Do we want to know more of God's word?

Notes from a sermon on 31 January 2010
1 Peter 1 verses 13 - chapter 2 verse 3

The apostle Paul’s greatest longing on the Christian pathway is to know more about the Lord Jesus Christ. Do we have this desire - to know more of Jesus’ word? Not only personal longing but a passionate prayer for the church. He realised a work done in Colosse by Epaphras, a faithful ministry which had resulted in new Christians. Paul knew that wasn’t the end. It was not just a matter of getting saved. There had to be a growing, a going on. He prayed that the church would know the wisdom, strength and power of God in their every day lives. Peter here says to the believers “as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.” Peter tells us here the very grounds for growth - it must be determined by a healthy appetite for God’s word - verse 2.

Desire for the word of God. That is a very natural thing as Peter tells us. Only picture he can give us is from that of a new born baby. You and I cannot fake that desire, it must be there to start with. The desire that Peter is speaking about here - it is direct. It is a response to a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we come to faith that desire is placed within us. A deep desire that comes from the new birth. When you and I get saved something happens within us. Peter takes this analogy of newborn baby, a desire within them for the milk to nourish it. Peter brings in the spiritual equation. There was a time when you knew you needed to be saved, when you accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord. You had a desire within you to read his word. How is the desire today for God’s word? The disciples in Acts 2 heard the word of God as a result of Peter’s preaching. The Holy Spirit came and convicted them of their sin and need of salvation. Then they followed the apostles doctrine and were longing for the word of God. Verse 2 - unadulterated milk - sincere, pure, uncontaminated. That is what we need, to long for, sometimes we are being satisfied with less. Have you a desire for the sincere milk of the word of God?

Devotion for the word of God. It is the desire that brings us to the word of God but we also need a devotion. Now the child has to develop. It cannot stay on milk, it longs, it needs strong meat. Now as he grows and gets stronger something happens. That desire becomes a devotion. Paul told the Corinthian church that they boasted of great wisdom, power and gifts. God gave these to them as well as knowledge of the word of God. Paul told them they were still babes in Christ, they hadn’t grown. We need to be developing as Christians. We need to be growing. A time when we study the word of God. There has to come a devotion - Hebrews 5 verse 12. The writer was expecting the believers to be at a different stage. They had to be moving on, devotion to know more about the word of God. As we study the word of God, God will not disappoint us. Milk is easily digested. To read the word of God takes a devotion. To dig into its pages. Paul writing to Timothy in Acts 17 saved by the grace of God, following after Paul, taking him out on missionary journeys then told to stay in Ephesus to teach them - “study to show thyself approved unto God.” You need to be a good workman. Expected him to be at a different level. More than a desire keeps us there. A sportsman in any sport takes devotion, times when has to set aside what he is doing and gives it his all. As Christians is that not true too? When we want to give to God our very best? We have to set aside time to get into God’s word. These men were devoted. Acts 6 verse 2. Something happened in the assembly of believers. Drawing them away from the duty of God - chapter 1 verse 11 man going into depths of mine searching out the gold nuggets.

A discerning for the word of God. As come to God’s word , spending time studying God’s word need the ability to apply the word of God. There is a discernment, desire for the word of God. A devotion for the word of God that we might apply what we read. Sometimes we find ourselves making the same old mistakes. Can do that spiritually speaking as well. We have to apply ourselves to wisdom. When Joshua went into the land of Canaan he was stepping into Moses’ shoes. Moses couldn’t take them into the land of blessing but Joshua could. God told him to meditate on the word of God day and night. The word of God would be his strength in the land of blessing. If we want to be in that place of blessing we have to meditate on the word of God. Joshua 1 verse 8 “this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.” James tells us the same - “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.” (James 1 verse 22) Not only hearers of the word but doers also. Have you got the desire for the word of God? Can you go through a day without reading God’s word? Have you a devotion for it? Setting aside other things to study it? Are we discerning or applying it to every day situations?

A dependence on the word of God. Just as the devil came to tempt Jesus he was told “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4 verse 4) Are we growing as Christians? Can we see the marks of growth in every aspect of our lives? Have you grown in your Christian life since this time last year?