The Bible Bible God's Amazing... · 2019-06-25 · ∙ 7 ∙ THE BIBLE: GOD’S AMAZING BOOK • SESSION 1 God’s Amazing Book No one in their right mind would doubt that the Bi

THE BIBLE:GOD’S AMAZING BOOK

SESSIONS 1–7

The Bible:GOD’S AMAZING BOOK

Copyright © 2019 by Community Bible Study. All rights reserved.ISBN 978-1-62194-023-4

Published by Community Bible Study, 790 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80921-38021-800-826-4181www.communitybiblestudy.org

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version-Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Publisher’s note: Community Bible Study’s in-house style guide is The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). The CMS rule for showing the possessive form of words like Jesus and Moses is to use an apostrophe and an s (Jesus’s, Moses’s).

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or any other—without prior written permission of Community Bible Study.

This curriculum may not be sold or resold. It is available for the exclusive use of registered members of Community Bible Study Classes.

Printed in the United States of America.

∙ 5 ∙

THE BIBLE: GOD’S AMAZING BOOK

Contents

Session 1: God’s Amazing Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Session 2: Letting the Book Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Session 3: God Speaking in the Old Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Session 4: God Speaking in the New Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Session 5: When God Speaks Hard Things. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Session 6: God’s Big Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Session 7: Meeting the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

∙ 7 ∙

THE BIBLE: GOD’S AMAZING BOOK • SESSION 1

God’s Amazing Book

No one in their right mind would doubt that the Bi-ble is a remarkable book. It has long been the num-ber-one bestseller. Each year, people buy hundreds of millions of Bibles. The Bible — the whole book or part of it — is available in more than 1,500 languages, and each year it sees yet more translations. All this despite the fact that the Bible is no light-weight paperback novel.

The Bible is not a single book either. It is a collection of 66 books written by 40 human authors whom God inspired. It uses more than three-quarters of a million words written over a period of more than 1,000 years. And there is an amazing harmony in it from beginning to end!

The Bible’s Unique Message

The Bible tells the story of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament foretells His coming, and the New Tes-

tament explains why He came. Most religious writ-ings describe humankind’s attempts to reach up to God by doing something to earn favor or accep-tance. Only the Bible’s message of Christ reveals what God has already done for humankind. Many religions have savior images, but none equals Christianity’s unique claim. The Bible declares that the eternal, true, and living God became a human man, one without sin. This man is Jesus, who died and rose again so that everyone who believes in Him can live forever (see John 1:12; 3:16).

The Bible is not an easy book, however. In some places, it appears complicated, and in others, it seems dry. There are several possible explanations for this.

Why should I care about a book written thousands of years ago? Can there be anything relevant in it for me?


©2019 Community Bible Study. All rights reserved.

• First, it was written in a different period of histo-ry: the most modern bits are nearly 2,000 years old! And it was written in cultural and political contexts vastly different from our own.

• Second, the text we read has been translated from other languages, usually Hebrew in the Old Testa-ment and Greek in the New Testament. It’s tricky to translate the nuances of other languages, espe-cially ancient ones.

• Third, the Bible contains a huge and sometimes bewildering array of subjects, characters, and lit-erature types.

This is what Time magazine (December 30, 1974) had to say about the reliability of the Bible:

After more than two centuries of facing the heaviest scientific guns that could be brought to bear, the Bible has survived—and is per-haps better for the siege. Even on the critics’ own terms—historical fact—the Scriptures seem more acceptable now than they did when the rationalists began the attack. The miraculous can be demythologized, the mar-vel explained, but the persistent message of the Bible will not go away.

Why Read the Bible?

Sometimes people make judgments about the Bible without having read it for themselves. If you have never read the Bible, or have read only parts of it, there are some good reasons to dig in for yourself.

It tells us how to live. The Bible is God’s Word to humankind. He is its author, and His words reveal what He is like and how He thinks. God loves the people He made and wants us to know how to live well. So the Bible offers us guidelines for how to deal with almost every situation—some things to avoid and other things to do. It provides a set of values and principles to help us plot our course through the stormy waters of a world where a clear sense of direction is hard to find.

What does God say about true peace and joy? Can God love me even when I mess up? Who is really in control of my destiny? Concerns like these are addressed in the pages of the Bible.

It is a spiritual antibiotic. The Bible can destroy the “diseases” that assault our souls and spirits. God’s truth combats the lies that attack our spiritual health. When we fall for these deceptions, we get a distorted view of ourselves, of others, of God, and of the world. But the truth we find in the Bible renews our thinking and restores our health.

It is nourishing food. God created humankind to thrive. He gave us the Bible as the most nourishing spiritual food anyone could ever find. A high-Bible diet fosters growth, vitality, and abundant life. But we can’t just binge on it once in a while—we need a regular intake of Scripture. The Bible will feed our inner being and bring us assurance and strength in a way nothing else can.

It has power to change us. Anyone who has ever tried to kick a bad habit or just become a better person knows how hard change can be. Sometimes change seems so out of reach that we’re tempted to give up. But God is a great life coach, and He has the power to do what we cannot. The Bible says that the same power He used to bring Jesus back from the dead is available to work in us to bring about real and lasting change.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not! Find out for yourself as you continue in this course over the next few weeks.

When I first joined Community Bible Study, I was very nervous and couldn’t understand the Bible well, but I wanted to know about God. Then I started to change slowly. Homework time got shorter. Studying the Bible was fun. My shyness slowly disappeared. I know now that everything is made by God, even my timid personality.

—Gina

∙ 9 ∙


Letting the Book SpeakIf we want to be people who live God’s way, it’s important for us to get to know and understand His book, the Bible.

This week we’ll look at some ways we can do that.

