Gospel Talk: The Most Valuable Gift This World Affords

Room65 - The Most Valuable Gift This World Affords

David J. Nixon (August 2010)

the Bible is RELEVANT, God's Word is TRUE at all times and places, and it is God's INVITATION to know the true King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Welcome to Room65 at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Carrubbers is a church that has been working in the community here for 150 years now, and has a prime location between the castle at the top of the hill and the Queen’s palace at the bottom. I don’t know what you think about the British Royal Family, but whatever your views you will probably have heard of Prince William and maybe have a soft spot for him! He and his long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton, just moved in with each other a few months ago fuelling rumours that the long-awaiting royal engagement is due any time! Now I’m getting married this year, but as much as I love my fiancé, our wedding is not going to be nearly as grand as this royal one!!! This is very exciting because this is the young heir to the throne and this will be his future queen! Let’s think a little bit about the Coronation Ceremony that one day we will witness for this couple.

When current Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1953 at the height of the ceremony she was presented with a book accompanied with these words: 'Our Gracious Queen, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords.”
Imagine that, she is being given a crown worth millions, palaces and mansions all around the country; is the head of the British Commonwealth around the globe…but all of that pales into insignificance compared with this BOOK.

You know, this same Book was once considered the most dangerous book in the world: in England 500 years ago if you were found with a copy of it in English then you would be burnt alive at the stake along with it. Indeed, hundreds of good people lost their lives smuggling it into the country in bags of flour and wool. What book could really be so threatening to those in power?

Well before I tell you, let me add that this Book also makes the most astounding claims: it claims that it contains the Words of Life.

This book is none other than The Bible – the world’s best selling book: HAVE YOU EVER READ IT?

Maybe you’ve heard that far from containing the Words of Life, the Bible is irrelevant to life in our world today. Well do you see these issues as being ones we face today?:

 war
 poverty
 injustice
 love
 suffering
 forgiveness
 relationships
 death

The Bible has much to say on these issues and MANY MORE.

But it is not just the fact that it addresses relevant ISSUES that means you should read it, but also because it contains relevant ANSWERS. Maybe you’re asking though: how can a 2000 year-old book be relevant today? Only because it is authored by and contains the Words of the One who authoritatively knows how this world was meant to work in the first place, the one who is truly the ruling king and creator of all things: God! The Bible claims for itself that it is the very WORD OF GOD.

God is the king over all of creation. He made a wonderful and good creation to rule over with goodness and love. Men and women were meant to love and delight in being members of God’s kingdom…but they would not bow the knee to their king. Instead we all have rebelled against the king’s authority. We have broken His commands, which we find recorded in the Bible. We ignore the King in His own kingdom. Indeed we have decided that we will be kings and queens of our own little lives – which makes us REBELS in the sight of God and His kingdom.
*The Bible is amazing because it INTRODUCES US TO THE KING – WE MAY NEVER KNOW AND MEET PRINCE WILLIAM BUT WE CAN MEET THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS => we all will meet God the King one day at the end of our lives, but the question will be whether we will be received into His kingdom, or are punished as rebels for living in His world ignoring Him and His decrees.

The Bible tells us of Jesus, God’s Son, who was sent into this world to bring peace between the King and the Rebels. The Bible contains the Words of Life because it tells us how we can have life by accepting the invitation Jesus gives us to know God the King and be made right with Him again after our rebellion.

Let me share with you one of the amazing things Jesus says in the Bible: “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE; no man comes to God except through me” John 14:6.
 I AM THE WAY (The record of Jesus in the Bible gives us an invitation to be introduced to the King)
 THE TRUTH (Jesus and the Bible deals relevantly with all the issues we face in reality because it is written by the Creator who made the very fabric of this reality)
 THE LIFE (The Bible not only directs us in how to live, but tells us that true life comes from being restored into a right relationship with the creator King from whom all life comes and by being forgiven for our rebellion: “I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly” John 10:10)

Please take away with you a portion of this book (John’s Gospel) which is the most valuable thing this world has, the Words of God. In John’s gospel (which I quoted from earlier) you can be introduced to Jesus, the king and receive an invitation to receive true abundant life for ever in His kingdom.