bible basics.master answer key - the brookside institute · b....

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Bible BasicsAn Important Class About God's Word.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!© Tim Wiebe 2011, 2015 permissions pending ! !

BIBLE BASICS: an important class about God’s Word !!!!Session #1 Why Should I Begin Reading God’s Word? p. 3 !!Session #2 Where Should I Begin? p. 13 God’s Word: Structure and Storyline !!Session #3/4 Where Should I Begin? p. 29 The Storyline of God’s Word !!Session #5 How Should I Read? p. 49 Equipped with the Right Methods !!Session #6 1 John Workshop p. 69 !!Session #7 How Should I Read? p. 81 CulVvaVng the Right Mindset !!Session #8 GeXng into God’s Word in Such a Way that p. 95 God’s Word Gets into Us !!

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session 1 !

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WHY Should I Begin Reading the Bible? GeXng into God’s Word !!!I. Introduc@on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!II. A few guiding principles to keep in mind… !!

A. You are in just as much control of the class as I am…almost. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !�5

"MarVn Luther wished to make two contribuVons to ChrisVanity: A Bible people could understand and a hymnal from which they could sing. He said 'Let these loose. The flame will spread on its own.'"

!B. This class won't answer all of your quesVons about the Bible, but

here's what it will do: !!!!!1. Give you some good, important informaVon about the Bible

!!!!!!!!!2. Address the aXtude we should approach the Bible with.

!!!!!!!!!3. Equip you with skills off of which you can build further study.

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“...biblical literacy is as much about learning how to respond to the Bible as it is about knowing the details of the Bible’s stories.” -‐ George Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life.

!!C. Keep in mind what we're studying: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!D. This class requires slow digesVon.

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“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretaVon of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” -‐ The Apostle Peter, 2 Peter 1:20-‐21

!!III. GeHng Into God’s Word !!

A. Why we don’t !!!!!!!!!!!!!!B. Why we should: 3 Big Things to Keep in Mind !!

1. This Book deserves to be noVced because of its centrality

to the ChrisVan faith.

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“Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence [toward God’s Word]. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.” -‐R. C. Sproul

!2. This Book deserves to be noVced because it claims to be

God’s Word. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!3. This Book deserves to be noVced because it proves to be

God’s Word. !!a. Internal reliability !!!!!!!b. External reliability !!!!!!!c. Impact !!!!!

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“All Scripture is God-‐breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcVng, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” -‐ The Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 3:16-‐17

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Archaeological finds supporting the biblical record:(adapted from John Walton, Charts of the Old Testament, 1994. pp. 76-77. Permissions pending)

Found (AD) Name

Biblical Significance

Origin (BC)

Found (AD) Name

Biblical Significance

Origin (BC)

1902 Beni Hasan Tomb Painting

Pictures Semites in

Egypt1900 1906 Boghaz-Koy

Hittite history and

illustrations of international

treaties

16th c.

1901 Laws of Hammurabi

Illustrates ancient Near Easter law

1725 1925-1941 Nuzi

Source for contemporary

customs in mid-2nd

millennium

15th c.

1896 Merenptah Stela

First mention of the name

“Israel”1207 1929-

1937 UgaritCanaanite

religion and literature

15th c.

1993“House of

David” inscription

Earliest mention of David in

contemporary records

9th c. 1887 Amarna

Reflects conditions in Palestine in

mid-2nd millennium

1360-1330

1967 Balaam TextsConnected to a famous seer known from

the Bible

8th c. 1956 Babylonian Chronicles

Record of capture of

Jerusalem in 587 and

history of the period

626- 594

1979 Silver ScrollsEarliest copy of any portion of the Bible

7th c.

1830 Sennacherib Cylinder

Describes siege of

Jerusalem686

1935 Lachish Ostraca

Conditions during the

final Babylonian

siege

588

1879 Cyrus Cylinder

Illustrates the policy by

which Judah also

benefitted

535

Major Inscriptions of Old Testament Significance

Major Tablets of Old Testament Significance

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Reflec@on Ques@ons i Session #1: WHY Should I Begin Reading the Bible? !!➡ IdenVfy at least one reason you are taking this class. With the first session now behind you, do you

believe this class will address your moVve? Why or why not? !!!!!!!➡ Did you especially relate to any of the "excuses" or reasons why people don't read God's Word?

Describe why this obstacle is difficult for you to overcome. !!!!!!!➡ Which of the three reasons why we should study God's Word jumped out at you the most? Explain

why you chose this one. !!!!!!!!➡ If the Bible truly is God's Word, how should that affect how we approach it? Do you have any

personal stories of how God's Word has impacted you in a significant way? !!!!!

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For Further Study i Session #1: WHY Should I Begin Reading the Bible? !!Craig L. Blomberg, Can We S>ll Believe the Bible? An Evangelical Engagement with Contemporary

Ques>ons. Brazos, 2014. !Wayne Grudem, Systema>c Theology: An Introduc>on to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,

1994. !Michael J. Kruger, Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books.

Crossway, 2012. !Jonathan Morrow, Ques>oning the Bible: 11 Major Challenges to the Bible’s Authority. Moody, 2014. !Amy Orr-‐Ewing, Is the Bible Intolerant? Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2005. !J.I. Packer, Honouring the WriRen Word of God. Collected Shorter WriVngs of J.I. Packer, vol 3.

Paternoster, 1999. !Francis A. Schaeffer, He Is There and He Is Not Silent, in the Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy. Crossway,

1990. !!!!!!

