God s Word, Part 1 Assignment #4

God s Word, Part 1 Assignment #4

ASSIGNMENT #4 Protégé o Read Assignment #4 God s Word, Part I on pages 2 6. Be prepared to discuss the reading with your mentor. o Review Jesus Knowledge & Understanding of Scripture on page 5. Schedule and take time to read each account. o Complete the Reflection Questions on pages 7 8. Be prepared to discuss your answers with your mentor. o Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17 for meeting #5. Mentor o Read Assignment #4 God s Word, Part I on pages 2 6. Be prepared to discuss the reading with your protégé. o Review Jesus Knowledge & Understanding of Scripture on page 5. Schedule and take time to read each account. o Assign the Reflection Questions on pages 7 8 to your protégé. Ask him to be prepared to discuss his answers with you at the meeting. o Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17 for meeting #5. 1

ASSIGNMENT #4 God s Word, Part 1 In Assignment #2 Starting Strong, you read about Troy s experience training for a half Ironman. Troy s friend Brent lived six hours away, which meant training together was not an option. But he committed to helping Troy devise a plan. This plan called for Troy to train for five months on his own before visiting Brent in April 2013 for a special triathlon training camp with XTERRA world champion Lesley Paterson. The training camp was a week before a competitive sprint triathlon, which was only 45 days before Troy s half ironman. During Troy s visit to the Ohio training camp, he quickly realized the camp was designed to break the athletes down in every aspect physically, mentally, and emotionally. Lesley s goal was for everyone get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The first session on Friday evening started with an intense running workout. Troy wore out toward the end of the run, and it left him feeling vulnerable. Lesley and Brent were quick to point out his poor running technique and forced him to adjust. Just a few hours into the camp, he was already doubting his running abilities. He was using muscles and ligaments he hadn t used with such intensity in his first five months of training. After the first workout, he could barely walk. After the workout, he found himself lying on a bench in the locker room as his calves and hamstrings cramped up. He wondered if he would make it through the rest of the weekend. Even after five months of intense training, he felt broken. Saturday morning s session started in the pool. As the group approached the halfway point of a grueling 4,200-meter workout, Troy allowed his mind to momentarily drift to a dark place. His body hurt. His lungs were burning. His heart rate was high. He completed one lap out of many and stopped at the end of the lane. He looked up to see Brent standing over him. This is ridiculous, Troy complained. My body is shot. Brent looked down with a smile on his face, shouting Oh, come on, Troy! You re fine. Dig deep, anchor down, and do the work. It was his way of saying, Shut up, suck it up, and trust me. After a few hours of refueling and resting, they moved to a circuit and interval workout consisting of multiple sets of biking and running. After warming up, Brent and Lesley put the group of triathletes through an intense five-minute sprint and climbing workout on stationary bike trainers. They were instructed to jump off the bike, change into running shoes, and sprint a half mile. They then hopped back on the bikes and completed eight more climbing sets. Even though Troy was in the best shape of his life, his entire body hurt. I m supposed to be racing next week, he complained to Brent. You re killing me. It s all part of the process. Saturday evening closed with a long-distance run, and the training camp ended after Sunday s final interval workout with multiple sets of hill sprints and a half-mile loop. Driving home on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Troy was baffled at how sore his body was. An athlete most of his life, he knew what sore felt like. But the soreness and fatigue he felt that Sunday was at a level he had never experienced before. He was frustrated and questioned the timing of such intense workouts. 2

The next day, Brent instructed Troy to take a day off from training, instructing him to instead stretch, drink plenty of water, and get a massage. Deep down, Troy trusted Brent and believed he was doing what was best for him, but it was hard to feel that way in the moment. Brent planned shorter, lighter workouts for the remainder of the week. The day finally came for Troy s first triathlon. Surprisingly, his body felt fresh. His legs felt strong. Brent assured he would be ready. You re in good enough shape to race a half ironman, Brent said. This is a sprint triathlon, so this distance will feel like nothing compared to how you have been training. Trust your training. Go all out in the water, on the bike, and on the run. You ll do great. Once again, Troy found himself doubting the strategy. All out in the water? he asked. Are you sure? All out in everything, Brent replied. Anchor down. Think confidently. Dig deep and trust the process you ve committed to. Good things will happen. Troy decided to fix his mind on positive thoughts. This helped him trust the process and he went all out. He swam hard, biked hard, and ran hard. He felt strong and finished well. In fact, he experienced a great deal of success for his first competition. He learned a lot, which built his confidence for the half ironman. He realized the significance of following the plan that was laid out for him by experienced, trustworthy mentors. Most importantly, he understood the value of his training schedule. If it were up to him, he would have never trained that hard a week before a race. But he allowed someone who had already experienced success to share his wisdom. Troy would have failed miserably had he followed his own instincts. Even despite feelings of doubt and frustration, Troy somehow managed to anchor down, trust the process, and give all he had. And the outcome was positive. Over the next several weeks, you will be instructed to follow a process. It may not feel comfortable. In fact, you may find it painful, annoying, or unnecessary. Anchor down and trust it anyway. Completing a half ironman was a big goal for Troy. It was a top priority for several months of his life. At times, he felt like Brent s plans were jeopardizing his ability to feel good and stay healthy. He questioned and doubted along the way. He didn t always understand why he was training hard. But somehow, he understood that following Brent s plans, anchoring down, and trusting the process would lead to success. Like Troy s triathlon experience, you may have big goals or obstacles in front of you. Goals can be exciting. Obstacles can be annoying and painful. Our natural tendency is to gravitate toward accomplishing exciting things or attacking challenging things in front of us. Trying to take control of our lives is a natural tendency. But in Strong27, we ask you to relinquish control and to start the process of anchoring down. Part one of building your faith in Jesus Christ focuses on anchoring down by getting into God s word. Just as Troy was required to anchor down and trust the process to effectively compete in triathlons, it s important for you to anchor down in His love and trust this process of building your faith. Triathlon training was a new voyage for Troy, and at first, he struggled to understand why things were scheduled the way they were. If voyaging into God s Word is a new concept to you, then it s important to understand why the process starts here and why you must anchor down. 3

