Module 4 Meeting 3 - Countryside Church

MODULE 4
Scripture: Meeting 3

DISCUSS the disciple’s experience with Inductive Bible Study. What were the key insights the disciple gained from studying 1 John 1?

Then spend time together working through the discussion questions for Fall below:

THE POINT OF THE VIDEO: Sin makes us slaves, spreads chaos, and causes us to be alone.

Discussion Questions

1. What is your initial reaction to the word “sin”?

2. Do you think that our culture has an increasing dislike for the word sin? If so, why do you suppose this is?

3. Last week, we learned that God created us as royalty, gave us responsibility, and invites us into relationship. This week, we’re seeing how sin wrecks each of those categories:

Sin moves us from royalty to slavery.
Sin distorts our God-given responsibilities and spreads chaos instead.
Sin destroys relationships and causes us to be alone.

However, this is not all that sin does. What are some other consequences of sin?

4. What are some specific ways that sin makes us slaves?

5. We often think of sin as just a personal thing. The truth is, sin spreads. It corrupts systems, cultures, and institutions. In the early chapters of Genesis, one sin led to another, getting worse every time—until all of humanity was caught up in the chaos. Yet, we are often told that something is OK as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else.

What’s wrong with this logic? In other words, how do even the most private sins threaten to affect those around us?

6. Recent research has shown that many people believe in a God who “exists, created the world, and defines our general moral order, but not one who is particularly personally involved in our affairs—especially affairs where we would prefer not to have God involved. Most of the time, the God of this faith keeps a safe distance.”

How does this view of God differ from the infinitely relational, covenant-making God we learned about last week?

7. If it is true that God is relational—and is therefore near, not far—then how might this change our view of even the most private sins?

8. The Bible says that we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23). But what are some of the root causes of those sins? Read the following 3 passages out loud and discuss what they say are some dangerous sin-starters: Proverbs 16:18, 1 Timothy 6:10, and James 3:6.

9. Which of the causes of sin from the previous question tempts you the most?

10. Any discussion of sin must end with hope. God has provided the cure to sin in Jesus Christ, and as you’ll discuss next time, Jesus defeats sin in our lives. But for now, let’s take 3 things away this meeting:

Review the practices you experimented with this week. What did you do?

What surprised you the most about these practices?

What was the hardest part about these practices? For example: Was there a recurring distraction? Did you feel uncomfortable sitting still for a couple minutes? Were you discouraged that you didn’t meet God in a way you were expecting?

What do the difficulties and struggles with contemplative prayer reveal about our prayer lives?

How could you see contemplative prayer benefiting your everyday life?

What are some intentional things you can do to help you with your contemplative prayers next time?

FIRST, let’s carry a sense of sorrow for our sin. Remember, sin infects everything: it makes us slaves, spreads chaos, and causes us to be alone.

SECOND, let’s remember the cure: Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, sin has lost its power. We’ll learn more about that next meeting.

FINALLY, perhaps this prayer could be something you use this week:

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

And each time you pray this prayer of repentance, remember the truth of 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Assignment

Read the Introduction to Lectio Divina. Pick one of the recommended scriptures to practice Lectio with this week. Also, watch the video, Redemption, in preparation for the next meeting.

Introduction to Lectio Divina

By Megan Koch

Lectio divina, which is Latin for “divine reading,” is an ancient method of reading Scripture that began with St. Benedict. Lectio divina includes four distinct “movements:”

Read (lectio)

Meditate (meditatio)

Pray (oratio)

Contemplate (contemplatio)

The purpose of this practice is not simply to know more of God’s Word or to memorize it (though that will happen as you practice), nor is it to study the context and make complex observations and connections as we do when in Inductive Bible Study. The purpose of lectio divina is to position yourself for an encounter with the Living God by slowly and methodically dwelling on one small passage of scripture. Eugene Peterson would tell you to eat it—to devour it intentionally, to savor it bite by bite, as if you were eating the best meal of your life.

In lectio divina we stop on just one verse, or a very small group of verses, for a sustained pause. This does not seem productive, nor does it promise a particular outcome or “application.” That is the point. Divine reading is a kind of “holy leisure” you can enjoy with God. You’re not in a hurry, and you don’t have to force this exercise to be meaningful. This is a practice. The only goal is to make room to be with God, and goes great alongside the contemplative prayer practices in Module 1 on Prayer. This might be very new to you, but go all in anyway. Think of this as an experiment in faith.

Set aside 20 minutes for this exercise.

1. Have your journal ready. Choose one of the suggested passages, or select your own, and locate it in your Bible:

Proverbs 19:21. John 3:16. Romans 8:38-39. Joshua 1:9. Jeremiah 29:11. Ephesians 2:8-9. Psalm 77:26. Isaiah 40:31. John 14:27. Matthew 5:6.

2. READ. Start by reading through the passage once, then again, and finally a third time. Read it out loud if you can, nice and slowly. Stretch out with it, get to know it a little. You might notice a few things as you do, but resist the urge to pull much from it right now; you’re just warming up. Which words stick out to you as you read? If something resonates with you, stop on it before moving on. Chew on it for a little while.

