INTRODUCTION: Men and women have suffered indescribable pain because of their love of it. Some have given all they have for a copy of it. Others spend their whole lives studying it. Some have asked to be buried with it. Millions count it as their most valuable possession. 
What is this wondrous thing? It is the Bible, the Word of God. The Bible has great power. Nearly 2,000 years after it was written it is still changing peoples' lives. What about the power of God's Word?

BODY

I. GOD'S WORD HAS THE POWER TO CONVERT THE LOST SINNER.

A. That word is able to save our souls.

1. Romans 1:16- "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

2. James 1:21- "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

3. Psalms 19:7- "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;"

B. Men must hear the word preached before they can be saved.

1. Acts 2:37- "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?""

2. Acts 18:8- "Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

3. Romans 10:17- "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

II. GOD'S WORD HAS THE POWER TO BE THE SEED OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

A. Life begins with a seed.

1. Animals
2. Plants

B. The same is true with God's spiritual kingdom - the church.

1. Jesus stresses this in the parable of the sower.
2. Luke 8:11- ""Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."

C. Wherever God's word goes, the potential for the church goes also.

1. A dormant seed, no matter how long it is stored, will still produce the same plant from which it comes.
2. The same seed today produces the same plant as 2,000 years ago.

III. GOD'S WORD HAS THE POWER TO BE ALL SUFFICIENT FOR OUR NEEDS.

A. It comforts us.

1. Romans 15:4- "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

B. It strengthens us to be more faithful to the Lord.

1. Psalms 119:130- "The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple."
2. Psalms 19:8- "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;"

C. It protects us from error and sin.

1. Psalms 119:11- "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!"

2. Jesus was able to fight over the wiles of the Devil by appealing to Scriptures.

a. Matthew 4:4- "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'""

D. We are given all things necessary to our salvation.

1. 2 Peter 1:3- "as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,"

E. Sometimes Christians feel that they need something else beside the word of truth.

1. 1 Peter 2:2- "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,"

2. Perhaps we are wanting something we have no need of.

3. Perhaps we want to base our salvation on feelings, instead of having good feelings because we know we are in accord with God's word.

IV. GOD'S WORD HAS THE POWER TO JUDGE US ON THE LAST DAY.

A. You will come to regret that you rejected God's word.

1. John 12:47-48- ""And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. {48} "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that
which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."

B. God's word will be used to judge you.

1. Revelation 20:12- "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."

CONCLUSION: "How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!...Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word" (Psalms 119:103, 161).

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.