DAY 1—INDIVIDUAL STUDY

1. Throughout history, God’s people have put high importance on knowing personally what God’s book says. Read Psalm 119:97-104 and 2 Timothy 3:15. What are some of the benefits of reading and studying the Bible?

2. What challenges do you experience when it comes to reading and studying the Bible yourself?



DAY 2—ENCOURAGING DISCUSSION

3. When we discuss and debate ideas, it can help us decide what we think and believe. Read Proverbs 27:17 and Acts 17:11-12. How could it help you to be part of a small group that discusses the Bible?

4. *Read Acts 8:26-38. How did this very small group (just two people!) experience life-chang-ing results when they discussed the Scriptures together?

DAY 3—EFFECTIVE TEACHING

5. Learning about the Bible from others who have studied it, or have known the Bible for many years, is helpful. Read Nehemiah 8:7-8 and Acts 2:42. How can effective teaching of God’s Word benefit those who listen?

6. How can you make the most of opportunities to receive such teaching?

DAY 4—INSIGHTFUL COMMENTARY

7. We can also learn by reading what has been written by people who know, understand, and live out what the Bible says. Read Proverbs 13:20 and Acts 15:30-31. What wisdom and help could we receive by reading what wise people have written about God’s Word?

DAY 5—CARING COMMUNITY

8. Jesus showed His followers how to demon-strate love. Read John 13:34-35; Philippians 2:3-4; and Ephesians 4:32. What does Jesus’s kind of love look like?

9. What are some reasons you would enjoy being with people who treat each other the same way these Bible verses describe?

*Questions marked with a * are optional, but they’re really great questions. If at all possible, please take the time to go deeper and experience richer engagement with God in His Word.

SESSION 2: LETTING THE BOOK SPEAK

∙ 11 ∙

The Bible claims to be God’s message to the world. What evidence do we have for believing

the Bible to be God’s amazing book?

Impressive ManuscriptsA large part of the Bible deals with eyewitness ac-counts—firsthand information passed on with me-ticulous care. When the Gospels—the four books that describe Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection—were first circulating, many people were alive who would have known about these events personally. If the facts had been inaccurate or made up, there would have been an uproar.

There are more and earlier manuscripts of New Testament writings than any other respected an-cient writings. Well over 5,000 manuscripts of New Testament writings exist in Greek. Some of these were copied a mere 200 years after the original documents were composed. Scholars accept the validity of works by authors like Homer, Plato, and Sophocles with far weaker manuscript evidence than exists for the New Testament. And as time goes by, earlier manuscripts come to light, and these confirm the later copies’ accuracy. All in all, the manuscript evidence for the New Testament is impressive. And there is an equally significant number of early Old Testament manuscripts dat-ing back as far as 150 BC.

So the Bible is a very well-documented, carefully compiled piece of literature. It is an authentic re-cord of events, preserved over the centuries with unequalled accuracy. It cannot be dismissed lightly.

What Archaeology RevealsFrom as long ago as 2,000 BC, there is archaeological evidence that confirms many of the details given in the Bible: facts about the city Abraham came from, inscriptions from the time of Moses, the unearth-ing of some of Solomon’s military installations.

Turning to the New Testament, scholars had dis-missed John’s pool-of-Bethesda description of “five roofed colonnades” (John 5:2) as poetic license. But archaeologists excavated the site in 1888 and dis-covered all five porches, just as John had written. Before that find, in 1866, at the Church of Saint Anne—located in the same area—an artifact was found containing an inscription proving that peo-ple believed that the water had healing properties!

A British scholar detailed other notable evidence in his archaeological study. He found that Luke—au-thor of the third Gospel and the book of Acts—was a reliable historian and an accurate writer.

Many Prophecies FulfilledAnother thing that makes the Bible such an amaz-ing book is the way it predicts future events, which then happen. It doesn’t make predictions of the sort that you can read in your average horoscope—“To-day you will meet a handsome stranger. Tomorrow it will be dry, if it’s not raining.” The Bible foretells specific events that are unmistakably fulfilled. There are hundreds of them in the Bible.

Ezekiel predicted in the sixth century BC that Tyre (a major city and thriving industrial center) would be defeated and utterly destroyed. Nebuchadnez-zar and then Alexander the Great brought about

Community Bible Study found its way to Chile, and this is where I started studying the Bible on my own, not just taking notes on someone else’s study of God’s Word.

—Portia



the fulfillment of this prophecy in 332 BC. It even says in Ezekiel 26:14, “I will leave only a bare rock where fishermen can dry their nets” (GNT). Sure enough, after Tyre was taken over by the Arabs in AD 1291, it became a poor fishing village.

Among many other fulfilled predictions, Amos foretold the downfall of Israel; Jeremiah, the cap-ture of Jerusalem; Isaiah, the Jews’ return from ex-ile; and Jesus, the destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus’s own coming to the earth was predicted in a precise way. The prophet Micah said that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). He would enter Jerusalem on a donkey (see Zechari-ah 9:9) and be rejected and killed (see Isaiah 53:3-5) while men gambled for his clothes (see Psalm 22:18). Prophets made all these predictions hundreds of years before Jesus came. Each one happened.

Survival under AttackThe Bible has had its enemies, yet it has survived all their attacks. Not only has it survived, but its influence continues to grow. This is even more remarkable when you consider the nature of the opposition.

There has been opposition from philosophers. Some have relegated the Bible to the level of an-cient superstition, a set of ideas appropriate to the dawn of civilization but irrelevant to our advanc-ing culture. The 18th-century French thinker Vol-taire said, “Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth!” He predicted that the Bible’s days were numbered, and as more advanced philoso-phies took over, an enlightened world would soon discard it. But more than 200 years after his death, the Bible is more widely read than ever before.

