Acts 2:1–4, 22-24, 36  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. …  “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. … “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

God poured out His Holy Spirit on his disciples on Pentecost. That same Spirit works in people still today through the Bible. Luther’s Large Catechism states it this way: “The Holy Spirit reveals and preaches the Word, and by it he illumines and kindles hearts so that they grasp and accept it, cling to it, and persevere in it” (Tappert, p. 416, #42).

Some people look at the Bible as an instruction manual. And you know what people typically do with instruction manuals, don’t you? They lay them aside without ever looking at them. Yet I have learned that instructions are worth reading. Especially the instructions we find in Scripture.

Others will say God’s Word should be a guide for our lives. You must put complete confidence in the Bible as the place where God speaks to you, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you with His Word. His promises are sure. His Word has never failed you, and it never will.

Another important thing to remember when looking at the Scriptures is that it is God speaking. Over and over in the Old Testament we come across the phrase “Thus says the Lord…” In the New Testament we have the actual words of Jesus. All the books of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit, which means all of it is the Word of God Himself.

The Bible is all those things, but it is more than a book of moral platitudes or rules to live by. The Spirit working through the Word will reveal and explain to you the wonderful arrangements God has made for your rescue from sin. Without the Bible, you would never know that you have a loving God who sent His Son to be your Savior from sin and death. You would not know about the death of Jesus in your place. You would not know about His resurrection from the dead, through which He has won eternal life for all men. All of this is contained in the Good Book as God’s Revelation of Himself to men. You need to listen to it.

 

When you think about people who have been heroes of the faith, you will find that they have a common thread: they were all people of the Word. They were people who would say with the Psalmist: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)

• Luther would never have rediscovered the truth that man is saved by grace through faith if he had not been studying the Scripture.
• John Wesley, founder of what became Methodist Church, traveled over 100,000 miles on horseback to preach, always reading as he rode. In that way he read through the Bible several times. And his witness for Christ is still heard today.
• William Tyndale, first man to translate the Bible into English, was put into prison for doing just that. While there, in the dungeons of England, all he asked was a candle, His Hebrew Bible, and Hebrew Dictionary so that he could continue to study God’s Word.
• When Paul was imprisoned, he asked for his “books”, a reference to what we now know as the Old Testament.

These heroes of the faith studied God’s Word and listened to what He said. They rejoiced in the knowledge of all God did for them through Jesus Christ. They knew and believed that He was their Savior because that is what they found in the Word. You have that same word at your disposal. All of you have the promise that the Holy Spirit will work through the Word to bring you to an understanding of God’s Will for you in your life. That is in addition to the treasure of eternal life as a free gift.