“Y” Does It Matter? – Canon Not “Boom”

Rev. Andrew Prin
November 17, 2019

GodSpeak for the Week of November 17

We wrap up our series looking at the “forks”/the “Ys” we come to (and, take) in the “road of faith.”    Does it really matter which forks we take?  Does it really matter what we believe? 

This week we consider the source of our Christian worldview – the Bible, which is often referred to as “canon.”  Where did we REALLY get the canon?  And – as we’ve asked throughout this series – “Y” does it matter?

Day 1…Read John 17:13-19

  • Answer this – in His prayer to the Father, Christ notes that He has given God’s Word to people…and, what has been the world’s response to those who cling to God’s Word?
  • Answer this – according to Jesus here, what is it that “sanctifies” people (that is, “separate” from that which is profane and give it to God)?
    • Which makes God’s Word, what?

Day 2…Read Daniel 9:1-3

  • Consider this – the greatest lie about how we got the Bible in its present form is that it was cobbled together at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD).
    • Therefore, as the lie goes, it was HUMANS (and, powerful humans at that) who     picked-and-chose what to include.
  • Answer this – but, if that’s true (and, it is decidedly NOT) what does that say about how Daniel views the writings of Jeremiah in this passage?
    • What does Daniel understand God to have been doing through Jeremiah?

Day 3…Read Luke 24:44-48

  • Answer this – what does Jesus SPECIFICALLY REFERENCE in this passage, that you see in the Bible today?
  • Answer this – to what end/for what purpose does Jesus use those sources? (i.e., what point is He trying to make?)

Day 4…Read 2 Timothy 3:14-15

  • Consider this – Paul wrote these words to Timothy more than 200 years before the Council of Nicaea met.
  • Answer this – yet, what does Paul counsel regarding the Word that Timothy has learned?  What is Timothy (and others around Timothy) being called to do?
  • Consider this – in v. 15, Paul references the “Holy Scriptures” (Greek – literally, “sacred writings”).
  • Answer this – what two things does Paul say about them?

Day 5…Read 2 Timothy 3:15-16

  • Answer this – what quality does Paul say the Holy Scriptures/”sacred writings” have?

Day 6…Read Matthew 28:19-20

  • Consider this – this is Jesus’ final instruction to the disciples before He ascended to heaven.
  • Answer this – Jesus commands the disciples to make disciples, baptize them…and, what?
    • And, how did a number of the disciples fulfill this command from the Lord?

Extra Question…

  • Answer this – so, did the “canon”/Bible get decided upon by a group of church leaders in 325 AD?  Or, was it already in use and being gelled well BEFORE the Council of Nicaea?

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