1. 2. Growing Through God’s Word Hyacinth Brown

2. Central Truth Reading and applying the truths of Scripture are necessary for spiritual Growth.

3. Objective Students of the Bible will: Emphasize (highlight, stress) the role of Scripture in spiritual growth Commit (Compel, Obligate) to personal (private, individual) Bible study

4. Golden Text 1 Peter 2:2New International Version (NIV) 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

5. Introduction The centrality of God’s Word is often expressed in the New Testament in the concept of “sound doctrine” which means complete teaching. A Christian cannot grow in maturity without putting deep roots in this truth. In 1 Tim 4:16 Paul told Timothy to watch his life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if he does, he will save both himself and his hearers. Why? The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine, but will gather around teachers who will tell them what they want to hear.

6. Three Important Truths Regarding Sound Doctrine. 1. Sound Doctrine Unleashes the power of God. 2. Sound doctrine makes us educated and discerning. 3. Sound Doctrine is crucial to effective witnessing.

7. How Will We Grow Through God’s Word. 1.Meditate on God’s Word 2.Crave God’s word - Spiritual food 3.Receive and Obey God’s Word

8. 1. Meditate on God’s Word Psalm 119 145 –147 Why should we meditate on God’s word? Benefit 1. There is hope in God’s word How did the psalmist cry out to God? (With his whole heart. The heart is the moral part of our being. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.Hebrews 4:12 How is that an example for us? When we do something with our whole heart it is a symbol of our sincerity

9. Meditate on God’s Word Benefit 2. There is rest in God’s Word Psalm 119 Vs. 148-152 What did the psalmist do at night? (148) He did not sleep. Sleeplessness was an ancient symbol of mourning or sadness. In Old Testament stories of kings, heroes, prophets and patriarchs we see the lack of sleep as a symbol of distress. However, for the psalmist meditating on God’s words was his rest/not sleep.

10. Crave God’s Word The Word of God is our spiritual food. Just like you need physical food for physical strength, you need spiritual food for spiritual strength. The Bible describes itself as spiritual food — water, milk, bread, and meat of our spiritual lives. It’s everything you need for sustenance.

11. When we Crave or Desire God’s Words Receive the Word with your ears. Commit yourself to go to church and listen to God’s Word being preached. Read the Word with your eyes. Having a Bible in your house is not going to bless your life. You have to have the Bible in your heart. Research the Word with your hands and mouth. When studying the Word of God, keep a pencil in your hand. Write down what God teaches. Talk about what you’re discovering with other believers in a small-group environment. Reflect on the Word with your mind. Think about and chew on God’s Word. Portion them – Take small bites (How do you eat an elephant?) Remember the Word with your heart. You’ll rarely have a Bible with you when you need it. Commit God’s Word to memory.

12. The Spiritual Food - Benefits 1 Peter 1:22 -25 It Purifies (cleanses, disinfects, sanitizes) us. How are believers souls purified?(vs 22) In obeying the truth/word through the spirit What is the meaning of “unfeigned love of the brethren”? (v.22) Synonyms for the word unfeigned are sincere, genuine, heartfelt, authentic, real)

13. The Spiritual Food Benefits 1.Peter 2:3 We Grow in Maturity What five things are Christians told to lay aside? Malice (hatred), Guile (slyness, craftiness), Hypocrisies (insincerities, two-facedness, pretenses), Envies ( jealousy, greed) and All evil speaking Evil-speaking is expressly forbidden ( Titus 3:2 ; James 4:11 ), and severe punishments are denounced against it ( 1 Corinthians 5:11 ; 6:10 ). It is spoken of also with abhorrence ( Psalms 15:3 ; Proverbs 18:6 Proverbs 18:7 ), and is foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of Christ.Titus 3:2James 4:111 Corinthians 5:116:10Psalms 15:3 Proverbs 18:6Proverbs 18:7

14. 3. Receive And Obey God’s Word How are God’s word taught to us? In the gospels the first feature which strikes the reader is the way in which Jesus adapted His teaching to the type of hearer (audience, listener)with whom He was dealing.

15. Why should the teaching methods of Jesus be important to the hearers ? Jesus Had Special Conditions for Teaching: it is necessary for us to keep in mind the special conditions Jesus had in His teaching. Remember the uniqueness of His Person and His message. He not only taught the Word of God – He was the Word of God. Even the people of His day recognized that He was different from any other teacher with whom they had ever come into contact. “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7,29)

16. What are some methods Jesus used in teaching God’s Word? 1.Rhetoric method 2.Rabbinical Method 3.Logical Devices 4.Repetition 5.Illustrations 6.Poetic Form 7.Influential Form 8.Parables

17. Rhetoric method: In John’s gospel are preserved, moreover, instances of Jesus engaging in extended dialogue with various Jewish groups (e.g., John 6)

18. Rabbinical method. Jesus used rabbinical methods, He was doing so to express a deeper spiritual truth than appears on the surface. The truth does not depend on the form in which it is expressed, but on the validity which it possesses. (Matt 22:32)

19. . Logical Devices On occasions Jesus used various logical devices which are worth noting. An example a fortiori type of argument may be seen in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus proceeds from the lesser example of the heavenly Father’s care for the birds to the greater example of His care for men. “Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt 6:26) He asks. Another method is reductio ad absurdum, a classic example of which is the controversy with the Pharisees over Beelzebub. Their charge that Jesus was casting out devils by the prince of the devils would make the devil war against himself, which is unthinkable -

20. Logical devices continue The type of argument known as ad hominem (on the basis of an opponents’ premises) was often used when Jesus appealed to the teaching of the law. A typical example is when He cited the law as saying, “you are gods” (John 10:34), in support of His own claim to be the Son of God. – Many times Jesus left His hearers to apply His illustrations on the strength of an analogy (similarities) between the physical and spiritual worlds. Thus to demonstrate the Father’s willingness to give, He appeals to what might be expected from earthly fathers (Matt 7:9).

