Rediscovering the Bible

Graduates:

Trinity Blais | Promoted from Kindergarten to first grade

Julia Villreal | Promoted from Kindergarten to first grade

Shay Lotzenhiser | Promoted from Kindergarten to first grade

Victoria Vargas | Promoted from Kindergarten to first grade

Valentina Vargas | Promoted from Kindergarten to first grade

Riley Patterson | Promoted from 6th grade to Jr. High

Katie Lee | Graduated High School and will begin College at Biola

Elyse Flores | Graduated from College with a degree in _____

Jordan Bruce | Completed her Masters degree in Social Work from Cal Baptist University

We have asked Elyse to share for a moment on how important her faith was during her time in school.

Prayer

Psalm 1:1-6 NLT

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Notice the key theme that contrasts the way of life and the way of destruction - what we do with God’s Word - the Bible. In this case - delight and meditate, ponder, think, absorb His Word.

Notice too, it’s not just that we will know more but we will become someone different. Scripture doesn’t just inform us, it transforms us.

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

It is only God’s word that will provide the inward transformation of our minds that will protect us from conforming to the spirit of the age (the path of destruction). It is a transformation within that changes what is without. It is a new life that produces a new lifestyle. it is a new way of thinking that produces a new way of living.

Title: Rediscovering the Bible

Inspire you to (1) value what you have and it is (2) worth studying.

Critics of Scripture

Some 300 years ago, French writer and intellectual Voltaire is reputed to have said, “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.”

Sam Harris, of the New Atheist movement has said, “I can go into any Barnes & Noble blindfolded and pull a book off a shelf which is going to have more relevance, more wisdom for 21st century, than the Bible.”

It has been called the product of “Bronze age peasants” or “desert tribes.”

Lovers of Scripture

The Bible is the most significant and influential book in the world and in history because it is the Word of God. The Bible tells us who God is and who we are.

Ultimately the Bible is the narrative about how God created and is redeeming the world through Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament begins with the creation of the world and develops the story of God’s redemptive plan all the way through the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and into the Babylonian exile.

There are about four-hundred years between the Old and New Testaments, and then this story of redemption continues with the incarnation, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, followed by the expansion of the kingdom of God until Jesus Christ returns and establishes the new heavens and new earth.

People all over the world are coming to terms that the Biblical story, the story of Jesus who is the Word, is the only story that makes sense of their personal story.

Ultimately people treasure the Bible because it is through these pages that we come to meet face to face with Jesus.

This is why knowing how we got our Bible is story that is both interesting and vital.

Some Brief History of our Bible

Bibles were Costly:

Today’s bible is a new modern phenomenon that we are thankful for. - that bibles are affordable.

Story of Mary Jones - 8 years old when she became a christian. Having learned to read she wanted her own bible. The only bible she had access to was from a relative who lived several miles away.

She saved money for 6 years to be able to afford her first bible.

When she sought one out - Mr. Charles was her best hope.

He was 25 miles away. She walked the entire way, barefoot, to finally purchase her own bible.

This story, when heard and with the support of William Wilberforce helped begin the British and Foreign bible society.

The Cost

Each copy of the bible in the Middle Ages cost roughly 1500 sheep.

In Spain the Leon Bible (960 AD) cost an estimated 155 cows to produce.

Not counting the cost of ink, quills, and binding for the final books.

Also needed, was at least one scribe with a practiced hand, capable of copying the text. Many times there would be several scribes working in unison but then a supervisor was needed to ensure each page passed without errors.

A well stocked and well trained monastery would typically produce two to four complete bibles a year.

That was best case, one monk remarks that his goal was 1 bible every two years, however, he often need a third year to complete.

2. The Cost of Life to get bibles into people’s language:

Regarding the English bibles we have, no individual is more responsible for the English bible translation than William Tyndale.

[See Image of Tyndale Bible]

During a time when it was illegal to make the bible in an English translation, he did it, because he desired everyone to be able to read it.

Once when an educated man remarked that having the pope’s law was better than having God’s, Tyndale replied, “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”

He was eventually betrayed and in 1536 was strangled and burned at the stake. His famous last words were “Lord! open the king of England’s eyes. And the Lord did, only a few months later.

Tyndale is the one responsible for coining many English words we use today: anathema, godly, unbeliever, zealous, atonement. “Let there be light” “fight the good fight” “love” instead of charity, and repent instead of “do penance.”

Years later when the King James bible was finished, it is estimated that over 80% of it’s work was from Tyndale.

Because of God’s providence and people like Tyndale, we have bibles in our own language today.

A layman who has Scripture is more than Pope or council without it.

Martin Luther (Founder of the German Reformation)

3. How did it come together?

2003 Davinci Code by Dan Brown, sold 82 million copies and had a movie made reveals a very popular question about how the bible was made.

“The bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. more than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chose for inclusion - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them.

“Who chose which gospels to include?” Sophie asked.

“Aha!” Sir Leigh Teabing burst in with enthusiasm. “The fundamental irony of Christianity! The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman Emperor Constantine the Great!”

