Discovering God s Forever Book Discovery Director s Weekly Meeting Guide Spring Semester, 2014 Contents 1 Discovering God s Forever Book.............. 3 2 God s Forever Book Is Inspired.............. 7 3 God s Forever Book Is Inerrant and Infallible........ 12 4 God s Forever Book Is Alive................ 17 5 God s Forever Book Is Holy................ 22 6 God s Forever Book Is Precious.............. 27 7 God s Forever Book Is Convicting............. 31 8 God s Forever Book Is Powerful.............. 36 9 God s Forever Book Protects from Sin........... 41 10 God s Forever Book Heals Heartbreaks.......... 45 11 God s Forever Book Gives Light.............. 50 12 God s Forever Book Is Fire................. 55 13 God s Forever Book Gives Comfort............ 59 14 God s Forever Book Guides More Accurately Than a GPS 63 15 God s Forever Book Gives Hope.............. 68 16 God s Forever Book Is Eternal............... 77
Discovery Weekly Meeting Guide, Spring 2014 produced by Written by: Weeks DuBose EDITOR IN CHIEF: Larry E. Clements larryclements@bogardpress.org BUSINESS MANAGER: Wayne Sewell wsewell@bogardpress.org PRODUCTION EDITOR: Sally McInvale ADULT EDITOR: Jim Jones CHILDREN S EDITOR: Libby Gill ILLUSTRATOR: Connie Spears GRAPHIC ARTISTS: Shawn Blase Jeff Allen Greg Hilterbrand Blake Tilton LAYOUT DESIGNERS: Kyle Elkins Cindy Butler Ashley Elkins CONTENT EDITORS: Terry McKellar Carolyn Burks Deby Turrentine Joni Curtis PRINT PRODUCTION: Charles Easley Cover Design: Blake Tilton Copyright 2014 Bogard Press 4605 N. State Line Ave. Texarkana, TX 75503-2928 www.bogardpress.org 1-800-264-2482
Weekly Meeting Guide Orientation/Lesson 1 Discovering God s Forever Book Semester Objective By the end of this semester, Discovery members will appreciate the Bible as the only book that can truly be called the Forever Book. Lesson Objective Discovery members will identify the characteristic of the one and only Forever Book. Bible Text 1 Peter 1:25, The word of the Lord endureth for ever. Psalm 119:89, For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Evaluate An incident recorded in the Old Testament in 2 Kings 22 involving young King Josiah provides an illustration of the power of a special book that changed the life of a nation. King Josiah and the Forever Book Four years after King Josiah s conversion at the age of sixteen, the young king began an aggressive religious reformation in his kingdom. Spiritual worship had deteriorated under the influence of his father, Amon, and the Temple had fallen into disarray. As part of his reformation plan, Josiah ordered a restoration of the Temple which he placed under the direction of Shaphan the scribe. During the repair work, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law and turned it over to Shaphan. Shaphan, in turn, read the book to King Josiah. The Bible does not say which book Shaphan read, but what Josiah heard had such an effect on him that he tore his clothes in distress and strengthened his resolve to seek God s will for himself and his people. The incident with Josiah has only a minor association with this series, but it can serve as an introduction to the mystique and power of God s Forever Book. Call it the Word of God, the Scriptures or the Bible. The divine library of sixty-six books forms the most amazing book ever placed in the hands of human beings. DIRECTOR S OUTLINE Regardless of whether or not one knows it, once exposed to the Word of God, he will never be the same. The apostle Peter states that God s Word endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). An incident in 2 Kings 22 involving King Josiah illustrates the power of this special book that changed a nation. King Josiah and the Forever Book Using information contained in the Evaluate section, relate the account of King Josiah s conversion when he was a teen and how at this young age he instituted a plan to spiritually reform the nation. Relate that as a result of this reform, one that included the restoration of the Temple, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the Law. After having the book read to him, 3
