The Power of Observation Part 1
How To Study The Bible • Sermon • Submitted
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I want to welcome you again tonight as we begin week two of “How To Study the Bible”.
If you were with us last week, we kicked off this class by building a foundation for why we should study the Bible. And in doing so we did a couple of things. First, we highlighted three reasons why a Christian should be committed to studying the Bible. And then second, I gave you an overview of how we were going to approach learning to study the Bible.
So, very quickly, let’s review what we learned just to make sure we are all on the same page.
Concerning why we should study the Bible we boiled it down to three reasons:
REASON #1 - Bible Study Is Essential to Spiritual Growth
The fact is, if you want to grow in your faith, you have to be committed to what grows you. The Apostle Peter puts it like this:
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
In this passage Peter uses the analogy of a newborn infant whose growth and nourishment is dependent on milk.
And his point is, in the same way an infant needs milk, a Christian needs nourishment as well, that nourishment being the Word of God.
This led us to the second reasons we need to study the Bible:
REASON #2 - The Bible Is Essential For Spiritual Maturity
The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
In this passage the writer is challenging Christians to grow beyond where they are at. Because apparently some of them were stunted in their growth. Why were they stunted? He tells us. He says they had become dull of hearing.
It’s the idea that they had become lazy. Lazy in their spiritual growth and development. And as a result, instead of maturing in their faith, they are still acting like baby Christians. So, what’s the answer to their dilemma?
The answer is to be committed to growing in God’s Word.
This led us to our final reason for studying the Bible:
REASON #3 - The Entire Bible Is Essential For Spiritual Effectiveness
The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Paul makes the point here that all scripture is profitable. Which means, whether it’s the book of Deuteronomy or the book of Matthew, they each hold enormous value for the Christian. Not only that, but that through one’s commitment to the study of scripture, a person can become equipped for every good work that God has called us to do.
Bottom line, in order to be effectively used by God, we have to be committed to knowing what the entirety of the Bible says. Not just certain parts. Not just parts think are more understandable than others. But all of it. All of it is necessary for our spiritual effectiveness.
So, there are our three reasons.
The question then is, “How do we tackle this enormous task? How do we master the ability to study God’s Word?”
Well, as we learned last week, in order to accomplish this task, over the next several weeks we are going to develop a three step method to Bible Study. A method that a person can use and apply to any book, chapter, paragraph, or verse in the Bible. A three step process that will guarantee spiritual growth, maturity and effectiveness in our life.
You may recall the three steps include:
STEP #1 - Observation
In this step we will answer the question, “What do I see?”
STEP #2 - Interpretation
In this step we will ask and answer the question, “What does it mean?”
STEP #3 - Application
In this step we ask the question, “How does it work?” In other words, “Based on what I’ve observed and interpreted, what does this mean in my life?”
And so over the next several weeks these will be the three steps we focus in on, with step #1 being our focus this week and next.
And so, in order to get us started tonight on the first step of “Observation”, I want to begin with a two movie clips and an exercise.
The first movie clip comes from an episode of the TV show “Sherlock”, where Sherlock Holmes is using his skills of observation after meeting Dr. Watson for the first time. And a second from a scene in the movie, “The Bourne Identity”, as Jason Bourne, who has lost his memory, begins to discover some of the special skills of observation that he has. Check this out:
Movie Clips
What I love about both of those clips, is that they both illustrate the power of observation. The power of being aware. The power of noticing the details.
And I don’t know about you, but when I watch those clips, it makes me wonder just how observant I am.
So, what I’d like to do right now is test our powers of observation. And to do that, I want you to grab the insert that is in your notes that says, “My Powers of Observation”, and answer the following ten questions:
Question #1 - When you drove in the parking lot tonight, was the new sign in place or were there still just two poles with nothing in between?
Question #2 - When you came in the church tonight, how many cars were in the parking lot?
Question #3 - When you walked in the church, who was the first person that greeted you and what color of shirt did they have on?
Question #4 - On the wall by the tables in the lobby, there are three posters on the wall. Who is displayed on those posters and what do the posters say?
Question #5 - Out in the lobby, there are two 48”x 36” posters on each side of the Sanctuary doors.
One on the far left and one on the far right. What are the posters of and who is on them?
