Passing On Bible TruthOne of our Inspirational Devotions
Spreading Bible TruthBible truth is a major component in discipleship. Christian discipleship is spreading
DNA of Jesus.
As we described in our
newsletter,
the DNA of Jesus is truth, relationships and mission (Neil Cole, Organic Church). Jesus embodied this genetic code and passed it on to his disciples. Passing On Biblical truthLet’s begin with passing on Truth. Jesus called his disciples to be with him. He built the relationship before he began teaching them. Grace precedes truth. Once the relationship is formed, it’s time to introduce people to the truth of the scriptures. Whether a seeker or a believer, non-Christian or Christian, the first priority is the steady in-take of Bible truth. God’s truth changes people. As a disciple-maker, you simply ask, “Would you be willing to read and talk about the Bible with me?”
photo courtesy of ncanup
The parable of sowerIn the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4), Jesus taught his disciples that the “seed” was the Word of God. The seed contained the DNA of Bible truth that the disciples must take into their life to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. Further, he reminded them that the “soil” was the human heart. Through this basic, organic illustration Jesus taught one simple lesson: Since there is nothing wrong with the seed (Word of God), the level of fruitfulness depends on the receptivity and condition of the human heart that receives it.Making disciples involves obeying the Scriptures. This means reading and discussing the truth of God’s Word (in context) with another person or small group. First, decide on a portion of Scripture (consecutive chapters) that the group will read. Between five and thirty chapters per week is a realistic expectation. When you meet together, simply talk about the passage you read. Conclude with “What did God tell you to do?” Falling in love with the Word of GodMost men love to read the sports page but not the Bible. Many people view Bible reading as a chore. The only way to fall in love with the Word of God is to read the Word of God. I meet one-on-one with several men on a monthly basis. Our mutual commitment is to read a minimum of thirty to fifty chapters of Scripture per month.What happens when a person reveals that he didn’t have time to finish his Scripture reading for that week or month? You have the opportunity to lovingly ask him to examine his priorities. In Mark 4, the seed that fell on the thorny ground was choked out by other interests and worries. If we’re too busy to read the Bible, we’re too busy. There is no other source of truth. Divine truth is the Word of God inspired by the Spirit of God. The key to life change is daily Bible studyMany believers regularly meet with a small group and merely listen to a lesson that someone else prepared. Usually very little life change takes place. Why? God’s Word grows and bears the most fruit when we choose to read it. Listening to another person’s “lesson” is like going to a gym and watching someone else work out. You may learn some techniques, but you will never lose weight or get in shape by merely watching others exercise.There are no short cuts. The seed is the Word of God. Bible truth comes into our life to the degree that the Scriptures come into our heart. Jesus died for us but will not read for us.
Author:Paul Schlieker www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com For any reuse or distribution of our free Bible study materials author credit and web address is required. Please email us with questions or comments. Discussion ideas for your small group or Sunday School class: 1. Who shared the "seed" of the word of God with you? 2. How did you fall in love with the word of God? 3. What motivates you to become a disciple-maker? 4. Will you pray about it this week? Return from Passing On Bible Truth to |
