TIPS FOR LEADERS
By signing up for the course, participants are agreeing to the commitments
under "course description." Point out the course requirements and
procedure at sign-up.
Distribute the first lesson at least
one week prior to that session.
Prompt participation in meetings by asking questions and
assigning different participants passages to read aloud or parts to lead in
class participation. Leaders should work through each
lesson themselves before going through the instructor's materials. The ultimate goal is not only that each
participant gain a clear understanding of the heart of the Bible and develop a
disciplined approach in using it [good Bible study habits], but that each be able to lead others (friends, family,
etc.) along the same path of discovery.
Each session ends with recommended reading, listening, or
watching. Some of these could be used to
build additional group meetings/discussions around, though it naturally falls
to the leader to set up and structure these additional sessions.
LESSON PLAN
1st session – the
subject and theme of the Bible
2nd – a deeper understanding
of the subject and theme of the Bible
3rd – God's heart, the
progressive nature of revelation and the Old Testament's relation to the New
4th – Types & Allegories; Christophanies; Messianic offices
5th – Christ in the Covenants
6th – the Kingdom; the Goal of
the Gospel; the Story
THE KEY TO THE BIBLE, INSTRUCTOR - 1st SESSION
GET
ACQUAINTED - Ask each participant to give name; where grew up; where
live; and how long been in this area.
1.
Write in one sentence your impression of what the Old
Testament is about.
The
O.T. revelation is preparation for the N.T. revelation setting the stage for
the coming of Christ and redemption in Him.
We will be looking at 2 aspects of OBJECTIVE TRUTH:
(1) what the Bible
says; (2) what it means by what it
says.
·
Employ
the following METHOD OF STUDY [your training workout]
where appropriate: write the passage or a portion of it, then observe
and comment - focus and think through what you are reading by interacting
with the passage, dialoging with it: reorganize the wording; identify [label] what is being stated; describe; categorize [apdx.A];
summarize; draw conclusions; question; follow leads; state implications; note
what it doesn’t say. My interaction and comments are [bracketed].
Write on board EXAMPLE: Interact
with Mk.1:14-15. What is the
context (see apdx.A)? [Jesus continues the message
of John the Baptist [continuity of the message]
after John's arrest] "Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the
[2] 'and the
[3] 'repent and believe
in the Gospel' [appropriate response or response called for]."
FIRST LESSON
2. Briefly describe the situation (context) where
indicated, then interact with the passages and summarize what they say about
the theme of the Old Testament.
Ask different people to
look up the following verses and conscript someone to chart on the
board the content of what was foretold. Most people have heard that the Bible is all
about Jesus and know it as a kind of slogan.
This series is designed to make the framework of the Bible clear, show how
it is revealed, and why it is what it is.
Lk.24:44-47
[Context: Jesus after He had risen appearing to His
disciples in
I Cor.15:3-4 - "Christ
died for our sins [vicarious; substitute] in accordance with the Scriptures [predicted or predetermined]…He
was buried…He was raised [He lives] on the third day in accordance with the
Scriptures." [anticipated]. Where is
this in the scriptures? How does one find these OT references? Use cross references and concordance.
{Jn.2:19-22
"destroy this temple…After He was raised from the dead, His disciples
remembered that He had said this and believed the Scripture [Which?] and the word that Jesus had
spoken." [About what? – His Death and
resurrection]
> References say it refers to Ps.16:10. Acts 2:25-27; 13:35 tell us
exactly what that Psalm is referring to, so Jesus was speaking metaphorically.} {Braces} indicate material is not in student lesson.
Acts 2:25-31 – [Context: Peter addressing the crowd which has just
experienced the pouring out of God’s Spirit] "for
David said concerning Him [Christ, Ps.16:8-11, specificity of prophecy]” His body would not decay. Acts 13:23-33, in raising
Jesus from the dead, God declared Jesus to be His Son and fulfilled His promise
to the fathers, Ps.2:7.
Acts 10:42-43
- [Context: Peter speaking about Jesus to a
gathering of Gentiles] "all the Prophets
testify about Him [universal consensus] (He is appointed to judge) that everyone who believes
in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name." (Isa.53:11) Judge of all (Ps.2,
"kiss the Son"); Forgiveness of sins on the basis of faith
Acts 26:22-23 - [Context: Paul later before King Agrippa] "I am saying what the
Prophets and Moses said"
[identity]
Christ's suffering and resurrection.
Paul was sent to proclaim light (v.23),
ie. repentance and
forgiveness of sins offered to all (v.17-18),
including Gentiles.
{Mt.16:21 "From that time Jesus began
[new, different than before] to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many
things [What things? > Isa.52:14; 53:3-12] from the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be
raised."}
·
Ask, "Why couldn't the disciples understand the Scriptures
(Lk.24:25)? Why do I have so much trouble?"
