“By The Book” Group Study Guide
Week 1: “The Word of God”
Pete Stearns | September 11, 2022
We created this study guide to spark thought, discussion, and prayer among community groups and study groups. We hope that your time together is enriched.
“By The Book”
Start your study by reading this passage aloud and praying together that you would be aware of God’s presence in your group.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
In addition to the key scripture above, read these passages aloud. What questions or thoughts do these readings spark in you about scripture?
John 5:31-47 (Jesus speaking to the Jewish leaders about himself and his relationship to the Father)
Luke 24:13-35 (Jesus on the road to Emmaus)
Group Discussion
Together, discuss the following questions:
1. Pete talked about how many of us recognize the importance of the Bible but don’t always know how to use it. Share your experiences with reading the Bible.
How has it encouraged you, challenged you or confused you?
2. Over the course of the next few weeks, we are going to be exploring the names of scripture that we find in our Bible and what we can learn from those names. This week we explored the Bible as “The Word of God” and recognized that as God’s story, ALL of the Bible points to JESUS.
How might that impact the way that you read your Bible?
3. Take a moment to re-read 2nd Timothy 3:16-17.
When you read this with Jesus as the focus, how does it change your understanding of “Teaching, Rebuking, Correcting, and Training”?
If you need some “food for thought” refer to these notes from the sermon:
Teaching us about the life, character, and ministry of Jesus Christ
Revealing (Rebuking) the impurities of our lives through the Mercy found on the Cross.
Correcting our false assumptions about the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world.
Training us for New Life found in the Grace of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
4. Pete referenced four principles for studying scripture mentioned in Dan Kimball’s book How (Not) To Read The Bible:
a) The Bible is a Library and Not a Book
b) The Bible is Written for us, but not to us.
c) Never read a Bible Verse
d) All of the Bible points to Jesus
Which of these principles are you eager to explore? Which are you confused by? Discuss why.
5. Pete shared how many of us have apprehension in studying the nuances of scripture for fear that we will mis-read it.
As we head into this series together what are your hopes and your concerns for how you might read your Bible?
Closing
Prayer
Finish your time together by closing in prayer or splitting into smaller groups to pray for one another’s specific needs.
Practice
Plan out a consistent time this week to spend 15-20 minutes reading scripture*. Each time you read, ask yourself or journal a response to this question: what is this passage teaching me about Jesus?
You may want to find someone in your group to encourage and check in with a couple times throughout the week through text or a brief phone call.
*Looking for a place to start? Pick one of these books of the Bible (in no particular order):
New Testament
· The Gospel of Mark (the shortest, earliest gospel account)
· Acts of the Apostles (a history of the early church, written by Luke)
· Paul’s letters to the Philippians, Ephesians, or the Galatians
Old Testament
· Psalms 1, 8, 16, 23, 46, 51, 91
· Esther
· Habakkuk
· 1 & 2 Samuel
