Life-Long Learners
Introduction:
In the world of education,
teachers encourage students to become life-long learners.
Why? It is because they need to continue to learn if they
are going to survive in this world. They will not be
successful in life if they quit learning.
For Christians, we must also be
life-long learners if we are going to survive in this world
and finish the race. Note:
II Timothy 3:14-17 Being students of
the Bible throughout our earthly time equip us and enable us
to be faithful to the end.
The Old Testament example of
what a life-long learner looks like is Ezra who was a priest
in the lineage of Aaron. (Ezra
7:1-5)
He lived during the time when many of the Jews who had been
in Babylonian captivity were returning to Jerusalem. He was
a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses. (Ezra
7:6)
His journey from Babylon to Jerusalem took four months and
Ezra realized God’s hand in all these things. (Ezra
7:7-9)
Then we see the Bible’s description of Ezra as a student of
God’s Word, a life-long learner.
“For Ezra
had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to
do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
(Ezra
7:10)
Four attributes are listed as being necessary for one to be
a capable Bible student.
Body:
I.
We Must Prepare Our Hearts for God’s Word
·
The need to prepare
is seen in John the Baptist preparing the way for Christ. (Matthew
3:1-3)
Jesus warned his disciples to always be prepared for His
return. (Matthew
24:42-44)
·
This preparation
involves our hearts. We reason and think with our hearts. (Matthew
9:4)
We believe with our hearts. (Romans
10:10)
We obey with our hearts. (Romans
6:17)
II.
We Must Study God’s Word
·
This means we seek
diligently to understand the Scripture. (II
Timothy 2:15)
·
We must long for it
and desire it. (I
Peter 2:2, Jeremiah 15:16)
·
Some do not
approach the Bible properly and are never able to come to a
knowledge of the truth. (II
Timothy 3:7)
This may be because they try and use the Bible to prove
their beliefs instead of using the Bible to determine their
beliefs. Others believe the Bible is too difficult to
understand so they don’t even try or they end up twisting
the scriptures. (II
Peter 3:15-16)
·
Let it never be
said of you like it was said of some in
Hosea 4:6.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you
have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being
priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your
God, I also will forget your children.”
III.
We Must Practice God’s Word
·
It is not enough to
just know we must also do. (Luke
6:46, Matthew 7:21)
·
It is the one who
hears and does the Word of God that will be saved. (James
1:22-25)
·
Terrible
consequences await those who reject God’s Word and refuse to
obey. (John
12:48)
IV.
We Must Teach God’s Word
·
In the home (Deuteronomy
6:6-7, Ephesians 6:4)
·
One-on-One (Acts
8:30-31, 35)
·
Every day and
everywhere
(Acts 5:42)
·
The impact (Psalm
51:12-13)
Conclusion:
Let us all try and do our best
at becoming modern-day Ezra’s.
Bobby Stafford
June 8, 2014
