1. Is Bible Study for Me?

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Friday, Feb. 9th, 6-8pm.

Bring athletic clothes, clean shoes, water bottle.

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Prayer

Intro

REMEMBER TO TELL THEM WHAT THE BLANKS ARE

Why People Don’t Study their Bibles?

What are some of the reasons why we don’t study our Bibles?

1. “I just don’t think it’s Relevant.”

“What does this book have to do with my life now?”

Bible was written as far as 4000 years ago

I’m reading Leviticus right now, some things can seem irrelevant.

- “If your ox goes free and kills your neighbor, your ox shall be slaughtered, etc...”

- We deal with modern issues...

Main Question: RELEVANCE

2. “I don’t know how.”

Have you ever felt lost while trying to study your Bible?

Massive book

Spontaneous ambition to study falls flat.

Bible study can be scary...

Scarred to jump in the pool, because you can’t swim.

Main Question: TECHNIQUE

3. “I’m not a Pastor.”

“I can’t study the Bible because I am not professionally trained.”

Roman Catholic teaching model...

Do we need professional training inorder to understand the Bible? What do we need? (Holy Spirit)

Fear of the word “study”…

Main Question: CONFIDENCE

4. “I just don’t have time!”

To-do list:

- Get ready for school

- Study hard

- Practice after school

- Chores

- Homework

- Hang out

Main Question: PRIORITIES

5. “I have some doubts about the Bible.”

Miracles

Creation vs. evolution @school

Main Question: AUTHORITY

6. “I can’t seem to make it interresting.”

Fading thoughts

Main Question: DESIRE

Here are a few other reasons why people don’t read their Bibles as they’d like to. Let’s work through them together, and as we go along, check the ones that apply to you.

__ The Bible is confusing, I find it hard to understand.

__ It just doesn’t impact me as much as it used to.

__ I feel guilty when I read the Bible.

__ I rely on my pastor to understand the Bible for me.

__ I’ve got some doubts about the Bible.

__ I don’t have time, I’m so busy!

__ The Bible seems boring to me.

__ I don’t own a Bible.

__ I dislike reading! Not just the Bible, but all books.

Why Study our Bibles?

What are some of the reasons why we should read our Bibles?

1. Bible study is essential to growth.

Peter writing to a group of new believers, telling them,

“You’ve believed in the gospel? Great! Now, here’s how you build on that foundation...”

vs. 1 “Laying aside...”

1 Peter 2:2 NKJV

2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

What does Peter picture new believers as? (Babies)

“as newborn babes,” what? (Desire the pure milk of the Word)

Pure milk of the Word = Exactly what we need.

Psalm 19:10 says about God’s Word,

Psalm 19:10 NKJV

10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Honey = Sweet, desired, delicious

Shredded wheat = bland but nutricious

Nasty Medicine = Disgusting but a necessary evil

Babies will cry every few hours, why is that the case? (They need milk, and they’ll make sure you know it!)

From the least mature to the godliest Christian, everyone needs the Word.

Based on the last part of vs. 2, why do we need the Word? (That we may grow thereby)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a growth chart on your wall?

Growth chart @the farm...

2. Bible study is essential to spiritual maturity.

Hebrews is widely known to be one of the deepest books of the Bible, and in ch. 5, things get even deeper...

Writer is saying, “We’ve talked about Christ, how He’s greater than everything; prophets, and even angels. But now I want to talk to you about how Jesus was pictured in this guy called Melchizedek.”

Starts talking about it a little… Hit the brakes...

Hebrews 5:11 NKJV

11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

What’s the problem that’s holding the Christians back here? (dull of hearing)

Spiritual learning - disability

Christian growth scale (Babies, kids, young adults, adults, mature senior)

Grown men & women eating baby food in their pullups

Spiritually immature people (saved for a while) are just as strange looking as an adult in a high chair...

3. Bible study is essential to spiritual effectiveness.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If I tell you, “I believe the Bible is inspired.” What does that mean? (God breathed out the words of the Bible, what we have in our hands is exactly the message God wants us to have)

How much of Scripture is inspired? (ALL)

Includes Leviticus and 2 Chronicles!

We’re told that the Bible is profitable, it’s useful for the task it was made to accomplish.

In vs. 16, there’s four ways we’re told its profitable, what are they?

Doctrine = The way you think! “What do I believe about God? How does that change me?”

Reproof/rebuke = Tells us when we’re out of bounds

Logan Smith umpire...

Correction = Exposing the wrong.

Instruction in righteousness = Shows us the way to doing right

Now, looking at vs. 17, what’s the purpose of all these things?

How We can Grow

Now that we’ve looked at God’s Word itself, some of you might still be a little intimidated. “I can’t read the Bible, it’s so big and intimidating.” That’s why we’re here to learn together!

Be patient, like anything in life, learning how to read and study the Bible takes time and effort.

Teach swimming

- Throw kid in the deep end?

How this Series can Help Us

1. Bible study can be simple!

As long as you are saved, and you can read, you can study the Bible

2. You can be a confident student of the Word!

The more you learn and try, the better you will be.

3. You WILL receive joy as you learn!

There’s nothing like learning something new from your Bible time!

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

4. You will deepen your relationship with God!

Who isyour favorite book author? Why do you love them? (The book they wrote)

We get to know God deeper and love Him more as we dive into God’s Word.

What will it take for me to get there?

1. Openness to study.

Got to be willing to work for it

2. Openness to God.

As we study God’s Word, God’s word actually studies us. It exposes us. And we need to be humble.

3. Openness to change.

As the Word exposes us, it calls us to change our lifestyles, and we need to allow it to do so.