Question #6 - When you walked in the sanctuary, what song was playing on Spotify?
Question #7 - From back to front, what row number are you sitting in?
Question #8 - Without looking or counting, how many people are in the room and how many are men and how many are women?
Question #9 - Without looking, how many lights are there in the Ceiling above you?
Question #10 - What three scripture references did I just give you for why we should study the Bible?
So, how did you do? How do you compare to Jason Bourne and Sherlock Holmes?
I think if we’re honest, we all probably lack somewhat in our powers of observation.
And really my goal in doing this exercise isn’t to make anybody feel inadequate, but to simply illustrate that there are details all around us that we often miss and do not see. Why don’t we see them. We don’t see them because we aren’t being observant.
And that’s exactly the problem we run into when it comes to reading and studying the Bible. Because the fact is, when most people read the Bible, they’re not being observant. Sherlock Holmes puts it like this, “You see, but you do not observe.”
So, if we are going to become students of the Bible, we have to move beyond seeing to observing. We have to have the same mindset of the Psalmist when he writes:
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
In this passage the Psalmists prayer is that God would give him the powers of observation. He’s asking the Spirit of God to open his eyes so that he might see the truth that God has revealed.
And to be honest, it’s this prayer and the power of observation that makes one student of the Bible better than another. In fact, I would say, until a person can learn to observe, it will be very difficult for them to understand what the Bible is saying and what it means.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor, that’s great. But how does one attain this power? How do I become the Jason Bourne or Sherlock Holmes of Bible study and observation?”
To be honest, it’s a learned process. In other words, it’s not so much a power you are given as it is a power you learn to develop and use.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.
Example: In the mid 19th century there was a professor of biology at Harvard named Louis Agassiz who felt the most important part of studying science was to learn how to observe.
And so each semester he would begin his class by giving each student a malodorous fish on a dissecting tray. Their first assignment was not to dissect the fish, but instead to observe the fish and write down 20-30 things they noticed about the fish. Upon completing that they were to turn in their results by the end of class.
But much to the surprise of the students, the assignment didn’t end there. Because for the next two weeks upon entering the class, the students were given the same assignment. To continue to observe and write down observations they made by looking at the fish.
As you can imagine it drove some students crazy as they began to wonder how much more there was to observe.
So, what was the purpose of this assignment? Was this professor trying to drive his students crazy? No. He was teaching them the power of observation. He was teaching them that you can’t truly know something or know about something until you’ve taken the time to observe it.
And what is true for science and biology is true for the Bible. Because if you truly want to understand what the Bible says, what it means, and how it applies to your life, you have to begin by observing it.
The question then is, “How do you do that?”
That’s what we are going to learn to do over the next two weeks. And in order to teach you how to do it, we are gong to approach this skill from a couple of different angles.
First, I’m going to begin with a demonstration as I take you to a passage of scripture and show you what the power of observation looks like in action.
Second, I’m going to teach you how to do it by introducing you to 10 strategies of observation, 5 of which we will look at tonight and the remaining 5 next week.
And my hope is as we look at these 10 strategies, you will grow in your confidence and ability to observe what you read at a deeper level.
Sound good?
So, let’s get started as I demonstrate what this looks like on a passage of scripture. And the passage of scripture we are going to use is found in Acts 1, and it’s one verse, specifically verse 8. Look at what the writer gives us:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Now, we may not initially realize it, but this passage is full of details that deserve our attention if we truly want to know what is going on in this passage.
So, to get us started, let’s start with the first word, the word “But”. You say, “Why that word?” Because believe it or not, it’s the most important term in the verse.
Because as we’re going to learn a little later here, but indicates contrast. And by contrast I mean a change in direction. A change in direction that forces us to go back. Why back? Because what the writer is about to tell us is a result of something he has just said. Which is an indicator to us that we can’t study this verse in isolation. In other words, we need to look at the context it’s in.
So, before we go any further, this one word tells us we need to go backwards. So, let’s do that, and maybe a good place to start would be back at verse 1. So, let’s find out what the writer says beginning in verse 1:
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
Notice verse 1 begins with a detail as the writer says, “In the first book, O Theophilus...”
What that tells us is that Acts is the second book of a two volume set, and apparently the Author is writing it to the same guy he wrote the first book too, a guy named Theophilus.
