How to Read the Bible 3

Intro:

Good evening! Welcome to Session 3 of How to Read the Bible! Tonight should be a lot of fun because we will spend most of our time watching engaging videos and in Breakout rooms! And less of me talking! Today, we’re focusing on How to Read the Old Testament. While the OT & NT are connected, there are slight differences to be aware of, especially since in the OT, Jesus had not come yet. So, it does make a difference in how we read that section. Therefore, I thought I’d dedicate some time learning to read both (although the tools and skills you’ve learned in the past two sessions will be the same).

And tonight, we’re going to read a little bit of the Book of Jonah, one of the minor prophets.

So, let’s jump into it so we can get to the fun!

Common Question:

What do all these numbers in my Bible mean?

[Mention www.gotquestions.org as a good resource!]

Let’s see how Chapter and Verses help us in the YouVersion Bible App.

If you open up your YouVersion Bible App, it’ll bring you to the home screen.

At the bottom, you’d click “read” to begin reading. It’ll open up a passage.

At the top, you’ll see which book you’re currently in. Click on the book title (here it’s Ezekiel), and it’ll bring up the entire list of books.

You can see they are organized by how you’d find them in your paper Bibles. Old Testament books first. Then, starting with Matthew, the NT books.

So, let’s say you want to find a specific passage -one thats very popular - like Romans 8:28.

You’d go to Romans - click it.

The chapter list will pop up - click on chapter 8.

Then, you’ll see all the verses in that chapter listed numerically - scroll down to 28. There it is!

And if you want to change the translation, at the top by the title of the book, you’ll see the translation. Click on the translation and you get all the available options. Click on the one you want and it changes to that translation!

Hope that’s helpful for you!

Review:

When reading your Bible, it’s important to remember this is all one Big Story. It’s all connected. There’s a central theme God is communicating to us. That is key to understanding what we read. It’s foundational to “engaging the Bible so that we can live DIFFERENTLY”.

Interpretation: Last week, we talked about how this is the step where we attempt to discover the author’s intended meaning. There’s a saying, “The Bible can’t mean what it wasn’t intended to mean.” Since God is the ultimate author of the Bible, that means He determines the meaning of the text. Therefore, as Bible readers, it’s our job to discover His meaning. I gave four ways to discover meaning. Let’s take a Poll to review what they are...

Finally, after we have read, observed, and interpreted the Bible passage, it’s important that we apply what we read, so that we can live DIFFERENTLY. As we engage the Bible, we want it to change us to make us more like Jesus. So, let’s take a poll to review what the Application step is....

Before we practice reading the Old Testament through Observation, Interpretation, and Application, let me add a step to your reading process...

Pre-Observation:

Before we begin asking good questions during the Observation step, it helps when we do “pre-observation” work. This will help us ask the right questions. It’ll help us look/observe the right things.

If you have a Study Bible, this would be like reading the Introduction section before a book or letter. If you have a Bible Commentary, usually there is an Introduction section with a lot of helpful information that will helps us observe what we read.

Or, you can watch a video like this...

Video: Bible Project - Prophets (5 min).

Prize Time: OT Bible Commentary/Gift Card

Breakout 1 - Observation (8 mins)

Alright, now that you have a little bit of pre-observation knowledge on the books of the Prophets, let’s begin reading our Bibles! We’re going to read the first 3 verses of the Book of Jonah, who was a prophet of Israel.

Over the next 8 mins, I want your group to Observe these 3 verses. Remember, this is all about ASKING QUESTIONS. To do that…

Read the passage (use different translations if you want to).

Ask: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.

Are there any time/location references? Any conditional statements (but, so that, therefore, etc)? Notate them.

Is there something you don’t understand? Write a question to yourself, but don’t answer it (yet)!

Group Leaders: Share your conclusions.

Breakout 2 - Interpretation (15 mins)

Now, that you’ve observed the passage, it’s time to answer your questions. It’s time discover what the “author’s intended meaning” is. To do this, you can:

Read different translations.

Read more of the passage for context.

Use the Summary technique (put it in your own words). Since it’s only 3 verse, I recommend you practice this step.

However, before we move forward… I want to share with you another type of Bible Project video that can help us get a better grasp on the author’s intended meaning and help us summarize the passage. Let’s watch it...

Video: Bible Project - Jonah (9 mins)

Prize Time: Bible Project Book

In your Breakout Room, don’t forget to see what “others” have to say about the meaning of the passage. Feel free to use Enduringword.com… or, take notes on the following RNM video on our Jonah passage...

One more video before our 2nd Breakout Room!

Video: RNM - Jonah 1:1-3 (9 mins).

Let’s head into your Breakout Rooms!

GroupLeaders: Share your conclusions.

Breakout 3 - Application (8 mins)

Alright, now’s the easiest, but also toughest part! Let’s apply what we’ve learned to our hearts and lives. We’ve hopefully determined what the meaning of what we’ve read, now it’s time to ask, “What does this mean to me?”

In response to what I’ve read in God’s word, how can I change or what action step can I take, so that I can LIVE DIFFERENTLY?

Take a final 8 mins in your group discussing application response. Make them personal!

Group Leaders: Share your conclusions.

Close/Prayer

Okay, hopefully you enjoyed your time and this process is starting to click. Again, my hope is that you will have the knowledge and tools to use the resources you already have available to you.