Interesting subjects in the Forever Book While human books of science, geography, history and archeology are continually being rewritten and updated, the Bible has not changed. The Dead Sea Scrolls brought to the light of day a two thousand year old copy of the book of Isaiah which proved to read the same as the copies available today. Many things in human society find their origin in the Bible. For example, it records the union of a man and woman constituting the institution of marriage which since its establishment has been the foundation of society. Civil government finds its pattern in God s Word. The three branch government of the United States originated in the Bible (Isa. 33:22). Before the influence of Charles Darwin, law students were taught from Blackstone s Commentaries of the Law that used the Law of Moses as the basis for it tenets. Today s educational community fails to acknowledge the Bible s importance, saying it is a book of myths and fables. Yet, within its pages are found the names of stars and constellations like Orion found in the biblical book of Job. Isaiah 40:22 announced that the world was not flat centuries before explorers discovered the fact for themselves. The book of Job also contains some of the principles used in the field of meteorology. Students of zoology will recognize basic principles of this science in the book of Genesis where animals are divided by kinds. The Forever Book is more than ordinary. These facts certainly make the Bible an astonishing book and one unlike any other. However, anyone who thinks God s Forever Book is like any other great book is sadly mistaken. The fact is, the Bible is more than an ordinary book of facts about the cosmos, earth, air, water, the human spirit and imagination, all of which point toward God and were amazingly recorded far in advance of their discovery by mankind in general. The Bible is a supernatural book with characteristics possessed by no other. Discovery members will examine these characteristics and discover that God s Forever Book is inspired, inerrant, alive, holy, eternal, convicting, powerful, precious, protects from sin, heals broken hearts, illuminates, creates, comforts, guides and gives hope. This Book should be read (Matt. 21:42), studied (John 5:39), heard (Rom. 10:17), memorized (Job 22:22; Psalm 119:11), meditated on (Joshua 1:8), known (Matt. 22:29), preached (Rom. 10:8; 2 Tim. 4:2) and obeyed (John 14:15, 21). The Bible is impervious, imperishable, impregnable, indissoluble and invincible to all the terrible assaults made against it through the centuries. In spite of its enemies, the Bible lives and has proven beyond any doubt to be the one and only Forever Book. Get Ready... RUBBER BAND FACES the king became convicted about his sins and the sin of the people. God s Forever Book changed him and his people. Interesting subjects in the Forever Book While books by human authors are continually being rewritten, the Bible has not changed in its entire history. Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls revealed a two thousand year old copy of the book of Isaiah that reads the same as copies available today. Civil government finds its pattern in God s Word. The three branch government of the United States originated in the Bible (Isa. 33:22). The Forever Book is more than ordinary. The Bible is a supernatural book. It is inspired, inerrant, alive, holy, precious, convicting and powerful. It protects from sin, heals broken hearts and illuminates. It is fire. It comforts, guides, gives hope and is eternal. It is, indeed, God s Forever Book. For the first game of the new semester, this one works as a great icebreaker. Rubber bands can create funny faces. Here is how: place a large rubber band around the heads of all Discovery members. Place the rubber band so it squashes the nose and folds the ears. When the director says Go all members will try to get the bands down around their necks. The first one to do it wins. One catch: the members may not use their hands. They may use only facial expressions, the walls or other people. If possible, have someone video or take pictures of the game. The Get Ready Section In each lesson this section will contain a game or an activity that can be used as an introduction to the lesson, a boredom breaker or a teaching moment. Because it is not possible to make an application to every game, some are for fun. The director has the freedom to use the game at any time in the lesson. Materials needed: Large (wide) rubber bands for every member. 4