So who is this author and who is Theophilus?
Well, after doing some investigation in a commentary or in the study notes, we would discover that the writer of Acts is none other than the Gospel writer Luke. Which tells that Acts is an extension or part 2 of the Gospel of Luke. So this is a sequel.
In addition to that, we would discover that Theophilus was more than likely a well to do benefactor who is financing Luke’s endeavors to investigate, write, and tell the story of Jesus and the early church. Why would we think that? Well, again it’s in the details, because in the Gospel of Luke chapter 1, Luke writes:
3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
Notice Luke refers to him as “Most excellent Theophilus”, which would have been a title of honor for some kind of position of prominence.
All that to say, Luke and Acts are connected books and are written to a prominent Roman official named Theophilus.
But the details don’t stop there. Because with a little further observation, we learn that both Luke and Acts have the same subject focus. The focus being, “…all that Jesus began to do and teach...”, which tells us that Acts is a continuation of Christ’s ministry through His apostles.
And this is further confirmed as we read on in verses 2-3, because Luke goes on to write:
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Luke now confirms that what he’s about to share with us concerns not only what Jesus did prior to his resurrection, but following His resurrection as Jesus now presents Himself alive to the Apostles right up to his ascension into heaven. A time period that lasted for forty days as Jesus appeared to them, showed proof of His resurrection, and further instructed them concerning the Kingdom of God.
So, what does that tell us? It tells us that what we are about to read involves the instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples concerning the ministry they would have moving forward.
And again, we know this to be the case because of what Luke says next as he writes:
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
In these two verses Luke now gives us some of the details of Jesus’s instructions to the disciples. Instructions that involve them waiting. Waiting for what? Jesus says they’re to wait for the promise of the Father.
So, what promise is that? Well thankfully Jesus tells us, because apparently it was a promise Jesus had already told them about as Luke goes on to write, “…the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”
Notice what Jesus does here. He references something they already knew. Something Luke actually references in His Gospel in chapter 3, where he references the ministry of John the Baptist. Look at what John the Baptist says in Luke 3:
16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
If we were to go back and study Luke 3, what we would discover is that John the Baptist had been asked if he was the Christ. And John’s response to that question is:
16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
In this passage John confirms he’s not the Christ, but when the Christ comes, he will do more than baptize people with water. Instead, he will baptize them with the Holy Spirit.
And so fast forward to Acts 1, and Jesus is not only confirming that He is the Christ, but that the time to be baptized with the Holy Spirit has come. A baptism that Jesus says is not many days away.
So, let’s stop here for a second and recap all we’ve learned so far just from observation alone.
First, we’ve observed and discovered the book of Acts is a continuation of the ministry of Jesus.
Second, we’ve observed and discovered that it takes place after the resurrection of Jesus.
Third, we’ve observed and discovered it’s about the fulfillment of a promise that Jesus made concerning the Holy Spirit.
Finally, we’ve observed and discovered that the book of Acts will tell the story of the ministry that Jesus has called His disciples too, a ministry that they must first wait to being until the promise of the Father has come, which apparently isn’t to many days away.
Why is all that information important? It’s important because it’s the context for everything that’s about to happen. A context we need to understand if we’re going to understand the book of Acts. A context that leads us into the first discussion in the book which takes place in verse 6 as Luke picks up with a conversation Jesus and His disciples were having. Look at what Luke tells us:
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Interestingly enough, Luke begins the narrative with a question. A question the disciples asked Jesus. And the question is, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
So, a great observant question for us to ask would be, “Why are they asking this question?”
Well, apparently Jesus had been talking about the Kingdom of God. We know that because in verse 3, Luke said after appearing to them during those 40 days, Jesus spoke to them about the Kingdom of God.
But apparently, they are still unsure about what Jesus is talking about and the timing of everything that Jesus has shared with them. Which is why Jesus responds in the way He does. Because Luke writes:
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
Kind of an interesting response from Jesus. In fact, it almost seems rude. Which my indicate a little frustration on Jesus’s part as He recognizes that they still aren’t understanding what He’s calling them to do. Because while they are focused on times and seasons, Jesus is focused on something else. So, Jesus basically says, “Guys, you need to quit worrying about timing and start focusing on mission.”
