Scripture Reading

Introduction to teaching series

Welcome: Welcome to Hype Student Ministries! For those who may not know me, my name is Kent and I’m the youth pastor here at Crosspoint. If you can’t remember Kent, think Clark Kent, think Superman. In fact if you just want to call me Superman, I’d be totally ok with that.

I’m thankful that each one of you are here to help Hype kickoff our ministry year. We have some new things we are introducing this year and lot’s of fun nights planned so I hope that each of you will stick around Hype for this school year.

Last year if you were with us we took the entire year to study the gospel of John and we talked a lot about what it means to trust Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

This year we will get into more of the practical everyday application of trusting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

To start off our teaching, we have a teaching series called “Spiritual Training” where we will be exploring spiritual disciplines.

Now when I say the word discipline what do you think of?

Getting in trouble and your parents have to discipline you or you have to be disciplined in school.

Maybe you’re an athlete and you’ve heard your coach tell you to be self-discipline.

The definition for discipline is...

Discipline - the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

From this definition, we see two different types of discipline.

Self discipline- you are practicing or training yourself to have certain habits or to obey certain rules.

Corrective discipline- when you fail to obey certain rules, people in authority punish you to correct your misbehavior.

So when we talk about Spiritual training we are talking about being self-disciplined in order to grow in our sanctification (which is a big word that means becoming more like Jesus).

We see this concept in 1 Cor. 9:24-27

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 CSB

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

To start off this school year we will be exploring 5 spiritual disciplines that will help us with our spiritual training.

Tonight we will be exploring the spiritual discipline of scripture reading.

Scripture Reading

We know that it’s a good thing for us to read our bibles. But how does reading our bible help us train spiritually?

Why is scripture reading a spiritual discipline?

If you desire to know more about God or what it means to be a Christian, then you need to go to where God’s reveals himself and shows how to glorify Him. Scripture reading is a spiritual discipline because you are taking time out of your day when you say no to something else and say yes to spending that time learning about God and being relational with God.

You need to know what God says about how to life your life in order to live a life that glorifies God.

Sport illustration- Trying to play football without knowing that I can’t just tackle a player by their face mask. Trying to play basketball without knowing how to dribble.

Math illustration- Before you learn about fractions, you need to understand division.

Band illustration- Before you play a song on an instrument, you need to know how to play different notes on that instrument or how to read sheet music in order play the song.

The same goes with trying to live a life that glorifies God. (Pick up the bible) You need to know how to do that and that starts with reading what God has revealed to humanity in the Bible.

We see this concept explained in scripture in 2 Tim. 3:14-17.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Split the group into three large groups

v. 14-15

v. 16

v. 17

1. According to this passage, what is one benefit of reading scripture?

2. According to this passage, how would a person’s life look different if they take advantage of reading the bible?

Transition statement: So hopefully we can see that scripture reading benefits us to glorify God with our lives. But maybe some of you don’t really care about benefiting your life in a godly way. You may be here and your like, “Yeah yeah whatever, it might be good for others but I really don’t see a need in my life for scripture reading.” Your basically asking the question,

Why Should I Care About Scripture Reading?

In order to answer that question we need to have a foundation. That foundation starts where we started our teaching series last year. John 1:1.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

Now when John talks about the “Word” he is referring to Jesus. Now if you were with us last year, we talked about how you can prove the existence of Jesus Christ. Jesus isn’t a myth, He’s a real person. There is proof that Jesus Christ actually lived on earth. We also know that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Since Jesus is fully God, whatever he speaks are words coming directly from God. Which means every word spoken, is another word that God spoke directly and reveals himself to humanity. No one ever who has lived spoke the word of God whenever they spoke. Old Testament Prophets spoke for God. The New Testament Apostles spoke for God. But not every single word they spoke revealed God. Only Jesus has done that.

Because that’s the case, He is referred to the “Word”. So let’s see some of the things that Jesus said while He was on earth.

Matthew 4:4 CSB

He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

This means that to be truly alive is much more than just being physically alive but also spiritually alive which happens by following God’s word.

Jesus also says this,

John 8:30–32 CSB

As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This means that to be truly considered as a follower of Jesus, you will continue to obey and follow what is said in the bible. In order to obey and follow, one must know what the bible says. That’s why you and I should care about scripture reading.

Maybe you’re here tonight and you’ve never trusted in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. You know that you haven’t been following how God says to live and if you died tonight you’d stand guilty before God. I want to let you know that you can be forgiven of your sin and shown grace and love that comes from God. If you confess your sins, God is faithful to forgive. We know this to be true because the bible says so and we can trust the bible because we know for a fact that Jesus actually lived on earth. I just want to encourage you if you don’t have a right relationship with God and you are curious. Please go talk to your small group leader of myself and ask any question you may have after the lesson is over.

Transition statement: Maybe your here tonight and you’ve confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life and you’ve tried reading your bible and it seems like you just get stuck. Like you’ll read your bible for a week but then you hit a point where it’s too hard to understand or maybe you feel like you don’t have time. I just want to ask you this?

What stops you from reading your bible?

What stops you from reading your bible?

1. I don’t have enough time.

2. It’s hard to understand.

3. I don’t know where or how to start.

4. It’s hard to make it a habit.

Raise your hand if you relate to one of these statements?

I can relate to about everyone of them. For me personally I didn’t start reading my bible on a consistent basis until about 4.5 years ago.

Share about trying to read the bible in High School.

Trying to read before school but not having anything consistent.

Share story about breaking off an engagement and Moody founders week.

Reading proverbs.

Share about how reading with someone else helped have a consistent reading habit.

If you feel like you don’t have enough time- 1% of your day is 15 min.

If you feel like it’s hard to understand- download got questions app.

If you don’t know where or how to start- pick a book (gospel) and read it through. Then read the book of Acts.

If it’s hard to make it a habit, find a friend and ask to join their reading plan or invite them to join your reading plan.

Grace and forgiveness in areas where we fail. Pray to God for forgiveness and pray for Him to change your hearts.

Split into groups of 3-4 ppl and go through these questions and pray in your groups. Then we will pray at the end to close our lesson.

1. Why do you find it hard to read your bible?

2. What can you do differently to help you make scripture reading in to a consistent spiritual discipline in your life?

3. What area of your heart do you need to ask God to change?