Redemption Church Plano Texas

Asking for a Friend – 1 – Can I Trust the Bible?

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https://youtu.be/ir1mB5ppCag?si=LEtEisAU6wFzW3_w

Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are excited to be a Church where you can ask questions and find answers.

Asking for a Friend Outline📆

Week 2: Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?

📆 Week 3: Did I Do Something God Can’t Forgive?

📆 Week 4: How Could Jesus Be the Only Way?

I bet you have questions.
I bet you have friends who have questions.

Please come and invite your friends.

Today in week 1 we are asking…

Can I Trust the Bible?
How is this ancient book still reliable and relevant today?

Let’s be honest—if someone handed you a book written thousands of years ago and said, ‘This will change your life,’ you’d probably say, Cool story, bro.

“How could something so old still mean something today?”

Came out in 2008 – less than 20 years ago.
2nd Edition!
Virtually Useless Book

The Bible is much older than Myspace for Dummies… The newer parts of the Bible are just shy of 2000 years old.

You might’ve grown up in church. Or maybe this is all new to you. Either way, the question’s fair:

“Can I trust the Bible to guide my life in 2025?”

Here are some objections to the Bible we may have heard.

  • “Hasn’t it been rewritten a million times?”
  • “Isn’t it full of contradictions?”
  • “Wasn’t it used to control people?”
  • “Even if it was good then, how could it be relevant now?”

    • -Maybe you’ve asked those questions. -Maybe someone asked you and you didn’t know what to say.
    -Maybe you’ve been living like the Bible is optional because deep down… you’re not sure it still speaks.

    And here’s the tension:

    If I can’t trust the Bible, how can I trust my faith?

    Big Idea:
    -The Bible is more than trustworthy—it’s transformative.
    -It’s not just true. It’s alive.

    I have 4 points to teach you about the reliability and relevancy of the Bible. 

    ✅ Part 1: Who Wrote the Bible and How Was It Formed?

    • Bible means – Library
    • 66* books, written over 1,500 years, 40+ different writers from different backgrounds, cultures, and languages. 
    • One story: God’s plan to rescue and restore humanity through Jesus.
    • 2 Sections:
      • Old Testament (39 books)
      • New Testament (27 books)

        • Many writers. One Author. One Message.

        2 Peter 1:21 (NIV)

        How was the Bible formed (Canon)?
        Canon means – Measuring stick

        The Bible wasn’t invented—it was recognized by the early church based on clear filters:

        4 ways Scripture “Measures” Up

        1. Apostolic Origin: Written by someone who walked with Jesus or by a close companion.
        2. Widespread Use: Already read and used across churches worldwide.
        3. Theological Consistency: Aligned with the message of Jesus.
        4. Spirit-Breathed and Life-Giving: Led people to transformation, worship, and deeper relationship with God.

          5. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

          ✅ Part 2: How the Bible is Reliable

          We don’t have to believe blindly. God gave us a faith built on evidence.

          Luke 1:1–4

          30 to 50 years after the Resurrection, Luke wrote his gospel and is saying…
          I investigated. I interviewed. I’m giving you facts, not fables.

          Historical Reliability:

          • Manuscript – handwritten copy of an ancient document
          • The New Testament – 25,000+ total ancient manuscripts in various languages.
          • The Old Testament – 42,000+ Hebrew manuscripts.
          • Some manuscripts date to within 30–50 years of the original writings.

            • Why this matters.
            The more ancient copies we have—and the closer they are to the originals—the more confident we can be that what we read today is what was written back then.

            Wait… Do we have enough manuscripts to really trust…

            Ever hear of…

            • Alexander the great – Around 10 manuscripts written centuries after his life.
            • Plato = 7 manuscripts written 100s of years after his life. 
            • Homer’s Iliad ~1,800 copies, with a 500+ year gap between writing and earliest copy.

              • Anyone have trouble believing in Alexander, Plato, or Homer?

              The Bible—and the Jesus it reveals—stand as the most reliable sources in all of human history. 

              “The Bible stands alone as the most historically verified document in all of antiquity.” – Dr. Daniel Wallace

              ✅ Part 3: Why the Bible Still Matters

              Hebrews 4:12

              Alive. Relevant. Now.

              We don’t just read the Bible. The Bible reads us. Ever experience that?

              📖 John 6:63

              This isn’t just information – it’s inspiration, correction, direction, and transformation.

              The Bible Matters!
              And the Bible reveals that YOU MATTER!

              • Purpose (Eph 2:10)
              • Forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
              • Identity (Genesis 1:27
              • Love (John 3:16)
              • And more… all revealed in the Bible.

                • ✅ Part 4: Examples of Everyday and Global Relevance

                The ancient Bible reveals current headline news.

                • Prophetic writings continue to shape worldviews about Israel, global conflict, and moral shifts (see Matthew 24, Ezekiel 36–39).
                • The Bible addresses themes like justice, violence, division, and the need for reconciliation in a way that still speaks into headlines today.
                • As culture shifts, Scripture doesn’t flinch. Its framework for human dignity, forgiveness, and truth continues to offer clarity where culture offers chaos.

                  • In other words – We would do well to be familiar with what the Bible says about the World… and how to live like Jesus in this world.

                  Everyday Relevance – The Teachings of Jesus:

                  Here are some things Jesus taught… you tell me if they are relevant for us today?

                  • Forgiveness – “Love your enemies… forgive others as your Father forgave you.” (Luke 6:27; Matthew 6:14)
                  • Worry & Peace – “Do not worry about your life… seek first the kingdom.” (Matthew 6:25–34)
                  • Judgment & Grace – “Take the plank out of your own eye first…” (Matthew 7:1–5)
                  • Purpose & Calling – “Let your light shine before others…” (Matthew 5:14–16)
                  • Money & Generosity – “You cannot serve both God and money… where your treasure is, your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, 24)
                  • Relationships – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

                    • The words of Jesus weren’t meant for dusty pages. They were meant for daily life. His teachings help us… 

                    • Work through conflict
                    • Have a good marriage
                    • Raise our kids
                    • Manage money and time
                    • Face our fears.

                      • The Bible isn’t out of touch. It’s out in front—speaking into your family, your decisions, your stress, your politics, your calling, and your world.

                      So what do I do with this?

                      Asking for a Friend Title

                      Let’s be real. Some of us have… 

                      • Ignored Scripture
                      • Doubted it
                      • Or just skimmed it. 
                      • Not because we’re rebellious—because we’re unsure.

                        • Imagine if we lived this out

                        What if we became a church that knew the Word and lived the Word?

                        Not Bible know-it-alls… but Bible show-it-alls.

                        Imagine if we shared the Bible with our children, our spouse, our friends.

                        Imagine if people saw our life and recognized what is taught in the Bible.

                        WE CAN DO THIS. START TODAY!

                        3 Calls to Act

                        ✅ Read it again—with eyes of faith and curiosity.

                        -Start with one Gospel (Mark)
                        ✅ Study together

                        -Join a CONNECT GROUP

                        ✅ Experience the Living God – RIGHT NOW

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                        Redemption Church Plano TexasBy Redemption Church Plano Texas
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