Why God s Word? Jesus Christ In addition to being our Savior who gave himself for our sins and brought us back to relationship with the Father, Jesus Christ is also the perfect model for each of us to follow. He lived perfectly! And it s evident that, of everything in his life, he put the greatest emphasis on loving God. It was top priority. As a child, Jesus would have been required to learn, understand, and memorize the Torah. This was a requirement in Hebrew culture. The Torah, otherwise known as the Pentateuch or the Law, consists of the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). All Jewish boys were trained extensively on the Torah because the people of Israel took seriously Moses words in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Simply put, Jewish boys knew the Torah because their elders obeyed God s command to impress the Law upon their children. The boys who excelled eventually started formal training under the guidance of rabbis, while the others would pursue an apprenticeship in some sort of trade. Regardless of their direction, all young men were anchored in God s word. The people of Israel deserve credit for this amazing cultural practice. And it s important to remember that they weren t perfect. They were flawed, confused, impatient, and disobedient. They were also victims of 40 years of pain and suffering under the rule of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. I can imagine they were a lot like you and me. They sometimes doubted God s process and questioned His plans. However, after God delivered them to the Promised Land through Moses, God s chosen people took seriously the commands of Deuteronomy 6:4-9. And their high view of God s word and commitment to teach it to their children had a dramatic impact on future generations including Jesus. Jesus knowledge, understanding, and memorization of Scripture were astonishing, even as a young boy (see Luke 2:41-52). He not only knew the Torah, he also knew the other Old Testament writings (The Historical Books, The Poetic & Wisdom Writings, The Prophets). The Father s love was the foundation of his ministry. If we are to model our lives after Jesus and love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, then we need to follow Christ s lead and make this the anchor of our life observing, interpreting, and applying God s word. Jesus took responsibility for knowing God s word. Without knowledge and understanding of Scripture, Jesus would have been ineffective. Like Jesus, we need to know and understand God s word, or else we will be ineffective at impressing His word on our children, grandchildren, and future generations. Review the chart on the next page to read about Jesus knowledge and understanding of Scripture. You ll see where, how, and why Jesus referenced Old Testament Scripture during his ministry. The references below demonstrate that Jesus was anchored in God s word. Reading and reviewing each one reminds us why the process of anchoring down starts here and why we must trust the process. While the chart does not include every single account of Jesus portraying his knowledge and understanding of Scripture, it does convey how seriously he took this part of his relationship with God. 4

Jesus knowledge & understanding of Scripture Jesus references of Old Testament Scripture: Old Testament Scripture: Fighting temptation: Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4 Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12 Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8 Deuteronomy 8:3 Deuteronomy 6:16 Deuteronomy 6:13 Facing rejection: Luke 4:17-19 Matthew 15:3-4; Mark 7:10 Matthew 15:7-9; Mark 7:6-7 Matthew 21:16 Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10-11; Luke 20:17 Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27 Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34 John 13:18 John 15:25 Isaiah 61:1-2 Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:17 Isaiah 29:13 Psalm 8:2 Psalm 118:22-23 Zechariah 13:7 Isaiah 53:12 Psalm 41:9 Psalm 35:19 Teaching, instructing, and challenging others: Matthew 5:21 Matthew 5:27 Matthew 5:31 Matthew 5:33 Matthew 5:38 Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:11-13; Luke 8:10 Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-8 Matthew 19:17-20; Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20 Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46 Matthew 22:31-32; Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:37-38 Exodus 20:13 Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18 Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:12; Deuteronomy 23:21 Exodus 21:23-25; Lev 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21 Isaiah 6:9-10 Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20; Leviticus 19:18 Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11 Exodus 3:6 Influencing: Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7 Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:28-34 Hosea 6:6 Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18 Sending out disciples: Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 12:52-53 Micah 7:6 Chart information used with permission from Jews for Jesus from the Jews for Jesus September 2008 newsletter, August 26, 2008. Author Rich Robinson. Modified by Men of Iron. 5

