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The Bible: What is it? | FEED (Students)
Read Before Watching: If you’ve ever opened your Bible and felt overwhelmed–you’re not alone. Even if you believe it’s God’s Word and that everything it says is true, you might still feel lost or confused.You might wonder what you’re missing when you hear people say they “love” the Bible or they hear God speak to them through it.Trust me, you’re not the only one! The Bible isn’t an easy read–and that’s what makes it fascinating. It’s complex and wonderful–strange and yet beautiful.When you take the time to dig deep, you’ll discover it’s life-changing, too. As you watch the video, think about what it actually means for the Bible to be God’s inspired and authoritative Word.
Discuss: What does it mean for the Bible to be God’s inspired and authoritative Word?
What’s something helpful or new you learned in this video about the Bible?
Why is context important when reading the Bible?
Read: Oftentimes, we read to learn something new, be entertained, or maybe complete an assignment for school. But reading the Bible is different. It calls for life-long engagement and discovery; it helps us answer the questions of who God is, who we are in relation to who he is, and what he wants for our lives.The Bible is how God reveals himself to us, speaks to us, and transforms us.
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 – But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught.You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Read: In these verses, we learn that the Bible is unlike any other book. It is God’s Word. And God’s words hold power and authority.
Think about this: God spoke and all of creation – all of the planets, the moon, sun, and stars, every bit of life – was formed.This same God who spoke and
did those incredible things is speaking through the pages of this book right now. He is speaking words that have the power to change and transform us. How? Because we encounter God when we read Scripture, and an encounter with him transforms our mind, attitudes, and actions.
As we read the Bible over time, we begin to see things as God sees them and want the things that he wants.The Bible is not only one of the many ways we get to know God, but it is also something God uses to mold and shape us.
Ephesians 4:17-24 – With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.They have no sense of shame.They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Discuss: Why do you think the writer of Hebrews compares God’s Word to a sword?
According to 2 Timothy, how is the Bible useful in a believer’s life?
What might it look like for the Holy Spirit to renew our thoughts and attitudes? What does “new self ” mean in the Ephesians verses?
The Beginning The End, And Everything In-Between | FEED (Students)
Talking Points:
- Through the Bible, God communicates the big and wonderful story of how he is making his home among us by reconciling the world to himself through Jesus. The video just recapped that story for us, but it left us to read the very last scene on our own. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, is like a signpost pointing us to the beautiful ending that awaits God’s people. As you read these passages from the last pages of the Bible, you’ll hear echoes from earlier parts of God’s story. Listen for as many as you can!
- Revelation 21:1-7 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
- Revelation 22:1-5 – Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.
- This is what you might call the ultimate “full circle moment:” The last passages of the Bible, the new creation, mirror the first passages of the Bible, God’s original creation! We learned in the video how in the beginning God created the heavens, earth, and all creatures within it. Then the finishing touch – humans were created in his image. And God made his home with them in the Garden. But through doubt and disobedience, the curse of sin and death entered the world, and people could no longer live in God’s home. But as we see in the book of Revelation, God and his people will finally enjoy the perfect home that was lost in the beginning. Did you hear the echoes from the earliest parts of the Bible? God’s people will finally return home to a perfect Garden once more; the curse is undone!
- Ephesians 1:9-10 – God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
- The entire Bible builds to the beautiful reunion between God and his people. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the climax of that story: It’s the turning point that changes everything that happens next. And it’s also the key to understanding everything that came before. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection revealed the “mysterious plan’’ the Old Testament prophets and people were longing for. And we get to look back and understand the full significance of every promise and story leading up to Jesus.
Discussion:
- How does thinking of the Bible as one epic story change the way you think about it? Does it make it less intimidating? More approachable? Why or why not?
- What is something new about the Bible that you learned from the video?
- One of the major themes of God’s story is God making his home among us. What does the word “home” mean to you, and what do you think it means for God to make his home among his creation, with his people?
- How is the scene in Revelation a full circle moment? What parallels do you see between the Garden and the new creation?
- What do these passages from Revelation tell us about who God is?
- According to the verses in Ephesians, what do you think it means for God to bring everything in heaven and on earth together?
- We have seen how, throughout time, God has been working his plan of reconciliation (or reunion) through the life and death of Jesus. How does knowing this and the ending of the story affect the way you view your current circumstances and the brokenness you see in the world?
- Like the first humans, we are imagebearers of God and called to trust and obey God’s Word. What would it look like for you to trust and obey God’s Word?
- Why do you think it is problematic to pull passages of Scripture without knowing their context within the full story of the Bible?
