kNOwbigwords: February 2008

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Notes from 'How to Study and Teach the Bible'

They're sketchy - sorry about that.

Interpretation
-What’d God mean?
-What’s he getting across to the original audience?
-What’s the sin problem the original audience is facing?
-How do you participate in the original audience’s sin condition?
-How does the text point to Christ – since all Scripture does.

Drench this in prayer - The Holy Spirit makes Scripture effective (see the HS notes)

-Most important question of interpretation – before application – what did God mean to the original audience?

Steps

-read the book over and over and over again – what’s the flow of the whole book?
-There is a flow to Exodus, Nehemiah, Romans
-Some books not – some of the poetry, prophets
-reading is GOOD with God’s word!
-fits individual passages into the context of the book (Rom. 7:14-25 ex)
-often gives historical context – example, Colossians, Galatians 2 ex

-read the passage – over and over again

-make observations
-paraphrase!
-look for logical connecting words (Rom 8:9-13 ex.)
-repeated words or themes/concepts (have people read matt. 8)
-what’s the point of the section – how’d you boil it down to a sentence?

-ask questions of the stuff you don’t understand – and seek to answer them using
-logical context (those connecting words!!)
-book context – thematic stuff – where is it in the book?
-analogy of Scripture!!!!!!
-Vine’s – commentaries - Calvin on ccel.org

-given the point – what’s the sin being pointed to in the original audience? (Ex. 6:1-9)

-how do you sin that way? (PRAY PRAY PRAY)

-How does Jesus fix it? Remember X Training notes re: Scripture – it’s all about Jesus
-Look for where OT things are mentioned in the NT
-search online bibles!!!!

-What are some ways that the NT talks about Jesus that fulfill OT stuff?
-Adam 2
-Noah rescued by unity with Christ/baptism – 1 Peter 3
-Babel – nations created – nations redeemed rev. 7
-God promises the ‘land’ to Abraham – but it’s really to Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel – so God in fulfilling promises to Israel is bringing about Jesus’ Kingdom
-The temple – Jesus – us, by incorporation
-The priesthood
-Purity – purity needed to enter God’s presence – purity Christ has to do so for us
-Moral laws -> we can’t obey, Christ did in our place
-ceremonial laws – purity symbolizing purity in God’s presence, accomplished by Christ for us
-Kings -> Jesus’ future Kingship (2 Sam 7)
-Jerusalem – place of kingdom/meeting with God (Nehemiah example)
-Look at context in NT!!!! Eph 4:15-17 – stands on 11-13 – and ch’s 1-3
-obedience in NT NOT about Lawkeeping
-affects memorizations

-Learn redemptive history – read “God’s Big Picture”
-Expand and earn the Kingdom – Adam
-Future kingdom lost (fall)
-Kingdom Promised (Abraham)
-Kingdom prefigured (Israel)
-must be earned to be kept -> Christ by pointing out sin
-still by faith/grace -> remnant, ultimately Christ
-Kingdom began by Christ
-Law(!) – live this way, but mostly, you need grace
-miracles – physical Kingdom evidence
-death-resurrection – Kingdom secured
-Kingdom spiritual (Church)
-Obeying Kingdom Law from Jesus’ ruling the heart
-Spreading it through evangelism, conversion
-Kingdom finished (Jesus returns)

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

How to Study and Teach the Bible

http://www.niucru.com/member/derek/Discipleship_Lesson_3.wma

Monday, February 11, 2008

10 Facts About Godly Decision Making

10 Facts About Decision Making – Finding God’s Will

1. Scripture is sufficient to equip us with the information we need to obey God. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Matt. 15:1-20; Heb. 1:1,2)

2. The Holy Spirit leads us to walk in conformity with God’s will/heart, which is revealed in Scripture. (Rom. 8:9-17; Gal. 5:16-18; Heb. 8:10)

3. We can and should pray that God would conform our wills to what his will-heart is as stated in the Bible. (Col. 1:9-12; Phil. 2:12, 13; Matt. 6:10; 1 John 5:14, 15)

4. The ideas of ‘feeling led’ or ‘feeling called’ or ‘feeling peace’ are not in the Scriptures. If Scripture is sufficient for every good work, then these are not only unbiblical means of making decisions, but anti-biblical. Feelings may be in line with what God has revealed in the Scriptures, through study and through fellowship and by being taught, but they may not.

5. The whole of the Scriptures are summed up in the command to love God – delighting in him and displaying him to every nation (nations supercede individuals). (Gen. 1:26, 27; Gen. 12:2, 3; Deut. 5:7, 6:5; Jer. 2:13; Matt 5:13-16; Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 1:21; 1 Cor. 10:31; Phil. 2:15; etc.)

6. Every decision we make must therefore be weighed against that command. We should not ask, ‘can I do this for God’s glory,’ but rather, ‘do I want to do this because I want to glorify God?’

7. This applies to both ‘big’ choices and ‘small’ choices, since both reflect our desire or lack thereof to honor God. God’s will revealed to us is about our moral character and activity. (As a side, ‘big choices’ are rarely as big as we think – neither are they permanent – including marriage, vocation, etc. – nor are they as permanent as we think they are. However, recall that stewardship is an issue.)

8. The stain of sin still dwells in our thinking, feelings, and motives. We must weigh everything against Scripture and ‘kill’ what is not according to Scripture. (Rom. 8:13; Col. 2:8, 3:5)

9. You have been given particular abilities, unique to you, to serve the Church. Without significant ministry experience – really trying things out and serving – you’re not going to know what those are. Serve. As you discover your abilities in the context of fellowship and relationship to Church authorities, serve. (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12, 1 Peter 4)

10. Ultimately, Jesus is building the Church, not you. You’re part of the building. The success of Jesus’ mission does not depend on the Church or its membership. Trust him to do so – and obey what he’s revealed – for his glory. (Matt. 16:18; John 10:16; John 6:44; Acts 2:39; Rom. 8:30)

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