A few years ago I was approached by an elderly man who had attended the worship services a few times. He began the conversation with words like this: “Don’t you know the Bible is just a bunch of hocus-pocus? There is nothing to it if you really think about it. You may think it is true, but it really isn’t.” I appreciated his openness and realized he had come to help me understand life better. We talked about why he felt the way he did and why I believed the way I did. Then I asked the gentleman if he had ever read the Bible, especially the New Testament. He said he had tried, but couldn’t understand it. I gave him a newer translation, the NIV, and told him I would visit later to answer questions. About a year later he came to see me again. This time he said he needed to accept Christ and be saved. I asked why the change. He replied it was because the Bible says so! He was a faithful follower the rest of his life.
I am reminded of God’s Word to us in II Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Bible is God’s Word to His creation. The gospel of John, in 20:31, tells us, “…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” The gentleman I told you about read what had been written for him and believed it. Maybe the same could happen to all of us through God’s message.