3. MEDITATE. Now begin again, this time even more slowly. Do something different this time. Follow the words with your eyes, but imagine God reading the passage to you, word by word. Listen as he does. Hear his voice, how it rises and falls as he speaks. This might sound strange to you, but try it anyway. Close your eyes, and dwell on the words and phrases bit by bit. Perhaps you’ll see something new you didn’t expect. What do you feel? What’s going on in your heart? Engage your imagination: what do you see?

4. PRAY. What do you need to say to God? Say it, then listen for his response. Give God room to answer. Sit in the pleasant silence. Talk back and forth together. Interact with God. Don’t rush.

5. CONTEMPLATE. Now tie a bow on what just happened. Take out your journal and write out the verse you’ve meditated on, then write down what God has been saying. Record the conversation so you can return to it later. Perhaps God is prompting you to do something: to send someone an encouraging text, to make something right, or a particular truth you need to sit on for awhile. Let what just happened in this practice move you to action today. God has spoken. What now? This is where the mysterious interaction of lectio divina gets practical. Take what God is doing and make it concrete somehow.

Step 1: Pray

Before you start, pray that God would work through the Scriptures to teach you or show you something today.

Step 2: Get Familiar

Get familiar with the Passage you are reading. Whether it is a small phrase or a whole passage, read it over 2 to 3 times. No need to underline or write down thoughts just yet. Simply get to know the passage.

Step 3: Observe.

What does the text say?

Read through the passage again, this time writing down in your journal observations you have about the reading. You’re not making any interpretations just yet, but getting even more familiar with everything that’s going on. To help you make observations, consider answering the following key questions:

Key Questions For Finding Observation

1. Who is speaking? Who are the main characters?

2. What is happening? What is the scene taking place? What is the cultural

context?

3. When did or when will the events take place?

4. What type of Bible literature is this? (Narrative, Law, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospel, Letter)

5. Are there times of day mentioned?

6. Where is the activity taking place? Inside, outside, in the country, in a town, by a lake?

7. Are there town or city names? Geographical notes on the land?

8. What are the grammar uses in the passage that bring attention to certain words or phrases? Examples include:

cause and effect phrases
repeated words
comparisons (similes, metaphors)
conditional phrases (if this happens, then this happens)
Run-on sentences
Conjunction words (but, therefore, however, although, whenever, yet)

If these don’t help, stick to asking Who, What, When, Where, and How? (“Why?” will come later) All of these questions should help the passage open up.

Step 4: Interpret

What does the text mean?

The “interpret” step begins answering the “why” question to your text. This is the step that puts a magnifying glass on the truth that’s hidden behind every text in Scripture, and requires a bit more thinking to come up with the answers. This is where a resource like a Study Bible or “The Bible Project” on YouTube.com can be extremely useful when making interpretations.

Figuring out what the passage means can be tough, so consider pondering these key questions in prayer or in your journal to help:

Key Questions for Making Interpretations:

Review your observations, and begin asking “why” each observation may be significant. (For example: Why is it significant that Jesus goes to the desert to be tempted by the devil in Matthew 4?)
Read the surrounding passages of Scripture to help you understand the greater picture of the author’s intentions. (For example: If studying 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, read 1 Corinthians 11 and 12 to understand the train of thought that leads to 1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
What was the cultural context behind the passage? (For example: Why was it so shocking for the disciples’ feet to be washed by Jesus in John 13? What does that reveal about their culture)
What is the author ultimately trying to communicate to his/her audience?
Why would God have this passage in the Bible?
If you could summarize the passage in your own words, what would you say?

Step 5: Apply

What is God saying to me?

After you have observed what the text says and interpreted what the text means, then you see what the text could be saying to you. What does God want you, personally, to take away from reading this passage? Consider prayerfully asking these key questions to help you apply the Truth from Scripture you just uncovered:

Key Questions for Application:

Is there a central truth that I need to put into practice?
Is there a promise, command, or an example to follow or avoid?
Does it show me a sin that I need to confess?
How do I respond to what the passage is saying?
What are the implications for the community I’m a part of?
Does it challenge how I see the world?
What is my next step?
How does the passage teach me a new characteristic about God?

Practicing Inductive Bible Study

Now it’s your turn to practice Inductive Bible Study! Remember, the key isn’t to answer every question that’s given here in this guide, but to have a fluid conversation with God about why he may be communicating to you through His Word in this moment. Use the guide above as a reference as you practice.

Open your Bible to 1 John 1. Take yourself through the passage slowly. Walk through the chapter step by step as the guide directs. Do not rush.

Don’t jump from one step to another quickly. Just when you think you’ve seen all you can see, press in a little farther before you move on; God might have even more for you if you stick around a while.

Journal your notes and what God reveals to you. Return ready to discuss the experience with your discipler.

For Further Reference

If you want an additional resource to Inductive Bible Study, check out these videos:

For a library of videos to help you learn about and study the Bible, check out The Bible Project on youtube:

The Discipleship Pathway is a collaborative work between Pastors Phil Wiseman & Megan Koch of Table Church and Pastor Jake Thurston of The Ransom Church.