2-18-18 How To Study the Bible Pt. 3

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Telephone Game

Choose 3 guy-girl teams. Each girl gets three rolls of lifesavers and 2 minutes to lick, stick, and arrange them on the guy’s face.

Have the audience vote for the winning team. You may make a lifesaver hat out of a foam circle, spray-painted to add to the decor. You may also consider having 2 girls per guy decorate.

9:30AM = Thankfulness/Prayer Time/Worship

9:45AM = Lesson

Pray

Good morning B.O.C.

Subject (HP):

We’re going over “Growing in the Faith” and in these next few sessions, more specifically, learning How to study the Bible.

We did our observation last week of . This morning, we’ll work on Interpretation.

Need:

We’re trying to train ourselves to read the Bible with our mind and not just with our eyes. Observation requires time and practice, and interpretation is a little easier.

So often we read the Bible with our eyes but not with our mind. and because observation is discovering what God’s word says, it requires time and practice.

[SLIDE2]

It’s important to know how to study the Bible so The goal of studying God’s word is to learn how to APPLY IT in your daily life.

God supplies it. We APPLY IT.

Image:

When we’re talking about interpretation, we’re talking about what the text means.

Let me ask you this: Do you like it when people put words in your mouths or twist the words you said?

People often do this to God when they say Scripture passages mean something other than what God intended.

In your groups take the next 3 min to write down your interpretations about the passage based on the observations you made last week.

For example:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It’s used on wrist bands, coffee cups, athletes, etc. Usually to mean I can overcome any obstacle or succeed in all things. But if you look at the context (the previous verses and verses after) you’ll see that’s not what Paul is trying to communicate.

Neither is “Judge not, that you not be judged.” People will use this to say “Only God can judge me” to justify some behavior or to discount something someone may try to communicate. This is out of context and a wrong interpretation.

More to follow on this later.

[SLIDE3]

Here’s what I need you to do. Split up into groups of 2, for our time we’ll spend interpreting this passage, and if there’s time left, you’ll do the whole process for one verse.

In your groups take the next 3 min to write down your interpretations about the passage based on the observations you made last week.

Let me ask you this: Do you like it when people put words in your mouths or twist the words you said?

Some questions or things to keep in mind:

Who is the intended audience?

Pay attention to people, places, and things.

Compare scripture with scripture. Are there any other verses that say something similar or cover the same event?

Is there repeated words or phrases? Cause and effect?

Read it as literally as possible.

There is a difference between observation and interpretation.

Keep it in context: read the whole of scripture including what is before and after it.

[SLIDE4]

Read

[SLIDE4]

Who? What? When? Where?

Pay attention to people, places, and things.

[Timer 5 min]

[SLIDE6]

So what are some interpretations

[Have verse displayed]

Read interpretation

Here’s what’s happening:

they’re going to Galilee

they’re going to a mountain

the disciples SAW Jesus

they worshiped Jesus

some doubted

Jesus came to them

Jesus gave them instruction

Jesus gives an explicit command.

Jesus had just resurrected and had appeared to the two women who were at his tomb as they were on their way to let the disciples know that Jesus had resurrected. He tells them to go to Galilee and he’ll meet them there. While that was happening, the guards who were watching the tomb told the priest what had happened, and they were paid off to lie that Jesus didnt actually come back to life, but his disciples stole his body.

the Father, Son, and Holy spirit are mentioned.

new disciples are mentioned.

New disciples are to obey all commands from Jesus.

Jesus assures them of his presence with them.

Jesus’ name is mentioned twice

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, how did they know to go to Galilee? Three times this is mentioned. once, Jesus directly tells them, twice the disciples are indirectly told to go to Galilee, “then they went to Galilee...”

Jesus has all authority

there is a heaven and earth

“They worshiped, but some doubted,” doubted what? They didnt doubt the ressurection. there was brief question among some if this was actually Jesus.

the disciples are to baptize and teach

But that doubt is put to rest when Jesus tells them he has “all authority” that was given to him by the Father. So because he has this authority he’s able to send the disciples to “go.” Go where? to all nations, not just their own people group. And they are to “make disciples,” followers of Jesus and to baptize them as a sign that they serve a Triune God. and then they are also to “teach” specific truths that Jesus told them to teach during their time together. And then the last recored words by matthew of Jesus, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

this happens after Jesus’ resurrection and before his ascension.

Think about that for a moment. Put yourself in the shoes of one of these disciples; Jesus, the man who’s discipled you for a while now, and has been with you day in and day out, has taught you so much, who died and you mourned his death, but then resurrected and you experienced joy because you’re expecting him to be with you physically to rule the world now.

And now all of a sudden you realize he’s actually leaving, and he’s giving us our last marching orders as disciples. You cant help but feel this disappointment that Jesus is leaving us again, especially after we JUST got him back. He’s leaving us to go be with the Father, BUT he knows us and he knows what we need, so he tells us, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Though Jesus didn't physically remain with them, His spiritual presence was with them until their tasks on earth were finished.

Though Jesus didn't physically remain with them, His spiritual presence was with them until their tasks on earth were finished.

[SLIDE5]

Conclusion:

Did they do it? These final words of Jesus were carried out by the apostles as they went everywhere proclaiming the name of Jesus and doing just as he said, how else do you think this small piece of the church came to exist?

And now the same things Jesus told the disciples, as followers of Jesus, we too are involved with one command, “go and make disciples.”

As you’re living life at school, home, and/or your neighborhood who can you share the gospel with?

How can you disciple others? and How can you grow in spiritual maturity?

We’ll talk more about the application of the great commission next week.

How can you grow in spiritual maturity?

[SLIDE6]

Next week, we’ll move into interpretation of what the meaning of the passage is saying. So keep spending time in

Some examples of God’s word being misinterpreted:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

We’ll talk more about the application

Out of context: It’s used on wrist bands, coffee cups, athletes, etc. Usually to mean I can overcome any obstacle or succeed in all things. But if you look at the context (the previous verses and verses after) you’ll see that’s not what Paul is trying to communicate.

In Context: Paul is writing from jail sharing how he’s experienced both plenty (good times) and need (bad times) but in either times he has strength that only comes from Christ.

Neither is “Judge not, that you not be judged.” People will use this to say Out of context: “Only God can judge me” to justify some behavior or to discount something someone may try to communicate. This is out of context and a wrong interpretation.

In Context: this is a warning against self-righteousness and hypocrisy. If you are going to correct someone (which christians are told to do so to other christians in ) make sure that you’re being held to that same standard, and do not judge with an ulterior motive or a bad intention.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am i among them.”

Out of context: Usually mentioned when there’s a small number of christians gathered for prayer, worship, or any event to justify that God is in the midst of them.

In context: This verse is actually in the context of church discipline and dealing with people who are resolving conflict the way God want’s us to. It’s meant as an encouragement to christians who confront and seek reconciliation and restoration in relationships with other christians; God is in the midst of hard conversations and hurt between the BOC.