Why God s Word? Scripture is Useful 2 Timothy 3:14-17 The apostle Paul wrote 2 Timothy as a letter to his protégé, Timothy from jail. While Timothy was busy with ministry in Ephesus, Paul was imprisoned in a cold dungeon. Even as Paul stared death in the face, he encouraged Timothy to carry on the ministry and stay committed to the Gospel. Paul s famous charge to Timothy in chapter 3 shows us the significance of knowing and using Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. We need to understand a few things about this passage. First, Paul s words prove Timothy was a product of a Deuteronomy 6:4-9 culture. From infancy, Timothy knew the Scriptures, which made him wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We need to pause here and ask ourselves, Who is my Timothy? As followers of Christ, one of our greatest priorities is to make disciples (Assignment #3 Matthew 28:16-20). And to do that effectively, we need to impress Scripture upon those we disciple. If you are a father, then make it a priority to mentor and disciple your children with the Bible. And to do that effectively, we must first take responsibility for knowing it ourselves. Second, Paul instructs Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. He ends the passage with, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Scripture is useful for all areas of our lives. And if we are to be men of God, we need to be equipped by Scripture for every good work. Like you and me, Paul and Timothy were flawed men. They were sinners. Paul especially faced pain and suffering through a number of challenges, including prison. I would be surprised if neither of them at least occasionally doubted God s process and questioned His plans. More than likely, anchoring down wasn t something they were looking forward to. But even in the midst of their shortcomings, doubt, and hurt, these two servants of Jesus Christ took God s word seriously. And Paul took great pains to ensure Timothy also took it seriously. They were both thoroughly equipped for every good work because of their dedication to knowing God s word and teaching it to others. They were anchored deep, trusting the process and following God s plans. This had a dramatic impact on the Church in future generations including you and me. Men, we have a responsibility to carry on a similar legacy. When we have knowledge and understanding of God s word and take the commands of Jesus Christ seriously, we are thoroughly equipped for every good work, just like Paul and Timothy. It s time to get in the word! Regardless of how you feel, anchor down, trust the process, and follow the plan! 6

ASSIGNMENT #4 Reflection Questions 1. After reading Deuteronomy 6:4-9, answer the following: a. As a child, did anyone ever impress God s word on you? If so, who? How did they do that? What kind of impact did this have on your life? b. As a child or teenager, did your family discuss the Bible? Is it something you discuss now in your home? c. What has held you back from following the commands of Deuteronomy 6:4-9? Lack of knowledge? Fear? Lack of priority? d. What are your general thoughts after reading and reflecting on Deuteronomy 6:4-9? 2. Review the chart on page 5. Read through the accounts of Jesus referencing the Old Testament Scriptures. What thoughts or questions come to mind? 7

3. In your own words, why is it important for us to know and understand God s word? 4. Identify which statement you can most relate to. Explain. a. I m busy and struggle to find time to read the Bible b. I haven t made reading the Bible a priority c. I don t understand what I m reading in the Bible d. I don t know how to read the Bible effectively e. I don t have a desire to read the Bible f. I want to read the Bible, but can t stay consistent g. I read my Bible consistently 5. After memorizing and reciting 2 Timothy 3:16-17, write it out in the space below: 6. Matthew 22:, which is the greatest in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your and with all your soul and with all your. This is the and greatest commandment. 8

Meeting #4 Agenda I. Prayer (5 Minutes) a. Start the meeting with prayer. Invite God to be present and to guide the discussion. II. Recite Matthew 22:36-38 (5 Minutes) a. Both mentor and protégé can use this time to recite Matthew 22:36-38 III. Discuss Assignment #4 God s Word, Part I (15 Minutes) a. General Thoughts i. Share your general thoughts on the reading. What stuck out to you? What inspired you? What did you circle, underline, or highlight? IV. Reflection Questions (25 Minutes) a. Protégé Share your answers and responses to each question with your mentor. b. Mentor Make notes in your guide as your protégé shares. V. 5F Assessment (20 Minutes) a. Protégé Prepare to give your mentor an update on your 5F goals VI. Schedule Meetings (5 Minutes) a. Take time to schedule the remainder of your meetings. Try to stay consistent with the day, time, location, etc. VII. Plan & Prayer (5 Minutes) a. Discuss and agree to complete assignment #5. Be ready to discuss at meeting #5. 9

MEETING NOTES To-Do: 1. Practice memorizing Matthew 22:36-38. 2. Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17. 3. Review and complete all checklist items for assignment #5. 4. 5. 10