There has been opposition from governments. From time to time, over Christianity’s last 2,000 years, the Bible has been outlawed. During the

French Revolution, it was seen as an instrument of aristocratic oppression, and owning or reading a Bible was officially discouraged. Even in the last 100 years, millions of people have lived under gov-ernment regimes that actively discouraged them from owning and reading the Bible.

There have been other types of opposition too. New theories arise that question the Bible’s accu-racy. Some public figures scorn it. Television docu-mentaries attempt to discredit it. Individuals cast doubt on its capacity to provide a coherent expla-nation about humanity and the world. But if the Bible can take the worst that the last 2,000 years have thrown at it and still flourish, it seems unlike-ly to be in danger from any 21st-century critic.

It Works!The four areas of evidence outlined so far all point to the reliability of the Bible, but this is the crux of the matter: the message of God’s amazing book works in real life.

The Bible makes sense of the world, provides an explanation for what has gone wrong, and gives a blueprint for change. And this blueprint works. Millions of people—and this is no exaggeration—have read the Bible and found that it was like look-ing into a mirror. Everything it says about human nature is true.

The Bible has no qualms about describing the mess we are in—steeped in greed, pride, envy, lust, and selfishness of every kind. No sugary coating on this bitter pill! What makes it even harder to swallow is that no one escapes judgment, no one at all.

But it’s not all bad news. The Bible provides the an-tidote to this mess that we humans have created. There is an opportunity for a fresh start: we can be forgiven of the wrong things we’ve done and expe-rience a new power for living.

∙ 13 ∙


God Speaking in the Old Testament

The Old Testament gives us different kinds of writings, such as history, wisdom, and prophecy. Put together, they help us understand who God is, how He relates with people, and how He wants us to treat others. This week we’ll look at verses

from these three types of Old Testament writings.

DAY 1—HISTORY

1. The first book of the Bible tells the story of Abram, who later became known as Abraham. Read Genesis 12:1-3. What did God promise Abram from the very beginning?

2. What do you learn about God by reading these few verses?



DAY 2—WISDOM

3. Some of the wisdom writings, especially the Psalms, help us sort through various human experiences and emotions. Read Psalms 34:1-3 and 42:5. What emotions do you find expressed in these verses?

4. *The Psalms show us we can tell God all about our thoughts and feelings. What examples of this do you see in Psalms 22:1-2; 23:1-6; 51:1-4; and 73:1-3?

5. What are some things you’d like to talk to God about?

DAY 3—OTHER WISDOM

6. Other wisdom writings contain nuggets of truth or good advice. Read Proverbs 15:16-19 and Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. What wise instruction do you find in these verses?

7. Where have you seen an example of one of these truths being lived out in real life?

DAY 4—PROPHECY

8. In Old Testament times, the Bible was still being written, but there was enough of it for God’s people to know how He wanted them to live. Sadly, they often ignored God and did what they wanted. So God sent prophets like Isaiah to speak His words to the people. Read Isaiah 53:6-8 and 58:3-6. How were the people living? How did God want them to live instead?

9. Isaiah’s words were written thousands of years ago. How could they apply to us today?

DAY 5—MORE PROPHECY

10. Sometimes God sent prophets like Zephaniah to foretell what would happen in the future, either immediate or distant. Read Zephaniah 3:14-17. How might these prophetic words have affected God’s people in Zephaniah’s day?

11. How do these words affect you today?


SESSION 3: GOD SPEAKING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

∙ 15 ∙

The Bible’s 66 individual books* are organized into two parts. There are 39 books in what we commonly refer to as the Old Testament

and 27 books in what we know as the New Testament.

The word testament means “covenant”—an agree-ment between two parties. The Old Testament de-scribes the covenant that God made with Abraham and confirmed with Moses. This testament was based on God’s law. It is old because it was written before Jesus came to the earth as a human being. In one way or another, the entire Old Testament points to Jesus. His coming would bring in the new covenant—a covenant based on grace.

HistoryThe Bible’s first 17 books (Genesis–Esther) relate the early history of God’s involvement with people. From His creation of humankind to their rebellion against Him, the story unfolds God’s plan to re-deem humanity through the nation He chose for this purpose—Israel. We read of the Israelites’

• escape from Egypt,

• wanderings in the wilderness,

• entry into the Promised Land,

• response to the laws God gave them,

• kings and queens,

• rebellion and consequential exile, and

• return from that exile.

The history contained in these books is exciting, tragic, triumphant, incredible, and inspiring. The account of Israel as a nation is a graphic example of humanity’s struggle to relate to their Maker.

WisdomIn the middle of the Old Testament are five books referred to as wisdom literature—Job, Psalms, Prov-erbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. They are a

down-to-earth reflection on life and God’s purpose in it. The wisdom writings aim to advise the reader on the best way to handle life, given the nature of the world.

Probably the clearest and simplest example of this writing is in Proverbs. It’s best understood as the teachings of a wise instructor on how to live wisely. They were probably used originally in the educa-tion of well-to-do young men. So there is a strong emphasis on self-discipline, self-control, social jus-tice, sexual purity, obedience to parents, careful speech, humility, and the benefits of marrying well.

Proverbs teaches us that it’s not enough to have a merely emotional and intellectual faith. To live wisely, we must ground our faith in real life, in our day-to-day existence. Even though Proverbs’ teachings differ from our modern perspective, we can easily transfer these timeless principles to our own lives. In this way our faith proves to be wise because it works in the real world.

ProphecyTraditionally, 17 books in the Bible come under the prophecy category. Five of these are referred to as major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamenta-tions, Ezekiel, and Daniel) whereas the remaining 12 shorter books (Hosea–Malachi) are referred to as minor prophets. The men who wrote these books

Several people were not excited about the Old Testa-ment CBS study; they assumed it would be a bit dry and historical. But by the end of the year, all agreed that the books came alive and were wonderfully relevant to us in our own lives.

