Why Bother With the Bible?

Why bother with the Bible? Some are asking because they think it’s nothing more than an archaic book about life in another time, something that has no relevance in the twenty-first century. That’s why it plays even less of a role in worship services today. "Why would anyone devote so much time to teaching the Bible, Alistair. Let’s just worship!" Sadly, I’ve heard comments like that more than once in my journeys. Yet the truth is that studying the Bible is worship. It’s central to the worship service and gives voice to our praise. Also it’s the only place we can learn about Jesus Christ, who is the object of our worship and the sole means of salvation. Once we come to know this salvation, it is the Bible that instructs us how to live in a way that proves we belong to Him. In a day when so many claim to converse with God, the Bible provides the safest and only sure way to hear God’s voice. He uses it to heal and cleanse our emotions and our affections, to restore broken lives, and to produce spiritual health and vitality. Ultimately, it is the plumb line against which we measure all claims to truth. Must we bother with the Bible? In this new series we’ll discover that, actually, we cannot live without it.