While the Bible is certainly not less than a book about God's self-revelation in His only Son Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world and rose again for the justification of those sinners, it is certainly much more. It is not merely an account "about" God's salvation of the world. It is itself a conferral of its own content. The Word of God is not merely letters, syllables, and words, but it is the living, breathing speech of God to the world. That Word of God does not merely tell the story about Jesus; it gives Jesus to us in its telling. The Word of God is an active Word not a dead letter as the writer to the Hebrews says, "The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12). God spoke and worlds came to be (Gn 1:3). He spoke to Mary and the Holy One was conceived in her (Lk 1:35). Jesus Himself, who created all things by His Word (Heb 11:3), promises us: "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (Jn 6:63).

This is why the church preaches the Word of God; because in that proclamation God is conferring Himself and all His benefits on those to whom it is proclaimed. I was interested to find out from a friend that churches are insisting that their members read books in preparation to hear sermons, such as the books of Max Lucado. When I asked my friend why the Bible was not sufficient in these cases as a source of Christian preaching, she just shrugged her shoulders. Today, the Word of God is not being accepted as the source of teaching in the church. Why? Ostensibly because it is not understood by the average reader, or it is thought to be chained to an ancient world view that no longer resonates with the contemporary reader. Now, we need to reduce the biblical content to something less challenging, such as the distilled nuggets of "biblical truth" mediated by the authors of religious self-help books. As for the Word of God itself; not only is it doing nothing, it is actually considered an impediment to growth in the faith.

This is a path that leads away from being the church, about which Christ said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18). Only the Word of God has the power to create the church and nothing else. When something else is conceived of as creating the church, then we no longer have the church. All manner of other useful human institutions can and should be created by "something else," but the church is not. We must preach the Word of God (2Ti 4:2), it gives us Christ and all His benefits to us. The church must be careful that she does not merely talk about Christ, instead of proclaiming Christ. In my ministry, I have had uncounted examples of exactly how the Word of God works. When I have studied a specific Word of God, suddenly that day the very Word which I have just studied is exactly the Word of God that is needed by one of God's sheep. It changes things. It gives peace when there are burdens abounding. It forgives those whose hearts ache for God's mercy. Using the Word of God makes all the difference in the world.