BIBLE STUDY METHODS - Thematic Method

There are many themes revealed in the Bible. The secret of good Bible study is learning to ask the right questions. In doing a thematic study, you decide on a set of questions to ask about the chosen theme before you look in the Bible. Your questions should be based around what Rudyard Kipling called his "honest serving men" in his short story "The Elephant's Child."

I keep six honest serving men:

(They taught me all I knew)

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.

Use Kipling's serving men as you prepare the vital observation questions you want to ask in your thematic study: What? Why? When? How? Where? Who?

As an example today we used the theme: Jesus' Definition Of A Disciple

I have listed several suggestions in the slides that you can use for a thematic Bible study. Next week we will look at the Biographical Method of Bible study.

BIBLE STUDY METHODS - Character Quality

No one is born naturally or supernaturally with character. Character must be developed. Neither is anyone born with habits (good or bad). Godly habits must be formed on the basis of  the new life God places within us after we are regenerated by God's Holy Spirit. When we study God's Word with a pure heart (Matthew 5:8), we give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to enlighten us as He "judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart".

The Character Quality Method of Bible study is an excellent way to identify and understand negative and positive character qualities from a biblical perspective. We can then work on setting aside negative character qualities and building positive ones into our lives. Doing this will enable us to become more and more like Jesus Christ--to become one with our Father in Heaven. The positive benefits are endless: personal spiritual growth and happiness, marital harmony and fulfillment, becoming wiser parents and mentors, achieving professional excellence, and more.

In today's lesson, I used BOLDNESS as the character trait in the sample Character Quality Method. I also listed 49 character traits, plus more ideas, that would be excellent to use for your personal Bible study.

Next week I will introduce the Thematic Method of Bible study.

BIBLE STUDY METHODS - Chapter Summary

The Words of God are more than simply letters on a page. The Scriptures are "alive and active." They have been "God-breathed" and useful for ensuring that the believer is "thoroughly equipped for every good work" and "mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Why is God's Word so important for the believer? It judges the "thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It penetrates into our deepest being and divides what is of the soul (flesh) and what is of the Spirit (God). The soul of man consist of his thoughts (mind), his decisions (will), and his emotions (heart). When you hide the Word of God in your mind and heart the Holy Spirit uses it to teach, rebuke, correct, and train you in righteousness and wisdom.

What happens to the believer who does not "continue in the (my) word?" He will not know truth. He will regularly succumb to the sinful desires of his soul. He will not grow in wisdom. He will not be equipped for every good work. He will be lacking in many things. He will live a carnal life outside of God's purpose and will. He will be "double-minded and unstable in all he does."

We must make personal Bible study a part of our daily lives. It is "the Sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). Just as we would never consider going into battle without an offensive weapon for protection (gun, sword, etc.), we can not expect to survive the spiritual battlefield without the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit).

Thanks to Bishop Stephen Langton (Archbishop of Canterbury), the Bible was conveniently divided into chapters in A.D. 1228. Today we introduced the Chapter Summary Method. This method helps us gain a general understanding of the contents of a chapter of the Bible. In today's slides you will find an example of what the completed Chapter Summary Form would look like for Luke 15.

Below is an image that breaks down the entire Bible. Pick a chapter from one of these books this week and use the Chapter Summary Method.

 

BIBLE STUDY METHODS - Devotional Method

The DEVOTIONAL METHOD was the first of twelve. Within this method are four parts:

1. Prayer

2. Meditation

3. Application

4. Memorization

The passage of scripture I used today for this method was Luke 12:22-26.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?'"

 Below is the DEVOTIONAL STUDY FORM completed for these five passages of scripture to let you see how this method is used. Review the slides for more detail on each section.

 

 Next week we will take the first part of the class to let the class share what they learned from using the DEVOTIONAL METHOD this week. Then I will introduce the second method: CHAPTER SUMMARY METHOD.