And it’s at this point that Jesus puts it plainly to them. Because listen to what Jesus goes on to tell them, which brings us back to verse 8:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Based on everything we’ve learned in verses 1-6, Jesus now gives them their marching orders. Orders that will lead to them being empowered by the Spirit. Orders that give them the ministry field and the people they will go to. Orders that will represent the last words and instructions that Jesus gives his disciples. Because in the next verse Luke writes:
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Luke says after giving them their marching orders, Jesus ascends into heaven and out of their sight. And now the job is theirs.
So, what does this tell us? It tells us that verse 8 is one of the most important verses in this book. Because contained in this one verse are the orders for how to accomplish the mission and who to minister too. Orders that Jesus not only gave the disciples, but orders He’s given us as well. Orders that are to be carried out as we await His return. Because Luke goes on to write:
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Quite a bit to take in, right? And it all started by observing the word “but”. And it serves as a reminder to us, that when we pick up the Bible, and we start to read out of a book, a verse, a paragraph, or a chapter, that there are details present that tell us something. Details that gives us insight, understanding, and context. Details that we must train ourselves to observe.
Which means, in the case of Acts 1:8, before we move any further, we better observe and understand what Acts 1:8 actually means. To understand what it means that the Holy Spirit will come upon us. To understand what it means to be a witness. To understand who it is that Jesus wants us to reach. Because according to Jesus, they need to not only go to Judea, their home region, but Samaria as well, which was a region full of people called Samaritans, people the Jews hated. But not only that, they were to go into all the world, the godless gentile world. A world they worked hard to avoid.
So, we need to understand what all that means. Because apparently everything that Jesus has taught up until this point and everything he wants us to do from this point on is contingent on this verse.
Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Oh wow Pastor Brad. I don’t now if I can do this. This just seems so hard.”
It’s not hard. It’s just not something you’re used to doing. Muscles you haven’t ever used. Because up until this point in your Bible reading, most of you haven’t taken the time to observe. And anybody has the ability to observe. You just need to know what you’re looking for.
So, with that said, let’s dive into the first 5 strategies for learning how to read and observe. The first strategy being this:
In order to gain my powers of observation, I need to:
Read Thoughtfully
The idea here is that as you pick up your Bible, you are going to approach it with the mindset of a detective.
That like Sherlock Holmes, you’re not just going to open your Bible and give it a quick read, but instead you’re going to get on your hands and knees. You’re going to inspect the floor. You’re going to look for small clues. And with those clues you’re going to begin to consider possibilities. Consider scenarios. And in your mind begin to paint a picture of what is happening in the passage.
So, what that means then, is that Reading Thoughtfully involves study. It involves you not being dull of hearing, or lazy as the writer of Hebrews puts it.
It’s the idea that when you pick up your Bible, you put your phone away, empty your mind of distractions, and put your thinking cap on.
Think of it like this. Let’s say you’re not feeling well, so you go to the doctor. Now, let me ask you this, when the doctor comes in the room, what do you expect him to do?
Do you expect him to just look at you and make a judgment on what’s wrong?
Or, do you expect him to do a check up. To maybe take your temperature and blood pressure. To ask you a series of questions concerning how you are feeling and symptoms you may have. To pull out his stethoscopic and check your breathing. Or maybe to go as far as to draw some blood and run some tests.
The truth is, we expect all of that, right? Why? Because a doctor can’t determine what’s wrong with you or how to help you without careful inspection.
And the same is true for Bible reading. The fact is, you can’t just open your Bible and look at it or just skim over a verse. No. You have to approach it with thoughtfulness like a detective or a doctor. You have to ask the text questions. You have to examine certain words. You have to carefully inspect what you are reading if you want to understand what the text is saying. You have to read thoughtfully.
Because that’s where good observation begins. It begins with paying attention and analyzing what the text is saying.
So, practically speaking, it means you have to maybe put yourself in a place where that can happen. A quiet place where you can think. A place where the kids won’t be running through the room. A place where your phone and text messages won’t be a distraction. A place where you can give careful thought and attention to what you are reading.
To be honest, if you can’t do that or find that place, you will never read thoughtfully.
If you want to grow in the power of observation, you have to read thoughtfully.