21. Repetition The use of repetition, one important aspect of the teaching method of Jesus was His practice of repeating His sayings. Moreover, this is a basic educational method. It cannot be expected that profound truths will be grasped at one hearing and it must be accepted that this principle was recognized by Jesus Examples of repetition may be found both in content and in verbal form. Some themes, for instance, the kingdom or the law, frequently recur. The repetition is always purposive. In the Sermon on the Mount, there is a sequence of instances introduced by the formula, “You have heard it said...but I say,” which heightens the effect of the distinctive teaching given. There were other techniques which Jesus used to aid the memory of His hearers. Of special interest is similarity of form, as, for instance, the Beatitudes, which would be easier to retain in the mind than a collection of dissimilar sayings.

22. Illustrations Jesus made frequent use of metaphors and similes, often of the most striking kind. His self-description as Light, Door, Vine, Shepherd, are drawn from common illustrations which were all the more effective because of their simplicity. He promised that His disciples would be “fishers of men” and “the salt of the earth.” The contemporary Jewish teachers were “a brood of vipers.” He made constant use of similes, of which the best examples are in the parables, but by no means exclusively so. For instance, the disciples are as “sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt 10:16), while the Twelve are to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves”.

23. Illustrations Paradoxical (Ironical) sayings, For example: those who would be great must become slaves (Matt 20:27), or of apparently contradictory sayings, which speak of the purpose of Jesus to divide households (Luke 12:51ff.), although He came to bring peace. Figurative Speech: A sense of humor, is seen by the extraordinary exaggerations which He sometimes mentioned. Verbal Irony: The log in the eye (Matt 7:3ff.) was intended to heighten the contrast with the speck, but would be wholly inappropriate as a possible obstruction in the eye. Similarly, a camel in a needle’s eye (Mark 10:25) was surely not to be taken literally.

24. Poetic Forms The subject of rhythm and rhyme, since these elements, if found in the sayings of Jesus, would focus even greater attention on the artistic methods which He employed. The form of the statement, “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matt 7:6), has an unmistakable rhythmic quality, which could be illustrated in many other sayings. This demonstrates again that Jesus was not unmindful of the form of His teaching

25. Influential : The Old Testament The teaching of Jesus was without doubt influenced by the OT. He was constantly making use of allusions to OT incidents in such a way as to appeal to the knowledge of the hearers. The reference to Lot’s wife, for instance, is not enlarged upon, but knowledge of the details of the story is assumed (Luke 17:29). Similarly, the allusions to Solomon’s magnificence (Matt 6:29) or to the queen of the south’s persistence (Matt 12:42) are remarkably concise and incidental. This emphasizes an important feature about the teaching of Jesus. It was addressed to people who were versed in OT ideas and who were able to understand the allusions

26. Parabolic forms The most characteristic form in the teaching of Jesus is the parable, which was particularly used in the latter part of His ministry. The purpose of the parabolic form often has been debated, esp. in view of the statement of Jesus that this form was used “because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matt 13:13; cf. Mark 4:11, 12; Luke 8:9, 10) One or two of the parables recorded are more in the nature of allegories, e.g., the Sower and the Tares. These come nearest to the allegorical forms found in the fourth gospel (Shepherd and Vine allegories

27. 3. Receive and Obey God’s Word Luke 8: 4-8 1 How did Jesus teach the people? (Vs.4) Parable (Story) : An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. 2. Where did these people come from? ( vs. 4) Out of every city) 3. List four places where the seed fell and tell what happened to them way side – it was trodden on and the fowlsof the air devoured it upon a rock- it sprung up but withered away because of lack of moisture among thorns – the thorns sprung up and choked it on good ground – Sprang up and bare fruit an hundred fold

28. Parable: Interpretation Luke 8: 9-15 1. What does the seed represent? (Vs. 11) The word of God 2. What does the Devil do and why? He taketh the word out of their hearts, lest they believe and be saved 3. What happen to those whose heart are like rock when they hear the word of God? They received the word with joy but they had no roots. So, for a while they believed, but in time of temptation they fall away. 4. What happen to those that fell among thorns? They heard, but they go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life and bring no fruit to perfection 5. What is produced by “good ground” people? They have a honest and good heart, so they keep the word and bring forth fruit with patience

29. Summary Reading and applying the truths of Scripture are necessary for spiritual Growth. We grow through Gods words when we: 1.Meditate on God’s Word 2.Crave God’s word - Spiritual food 3.Receive and Obey God’s Word Quote: “Obedience to God is the most infallible (reliable) evidence of sincere love to Him” (Nathanael Emmons) Song Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe Doing exactly what the Lord commands and doing it happily Action is the way to Obedience is to show that we believe Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe O B E D I E N C E Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe