“do you understand what you are reading?” acts 8:30

“Do You Understand What You Are Reading?”

Acts 8:30

Do you understand what you are reading?

•Acts 8:26-40, Philip joins the eunuch and asks the question.

• Philip begins with the passage and preaches Jesus to him

• The eunuch obeys the gospel

Do you understand what you are reading?

• Are we incapable of understanding the word of God by ourselves?

• Can God’s word be understood?

God’s Word Can be Understood

•Eph. 3:3-5, “…you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ…”

God’s Word Can be Understood

•Eph. 5:17, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

God’s Word Can be Understood

•2 Tim. 3:16-17, “…that the man of God may be complete.”

•Matt. 13:23, the “good ground” “hears the word and understands it”

God’s Word Can be Understood

•2 Tim. 2:15, “…rightly dividing the word of truth.”

•1 Pet. 2:1-2, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby

God’s Word Can be Understood

•Matt. 12:3, 5; 19:4, “…have you not read?”

•Acts 17:11, they searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so

God’s Word Can be Understood

•2 Tim. 3:14-15, From childhood, the holy scriptures “able to make you wise for salvation…”

God’s Word Can be Understood

•John 20:30-31, “…These are written that you may believe…”

•Luke 1:1-4, “that you may know the certainty of those things…

God’s Word Can be Understood

• A simple reading of the New Testament epistles finds that we are intended to understand what is said!

We CANNOT understand His word

He is the author of confusion

•1 Cor. 14:33

•1 Tim. 2:3-4

IF

We CANNOT understand His word

The Bible is Irrelevant

•What good is the Bible? Why not some other philosophy or religion?

•2 Pet. 1:3, Psa. 119:104

IF

We CANNOT understand His word

WE cannot know how to be saved

Salvation IS tied to our understanding – Mark. 16:15

IF

We CANNOT understand His word

WE cannot know how to please God!

•Are we guessing at it? John 12:48, Rom. 1:16-17

IF

We CANNOT understand His word

True unity cannot be achieved

•This is why we are divided!1 Cor. 1:10, John 17:20-21

•Philippians 2:2 – one mind

IF

Yes we CAN understand God’s word.

Are you obeying God even in this?

IN our next lesson:

•HOW to understand God’s word