Intro.
   A. Jesus left us an example that we should follow in His steps. 1 
      Pet. 2:21
      1. In this lesson, we want to look at how Jesus viewed and used
         the Scriptures so that we can do likewise.

I. JESUS VIEWED THE SCRIPTURES AS ORIGINATING WITH GOD. Mark 7:9-13
   A. Notice that what "Moses said" was equivalent to the
      commandment of God (vs. 9) and the word of God (vs. 13).
   B. Moses said, "Honor your father and mother"; however, they had
      made void the commandment of God by their tradition.
      1. According to them, one only needed to pronounce "Corban"
         (dedicated that money to the temple), and he was freed from
         honoring his father and mother.
      2. Thus, in this scheme the priest and rulers were aided, but  
         not the parents.

II. JESUS BELIEVED IN "VERBAL INSPIRATION" OF THE SCRIPTURES - THAT  
   EVERY WORD WAS INSPIRED. Mark 12:26-27
   A. He was answering the Sadducees who did not believe in life     
      after death. Acts 23:8
      1. In verse 27 Jesus made His argument on the tense of the
         verb.
      2. He showed that since God said to Moses at the burning bush,
         "I 'am' the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," it meant that
         Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were alive after death.
         a. Remember, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had long since
            been dead when God spoke to Moses at the burning
            bush.
         b. If they were not alive after death, God should have said,
            "I 'was' the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

III. WHEN JESUS WAS CONFRONTED BY THE JEWS, HE REPLIED WITH          
   SCRIPTURE.
   A. John 10:30-36
      1. He was showing in verse 34 that the judges were called
         "gods." Psalm 82:6
         a. If they were called "gods," He would not be
            blaspheming if He claimed to be the Son of God.
   B. Matt. 12:1-8
      1. Jesus uses four arguments to show that what his disciples
         were doing on the Sabbath was justified.
         a. By the example of David. Vs. 3-4
            (1) David was fleeing from Saul who was seeking to
                kill him.
            (2) In this emergency, David ate the showbread which
                was to be used only by the priests.
            (3) His disciples, in an emergency situation, as they
                worked with the Lord, should be allowed to pluck
                and eat the grain on the Sabbath.
         b. By the priests who worked on the Sabbath. Vs. 5
            (1) The Sabbath was the busiest day of the week for
                the priests.
            (2) The work of the disciples was superior to that of
                the priests.
         c. By His Lordship. Vs. 6,8
            (1) He and His work was greater than the service of
                the temple.
         d. By "mercy" which was greater than sacrifice.
            (1) Thus, God's desire for mercy would allow his
                disciples to so act on the Sabbath day.
            (2) In other words, they should have shown mercy to
                his disciples who were engaged in a good work.
                (a) They were "legalists" in the fullest sense.

IV. JESUS OFTEN SAID THAT CERTAIN EVENTS IN HIS LIFE, SOMETIMES HIS
   ENTIRE MINISTRY, FULFILLED OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. Luke 4:16-21
   A. He said that every detail of the O.T. Scriptures would be      
      fulfilled.
      Matt. 5:17-18
   B. He showed His disciples that His suffering and death fulfilled
      what was written. Luke 24:25-27, 44-49

V. JESUS BELIEVED THE SCRIPTURES TO BE HISTORICALLY TRUE.
   A. This may seem like an unnecessary point; nonetheless, today
      many want to believe in Jesus but reject certain O.T. stories  
      such as the flood and Jonah and the whale.
   B. Jesus spoke of the many things of the O.T. as being true, not  
      as legends or myths.
      1. He spoke of the creation. Matt. 19:4
      2. He referred to the flood in Noah's day. Matthew 24:37-38
      3. He spoke of the widow who fed Elijah and Naaman the
         Leper. Luke 4:25-27
      4. He spoke of the repentance of Nineveh. Matt. 12:41
      5. He spoke of Daniel the prophet. Matt. 24:15
         a. These few examples alone span the whole O.T. era.
   C. This shows Jesus' acceptance of the O.T. Scriptures and puts   
      His stamp of approval and endorsement upon them.
      1. If those things of the O.T. were not true, Jesus was wrong  
         in his assessment of them, and this makes him a false       
         prophet.

VI. JESUS OFTEN ASKED, "HAVE YOU NOT READ IN THE SCRIPTURES?"
   A. He did so in answering people's questions. Matt. 19:3-6
      1. Thus, from the beginning, it was one man with one woman
         for life.
      2. This is what the Scriptures taught.
   B. We, likewise, need to ask the same question ("Have you not read
      in the Scriptures") as we try to teach and defend the truth.

VII. JESUS SHOWED THE VALUE OF THE SCRIPTURES FOR OUR SPIRITUAL WELL 
    BEING. Matt. 4:4
    A. There is something far more important that plain bread.
       1. It is the spiritual bread, the bread of life.
       2. This is the bread which should be our primary interest and
          concern. John 6:26; 2 Tim. 2:15
          a. The story is told of a small fishing village where, for
             many years, a flock of sea gulls fed on the scraps the
             fishermen left. All was fine and good for the sea gulls
             until eventually the fishing became poor, and the
             villagers moved down the coast to a location where fish
             were more plentiful. The sea gulls did not follow the
             fishermen and--because they had lived off the scraps of
             the fishermen and never learned to feed themselves--the
             entire flock of birds died.
           b. Believers who feed only on what others teach them are
              like those foolish sea gulls. (From 1500 Illustrations
              for Biblical Preaching, p. 32)

VIII. JESUS USED THE SCRIPTURES IN OVERCOMING TEMPTATION. Matt.      
   4:1-10
   A. Jesus met every temptation by quoting Scripture.
   B. We, likewise, need to meet temptations with Scripture.
      1. In the "whole armor" that the Christian is to put on, God's
         word is mentioned four times: truth, gospel of peace, sword
         of the Spirit, and the word of God. Eph. 6:10-17
         a. Thus, the Scriptures, along with our own faith and
            endurance, will give us the strength we need in
            overcoming temptation.

IX. JESUS USED SCRIPTURES IN REBUKING SIN. Matt. 21:12-13
   A. We have already seen how Jesus used Scripture in combating the
      traditions of men.
   B. Here, in Matt. 21:12-13, He confronts evil men by showing they
      had violated Scripture.
      1. We, too, are to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all
         longsuffering and teaching," and we do it by using          
         Scripture.

Concl.
   A. The view Jesus held of Scripture should be our view of         
      Scripture.
   B. Our view of Scripture will determine the way we interpret them,
      the way we use them in our teaching, and the way we respond to
      them.
   C. In all things, let us seek to please our Master. Matt. 10:25
      1. A young violinist had studied under a world-renowned
         master. Eventually, the time came for the student's first
         recital. Following each selection, despite the cheers of the
         crowd, the performer seemed dissatisfied. Even after the    
         last number, with the shouts louder than ever, the talented
         violinist stood watching an old man in the balcony. Finally,
         the elderly one smiled and nodded in approval. Immediately,
         the young man relaxed and beamed with happiness. You see,
         the man in the balcony was his teacher, and thus the        
         applause of the crowd had meant nothing to him until he had 
         first won the hearty approval of his master. (From 1500     
         Illustrations for Biblical Preaching)
      2. Let us diligently seek the hearty approval of our Master,   
         and not be overly concerned about the approval of men.
      3. If we, with singleness of heart, faithfully serve our Lord  
         and Master, the approval or disapproval from men will take  
         care of itself.