More than
one simple answer (appendix B, session 4) - Sin blinds us to the truth; we were not taught to think;
don't put the effort into it; false preconceptions; etc.
Jn.5:39-40 "You search the Scriptures … It is they
that bear witness of Me,"
45-47 "Moses wrote of Me [Where? > Gen.3:15; Passover lamb; sin offering;
etc.] He [Moses] accuses you because if you believed Moses [his writings], you would believe Me [My words]" [reason
for their unbelief in Jesus]. These passages and others (ie, Lk.24:44-47) tell us that every part
of the O.T. speaks of Christ: the Scriptures; Moses (Gen - Dt.,
law and history); Psalms (poetry); and the Prophets (prophecy). [In Mt.5:17-18 "the Law or the Prophets"
refers to the whole Old Testament, prophecies as well as types]
Ask, "Why are we covering so many
passages that make approximately the same point?"
To show that the
Bible makes this point with overwhelming force.
Acts26:6 [Context: Paul later before King Agrippa]
"I am on trial today because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers" [historic roots]
·
Ask, “How or in what manner was the truth of the Gospel foretold
in the OT?” Symbolically, in
types, and shadows
Heb.3:5-6
"Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house for a testimony of
those things which would be spoken of afterward, but Christ was faithful as
a son…" [comparison and contrast]
Heb.9:8-12
"the Holy Spirit was indicating that the way into the holiest of all was
not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic [a parable of, it typified] for the present time" [representation by
types and figures]
Col.2:16-17
"regulations concerning food and drink, or regarding a festival or a new
moon or Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come, but the substance
is of Christ" [details of the law had a typological purpose]
·
Go over the chart we have been making and notice the many specific
things concerning Christ that the NT says are found in the Old Testament.
Ask
for a volunteer to continue
soliciting answers to questions 3-6.
3. Now, having
thought through the above passages, what is the Old Testament about? The Old Testament focuses on the coming of
Christ, his person, and work.
Jn.5:39-40 the Scriptures testify about Christ and the life
He offers
Since Christ
is also the subject of the New Testament, we must conclude that He is the subject
of the Bible.
Why is He so central? To answer this question, we must ask several others.
4.
What are the two great works for which God is praised (2 Cor.4:3-6)? “For God
who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ has shown in our hearts to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Creation and redemption
Rev.4:9-11 "O Lord [God the Father] you are worthy to receive glory
and honor and power, for You created all things
and by Your will they exist and were created." [also Ps.148:1-6]
Rev.5:8-9 "You [God the Son] are worthy to take the scroll and
open its seals for You were slain and have ransomed [NIV purchased;
NKJ redeemed]
us [liberated us
by payment]
by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation" [also Ps.77:11-15]
The
significance of the Sabbath is depicted in the 10 Commandments as a
reminder of the completion of God's creative activity (Ex.20:8-11).
Later, there is a shift in
emphasis. The Sabbath is spoken of in
connection with God's deliverance of
5. What
happened after God created all things?
Adam disobeyed God and the whole creation was spoiled along with mankind Gen.3 [headship]
6. The issue then becomes one of recovery.
How can sinners dwell with God in His
perfection of holiness?
by
being sanctified [set apart, made holy]
by faith in Jesus
Acts 26:18
Jesus sent Paul to the Gentiles to open their eyes that many “may turn from darkness to light and from
the power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified.”
Explain the concept of corruption (tainted or corrupted by mixing) & purity (unmixed).
God is absolutely pure so He cannot join with
sinners (impure people).
7. So, what is the pervading theme of the
Bible? redemption which means deliverance,
liberation through payment of a ransom (forgiveness).
Heb.2:14-15 "He…partook of
flesh and blood that through death, He might destroy the devil who has the
power of death and redeem all those who were subject to lifelong slavery
through fear of death"
Eph.1:7 "in Him we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins"
Col.1:12-14 "in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins"
What struck you in this lesson?
1 Pt.1:10-12a, "They [the prophets] were serving you [How?] in
the things that have now been announced through those who preached the good
news [Gospel] to you"
FURTHER STUDY
Display after session - The Unfolding Drama of
Redemption;
Tablets of Stone & the History of Redemption;
The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption
God’s Big Picture – Tracing
the storyline of the Bible, a 2002 book by
Look up
the following passages Theme: Christ as fulfillment
Mk.14:49, "let the
Scriptures be fulfilled," referring to Christ's suffering and death
Rom.1:1-4, God promised His Gospel beforehand in the holy
Scriptures through His prophets
APDX A, Contexts, Categories,
and Vocabulary