—Janet



delivered their messages to Israel and Judah over the period from the late 700s to the mid 400s BC.

In general terms, the prophets observed their cul-ture’s moral decline and warned of impending di-saster if the people did not repent and obey God’s law. Predictably, their message was largely ignored, and the prophets themselves were often treated poorly. However, God promised to restore His peo-ple through His coming Messiah—Jesus. God’s judgment was never intended to be an end in itself.

Still RelevantThe history of God’s people in the Old Testament is not recorded only for our interest. It has important things to tell about what God is like and what hu-mans are like.

• First, we read of an Israelite nation that simply could not stay faithful to their God. The value of

their example is great, not because they’re differ-ent from the rest of humanity, but because they are so typical of us. We learn that humans are well meaning and sometimes altruistic, but all too often, wicked and rebellious.

• Second, it teaches us that God is gracious, He does not treat people as their wickedness de-serves. We read of a God who takes disobedience seriously—He never glosses over it—but is con-stantly providing a way for people to be forgiven of their wrongdoings and be reconciled to Him-self. God’s character is revealed as He interacts with His people.

Under the old covenant—the Old Testament—pro-vision for forgiveness required innumerable animal offerings—a never-ending sacrifice ritual. Through great effort, people could be forgiven. But all along, God had a better way in mind. So stay tuned.

* Believers from all major branches of the Christian faith agree on the Bible’s 66 books discussed in this lesson. Some Christians include additional books in their canon. This study will focus on the books that everyone agrees are part of God’s Holy Word.

∙ 17 ∙


God Speaking in the New Testament

The Old Testament teaches us about God’s character—His power, compassion, holiness, and justice. The New Testament tells us that Jesus is the ultimate

demonstration of who God is—He is the “exact imprint” of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3).

Like the Old Testament, the New Testament has different kinds of writing. The first four books, re-ferred to as the Gospels tell us all about Jesus. The book of Acts reveals the early church’s history. The letters from the church leaders, Romans through Jude, describe how to live as Jesus’s followers. The last book, Revelation, describes Jesus’s final tri-umph when He returns.

DAY 1—THE GOSPELS

1. The word gospel means “good news.” The New Testament’s first four books—Matthew, Mark,

Luke and John—each tell the good news of Jesus. They give us a different perspective on His life. Read Luke 7:36-50. Think about the different characters in this story: Jesus, the woman, and the dinner host. What strikes you about each one?



DAY 2—WHY WE NEED THE GOSPELS

2. The Gospels not only tell about what Jesus did; they also help us understand why He came and how to follow Him. Read Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 8:34-37; and John 11:25-26. What insights do you receive about why Jesus came and what it means to be His follower?

DAY 3—HISTORY

3. The book of Acts gives us the first-century church’s history. From its beginning, through its spread across Israel, to its growth in other countries, it’s an action-packed story. Read Acts 4:32-35. List everything you notice in this pas-sage about the early church in Jerusalem.

4. What do you think it would be like to belong to that kind of community?

5. *There were good and bad times in the church’s early years. Read the following verses and write your observations.

Miracles—Acts 3:1-10

People Problems—Acts 6:1-4

Death—Acts 7:54-60

Travel—Acts 14:21-28

Riots—Acts 19:23-34

Growth—Acts 2:46-47; 17:12; 18:8; 19:10

DAY 4—LETTERS

6. The New Testament contains letters that teach Christians how to live as Jesus’s disciples.

Read Colossians 3:1-17. Learning to live this way takes a lifetime, but the Holy Spirit helps us. What do you see in this passage that you would like Jesus to grow in your life?

Read Galatians 5:22-23. What does God’s Spirit produce in Christ followers?

DAY 5—VICTORY AT LAST

7. Revelation contains word pictures and descrip-tions that are hard to understand. But it’s clear that Jesus will return and all that’s wrong will be made right. Read Revelation 21:3-5. As you think about these promises, what would you like to see be made “new”?


SESSION 4: GOD SPEAKING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

∙ 19 ∙

CBS was the first time I remember owning my faith.

—Caitlyn, a teenage CBS participant

Reading the New Testament is like unwrapping a much-anticipated gift. Whereas the Old Testament tells what went wrong with human-

kind and points toward God’s coming solution, the New Testament reveals God’s answer—and His name is Jesus.

The New Testament consists of 27 books, all written in the first century. They contain different kinds of writings and cover many topics, but their main pur-pose is to reveal who Jesus is and what it means to know and follow Him. The New Testament invites us into its world so that we can, with open hearts and minds, hear what God has to say about His be-loved Son, Jesus Christ.

Four Books—One Amazing Subject!The Gospels are among the most significant works of literature the world has seen. In different ways, all four introduce us to Jesus Christ, the most influ-ential figure in history. The story of His life, death, and resurrection contained in these books has had a profound impact on every society that has been introduced to it. Millions of people’s lives have changed as they encountered Jesus through these books’ pages.

The Gospels reveal Jesus Christ—the Son of God, the Son of Man, God unveiled, and humanity as it was meant to be. All four tell the same basic story, yet there are differences. The first, Matthew, was written from a Jewish perspective, drawing heavi-ly on the Old Testament. The second, Mark, gives a short, fast-paced summary of Jesus’s life. Luke was written with a Gentile audience in view. And more than the other Gospels, it shows Jesus’s compas-sion to women, foreigners, and others on the fringe of first-century society. Written by one of Jesus’s best friends decades after the other three Gospels, John’s Gospel provides an intimate and reflective account of Jesus’s life and its meaning.