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session 2 !

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WHERE Should I Begin? The Storyline of God’s Word (Part 1) !!!I. Introduc;on !!!!!!!II. The structure of God's Word !!

A. Taking a look at the pieces !!!!!!!!!B. Grouping the pieces… !!!

1. The two most basic units in the Bible are the

Old and New Testaments.

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The Bible is not so much a puzzle to be solved as it is a story to be told -‐ and entered into.

THE BIBLE -‐ TABLE OF CONTENTS (English Bibles) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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...beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. -‐Luke 24:27

OLD TESTAMENT !Genesis Ecclesiastes Exodus Song of Solomon LeviVcus Isaiah Numbers Jeremiah Deuteronomy LamentaVons Joshua Ezekiel Judges Daniel Ruth Hosea 1 Samuel Joel 2 Samuel Amos 1 Kings Obadiah 2 Kings Jonah 1 Chronicles Micah 2 Chronicles Nahum Ezra Habakkuk Nehemiah Zephaniah Esther Haggai Job Zechariah Psalms Malachi Proverbs !NEW TESTAMENT !Mavhew 1 Timothy Mark 2 Timothy Luke Titus John Philemon Acts Hebrews Romans James 1 Corinthians 1 Peter 2 Corinthians 2 Peter GalaVans 1 John Ephesians 2 John Philippians 3 John Colossians Jude 1 Thessalonians RevelaVon 2 Thessalonians

!!2. Within these two Testaments, there are other groupings that

the books can be placed into (see avached handouts). !!!!!!!3. Don’t miss this: !

The Bible is not a novel – it is more like a library. What you're reading should affect how you're reading it. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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“I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.” -‐ Psalm 119:99-‐100

LOOKING AT THE BIBLE THROUGH THE LENS OF GENRE adapted from Zondervan Handbook to the Bible, pp. 14-‐17 !!

THE OLD TESTAMENT

GENRE Law (Torah) History Poetry & Wisdom Prophets

BIBLICAL BOOKS

Genesis, Exodus, LeviVcus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamenta;ons, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

OVERVIEW These books contain stories of the creaVon of the world, the great flood and the founding fathers (and mothers!) of the naVon of Israel (Genesis); enslavement in Egypt and the exodus (Exodus); and 40 years spent wandering the Sinai ‘wilderness’ (Numbers, Deuteronomy). They also record the gi| of God’s law for his people summed up in the 10 Commandments (Exodus, Deuteronomy) and detailed regulaVons for sacrifice and worship, centered on the Tabernacle (God’s special Tent) in Exodus and LeviVcus.

StarVng with the conquest of the land God promised to his people (Joshua), these books conVnue the story of the naVon of Israel, its heroes and those who failed the naVon by leading them astray from God. The period of rule by ‘judges’ (Gideon, Samson, and the rest) ends with Samuel, Israel’s king maker. A|er the reign of kings Saul, David, and Solomon who builds God’s Temple (1&2 Samuel; 1 Kings), 10 northern tribes of Israel break away to form the kingdom of Israel, while David’s line conVnues in Judah. The fall of Samaria to Assyria marks the end of Israel. But a remnant from Judah survives the destrucVon of Jerusalem and exile to Babylon, returning home to rebuild the Temple & city walls (Ezra; Nehemiah).

These books contain most of the Bible’s poetry, and the ‘wisdom’ (much of it in the form of proverbs: see Proverbs and Ecclesiastes) which was parVcularly popular in the Ancient Near East around the Vme of King Solomon. Job is a poeVc drama about suffering. The Psalms are Israel’s hymnbook. The Song of Solomon is lyric love-‐poetry.

The prophets brought God’s word to his people: warning of judgment (when people were straying from God and breaking his laws) and encouraging with hope and promises (wen Vmes were bleak). Most lived in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, when the naVon was under threat, first from Assyrians, then from the Babylonians. Amos was the one who spoke for jusVce on behalf of the poor. A few belong to the Vme of the return from exile A number of prophecies (the best known are in Isaiah) look forward to a coming ‘Messiah,’ whom God will send to set his people free and rule in peace and jusVce.

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LOOKING AT THE BIBLE THROUGH THE LENS OF GENRE (cont’d) adapted from Zondervan Handbook to the Bible, pp. 14-‐17 !!

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THE NEW TESTAMENT

GENRE Gospels and Acts Le[ers and Revela;on

BIBLICAL BOOKS

Mavhew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, GalaVans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude, RevelaVon

OVERVIEW The four Gospels record the life of Jesus, majoring on his three years as a traveling teacher and healer, and the final week when he was crucified. His resurrecVon is seen as confirming his claim to be the promised Messiah/‘Son of God.’ All draw on the eye-‐witness evidence of his closest followers; each writer has his own parVcular purpose in telling the story. Acts is the sequel to Luke’s Gospel, the story of how the first ChrisVans, parVcularly Peter and the convert, Pau, spread the ‘good news’ of Jesus in the Jewish and GenVle worlds -‐ as far as Rome itself.

