/EDWJextraMA11

EDWJextra

Every Day with Jesus group resource

Session 1: The Bible — God’s written Word Icebreakers Which is your favourite Bible passage?

Try to name all the books of the Bible.

Key thought The Bible is the inexhaustible written revelation of God and therefore to neglect it is to weaken our spiritual lives.

Key verses ‘The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.’ Psalm 119:130 ‘But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.’

John 20:31 Discussion starters 1. Given our busy and responsible lives, how much time should we give to reading the Bible?

2. Contrast the Bible with other books.

1—8 March

7. What is your view on the inerrancy of Scripture?

8. Which is your favourite Bible translation or paraphrase?

The example of Jesus ‘Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”’ Matthew 4:4 Prayer pointers • Thank God for giving us not just His spoken words but the written Word as a lasting and easily available resource for life.

• Pray that the Holy Spirit will both help you find the time to study God’s Word and that He will reveal more of its meaning to you.

God’s One and Only Published Work MAR/APR 2011

Session 2: Loving the Author

9—14 March

Icebreakers Who is your favourite author?

Contrast your attitudes to junk mail and birthday cards.

The example of Jesus ‘… but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.’ John 14:31

Key thought With the Bible, you have to know the Author before you can understand the Book.

Prayer pointers • Pray for a deeper relationship with God and revelation of His Word.

• Pray that you may be able to encourage others to deepen their understanding of God and His Word.

Key verse ‘We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.’

1 Corinthians 2:12 Discussion starters 1. How would you counter the argument of relativism?

2. To what extent are the Scriptures a mix of human and divine?

3. How have you translated the message of the Bible into life?

3. How could you find more time to read the Bible?

4. How do we ‘assimilate God’s Word’?

4. Is your thinking shaped more by the media or the Bible?

6. Is it important to memorise Scripture?

5. Why is relationship required for revelation?

5. Discuss Dr E. Stanley Jones’s six points.

6. What makes the Bible unique, even among other religious texts?

www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra

EDWJextra

Every Day with Jesus group resource

Session 3: The role of the Holy Spirit

15—20 March

Icebreaker Who is your favourite character from the Old Testament?

The example of Jesus ‘... I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.’ John 8:28

Key thought God has given us His Spirit to help us understand His Word.

Prayer pointers • Pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit, that you may fully understand God’s Word.

• Pray that God would open your eyes to see wonderful things in His law.

Key verse ‘But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit ... will teach you all things ...’ John 14:26 Discussion starters 1. Can you describe a time when you have experienced ‘the inward witness of the Spirit’?

2. What is the difference between doubt and unbelief?

3. Contrast the role of education and revelation. Is education unimportant?

4. Why is there no full revelation without the Holy Spirit?

5. How does the Old Testament speak of Christ?

6. Describe how you became a Christian.

God’s One and Only Published Work MAR/APR 2011

Session 4: Praying for insight Icebreaker Write some biblical words backwards in large letters and ask people to identify them (eg, reconciliation). Similarly, to understand the Bible requires a degree of effort, attentiveness and insight.

Key thought It is essential that we approach the Bible prayerfully. It cannot simply be understood by human reasoning, but by spiritual insight.

We can only fully comprehend God’s Word with God’s help.

21—26 March

The example of Jesus ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ Luke 22:42 Prayer pointers • Ask God that He would help you focus on Him and not be easily distracted.

• Establish a habit of praying for insight when you open your Bible.

Key verse ‘Though seeing they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ Matthew 13:13 Discussion starters 1. Why should we pray before reading the Bible?

2. Is a daily Quiet Time necessary for spiritual maturity?

3. How can we be more receptive to God’s Word?

4. Is a surrendered soul a weak soul?

5. Do you become too easily distracted instead of praying or reading the Bible?

6. Discuss the quote of George Muller.

www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra

EDWJextra Session 5: Imagine Icebreaker What do you imagine heaven will be like?

Key thought Approaching the Bible imaginatively can make it come alive.

Key verse ‘You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind (‘imagination’, Young’s Literal Translation) is steadfast, because he trusts in you.’ Isaiah 26:3 Discussion starters 1. What are the benefits and disadvantages of the imagination?

Every Day with Jesus group resource

27 March — 3 April The example of Jesus ‘... he already had in mind what he was going to do.’ John 6:6 Prayer pointers • Ask God for a fertile and sanctified imagination.

