Kingdom Tension Part 20
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Tension,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
Last week in our ‘Kingdom Tension’ series, we talked about living out the gospel. Today, we are concluding this series by revisiting a fundamental principle for every believer: the importance of spending time in the Bible.
Colossians 3:16-17 (NIV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
That phrase, “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” carries real weight. It means that Scripture should not just visit our hearts occasionally, but should take up residence there. The sad reality is that many in the church today rarely open their Bibles. Research indicates that approximately 64 percent of churchgoers seldom or never read their Bible. Among older believers, the number is slightly lower, but among younger generations, it is significantly higher. Even more sobering is that only about five to seven percent of Christians have ever read the Bible all the way through.
This should give us pause. If we want to grow in Christ and truly live out the gospel, then the Word of God must become part of our daily lives. It is through Scripture that God shapes our minds, renews our hearts, and aligns our steps with His will. You cannot really know Christ apart from knowing His Word.
And here is the good news. Reading the Bible is not a boring obligation; it is an adventure. Think about it. The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 years by around forty different authors in sixty-six different books. Yet somehow it all fits together in perfect unity. Imagine one musician recording a song in one century, another adding a part in the next, and many more doing the same across two millennia. Put it all together, and instead of chaos, you hear a flawless symphony. That is what the Bible is like. The harmony is too perfect for human effort alone. God Himself inspires it.
And at the heart of it all, the Bible is a love story. It tells of God’s plan to redeem us, His patience with our wandering, and His ultimate gift in Jesus Christ. When you open the Bible, you are not just reading words on a page; you are encountering the living God who longs to dwell richly in you.
This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.