The first 13 of these levers -‐ wriven to newly formed ‘young churches’ -‐ deal with parVcular situaVons, quesVons the ChrisVans were raising, and the needs of leaders. All are under the name of Paul, the ‘apostle to the GenVles,’ whose dramaVc conversion is recorded in Acts. Hebrews (more of a sermon than a lever) is anonymous. The other, ‘general’ levers speak to wider groups of ChrisVans. !RevelaVon, although a circular lever, is the only New Testament example of ‘apocalypVc’ wriVng. Addressed to parVcular ChrisVans, it reassures them that God’s purposes are being and will be carried out, unVl history itself is wound up, evil is finally destroyed, and God’s people enjoy his presence forever in a ‘new heaven and a new earth.’

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a probably-‐incomplete-‐but-‐nevertheless-‐useful

sentence-‐summaries of the books of the Bible

!The Bible Looking for a place to start? Here is a quick summary of every book in the Bible. Some of the summaries include an overview of the events in the book, others include the theme of the book under consideraVon. !OLD TESTAMENT: The Old Testament can be divided into four secVons: (1) the Pentateuch, (2) history books, (3) poetry & wisdom and (4) the prophets. Understanding these divisions will give you a bever grasp on what each book is talking about and how it fits into the whole Old Testament. !Pentateuch: The first five books of the Bible tell the origins of the Jewish race and culture. They give many of God's laws about how to live. !

‣ Genesis: The book of beginnings

‣ Exodus: The Hebrew people (Israelites) exit from Egypt

‣ LeviVcus: How to approach a holy God before Jesus' once-‐for-‐all sacrifice

‣ Numbers: The wanderings of God's people in the wilderness

‣ Deuteronomy: RestaVng God’s law before entering the Promised Land

!History books: These 12 historical books cover the occupaVon of the Promised Land, the Vme of the Judges, Israel's kings, the fall of the two kingdoms Israel and Judah, and a return to Jerusalem a|er exile. !

‣ Joshua: Israel enters the Promised Land.

‣ Judges: Israel's repeated turning from God and their cry for help

‣ Ruth: Godliness illustrated – a godly woman's story

‣ 1 Samuel: Israel's early kings

‣ 2 Samuel: Israel's early kings

‣ 1 Kings: Story of the divided kingdom (Israel & Judah)

‣ 2 Kings: Story on the divided kingdom (Israel & Judah)

‣ 1 Chronicles: Editorial on David

‣ 2 Chronicles: Editorial on Judah

‣ Ezra: The return of exiles to Jerusalem

‣ Nehemiah: The rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem

‣ Esther: Jews under threat

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!Poetry & Wisdom Literature: Almost ½ of the Old Testament was originally wriven in poetry. These books concentrate on quesVons about pain, God, life, love, evil and wisdom. !

‣ Job: God's sovereignty and human suffering

‣ Psalms: Worship/humanity's response to God

‣ Proverbs: Wisdom

‣ Ecclesiastes: Life without God is empty

‣ Song of Songs: A picture of authenVc love

!Prophets: During the years when kings ruled Israel and Judah, God spoke through the prophets. Though some prophets did predict future events, their primary role was to call God's people back to God and His covenant with Israel. The 17 propheVc books account for almost ¼ of the whole Bible. They are divided into "major prophets" (the first five) and "minor prophets" (the last twelve). The "minor" prophets are shorter – not less important. !

‣ Isaiah: SalvaVon comes from God

‣ Jeremiah: God's paVence and holiness

‣ LamentaVons: Mourning over Jerusalem's destrucVon

‣ Ezekiel: The glory of the Lord

‣ Daniel: The universal sovereignty of God

‣ Hosea: God's love for Israel

‣ Joel: God's judgment

‣ Amos: Amos cries out against corrupVon in the upper classes of society and against oppression of the

needy

‣ Obadiah: Judgment on Edom, a naVon which hated Israel, God's chosen people

‣ Jonah: SalvaVon for non-‐Jews (a whale of a story!)

‣ Micah: Micah exposes the abuse of power by the religious and business leaders who governed Judah,

the southern kingdom

‣ Nahum: God judges Nineveh, the city to which Jonah went to preach, because of their sin

‣ Habakkuk: Struggle, doubt, and God's sovereignty

‣ Zephaniah: The coming day of judgment

‣ Haggai: Put God first

‣ Zechariah: God's care for his people

‣ Malachi: An appeal to backsliders

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NEW TESTAMENT: There are 27 books in the New Testament and they fall into two broad categories or types of wriVng: (1) Gospels and (2) levers. Before you study a New Testament book, it helps to consider what type of literature you are reading: Is it a Gospel or a lever? !Gospels & Acts: The word gospel means "good news." Almost half of the New Testament consists of four accounts of the life of Jesus and the good news he brought to earth. Each of these four books (or Gospels) has a different focus and a different audience; taken together, they give a complete picture of Jesus' life and teaching. Acts conVnues this first century history into the period a|er Jesus le| the earth and talks about the early church. !

‣ Mavhew: Jesus as the Messiah & King

‣ Mark: Jesus as the servant

‣ Luke: Jesus as the ideal man

‣ John: Jesus as the eternal Son of God

‣ Acts: Life in the early church

!Levers (and RevelaVon): The young church was nourished by apostles who set down their beliefs and messages in a series of levers, levers which o|en responded to specific issues parVcular local churches were facing. The first 13 such levers (Romans through Philemon) were wriven by the Apostle Paul, who led the advance of ChrisVanity to non-‐Jewish people. !

