Christian Ministry 2 Using Your Bible Week 1

Christian Ministry 2 Using Your Bible Week 1 - Introduction to Inspiration

Logistics • Pay class fees to Sue by next week • $30 non-students • $10 students • Pick up notebooks from the table • Wi-Fi password: hccaccess

Focus of the Class The Bible itself: why to trust it, how to navigate your way through the various books, and how to study & apply it in your life and ministry. • Meditation • Inspiration • Canonicity • Hermeneutics (Interpretation)

Introduction • Central Importance. . . • We must take the time necessary to pass on good (Bible) DNA so that is can be passed on properly to others. • 2 Tim 2: 2 - The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Introduction • It is only as we use the Word effectively to back up our advice, encouragement, our counsel, our praise, and our rebukes that others around us will see its importance and do the same. • Acts 20: 20. . . • 2 Timothy 4: 2. . .

Introduction • What kind of response unleashes the power of God’s Word? • A humble and teachable heart that seeks to OBEY what is learned. • James 1: 22. . . • A heart that regularly MEDITATES on God’s Word. • Psalm 1: 1. . . , Joshua 1: 8. . .

Biblical Meditation • What is Biblical Meditation? • The Hebrew word (hagah) means literally to “mutter” to oneself. • Quote from J. I. Packer • “What is meditation? Well may we ask, for meditation is a lost art today. . . • Does this sound foreign to you? You already meditate. . .

Why is BM so important? • Positive rewards of BM promised in Ps 1: 1 -3 • spiritual stability • spiritual fruitfulness • spiritual vitality • spiritual prosperity • Thoughts from George Mueller. . .

Why is BM so important? • Negative Rewards in Ps 1: 1, 4, 5 • become like chaff - light and easily blown away, not nutritious to others, and highly perishable. (Ephesians 4: 14, Romans 12: 2) • WARNING: Christian workers often neglect meditation because they are busy, and think that preparing for teachings is sufficient. .

How to get started in BM • METHOD #1: Take a very small passage (i. e. , one or two verses), memorize it, and “chew” on it for one or more days. • • Speak it to God in prayer. . . Emphasize different parts of the verse Ask God to show you how to apply it After you’ve chewed it dry, move on

How to get started in BM • METHOD #2: Memorize a small psalm (e. g. , Ps. 131), part of a larger psalm (e. g. , Ps. 73: 23 -28), or several-verse New Testament passage (e. g. , Rom. 5: 1 -5). • Pray it to God. . . pondering and • personalizing it as you go. Use these passages this way to get your prayer time off to a good start. . .

How to get started in BM • METHOD #3: Write a small (e. g. , one paragraph) New Testament passage out long-hand. • Notice especially if a specific part of the • • • passage “lights up. ” Muse on this. . . Write out a prayer to God in response to what He showed you. . . Use this method for your homeworks

Reflect • Of the methods above, which most resonates with you? Why?

OBJECTION: “The Bible is true in Intro to the Insp. of Scripture passages relating to human salvation, but we should not expect • Bible is foundational to our faith total accuracy from the • learn who God is, what he is like Bible in other, matters • learn how we have been corrupted (e. g. , history, • learn how God moved in history to help geography, science). ” us • Increasingly, the Bible is coming under attack from WITHIN the church.

Intro to the Insp. of Scripture • Satan is always trying to undermine our confidence in the trustworthiness of the Bible. • What do you think are some indicators of a church where Satan has succeeded in undermining confidence in the trustworthiness of the Bible?

Intro to the Insp. of Scripture • Christians need to learn how to defend the claim that. . . • the Bible is God’s Word and • that is can be trusted!! • 1 Peter 3: 15 - but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. . .

Intro to the Insp. of Scripture • Over the next few weeks, we’ll argue that. . . • God has spoken the words of the Bible • • (INSPIRATION) Our Bibles contain the correct set of inspired books (CANONICITY) We can interpret the meaning of the Bible with sufficient accuracy (HERMENEUTICS)

Definition of Terms • Revelation - apokalypto - to unveil something that was previously hidden or to view something that was out of sight • General Revelation - information that God • has revealed to everyone about himself in nature and within our hearts 1 Cor 2: 9 -14

Definition of Terms • Speculation - what HUMANS think about God, ultimate reality, etc. • What do you think are some of the results of speculation that we see in the world today?

Definition of Terms • Speculation - what HUMANS think about God, ultimate reality, etc. • Key different between revelation and speculation is ORIGIN. • Revelation - from God • Speculation - from Man

Definition of Terms • Do you rely on Revelation or Speculation in the following: • Look at the list on page 5. . . • Every one of these daily decisions is advised by some source of information. . .

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Verbal (words are inspired) Plenary (all of the Bible is inspired) Inspiration (God-breathed) • God so moved the human authors of scripture that the resulting product was the Word of God, written totally without error in all that it affirms in the original autographs, in every area including theology, history, geography and science.

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Why do you think the definition must include accuracy in things like history, geography, and science instead of just theology? • Because if it can't be trusted in the areas that we can test, why should it be trusted in the areas we can't test?

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Inspiration does NOT mean: • People being emotionally moved by the beauty of creation or the pathos of human life, etc. • Dictation in most cases (cf. 10 commandments), no "automatic handwriting"

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI God worked through human • Revelation - apokalypto - to unveil authors in a way something that was previously that used their hidden or to view something that was particular style out of sight and cultural • Special Revelation - more specific setting to present information about God that was revealed his truth. through Christ and in the Bible

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • 2 Tim 3: 16* - All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; • "Inspiration" = theopneustos: literally “God-breathed. ”

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • (2 Pet. 1: 20, 21*) But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Two Important Qualifications 1. “in the original autographs” • Number of copies are so plentiful that we can identify most of the errors • Errors are so minor that they do not affect any major doctrine • Why didn’t God preserve them? (2 Kings 18: 4)

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Two Important Qualifications 2. “in all that it affirms” - must include. . . • Figures of speech • Precision • Narration does not equal affirmation • Literary genres

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • Two Important Qualifications 2. “in all that it affirms” - must include. . . • Selective history does not equal errant history • Topical arrangement • Irregularities of grammar and spelling

1 Thessalonians 2: 13 Therefore, we never stop Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI thanking God that when you received his message • Why does it matter? us, you didn’t think from • Once you reject verbal plenary mere of our words as inspiration, there is no logical stopping human ideas. You place ("SLIPPERY SLOPE"). we said as accepted what the very word of God— • Your view of scripture is closely related which, of course, to your view of Christ himself. it is. And evangelism will lack this word continues • Your preaching and to work in you who confidence and power unless you trust believe. the truthfulness of God's Word!

Verbal Plenary Inspiration VPI • How have you seen VPI challenged either personally or from a distance in our culture? • To what extent do you agree with VPI?

Summary • As we birth House Churches and leaders, we must pass on the DNA of God’s Word accurately! • Biblical meditation is important for developing deeper comprehension • It’s necessary to hold VPI as your position to minister effectively

Questions?

Next Week • Arguments for VPI. . .

Memory Verses • Please note: the last page of your notes gives a description of the verses, not the actual wording of the verses • 2 Timothy 3: 16, 17* • 2 Peter 1: 20, 21*

Assignment #1 • Read chapters 1 -5 of Does Inerrancy Matter? (see handout). Write a oneparagraph summary of each chapter. • Get started on Church Visitation Assignment • Write out your meditation on 2 Cor. 2: 14 -17 using METHOD #3.

Corporate Prayer