Crossroads Church

Some of us have had very _________________ experiences with scripture.

Some of us have had very _________________ experiences with scripture.

The Bible has contributed to spiritual _____________ and spiritual _______________________.

Jesus believed his scriptures gave ______________ to the weary. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus believed his scriptures were ________________ but not abolished. (Matthew 5:17-20)

Jesus believed his scriptures were grounded in a __________________ not a contract.
(Matthew 5:43-48)

Jesus believed ________________ wrote his scriptures. (Matthew 8:4, 19:7-8)

Jesus believed his scriptures were ultimately about finding _________________ not following _____________. (Matthew 12:10-11)

Jesus believed that not every scripture had _______________ importance. (Matthew 22:34-40)

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Jesus believed his scriptures were ________________.

Let the Bible be its __________________ self: A human record of how our spiritual ancestors saw things, not necessarily how God sees things.

The Bible is both human and _____________.

Jesus is the ___________ of the Bible.

Are you more like _______________ or __________________?

How does this make me and the world better?

Believing (the Bible) like Jesus ____________________ spiritually abusive leaders.

1. Leave behind unhealthy expectations of the Bible.

2. Find freedom in the tension between a holy and a human Bible.

3. Commit to keeping Jesus as the norm of the Bible when the written word and living word are in conflict.

1. Were you raised with any specific ways of thinking about the Bible? Have you ever experienced spiritual leaders trying to use the Bible to manipulate and control you?

2. Can you describe a time when you found comfort or hope in reading the Bible? Have you ever been confused?

3. How does thinking about the Bible as a book of wisdom, rather than answers or rules, make you feel? Nervous? Hopeful?

4. Why do you think Jesus debated and discussed interpretation and application of his scriptures?

5. Are you comfortable questioning descriptions of God in the Bible? Why or why not? How can understanding the person of Jesus help us discern when the Bible is wrong in its descriptions?

6. Do you think people can take the Bible seriously and think of it as sacred, but not take all of it literally? Could it be that the only way to take some of its writings seriously is to not take it literally? Can you think of a story or passage where not taking it literally is the only way to take it seriously?