‣ Romans: God's gi| of righteousness

‣ 1 Corinthians: Pi�alls and potenVal for healthy church life

‣ 2 Corinthians: Paul defends his apostleship

‣ GalaVans: There is no other gospel

‣ Ephesians: Living in unity

‣ Philippians: The advance of the gospel; joy

‣ Colossians: Christ is supreme

‣ 1 Thessalonians: Jesus will return

‣ 2 Thessalonians: ExpecVng Jesus' return

‣ 1 Timothy: Advice for ChrisVan leaders

‣ 2 Timothy: Paul instructs Timothy

‣ Titus: Advice to a young minister

‣ Philemon: Acceptance in God's family

‣ Hebrews: The superiority of Christ

‣ James: Faith is shown by its works

‣ 1 Peter: Living the ChrisVan life in a non-‐ChrisVan world

‣ 2 Peter: Don't give in to false teaching, but stay strong and steadfast in your commitment to God

‣ 1 John: Life in fellowship with God

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‣ 2 John: Beware of false teachers

‣ 3 John: Life in fellowship with ChrisVans

‣ Jude: Beware of false teaching and ungodly living

‣ RevelaVon: Things that will take place

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! !III. The storyline of God's Word !!

A. (strongly) recommended reading: Craig G. Bartholomew & Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture, 2nd ed (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014). !!!!

B. God’s Word is telling a story -‐ and the bever grasp we have of that story, the bever we’ll be able to make sense of and appreciate its individual parts. !!1. The “bookends”: the kingdom of God (compare Genesis

1-‐2 and RevelaVon 21-‐22) !!!2. The problem: sin !!!!3. The resoluVon: Jesus Christ !!!!4. The thread: redempVon !!!!!!!!!!!!

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“Jesus didn’t drop out of the heavens one snowy night in Bethlehem to a world hushed for Advent. Instead, Jesus’ birth came in the midst of a story with a beginning, a problem, and a lengthy history….To preach the gospel and to believe the gospel is to offer and enter into a story” -‐ Scot McKnight, Chris>anity Today (March 2008)

!!C. The four main “acts” of God’s Word: !!!

1. CreaVon !!!!!2. Fall !!!!!3. RedempVon !!!!!4. RestoraVon !!!!!

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“The Bible is not a mere jumble of history, poetry, lessons in morality and theology, comforVng promises, guiding principles and commands; instead, it is fundamentally coherent. Every part of the Bible – each event, book, character, command, prophecy, and poem – must be understood in the context of the one story line.”

-‐ Bartholomew & Goheen, Drama of Scripture

Reflec;on Ques;ons i Session #2: WHERE Should I Begin? The Storyline of God’s Word (Part 1) !!➡ "The Bible is not a novel…it is more like a library. What you're reading should affect how you're reading it."

Is this a new concept to you? How might this affect how you approach God's Word? !!!!!!!!➡ Was viewing the Bible from the perspecVve of "storyline" helpful to you? Why is the storyline of the Bible

important to keep in mind for us to understand it? !!!!!!!!!➡ Why is each of the “acts” of God’s Word important? In other words, what is at risk if you take any of them

away from the “big picture” of how we approach God’s Word? !!!!!!!!!➡ Have you ever thought of redempVon as the “thread” that runs through Scripture? How does this “thread”

help you make sense of Scripture? What addiVonal quesVons does it raise? !!!!

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For Further Study i Session #2: WHERE Should I Begin? The Storyline of God’s Word (Part 1) !!Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical

Story, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2014. !Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible. InterVarsity, 2003. !Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revela>on of God in the Bible. IVP Academic,

2002. !Vaughan Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible. IVP Books, 2002. !!!

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session 3/4 �29

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Patriarchal Family Tree: !

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12 Tribes of IsraelTerah

Abraham/Sarah

Isaac/Rebekah

Jacob Esau

Leah Bilhah Zilpah Rachel

Reuben

Simeon

Levi

Judah

Issachar

Zebulun

Dan Naphtali

Gad Asher

Joseph Benjamin

Manasseh

Ephraim

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!Israel’s Exodus from Egypt: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !

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http://www.esvonline.org

Israel’s Wilderness Wanderings: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !

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Present Day Middle East: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !!!

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Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !

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!Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !!

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Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey: (from the ESV online Study Bible at www.esvonline.org) !!

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Reflec;on Ques;ons i Session #3/4: WHERE Should I Begin? The Storyline of God’s Word (Part 2) !!➡ Return to this quesVon from last week, and answer it again now: Was viewing the Bible from the perspecVve

of "storyline" helpful to you? Why is the storyline of the Bible important to keep in mind for us to understand it? !!!!!!

➡ Did a review of the intertestamental period have any impact on how you read the New Testament? Explain. !!!!!!➡ State in your own words the importance of Jesus being both fully God and fully man. !!!!!!!➡ How is Jesus’ life, death and resurrecVon the "climax" of the biblical storyline? What should this mean to us

today? !!!!!!!➡ Where are we now in the "storyline" of God's Word? How ought this to influence our lives? !!!!

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For Further Study i Session #3/4: WHERE Should I Begin? The Storyline of God’s Word (Part 2) !!Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical

Story, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2014. !Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible. InterVarsity, 2003. !Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revela>on of God in the Bible. IVP Academic,

2002. !Vaughan Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible. IVP Books, 2002. !!!

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session 5/6 !!

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HOW Should I Begin? Equipped with the Right Methods !!!I. Introduc;on !!!!!!!!!!!!!II. O bservaVon !!!

