3:16: The Benefits Of God’s Word

 

Series Summary

In this series, called 3:16, we will be exploring several significant passages in the Bible that are located at the 3:16 chapter and verse marker in their respective books. These passages cover a wide range of variety, from a variety of authors, covering a variety of topics, through a variety of time periods of Israel’s and the church’s history. The only common denominator in this series is where each of those passages is located in the Bible, at a 3:16 mile marker. You likely already know that all Scripture is inspired by God. That fact is stated in 2 Timothy 3:16, which is one of the 3:16’s we’ll look at in this series. But while all Scripture is inspired, the chapter and verse designators are not. Those came later – the Old Testament around the 13th century, and the New Testament a little later. They were added to help make it easier to find a particular passage, especially when someone was trying to manipulate a bulky, awkward scroll instead of a book. But, even though the verse numbers aren’t inspired, it’s curious that so many weighty passages are found at the 3:16 mile marker. Maybe God knew that we needed some things to be easy to remember. In this series, we will be looking at several different passages that are found at 3:16, in different books of the Bible. In some cases, we may only look at the verse, or maybe two or three. For others, we may need a good portion of the chapter in order to understand it completely. But all of them are found at the 3:16 point. Among the 3:16's we'll examine are John, Genesis,  Proverbs, Colossians, Daniel, Ephesians, 1 Peter, 2 Timothy, and more. It'll be unique. It’ll be enlightening. And we hope you’ll join us as we examine the 3:16’s of the Bible!

Sermon Summary

Paul wrote two letters to his young protégé Timothy. In them, he gave a lot of practical advice and instruction to Timoty, a young man who was establishing himself in ministry. Paul covered such topics as qualifications for elders and deacons, how to care for widows, and more. And in his second letter, he gave Timothy some reminders about the authority and the usefulness of God's Word. Scripture has multiple benefits for our lives, if we are willing to read it and pay attention to what it says. It is living and active, according to Hebrews, and has the power to change lives. It causes growth, corrects us when we're off track, encourages us, and so much more. But only if we pay attention, only if we listen, and only if we obey. This passage, including one of our 3:16s, is such an important passage for our understanding of God's Word, and how we ought to respond to it.