Sermons | Word of Grace Bible Church [wgbc.org]

Human life is full of difficulties and problems. Even after finding salvation and becoming part of God’s family, we continue to live in the midst of an ocean of sorrows and various trials. But believers—those saved by Christ—have a tremendous advantage. Jesus Christ has given them a firm foundation and an unshakable hope. The guarantee of this hope is God’s covenant, established by the Son on the cross at Calvary. Isaiah calls this covenant a covenant of peace and mercy—two key attributes of God’s character that each of us needs.

The Church is God’s most complex creation. God has been working on its creation for several thousand years. To accomplish this, He had to create the universe as we know it. He had to create humankind within it. He had to prepare and carry out a grand plan of redemption, which included the long history of Israel and the coming of the Messiah through it. Redemption—the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ—became the foundation of the Church. It is precisely this that made possible the continued work of the Holy Spirit, who saves souls and, one by one, incorporates them into a single organism, the Body of Jesus Christ.

By design, the Church is a most marvelous creation. It unites millions—perhaps even billions—of people who have lived in different periods of history, in completely different cultures, and in different parts of the world. Each of these people is unique. Each one is needed in the Body of Christ. And each one—absolutely every single one—brings something special to it, something specifically created by God for the greatness and beauty of the Body of Christ.

The Church of Jesus Christ is the highest form of God’s creation. In creating the universe, God moved from the simple to the more complex, to the more delicate. Humanity was the crown of God’s creation, but was not His ultimate goal. God created human beings so that they might become His partners in building the Church, the Bride of His Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. The building of the Church is a majestic work of God that has become the center of history. One of the most unique characteristics of the Church, reflecting God’s majesty, is its unity in diversity.

We believe in the Bible because it is trustworthy, clear, and sufficient. But there is another reason—the Bible is practically efficacious. This has been tested and confirmed over the centuries. At the same time, when speaking of the efficacy of Scripture, many people do not fully understand exactly how it works. What is needed for Scripture to be effectual? And what result does it guarantee? The answers to all these questions are clearly set forth in the Bible. Scripture speaks for itself, helping us to understand, accept, and apply its truth, which produces a supernatural effect in the lives of those who trust in it.

Our confidence in the Bible is linked not only to the recognition of its authority but also to its sufficiency. Scripture is not merely one authority among others; it is the primary, absolute authority. This stems from its nature and purpose. You cannot receive the blessings of God’s Word without submitting your entire life to it. Unfortunately, most Christians today, while professing faith in Scripture with their lips, in practice live by different values and look to other authorities.

The Bible holds the position of ultimate authority not only because it accurately describes the world around us, and not only because it is divinely inspired. It possesses practical authority for all people on earth because it is clear. As the Word of God, whose wisdom is boundless, the Bible is, at the same time, written in such a way that it is accessible and understandable. This makes it practically relevant.

The Bible is rich with various prophecies. In revealing His will to humanity, God foretold events hundreds, and sometimes even thousands, of years before they came to pass. The accuracy of God’s prophecies and their fulfillment has always been one of the key proofs of God’s power and the authority of His Word.