A. Ask: What does the passage say? !!!!B. Things to look for: !!

1. Look for what is repeated. !!!!!2. Look for comparison and contrast. !!!!!!

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Read God’s Word. Look at what’s there. Then look again. Look, look, look. See what those in the passage saw. Hear what those being addressed heard. Don’t rush through God’s Word. Walk slowly and pay careful avenVon to the surroundings.

What does God’s Word actually say? This simple quesVon is too o|en ignored, to our peril.

!!3. Look for cause and effect. !!!!!4. Look for figures of speech. !!!!!5. Look for conjuncVons. !!!!!6. Look for verbs. !!!!!7. Look for pronouns. !!!!!8. Look for “give-‐aways”. !!!!!9. Look for things you don’t understand (think:

quesVons!). !!!!�52

“...in a recent survey of churchgoers by LifeWay Research, the number one predictor of spiritual maturity among those who regularly avend church was reading the Bible daily. As the great minister and philanthropist George Muller put it, ‘The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proporVon to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.’” -‐ George Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life.

1 John 1:1-‐2:2 exercises in observa;on !** no>ce repe>>on ** no>ce conjunc>ons

** no>ce comparison/contrast ** no>ce verbs (ac>on)

** no>ce lists ** no>ce pronouns

** no>ce cause & effect ** no>ce “give-‐aways”

** no>ce figures of speech

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“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly...” Colossians 3:16

!III. I nterpretaVon !!

A. Ask: What does the passage mean? !!!!B. Context, context, context! !!

1. Biblical context !!!!!!2. Historical context !!!!!!3. Cultural context !!!!!!

C. ConsultaVon !Examples to highlight: ‣ Study Bible ‣ Zondervan Handbook to the Bible ‣ Commentary Sampling ‣ Blog post: “Five Online Bible Study Tools” !!!!!

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“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18

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Consulting Bible Study Helps: Quick Reference Guide“Bible study tools make good servants, but poor masters.”

Study BiblesA Study Bible is an indispensable tool for someone who wants to begin digging more deeply into Scripture. Brief notes explaining different verses are found on each page, as well as helpful material introducing each book of the Bible. Additionally, many of the “helps” listed below will also be found in brief form in a Study Bible. There are many good Study Bibles available; one version packed with useful information is the ESV Study Bible available from Crossway Books.

Cross-referencingMany Bibles will have either a column in the middle of the pages or space at the bottom that is filled with other references. If you are reading a passage and see a sign that mentions these other references, check it out! You will be be guided to other verses that talk about the same thing or that provide additional information relevant to the passage you were reading.

Other translationsIf you donʼt understand the wording of one passage, look up that same passage in another translation to see if it helps clarify things. Reading passages in a number of translations can help keep Godʼs Word fresh and see how one passage is explained in a few different ways.

Topical referencesIf you want to find out what the Bible has to see about a particular subject, turn to a topical Bible. Using this tool, you can find out what Godʼs Word has to say on a bunch of topics, including the Holy Spirit, sexuality, persecution, the church, and much more. After each subject, you will discover some verses that deal that that topic. Many Bibles have short topical indexes in the back.

Bible HandbooksA Bible Handbook will often give you a brief overview of each book of the Bible: when it was written, why it was written, etc... It will also include dominant themes in the book, and will also usually have an outline of the book you can follow. A Bible Handbook is a great resource to help you see “a book at a glance.”

ConcordancesConcordances list words contained in the Bible and the references where you can find them used. This way you can study a particular word (for e.g., how “love” is used in the Gospels) or find a reference for a verse you just canʼt recall but know one or two words of. Many Bibles have brief concordances in the back of them, but there are also separate concordances you can buy that include every word in the Bible.

CommentariesCommentaries are great books to turn to when you need a passage of the Bible explained in greater detail. They will help explain how the biblical author intended the passage to be interpreted, they will fit the passage under discussion into the broader context of the book and include helpful cultural insights, and much, much more.

Online helpsOnline sites abound, and chances are the number of helpful sites will only increase. A few sites Iʼve found that are worthwhile include www.esvstudybible.org, www.bible.org, and www.biblemesh.com.

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!!IV. A pplicaVon !!

A. Ask: How does this message apply to me (and us) today? !!!

B. Four applicaVon cop-‐outs !!1. Applying the passage to others and not myself.

!!!!!2. Sevling for mental assent. !!!!!3. Applying the passage to areas we are already strong and

neglecVng our weaknesses.

!!!!!4. Simply put, raVonalizaVon. !!!!

!

�56

For the ChrisVan, Bible study isn’t complete unVl something in us is transformed -‐ our mind, an acVon, a relaVonship, an aXtude.

3. Nine applicaVon quesVons worth asking: (adapted from Hendricks, Living by the Book, 1991 pp. 304-‐08) !!

a. Is there an example for me to follow? !!!b. Is there a sin to avoid? !!!c. Is there promise to claim? !!!d. Is there a prayer to repeat? !!!e. Is there command to obey? !!!f. Is there a condiVon to meet? !!!g. Is there a verse to memorize? !!!h. Does my thinking need to be transformed? !!!i. Is there a challenge to face? !

!!

�57

“[The decrees of the Lord] are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from a honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalm 19:10-‐11

!

9 Application Questions to Ask(taken from Howard Hendricks, Living by the Book, 1991. pp. 304-07. Permissions pending)

One of the things to do with any passage of Scripture is to bombard the text with questions - this true of the entire study process from observation to application. So here are nine applicational questions you can ask whenever you come to the Word:

1. Is there an example for me to follow?Have you ever noticed how much of the Bible is biographical? Thatʼs not an accident; itʼs by design. God fills His Word with people because nothing helps the truth come alive the way people do.

