Bible Study

Believe  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  54:13
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This week’s Believe topic is Bible Study. Whether it’s personal or in a group, studying Scripture plays a significant role in the life of the one who follows Jesus. The
Key Idea: “I study the Bible to know God and his truth and to find direction for my daily life.”
Let’s ask ourselves some questions:
1) What is my reason for studying or not studying Scripture?
2) Is my reason acceptable to God?
Remember, we will give an account to God for how we live. We have a tendency to think that we Christians are off the hook. Jesus paid the price and nothing else matters. Bologna. Non-Christians will be judged concerning their rejection of Christ. Christians will be judged concerning how we lived, of which includes our engagement of the Bible. Why do I say that? Because it’s through the Bible that we get to know God, know His truth and know His plans for us.
Last week I quoted NT Wright concerning prayer -
“If we are serious at all about our Christian commitment, we will want to learn and grow in prayer.” ~ N.T. Wright. I’ll see his quote and raise it one -
“If we are serious at all about our Christian commitment, we will want to learn and grow in [Bible Study].”
The Canon (rule of faith), the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and His plan of redemption, of which we are invited to play a part. The Bible is not so we can read about God, but that we may know God!
John 20:31 NIV
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The Bible is essential for know Him and living like Him.
Now, if the Word is given to us to know God, how well do we now Him? And I would say that
Our knowing God corresponds to our knowing His Word.
We can know the Word without knowing God, but it’s hard to know God without know His Word.
In your handout, you’ll notice 4 lines. In the right column (2 and 3),
Write down one or two of your character goals.
A character goal would be what kind of a person do I want to be. E.g. I want to be a great father, mother, husband, wife, whatever your occupation might be etc.
In the left column, # 1 write Jesus. The number one character goal of the Christian is be to be like Jesus. I can aspire to be a #10 husband, father, pastor etc., but I'll never make it unless I first make being like Jesus my goal. Jesus said, “First seek the Kingdom, then all these things will be added unto you.” Doesn’t matter who godly the goal is - if being like Jesus is not primary …. However,
When being like Jesus is our main goal, then He will empower us to reach our other goals.
How do we become like Jesus?
In your handout in the first column, underneath Jesus you’ll see the word Word or (λόγος, Logos).
John 1:1–2 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Who are we talking about?
John 1:14 NIV
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the Word.
We will never become like Jesus until we get Jesus inside of us. How do we get Jesus (the Logos, Word) inside?
We meditate on the Word - Joshua 1:8
We walk according to the Word - Psalm 119:9. How can we walk according to the Word if we don’t know the Word?
We hide His Word in our hearts - Psalm 119:11
We do not neglect the Word - Psalm 119:16
We prove we can handle the Word -
2 Timothy 2:15 NIV
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
We could go on, but listen to the words of Jesus. Pay attention to the relationship between knowing His Word or commands and His indwelling presence.
John 14:21 NIV
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 14:23 NIV
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
John 5:9–10 NIV
At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
Jesus says, “I want to live in you! I want to be alive in you so get me in there!” If we want Jesus to be alive in us, we must put the Word in us.
So here’s the next big question of the morning - what’s inside of us?
What prevents us from getting the Word inside? What prevents us from engaging the Word of God? Common answers - it’s boring, I don’t have time, I don’t understand it.
What’s the root issue here? It’s not method or intelligence or time or boredom. True, there are a lot of things we need to learn about studying Scripture, but again, which of those excuses are going to be acceptable to God? I’m sure God will understand - “I’m sorry I made it boring ….”
The most important issue regarding studying the Bible is relationship.
Could it be that the problem is not in our heads but in our hearts? Jesus is the Word and the Word is alive and active and living! To neglect the Word is to neglect our relationship with Jesus. But to engage the Word is to engage Jesus - see it’s about relationship!
If we approach the Bible as a social studies textbook, of course we’ll get bored, and we won’t make time, and reading Scripture will be nothing more than a chore. But if we approach Scripture as it was intended to be approached - it’s a part of relationship, a part of communication … if we approach Scripture with the attitude of “God, show me who are,” then it becomes alive.
Last big question - how do you approach Scripture? Is it just a textbook? A magic 8-ball? Or do you sit with the author of the Word? Talk? Listen?
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