I have a love-hate relationship with September. I hate the fact that summer is coming to a close (goodbye long days, endless sunshine, slower pace), but I love the fact that September tends to bring routine and often new beginnings. This is the time of year when many of us join or rejoin groups for Bible Study.
As I think about Bible study starting up, there is one important fact that I have learned over the years that I feel called to share. It is one of those obvious things that we would all acknowledge if we stopped to think about it, but it is something that is often forgotten or overlooked. It is also something that is way harder to put into practice than you might think. Here it is: THE BIBLE IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A BOOK ABOUT GOD. Now your first thought is probably, duh! But if you pause a minute, you might realize that this is not always how we view it.
I’ve seen it happen again and again. We read a passage of Scripture, and the leader asks what it says. The answer is often very human-centric. For example, let’s take the recent sermon passage John 21:15-18 where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. In a group, when you ask what this says, someone might say that we should love God or that we should “feed Jesus’ sheep” -- that we should work to help shepherd Jesus’ flock. While both of these statements are true, this is not the most important thing in this passage. This passage is about Jesus forgiving Peter’s betrayal, and it also shows the omniscience of Jesus (“Lord, you know everything…”) These things are truths about Christ that we don’t want to miss. We can’t always make it about us.
I think that it is our nature to make the Bible a book about us. On some level, we are all me-centered. I mean, after all, it is full of imperatives about how we should live. It is full of things we should and should not do. Many of us read it so that we can live a better, even godlier life. Now don’t get me wrong, it is important how we live. God commands us to live a life worthy of the calling. (Ephesians 4:1). The problem is that we too often “put the cart before the horse.” We focus on what it says about us before we focus on what it says about Him.
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40
We should set our minds on God, first and foremost. When we read a passage of Scripture, we should first of all, ask ourselves, “What does this passage say about God?” Even in paragraphs with long lists of imperatives, there are statements about God that we should take into account. We should also look at what comes before and after the lists of do’s and don’ts.
I had a friend who went off to college and began attending an on-campus ministry. At first, the fellowship and teachings were a huge blessing to him as he wrestled with being away from home for the first time and all the trappings of dorm life. He was told all about sexual purity and how to live his life. He was told about what to do and what not to do to live the way God would want. Unfortunately, they never took the time to help him fall in love with Jesus. Without Jesus, living the life became so burdensome that he walked away. He never met the WHO of the Bible or the WHY we live a certain way (out of gratitude to the one who saves our soul).
I believe this is important because ONLY when we know Christ does our life fall into perspective. We cannot earn our way into heaven by living a certain way. (“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.) Only when we love Jesus for saving us from the wrath of God do we truly want to live for Him. Only when we know the power and majesty of God do our prayer requests seem possible. If we don’t know God and Christ, our lives become an unmanageable list of shoulds and should nots.
So friends, many new Bible studies are starting up in our area. I invite you to get involved with one of them. I challenge you to look for God in what you study. The Old Testament anticipates the coming of Jesus and the New Testament reflects on the death and resurrection of Christ. Look to see what each passage reveals about Jesus, the creator and sustainer of life.
Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
“Setting your hearts on things above” means looking for what the Bible says about Him who died and rose for you. Look for His power, His love, His truth in what you read. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, it’s just not about you.
Please consider joining us for a women’s study this fall at Willowdale! There are online and in person groups. Check out the link below to see what Willowdale women’s ministry is offering starting September 14.
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
Bonnie Kotler and her husband Mitch have two daughters, three sons, five grandchildren and three grand-puppies. She was a stay-at- home mom for many years before re-entering the workforce after receiving her M.S. in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University. She is a licensed professional counselor at The Peacemaker Center and her own private practice, True North Counseling. Bonnie has been on the Willowdale women’s ministry teaching team since 2012. Bible studies have played a key role in her walk as a believer, and in turn, she loves to help other women find their peace with God and grow in their faith. She enjoys writing Bible study materials, reading fiction, spending time with family and doing anything in the sunshine. Bonnie loves to laugh and considers laughter as the best medicine. Psalm 126:2