During my first quarter of school one of my classes was "How To Study The Bible". There is a huge difference between reading the bible and studying the bible. The book we used as a guideline was entitle "Bible Study Methods" by Rick Warren. I highly recommend this book to all who are serious about growing in your knowledge of God. Perhaps I will blog at a later time about the different methods he describes and some of the ways to apply those to your everyday reading.
This quarter I am taking a class called Evangelism / Making Disciples. I can tell already that this is going to be my favorite class. On the first night of class we were introduced to an entirely new way of looking at scripture as it applies to evangelism. The method seeks to discover 5 major areas of each passage of scripture. Those areas are as follow:
The Master: The Father, The Son, and or The Holy Spirit - What part did they play in this passage?
The Masses: Who specifically was this message directed to?
The Messengers: Who was it that was actually delivering the message?
The Message: What was it exactly that was being communicated?
The Method: How was the message presented?
My first passage that I studied in this method was Luke 9:1-11. Below I have posted an outline of this study. Feel free to offer additions to this list. The Lord speaks to each of us in our own way and I would be interested to see what you pull from this passage. Feel free to utilize your own version and also to offer your comments.
And now for my study.........
Scripture Passage: Luke 9:1-11 (New Living Translation)
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick. When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead. “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him. When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
The Master – God and His part in evangelism?
• Jesus gave the twelve disciples power to cast out demons and heal all diseases
• God provided for all their physical needs along the way
• God’s Kingdom is the reason for them being sent
The Masses – The audience of evangelism?
• Everyone
• Those who needed healing
• Those who needed deliverance from demonic influences
• Towns and villages
• Town of Bethsaida
The Messengers – Believers and their role in evangelism?
• The twelve disciples were given power and authority to cast out demons and heal all diseases
• Must depend upon God to provide all of their needs
• Must show appreciation to those who welcomed them
• Must know that not everyone will be receptive to their message
• Jesus was a messenger himself in a sense because Herod Antipas “heard” about everything he was doing.
• The apostles told Jesus about everything they had done
• Jesus taught all the crowds that followed him
The Message – What is communicated?
• The Kingdom of God
• Healing (physical, emotional, and mental) - Spirit, soul, and body.
The Method – How is the message communicated?
• Telling everyone about The Kingdom of God
• Healing those that were sick
• Preaching the Good News
• Showing respect by not moving from house to house
• Shaking the dust off their feet when leaving towns that would not receive the message
• Welcoming followers
Personal Application – Which Truth in the passage seems most important to you?
• The Kingdom of God is not just a spiritual message that will happen “some day”.
• The Kingdom of God is also physical and provides for healing of all diseases.
• The Kingdom of God is available here and now in the hearts of all who will believe
What is a practical way to apply this truth in your life?
• The same power that Jesus gave to his disciples is available to me today.
• I want to be able to operate more fully in these powers and let people know that the Kingdom of God is available right now.
• I also want to grasp more fully that God will provide for me when he has asked me to do something.
• He always makes provisions to assure his mission gets completed.
Oct 22, 2007
How Do You Study The Bible?
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5 comments:
Are you aware of all the things Rick Warren does? I'm shocked that you're following him. He's a false teacher if ever there was one. Why don't you Google him and you'll find all kinds of stuff. And I'm not just talking about the regular people who are always there to silence the people of God, I'm saying investigate his practices and what he teaches. Check out his quotes - from his mouth. He is not someone to be followed by a true believer!
Actually no. I am not a follower of Rick Warren. And Ihave absolutely no idea what things he has done. Normally, I do not even read his material. But this particular book was presented as part of the class I was taking and I found some of the methods of Bible Study to be useful.
Just a note that this particular book by Warren attempts to teach nothing about the Word. It merely outlines some methods of Bible Study. I found it quite helpful.
I am really amazed by how many different religion ideas you have in the States.
App Funds:
There may in fact be a lot of religious ideas in the States. But ideas they are.
I believe in accordance with the Holy Bible. Jesus is the son of God and it is only through him that we find our way to the Father.
John 14:6-7
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
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