A Man of One Book
This morning, I read Nehemiah 8, a beautiful yet powerful story of the Jews returning from exile and rediscovering the Law of God. It recounted how Ezra the priest, standing on a wooden platform, read from the Book of the Law (the first five books of the Bible). The people rose to their feet as he read, chanted “Amen! Amen!” and fell to their faces in worship. Then the story continues as the Levites took over. Nehemiah 8:8 (NLT) recounts:
They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.
This text has always challenged me as a teacher of God’s Word. My assignment from God is to, in the power of the Holy Spirit, make the Bible plain and understandable. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, wrote the phrase "I design plain truth for plain people"in the Preface to his first volume of Sermons on Several Occasions, published in 1746. This is my aim when I teach and preach God’s Word.
The question I was asked after reading Nehemiah 8 from the book I am using this year for my Bible reading plan was: How important is the Bible in your life?Here was my response:
Very! When I wheel my chair around, I find on the center bookshelf in my office, a handful of meaningful Bibles. Nathan’s third grade Bible sits next to Howard Olds preaching Bible. But the one I treasure the most is “held together by duct tape and bailing wire.” It was my second Bible that I bought, an NASB Study Bible. The binder is broken and torn. The pages have coffee stains and lots of underlined verses with my handwritten commentary in the margins. It was this Bible that I used through Asbury College where I got my Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and Asbury Theological Seminary where I got my Masters of Divinity degree. It was this Bible that I would cart to church to learn from Pastors Clarence Yates, David Seamands, Sewell Woodward and Howard Olds. This Bible sat on my lap at Hughes Auditorium and Estes Chapel in Wilmore. This was the Bible I used to teach the eighth grade Sunday School class at Pine Castle United Methodist Church at 20, and the one I used at Trinity Hill United Methodist Church to teach the youth group about Jesus at 24. I love THE Bible, but I especially love THIS Bible.
The Bible has opened portals of truth into my life. My apprenticeship to Jesus has been more influenced by the correction, challenge, conviction and courage that the stories and instructions of the Bible than anything. In these sacred pages through the tales of flawed women and men, I have learned how to follow Jesus more faithfully. I have also learned what potholes to avoid. The grand vista of God’s “vulgar grace” and “indiscriminate compassion” has challenged and continues to challenge my “pick yourself up by your own bootstraps,” “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me” way of thinking and living. The Voice of love still whispers, “You are my beloved. I love you and there is nothing you can do about that” again and again and again as I read the Book. Like John Wesley, I want to be “a man of one Book.” Thank you for the Book God.
So, here’s my question for you:
How important is the Bible in your life?