31/10/2021 [Sunday Service] www.lifechurchmissions.com

Read God’s Word Yet Do Not Know God’s Heart? <Jn 5:38-42, 46-47; Mt 22:29; 23:13, 23; Ro8:7; 1 Co 8:1-3; 2 Co 4:4; Jn 14:26; 16:13; Lk 24:45>

1. “Bible experts” yet did not know God.

* Do we read the Bible like the Pharisees or like Jesus?

* When they read the Bible, they look for and were concerned about different things.

* When the Pharisees read the Bible, they treated it like a “rule book”.

* Although they read God’s word, they did not understand His heart.

* Read <Mt 23:13>.

* What Jesus looked for in God’s word were God’s will, His love and righteousness.

* The Pharisees’ Bible-reading attitude emphasized on self-efforts, self-glory and fear.

* The problem with the Pharisees is not placing too much attention on God’s laws, but misunderstanding and misapplying God’s word.

* Read <Mt 23:23>

2. Why is the Bible so hard to understand?

1) Man’s sin and idols hinder us from understanding God’s word.

* Read <Ro 8:7>

* Be mindful of wrong attitudes of reading the Bible:

(1) Impose our own ideas onto God’s word.

(2) Only read the Bible for knowledge.

* Read <1Co 8:1-3>.

(3) Only read Bible out of duty.

2）Another factor that hinders our understanding of God’s word is our enemy the devil.

*Read <2 Co 4:4>.

3. How should we read the Bible?

1) Because God’s word is spiritual, we need the Holy Spirit to open our spirit to understand God’s word.

* Read <Jn14:26; 16:13; Lk 24:45>.

 2）Hold onto God’s main emphases when reading the Bible.

* The whole Bible is a coherent grand story of: God’s creation, Man’s fall, God’s redemption and restoration.

* In particular, the Old Testament anticipates Christ, and the New Testament reveals Christ.

* Some key messages and principles repeated in the Bible, such as: God’s relationship with His people, God’s love, holiness and righteousness, eternal things, salvation of souls, glorifying God. Many of God’s promises concern these things.

3）Bible reading is not just for knowledge but also for life transformation.

* God’s word is not merely a suggestion, but His word concerns life and death, blessings and curses.

* God gives us His word so that “the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”. <2 Ti 3:17>

* God’s word has power to enable us to do the good work God desires.

* Read God’s word à Do God’s word. <Jas 1:22; Mt 7:24-25>