2. Read Repeatedly
The idea here is that when reading your Bible, you just don’t read a book, verse, paragraph, or chapter once, but that you read and reread it.
To illustrate the importance of this, I want to have some fun by reading you a Dear John letter, as John receives a couple different letters from his sweetheart. Here’s the first letter:
Dear John,
I know it is difficult for you to be separated from me for so long. Life seems to be full of trials of this type that test our inner strength and, more importantly, our devotion and love for one another. After all, it is said that true love is boundless and immeasurable and overcomes all forms of adversity. In truth, if love is genuine, it will grow stronger with each assault upon its existence.
We will be together soon, but until that moment arrives, I send you my tender love, my warm embrace, and my most passionate kiss-across the miles.
Love,
Sandy
Now, let me ask you something. When John receives this letter, is he just going to read it once and throw it in the trash?
I doubt it. More than likely he’s going to read it several times. Maybe even dozens of times as he analyzes ever sentence and word. Especially the part about the passionate kiss. But the truth is, the more he reads and rereads it, the more he’s going to begin to see other details. Details that cause him to ask questions he would have never thought to ask.
For example, as he reads the opening statement, “I know it is difficult for you to be separated from me for so long”, he might ask himself the question, “What does she mean by that? Does she mean it’s just me that’s struggling? Or is she struggling as well?” Because it’s not very clear.
This might then lead to another question as he asks himself, what did she mean by the statement, “ In truth, if love is genuine, it will grow stronger with each assault upon its existence.” Does she think our love is being assaulted? Why would she think that? As far as I know, outside of the distance, our love isn’t under attack? What does she mean by that?
You see the point is, the more he reads the letter, the more details he discovers and with it more questions as he awaits her next letter. Which weeks later did arrive and reads like this:
Dear John,
I’m sorry I haven’t written sooner. I’ve just been so busy. I told Fred, a new friend I met, that you were probably getting worried about me. Anyways, we are getting ready to go to dinner so I have to run. I will be in touch again soon.
Sincerely,
Sandy
Now, after getting that letter, do you think John is just going to read it once and throw it in the trash? I highly doubt. In fact, I bet he reads this one over and over again. And not only this one, but he’ll probably go back to the first letter, because the two go together. In fact, the second one shines light on the first and brings up a whole new set of questions:
For example, when Sandy writes, “I’m sorry I haven’t written sooner. I’ve just been so busy. I told Fred, a new friend I met, that you were probably getting worried about me”, several questions would come to mind?
Questions like, “Busy doing what?”, and “Whose Fred?”, and “getting ready to go to dinner with who”?
Because apparently this is what Sandy meant when she said “Assault”, because Fred appears to be moving in on John’s territory. And based on what Sandy wrote in her last letter, she’s entertaining it. And maybe more than that, because this time she didn’t end the letter with hugs and kisses. No. She ended it with a “Sincerely”.
You see how that works? In order for John to fully understand what was going on, he had to read each letter more than once. Not only that, he had to combine the two together, because together they answer the questions he’s been asking.
And the same is true with the Bible. Because the fact is, the Bible represents God’s letters to us. His words to us. And if we want to understand what God is saying to us, we need to not only be thoughtful when we read, but we need to read repeatedly as we scour each word trying to determine exactly what God is saying.
Because I’m going to tell you right now, what God has to say to us is far more important than any Dear John letter, novel, article, or facebook feed. What God has to say has eternal consequences. So, if we want to grasp what He’s saying, we need to be willing to read and reread.
And in doing so, there are several ways to repeatedly read that will be helpful. Here are just a few to consider:
Start at the beginning and read clear through the book:
This is a helpful way to read because it gives you the entire context of what you are reading. The problem for many Christians, is they don’t read from beginning to end. Instead, they treat the Bible like a Television set. Instead of settling on a show and watching it straight through, they switch from channel to channel, catching a few scenes for a few seconds, but never watching an entire program.
And the problem with that is, you never get full context or understanding of what you watched. Same with the Bible. If you want to understand it, you have to read clear through.
Another way to read repeatedly, is once you’e read it through, read it through in a different translation.
For example, maybe you read the book of Matthew through in the ESV. Now read it through in the NIV. In doing so you will see things in one translation that you didn’t see or understand before.