The challenge, of course, is to draw parallels between your situation and that of the characters youʼre studying. Consider Abraham in Genesis 18. The Lord reveals to him that He is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, where Abrahamʼs nephew, Lot, lives with his family. So Abraham pleads with the Lord not to destroy Sodom, if he can find enough righteous people living there.

Not too many people have come to me and said, “Hendricks, God told me Heʼs going to destroy such-and-such a city unless we can find ten righteous people living there.” If someone did tell me that, Iʼd be wondering what looney bin he escaped from.

So does that mean thereʼs nothing for me to apply from Genesis 18? No, Abraham is an outstanding model of compassionate prayer on behalf of wicked people. There he is on his knees, begging the Lord to spare them from judgment. So I have to ask, is that the kind of prayer Iʼm praying for the people around me? Or am I sort of hoping that God will remove all those “evil pagans” out there?

2. Is there a sin to avoid?One of the values of the Word is that is raises your consciousness in regard to moral issues. Before I became a believer, I did things that if somebody had told me were sin, Iʼd have said, “You gotta be kidding.” I had an altogether different standard of right and wrong.

It was only when I came to Christ and began reading Scripture that I learned what sin really is. It was like my friend who told me, “Man, I didnʼt even know I had a bad marriage until I became a Christian. I thought that was how everybody lived. Then i read Ephesians five and began to realize how trashed up my marriage really was.”

3. Is there a promise to claim?Godʼs Word is filled with promises - promises that are made by the Person who does not lie and who is totally capable of fulfilling them. Remember...Nehemiah 1? Nehemiah claimed Godʼs promise concerning the restoration of the land if the people would confess and repent of their sin. God honored His word. He even used Nehemiah as part of the answer to prayer.

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!

Of course, not all promises in Scripture are given to you and me. Some promises God made to certain individuals, not to people in general. Others he made to groups of people, such as the nation of Israel. We canʼt claim promises that havenʼt been made to us. But we can certainly claim promises made to the church, as well as those made to the “righteous” in Proverbs and other portions of the wisdom literature.

4. Is there a prayer to repeat?Abraham teaches us something about prayer in Genesis 18. So does Nehemiah. I encourage you to make a study of the great prayers in Scripture: for example, Davidʼs prayer of confession in Psalm 51; Hannahʼs prayer of thanksgiving after the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1-10); Jonahʼs prayer from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2); Maryʼs prayer in Luke 1:46-55; Paulʼs prayer for the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:14-21; Jesusʼ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46); and the Lordʼs Prayer, which is really the Discipleʼs Prayer, and in fact, our prayer (Matthew 6:5-15).

As you study those passages, ask yourself, What is there in these prayers that I need to be praying?

5. Is there a command to obey?The Bible is filled with potent, clear-cut commands. There are fifty-four in the book of James alone. Likewise, the “applicational” sections of Paulʼs epistles - Romans 12-15, Galatians 5-6, Ephesians 4-6, Colossians 3-4 - are primarily exhortation.

A wise, old scholar was once asked how to determine the will of God. His response was simple: “Ninety-five percent of the will of God is revealed in the commands of Scripture. If you spend your time attending to those, you wonʼt have much trouble working out the other five percent.”

6. Is there a condition to meet?Many of the promises of God are based on conditions set forth in the text. For instance, Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). Do you notice the conditions? “If you abide in me, and [if] My words abide in you.” Jesus makes an incredible promise: “Ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” But the conditions must be met.

7. Is there a verse to memorize?Obviously, any verse of Scripture can be memorized. But some will carry more significance for you than others. Thatʼs why I highly recommend that you launch a Bible memorization program. Perhaps you can use something such as the “Topical Memory System” [produced by the Navigators]. After

�59

!

you complete that, you can develop your own list of verses that have become personal and meaningful to you.

I also encourage you to memorize larger portions of the Word. When my sons were just boys, they had a Sunday School teacher who recognized the value of Bible memory. He used to sponsor contests to see how much Scripture they could memorize. Eventually they were memorizing entire chapters of the Bible, such as Psalm 1, Isaiah 53, and even John 14. Word-perfect, too. So it is possible. And the benefits are immeasurable.

8. Is there an error to mark?One of the positive developments that Iʼve observed among Christians in my lifetime has been a renewed emphasis on people and relationships. Thatʼs what the outworking of biblical truth ought to produce - love and concern for people and their needs.

However, during the same period Iʼve observed an unfortunate loss of basic theological and doctrinal knowledge. Many Christians have fuzzy thinking when i comes to fundamental building blocks of the faith such as the resurrection, the virgin birth, the inerrancy of Scripture, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As a results, they are sitting ducks for theological error.

Personal Bible study can help to turn that around. As you investigate Godʼs Word, ask yourself: What doctrines and truths is this passage teaching? What theological errors is it exposing? And then: What changes do I need to make in my thinking to bring it in line with what the Scriptures teach?

9. Is there a challenge to face?Have you ever read a portion of the Bible and felt convicted that you needed to act on what youʼve read? The Spirit of God will prompt that. When you read the Word, Heʼll challenge you to respond in some area of your life, or in some situation that you are facing. Perhaps itʼs a relationship that needs to be healed. Perhaps itʼs an apology that needs to be made. Maybe you need to get out of something that is drawing you away from God. Or maybe thereʼs a habit you need to start cultivating. Whatever it is, the Spirit uses Scripture to promote changes in your life.

