Let's take the story of how Jesus called the 12 apostles, in Matthew 10:2-4, as an example.  To which of the five steps in the life of Christ does this belong?  (The chapter number should tell you). 

Here is an example of the difference between these techniques of Bible study.

If I say that Simon the Zealot was one of the twelve apostles, I am simply stating what I have spotted in verse 4.  I am therefore using the technique of .

If, on the other hand, I add: "and Zealot means a Jewish revolutionary" I am trying to make plain the meaning of the word "Zealot," am therefore using the technique of .

Let's take a further example: Matthew 10:7 tells us that Simon the Zealot, as one of the 12 apostles, was sent forth to preach.  According to verse 7, what did he preach about?   Are you using the technique of observation (that is the answer is in the text itself) or of explanation (the answer comes from the individual)?

Yes, the apostle preached about the Kingdom of Heaven, but what the Kingdom of Heaven really mean?  That a person invited Jesus Christ to rule over everything in his life, in the place of his own self-will.

Did you use the technique of observation (does the text tell us this meaning?) or did you use the technique of explanation (it makes the meaning clearer) to answer the last question?

Let's go one step further.  We learn from this passage that Simon left a life of strife behind him when he entered into Christ's kingdom of love.

What can I learn from this which I can put into practice in my own life?

I, too, often find myself in situations of: The other day I was the one who started the family fight.  But, when I study this story, I can see that I must replace strife with Christ's love.  In other words, I am going to go and tell the members of my family that I am and ask their .  I am going to pray that Jesus' love will my heart and keep me from doing the same thing again.

This is much more than just making plain the meaning.  I have now tried to put the message into practice in my own life.  Which technique am I using now: observing, explaining, or applying?

Now read carefully Matthew 9:9-13

Which of the following points are to be found in this passage.

a.  Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office.
b. Four men fishing.
c. Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John.
d. Jesus invited Matthew to follow him.
e. Matthew refused to follow Jesus.
f. In the house many tax collectors and sinners at down with them at the table.
g. The Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with tax-collector and sinners.
h. Jesus admits his error in mixing with sinners.
i. Jesus tried to deny the fact that he wanted to eat with sinners.
j. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick."
k. Jesus said, "for I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners."

Which technique were you using here

What are two of the most important points that you observed in Matthew 9:9-13?

Why do you think that Matthew invited tax-collectors to his house to eat with Jesus?  Because he wanted to introduce them to his new-found friend and master.

In answering the last question did you spot things in the Bible passage or did you make the meaning of these things from what you learned elsewhere?

Which technique were you using here?

What lessons can we learn from this story that we can put into practice in our own lives today?

a. The value of inviting unbelievers to our homes with the aim of introducing them to the Lord Jesus.
b. We can recognize Christ's tremendous love for us in spite of all our sins, and trust in his ability to heal us.
c. The importance of never having contact with unbelievers.
d. Not to spend so much of our time with believers that we never make contact with those who don't know Christ yet.
e. The necessity of putting Christ first in your life before efforts to be a success in your business.

Which of these techniques were you using?

What do you think is one of the most important lessons of this story that you can apply to your own life today?

The passage we will be studying next is Matthew 22:15-22.  Read it carefully.  Be sure to observe the main points in this story.

What was the Question that Jesus' enemies asked him?

Why did they ask Jesus this question?

What was it that Jesus asked these people to show him?

Whose portrait and inscription was on the coin?

What answer did Jesus give to his enemies' question?

What was their reaction to Jesus answer?

None of these questions helps you to make difficult points clear, but only to spot what was actually in the Bible passage.  They are, therefore, all questions of

The coin used to pay taxes was called a "Denarius."  Whose portrait and inscription was on the denarius?

Was a denarius a Jewish or a Roman coin?

If the denarius was a Roman coin, why did the Jews in Palestine to use it?

a. Because they were under the rule of the Roman Empire
b. Because they liked Roman money.

What was the question that Jesus' enemies asked him on this occasion?

It seemed impossible for Jesus to get himself out of the trap.  If he answered that the Jews should pay taxes to Rome, the would be mad at him and if he answered that the Jews should NOT pay taxes to Rome, the would be mad at him.

How did Jesus answer, then?

How did people react to this wise answer?

Which of the two groups got angry over his answer?

What is the worst kind of strife in your area?

Think about the way Jesus acted as a Peacemaker in this story.  What lesson do we learn from his example as to how we should act in similar situations today?

Refreshed through Revival

The church today is suffering from drought.  It has been a dry time, and many people have lost heart.  A lost world goes to perdition as a dry church haggles over lesser things.  Organization and re-organization is offered as the solution.  People leave the ministry right and left, and funds for missions dry up as evangelistic zeal subsides.  We need a rain!  We need the refreshing of God's Spirit in our midst, energizing our efforts and renewing our call to service.  We need the wells to refill and the rivers of living water to gush forth from our innermost beings as Jesus promised.

We are concerned about a dearth of ministers and ministerial candidates.  Wouldn't a real revival take care of that problem?  We are stressed about a lack of funds for our church ministries.

Homework

Do a Bible study on Luke 5:17-26

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