Acts—The Birth of the ChurchThe New Testament’s fifth book describes the Holy Spirit’s coming and the Christian church’s birth on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2). A few weeks af-ter Jesus had ascended to heaven, it came time to celebrate the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Jewish people from all over the known world—Africa, Asia, and Europe—had come to Jerusalem on a pilgrim-age. And as a group of 120 of Jesus’s friends gath-ered for worship, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and filled them with His power. Many who witnessed this astonishing event put their faith in Jesus Christ. As a result, Jesus’s message spread around the world.

New Testament Letters —The Maturing of the ChurchThe good news about Jesus Christ traveled very quickly across the Roman Empire, attracting con-verts wherever it was spread. These new Christ followers gathered in small groups, which typically met in each other’s homes. Sometimes these new converts mixed Christianity with pagan world-views and developed heretical beliefs. This has been a problem for the church ever since.

Because these young churches needed guidance and fortifying, the apostles wrote letters. Most



of the New Testament’s 21 letters were written to congregations and were meant to be read aloud in their entirety when received. These letters brought encouragement, instruction, and sometimes cor-rection to the new believers. They offered clear Christian doctrine peppered with advice on how to deal with practical issues of church life.

Much of what’s written in these letters is relevant to us today. Even where we have difficulties that the early church did not encounter, we can take prin-ciples from these books that can form the basis to solutions. And since many ancient heresies are still circulating today in some form, these letters can help prevent today’s church from going astray.

These letters encourage us on how to follow Jesus’s teaching. Being a Christian is never easy. Like now, many people who originally received these letters were living under hardship. The letters teach us how to live well with others. And they let us know

that it’s possible to be thankful, prayerful, and wor-shipful no matter what’s going on in our lives.

Revelation—Christ’s Final VictoryThe Bible’s last book is a letter written by the apostle John to be circulated around the churches in Asia Minor (which is roughly present-day Turkey). It be-gins with individual instructions and challenges to these churches. Then it details the vision of things to come that Jesus had given to John.

Revelation is difficult to understand in one way be-cause it’s impossible to interpret all the details with certainty. On the other hand, Revelation is very sim-ple: its message is the guarantee of Christ’s final vic-tory. Revelation’s first readers were often subject to cruel persecution because of their faith. They sorely needed this encouragement. Two thousand years have passed, and we still need that same assurance. The Bible may be complete, but God’s plan is still unfolding. One day good will finally triumph!

∙ 21 ∙


When God Speaks Hard Things

The Bible is God’s amazing book. It teaches, encourages, comforts, and challenges us. But sometimes, it may seem confusing. Parts of it can be hard

to understand, often because we live in a different time and place.

Some of the Bible seems to clash with what we think we know about God and the way the world is today. This week we’ll look at some of the diffi-cult issues. They may raise questions in your mind. Don’t worry; that happens to most people!

DAY 1—CONTRADICTIONS

1. Many individuals say they don’t believe the Bi-ble because it seems to contradict itself. There certainly are some things that, at first glance, seem to be contradictory.

Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and James 2:14-17. Are we saved by faith in Jesus, or are we saved by the good things we do? How might you explain these seemingly contradictory verses?



DAY 2—THE LAW

2. The Old Testament law can be very confusing. It can be hard to know what applies today and what doesn’t. Read Leviticus 19:26-37. Do you think we still need to keep laws like these? Why, or why not?

DAY 3—VIOLENCE3. Some Bible passages can be shocking to people

who are reading them for the first time. Read Joshua 6:20-21 alongside Deuteronomy 20:16-18. Why might God have deemed it necessary to destroy everything and everyone in Jericho?

4. What do you learn about God from reading Ezekiel 33:11?

DAY 4—MIRACLES

5. We read about miracles throughout the Bible. Some people say these events could not be true. Read 1 Kings 17:9-16 and Mark 4:35-41. If we believe that the Bible is God’s Word, how do we respond to miracles that appear to be impossible?

DAY 5—THE KEY

6. The Bible was inspired by an infinite God. No wonder we finite humans struggle to under-stand it at times. Read 1 Corinthians 2:11-13. Who always understands God’s thoughts and words, and what is necessary for understanding the hard things in God’s Word?

SESSION 5: WHEN GOD SPEAKS HARD THINGS

∙ 23 ∙

If you decide to really dig in and start reading the Bible for yourself, you will eventually come to parts that seem confusing or troubling.

Not everything God says in the Bible is easy. That shouldn’t come as a surprise though. By definition, God is infinite and humans are finite. Clearly, there will be times when human limitation will hin-der our understanding. But that doesn’t mean we should check our brains at the door.

Faith and Intelligence Can CoexistSomeone may have suggested to you that Bible-be-lieving people are less intellectual than nonreli-gious folks. To be sure, there are some really smart atheists. But there are intelligent people of faith too. Consider, for instance, John Donne, Isaac New-ton, René Descartes, Thomas Aquinas, Gregor Men-del, to name only a few.

It’s possible that you’ve met people who started out as Christian believers and lost their faith when they went to a university. But did you know that there are also atheists who had set out to disprove the Bible and ended up coming to faith during their investigation? Look into it. You may be surprised.

But the greatest example of a truly great mind who believed the Bible is Jesus. You might think of Jesus as a gentle, kind, and moral man. But have you ever noticed how smart He is?

Read the Gospels. Notice how the intellectual elite of Jesus’s day continually tried to stump or trap Him. Look at His responses. They are nothing short of witty and brilliant. And why not? Accord-ing to 1 Corinthians 1:24, Jesus is “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” He is the embodiment of wisdom itself!

Aren’t There Contradictions?If you read the Bible from start to finish, you may discover some things that seem contradictory.

Rest assured that none of these remotely affect the overall message of the book. Nevertheless, they can be troubling. Some people have discounted the whole Bible because these things don’t make sense to them—and that’s a pity.

