Read. Disciplines Study. Key Verse: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. " In This Lesson: (Psalm 119:11, NIV)

Transcription

1 Disciplines Study Disciplines: In this series, we will look at the core disciplines that every follower of Jesus should practice regularly in order to grow in faith. In This Lesson: Luke 4:1-13 and discover how to study God s word. Equip Think about the importance of context when studying scripture. Accountability Discuss your thoughts with your group and encourage each other to apply God s Word to your lives. Pray Pray together with your group because everything begins with, ends with and depends on God. Scorecard How are you doing with the mission that Christ has given you? Key Verse: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. A man reaps what he sows ~Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

2 Why do we need to study God s Word? There are so many reasons to study the word of God, as we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the reading for this lesson, we see Jesus defeating Satan by properly applying the scriptures He had stored up in His heart. This is a great example of both the proper use of scripture (by Jesus) and the improper use (by Satan). In his attempt to tempt, Satan twists the scripture for his own ends, taking the words out of context and misrepresenting the meaning. Jesus, on the other hand, uses the word of God to thwart the enemy and sends Satan away defeated. We know that the word of God is our spiritual weapon against the adversary. We are to wield it accurately and effectively. Ephesians tells us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (v. 6:17) so that you can take your stand against the devil s schemes. (v. 6:11) As children of God, we are called to study, internalize and properly use God s Word for His glory and our spiritual gain. God s Word can be viewed as an instruction manual with dos and don ts, a historic document, a prophetic telling of what s to come, the telling of God s redemptive plan for man, or simply as a love letter from our God to His children (just to name a few). Some will argue that it is none of these things, and some argue that it is all of these things and more. We can be sure that the Bible is infallible and inerrant, as well as the primary means available to us in which to interact with God s word daily. Luke 4:1-13 Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

3 How do we study God s word? The very first thing you must do is come to God with a prayerful and worshipful heart, prepared to receive truth. Seek the Holy Spirit and ask Him for understanding; He inspired the Bible and will enlighten you as you seek wisdom in God s Word. There are many methods out there that can be useful in studying God s Word; exegesis, topical study, book surveys, biographical or character studies, etc.; the list goes on and on. While each one of these methods has benefits and can be quite useful based on the desired outcome or purpose, the method we recommend for the most practical personal use is called the inductive study method. Inductive Bible study is the best method for taking the text from an understanding for the original audience to an application for the reader s life. There are several steps to inductive study; observation, interpretation, and application. *Before you begin, pray for the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and understanding, to guide you in discovering the truth of God s Word and be attentive to His guidance. Observation begins with the basic question, what does this passage say? This sounds like an easy question at first, but requires diligence, because without properly observing the text, the next two steps will be flawed. Observing looks at the text exactly as it is written, asking questions like a detective: the five W s and H (who, what, when, where, why and how) are a great way to start. As you dig into the text, things will stand out as important, such as key or recurring words or phrases, lists, contrasts and comparisons, times, places, people, and summary statements such as therefore. You should also be able to grasp the theme of the passage and/or chapter. Interpretation then helps you move from what does this passage say? to what does this passage mean? There are some critical things to consider as you search for the meaning of a passage. The absolute key to interpretation is an Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

4 understanding of the verse or passage in its context. You can think of this in concentric circles. A text must be looked at in the context of the surrounding texts, the theme of a passage, the context of an entire chapter, then book, then in the context of the entirety of the Bible. Context also looks at the original context (cultural and temporal) in which the words were spoken or the text was written. Who was the author addressing and what was the specific cultural context? A couple great examples of this are the books of Romans and Hebrews; these were written based on cultural and religious understandings of these very different audiences, therefore the approach and method was different for each. *Remember, scripture will not contradict itself (even if at first reading there may appear to be contradictions) and isolating a verse or passage leaves room for misinterpretation and can perpetuate bad teaching. Genres are often important when interpreting text; knowing whether a text is historic narrative or poetry can vastly impact how the text is interpreted. Having an understanding of the fullness of God s counsel (Genesis to Revelation) and being able to apply an overall understanding is important, especially with obscure passages that aren t easily understood. Take the text for what it says, not what you want it to say. We are not qualified to be God s editors. Application is the final step in the process, moving from what does it say and what does it mean to what does it mean for me? This takes the transcendent truth (the teaching that applies outside of a cultural or temporal context) and puts it into action in our daily lives. This transcendent truth is the bridge from what God was speaking to the original audience and what He is speaking to us at least 2000 years later. Once we have that understanding of truth, we are then obligated as disciples of Jesus Christ to apply it to our lives. With knowledge and understanding comes responsibility. This is not to say we will always get it right, but it does give us the tools to work out our faith. For additional reading: Deuteronomy 11:18-23 Acts 17:10-12 Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

5 Equip As you read through the Scriptures, perhaps there were some things you didn t understand or needed to study further. Take some time to think and respond to the following questions: 1. Explain the importance of context when studying God s Word. 2. What is a pitfall of using scripture out of context? Share a common scripture that is often taken out of context. 3. Walk through the steps of the inductive study method, using a favorite verse of your choice as you describe the steps. Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

6 Accountability Before your next D group meeting, think about the questions below. You will discuss these with your group. These questions will help you to examine your life in light of the truth you explored this week. They also give other group members an opportunity to encourage you to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. 1. What is the method you currently use to study God s word? Explain in your own words. 2. What are you going to change in the way you study God s word? 3. Are you intentionally applying God s word to your life? If so, how, and if not, what will you change in your study and application? Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

7 Pray We believe that we must pray because everything begins with, ends with, and depends on God. Use the A.C.T.S. model to pray: Adore: Begin your prayer by adoring God; He is worthy of all our praise! Be specific when offering Him your adoration, not just You're so wonderful but God your mercy and love toward me is wonderful, this allows us to really build our relationship with our redeemer. Confess: When we pray with unconfessed sin in our heart we are beginning with barriers to our prayer. He knows our sin and has called us to confess and repent. Our confession shows that we acknowledge our sin and submit to God s authority, mercy, and grace. Thanks: Simply let Him know what you are thankful for. This could be as simple as Lord, thank you for loving me, even when I feel unworthy, or you could tell Him the entire list of things you are thankful for. Just make sure you are thanking Him for what He gives and does. Supplication: This means humbly pleading for something. We come to God with our requests because we know all good things come from Him. If our heart is right and we are seeking things that are His will we are told if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. A.C.T.S. is an easy to remember acronym that helps us remember what we want to talk to our Heavenly Father about and how we should approach Him. This model can be used for short or long prayers. The model is a good reminder but far more important than the model is the act of praying. Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

8 Pray My prayer request regarding the topic this week is: My prayer request regarding a situation in my life is: My prayer request for others is: (fill this out at D Group) Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard

9 Scorecard What is Jesus mission? It is to make His gospel known to all people through word (sharing the gospel) and deed (demonstrating the gospel). This is the mission that every generation of His followers must take up as well. But, don t confuse becoming missional with becoming a foreign missionary. A missionary may devote his or her life to making the gospel known beyond a border or across an ocean. But, Christ calls all of His followers to make the gospel known through word and deeds wherever they live, work or play, as well as in their surrounding communities. Who am I praying for an opportunity to share the truth of Jesus with right now? Who am I intentionally witnessing to about Jesus right now? Who am I discipling right now? Equip Accountability Pray Scorecard