Word…

I had the blessing of gathering with some brothers this morning at Starbucks and encourage each other…a little bit earlier than I would prefer (6am), but still a blessing.  We are currently studying through Total Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester (I would highly recommend it!).

This morning our discussion centered around the Gospel Word as the foundation for the Church and her mission.  One thing stuck out to me…God’s Word is powerful!

I know this isn’t a shocking new revelation…you probably have already experienced the power of God’s Word…the revelation of Himself and His story to you.  However, something struck in a new and encouraging way this morning…

It was God’s Word that brought this physical world into the emptiness and void.  It was God’s Word that brought order into chaos.  “Let there be Light!”…God’s Word created this world. (Gen. 1)

It was God’s Word that brought Israel out of slavery to the most powerful nation on earth, Egypt.  “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go that they may celebrate a feast with Me in the wilderness.” (Exodus 5:1)  Moses brought each plague to the Egyptians with “Thus says the Lord.”

It was God’s Word that ruled His people, Israel, with love and grace.  (Exodus 20)

It was God’s Word that brought judgment to Israel when they strayed from His rule (the Prophets).

It is God’s Word that will gather God’s people together in the last days (Isaiah 43:6-7).

It is the Word made flesh that comes to bring God’s rule back to earth and gather His people.  The Word made flesh comes and provides forgiveness and redemption (John 1).

It is God’s Word that never returns void, always accomplishes what God wants it to accomplish, and is able to pierce the hardest hearts (Hebrews 4:12).

And yet so often we think that God’s Word is not powerful enough to change our hearts, to the heart of the guy next to us in class, to change this world, or to change our church.

Friends, God’s Word does not need help.  As Martin Luther said, “Proclaiming the Gospel is like letting a lion out of its cage.  Once the lion is out, he needs no help from us.”

Let’s trust in the power of God’s Word and let the lion loose!