Dan Henderson

Apply Thyself Wholly To The Text

Mp3 audio sermon

Presented at Milam St Church of Christ in July 2010

Apply Thyself Wholly To The Text

"Apply Thyself Wholly To The Text"

2Timothy 2:15

Title is from a quote by Mr John Albert Bengel, A NT commentary writer in the 1700's. The full quote is "Apply thyself wholly to the text. Apply the text wholly to thyself."

Think about that for a moment. We frequently declare that we should spend time with the Word. Do we agree with the second statement, though? Are you diligently applying the Word to You?

It is easy to see the faults in others, or see how they need a particular lesson from the Word. It is much more difficult for us to accept that I need a particular lesson.

God expects a personal application of the things taught in His Word

2Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Personal, individual responsibility to show self approved before God

1Timothy 5:22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

I cannot keep you pure, you cannot keep me pure. An individual command.

1Timothy 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

First responsibility is to take heed to self

1Timothy 4:13-15 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

You meditate; give attention to read, exhortation, doctrine, not neglecting your duty

Too often we neglect applying self to the text. Even worse we fail to apply the text to self.

How can we adjust our attitude?

Realize Our Place In This World

We are slaves

Matthew 22:37-40 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

Romans 6:16-18 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Expected to be a living sacrifice

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

1Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

To serve, not to be served

Matthew 20:26-28 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Realize Who Is Your Judge

To whom am I accountable?

John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,

John 5:27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

Romans 2:15-16 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Shouldn't you be doing His Will?

John 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

Deity has told you what to do, now you should do it!

Realize The Great Importance Of Your Soul

Do you understand the value of your soul?

It is valued more than life

1Peter 1:17-19 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Jesus, the Son of God, had to die on a cross for your soul

Matthew 26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Is your soul worth doing the Will of the Lord? Or are you too selfish?

Realize Your Eternal Destiny

Is death the end of it all?

Would you really be here today if you believed that?

Ecclesiastes 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

You believe there is life after death

Luke 16:22-25 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

Ultimately it is Heaven or Hell!

Heaven if you do the Lord's Will

Revelation 7:14-17 I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Hell, if you don't

Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

It is up to you

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Salvation can be yours if you give yourself to the Lord

"Apply thyself wholly to the text. Apply the text wholly to thyself."

Submit to His Will and be saved!

Fail to apply the text wholly to yourself and be lost!

From an article by Jarrod Jacobs