Like any ancient text, the Bible contains parts that are difficult for modern readers. But when we come to understand more about ancient languages and cultures, and delve deeper into the context sur-rounding these hard passages, many of these in-consistencies disappear.

What about the Law?Most of us can see the rightness of certain Old Tes-tament laws, such as “You shall not murder” and “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13, 15). But what about those seemingly odd laws? Never wear cloth-ing woven from two different kinds of material. Avoid eating lobster. Don’t trim your beard. Are we supposed to obey all the laws? Some of them? None of them? Who decides?

These are great questions. Like many questions about the Bible, people have debated these issues for centuries. Although not everyone has reached the same conclusion, there are several interpretations that make sense. Again, understanding Bible-time culture helps. And reading the laws in the context of the New Testament also brings clarity. If these

I had been praying for a Bible study where I would get the meat of the Word and that’s what I got in Community Bible Study. I am forever grateful.

—Lynn Marie



questions concern you, why not study the Bible for yourself? It’s amazing how many questions get an-swered when we study with open minds and hearts.

Why the Violence?

Sooner or later in your Bible reading, you’ll come to passages that involve war and violence. You may wonder, What kind of God have we got here who de-stroys all these people? That’s a fair question. Like the other questions we’ve discussed, there are no quick or easy answers. Making peace with the bib-lical accounts of bloodshed requires patient and careful study.

Reading difficult passages in light of the rest of the Bible is always imperative. Understanding the cul-ture and practices—especially war practices—of the nations that surrounded Israel in Bible times is critical. And coming to terms with the relationships between sin and death, justice and mercy, evil and judgment, sovereignty and free will, and present and eternity is crucial.

Most important of all, is accepting the fact that when people do things their own way instead of God’s (the Bible calls this sin), things go awry. Sin re-sults in pain and death—always. If not right away, then down the road. If not here, then in eternity. There are no exceptions.

But be sure of this: God does not delight in people’s deaths (see Ezekiel 33:11). In fact, that’s why Jesus came. He didn’t come to the earth and become hu-man just so we could have an example of how to live. He came to the earth to deal with humankind’s sin problem. Jesus did this by dying the death that sinners deserve. Anyone who repents of their sin and accepts His sacrificial death on their behalf can live. Jesus, who was innocent in every way, suffered appalling violence when He died on the cross—but He died willingly, out of love for us.

What about Miracles?The Bible is full of miracles. Improbable as they seem, we can’t just ignore them. Take them away, and there is no message left. That’s because at the heart of Christianity we find these miracles:

• God became a man in Jesus.

• God raised Jesus from the dead.

Without these two miracles, the Christian faith is nothing more than a set of pious platitudes sup-ported by some common-sense advice.

It’s true that miracles contradict what we under-stand about nature and science. However, the laws of nature are simply generalizations about what usually happens. They don’t explain why something happens or why it should always happen. Scientific laws cannot, by definition, exclude the possibility of miracles. Of course, by their very nature, mira-cles are uncommon—but this doesn’t mean they never occur. The Bible presupposes that there is an all-powerful, wonder-working God. If that’s so, then we shouldn’t be surprised if He sometimes chooses to act outside of our boxes.

Talk to the AuthorOn one hand, the good news of Jesus Christ is so simple, even a child can understand it. But on the other, there’s no denying that parts of the Bible are challenging. Even the apostle Peter admitted that parts are difficult (see 2 Peter 3:16). And the apostle Paul said that the only “person” who can compre-hend God’s thoughts is the Spirit of God (see 1 Cor-inthians 2:11). However, God sent His Spirit into the world to teach us God’s truth. The same Spirit who inspired Scripture (see 2 Timothy 3:16) is available to help us interpret and understand it.

Don’t give up on the Bible because parts of it are hard to comprehend. Instead, ask God to help you. He will never turn away anyone who has a humble, seeking heart.

∙ 25 ∙


God’s Big IdeasGod’s amazing book contains a huge variety of information, from detailed

stories to specific instructions. We usually read or study only a small portion of it at any one time. As we look at the whole Bible, however, many themes

and overarching ideas emerge. This week we’ll look at some of those.

DAY 1—GOD’S AMAZING LOVE

1. Read John 3:16. This is probably the most famous verse in the Bible. What does it tell us about God, Jesus, and ourselves?

2. *People around the world have many different ideas about what God is like. Individuals who

haven’t read the Bible tend to focus on only one characteristic of God, so they don’t have a clear understanding of what He is like. Read the follow-ing verses, perhaps over several days, and think about what they show us of God’s character.

• Numbers 14:18; Psalm 145:8

• Job 37:23; Psalm 147:5

• Psalm 25:6; Ephesians 2:4

• Jeremiah 31:3; Lamentations 3:22

• 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16



DAY 2—GOD’S AMAZING WORLD

3. The incredible variety, masterful design, and intricate balance we see in the world around us all point to God’s mind-blowing creativity. Read Genesis 1:1 and Jeremiah 10:12. What does looking at the world and reading these verses make you think and feel?

DAY 3—GOD’S AMAZING POWER

4. Read Jeremiah 32:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; and Ephesians 1:19-20. What is God able to do by His power?

DAY 4—GOD’S AMAZING PEOPLE

5. God’s people are not perfect, but when they put their trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters their lives, and they begin to change in beautiful ways. Read Galatians 5:22-26. What might it be like to live in a community of people who are all growing in the ways these verses describe?

DAY 5—GOD’S AMAZING FUTURE PLAN

6. Read John 14:1-3 and Titus 2:11-13. No one knows exactly what God’s plan for the future is, but what can we learn about it from these verses?

7. Read Revelation 21:3-4. What trials—common in our world right now—will pass away when God’s amazing plan for the future is fulfilled?

