Lesson 3 - Read - Part 1

August 19th 2018 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC Read How to R.E.A.P. The Bible by Chris Reighley Outline • How can we see more in a passage of scripture? EXPLANATION AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. A. Preparation to Observe 1. 2. Step 1: Open Mind Step 2: Open Heart Psalms 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. Psalms 119:11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 3. Step 3: Open Book If you want your time of Bible study to be effective, come with: • A pencil or Pen • Paper • Purpose • Prayer Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 1 of 6 August 19th 2018 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC B. Define what Bible Study Involves “A problem well defined is half solved” ~ Charles Kettering We are going to define bible study with three progressive statements: 1. Bible study is methodicalness It involves taking certain steps in a certain order to guarantee certain result. It involves both the product and the process. a) The product is: (1) (2) b) The process involves a four-step approach. (1) (2) (3) (4) 2. A personal study of the Scripture Study that produces life change Step 1: READ or OBSERVE “What do I See?” Step 2: EXAMINE or INTERPRETATION. “What does it mean? Step 3: Apply “How does it work? Step 4: Pray “How do I make it personal” Bible study is methodicalness with a view to becoming receptive and reproductive. Before we can make an impact on our generation, the Scriptures has to make an impact on our life. a) There are two aspects to effective living: (1) (2) 3. Involved in the world. Isolated from the world Bible study is methodicalness with a view to becoming receptive and reproductive by means of first-hand acquaintance with the Word. a) There are four reasons why firsthand discovery of Scripture is essential (1) (2) (3) (4) It will enable you to think for yourself. The Bible was not given as a riddle; it was given as a revelation It will prepare you to evaluate the thoughts of others. It will give you the joy of personal discovery. It will enable you to fall in love with the Author. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 2 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC C. August 19th 2018 Step 1: READ or OBSERVE – “What do I See” There are four things to look for: 1. Terms Terms are more important than mere words. Terms have specific meaning based on their context. 2. Structure There are two basic kinds of structure: a) b) 3. Grammatical structure lets us know important information like subject, object, and main verbs Literary structure reveals clues through recognition of things like questions and answers; cause and effect; and so on. Literary Form This tells us whether we are looking at poetry, narrative, history, or prophecy. 4. Atmosphere This reveals feeling, mood, tone, environment. What was it like to be in the person’s shoes. D. How to Read 1. The only difference between any two people is how much they see in the same place. The ability to observe is a developed process. 2. There are two basic reasons why we don’t get more from our study of Scripture: a) b) We don’t know how to read We don’t know what to look for. Eleven different times, Jesus asked His listeners, “Have you never read?” Of course they had – they just didn’t understand what they read. 3. Three Basic Rules for Reading the Bible a) Learn to read better and faster. There is a direct correlation between your efficiency in reading and your effectiveness in Bible study. b) Learn to read the Bible as for the first time. The moment you come to a passage of Scripture and say “I know this one” you’re in trouble. A good suggestion for reading the Word of God freshly is to read it in several different versions or translations. c) Learn to read it as a lover letter. We need to come to the Word of God in love with the Person who wrote it. Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 3 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC E. August 19th 2018 10 Strategies to First-Rate Reading 1. Read Thoughtfully a) 2. Read Repeatedly a) b) c) d) e) f) 3. Read Patiently a) b) c) d) e) 4. Don’t try to imitate other Christians Do turn Scripture into Prayer Read Imaginatively a) b) c) d) e) 7. Who What Where When Why Wherefore Read Prayerfully a) b) 6. Be in it for the long haul Work with one book for one month Zoom in and zoom out Alter your approach Two Principles of Patience (1) Be patient with the text (2) Be patient with yourself Read Selectively a) b) c) d) e) f) 5. Read entire book at one sitting Start at the beginning of the book Read in different versions or translations Listen to recordings of Scripture Read it out loud Setup a Bible Reading Schedule Use different translation and paraphrases Rewrite the text in your own paraphrase Read Scripture in a different language Have someone read the text out loud Vary your setting Read Meditatively Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 4 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC 8. Read Purposefully a) b) 9. 10. Purpose through grammatical structure (1) Verbs (2) Subject and Object (3) Modifiers (4) Prepositional phrases (5) Connectives Purpose through Literary Structure (1) Biographical structure (2) Geographical structure (3) Historical structure (4) Chronological structure (5) Ideological structure Read Acquisitively Read Telescopically a) b) c) d) F. August 19th 2018 Look for connectives Pay attention to context Evaluate the passage in light of the book as a whole Look at the historical context of the book 6 Things to Look For 1. Things that are Emphasized a) b) c) d) 2. Things that are Repeated a) b) c) d) e) 3. Similes Metaphors Things that are Unlike a) b) c) 6. Movement from the general to the specific Questions and Answers Cause and Effect Things that are Alike a) b) 5. Terms, phrases and clauses Characters Incidents and circumstances Patters New Testament use of Old Testament passages Things that are Related a) b) c) 4. Amount of space Stated purpose Order Moments from the lesser to the greater and vice versa Use of “but” Metaphors Irony That’s that are True to Life Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 5 of 6 Sunday Night Bible Study @ RHCC August 19th 2018 AN EXAMPLE OF R.E.A.P. TITLE: SCRIPTURE: THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT MARK 12:28-31 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” READ Jesus tells the scribes that the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He continues, saying that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. EXAMINE God made us with different faculties: a heart to have emotion, a mind to think, strength to do, and a soul that is eternal, and I am commanded to love God with the fullness of all of my faculties. This is the first and greatest commandment; every other area of obedience flows out of this. Jesus says the command to love our neighbors is like the first commandment. Loving others as myself is somehow connected to loving God with all of my being. APPLY Do I think of loving God with all that I am as the greatest and first call on my life? No. I have reduced obedience to praying or being kind to my family and friends, or fighting the desire to lie. Do I love God with my mind: Do I seek to study His Word daily, think about Him and learn about Him? Do I love God with my heart and soul: Do I have affection toward something that is stronger than my affection toward Him? Do I love God with my strength: Do I actually live out his Word rather than just knowing his Word? I can think of several people that I am far from loving well. How is that lack of love for others connected to my lack of love for God? PRAY Father, I confess that I can’t muster up the love that you want from me. Give me a new mind, a new heart, a new soul, and new strength, and give me the ability to love you fully with all of my faculties. I pray for my mind specifically – that I would honor you today with my thoughts and love you well. I pray for my relationship with my father and my brother. Help me to love them because I love you and you made them! Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible Howard G. Hendricks Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org Prepared by Chris Reighley Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RHCCBibleStudy/ Page 6 of 6