S6 E2 - In The Word

We started a challenge of writing out all of the New Testmanet + Psalms & Proverbs over this year with many of us here in Danville. It has proved to be so beneficial for my own growth as I slowly think about each word of Scripture. It's also led me to longer term goals to committ the Word to my memory. 

We are to let the Word dwell richly in us. But that does not just have to happen through reading. We can listen to it. Write it. Speak it. Sing it. No matter how you do it, don't negelect getting into the Word this year! 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths? Would you believe me? 

 Welcome back to season 6 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! My name is BJ Sipe, and I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. In our next few moments together, we hope to learn some of the most important lessons from some of the simplest things in life. Thank you for taking this journey with me. 

I received what is more than likely the most thoughtful gift from my wife over this past holiday season. To give some context before explaining what it is, we go back to the middle of last year. It started with a commitment from one of our elders and me to do something that neither of us had ever done before: to write out by hand all of the New Testament along with the Psalms & Proverbs. While I have read the Scriptures many times over in my life, I have never sat down and written out by hand whole books of the Bible. Probably the last time I had ever written that many lines of Scripture was going back to childhood when my parents would have me write out, “Children obey your parents, in the Lord, for this is right,” whenever I needed to be reminded of that truth (which was often). Anyhow, to accommodate me in this goal, my wife purchased for me a whole set of hard bound books in order to write out the Scriptures and preserve them. Each book of the New Testament has its own volume, as well as Psalms & Proverbs, with space for notes on one side and space to write out Scripture on the other side. They are beautifully made and such a thoughtful gift from my wife to help me in this goal. 

Others from our local church joined in this commitment, some writing and some typing out the Scriptures all together. All in all, we have seven of us doing this task together. We have a text group that we regularly share our progress, encourage each other, and share the challenges of being modern day scribes of these holy pages. I am convinced that I will develop carpal tunnel by the end of the year, but it will be well worth it. The way it has caused me to slow down, write carefully, and reflect on the text has helped me to not only memorize the Scriptures better, but also to apply them better as I slowly work through the text word by word. It has also led me to a longer-term goal as well: by the time my children are all grown, it is my goal to have written out by hand the entire Bible – both Old and New Testament – three different times for each child. That way, they will be able to go through the Scripture in their dads own handwriting on one side, while taking notes and reflecting on the text themselves on the other side. This will more than likely take me about 7-10 years to be able to accomplish, but it’s caused me to think about how beneficial doing so would not only be for my children, but how beneficial it would be for myself. Imagine the personal growth that would come from writing out the Scriptures by hand three different times in entirety? At least that is my prayer, and I would encourage anyone with a desire to grow in the Word to challenge themselves to do something like we are doing together her in Danville through the writing of Scripture. 

Growing in the Word is one of the most important things that we can do as disciples of Christ, if for no other reason than this: you cannot obey or teach what you do not know. I am reminded of Ezra 7:10 which states the following, “Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Notice the progression in this text given to us – in order for Ezra to be able to obey the law and then teach the law to others, he first needed to set his mind to understanding and studying it fully. Ezra immersed himself into Scripture, going over it time and time again so that he understood what God desired of both himself and of those he called Ezra to teach. In the same way, we must determine in our heart to study the Word of God. 

In fact, every apostolic author will encourage us in this matter. Paul would write in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” James would write in the first chapter of his letter and in verse 21, “Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” In his first letter, Peter will say in chapter 2 and vv. 2-3, “Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good.” There is no questioning the importance that is placed upon growing in the Word by the apostles who revealed God’s will to us. I would venture to say that there are very few who would suggest otherwise. However, I believe that sometimes we can limit ourselves in exactly how we can do this. 

For most of us, we probably think that if we want to grow in the Word that the only way we can do so is by sitting down and reading it to ourselves. Certainly, this is one way that we can grow in our knowledge of the will of God. However, for our purposes today, I want to remind all of us of several other ways in which we can let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us. 

To let the Word dwell in us, not only can we read it, but we can listen to it. Have you ever noticed the way that Paul ends his first letter to the Thessalonians? He writes, “I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters.” (1 Thess. 5:27). Just as the Law was read out loud for the people by individuals like Moses, Joshua, or Ezra, so the letters delivered by the apostles were read aloud in each church. At that time, the New Testament was still being written and compiled – Christians did not have their individual copies at home. To know the Word, they needed to listen to it. Today, we have so many opportunities to do this same thing. Countless apps on our phones will allow us to listen to the Word out loud while we drive, do housework, or even as we drift off to sleep. Did you know there are YouTube channels dedicated to playing soft music while a narrator gently reads the Word, so that you can drift off to sleep while meditating on his precepts? If you’ve not tried this yet, give it a shot this week. Listening to the Word is a great way to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us. 

To let the Word dwell in us, not only can we listen to it, but we can ourselves speak it. Consider the words from the apostle Paul to the young evangelist Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:13, “Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching.” Paul encouraged Timothy that part of his growth process as a teacher and as a disciple would come through reading the Word aloud. In his case, it was done through public reading of the Scriptures to a church. However, in our case, it does not necessarily have to be public. Memory verse work, where you personally commit to memory and repeating out loud passages of Scripture, is one of the most effective ways to allow the Word of Christ to dwell richly in us. The next time you go to read Scripture, go into your room and read it out loud. You will be amazed at the benefits in doing so. 

To let the Word dwell in us, not only can we speak it, but as we are doing here in Danville, you can write it. Did you know that the Kings of Israel were expected to write out a copy of the Law themselves when they took the throne? Consider Deuteronomy 17:18-19, “When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes.” Why do you suppose God expected the kings to participate in such a thorough task? Why not just read it? Writing has a strong correlation to memory, especially when it is done by hand. God desired for those leading his people to have the Word in their minds and in their hearts. Perhaps we should take a page out of the king’s book, recognizing that if the Lord himself saw the benefit to this practice, we should do it too. 

Finally, to let the Word dwell in us, not only can we write it, but we can sing it. Go back to the text of Colossians 3:16, and consider the rest of the context of how Paul calls for us to let the Word live in our hearts. He writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Did you know that there is also strong correlation between singing and memory? Think about what we do with our children in their youth, do we not sing songs with them about all kinds of biblical truths? We sing the books of the Bible, we sing about stories from the days of Israel, we sing the names of the apostles, or the tribes, all for the purpose of committing them to memory. Here is my question: why do we stop with our children? Adults, don’t stop singing these songs. Don’t simply sing hymns in worship – sing songs that continue to allow you to commit the Word to memory. 

My friends, there are all kinds of ways we can be in the Word. We can read it. Listen to it. Speak it. Write it. Sing it. How ever you choose to do it, let us be like Ezra and determine in our hearts get in the Word and know it well in this new year. 

This has been season 6 episode 2 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast – and I’m so thankful that we had this time to grow together! A new episode is dropped each Friday of the week. If you’re able to, go ahead and like and subscribe to the podcast, give us a good rating, and tune in next week. Even more important, share the spiritual truths that we learned today with someone else. And more than anything my friends, always remember the following: know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.