8. When life gets hard and we struggle to find answers to our questions, how could looking forward to God’s amazing plan for the future give us hope and courage to keep going?


SESSION 6: GOD’S BIG IDEAS

∙ 27 ∙

The Bible is a book about God. Sure, it contains plenty about us,but ultimately it tells His story.

As we read God’s amazing book, we come away with a greater understanding of who He is and what He’s like. In this lesson, we’ll look at a handful of themes that describe just how awesome God is.

God’s Amazing LoveNearly every book of the Bible describes some as-pect of God’s incredible love. We learn that His love lasts forever. It is utterly reliable. It is beyond our understanding. And His love is very personal. The apostle John is only one of the biblical writers who wrote about God’s love.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation* for our sins. (1 John 4:7-10, em-phasis added)

God’s love is a deep part of His character. In fact, the Bible says He is the definition of what real love is. God’s love means that He is faithful, protective, just, and right in all He does. God’s love means that He is merciful to sinners. It is love that motivated Him to send Jesus to die in our place so we could live with Him in heaven forever.

God’s Amazing WorldAnother one of the Bible’s great ideas is the amaz-ing world He created. Psalm 19 describes the glori-ous universe He made.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night re-veals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (verses 19:1-4)

People have always wanted to know how our in-credible planet and universe came into being. The Bible tells us that God made it all from nothing, and that His power is what keeps it going. We learn that creation is God’s pride and joy. Genesis 1:31 says that when God saw everything He had made He de-clared that it was “very good.”

God’s Amazing PowerThe Bible often refers to God by the name Almighty. His power is another of the Bible’s big ideas. We call many things today awesome, but they are nothing compared to God’s power. We see God’s power in creation—who else can create something so mag-nificent out of nothing?

God’s power is displayed in many ways, not only in creation. For instance, we read about how He deter-mines the fate of nations. The prophet Daniel said,

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. (Daniel 2:20-21)

I lost my father one year back. And now I know I have a loving Father in heaven. He dwells in heaven but lives with me always. He speaks to me through His Word.

—Someshwar from India



*Propitiation means “to make atonement for, to reconcile us to God.”

By His power, God caused a virgin to conceive Je-sus, the Savior of the world. Understandably, Je-sus’s mother, Mary, wanted to know how this could be. The angel answered,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God…. For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:35-37)

God’s power is beyond any physical, mental, or spir-itual power ever known. Nothing in the past has been greater, nothing happening now can conquer it, and nothing that will happen in the future will destroy it.

God’s Amazing PeopleGod created people to live in community. When we follow Jesus, we become part of the community of God’s people. It’s a worldwide community that’s worked out locally, in groups of people who help one another live the Jesus way.

The first time we see Christians living in this type of community is in the book of Acts:

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrec-tion of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them. (4:32-34)

When believers are committed to helping and sup-porting each other, the church is an amazing force. It’s far more than an organization or a club. It’s a living community, strengthened by the Holy Spir-it to learn more about God, tell others about Jesus, and meet people’s needs. At its best, it will act like a magnet, drawing people to belong to it and to dis-cover Jesus for themselves.

God’s Amazing Future PlanHuman beings have a linear view of time—the past, the present, and then the future. This perspective is how we see eternity, like time as we know it, but going on forever. The Bible, however, presents an expanded view. Eternity is not only about its length but also about its quality. In John 6:47, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eter-nal life.” He was not simply saying that after we die we’ll live with Him forever in eternity. He was also describing a different kind of life than what we had known before we met Him.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 who prom-ises that goodness and mercy will surely follow us all the days of our lives. This is the quality of life now. But there’s more. Those who trust in Jesus will go on to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (verse 6). Physical death is not the end. Eternal life with God guarantees an eternity where everything is perfect, as God had intended it to be from the very beginning. And as Jesus followers, we can be-gin to know something of that quality 0f life now, as well as look forward to God’s amazing future that He has planned for us.

∙ 29 ∙


Meeting the AuthorOver the weeks of this study, we have seen that the Bible really is an

amazing book. It has many exciting stories, wise advice for good living, and a variety of ideas that make for good discussion and debate. But the best thing

about it is that we can actually meet the author!

DAY 1—A PERSONAL INVITATION

1. The Gospels and Acts tell us many stories of people who met the author. For each refer-ence, write something you notice about these encounters with Jesus.

Zacchaeus: Luke 19:1-9

The woman at the well: John 4:1-42

Saul/Paul: Acts 9:1-19

Cornelius: Acts 10:1-8, 19-48

The jailer in Philippi: Acts 16:16-34

2. Read Isaiah 55:1; John 6:37; and 7:37. What invi-tations did God give? What are some reasons people say yes? Why would some say no? What do you say?



DAY 2—FREEDOM FROM GUILT

3. The Bible, God’s Word, instructs us on how to live in harmony with Him and each other. When we rebel against His counsel, we mess everything up. All human beings have made mistakes and done things they know are wrong. This causes guilt. It also brings conse-quences that seriously affect peoples’ lives and relationships. But most important, it affects our relationship with God. Read Psalm 51:1-4. King David committed adultery. What stands out to you from his prayer of confession?

4. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has made a way for us to receive God’s forgive-ness and make a fresh start. Read 1 John 1:7-9. What is our part in being forgiven, and what is Jesus’s?

DAY 3—A NEW LIFE

5. Many people think they have to clean up their lives before coming to Jesus. But that’s back-ward. When we say yes to Jesus, He makes us new. Read Mark 2:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; and Ti-tus 3:5. What do you learn about this renewal?

