Elements City Church
The Rooted Life wk4 - A Life Saturated with Scripture
Many believers live in the state of "being a Christian" without ever being deeply formed by Christ. Our pace is too frenetic to be in union with God, and we don't know how to quiet our hearts and minds to be present. Our emotions are unhealthy and compartmentalized. We feel unable to love well or live differently from the rest of the world - to live as people of the good news. The Rooted Life is a road map to live in the richly rooted place we all yearn for: a place of communion with God, a place where we find our purpose. In this series we want to help us discover some transformational practices and habits that can root your life in the way of Jesus!
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thanks for joining us!
Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that tonight will be an encouragement to your soul. May God whisper to you and help you in taking your next steps in a journey with Him. If you're new, we'd love to have you fill out our connection card here...
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbThe Bible is God's way of telling humanity who He is.
He has chosen to make Himself known through a collection of writings, written by 40 different authors over a period of 1500-2000 years. The fact that these writings have been preserved for millennia shows how much God wants us to know Him.
He has chosen to make Himself known through a collection of writings, written by 40 different authors over a period of 1500-2000 years. The fact that these writings have been preserved for millennia shows how much God wants us to know Him.
I may not be able to know God completely, but I can still know Him accurately.
This is why we must root ourselves in Scripture. Ask yourself: How's my commitment to reading the Bible regularly?
This is why we must root ourselves in Scripture. Ask yourself: How's my commitment to reading the Bible regularly?
With greater commitment comes greater intimacy.
See Mark 8:27-31
Once the disciples make their declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus begins to reveal deeper truths about His mission on earth in verse 31:
". . . He began to teach them. . ."
See Mark 8:27-31
Once the disciples make their declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus begins to reveal deeper truths about His mission on earth in verse 31:
". . . He began to teach them. . ."
Why is it important to be rooted in Scripture?
Because God wants us to know Him and have intimacy with Him!
Because God wants us to know Him and have intimacy with Him!
Steps to Reading the Bible Well:
1. Choose the best translation for you!
2. Go easy on yourself. Start with a simple plan.
Example: Don't start with the book of Jeremiah or Revelation.
Instead, choose short letter of Paul, like Colossians or Philippians.
3. Utilize different Bible study methods.
There are many ways to study the Bible effectively:
Devotionals
Lectio Divinae
Discovery Bible Method
Inductive Bible Study Method
1. Choose the best translation for you!
2. Go easy on yourself. Start with a simple plan.
Example: Don't start with the book of Jeremiah or Revelation.
Instead, choose short letter of Paul, like Colossians or Philippians.
3. Utilize different Bible study methods.
There are many ways to study the Bible effectively:
Devotionals
Lectio Divinae
Discovery Bible Method
Inductive Bible Study Method
Using the Inductive Bible Study Method:
Keys to this Method
1. Observe: What does it say?
2. Interpret: What does it mean?
3. Apply: What does it mean for me?
Keys to this Method
1. Observe: What does it say?
2. Interpret: What does it mean?
3. Apply: What does it mean for me?
1. Observe: What does it say?
We have to observe exactly what is in the text before we jump to our own preconceived ideas.
Ask the six investigative questions: who, what, when, where, why, how.
If you have questions about what you read, something that doesn’t make sense, something that seems strange or out of place, write them down. These may be solved as you go through this process.
We have to observe exactly what is in the text before we jump to our own preconceived ideas.
Ask the six investigative questions: who, what, when, where, why, how.
If you have questions about what you read, something that doesn’t make sense, something that seems strange or out of place, write them down. These may be solved as you go through this process.
Some helpful tools to improve your Observation:
A good study bible!
Dr. Constable's Bible Study notes
A good study bible!
Dr. Constable's Bible Study notes
Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes
Dr. Constable taught the Bible at Dallas Theological Seminary for over 40 years! All of his notes are available for free.
His notes are simplified commentaries on each book of the Bible, including info on authorship, historical background, core message, key theological concepts, and a verse-by-verse breakdown.
https://planobiblechapel.org/soniclight/His notes are simplified commentaries on each book of the Bible, including info on authorship, historical background, core message, key theological concepts, and a verse-by-verse breakdown.
5-Minute Nerd-Out
Example:
Background on 2 Timothy
Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Example:
Background on 2 Timothy
Who? What? When? Where? Why?
2. Interpret: What does it mean?
The goal of interpretation is to bring out the meaning of the passage for the people to whom it was written.
The goal of interpretation is to bring out the meaning of the passage for the people to whom it was written.
Some helpful tools to improve your Interpretation:
Dr. Constable's Bible Notes: his verse-by-verse breakdowns will help answer questions about confusing passages.
David Guzik's free online commentary.
Dr. Constable's Bible Notes: his verse-by-verse breakdowns will help answer questions about confusing passages.
David Guzik's free online commentary.
David Guzik's Bible Commentary
Guzik provides a section-by-section breakdown of each book of the Bible. His commentaries are simple, straightforward, and less academic than Dr. Constable's notes.
https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/3. Apply: What does it mean for me?
This is where we really ask the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Greg Ogden says this stage is where we need to “cultivate a voice of the Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit’s role is to illuminate, and lead people into, truth.
Notice the question is "What does it mean FOR me", not "TO me."
Several great questions to ask at this stage are:
What has already been a part of my thinking? What is new to me?
What requires a change of thought? What would this change look like in action?
Where do I need a change in my behavior?
If the historical situation is no longer relevant, what principles are relevant?
This is where we really ask the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Greg Ogden says this stage is where we need to “cultivate a voice of the Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit’s role is to illuminate, and lead people into, truth.
Notice the question is "What does it mean FOR me", not "TO me."
Several great questions to ask at this stage are:
What has already been a part of my thinking? What is new to me?
What requires a change of thought? What would this change look like in action?
Where do I need a change in my behavior?
If the historical situation is no longer relevant, what principles are relevant?
Thank you for partnering with us!
Thank you, Elements family, for enabling us to be the Church in our city! Your gifts help fuel the mission of Elements City Church, as well as our capacity to share His love with as many as we can. You help us bring the HOPE and LIGHT of Jesus to our city! You can give here, online, or through the Elements app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/giveWe hope you have been blessed by your time worshipping with us -- through song and through the Word!
We'll see you back at Elements next weekend -- on-site or online -- as we continue our series, The Rooted Life: Transformational Values that Help Us Walk in the Way of Jesus.
We'll see you back at Elements next weekend -- on-site or online -- as we continue our series, The Rooted Life: Transformational Values that Help Us Walk in the Way of Jesus.