Another idea would be to listen to it audibly. By doing so you might hear something you didn’t see before.
Another idea would be to read the bible out loud. Reading out loud forces you to pay attention to each word.
You can also set up a schedule for reading where weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly you read through certain parts of the Bible.
And I think what you’ll find is the more you read and reread the bible, the more you will observe what you hadn’t before.
3. Read Patiently
This is hard for most people to do. Mostly because we live in a microwave society where we want things today not tomorrow. A society where prime shipping is expected and desired in every aspect of our life.
And unfortunately we often bring that thinking to our study of God’s Word as we look for instant result and instant answers. So we rush through a passage or a section hoping it will make a difference in our life.
But the Bible doesn’t work that way. Because Bible reading isn’t meant to be a sprint, but a marathon.
I think a great example of this is Expository Preaching, and why we are 2 years into our study of Acts. Because if we want to truly understand Acts, we have to be willing to take the time it takes to walk through it. Otherwise, we risk missing something.
It’s the same with personal study. You have to be committed to walking patiently through a book of the Bible. Maybe even take 5-6 weeks to read it through several times as you stop and reflect on what you’ve read. As you allow the Lord to speak to you and give you insight. Which leads us to our 4th Strategy:
4. Read Prayerfully
Unfortunately sometimes we view the Bible and prayer as two separate disciplines. But the fact is, the two go together.
In fact, I would say prayer is one of the keys to effective Bible Study. And this is especially true when you come to a place where you are confused or stuck. A place where you pray, “God please help me to understand what your Word is saying. God please give me insight into your Word.”
Prayer is also important when it comes to the promises of God. So that when you read a promise that God made, you stop and reflect on the promise. For example, the psalmist says that God is close to the broken hearted. What a great prayer to pray as you struggle through a difficult time. As you remind God of what He said and ask Him to be close to you in your time of need.
The point is, as you read the Word, don’t be afraid to stop and ask God about what He’s said. To ask Him to help you understand. To ask Him to make what you read true to your life. To ask Him to make His Word alive in you.
5. Read Selectively
If you’ve ever been fishing, one of the things you learn right away is you need to know where to fish and what to fish with.
The same is true with Reading your Bible. Because Selective Reading involves using the right bait as you fish the scriptures. I’d like to give you six questions to ask on any passage that will help you catch what God is saying to you.
#1 - Who?
One of the first questions you need to ask on any passage of scripture is, “Who are the people in the text?”
It’s a simple question and most of the time a simple question to answer.
So, why do we need to ask this question?
We ask it because by discovering who the people are in the text, we can learn two things:
First, what is being said about that person or persons.
In Joshua 2:1 we are introduced to a woman named Rahab. The writer introduces her like this:
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
Notice what the writer tells us about this woman. First, her name is Rahab, and second, she is a prostitute.
Now, why is it so important we catch that little piece of information? It’s important because in Matthew 1 we will see her name again as Matthew gives us the genealogy of Jesus. Check out this exert from Jesus’s family tree:
5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
Notice whose name is in the genealogy of Jesus. It’s Rahab the prostitute. So, what does that tell us? It tells us that when they repent, Jesus uses broken people. That’s good news for you and I.
Second, by asking who, we find out what they are saying, and in doing so we get some insight into who they are. We see an example of this in Matthew 17 as Peter, James, and John are on the mount of Transfiguration with Jesus as they observe Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. Listen to what Peter says when he sees it:
3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
I find this to be one of the funniest things Peter says. Because as he stands there witnessing the Transfiguration of Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah, all he can think to say is, “Jesus how about I put some tents up for each of you.”
Where did that come from? But it tells us something about Peter. Peter was the kind of guy that just kind of spoke without thinking. Just whatever came out of his mouth came out. And if you read other accounts of Peter, that’s how he rolled. It’s who he was. Which makes him human, and not unlike so many of us.
You see, knowing who the story is about and what they are saying opens our eyes to who they are, and potentially what they become.
#2 - What?
The second question to ask in the text is, “What is happening?”
What are the events? What is the order? What happens to the characters? What is the argument? What is God upset about? What is the location? What are others people saying in the passage?
Or, how about this, what is wrong in the passage? Or what’s wrong with the picture?