• Pray that the Bible will come alive as you use your imagination to visualise and personalise its stories.

God’s One and Only Published Work MAR/APR 2011

Session 6: Biblical meditation Icebreakers What do you spend time meditating on eg, work, family, sport, leisure, finance, career?

Read John 11:35 and allow five minutes of silence for meditation before people share their thoughts.

Key thought Meditation on God’s Word takes biblical truths and makes them working realities in our lives.

Discussion starters

3. What is the difference between imagination and fantasy?

1. What do you feel about the concept of biblical meditation?

4. Imagine a biblical scene and describe what you ‘see’.

2. How can our meditation be pleasing to God?

5. What is the difference between news reports and personal testimonies?

4. Why does biblical meditation differ from all other forms of meditation?

6. To what extent do you use your imagination?

5. Chew over John 3:16.

8. How might using your imagination help you in reading the Bible?

The example of Jesus ‘After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.’ Luke 2:46 Prayer pointers • Pray that you might fully understand the concept of biblical meditation.

• Pray that you might apply the principle of biblical meditation.

Key verse ‘But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.’ Psalm 1:2

2. Describe how you plan a holiday or a party.

7. Describe meeting Jesus as if you were Zacchaeus himself.

4—11 April

3. Discuss the three definitions of meditation.

6. What may hinder you from biblical meditation eg, time, effort, uncertainty?

7. How could meditating on God’s Word bring success?

8. Why are thoughts so powerful?

www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra

EDWJextra

Every Day with Jesus group resource

Session 7: Obedience and revelation

12—17 April

God’s One and Only Published Work MAR/APR 2011

Session 8: Question Time

Icebreaker Try to find out something about the Bible Society and perhaps take a collection for its work overseas.

The example of Jesus ‘The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life ... No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.’ John 10:17—18

Icebreakers Which is your favourite quiz show?

Find out something about someone in the group.

Key thought The Bible will keep us from sin or sin will keep us from the Bible.

Prayer pointers • Ask God to show you any areas of deception in your own life.

• Commit yourself to obey God whatever He tells you to do.

Key thought Questions are a primary tool for obtaining information, and when we use them in our own Bible studies the Word can come alive in a most exciting way.

Key verse ‘If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God ...’

John 7:17 Discussion starters

Key verse ‘His disciples asked him what this parable meant.’ Luke 8:9

1. How may the Bible lose its power?

Discussion starters

2. What are the consequences of disobedience?

1. How could your knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament be improved?

3. How can we apply Scripture to our own lives?

4. Is partial or delayed obedience satisfactory?

5. How can we avoid the pitfall of selfdeception?

6. Discuss the role of the conscience and other believers in helping us see blind spots. (See James 5:19—20.)

18—24 April The example of Jesus ‘He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”’

Matthew 12:48—50 Prayer pointers • Ask God to help you use this technique in your own studies.

• Thank God for so many treasures that lay buried in His Word for you to discover.

2. Who in the Bible would you like to discover more about?

3. What was life like in occupied Palestine (eg, see Matt. 22:17; John 11:48; and Acts 5:36—37)?

4. Using some Bible maps, trace the route of the Exodus.

5. Discuss the importance of prayer in the morning.

6. Why is it important to take communion?

(See 1 Cor. 11:23—26.)

7. Use the five questions on a Bible reading of your own choosing. www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra

EDWJextra

Every Day with Jesus group resource

Session 9: Do It Yourself

25—30 April

Icebreaker What has most impacted you about the studies in this issue and how will you change as a result?

The example of Jesus ‘... he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me ...”’ Luke 4:16—18

Key thought We need to explore Scripture continually and persistently for ourselves.

Key verse ‘Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.’ Psalm 119:97

God’s One and Only Published Work MAR/APR 2011

Prayer pointers • Ask for God’s help as you implement your plan of studying the Scriptures.

• Pray for CWR as it reaches out with God’s Word to others.

Discussion starters 1. Discuss the phrase ‘We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan’ in relation to Bible study.

2. What are your clear objectives?

3. What is your specific plan and system of accountability?

4. Why do so many good intentions fail?

5. Discuss the role of the Bible in our national life and history (eg, our laws, morality, education, social justice and ethics).

6. How can we encourage and help others to read the Bible?

www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra