More Than Words - #4 How To Study The Bible

Me:

Me: Review

Ill – Grandma Hill – taught how to “study” the Bible. In church history anytime, the Bible was given to the people… she was familiar with devotional method etc...

I went to talk to a fighting family. A 89 year-old lady that was the matriarch. She had a large family Bible prominently displayed on the coffee table and remarked that it was 116 years old and a priceless heirloom. I commented on how remarkable that was, and added, "It doesn't matter how old the Bible might be, what's on the inside is what matters." She immediately replied, "Oh, I know. That sure is the truth. Why, we have family records and births and marriages and deaths that go so far back, all recorded in that Bible; we could never replace them."

She never connected the content of the Bible with her everyday life. She didn’t view the Bible as more than words.

We: When you heard the word STUDY some of you tapped. What if I were to tell you that every minute you spend in the Bible would save you ten minutes of heartache. That you could live a more illuminated, and abundant life if you did into this book. Would you be interested?

Howard G. Hendricks, well-known conference speaker and Christian education expert, has spoken of three stages of attitudes toward Bible study: The “castor oil” stage — when we study the Bible because we know it is good for us, but it is not too enjoyable. The “cereal” stage — when our Bible study is dry and uninteresting, but we know it is nourishing. The “peaches and cream” stage — when we are really feasting on the Word of God.

We need to get to the “peaches and cream” stage!

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 180-186). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

God:

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Ill: Rake vs Shovel - I think I’ll just stick to the Devotional Method of Bible study. It seems easier. Just as rake is great at gathering together leaves and grass in your lawn, so the Devotional Method is great for gathering together different parts of the bible to inform us on a particular topic.

But do you know what a rake is really lousy for? Digging a hole! For that, we need a shovel. We’re going to need it to dig into God’s Word and expose its treasures. Most of your bible study is going to take a shovel and not a rake.

Proverbs 2:4–5 NLT

Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.

It’s the faithful exercise of coming to the Bible without an agenda, and reading the passage in order to establish God’s agenda.

It’s the faithful exercise of coming to the Bible without an agenda, and reading the passage in order to establish God’s agenda.

How To Study A Bible Passage?

How To Study A Bible Passage?

Begin with prayer - We need the Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s word.

Psalm 119:18 NLT

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

Psalms

Progress through the text - Don’t shortcut the progressive process and phases.

Progress through the text - Don’t shortcut the progressive process and phases.

The Bible Passage study method can be divided into three distinct phases: (1) observation, (2) interpretation, and (3) application. Or, what does it say? What does it mean? What does it mean to me? They are progressive in that you always begin with observation, move to interpretation, and only then can you move on to application. We’re going to look at observation and interpretation today and then talk about application next weekend.

Phase #1: OBSERVATION - What does it say?

In this phase you are actively engaging the text through several careful readings. You are observing the details of every sentence and every word and then writing down (recording) everything you see.

The purpose of observation is to saturate yourself completely with the contents of a Bible passage. You’ve got to put aside your opinions and bias and approach the text empty handed. You are tying to answer the question, “what does it say?”

Ill - Crock-pot not microwave

The key to good observations, then, is a combination of diligence, patience, asking many questions, and writing down everything you see.

Observation questions include asking who, when, where & how?

The key to good observations, then, is a combination of diligence, patience, asking many questions, and writing down everything you see.

Phase #2: INTERPRETATION - What does it mean?

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 2371-2372). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Phase #2: INTERPRETATION - What does it mean?

Phase #2: INTERPRETATION - What does it mean?

This phase involves asking questions about meaning, then trying to find answers to them. In this exercise you discover the biblical writers purpose and message by uncovering what he means by his idea.

Interpretive questions include asking what or why. Some examples:

Why did the writer say this?

What is the meaning of ____________________________?

What is the significance of __________________________?

What is this important?

Context is crucial - Always interpret a text in light of of its context. Often the answers to your questions will be found in the verses preceding of following the text.

The text cannot mean now what it didn’t mean then.

Define the words of phrases used

Study the background of the text

Reference commentaries as a last result

Seek no other source until you have sought the Source.

Ill - Detective:     Studying the Bible is like being a good detective. A good Bible student basically follows the same procedure as a good sleuth. The first thing a detective does is to go out and look for clues. He doesn’t say anything, interpret anything, or draw any conclusions, but he does look at all the details. He observes things that other people might normally overlook, because he is trained in observation. Second, he begins asking questions on the basis of what he has observed. Third, after intense observation and questioning, he starts putting the evidence together and interpreting what he has. Fourth, he compares and correlates, piecing together all the evidence he has collected to see how each fact relates to the others. Finally, he draws a conclusion and makes a decision on the basis of what he believes actually occurred and who was involved.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 274-280). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

App - Let’s put this into practice.

Ephesians 1:3–5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Pic of marked up Bible Eph 1:3-5

(Insert filled out form here)

If you go through these phases of observation and interpretation you mine some nuggets of TRUTH.

Again, we will unpack the APPLICATION PHASE next week -

Prepare For Your Pursuit

Develop a 3 month study plan

Weeks 1-4 Chapter Summary Method:

Schedule your Bible study time

How often should you study the Bible? The answer will vary from person to person, but an important factor to keep in mind is the distinction between your quiet time and your Bible study time. You should have a quiet time every day. It is usually a short devotional period (10 – 30 minutes) in which you read the Bible, meditate for a few minutes on what you have read, and have a time of prayer. The purpose of your quiet time is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ.

You should not try to do in-depth Bible study during your quiet time. In fact, nothing will kill your quiet time faster than engaging in serious Bible study during that devotional period. Just enjoy the presence of God and fellowship with him.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 305-308). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 309-311). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

While it is better to have a 10-minute quiet time every day than just a one-hour period once a week, the exact opposite is true in Bible study. You cannot study the Bible effectively in a piecemeal fashion. It is better to block out larger periods of time (two to four hours) than to try to study a little bit every day.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 311-314). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Keep a file/notebook - you must record your findings and be able to reference back to them.

3. Keep a file/notebook - you must record your findings and be able to reference back to them.

Gather your tools

4. Gather your tools - Bible study is a skill we need to develop. Most skills require the use of some kinds of tools. Carpenters need their hammers and saws; artists need their brushes and paints; plumbers need their wrenches. Likewise, serious Bible students will want to take advantage of the available reference tools to help them search the Scriptures effectively. People who try to study the Bible systematically without using good tools will find their job tedious and difficult.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 355-358). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Reference books

Reference websites

Get with a friend

5. Get with a friend - share your plan and progress with a friend.

Conc:

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Our pursuit should be to study and correctly explain the Bible. There is know other resource or tool that will develop a more dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ than learning and living out His Truth.

Prepare For Your Pursuit

Develop a 3 month study plan

Weeks 1-4 Chapter Summary Method:

Schedule your Bible study time

Keep a file/notebook

Why don’t more people study the Bible?

Gather your tools

Get with a friend

People are not educated - One of the greatest contributions you could make to Christianity is to learn to feed yourself and teach others to feed themselves.    If I were to meet a starving man by the side of a river, lake, or ocean, I could do one of two things: I could get my fishing rod and catch him a fish, thus satisfying his hunger for a few hours; or I could teach him how to fish, thus satisfying his hunger for his lifetime. The second option is obviously the best way to help that man. In the same way, hungry Christians need to be taught how to feed themselves from the Word of God.

People are not motivated - This is because they have not experienced the joy that comes from personally discovering truths from the Word of God. Past efforts at Bible study have been unfruitful, so they have given up. They have become satisfied with getting all they need for their Christian lives from somebody else rather than finding it out on their own.

If you feel like you are not educated or motivated we want to equip you. We want to walk along side of you and model how to have a dynamic bible study time. If you check Care Coach on your Care Card today and write Bible Study beside it, we can connect you with someone that can walk with you.

The more time you put into studying the Bible the more you will get out of it. Bible study is hard work, and there are no shortcuts to it. It is just like anything else in life that is truly worthwhile: it takes time, effort, concentration, and persistence. It’s an investment!

Ill - Circuit Riding Preacher put a coin in the collection box… end of service he emptied it and boy said if you would have put more into it you would have got more out of it.

Put time into bible study and I promise you will move into a more dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

Warren, Rick; Warren, Rick. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God's Word (Kindle Locations 176-177). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Conc: Why done’t more people study the Bible? Educated, Motivated

Motivated

It’s an investment...

It has to be intentional… (Time)

A workman that is not ashamed

Howard Hendricks - three stages

Ephesians 1 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. 12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. 15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.