Pulpit Magazine

(By Nathan Williams)

It’s the beginning of the final day at the 2008 Shepherds Conference. Hopefully through our live blogging you all have gotten some taste as to the quality of preaching and teaching we have experienced this week.

This morning will be no different as we have the tremendous privilege to hear from Steve Lawson. John introduced Steve by saying that he loves him so much because he is willing to preach a message that doesn’t appeal to anything in the unbelievers fallenness. Steve understands that God is the one who opens the heart and saves.

Dr. Lawson began expressing his joy over being here. He said if he could preach just one sermon to one group of men this year, it would be here at the Shepherds Conference. Steve explained that we were all here at the conference in one way or another because of John’s ministry.

Steve will be preaching this morning on the Preacher’s invincible weapon. His text for the morning is Hebrews 4:12,13. Under the streets of Geneva lays a monument called the reformation wall. Its a huge monument visually portraying the global influence of the reformation. This includes portraits of several men who largely influenced the reformation. John Calvin’s portrait stands in the middle as the most influential figure of the reformation. Calvin stands ready to turn to the appointed text and preach the full counsel of God. Where are men today who are ready to open the book and bring God’s message to this generation? Calvin had no weapon but the Bible. From the very first of his ministry, he had no emphasis but the Bible. The Bible proved to be a superior, supernatural weapon in the hands of God’s servant when ministered by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today we will look at seven distinguishing marks of the sword of the Lord that has been put in our hands.

1. The Word we preach is the Divine Word. (vs. 12)

This is God’s book. It is his message we bring. He is the primary author who stands behind all the human authors. Hundreds of times in the OT the phrase “thus says the Lord” appears. In Psalm 19 we hear David refer to the Word as God’s written revelation. Jesus Himself asserted the divine authorship of this book in Matthew 4:4. In I Thess 2:13 Paul wrote that this Bible was the Word of God.

This first truth begs us to understand that this book requires certain things of us as men. We must be humble under the Word of God. We have nothing to say apart from the Word of God. All of Scripture must be proclaimed. We are required to be dignified as men commissioned by the high King of Heaven. Because this is the Word of the sovereign King, we are not commissioned to be court jesters in His service. We must speak with authority because we speak from God’s Word.

2. The Word we preach is the Living Word. (vs. 12)

Every other book is a dead manuscript. This book alone has the life of God in it. In the original this verse has the emphasis on the word living. This books speaks and has power to save and sanctify. This book is after us and it must have its way in our hearts. In John 6:63 Jesus says the words which he spoke were spirit and life. No book is more relevant and up to date. No book is more contemporary. If you preach cultural trends and current events you are old news before the words even come out of your mouth. We do not have to make the Bible relevant, it is already relevant. The Bible is never flat. This is the preacher’s invincible weapon.

3. The Word we preach is the Powerful Word. (vs. 12)

It’s not just that the Word has life, it has power to convert. This book is active and energizing. It is full of life changing power and relentlessly effective. The Word will not return empty. God’s Word will accomplish all of God’s purpose on earth. God’s word has power to strengthen, satisfy, steer, and sustain us. If you want a dynamic ministry in which the power of God is unleashed then pull forth the sharp two-edged sword.

4. The Word we preach is the Razor-Sharp Word. (vs. 12)

Nothing else is as sharp as this instrument. This sword cuts every way because it is two-edged. Every chapter and verse is able to cut. This word “sword” is the chief offensive weapon of the Roman foot soldier. It’s not the larger broad sword, but is a sword used for precision. Eph. 6:17 calls it the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Word both tears down and builds up. It softens and hardens. It exposes sin by conviction and covers sin by forgiveness. It is a strange thing that you can be the most loved man in town and the most hated man in town at the same time. When we minister this book as a sharp two-edged sword it comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.

5. The Word we preach is the Piercing word. (vs. 12)

The Bible when accompanied by the Holy Spirit it penetrates the outer man and gets to the very depths of our being. If you do not preach the Bible you will have a very superficial ministry. When you pick up this book and minister it rightly it begins to cut, penetrate and pierce to the soul. So many of the people we minister to put up shields and try to cover themselves against preaching. They try to hide behind hypocrisy. The Word cuts behind the outer facade and heals. The division of soul and spirit is a figurative way of saying that the Word gets to the very core of our being. When this verse says, “both joints and marrow” it parallels the sword and spirit. It is only the word of God that can perform open heart surgery. This is the preachers invincible weapon.

6. The Word we preach is the Judging Word. (vs. 12-13)

Once the soul is pierced and laid bare then it begins to judge. The writer of the book of Hebrews is addressing many Hebrews who have a non-saving faith. There are many who have uncircumcised hearts. These are the hardest people to reach. They are religious but unsaved. For these people to have a sense of their own condemnation they must be exposed to the Word of God. In this context we read that once the word penetrates and makes this division, then it is able to judge. It is fully sufficient to penetrate and judge.

There is set before you a Savior in the Word. Before you can have a Savior you must be judged by the Word. Liberal critics of the Bible want to sit in judgement of the Bible, but no one can sit in judgment of the Bible. The Word of God uncovers everything, including the secret thoughts of the unbeliever. It allows us to see ourselves as God sees us. We stand naked and uncovered before a holy God with no place to hide.

Because the ministry of the Word has made us open and transparent before God. Once the Word of God opens us up and strips us down we are then laid bare. This Word “laid bare” has the idea of grabbing by the throat and bending the neck back so the neck is exposed. It means for the sword of the Spirit to be thrust into the neck of the one under its influence. After a sermon, when people feel conviction they have been exposed to the Word.

7. The Word we preach is the saving Word. (vs.)

Only the Word of God can convince sinners they are sinners. The Word judges, but it judges for a higher purpose. It brings sinners to Christ so they might be saved. The beginning of verse 12 connects it to what has preceded. What precedes is one of the great evangelistic passages in Scripture. The people addressed here are halting between judaism and committing fully to Christ. Verse 12 and 13 are the end of the section that begins in 3:7. This section tells us that God is calling. God is speaking through His Word and telling those who are still in sin to come all the way to Christ.

In verse 15 it says to come and not harden your hearts. It’s not enough to be a hearer of the Word, but you must be a doer and come all the way to Christ. We must not hang onto our religious traditions in verse 11. Then in verse 12 he explains why you must repent of your sins and humble yourself under the Lordship of Christ. This is the saving Word. It is our greatest joy to tell sinners that their sins may be forgiven if they will come. We preach this saving Word. If anyone thirst let him come. When this seed of the Word is scattered on hearts then God will bring forth fruit. It is our privilege to minister the sharp two-edged sword. If you are to be greatly used by God, be a man of one book.

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