SRPC
25 SEPTEMBER 2022
INTRODUCTION TO BIBLE STUDY
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… facilitation notes for today’s bible study discussion ( 10am)
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The Importance of Bible Study
– Reading and meditating on the Word of God
Which is …
… The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Romans 10:16-17 (NIV)
– But not all the Israelites accepted the good news . For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
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Therefore
… We need to build our faith in the Word of God for its Power to manifest in our lives
… For faith comes by first hearing
… and pleasing faith activates the power of the Word
… for it entails that we have believed in God and in His power to reward those that diligently seek Him … Hebrews 11:6
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We start from the beginning
… Where God and The Word are one
… And creation is brought forth through The Word
… And the Word has life, which is the light of men
… which when we accept, reveals to us the Glory of God
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John 1:1-4;14 (NKJV)
1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2. He was in the beginning with God.
3. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
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Therefore the whole Word of God
… Both the old and New Testaments
… are all about Jesus
… to lead us into freedom by showing and indeed being our Way , our Truth and our Life
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Luke 24:27(NIV)
- And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
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John 14:6 (NKJV)
- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
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John 8:31-32 (NKJV)
- Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word , you are My disciples indeed.
- And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free .”
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John 15:7 (NKJV)
- If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
Indeed there is a blessing when we hear and keep the Word!
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Revelation 1:3 (NKJV)
- Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near
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>> The Word of God is exalted just as His Name.
… For His Name is revealed in His Word
… or the Word gives a description of the character and personality of God
… basically >> my name describing who I am
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Psalm 138:2
- I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name….NKJV
- I will bow down [in worship] toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word together with Your name … AMP
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…i.e. The Name embodies (adequately represents) who God is!
… or God stakes His reputation on His Word
Therefore for the sake of His own Name, He watches over His Word to fulfill it
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Jeremiah 1:12 (ESV)
- Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
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Psalm 23:3 (NKJV)
- He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His Name’s sake .
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>> THE SCOPE OF THE WORD
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Matthew 4:4 (NIV)
– Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God .’”
… from both God Himself
… or His servants that He sends
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Jeremiah 26:4-5 (NKJV)
– And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD:
“If you will not listen to Me,
… to walk in My law which I have set before you,
to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded),
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. .. But always remembering not to make an idol of the servants of God that minister to us through His Word.
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Revelation 19:10 (AMP)
Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he [stopped me and] said to me, “ You must not do that ; I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who have and hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God [alone]. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [His life and teaching are the heart of prophecy].”
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>> The Glory of God
… or the Fullness of the Goodness of God
… is revealed in many different ways though His Word
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>> Power of the Word to accomplish the good pleasure of the Lord
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)
- So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please , And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
>> Power for salvation through faith
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)
- For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
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Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)
- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ , for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
- For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
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>> The Word to give revelation, instruction, direction
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Psalm 119:105
- Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
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Proverbs 6:23 (NIV)
- For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
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>> The Word as a weapon
… to deal with both internal or external oppression or aggression
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Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)
- and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;
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Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)
- For the word of God is living and powerful , and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
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But the Word needs to be cultivated
… so that it can take root, grow and bear fruit
… Indeed – planted and nurtured so that it can bear good fruit in our lives
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Luke 8:11 (NIV)
“This is the meaning of the parable: *The seed is the word of God.*
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
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The importance of the Word of God is summarised for us in 2 Timothy 3:14-17
… for equipping us to perform the good works we were created to do
… through various methods such as
– Teaching
– Rebuking
– Correcting
– Training in righteousness
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2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
- But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of , because you know those from whom you learned it,
- and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures , which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
- so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
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Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
- For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works , which God prepared in advance for us to do.
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With various multiplier effects in different aspects of our lives such as…
Psalm 19:7-8 (NIV)
The law of the LORD is perfect,
… refreshing the soul .
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
… making wise the simple .
The precepts of the LORD are right,
… giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
… giving light to the eyes .
THE LIVING WORD 4 LIFE 