The question is, are you open to such change? Are you prepared to take on His challenges? I guarantee that if you approach Godʼs Word with any degree of honesty and teachability, the Spirit wonʼt let you go away disappointed.

�60

!

�61

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ansl

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hart

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odifi

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ord

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eyon

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r mea

sure

, but

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ithin

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he s

pher

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hich

God

ap

porti

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s as a

mea

sure

, to

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h ev

en a

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orin

thia

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(NA

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ill n

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llotte

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wor

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how

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its, b

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ld th

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as a

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as a

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�63

The “R.E.A.P.” Method of Bible Study

!!!(passage) (today’s date) ! !!!!A|er reading through the whole passage once, go back through it slowly and record any observaVons, quesVons or comments—perhaps things that jump out at you, something that’s emphasized, insights from addiVonal study, etc… !!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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!Before moving on, do your best to summarize the passage and/or its “big idea” in your own words. Make sure this summary is consistent with the observa;ons you no;ced in the previous step. !!!!!

�64

R -‐ READ THE BIBLE

E -‐ ENGAGE WITH WHAT YOU’VE READ

!!!In light of the conVnuing relevance of God’s Word and the truth you’ve learned today, write down one specific way you can apply the material from this passage to your everyday life. Consider who else you can share this “take-‐away” with as a tesVmony of what God is doing in your life. !_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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!!!!Conclude this Vme in prayer—thanking God specifically for what He’s shown you from His Word & expressing your applicaVon back to God in prayer. !_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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�65

A -‐ APPLY WHAT YOU’VE READ TO YOUR LIFE

P -‐ PRAYER

Reflec;on Ques;ons i Session #5/6: HOW Should I Begin? Equipped with the Right Methods !!➡ Why is observaVon important? What might happen if you skip this step of Bible study? !!!!!!!!!➡ Why is interpretaVon important? What might happen if you skip straight from observaVon to applicaVon? !!!!!!!!!!➡ Why is applicaVon important? What might happen if you skip this step of Bible study? !!!!!!!!!!➡ Did any of the menVoned applicaVon "cop-‐outs" jump out at you in a big way? Which one? Why? !!!!

�66

For Further Study i Session #5/6: HOW Should I Begin? Equipped with the Right Methods !!__________. Zondervan Handbook to the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999. !J. Scov Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. Journey into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying

the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008. (see also their longer work, Grasping God’s Word) !Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, 4th ed. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2014. !George H. Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God’s Word.

Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2011. !Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks. Living by the Book. Chicago: Moody, 1991. !William W. Klein, Handbook for Personal Bible Study: Enriching Your Experience with God’s Word.

NavPress, 2008. !!!!!!!!!!!!

�67

!!!

�68

!!!!!

!!!!!!!

1 John Workshop

�69

!!

�70

“R.E.A.P. -‐ing” Truth from God’s Word


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�71


1 John 1



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�72


P -‐ PRAYER



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�73


1 John 2



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�74


P -‐ PRAYER



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�75


1 John 3



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�76


P -‐ PRAYER



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�77


1 John 4



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�78


P -‐ PRAYER



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�79


1 John 5



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�80


P -‐ PRAYER

!!!!!!!!!!!

!!

session 7 !

�81

!

�82

HOW Should I Begin? CulVvaVng the Right Mindset !!!I. Introduc;on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!II. Five mindsets to cul;vate as we approach God's Word !!

A. An understanding that reaping fruit from God’s Word isn’t a

given -‐ it takes work.

!!1. A few verses to keep in mind: see especially Luke 8:4-‐15; also

Psalm 119:18; Romans 3:11; 1 Corinthians 2:1-‐16; GalaVans 5:17; 2 Peter 3:15-‐16 !!!!!!!!!!!!

�83

!!!2. Responding rightly to God’s Word requires the work of the

Holy Spirit.

!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Responding rightly to God’s Word requires effort from us.

!!a. Hurdle #1: Laziness and apathy

�84

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” -‐ Psalm 119:18

The great ScoXsh Bible expositor Alexander MacLaren once wrote: “We may have as much of God as we will. Christ puts the key of the treasure-‐chamber into our hand, and bids us take all that we want. If a man is admived into the bullion vault of a bank and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor? (Today in the Word, October 1997) !This same principle applies to our access to God's Word! Our problem is not a lack of access to the great truths of God's Word but a lack of effort in mining them.

!

�85

!!

b. Hurdle #2: MisappropriaVons of Scripture

!i. The osmosis approach: simply placing ourselves in

proximity to Scripture with as livle effort as possible !!!!ii. The jeopardy approach: approaching the Bible

primarily to know obscure content and master facts !!!!iii. The hallmark card approach: looking to Scripture just

for inspiraVon – rather than truth we should submit and conform to !!!!

iv. The magic pill approach: approaching God’s Word only in Vmes of crisis and personal need !!!!

v. The Mary Kay approach: reading God’s Word simply to help us look good on the outside, without allowing it to penetrate our hearts !!!!

vi. The microwave approach: what’s in it for me, and how fast can I get it? !!!!�86

“We approach Scripture with minds already formed by the mass of accepted opinions and viewpoints with which we have come into contact, in both the Church and the world.…It is easy to be unaware that it has happened; it is hard even to begin to realize how profoundly tradiVon in this sense has moulded us.” –J.I. Packer

!