Living in The In-Between | FEED (Students)
Talking Points:
- The passage we’re about to read, Hebrews 11, is known as the “Hall of Faith.” It goes through a long list of people from the Old Testament who, by faith, participated in God’s big story, even when it seemed unexpected or absurd. How did they do it? They said “Yes” to being active participants in God’s story. They said “Yes” to having faith in God above anything else. And they said “Yes” to obeying God’s call and purpose for their lives, regardless of their own plans. While the world encouraged pursuing power, wealth, and security, these people loved, trusted, and obeyed God. And that’s how ordinary people end up doing extraordinary things in God’s story! One of those people was Moses.
- Hebrews 11:24-28 – It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
- Moses could have just accepted the life he was born into: a son of slaves, adopted into the Egyptian royal family, living a life of luxury. It sounds like a fairytale! But Moses, by faith, chose something that must have seemed crazy to the rest of the world: He left that royal life behind and chose to identify and suffer with the enslaved Israelites. Moses gave up life as he knew it, a life of privilege filled with the pleasures of sin, in order to participate in God’s big story. By faith, he trusted that although he couldn’t see the ending, and he didn’t know what would happen, God would be faithful to deliver.
- Philippians 3:7-14 – I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
- Like Moses, Paul’s life was completely shaped by his participation in God’s big story. Paul was once an elite, respected religious scholar. But an encounter with Jesus changed everything. All those things that Paul believed earned him honor and value were now meaningless. Paul left his past life behind to enter into a new life with Jesus! The only thing that mattered was pressing forward to the hope that was ahead of him: the hope of being reunited with God. Instead of striving to earn a place of honor in the world, Paul accepted that he was a participant in the drama of redemption and spent his life preaching the Good News about Jesus, inviting as many people as possible into God’s wonderful story!
- And like Moses and Paul, we can immerse ourselves in God’s big story. How do we figure out what role God wants us to play in the story? God reveals it to us over time as we encounter him in his Word. As we spend our lives reading and applying Scripture, the Holy Spirit uses it to shape our vision, desires, values, and goals, aligning the story of our lives with the story of God.
Discussion:
- What kind of story are you currently living in? How has this shaped who you are and where you see your life going?
- How do you feel when you think about fitting your life story within God’s story? Does that thought excite you, confuse you, or something else?
- Look back at Hebrews 11. How would you describe what it means to “live by faith?” What do you think it means to “keep your eyes on the one who is invisible”?
- Both Moses and Paul “looked forward.” What were they looking forward to? How did this affect the way they saw their present circumstances?
- What role does the Bible play in shaping your story?
- When you look back on your life story, can you see evidence of God’s plan working in you? How can reflecting on these moments help you trust him for your future?
- What are you doing to participate in God’s big story? Where does faith fit in? If you are not participating already, what steps will you take to join in?
Not A One and Done | FEED (Students)
Talking Points:
- So, as we’ve pointed out, reading the Bible isn’t a “one and done” transaction–it’s an ongoing engagement that is sometimes challenging and confusing but totally worth it! As we engage with God’s Word, he is faithful to speak to us, lead us, and guide us. It is through his Word that we come to know him better and on a deeper level. It is where our faith is strengthened and how we are changed more into his likeness. It all starts with us just showing up ready to listen–and then do.
- Matthew 7:24-27 – “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
- James 1:22-25 – But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
- The Bible is the foundation of the Christian life, our trustworthy basis for every choice we face. When our minds are filled with the unchanging truth of God’s Word, our faith won’t be easily shaken. But just reading the verse of the day won’t fill you up.
- Matthew 4:4 – People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
- Think of it this way: Our physical health matters and we know how to take care of our bodies, right? We know the importance of eating good food, drinking water, and exercising. Why should our spiritual health be any different? We can’t expect to be spiritually healthy people when we only dig into God’s Word once a week. A daily practice of digging into God’s Word is so important to our everyday lives! The Bible won’t become our foundation until we start consuming it on an ongoing, daily basis. That’s how we become the transformed people who put God’s Word into action.
- Romans 12:2 – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
- As you read and apply the Bible to your life, the Holy Spirit transforms you, changing the way you think and see things, and bringing your will and desires in line with God’s will and desires.
Discussion:
- Have you ever wished reading the Bible was easier? What kinds of challenges have you experienced reading the Bible?
- In what ways has the Bible positively impacted your life? Has God ever shown you something through the Bible that changed your thinking or attitude?
- Why do you think it’s important to read the Bible with other Christians?
- Look back to Matthew 7:24-27. How is Scripture like a firm foundation, and why do you need to consume it daily?
- What do you think James means when he says that the person who listens to God’s Word and doesn’t obey it is like someone who forgets what their reflection looks like?
- Look back at Romans 12:2. Who does the transforming work in the life of a believer? Why do you think it’s important to remember this?
- Think back to the comparison earlier in the lesson about God’s Word being similar to food. What does your nutrition look like right now? Are you “snacking” or “feasting” on God’s Word? How can you change the way you feed on God’s Word so that it becomes your foundation for living?
- As we read in James, listening and doing are two different things. Take a few minutes to note at least two things you will do differently to become a doer of the Word.
