When it comes to communication, a response is key. After all, someone who is communicating without getting a response from the person they are talking to is virtually talking to themselves. A key component of responding to another person is doing what they say. This is true with the Bible. When we read Scripture, we must respond, and part of that response is doing what it says. Today, we are going to look at the call to read Scripture and respond through obedience.
When was a time you forgot to do something you were asked to do? How did it turn out?
Bible Study Questions
1. When it comes to reading the Bible, do you often think about responding to Scripture? Why or why not?
WATCH SERMON RECAP #1
2.Read James 1:22-25. Why is doing what the Bible says so important? What is the danger of forgetting this?
James 1:22-25 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
James 1:22-25
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
3. What is the promise for those who reflect on Scripture and live in obedience?
4. Read Matthew 7:24-28. According to these verses, what does Jesus say is the benefit of putting the Bible into practice in our lives?
Matthew 7:24-28 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
Matthew 7:24-28
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
5. As you think about your own life, how are you personally applying the Bible?
6. In what ways can you shift your focus from merely reading and learning Scripture to responding to it in obedience?
7. Is there something you know, after reading and studying the Bible, that you are intentionally choosing to forget that it says? What is it, and how can we as a small group help?
Spend some time today with your group praying. Talk to God about your desire to obey Him. Ask Him to give you courage and obedience, not just to read the word but also to do what it says. Pray also for any area where your group members are struggling and develop a plan to keep them accountable.
As we continue our quest of how to study the Bible deeply, our next step is correlation. Correlation focuses on the timeless truths that can be found in Scripture. Timeless truths go beyond a specific place or moment in time. Correlation, or discovering “timeless truths,” connects the message of Scripture to the original audience and to us today. In other words, it helps us bridge the gap from the “when” and “where” to the “here” and “now.” Unlike observation, which focuses on discovering facts, correlation focuses on discovering the truths found throughout the Scripture we are reading. Correlation is different from interpretation because it involves unearthing the timeless truths found in Scripture without jumping into interpretation of what these truths mean to us specifically. Today, we will take a look at what correlation is and then have a chance to practice it in our groups.
What is a timeless truth?
o A timeless truth is a truth found in Scripture that is not limited to a specific time. Scripture was not just written for the original readers of Scripture; it was also written for following generations of people, including you and me. It was written for all of eternity. When we look for the timeless truths in Scripture, we are looking for over-arching truths that supersede any specific moment in time. For example, a timeless truth found from John 3:16 could be “God loves all of humanity.”
Things to remember when discovering and writing out the timeless truths:
1. State truths as facts, not questions.
2. State truths positively.
o For example, “You must not have any other god but me” in Exodus 20:3 should not be stated as “Don’t have any other gods in your life other than the one true God.”
3. Use short and simple sentences.
4. Do not read into the text anything that is not there when finding these timeless truths.
Steps for discovering the timeless truths:
1. Re-asking observation questions.
• Who, what, when, where, why, and how?
2. Read through the Scripture again, paying special attention to the timeless truths in the passage.
3. In your own words, make a list of the timeless truths you see in the passage in short, simple sentences.
• For example, after looking at 1 Peter 5:10, several timeless truths can be:
o Believers will experience suffering on this earth.
o Suffering is temporary.
o During suffering, God will strengthen and support believers.
Now that we have talked about correlation let’s practice it with Matthew 6:25-34. Read these verses. As a group, walk through the process of discovering timeless truths, keeping in mind the things to remember when writing these truths.
Steps for discovering timeless truths in Matthew 6:25-34
1. Re-asking observation questions. (Answer these questions as best as you can. You may not be able to answer all of them based on the information you have, and that is okay!)
• Who is involved?
• What is taking place?
• Where is it taking place?
• When is it taking place?
• Why is it taking place?
3. In your own words, make a list of the timeless truths that you see in the passage, in short, simple sentences.
After completing this exercise, discuss it with your group. How did discovering the timeless truths help you process the passage in a new, fresh way? Have each group member share one way this passage came alive as you discussed the timeless truths in Matthew 6:25-34?
[*] These Bible Study steps were adapted from Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics 101 at Dallas Theological Seminary, a class taught by Dr. Mark Bailey in 2015
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