And mega church pastor - Andy Stanley in his book Irresistible, asserts that Christians today shouldn’t immediately appeal to the authority of the Bible because it wasn’t available until the fourth century.

The whole idea could not be further from the truth.

Time does not allow us to reference all the historical data, but we have manuscript evidence for the 4 gospels towards the end of the 2nd century.

[See Image P45] - (4 gospels and Acts in the codex) This is from the 3rd century.

[See Image P46] (This is from the 3rd century that includes 9 of his letters including Hebrews) Furthermore, like the image on the screen, we possess manuscripts very close to the time of the apostles. By the 2nd century Christians were already recognizing the same core books we read today.

The church never canonized books by its own authority; instead, it recognized books’ inspiration and canonicity, and it had a functioning canon long before it attempted to define the canon.

Which is why Christians in the first few centuries had no problem referring with confidence to their “Scripture”.

It was received rather than created

Why Study the Bible?

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

This Means that studying Scripture will:

Transform us.

Leads to a better understanding of God’s will and purpose.

Regular study guards against false teachings, helping maintain unwavering faith.

Scripture offers practical guidance.

It serves a diagnostic function, revealing what’s wrong in our lives the Bible offers specific correction for broken areas.

Scripture gives us wisdom

And also, because it is story, we find ourselves in His Story and receive Encouragement and hope

Above all, it is life-giving as the tree in Psalm 1 where we meet with Jesus.

Rules for Study

Full transparency - time does not allow for an in-depth teaching on how to read Scripture well. That would cover the different genres in Scripture, poetry, the proverbs, the historical narratives, etc. and how they are to be read differently and culturally. Nor do we have time to discuss the methods of translation and the abundance of ancient manuscripts… Some older, some newer.

We are all interpreters.

No one just reads the bible. We all interpret it. No one is perfect. No one’s understanding is the same as the Holy Spirit’s or human author’s intent.

Example: text from spouse that says “fine”

What does it mean?

"Fine." could mean, "Everything is okay."

It could mean, "I'm upset."

It could mean, "We'll talk later."

The word hasn't changed, but everyone immediately begins interpreting it based on context, relationship, and circumstances.

God chose to speak his eternal truths within the particular circumstances and events of human history. We are interpreting His message through those particularities.

2. Good News - We can be better interpreters

As we recognize that we bring to the text all that we are, all our experiences, culture, prior understandings of words and ideas. These, unaware, can lead us astray and cause us to read all kinds of foreign ideas into the text.

Look for the plain meaning of the text in it’s context.

We ask questions like who wrote this? Who are they writing to? What is happening culturally, historically? How does this fit with the rest of the Bible?

If a friend tells you to meet him at the bank, you should first find out if he means the river bank, financial bank, blood bank, etc. We need to ask questions.

Avoid proof texting. which is taking a verse out of it’s context to prove a point you want to make. Rather than allowing the verse to make the point God intended. It is using the Bible to prove my ideas rather than letting the Bible form my ideas.

Don’t assume you know what you don’t know, this will kill any investigation and deeper study. Why would I investigate what I already know?

The best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture.

3. Seek the author’s original meaning.

The bible cannot mean today what it did not mean then.

The true meaning of the biblical text for us is what God originally intended it to mean when it was first spoken or written

Which is why, never ask, “what does this verse mean to me?” before asking, “What did this verse mean when God inspired it?”

4. Bible Study is for everyone.

God is a relational God and is perfect and gracious to know how to relate to you. Your study with the illumination of the Holy Spirit means that this is not too difficult for anyone! But it will take some effort!

Don’t forget, remember who God gave his inspiration to. It wasn’t professors, professionals, it was everyday farmers, fishermen, shepherds, ordinary people. You don’t have to know everything to begin. You simply have to begin.

No verse of Scripture yields its meaning to lazy people.

Arthur Walkington Pink

Where can you start?

First, read the bible devotionally.

Reading the Bible systematically in a devotional way helps you become familiar with God's story. Over time, you'll learn the grand narrative of Scripture, grow in your understanding of Christian truth, and allow God's Word to comfort, encourage, convict, and guide you through prayer.

This is where we slow down, listen, and ask, "Lord, what are You teaching me today?"

Second, study the Bible.

Bible study goes a step deeper. It is the intentional work of discovering what the biblical authors meant in their original context and then faithfully applying those truths to our lives today.

Sometimes that means asking questions, comparing passages, using a study Bible, consulting trusted commentaries, or learning about the history and culture behind the text.

These two disciplines beautifully complement one another.

Bible study protects us from reading our own ideas into Scripture. It helps us understand what God actually intended to say. And as our understanding grows, our devotional reading becomes richer, deeper, and more meaningful.

I've found that the more I study God's Word, the more I fall in love—not just with the Bible—but with the God who gave it.

Read the Bible with your heart.

Study the Bible with your mind.

And you'll discover that God transforms your whole life.

So don’t measure your Bible reading/study by how many chapters you finish. Measure it by whether you’re becoming more like Christ.

Tomorrow morning, before you check the news, social media, email. Open Psalm 1, read it slowly. Ask one question, Lord what are you showing me about yourself.

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion.

This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever. Amen.