RUBBISHED OR REVERED

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘Bible’?

Perhaps you ‘rubbish’ it as a huge heavy book found in the front of churches or gathering dust in a dark corner of your home.   Or perhaps you ‘revere’ it, finding in it some ‘does’ and ‘don’ts’, like the Ten Commandments; some interesting old stories, like Noah and the Ark, Adam and Eve, or stories told by Jesus, like the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Bible is actually the biggest selling book in the world and has influenced life for billions of people throughout history.   Many countries, including our own, have created societies based on the rules, wisdom and values found in the Bible.   Phrases found in the Bible, such as ‘turn the other cheek’ and ‘go the extra mile’ are part of our everyday language and Bible stories have inspired many of our greatest works of art.

The Bible is incredibly special to Christians today.   It is more than just a book.   It is a sacred text in which God’s words, spoken to many different people over thousands of years, are heard and seen as relevant today.   It shapes what we believe about God and inspires us to live in a way that is acceptable to God.

The Last Sunday After Trinity, is dedicated as ‘Bible Sunday’ and is a particular time when all Christians acknowledge the importance of the Bible in their lives.   Services on this Sunday reflect the importance of the Bible to the Christian Community.