5: How do we Read it Right? (Part 2)

QR Teaching Notes

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This is week 5 of our series entitled, “Trusting the Word of God”, where we have & will continue to explore how the Bible came to be and why it’s trustworthy.

Today we dig in deeper as we discover another important rule that will help us READ the Scriptures RIGHT.

Last week we ended with the story of a terrible mother throwing her own 4 month son in a trash can.

Then, we heard the rest of the story.

how this brave woman fought off a pit bull terrier attacked in her in her own garage, which is WHY she put her baby in a garbage can for protection. When the 80 pound dog continued to go after the baby knocking over the trash can, the mother fought it off and received 50 staples plus countless stitches. The baby was unharmed, but covered in blood - his mother’s blood.

Within minutes, my mind was changed, this lady went from an unfit mother deserving to be locked up to MOTHER OF THE YEAR deserving to be lifted up in high honor!

POLAR BEAR ‘ATTACK’

I heard another story about a tragic & brutal mauling of a man in Canada by a polar bear.

And I have to warn you before I show you the pictures. If you are squeamish you might need to turn your head. Are you ready?

PIC OF POLAR BEAR

This is another example of why would should....

RULE #1: Never read a Bible verse.

When you only hear a PIECE of the story, you might not get the POINT of the story.

Context is the KEY to understanding what the text means.

So, we should read everything surrounding the verse, not just the verse.

Otherwise, people can manipulate and mangle what the Scriptures mean - bending the Bible to their beliefs rather than bending their beliefs to fit the Bible.

Further, we were reminded that we shouldn’t ask “What does this verse mean TO ME?” Instead, we should ask, “What does this verse MEAN and how do I APPLY this to MY LIFE?”.

Last week our FEET2FAITH challenge was to ponder these passages & answer these questions:

John 3:16: Who had Jesus just been talking to and what was it about?

Jer. 29:11: Who is being written to and how was God specifically going to prosper those people [read chapter]?

Phil 4:13: Often quoted, but what is the surrounding passage about?

Matt. 18:20 says “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” What is that passage all about?

We will address one of those in a moment.

RULE #2: Author & Audience before Application.

Dr. Wayne Stacey

“I try never to forget that the Bible was the word of God to somebody else before it was the word of God to me.”

We must remember that the Scriptures weren’t written TO US, but the Scriptures were written FOR US.

Cultural Differences: The original author & audience spoke a different language and lived on a different continent over 2000 years ago. We must place ourselves in THEIR context instead of transporting them to OUR CONTEXT.

Literary Differences: “I read the Bible like we do the sports page - trying to understand the intent of the author.” Is it POETRY, HISTORY, or METAPHOR? We read POETRY in a different way then we read HISTORY, and what about METAPHORS? We don’t take metaphors in a wooden literal way, but try to understand what the metaphor means.

“Cowboys Scalp the Redskins.” Would we expect to see the tops of heads littering the field?

“It’s raining cats & dogs.” But what about the Chinese person just learning English?

“I have butterflies in my stomach” It would be silly to ask - how BIG were they? What COLOR are they? UNLESS…you are a master of Dad jokes!

Now I know what some of you might be thinking: I just want to sit down and read my Bible and hear from God.

GOOD! But we still have to do our best understand the context to understand what it really means.

Last week asked you to read Jer. 29:11 and then answer this question: Who is being written to and what does verse 10 say?

Let’s look at verse 29 first…and then practice RULE #1 & 2: Never Read A Bible Verse & Author and Audience before Application.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Many of us are quick to point to Jer 29:11 as a “life verse”. Why? Because we LIKE it! We have read it in “The Bible Promise Book”, memorized it, stitched it on pillows, and quoted it to others when they go through tough times.

But, let’s back up the truck and look at verse 10.

Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

Hmmmm…Why don’t we quote, memorize, stitch, and point others to THAT verse? Here’s why: We DON’T LIKE IT. After all, anyone who is older than about 10 probably isn’t going to make it back after all that time.

So, after 70 years, WHO is going to be taken from Babylon and WHERE are they going to be taken?

That leads us to ask this question about the audience: Who is YOU?

Jeremiah 29:1 (NIV)

This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

So, WHO is the author? Jeremiah

WHO is the audience? Jews exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon - surviving elders, priests, prophets, and all the other people. So, anytime we see YOU in this passage, we understand that YOU is referring NOT TO AN INDIVIDUAL, but to a GROUP OF JEWISH PEOPLE TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON.

You (the audience I am speaking to right now)…YOU get that right?

