25-1207p - Detailed Summary

The preacher, John greets the congregation and introduces the sermon title, “It’s Personal.” He explains that God’s Word feels deeply personal to him and hopes it does the same for the listeners. Proverbs is one of his favorite books because this verse (Proverbs 23:7) reveals the direct connection between what a person thinks in their heart and who they truly are. Thoughts shape actions and character. Everything we dwell on flows into our behavior, and the choices we make stem from what we truly believe.

John distinguishes between passive belief and active, heartfelt belief that drives every part of life. He uses everyday examples: running an orange light because we passively believe we can make it, versus slamming on the brakes if we truly believe danger is present. People instinctively recognize the truth of Proverbs 23:7—even non-Christians—when they ask someone who made a foolish mistake, “What were you thinking?” Warped thinking produces warped behavior. What we actively believe affects relationships, work, money, possessions—every personal area of life. When asked if Jesus is the only way to heaven, the preacher affirms yes, because God’s Word says so, and the case is closed. Yet many react defensively, declaring spiritual matters “personal” and refusing discussion, even though truth remains true regardless of acceptance.

John promotes the Wednesday night engagement project, noting that relationships determine how deeply we can discuss spiritual truth without offending. He reads Luke 8:17 (nothing hidden will stay concealed) and 1 Timothy 5:24-25 (sins and good works will eventually be revealed). Even secret actions at 3 a.m. are fully seen by God. Jonah’s attempt to flee shows no one can hide from the Lord. The preacher asks rhetorically whether anyone journals their thoughts for reflection and alignment with reality. While a diary is private, journaling still exposes the heart, and most would be uncomfortable making it fully public.

John then contrasts human reluctance with God’s astonishing openness: what is more personal than the mind and heart of the living God? Yet God has written 66 books containing His deepest thoughts and made them completely public, translated into countless languages and now freely available online. From the expensive single family Bibles of the past to instant internet access today, we have the immense privilege and responsibility to hear the actual words of the living God spoken directly to us. The preacher urges the congregation to listen to the upcoming reading with fresh ears, hearing the personal nature and heartfelt voice of God speaking through human writers.

John introduces the letter to the Colossians, written by the real men Paul and Timothy to real believers in the city of Colossae (modern-day Turkey). He notes how much of the New Testament takes place in Turkey and calls it almost a “second holy land.” He begins reading Colossians 1 slowly, emphasizing its personal tone. Paul and Timothy greet the saints in Colossae with grace and peace, give thanks for their faith, love, and hope laid up in heaven, and acknowledge the gospel’s fruitfulness among them through the ministry of Epaphras—a real person with an uncommon name. The preachers pray continually that the Colossians be filled with knowledge of God’s will, walk worthy of the Lord, be fruitful, increase in knowledge, and be strengthened with patience, longsuffering, and joy. John highlights the thanksgiving to the Father who has already qualified believers to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light, declaring that if you are a Christian, God says you are “in.” He stresses that these are real people with everyday concerns writing to other real people, making God’s Word intensely personal to every listener.

John continues reading Colossians 1, marveling that the eternal God cares for each tiny individual and has delivered believers from the power of darkness into the kingdom of the Son He loves. In Christ we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, the One through whom and for whom all things—visible and invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers—were created. He existed before all things and holds all things together. Christ is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might have preeminence in everything. It pleased the Father that all fullness dwell in Him, and through the blood of His cross He reconciles all things in heaven and earth to Himself.

The preacher emphasizes that we were once alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works, yet Christ reconciled us through His death on the cross to present us holy, blameless, and above reproach before God. John expresses awe that the Creator would endure such pain for specks like us because He loves us personally. He then reads verse 23, highlighting the conditional “if”: we must continue grounded and steadfast in the faith and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel that has been preached to every creature under heaven. Paul became a minister of this gospel. John reminds the listeners that we have an open window into the very heart and thoughts of our Creator—He has willingly placed His deepest words before us without condemnation, inviting us to read and examine them.

John praises the Bereans for searching the Scriptures daily to verify what they heard, saying this is exactly what every believer should do—go back to the original text to confirm truth. All of this is intensely personal yet completely true.

The Bible is both personal and perfect, proven by real-world evidence. Among the strongest proofs are the thousands of ancient manuscripts written on various materials—clay tablets, animal skins, copper scrolls, and papyrus made from crossed reeds. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls a few decades ago provided dramatic confirmation: texts hidden in desert caves for over two thousand years contain the exact same words (in the original languages) as the Bibles we hold today. This multitude of manuscript evidence demonstrates beyond doubt that the text we have is precisely what God intended us to receive—His personal words to us.

John returns to the opening verse from Proverbs: be careful what you think about, what you dwell on, and therefore what you believe, because there are real consequences to both correct and incorrect thinking. Clear thinking matters eternally because we hold the truth of God’s Word. Believers must have faith in what is true and reject lies. He prays the message has uplifted everyone and invites anyone who needs to respond to the gospel—anything that needs to be addressed—to come forward while the congregation sings.