Get Set... This semester s lessons will be about God s Forever Book, the Bible. This project will be an exercise to see how familiar members are with the Bible compared with their familiarity with some of their other interests. Give each member an index card and a pencil. Instruct them to draw a vertical line down the center of the card. Label one side Books of the Bible and the other side Favorite singers or bands. Tell them to write as many of both as they can in three minutes. Spelling does not matter. The director will take up the cards and at the appropriate time review them for the group. WHAT TO DO WITH GET SET Get Set is an interactive exercise in which the activity involves members individually or as teams. Because Get Set is an optional activity, it may be used at anytime in the session. If time becomes a factor, the director may choose not to use it. Materials needed: Index cards Pencils or pens Examining the Leaflet Hand out leaflets. Leaflet 1, Page 1. Go... WHAT IS GO ALL ABOUT? The Go section involves the members in interactive discussions and examination of the lesson subject using the student leaflet. Consider handing out the leaflets only after an overview of the lesson objective is presented. Leaflet 1, Page 1. Members will read the paragraph on page 1. Have a member read 1 Peter 1:25. Say: The records of human thought show how errant, unenlightened and transient the words of mortal individuals can be. On the other hand, in spite of attempts by some to cast doubt on its character, the Bible stands unchanged and according to its own testimony forever is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). Ask: What does it mean to you that in spite of attempts to prove the Bible to be untrustworthy, the Word of God continues to be the most trusted book ever published? Give members an opportunity to respond. Leaflet 1, Pages 2 and 3. In the first exercise WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GOD S FOREVER BOOK? members will answer three questions that will provide insight to their individual knowledge of the Bible. Ask for volunteers to share their responses. The exercise WHAT QUALITIES MAKE GOD S FOR EVER BOOK UNIQUE? asks members to name three unique qualities of God s Forever Book. Ask for volunteers to give their responses. Examples of erroneous statements by human authors. In 1977 Ken Olsen, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation stated, There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home. A report in Business Week, August 2, 1968 stated, With over fifty foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn t likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market. Leaflet 1, Pages 2 and 3. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GOD S FOREVER BOOK? 1. Inspiration 2. Holy men of God 3. Sixty-six WHAT QUALITIES MAKE GOD S FOREVER BOOK UNIQUE? Members may choose any three of the following: inspired, inerrant, alive, holy, precious, convicting, powerful, protects from sin, heals broken hearts, illuminates, is a fire, comforts, guides, gives hope and is eternal. 5
FILL IN THE BLANKS 1. delight, forget. Psalm 119:16 2. word of God. Proverbs 30:5 3. word, quick, powerful, twoedged sword; Hebrew 4:12 The exercise FILL IN THE BLANKS asks members to find the correct Scripture, supply the missing words and identify the appropriate Scripture. Ask volunteers to share their answers. If the is used, after examining the cards, the director will report whether members, on an average, knew more books of the Bible or popular singers or bands. Ask: Were the results surprising? Why? Leaflet 1, Page 4. AGREE OR DISAGREE While answers may vary, the appropriate response to the first three statements should be disagree. The appropriate response to the last two should be agree. Leaflet 1, Page 4. In the exercise AGREE OR DISAGREE members will tell whether they agree or disagree with five statements by placing an A for agree or a D for disagree at the beginning of each one. The exercise WHAT ABOUT YOU? asks members what passage of Scripture has had the greatest effect on them and tell in what way it affected them. Ask for volunteers to share their responses. The responses will vary. The exercise MAKING IT PERSONAL asks members to list their favorite passage of Scripture and tell why it is special to them. Call for volunteers to share their answers. Closing Director s closing comments Truth matters. If the Bible is not true, we re all wasting our time. During the next fifteen lessons, you will explore not only whether or not the Bible is true but also other outstanding qualities that make it God s Forever Book. Closing See sidebar for Director s comments. Close the meeting with prayer, asking God for a successful semester. Discovery workers should be available during this time to help members with their workbooks (if they are using them) and to answer any questions they might have. This can also be a time to enjoy fellowship and refreshments. Note on leaflets New workers may not be aware that special project workbooks are available for Discovery members. Check Bogard Press catalog for more information. 6