We must first ask, who is the Author and WHO is the Audience - Who is YOU?

Paul writes Timothy and says:

2 Timothy 4:13 (NIV)

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

Who is YOU? It’s Timothy. Of course this makes sense, because we wouldn’t take YOU to mean us, otherwise we have to travel 2000 years back in time and attempt to get Paul his cloak & scrolls.

WHERE did they come from and where is God promising to return them (based on v 10)? Back to Jerusalem.

Skipping down to v 4 for the sake of time, here’s the rest of it. I have PURPOSELY left out the verse numbers so that you can read it without interruption. As we read it, answer this question: “Who is YOU?”

Jeremiah 29:4–7 (NIV)

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Jeremiah 29:8-9 (NIV)

Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:10-11 (NIV)

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is not BIBLE BUFFET, where you take what you like and leave what you don’t like. We can’t rip verse 11 out and claim it while we leave v10.

This is NOT a promise to YOU, and it’s certainly not a promise that God gives that you will be healthy, wealthy, and wise.

In fact, the apostles of Jesus NEVER quoted this passage in that way. God’s plan for most of them was not long life nor financial prosperity as most of them did not live a long life and were not rich & famous, but persecuted and poor.

Eric Bargerhuff writes in his brilliant book, The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, writes: “We have no right to hold God hostage to a promise that we have misunderstood.” [R1]

So, God promised to take the exiled Jewish people back to Jerusalem in 70 years. That means that most of the audience hearing this…WOULDN’T make it back.

If you and I were part of those folks - I’m 50 - in 70 years, I’m probably not going to be part of that parade. Most of you aren’t either. BUT…that would have been a great encouragement that our kids and grandkids WOULD make it back home.

Jeremiah 29:12-14 (NIV)

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

There ARE some PRINCIPLES here that apply to all who seek the Lord, but the PROMISE to return people back to Jerusalem is NOT your promise.

I hope it has become clear to us that “YOU” was written to the Jewish captives who God had not forgotten. - YOU isn’t about YOU and ME.

This made me MAD before it made me GLAD. It helped me to see my prideful arrogance as I actually caught myself asking, “If this isn’t a promise for ME…then why should I read it?”

Here’s what God hit me with.

The Scriptures tell us about our FAITHFUL GOD! Just as God had promised, HE DID send the Jews back to Jerusalem in 70 years! God didn’t forget his people, even though they had been unfaithful. AND…for you and me…God has been faithful in the PAST and He will be faithful in the FUTURE!

So, What can we lean and APPLY from Jeremiah 29?

1. God punishes those who continue in disobedience. This is true for all people, at all times, in all places. God ripped the Jewish people out of their land and exiled them to Babylon for 70 years! He won’t give our disobedience a free pass (1 Thes 4:3–8; Rev 3:19).

2. God’s promises can be trusted.

Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

God’s promises ALWAYS prove true. In fact, look how Daniel remembers and expects the promise from Jeremiah 29 to be fulfilled shortly.

Daniel 9:2 (LEB)

...I, Daniel, observed in the scrolls the number of the years that it was that were to be fulfilled according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet for the devastation of Jerusalem—seventy years.

WE are awaiting CURRENT & FUTURE PROMISES that God will be faithful to fulfill

Jesus will love us, never leave us, & will provide for our needs (Rm 8:31-39; Mt 28:20; Heb 13:5-6; Mt 6:25–34).

Jesus will return & reunite us with believers who have died before us (1 Thes 4:13–18; 1 Cor 15:50–58). This was the HOPE of the first followers of Jesus and should be OUR HOPE as well!

Jesus will bring us salvation & bring judgement to those who disobey Him (Heb 11:39-40; 2 Thes 1:6–10).

3. God LOVES to restore those who repent (1 Jn 1:9; Acts 3:19)! God forgave and restored the Jewish people when they turned from their sin and turned to HIM. This is the heartbeat of God AND is the focus of the gospel of Jesus - to restore people to God.

You see, God does have a plan and purpose for your life and you don’t need one verse from Jeremiah to prove it. You have the whole of Scripture.

Here are a couple of chunks of Scriptures that have application for ALL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS!

Reading Hebrews 11, you can see that many of God’s people from the past leaned on and trusted God for a different kind of future and hope than most people think of when they quote Jer 29:11.

The future and hope they looked forward to wasn’t referring to health, wealth, wisdom, and a guarantee of blessings on this side of eternity. In fact, many of them suffered horribly in this life, and yet they lived by faith with the hope of a fuller salvation in a future that they could not yet see.

