[Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:17-20]

Introduction

A. In every aspect of His life, Jesus emphasized the Scriptures: when he preached (Luke 4:14-21), when he rebuked the erring (Matt. 26:54), when He was tempted (Matt. 4:1-11), and when He died (Matt. 27:46).

B. As disciples of Jesus, we should seek to be diligent students and teachers of God’s Word (cf. Ezra 7:10).

C. While we need to read the Bible daily, we must also study it carefully.

I. A jot or tittle can make a difference in the meaning of a passage.

A. A “jot” (Matt. 5:18) is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and a “tittle” is a tiny mark or stroke on a letter.

B. A jot or tittle can mean the difference between “praise” and “wound” (Isa. 53:5), or “conceive” and “burn” (Isa. 7:14).

II. As you read your Bible, pay attention to the details in the text.

A. Pay attention to the tense of each verb (Matt. 22:32; John 8:58; Rom. 4:17; 6:7-11).

B. Sometimes even numbers can be important, so pay close attention (Matt. 16:18; Gal. 3:16).

C. Make sure that you learn Bible definitions for Bible words (Luke 10:25-29; John 18:38).

D. Notice carefully who the subject of each passage is (Jdg. 1:19; John 6:30-33; Rom. 10:13).

E. Whenever possible, we should try to understand the purpose behind every command (Deut. 22:9-10; 1 Cor. 9:9-15).

III. We need to be careful in our handling of the Word of God.

A. In keeping with OT commandment (Deut. 4:2), the ancients showed tremendous reverence for God’s Word.

B. They also demonstrated great respect for the name of God (Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Isa. 42:8).

C. We likewise need to be very careful how we handle God’s Word today (2 Tim. 2:15).

Conclusion

A. Jesus taught that the Word of God will stand when all else in this world has failed (Matt. 5:18; John 12:48).

B. When this world is destroyed and the books are opened before Jesus’ judgment seat (Rev. 20:12), you will give an answer (Rom. 14:12).

C. If you had to give an answer today, what would your answer be?