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Sunday Jan 26, 2020
Sunday Jan 26, 2020
1 Timothy 6:3-10
New International Version (NIV)
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Thursday Jan 23, 2020
Thursday Jan 23, 2020
This podcast covers both of the sessions that Duncan delivered on the night of Wednesday 22 Jan 2020.
We have removed the gap after about 29 minutes when Duncan allowed time for group discussions. There is only a 12 second period of silence before Duncan starts his second session.
Here is a copy of Duncan's handout:
Training for Godliness:
2. Reading the Bible (Part 2)
Jan-Feb 2020
A. Written to them, for us
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 ESV
We need to take the original route, not the direct one:
• What questions was the author trying to answer?
(These are more important than the questions I want answered!)
• Find out what it meant to them back then, before applying it to us now.
B. Context is King
ALL Scripture is God-breathed, not just the warm and cosy verses.
Beware the ‘Instagram Bible’ – “It comforts but rarely convicts. It emotes but rarely exhorts. It warms but rarely warns. It promises but rarely prompts. It moves but does not mortify. It builds self-assurance but balks at self-examination.” (Jen Wilkin, The Gospel Coalition).
e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:9 – Can we comprehend our salvation?
C. Genre
(Genre: “a style or category of art, music or literature”)
We instinctively learn to read different types of literature in different ways:
• Limerick v’s news report
• Comic v’s textbook
• Novel v’s autobiography
The Bible’s 66 books contain different genres of literature:
• Historical narrative
• Poetry
• Prophecy
• Law
• Wisdom literature
• Apocalyptic writings
• Gospels
• Epistles (Letters)
Commit to reading LITERARILY (according to literary style) before reading literally.
D. Literary Context
• Why is this here?
• What comes immediately before and after this?
• How does this fit into the whole?
o Look for author’s purpose statements (e.g. Luke 1:1-4; 1 John 5:13)
o How does this passage contribute to the bigger aim of the book?
[Also, historical context; redemptive context]
E. In your group:
Example 1
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13 ESV
How have you heard this verse taught/applied? What sort of ‘things’ have we heard this verse be used to refer to?
Take time to consider the immediate context (i.e. what comes before and after) by reading Philippians 4:10-20. Why does Paul write this section? What is Paul’s situation (cp. 1:12-14). How does Paul want to reassure his readers?
In light of this, what does Paul mean by v13?
ii. Example 2
Read John 2:1-11. Where have you heard this passage preached? Taken on its own, what might the author’s purpose be for recording this?
Now read John 20:30-31. Why did John write his Gospel? How does John 2:1-11 contribute to that overall purpose? In light of this, what is John 2:1-11 about?
F. Reading the Bible – what to do
a. Bible in a Year
b. Reading a Part of the Bible
c. Meditating on the Scriptures (Psalm 1:2)
d. Reading with others
e. Apply!
You may as well quit reading and hearing the Word of God, and give it to the devil, if you do not desire to live according to it. Martin Luther
Homework.
Read the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17).
Think about the sort of lessons you have heard taught from this – especially the application (therefore you should…)
Now read 1 Samuel 17:46-47
• What is the purpose behind this story?
• Read through the whole chapter and note the ways that the author accomplishes his purpose in how he unfolds the story. What are we supposed to take from it?
Thursday Jan 23, 2020
Thursday Jan 23, 2020
Psalm 119[a]
New International Version (NIV)
א Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.
ב Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 119:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet; moreover, the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
1 Timothy 5:17-6:2
New International Version (NIV)
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”[a] and “The worker deserves his wages.”[b]19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favouritism.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[c] of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on.
Footnotes:
- 1 Timothy 5:18 Deut. 25:4
- 1 Timothy 5:18 Luke 10:7
- 1 Timothy 6:2 Or and benefit from the service
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
A. Training for Godliness
1 Timothy 4:7-10
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe.”
Godliness: attitude of heart towards God - to love Him with all heart, soul and strength
B. What is the Bible?
- 66 books
- ~40 authors
- Took 1500 years to write
- Finished writing >1900 years ago
- Old Testament – Hebrew (& Aramaic)
- New Testament – Greek
And yet… RELEVANT TO US.
i. God-breathed
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
ii. True
“…it is impossible for God to lie…” Hebrews 8:18 (cp. Titus 1:2)
iii. Living
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
Therefore… iv. Authoritative
v. Spiritually Understood
“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV
vi. Human
C. Where Is The Meaning?
Who has the right to determine the meaning of a text – the author or the reader?
