HOW TO READ THE BIBLE
This series will be a perfect way to start off the new year because we will be taking some time to explore HOW to Read the Bible. So many are drawn to Bible reading programs and starting up quiet times as a sort of New Year Resolution. Our desire is to navigate how to best do this. How to best read God’s Word and get the most out of our time of study together.
Join us as we study what it means for Jesus to be the Word of God, the difference between the Old and New Testaments, How is Scripture God Breathed as well as living and Active.
JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD
There are so many ways for us to communicate the days, from email to text, a phone call or maybe even old fashion snail mail. And not to mention FaceTime, what a simple way to get to video call someone at the drop of a hat and see exactly what they are seeing, feeling and experiencing.
Basically you could say that face-to-face conversations are usually better than just reaching out with words or text or email. And the same is true of our walk with God. It would be so much better to have God in person be able to talk and communicate and share with us exactly what is on his mind.
Well in some ways that is exactly what God did by sending his son Jesus, who is the Word of God as Scripture puts it. This week we will learn how a relationship with Jesus, studying the Bible, gets us closer to our Heavenly Father, God, the LORD almighty.
Week 1: 1/11 & 1/15 – Daniel “stallion” Stevanus
Scripture: John 1:1-18
OLD vs NEW TESTAMENT
So many people think there is a huge divide between the Old and New Testament. These parts of Scripture seem to be disconnected, different and like they don’t always understand how the two interact.
Jesus himself knew we would struggle with this and so Scripture speaks to the difference between fulfillment and abolishment of the law. And even says His [Jesus’] job is to reclaim or repurpose rather than to demolish. The Old Testament doesn’t go out the window when Jesus arrives on the scene, instead it helps to better understand aspects of the New Testament. So instead of OT vs NT it becomes OT + NT.
Week 2: 1/18 & 1/22 – Allie Redmond
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20
SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED
We’ve heard it said that “all Scripture is God-breathed” from the Bible, but what does that actually mean? Was the Bible written by God, inspired by Him? Breathed by Him? But aren’t there human writers of the Bible? How do we understand the Bible and how it was written?
This week we will answer all of these questions as we unpack the verse from 2 Timothy 3:16-17. And once we gain an understanding of the origins of Scripture, we then can also appreciate the importance of them. And of course, the role that the Bible plays in our day to day lives. This week we will also give some examples of PRACTICAL ways they can study the Bible.
Week 3: 1/25 & 1/29 – Daniel “stallion” Stevanus
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
THE BIBLE IS LIVING AND ACTIVE
We would say of books that they can foster a reader’s imagination. That you can sometimes read a novel or a story and be transported to a far off time and land. Or maybe it’s a whole different world, language, even reality altering place, but the words of the page guide your creativity to see this environment. Well even the most riveting of tales and the most imagination altering book can’t compare to the Bible.
You see the Bible is unlike any other book we will ever read because it is living and active. It is a book that quite literally changes and transforms us, the more we read it. It reveals things to us about ourselves and life, it provides us with wisdom, and it can be the source of great encouragement. If we allow it, the Bible can become alive and help us transform our lives.
Week 4: 2/1 & 2/5 – Bryce Holdman
Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-13