Opening
Make a space for your group members to share candidly about their relationship with the Bible.
Overview
Our families have the power, promises, and purpose of God to live faithfully to the gospel for generations. We are communicated those things through the Bible. The Bible is for God’s family, about God’s family, to transform God’s family until Christ’s return.
The “weird” chart focuses on how American and European nations differ from the rest of world. They are western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic. This shapes how we read we the Bible. We are likely to customize the Bible, individualize the Bible, religious-ize the Bible, and weaponize the Bible. This leads to misinterpretation, misapplication, and a false gospel.
The Bible is about King Jesus whom the Father sent to save His family from destruction. The Spirit of God, the Word of God, and the family of God help us interpret and respond to the Bible. Read the Bible daily and let it transform you in Spirit and in truth. Read the Bible with others and let it unite you in Spirit and truth.
Discussion Questions
- Where is your understanding of Scripture affected by culture?
- When do you read the Bible with others?
Practice
2 Peter 1 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
Before reading the passage, have each person make a list of what they think they need to live a godly life. Share some answers out loud, making a list with the group. Prayerfully read the passage above out loud. What does the Bible reveal to us about God that allows us to live a godly life?
God has given us everything by His divine power and yet believers are still told to supplement their faith with the list of character traits that follow verse 5. Verse 5 also tells us that this growth is to be in response to God’s promises, not to earn God’s love. Take turn sharing how you are growing in these traits or how you would like to grow in them.
Closing
Pray for a deep love for Scripture to be nurtured in your group life.
