I encourage you to commit yourself to being with us for each and every lesson in this series on the Bible. It could make a significant difference in your eternity.

I’d like to ask those of you who have your Bibles with you this morning to help me introduce my sermon. I’d like you to take your Bible into your hand and raise it up where all of the rest of us can see it. Can you do that for me? Don’t worry. I won’t embarrass you. Just hold it up above your head where the rest can see. Now, I want everyone to take a look around you to see all of the Bibles we have here.

OK. You can put them down. Thanks for your help. I think this is a Bible believing church, don’t you?

Now suppose I were to ask you to pass your Bibles to the isle nearest you and I had the ushers pick them up and bring them to the front. Suppose we made a big pile of Bibles right up here on the front platform. Try to picture it in your mind. There would be big ones with large print and small ones with tiny print that only the younger ones among us could read. There would be Bibles with leather covers, paperbacks, and imitation leather. I even saw one recently that was completely covered with duct tape! There might even be an electronic Bible or two in the pile. There would be brown Bibles and black ones and red ones and white ones and blue ones and tan ones. There would be Bibles zipped in pretty covers. There would be brand new ones. There would be old ones that tell of years of use. Some would have handles on them for easy carrying. Some would have gold edged pages. Some would have those little tabs along the sides for easier access. Many of them would be stuffed with papers like old bulletins, and probably some notes and recipes and perhaps some sermon notes. There would be King James Versions, American Standards, New American Standards, New International Versions and probably a few paraphrases and individual translations.

Such a pile of Bibles would be a testimony to several things. First it would show that many of us think it is necessary to own our own copy of the Scripture – and that is very good. Secondly it would show that we still have quite of bit of religious freedom in this country. That, too is very good. Thirdly, if we looked closely to see which Bibles showed much wear and tear, we might get an idea how many of us use our Bibles regularly. But most importantly, perhaps, such a pile of Bibles would show that many of us truly believe that the Bible is the word of God.

This morning we begin a new series of messages that I’m going to call simply, God’s Word, the Bible. I spend a lot of Sunday mornings and evenings up here behind this pulpit bringing lessons to you from the Bible. Today and for some Sundays into the future I would like to talk about the Book itself.

I should probably stop there since I’ve already laid out a very ambitious agenda. We will get to each of these issues as we have opportunity. For today, since this first message is introductory, let me present to you what I think are some remarkable things about the Bible.

1. The Bible is remarkable in that it has been believed and praised by many very famous people.

John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States said this: "So great is my veneration for the Bible that …the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year."

Napoleon Bonaparte, former Emperor of France said, "The Bible is no mere book, but a living Power that conquers all that oppose it."

William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson said, "I believe the Bible because it is the Word of God."

Horace Greeley, famous journalist and founder of the New York Tribune said of the Bible, "It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom."

Warren G. Harding, 29^th President of the United States said, "I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, whereby they have become the expression to man of the Word and will of God."

Revolutionary War hero, Patrick Henry, didn’t just say, "Give me liberty or give me death!" He also said, "The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed."

Andrew Jackson, 7^th President of the United States, said of the Bible, "That book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests."

Confederate Civil War General Robert E. Lee said of the Bible, "In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength."

Abraham Lincoln, 16^th President of the United States said, "All the good from the Savior of the World is communicated through this Book . . . All the things desirable to man are contained in it."

English physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton, said of the Bible, "We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authority in the Bible than in any profane history whatever."

Theodore Roosevelt, 26^th President of the U.S. said, "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education."

Scottish novelist and poet, Sir Walter Scott, said, "There is only one Book – the Bible."

Harry S. Truman, 33^rd President of the United States said, "The Bible is the moral code of civilization."

John Wanamaker, originator of the modern department store and early proponent of such things as telephone merchandise ordering, refunds on purchases, "fringe benefits" like vacations, health care, pensions, and life insurance said, "I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study—more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and women are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than on the eternal principles laid down by God Himself."

George Washington, 1^st President of the United States said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."

I could go on to show you that many more famous men and women in our history books believed and revered the Bible. But we must move on to a second point.

2. The Bible is remarkable in that it is still the world’s best selling book.

In Russell Ash’s book, The Top 10 of Everything, 1997 we read: "No one really knows how many copies of the Bible have been printed, sold, or distributed. The Bible Society's attempt to calculate the number printed between 1816 and 1975 produced the figure of 2,458,000,000. A more recent survey, for the years up to 1992, put it closer to 6,000,000,000 in more than 2,000 languages and dialects. Whatever the precise figure, the Bible is by far the bestselling book of all time."(1)

Ash lists Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung as the distant second greatest bestseller of all time, having sold 900 million copies. Ash then quickly adds these words: "Chairman Mao's Little Red Book could scarcely fail to become a bestseller: between the years 1966 and 1971 it was compulsory for every Chinese adult to own a copy."(2) I guess it follows that any book would be a bestseller if a billion people knew you might be shot if they didn’t buy it!

