Text Week 1 Study

BIG IDEA

If we want to be successful students of the Bible, we must first understand how we got the Bible, how to approach Bible study, and why we study it. This understanding will give us guidelines as we begin studying it, and it will help us view Bible study as a delight, not a duty. Today we will discover the why and how behind Bible study, and we will be encouraged to commit our lives to deep Bible study and learn more about God and His word every day.

BREAK THE ICE

If you could enter and live in one story from a book, which story would you want to be immersed in and why?

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Bible Study Questions

WATCH SERMON RECAP #1

1. Who is your favorite person to study in the Bible, and why?

2. Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17. What does this Scripture teach us about the origin and inspiration behind the Bible?

2 Timothy 3:14-17

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

3. According to these verses, what are some of the purposes of Scripture?

4. Read Psalm 1:1-6. How does the author of Psalm 1 describe a person who delights in studying and obeying the Bible (verse 2)? What is the benefit of this?

Psalm 1:1-6

Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Application

5. How have you seen the Bible teach, correct, or help guide you in the past?

6. Is there an area of your life where you could use the guidance of Scripture to teach you, correct you, or help you discern the right step to take? If so, what is that area?

7. If you are honest, is studying the Bible more of a duty to you or a delight? Why? If it is more of a duty, what do you think could make it change from a duty to a delight?

MOVING FORWARD

Spend time together praying. Ask God to give you all a supernatural love for God and His word. Ask Him to make reading the Bible a delight every day. As you pray, don’t forget to thank Him for the gift of His word. Commit as a group to be faithful over the next six weeks in reading the Bible. They can do the daily devotional on the Sagebrush app, the Bible reading plan on the Sagebrush app, choose one book of the Bible to begin reading, and more.

Going Deeper

For the next few weeks in this Going Deeper section, we are going to dive into a Bible Study Method that will help us become better students of God's word. The first step in this method is "Observation." Observation asks and answers the question, “What do I see.” In other words, this observation step focuses on taking note of what we read in Scripture. Observation looks at what the Bible is saying at describing. As we dig deep into observation, it is important to know what to look for. Here are some categories to consider:

Plot and narrative: Who is involved? What is the scene? Where is this scene taking place?

Context within the book of the Bible you are studying.

• When reading verses, it is helpful to look at the verses ahead and behind to better understand what is happening in the verses you are reading. It has been said many times that "Text without context is a pretext."

Comparison and Contrast.

• Pay attention to times when people, animals, or other objects are being compared by their similarities or differences!

Repetition.

• We repeat what is important to us. There is a lot we can learn about what is extremely important for readers to understand from repetition in Scripture.

Question-Asking.

• Sometimes questions are meant to be answered. Other times these questions are rhetorical. Regardless, the asking of questions plays an important role in Scripture.

Explanation.

• What is the meaning or purpose behind what is being taught? At times, this meaning is spelled out for us by the use of phrases like “this is why” or “because.”

Now that you have read through some things to look for in observation, let’s practice! Divide into groups of 2 or 3, or stay together as a group, and look at Matthew 6:25-34. As you read, keep in mind the list of considerations above, as well as anything you observe that stands out. Talk about what you observe with your group, and if you split up, come back together when you are through for a large group disscussion. Share what stood out as you practiced observation.

After practicing observation, talk about the difference this observation process made as you looked at Matthew 6. Why do you think this process is so important? After talking about the observation process, make a plan for implementing this process in your daily Bible study. Share this plan with your group. Throughout the week, share with your group the things that stood out to you as you practiced observing Scripture.

MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE

Wallpaper available for download in the Sagebrush App.

1 John 4:12

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.