DAY 4—WHEN TROUBLE COMES

6. Trouble? Yes, trouble. As Jesus’s follower, you can expect not only great things but also trouble. When we become His followers, people around us respond to us differently. Some are glad, others may make fun of us, and some will even be openly hostile. It was this way for Jesus Himself and for His first followers. Read John 15:18-19; 16:33; and 2 Timothy 3:12. What do these verses say about what a Christ follower can expect?

7. Perhaps people have been less than supportive when they found out you were in this study group. How does the prospect of trouble fit in with your idea of being a Christian?

DAY 5—HELP TO LIVE RIGHT

8. As Jesus gives us a new heart and a new mind, we actually start wanting to live His way. But that’s a tall order, and no one can do it simply by gritting their teeth and trying hard. The great news is that help is available. Read the following verses: John 14:15-17; Romans 8:26-27; and Philippians 2:13. What do you learn about the help Jesus offers?

SESSION 7: MEETING THE AUTHOR

∙ 31 ∙

Over the past few weeks, you’ve only begun to scratch the surface of why the Bible is so amazing. Every time you open the Bible, you’re likely to discover more reasons it’s so remarkable—it’s just that kind of book!

What’s most amazing about the Bible is that its au-thor, God—the Creator and ruler of the universe—invites you into a relationship with Him.

God Wants a Relationship with Me?It goes without saying that God doesn’t need us. He is more intelligent and powerful than anyone or anything else in the universe. He owns and rules everything, and He is perfect in every way. If God wants a relationship with hopelessly flawed hu-man beings, it’s clearly not because we’re so great—it’s because He is!

When God made the world, He filled it with people. But not because He was lonely or lacked anything. He did it because He is relational. He wants to share Himself—His love, kindness, goodness, wisdom—with the people He created, with you! When the earth was created, God strolled in the garden par-adise He had made for the first man and woman, and He talked with them.

But this first man and woman rebelled against God. He’d given them only one rule—just one—and they broke it. They didn’t trust God enough to fol-low His ways. As a result, they broke the fellowship between them and God.

That’s what sin does. Sin always causes pain and separation among individuals—whether it’s be-tween two people or between a person and God.

However, God still wanted a relationship. He loved the people He had made and didn’t want them to be separated from Him, even though they had be-trayed Him. So He took the first step to repair the relationship. From the earliest pages of the Bible, we see that God had promised a way to be recon-

ciled to Him. As you have learned, the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, ultimately made that reconciliation possible.

Okay, but How?Think about healthy human relationships. Even in the best of them, someone eventually is going to do something that hurts the other person. In a mature and strong relationship, when one person hurts another, both parties take steps to restore the relationship. The offender admits the wrong done and its damaging effects, asks for forgiveness, and promises to make an attempt to not repeat the hurtful behavior. Reparations or restitution may be offered to make things right. And the injured person, in return, offers forgiveness. If this process goes well, the relationship is renewed, and trust and intimacy can be restored.

It’s a little like that with our relationship with God. When we chose to do things our way instead of His, our willful actions damaged the relationship and separated us from Him. But unlike the human rela-tionship you read about above, this relationship is not between two flawed humans. With God, there’s no give-and-take where we take turns forgiving and asking forgiveness. In this relationship, we’re always the ones at fault. God never is.

The Word of God we studied in Ephesians chapter 1 helped me to commit my life to Jesus. I learnt how to pray and to remain in Jesus Christ.

—CBS Participant in Malaysia



To make matters even more difficult, it’s often hard for us to admit our wrong because we know that we will never measure up to God’s standards. We’ll always fall short. And we know that there is no res-titution we could ever make for the damage we’ve done to the relationship. After all, what payment could a finite human ever offer to make things right with an infinite God?

But God knew all this. Before He ever created the first human being, He knew that humans would be disloyal to Him. So He had a plan. Before the foun-dation of the world, He had already planned to send His only Son, Jesus, into the world to live the perfect life we could never live. And then, Jesus willingly gave up His life to redeem us and pay the price for our salvation. It’s as if we were on death row and He volunteered to die in our place. There’s nothing we could ever do to make restitution to God—but the precious life of His perfect Son was enough. John 3:16 says it this way: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

So you see, the payment has already been made. All that remains for us to do is this:

• Admit to God that we have sinned against Him.

• Ask for His forgiveness.

• Believe that forgiveness truly is possible because of what Jesus did for us.

If you do and believe these things, you can also tell Him that, with His help, you will not repeat the hurtful behaviors that had separated you from Him in the first place. How can you make such an auda-cious promise? That’s what we’ll talk about next.

Say Yes to a Personal RelationshipWhen you put your trust in Jesus, you become part of God’s family. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” As God’s child, you have all the benefits of a Father-child relationship. God pledges to help you, teach you, defend you, and take care of you. He promises to be with you and to never leave you, no matter what.

Of course, you can’t see Him—God is Spirit, after all. So how is this possible? Well, here’s one more amaz-ing thing: God actually sends His Spirit to take up residence in you! Way back in Old Testament times, God foretold this through His prophet Ezekiel:

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will re-move the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26-28)

When you say yes to God’s invitation, He not only forgives and welcomes you into His family. He also gives you power to enjoy the life He has created for you. He doesn’t leave you alone to figure out how to live His way or what to do when trouble comes. God, through His Spirit, comes into your life, walk-ing and talking with you, helping you enjoy the companionship He made you for.

There’s way more to it than these few words can ex-plain. But there’s a whole book about it that can help you learn everything you need to know about this new life. It’s called the Bible. And as you are surely realizing by now, it truly is God’s amazing book!

CBS-GAB-V1M

Documents

The Bible Bible God's Amazing... · 2019-06-25 · ∙ 7 ∙ THE BIBLE: GOD’S AMAZING BOOK • SESSION 1 God’s Amazing Book No one in their right mind would doubt that the Bi