Staring into the Truth

Here are the details from our discussions this past Sunday (9/22).  As you discern the Truth from the passage and look more deeply at it, the following additions can guide your thinking as you meditate.  

Truth: Discerning truth in and through the Word of God (3-5min)

Read your chosen meditation verse.   Write down a thought about something glorious the verse communicates about God or His plan and work in Jesus.  Praise God for this truth, and thank him for the ability and opportunity to think deeply about it.  Consider the following as well to enhance your study:

-        What is the context of the verse under study?  (what’s happening in the chapters and verses around your verse or passage?)

-        How does this Truth harmonize with the rest of Scripture? (where do you see other instances of this Truth in the Bible?)

-        How is this Truth revealed in its fullness in Christ?  (how does this Truth look through the lens of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus?)

Our verse for this week is John 17:17  “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” 

Have fun; delight in him; do the questions more than once; memorize it!

See you Sunday!

AD

Our first assignment - for 9/22

Go through the five elements on the following.  Also consider memorizing it this week or doing the exercise more than once.  Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Sunday.  

Week 1 (9/15 - for class on 9/22) – Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

A few reflections as I worked through the assignment this morning:

 - I was surprised by the silence in my head.  That is, I'm so poor at thinking hard about Truth that when I sat down to it, there was a lot of dead space in my thinking process.  I'm so grateful to learn this skill so that I can follow a train of thought that unlocks the Truth and encourages me to stare at it.  

 - I was also taken back by how much I wanted to make the exercise practical.  I desperately wanted to understand what immediate benefit I would receive from taking my time to do this.  God himself was not enough.  I wanted a more practical goal.  Shame on me.  

 - As I moved through the exercise, I found my language went from thinking and writing about God to writing TO him.  ('he' and 'him' and 'they' became 'you' and 'me')  Pretty cool.  

AD

Welcome to the class!

Lord willing, this will be an adventure for us - meditating on God's word and together growing in the skill of BM while growing in our love for Jesus and his Word.

Here are the five elements:

Preparation: Focusing your heart and mind so as to meet with God (5min)

Read Isaiah 66:2 out loud.  Then, pray through it – pausing with each phase to offer praise and thanks to God and to ask for his help in understanding his Truth in his Word.  Read 1 Corinthians 1:18.  Pray.  Remember who you are without God.   Rest your heart in the promises of who you are in Christ and reject anything that would keep you from moving toward him in love. 

Truth: Discerning truth in and through the Word of God (3-5min)

Read your chosen meditation verse.   Write down a thought about something glorious the verse communicates about God or His plan and work in Jesus.  Praise God for this truth, and thank him for the ability and opportunity to think deeply about it.

Wonder: Loving God and enjoying him for and in this truth (5-10min)

Think about and write down how you see or have seen this truth’s beauty in the world.  Consider and write down what it will look like when this truth is realized completely and perfectly.  Ponder and write down how you see this truth displayed in the life and death of Jesus.

Opposition: Wrestling with our limited experience and display of this truth (5-10min)

Think about and write down how this truth is obscured by sin and the devil.  Consider and write down what it would look like for this truth to be totally removed.  Ponder and write down how the life, death and resurrection of Jesus overcomes the lies that hide this truth.

Action: Preparing to respond or change in light of this truth (3-5min)

What one, specific good work related to this meditation might you perform to express your love for God?  Or, what one, specific sinful practice related to this meditation do you want to repent of and kill?

Also don't forget our few ground rules:
 - nervous or concerned about this class, come anyway!
 - didn't do the assignment?  Come anyway but don't share, just listen.
 - preparation will begin at 8:55.  If it doesn't, we can blame Clint!
 - consider how you might be involved or lead beyond our short time together.

Bill Vass discovered this great definition of Biblical Meditation out there on the web (Gotquestions.org of all places).

True Christian meditation is an active thought process whereby we give ourselves to the study of the Word, praying over it and asking God to give us understanding by the Spirit, who has promised to lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13). Then we put this truth into practice, committing ourselves to the Scriptures as the rule for life and practice as we go about our daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as we are taught by His Holy Spirit.


 Let's get started!