I dont remember the name of the movie.
I cant recall the plot or the names of the actors. But I do remember one particular scene.
The hero had escaped from a World War Two prisoner of war camp. Being hotly pursued by soldiers he fled into a nearby village. Desperately looking for a place to hide he darted into a crowded theatre and found a seat. Within minutes four or five prison guards entered the theatre and began closing off the side exits. His mind raced. Now there would only be one way out and he knew he would be recognized when the patrons slowly filed out. Suddenly he had an idea. He leaped up in the semi dark theatre pointing and screaming; Fire! Fire! Fire! The crowd panicked and surged towards the exits. The hero seized the opportunity and mingling with the thronging crowd slipped past the guards and escaped into the night.
I remember that scene for one important reason.
Words have power.
The book of Proverbs teaches us that words have power to bring death and life (Proverbs 18:21). Poorly chosen words can hurt, kill enthusiasm and hold people back. Well chosen words can heal, encourage and offer hope. During the darkest days of the Second World War Winston Churchills words, so skilfully crafted and so superbly delivered, lifted the spirits and restored the resilience of the beleaguered English people. It was said that he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle. Such is the power of words. They can change lives and situations.
If our human words have so much power, how much more so the words of God? In Genesis we have the first recorded words of God. He spoke and out of nothing came light. Out of light came day. Then came sky and earth. Can we even begin to grasp how he did that just with words? His final masterpiece was the creation of a man and a woman. Because they had been created in Gods image and likeness, God could talk to them and they were able to reciprocate.
If God made us in such a way that we can receive his words wouldnt you expect to find his communication somewhere on earth today? Well, he does talk to us today. He could have chosen many different ways to communicate with us but he chose a book – the Bible. The Bible is Gods words to us.
The apostle Paul wrote; All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is not just any book. It has divine origins the words within are God-breathed. Its not just words from inspired men writing an inspiring book. When we speak to others, they are actually listening to our breath. Our voice is really breath coming up over our vocal cords, vibrating those vocal cords and coming out as sound. If we didnt have any breath, we wouldnt have a voice. So your breath is your word, your voice. Gods words in a sense – are Gods very breath. God breathed into the scripture. When we read the Bible, God is speaking directly to us. You could call it Gods love letter to us because he breathes out his words of love into our hearts. Its a personal letter not just words written thousands of years ago.
In Romans 4:3 Paul asks, What does Scripture say? This may seem like an innocent question but the implications are life-changing. John Stott writes that the authors quasi-personification of scripture as being able to speak indicates that he draws no distinction between what Scripture says and what God says through it. Furthermore, Pauls words are in the present tense and in asking what it says, the apostle indicates that through the written text the living voice of God may be heard.1
Breathtaking! Overwhelming! Supernatural! The Bible is Gods words through which he speaks to you today in the very moment. He still speaks through what he has spoken. When we begin to grasp this how can we ever make the mistake of reading the Bible just because we have to or because it is the right thing to do? How can we ever again find the Bible boring?
Not a magic formula
Dont misunderstand. The Bible is not a book of magic. Some make the mistake of opening the Bible anywhere and reading just one verse and believe God is speaking to them. Some see the Bible as the key to becoming healthy or wealthy. Some see it as a crystal ball and use it as a tool for predicting the immediate future. Some use it to condemn people they dont like or as justification of their oppression on others. Some use the Bible to create a religion of rules rather than listening to its proclamation of the good news, grace for lost sinners.
Paul says a purpose of the scriptures is to make us wise about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2Timothy 3:15). He was referring to the Old Testament (which points us to Jesus) but all of Gods words are a means for us to encounter the person and ministry of Jesus Christ – how we can look to him and always rely on him. His words reveal to us who God is and who we are because of what Jesus has done for us. His words teach us things about ourselves that we can learn nowhere else; what we are like, what our potential is and where we came from. His words illuminate the true nature of life so that we dont go spending our whole lifetime trying to find out where the real life is.
Come to these words like a little child to receive what God has to say to you, humbly and teachably, and the Holy Spirit will inspire, guide and illuminate these precious truths. When you do, your life will never be the same again.
A travelling preacher was passing through the security check at an airport. It was before the days of electronic scanning, and the security official was rummaging about in his brief-case. He came across the black cardboard box which contained the preachers Bible, and was curious to discover its contents. Whats in that box? He asked suspiciously, and received the startling reply Dynamite!
What a fitting description of Gods word an explosive power. Powerful not because it is like a magic spell but because our loving God spoke these words and speaks them again. God wants to talk to you today – and he wrote his message in a book.
1 John Stott, The Message of Romans p125.