Given the Bible’s popularity as a bestseller, wouldn’t it behoove every person to at least read it – or know what is in it? Knowing how loved it is and how influential for good, do those forces who would like to remove it from public life really have our best interest at heart or is their agenda more selfish and even destructive?

3. The Bible is remarkable in its crystal clear claims to be the word of God. .

In hundreds of passages the Bible takes the position that it is nothing less than the very Word of God.

Listen to the abundant terminology of Bible verses that are linked to God speaking. These are phrases that show that God spoke and the number of times they appear:

I’m sure there are other phrases that indicate God speaking, but of these I’ve mentioned, the grand total is 962 time. That’s at least 962 times where the Bible claims to be the word of God!

Paul, the author of 2/3rds of the New Testament, recognized that the things he wrote were inspired by God. In 1 Corinthians 14:37 he wrote: "If anyone things he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment."

Those who receive Paul’s letters believed they were the word of God. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 we read, "And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God."

Peter stated very clearly that the Scriptures were from God in 2 Peter 1:21 where he wrote: "…for no prophecy [of Scripture] was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

John also conveyed this idea in his writings in 1 John 4:6: "We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us." John was referring primarily to his letters and those of the other apostles which are a part of the Bible.

Many of the Old Testament books of prophecy begin with phrases like, "The word of the Lord came to… [the prophet’s name]" effectively placing the title of "God’s Word" upon their writings.

I could cite many other examples of this but time does not allow me here. My point in bringing these up is not to suggest that such internal claims are proof that they are true. It is just to show that the writers of the Bible overwhelmingly claimed that the things they wrote and said were the Word of God. The idea that the Bible is the word of God is not an idea that someone dreamed up later, after the Scriptures were complete. This is what was intended all along during the 1600 years the Bible was being written.

4. The Bible is remarkable in its claims to be indestructible.

Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."

Isaiah 55:11 says, "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

The Bible will not be destroyed somehow, before it completes its work among men.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

1 Peter 1:24-25 says, "The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever."

These are very remarkable statements and predictions when you consider the efforts that have been mounted through nearly twenty centuries to rid the world of the Bible.

Tom Wacaster, writing in The Gospel Preceptor,(3) gives the following brief rundown of attacks against the Bible:

All of this effort to rid the world of the Bible, yet copies of it exist in greater numbers than ever before in the history of the world. An unknown poet expressed the nature of the Bible’s indestructibility in the following words:

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.
How many anvils have you had," said I,
"To wear and batter all these hammers so?"
"Just one," said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."
And so, thought I, the anvil of God's Word,
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed--the hammers gone.
--Author Unknown

Yes, there is a remarkable story that winds its way through the pages of the Bible that every living person should hear. I haven’t time to tell it to you in detail here. I do intend to present a summary of it later in this series.

I don’t want to leave you hanging on this issue though, so let me share something with you that I found the other day on the website of a man named Tony Cooke. I know nothing of him other than his name, but I found the following piece on his web page. It’s called, The Bible in 50 Words:

I think that’s about the most concise summary of the Bible story I have ever heard. Lord willing, I’ll give you more later. Finally,

Psalm 119:89 says, "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:105 says boldly, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:140 says, "Thy word is very pure, therefore Thy servant loves it."

Psalm 119:160 says, "The sum of Thy word is truth, and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting."

John 17:17 records the words of Jesus: "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth."

Psalm 19:7-10 elaborates on the value of the written word of God:

All of these things, the law, the testimony, the precepts, the commandments, the fear and judgments of the Lord are found in this book, the Bible.

Whether you are a person new to the claims of Christianity, still trying to figure out why so many people could be interested in a book that is nearly 2000 years old in its newest parts…

Or a new Christian who has placed your faith in Christ but needs to bone up on the concepts upon which your faith rests…

Or you are a seasoned saint of God who needs a good, faith building review…

I encourage you to commit yourself to being with us for each and every lesson in this series on the Bible. It could make a significant difference in your eternity.

Footnotes: Please use your back button to return to your place

1. The Top 10 of Everything, 1997 (DK Pub., 1996, pp 112-113.)
2. Ibid.
3. http://www.gospelpreceptor.com/Wacast10.htm
4. http://ww.tonycooke.org/resources/bible_quotes.htm

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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