In your groups:
Read 1 Corinthians 13.
In what contexts have you heard this passage commonly used? What tends to be the main point(s) from considering a passage like this?
Read the following verses in 1 Corinthians, which help us to see why Paul wrote this letter
- 1:10-12;
- 3:1-4;
- 6:1-8;
- 11:17-18.
Do these verses affect how we read chapter 13? In what ways does our understanding why Paul wrote the letter clarify how we understand this chapter?
Guidance: If we are to understand a passage of Scripture we need to first of all try and understand what the writer was trying to communicate. We can do this by trying to answer questions like:
- Who is the writer?
- Who is the original reader?
- What do we know about their circumstances?
- What prompted this to be written?
- Problems needed addressed?
- Wanted to remind the readers of something?
- To encourage? To convert? To rebuke?
D. The Bible is ONE Story - it can be thought of as having four main parts which are:
- CREATION
- FALL
- RESCUE
- COMPLETION
Question to ask: How does this passage help me to understand God’s plan of rescue?
Homework.
Try this exercise for the book of Philippians
Read all four chapters taking a note of:
- Who wrote this & what do we learn about him?
- Who is this written to & what do we learn about them?
- What circumstances prompted this letter to be written? (may be more than one)
- Sum up what you think the main aim(s) of this letter were.
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
This is a copy of the handout that Duncan handed out to all who attended our Big Night In - some of the layout may not be exactly as it was on the paper copies but it is hoped it will help as you listed to Duncan,
A. Training for Godliness
1 Timothy 4:7-10
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe.”
Godliness: attitude of heart towards God - to love Him with all heart, soul and strength
B. What is the Bible?
- 66 books
- ~40 authors
- Took 1500 years to write
- Finished writing >1900 years ago
- Old Testament – Hebrew (& Aramaic)
- New Testament – Greek
And yet… RELEVANT TO US.
1. God-breathed
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
2. True
“…it is impossible for God to lie…” Hebrews 8:18 (cp. Titus 1:2)
3. Living
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
Therefore…
4. Authoritative
5. Spiritually Understood
“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV
6. Human
C. Where Is The Meaning?
Who has the right to determine the meaning of a text – the author or the reader?
In your groups:
Read 1 Corinthians 13.
In what contexts have you heard this passage commonly used? What tends to be the main point(s) from considering a passage like this?
Read the following verses in 1 Corinthians, which help us to see why Paul wrote this letter
- 1:10-12;
- 3:1-4;
- 6:1-8;
- 11:17-18.
Do these verses affect how we read chapter 13? In what ways does our understanding why Paul wrote the letter clarify how we understand this chapter?
Guidance: If we are to understand a passage of Scripture we need to first of all try and understand what the writer was trying to communicate. We can do this by trying to answer questions like:
- Who is the writer?
- Who is the original reader?
- What do we know about their circumstances?
- What prompted this to be written?
- Problems needed addressed?
- Wanted to remind the readers of something?
- To encourage? To convert? To rebuke?
D. The Bible is ONE Story - it can be thought of as having four main parts which are:
- CREATION
- FALL
- RESCUE
- COMPLETION
Question to ask: How does this passage help me to understand God’s plan of rescue?
Homework.
Try this exercise for the book of Philippians
Read all four chapters taking a note of:
- Who wrote this & what do we learn about him?
- Who is this written to & what do we learn about them?
- What circumstances prompted this letter to be written? (may be more than one)
- Sum up what you think the main aim(s) of this letter were.
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
2 Corinthians 4
New International Version (NIV)
Present Weakness and Resurrection Life
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Footnotes:
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 Gen. 1:3
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
1 Timothy 5:1-16
New International Version (NIV)
Living as a Family - Care for the Needy
5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
Sunday Dec 29, 2019
Sunday Dec 29, 2019
Luke 2:22-35
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[a]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[b]
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Footnotes: