teachings and emphases.

2. However, Christian churches continue to unite around central teachings that we all share.

a. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three persons, yet one God. The Holy Trinity.

b. We are all sinners doomed to hell. However, if we believe in Jesus, and confess our sins, he will forgive us, and we will live forever with him.

c. The Bible is God’s words to us. It is our final guide.

d. God wants us to live good and right, and to avoid sin and evil.

3. (Acts 2:42) says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (NIV)”

a. The test of proper Bible teachings is not only if the instructor can pull some verses together that seem to support his arguments.

b. The test is also, “is this a teaching that has stood the test of time?”

c. Obviously, any “new teaching,” is suspect.

4. So simple to learn, yet impossible to exhaust.

a. A 5 year old can understand that Jesus loves him/her, and that they need to say sorry to God when they do bad things.

b. Yet, scholars spend their entire lives studying the Bible, yet still find fresh wisdom.

Transition: As important and powerful as the Bible is, we also need the direction of the Holy Spirit.

II. We need the Holy Spirit.

A. We need the power. (Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (NIV). It will enable us to fulfill the Great Commission to go and make disciples.

B. We need the gifts.

1. (Joel 2:28-29) 'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (NIV)

2. It is our protection and our weaponry for living as Christians in the last days

C. We need to listen. Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

(Revelation 2:7) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (NIV)

(Revelation 2:11) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (NIV)

(Revelation 2:17) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. (NIV)

(Revelation 2:29) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

(Revelation 3:6) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

(Revelation 3:13) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

(Revelation 3:22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (NIV)

1. Seven times Jesus tells us, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

2. We know that when something is said in the Bible, it is important. When it is repeated, it is very important. If it is mentioned three times, it is vitally important.

3. Jesus repeats seven times that we need to hear what the Spirit is telling us.

4. We dare not ignore the Spirit’s direction and instruction for us!

III. The Spirit and the Bible compliment and enhance each other.

A. Bible Baptists vs. Pentecostals. “We’ve got spirit, yes we do!” “Well, we’ve got the Bible.”

B. All Bible and no Spirit leads to legalism. They were righteous in the technical observance of the law, but they despised people and drove them away from God’s love.

C. All Spirit and no Bible leads to heresy. Too often our own passions and opinions become baptized with the claim, “The Spirit is telling me to do this.”

D. All Bible and all Spirit leads to victory.

1. We are humble enough to submit our knowledge of the Word to God’s leading.

2. We are humble enough to submit our sense of what God is doing to the discipline of his Word.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Pray for the anointing and power of the Spirit.

2. (2 Timothy 2:15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (NIV)

[Guest ApostleKnight]

It's ironic that many of the points relate to our discussions about Scripture, and more specifically, the Da Vinci Code. Enjoy!

Your lesson also relates specifically to the main message of LDS missionaries, to wit:

"We testify that in 1820 God called a prophet named Joseph Smith, that this prophet brought forth new scripture and priesthood authority by the power of God Almighty, and that greater happiness and blessings are available to those who accept God's modern prophets, are baptized into Christ's church, and live the gospel as we have it revealed to us. BUT...you must pray and ask God whether what we say is true. Have faith that He does hear you, does love you, and will answer you. His answers come through the Spirit, who will confirm truth by giving you feelings of peace, inner calmness, joy, and a deep-seated feeling that something is true and good."

I especially liked what you said here:

B. All Bible and no Spirit leads to legalism.

I would add that similarly, all Book of Mormon/D&C/PoGP and no Spirit leads to the same result. There are three necessary components for starting a fire: (1) fuel; (2) oxygen; (3) a spark. The scriptures are the fuel; the witness of others is the oxygen; the Spirit's burning testimony is the spark that ignites it all.

Thank God above for sending us a Witness without guile, without personal motives; with a mouth free of deceit; and with the power to sear the truth into our souls, speaking with a voice that need not pass through our eardrums to be heard. Thank God for that still, small voice of the Holy Ghost!

[begood2]

AK,

Thanks for the oxygen. I enjoyed your post. :)

[boyando]

1. Bible is a reliable written record of God’s Word.

Your very first point is true. Now explane how you came to this conclusion, if not by the Holy spirit.

[Guest Monica]

Holy Spirit will never contradict the scriptures. Jesus Himself asked people many times, "Have you not read...." and then quoted a scripture. The best way to discern spirits to see if its of God or not is scriptures.

1Jo 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

[Ray]

Wow. Great thread.

It started out well and has continued to get better for all who know now or may learn.

So can Tommy now tell us what he thinks of ALL scriptures while sharing how it feels to feel a "burn"?

Luke 24:32

[prisonchaplain]

Wow. Great thread.

It started out well and has continued to get better for all who know now or may learn.

So can Tommy now tell us what he thinks of ALL scriptures while sharing how it feels to feel a "burn"?

Luke 24:32

Usually I delete posts to shorten my responses...but Ray seems to be enjoying his popcorn soooo muuuuch! How does it feel to burn with the Holy Ghost at hearing the Scriptures? Oh, wait--that's not what Ray asked. That's what the Scripture he cited referred to--the burning of the Holy Ghost within us as we hear the Word of God preached in power--but that wasn't his question. He parlayed into a question about how I feel about ALL Scripture. Still working on them Ray--this is one of those projects that must be completed before it can be evaluated.

[Ray]

Heh, sorry, I didn't phrase that very well, did I.

I meant ALL of the scriptures you have read...

or

How does it feel when "scriptures" (any and all of them) cause you to feel a "burn"?

And btw, my next question will be to ask you how you have felt while reading the Book of Mormon. (with me knowing the Book of Mormon contains some of the scriptures)

(and if you don't feel the same way that I do about the Book of Mormon, then please tell me if you always felt the same way you now feel about the scriptures in the Holy Bible... or if those have always made you feel a "burn")

(gahh, some soda please. I got a piece of popcorn stuck up on the tip of my throat)

[prisonchaplain]

How does it feel when "scriptures" (any and all of them) cause you to feel a "burn"?

It depends on what I'm reading, and what the Holy Spirit is communicating. I might feel thrill at God's love, protection, and the victory He brings, I might feel conviction to realize I've done wrong, or haven't discerned between good and best. I might feel sadness at the state of the lost. Etc.

As for your 2nd question--like I said--I want to wait until I'm done and have allowed God to speak to me as to how I should take them and what He would have me share about what I've learned. Patience.

[Ray]

As for your 2nd question--like I said--I want to wait until I'm done and have allowed God to speak to me as to how I should take them and what He would have me share about what I've learned. Patience.

Heh, okay. But I think you know, or I have already told you, how hard that can be for me sometimes. :)

So where are you at in your reading so far? In reading the Book of Mormon, I mean? The first time I read it I felt impressed by the middle part of the book, from Mosiah and then on into 3rd Nephi. But after that I read it all over again and found more of it to be very good.

And btw, I also recommend that you read it all the way through, while saving your questions about what appear to be conflicts until later, because a lot of the time those questions will be answered as you continue to read through the whole book.

And as you already know from the Bible, some other things take many years of study to learn, but all of God's words are truly in harmony if we will all just take more time to learn... while continuing to ask God for His assurances.

:)

[prisonchaplain]

And btw, I also recommend that you read it all the way through, while saving your questions about what appear to be conflicts until later, because a lot of the time those questions will be answered as you continue to read through the whole book.

And as you already know from the Bible, some other things take many years of study to learn, but all of God's words are truly in harmony if we will all just take more time to learn... while continuing to ask God for His assurances.:)

You'll be pleased to know I'm not looking for contradictions. Rather, I'm reading through it trying to catch the main themes, stories, and, yes the spirit of the books. Furthermore, I've decided not to stop with BoM, but to read the D&C, and probably the PoGP.

I got a bit stuck in 2 Nephi though--all those chapters similar to Isaiah. Nevertheless, like a good gospel soldier, I press on.

[Guest ApostleKnight]

I got a bit stuck in 2 Nephi though--all those chapters similar to Isaiah. Nevertheless, like a good gospel soldier, I press on.

There's a funny WWII joke about that. Some soldiers were fighting in the front lines in Europe. One of them gets shot and pulled back to base. Amazingly, he survived. He takes off his coat and taped to his chest is a Book of Mormon. The other soldiers examine the book, noting that the bullet stopped in the middle of 2 Nephi. Then, another Mormon soldier says, "See, nothing gets through 2 Nephi." Bwahahahaha

I guess Nephi liked Isaiah as much as I do. He's my favorite OT prophet, once I got into his writings and figured out what he was talking about. So that makes me like Nephi more...he's got good taste in who to quote.

[prisonchaplain]

["See, nothing gets through 2 Nephi." Bwahahahaha

Sounds like 2 Nephi is the Leviticus of the BoM--great content once you learn what surrounds, but tough to just read through, cold turkey.

[boyando]

<div class='quotemain'>

["See, nothing gets through 2 Nephi." Bwahahahaha

Sounds like 2 Nephi is the Leviticus of the BoM--great content once you learn what surrounds, but tough to just read through, cold turkey.

The good thing is your just pages away from my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon, Jacob. Short, but you still miss a lot the first time through. -enjoy

[Ray]

You'll be pleased to know I'm not looking for contradictions. Rather, I'm reading through it trying to catch the main themes, stories, and, yes the spirit of the books. Furthermore, I've decided not to stop with BoM, but to read the D&C, and probably the PoGP.