And this same HOPE the AUTHOR points His ancient audience to is to be applied to ALL who follow Jesus!

Hebrews 11:13–16 (CSB)

These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

All of the people in this passage TRUSTED God when the future was uncertain, and ultimately looked to more than just an EARTHLY HOPE, but to an ETERNAL HOPE.

The rest of the passage mentions Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses who all trusted & obeyed God LONG BEFORE the saw the results. Some of them didn’t see the results on this side of eternity (more on that in a moment). The Israelites trusting God to destroy Jericho, Rahab the prostitute who lived there - trusted Yahweh instead of siding with her own people. There is mention of leaders, warriors, and prophets like Daniel - who trusted God despite the dangers they faced.

Many of these folks received the promises and protection of God on THIS SIDE of eternity.

Hebrews 11:32–35a (CSB)

And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead, raised to life again.

Others, however, didn’t receive the promises and protection of God on THIS SIDE of eternity, but they trusted God for His eternal plans for them.

Hebrews 11:35b–38 (CSB)

Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

These people would have NEVER quoted Jer 29:11 as a promise that wasn’t for them.

But they DID claim the promises that God gave to ALL who follow Him - the FUTURE ETERNAL HOPE promised by God to His faithful people.

Hebrews 11:39–40 (CSB)

All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

Let’s look at 1 more passage that is true for ALL followers of Jesus - past, present and future!

Romans 8 is from Paul to Roman believers, some who have suffered for following Jesus. But this is more than just a word to Romans, it is a word to the universal church...’us’!

Romans 8:31–34 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Romans 8:35-38 (NIV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Does God have a hope and a future for you? Yes! Our current and future hope is the fact that Jesus died for us! We can trust Him and rest in His promise that nothing can separate us from His love!

Many contemporary people approach following Jesus with an attitude like this:

“Jesus, I’ll follow you IF…if you protect me and my family, IF you give us long life, IF you give us not only want we need - but what we WANT. I’ll follow you IF you keep me from facing tough times and persecution from others.”

These people want the PROTECTION of the Master, more than they want the PRESENCE of the Master. They are seeking the Master’s hand, but not the Mater’s face.

But the first followers had a different approach and attitude about following Jesus - something like this:

“Jesus, I’ll follow you EVEN IF…EVEN IF you don’t protect me and my family, EVEN IF you don’t give us long life, EVEN IF you give us only want we need - but NOT what we WANT. I’ll follow you EVEN IF you keep me from facing tough times and persecution from others.”

These people appreciate the PROTECTION of the Master, but they long for the PRESENCE of the Master. They are grateful for what comes from the Master’s hand, but they long to see the Mater’s face.

FEET2FAITH

Bend your beliefs to fit what the Bible means, then graciously help others to do the same. Become familiar with the chunks of passages we studied today. Become familiar with the context and get prepared to respond to others who misuse them, with grace and truth.

This weekend I saw a sister in the Lord who attends another local church. She had seen a recent ‘short sermon’ video clip I posted talking about never reading a Bible verse and told me, “I’ll never forget the talk we had years ago, that helped me to better understand how to read the Bible.”

I praise the Lord that precious people actually listen to the gracious and good reasons we give them in how to READ IT RIGHT. May the Lord use US to first - make sure that WE are bending our beliefs to fit what the Bible teaches INSTEAD OF aren’t bending the Bible to fit our beliefs, and then - help

PRAY

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UPCOMING

Shoeboxes due - TODAY

Giving

RALLY - Tomorrow @ Noon

NEXT SUNDAY - Combined Thanksgiving Worship & Lunch - Nov 20 @10am

Couples Christmas Party

CALEB CROUSE

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Bargerhuff, Eric J.. The Most Misused Verses in the Bible,Surprising Ways God's Word Is Misunderstood (p. 41). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How did reading these passages IN CONTEXT challenge your view of what the authors actually meant?

What are the dangers of bypassing the author & audience & moving directly to personal application; and why are we quick to jump to personal application instead of digging to consider the author & audience first?

Share with another believer how you have misinterpreted or mishandled a Scriptural text in the past. How were you corrected and how long did it take you to change your view?

Recognizing that God was patient and gracious to correct us, what are some practical ways we might extend the same kind of patience and grace to others who are misinterpreting the Scriptures?

Why is it so important to read the Scriptures regularly? Are you doing that and/or what are your plans to read consistently this week? Who is checking on you this week?

Share prayer thanks & needs. Then pray for one another.