!B. An appreciaVon of biblical revelaVon: God’s Word is God’s

Words.

!!1. A few verses to keep in mind: 2 Timothy 3:16-‐17; 2 Peter

1:21; see also Mark 7:9-‐13; Acts 1:16; 1 Timothy 5:18; 2 Peter 3:16 !!!

2. Four factors that can help us appreciate biblical revelaVon: !!!a. The necessity of revelaVon: our sin, God’s

transcendence !!!!!!!!b. The means of revelaVon: inspira;on !!!!!!!!!!! !

�87

“Blessed is the person whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” -‐ Psalm 1:2

!!c. The content of revelaVon: the canon of Scripture !!!!!!!!!!d. The surety of revelaVon: inerrancy ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

�88

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, light to the eyes.” Psalm 19:7-‐8

!!C. A confidence in the sufficiency of this Book to help us know God

and live in right relaVonship with Him. !!1. A few verses to keep in mind: 2 Timothy 3:15-‐17; John 17:17;

see also Deuteronomy 6 !!!!!2. Therefore, !!!!!!!!3. Therefore, !!!!!!!!4. A word on the place of ChrisVan literature in the lives of those

who follow Jesus Christ: !!!!!!!!!! !!!�89

“...we must admit there is more to spiritual formaVon than the Bible, but not without the Bible.” James Riley Estep, Jr.

!!!D. An assurance that God wants us to understand His Word. !!

1. A few verses to keep in mind: Deuteronomy 6:6-‐7; Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:130 !!!!

2. What this does mean: You don’t have to be a genius to understand Scripture !!!!!!!

3. What this doesn’t mean: !‣ Understanding Scripture won’t require effort !‣ Godly people will always agree about everything !!!!

4. What happens when godly people disagree? !!!!!5. Something to keep in mind… We have the Spirit of truth

with us (and in us!) !!!!!!�90

!!E. A recogniVon of the fact that ulVmately, God’s Word is a Book to be

conquered by.

!!1. A few verses to keep in mind: Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12 !!!!2. Scripture conquers us by transforming us internally.

!!!!!!!3. Scripture conquers us by transforming our acVons.

!!!!!!!

�91

“‘Is not my word like fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?’” Jeremiah 23:29

Reflec;on Ques;ons Session #7: HOW Should I Begin? CulVvaVng the Right Mindset !!➡ Have you ever thought about the importance of "mindset" as you approach God's Word? Why is mindset so

important? !!!!!!!!!➡ Which of the mindsets that were menVoned is easiest for you to culVvate? How has this benefited your

Bible study? !!!!!!!!!!➡ Which of the mindsets menVoned is toughest for you to culVvate? How might adding this mindset to your

approach affect your Bible study? !!!!!!!!!!➡ What can you do this week to help culVvate this mindset that you’d like to further develop? !!!

�92

For Further Study i Session #7: HOW Should I Begin? CulVvaVng the Right Mindset !!Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Wy the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What

That Means for You and Me. Crossway, 2014. !Wayne Grudem, Systema>c Theology: An Introduc>on to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,

1994. !George H. Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God’s Word.

Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2011. !Tremper Longman III, Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1996. !J.I. Packer, Honouring the WriRen Word of God. Collected Shorter WriVngs of J.I. Packer, vol 3.

Paternoster, 1999. !!!

�93

!!

�94

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

session 8 !

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!

�96

Gemng Into Gods Word… i …in such a way that God’s Word gets into us !!!I. Examples of God's Word "gemng into" people !!!

A. 2 Kings 22 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!B. Personal Examples !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

�97

Hebrews 4:12: "God's Word is living and acVve. Sharper than any double-‐edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and aXtudes of the heart."

This verse proves that God's Word is purposed to get into us, and powerful enough to get into us!

!!II. Allowing God's Word to get a handle on us: !!

A. Immersion !!1. Hear !!!!!2. Read !!!!!3. Study !!!!!4. Memorize !!!!!5. Meditate !!!!!!!!!!

�98

“Reading the Bible without meditaVng on it is like trying to eat without chewing.” -‐ Anonymous

!!!B. Humility !!!!!!!!!C. Obedience !!!

1. God's Word should impact our aXtudes. !!!!!!2. God's Word should impact our acVons. !!!!!!3. God's Word should impact our relaVonships 4. . !!

�99

Reflec;on Ques;ons Session #8: GeXng into God’s Word in Such a Way that God’s Word Gets Into Us !!➡ Do you have any examples of God's Word "geXng into" you? How has this affected the direcVon of your

life? !!!!!!!!!!!➡ Why do you think this course falls short of its potenVal if it doesn't discuss this final session of "God's Word

geXng into us"? !!!!!!!!!!!!➡ Take a brief look over the course material. What was most beneficial to you? How will you take this home

and implement it in your personal Bible study and appreciaVon of the God's Word? !!!!!

�100

For Further Study Session #8: GeXng into God’s Word in Such a Way that God’s Word Gets Into Us !!Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word: Wy the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What

That Means for You and Me. Crossway, 2014. !George H. Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God’s Word.

Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2011. !Tremper Longman III, Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1996. !J.I. Packer, Honouring the WriRen Word of God. Collected Shorter WriVngs of J.I. Packer, vol 3.

Paternoster, 1999. !John Woodbridge, Renewing Your Mind in a Secular World. !!!!!!!!!

�101

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