Hide Notes 

Slide 1: How To Study The Bible Lesson 1: “Dirty Hands and Ready Hearts” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. A Pop-Quiz Place the following in their historical sequence (1-4): 1 Abraham 4 Pentecost 3 The Death of Christ 2 The Old Testament Prophets 4 3 1 2 Judah's Exile Saul's Death Isaac's Birth Moses in Egypt According to one study of freshmen at a prominent evangelical Bible college, one-third could not properly sequence the first list above, while only half could sequence the second list.1 Match these events with the book of the Bible in which they are found: 1. The Christmas Story (b) a. Exodus 2. Paul's Missionary Journeys (e) b. The Gospel of Matthew 3. The Fall of Jericho (c) c. Joshua 4. The Passover Story (a) d. The Gospel of Luke 5. Jesus as a boy in the Temple (d) e. Acts Select the best answer to the following: When Moses sent twelve spies to view the Promised Land, they left from: a. Hormah b. Kadesh-barnea c. Mt. Sinai d. Hebron A virtuous woman is described in: a. Psalm 72 b. Proverbs 31 c. Lamentations 2 d. Song of Solomon 5 Who said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord?" Was it: a. Esther b. Ruth c. Joshua d. Mordecai The point of the above exercises is not to belittle your understanding of Scripture. In fact, we must remember that trivial facts alone can never replace the spiritual blessing of Bible study. Biblical illiteracy, however, has reached staggering levels among active and committed Christians. The need for careful and meaningful study of God's Word is extremely important in our post-modern era of Christianity. 1 Gary M. Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read: Recovering Biblical Literacy in the Church,” www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9t9/9t9045.html
Slide 2: A Look Ahead… Over the next seven weeks, we are going to WORK HARD (2 Tim. 2:15): 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. The word, study, is spoudazo, occurring 11 times: 5x's diligence; 3x's endeavor; 1x labor; 1x be forward 1. GET OUR HEARTS READY 2. GET OUR HANDS DIRTY We will take a practical look at a passage of Scripture and study it together. We will learn some techniques for examining the key words of a passage. We will uncover the methods for studying key figures of the Bible. We will outline ways to lift important themes from a passage and see how they fit into the framework of Scripture. We will tap into some ideas for enriching our personal devotions by focusing on a few simple steps. We will examine several useful resources to make our Bible study more profitable. Why Study the Bible? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 1. The Bible is dependable and true. 2. The Bible is profitable. For Doctrine: The Bible teaches us all we need to know about God. For Reproof: The Bible convicts us of sin. For Correction: The Bible converts us from error. For Instruction in Righteousness: The Bible trains us to live for God. We must always ask: What truth(s) does this passage teach? What sin(s) am I to avoid? What attitudes must change? What commands must I obey? 3. The Bible equips us for service. "The purpose of Bible study is not just to understand doctrines or to be able to defend the faith, as important as these things are. The ultimate purpose is the equipping of the believers who read it. It is the Word of God that equips God’s people to do the work of God."2 Warren Wiersbe 2 Homework: 1. Read the Epistle of Jude at least once a day this coming week. 2. Note any words, phrases, or questions that stand out to you. 3. Be sure to begin and conclude each session with prayer seeking God's help in understanding His Word. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (2 Ti 3:13). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.