As a preacher, pastor and evangelist, I have endeavored to do what the Apostle Paul told his “son in the Gospel,” Timothy to do, which was simply to “preach the Word.” I am referring to II Timothy 4:2-3: “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”

However, today I am not only going to “preach the Word,” I am going to speak, or should I say write, specifically about the Word of God. The Gospel of John is a great place to start. The Apostle John wrote the Gospel of John around A.D. 85 and begins this Gospel with these powerful opening words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and Word was God.” (St. John 1:1) Then he makes another powerful statement in that very same chapter: “And the Word of God became flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.”

Let’s start with just how powerful the Word of God actually is. The author of the Book of Hebrews gives us great insight about God’s Word. From Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Word of God cuts into our innermost being in order to discern whether our thoughts and intents (motives) are spiritual or carnal. This “two edged sword” means that the Word of God is living and active. It has the power and ability to cut both ways, thereby able to penetrate into the deepest parts of human intent and conscience.

This Sunday we are celebrating Easter, or what I prefer to call Resurrection Sunday. The Word of God is all about love and redemption, salvation and deliverance, mercy and grace, faith and hope. It’s all about prophecies made and prophecies fulfilled … promises made and promises kept. Having said that, I believe the Apostle Paul gave such clarity to what the Word of God is all about. He wrote the following in II Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,(conviction of sin) for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect (complete) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Probably the most well-known and most quoted Scripture of the entire Bible would be John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but everlasting life.” The Bible gives us the plan of salvation: repentance, water baptism in Jesus Name and receiving of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Through the Word of God we know how to be saved and how to stay saved.

We learn through the Word of God to live a godly, righteous and holy life. Once again, the Apostle Paul gives us understanding and challenges each one of how to live for God in this ungodly world. “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:12

God’s Word is forever. “The grass withereth, the flower, faded, but the Word of our God shall stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) It is recorded in the Book of Matthew, Mark and Luke where Jesus made a powerful statement about the Word of God when He said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.”

The psalmist said it so beautifully when talking about the Word of God:

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:103-105

Finally, consider the words of Jesus during His temptation in the wilderness: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:2-3)

It is my hope and desire that we will all embrace the powerful and eternal words of God Almighty. Then through wisdom and understanding, may we apply it to our lives. Learn it, love it and live it!