For example, in 1 Samuel 15, God tells King Saul to wipe the nation of the Amalekites out, including all the animals and all their possessions.
And so he wipes them out, but he captures their king, plunders their goods, and prepares a sacrifice to God with the sheep of the Amalekites. So, what’s wrong with this picture. The prophet Samuel tells us. Because in 1 Samuel 15 we read:
13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”
You see, the problem is, God told Saul to kill the people, it’s king, and all the livestock, but Saul didn’t. Instead he kept the king alive and used the livestock as an offering to God. An act of direct disobedience on Saul’s part. Disobedience that will cost him the position of King. Because God isn’t looking for partial obedience, but full obedience.
You see, the what is happening, not happening, or what’s wrong with this picture are important questions to ask.
3. Where?
Asking where gives you location. Questions like where is this story taking place. Where are the people in the story? Where are they from? Where are they going? Where is the writer? Where are the original readers of the text.
And great place to answer this question is on a map. Because where gives us perspective. Where gives us context. Where helps us observe something we couldn’t see before.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. In Matthew 16, right before Jesus is transfigured in front of Matthew, James, and John, He asks his disciples a question. Listen to what He asks them:
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Now, along with the who and what questions, an important question to ask in this passage is where. Because as we’re going to see in a moment, it’s the location of where they are that causes Jesus to ask this question.
So, where are they? They are in Caesarea Philippi. So, where is that and why is it important? Caesarea Philippi is located on the northern edge of Israel right next to Mount Hermon. And it’s significant because spiritually speaking Caesarea Phillips is none for something of geographical significance. Because located next to this city on the mountain walls is a place called the Gates Of Hell.
Here’s a picture I took of it while in Israel:
Notice the wide open mouth and then the little gates that have been etched into the mountain wall. Gates that represent gods that people would come and make sacrifices too.
Now, imagine Jesus and his disciples standing here, looking up at these very gates, and Jesus says:
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they each begin to answer. Someone says John the Baptist. Someone else says Elijah. Another says Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
But then Jesus asks the million dollar question. He asks, “But who do you say that I am?”
And this is where Peter pipes in, and he says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus says, “You are correct Peter. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
In other words, no other god will be able to stop it.
Do you see why “where” is important here? Where gave us context. Where opened our eyes to what Jesus was actually saying. That He is the only God. A God that no other false god can stand against.
#4 - When?
When is the question of time. When the event takes place. When it occurred in relation to other events. When was the writer writing?
An easy example would be Mark 1 where we read:
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
When is an important question to ask because it tells us a lot about Jesus. For example, when did Jesus pray? While it was still dark. Which means, Jesus started his day doing the most important thing he knew to do.
Second, asking when tells us what happened the day before. Because the day before Jesus had spent the entire day ministering and healing people. We know that because in the verse before this Mark writes:
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Mark says the night before, at sundown, Jesus spent the entire night healing people and casting out demons as the entire city gathered at the door. Which means, Jesus didn’t get to bed until late.
But that didn’t stop Him the next morning from rising early to pray.
You see, asking when tells us a lot about Jesus and what was important to Him.
#5 - Why?
Asking why is important because it forces us to look deeper as we look for meaning. So, we ask questions like, “Why is this included? Why did God respond like that? Why did Jesus say that? Why did that happen? Etc...
An example of this would be the prodigal son, which is only found in the Gospel of Luke, but none of the other gospels. A good question to ask would be, “Why?”
Or when we come to the book of Acts, and as we’re going to learn down the road, there is no ending. Why?
You see by asking why will lead us to new insights and understanding we may have never discovered.
#6 - Wherefore?
This question asks, “So what? What difference would it make if I applied this truth?”
You see Wherefore? is the question that gets us started doing something about what we’ve read.
Which means, with every passage of scripture we read, we need to ask ourselves, “So what does this mean for me?” Which is a step we are going to look at when we get to application. But for now, we need to start asking the question, even if we don’t know the answer yet.
So, those are six questions we should always go fishing with when we open up our Bibles. Six questions that move us from a casual reader to a Sherlock Holmes or Jason Bourne reader.
So, that’s where we are going to stop for tonight, and next week we will look at 5 more strategies for observational reading.
Questions
Homework
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”