I got a bit stuck in 2 Nephi though--all those chapters similar to Isaiah. Nevertheless, like a good gospel soldier, I press on.

Yes, I am well pleased. I sense that the "force" is strong in you. :)

But beware the dangers of the "dark side", which I think a lot of people underestimate.

Just use the "force", Tommy, and our Lord will be with you, always. :)

[prisonchaplain]

Yes, I am well pleased. I sense that the "force" is strong in you. :)

But beware the dangers of the "dark side", which I think a lot of people underestimate.

Just use the "force", Tommy, and our Lord will be with you, always. :)

Okay, I understood that Star Wars had subtle BUDDHIST underpinnings, and that it was Battlestar Galatica that had the LDS teachings imbedded in it. You're not "walking into the light" (i.e. joining a Shirley McClain New Age sect) are you???

P.S. Survived 2 Nephi, expecting to pick up steam with Jacob. Actually, 2 Nephi changed pace in the last few chapters. B)

[BenRaines]

PC, my two favorite parts of the Book of Mormon are King Benjamin's instructions to his people shortly before his death in the first books of Mosiah and Christ's visit to the Americas in 3 Nephi.

Let me know when you get to Mosiah.

Ben Raines

[Ray]

<div class='quotemain'>

Yes, I am well pleased. I sense that the "force" is strong in you. :)

But beware the dangers of the "dark side", which I think a lot of people underestimate.

Just use the "force", Tommy, and our Lord will be with you, always. :)

Okay, I understood that Star Wars had subtle BUDDHIST underpinnings, and that it was Battlestar Galatica that had the LDS teachings imbedded in it. You're not "walking into the light" (i.e. joining a Shirley McClain New Age sect) are you???

Heh, okay, a clarification of what I meant might be in order, to help us avoid confusion:

When I said or suggest that you (or any of us), “use the force”, I am not suggesting or trying to encourage you (or any of us) to use or try to make use of midi-chlorians to become as perfect as a Jedi knight or lord or something else that is only real or true in a make believe or fictional sense. Rather, I am, with a cheerful attitude, suggesting and trying to encourage you (and all of us) to use or try to make use of the power we now really do have available to help us become perfect like God.

Or in other words, because I am aware of the fact that the Holy Ghost (aka the Holy Spirit, who is a personage of God distinct and separate from the personage of God our Eternal Father and the personage of our Eternal Father’s son, Jesus Christ) radiates His “force” (or power or strength or energy) to give His assurance concerning His knowledge of the truth to us (to all of us who have spirits which were begotten (or created or shaped) by our Eternal Father – in essence making all of us spirit brothers or sisters to each other), while at the same time I am also aware of the fact that we can choose to either accept or deny His assurance (because of the gift of agency which was given to us by our Eternal Father, which gives us the power to choose what we will do as well as what we will believe), I am suggesting and trying to encourage you (and all of my spirit brothers and sisters) to use or try to make use of the assurance the Holy Ghost can give to us to help us grow in intelligence (or light and truth), rather than simply choosing to reject or deny the Holy Ghost or the assurance He can give us, which will not only not help us to grow in intelligence as we otherwise can and will if we choose to receive or make use of His assurance, but which might even result in losing some or all of the intelligence we now have, as we instead choose only to receive or make use of a lower degree of intelligence that some of us radiate which is a characteristic of those of us who are not choosing to grow in intelligence to someday become as complete or perfect in intelligence as God is.

Or to coin another phrase, which is more popular in “Mormon” culture, on “CTR” rings and T-shirts and such, I’m simply suggesting or promoting the idea that we should “Choose The Right” when a choice is placed before us, to allow the Holy Ghost to guide us in all we do and say, hoping (and pretty much expecting) you will know and understand that I’m not trying to condemn you or anyone else in any way at all.

But I still like many of the ideas in ‘Star Wars’, including the ideas involved in becoming a Jedi knight or lord, so I try to make use of those good ideas when sharing the gospel message. :)

And btw, to those who don’t know the difference, all of us also have the “light of Christ” to guide us, and that is not the same as the force or power given by the Holy Ghost as He assures us of the truth, because the light of Christ radiates from our Lord Jesus Christ himself to instruct all of us “sufficiently” so that we know what is good and what is evil. Some people also think of this as their conscience, and I call it our “common sense”.

Anyway, that’s what I meant, rather than any other idea you might have gleaned from other Star Wars “fans” who might have their own ideas and interpretations of the “force”, and rather than any other ideas you might also have from people with Buddhist beliefs.

And of course, to have true intelligence we should also be doing what we know we can and should do, knowing that simply gaining more intelligence or true knowledge without using it is not good for any of us.

[prisonchaplain]

So THAT's what CTR means! It's the LDS version of WWJD. Thanks.