Tawa Baptist

God Remembers

Scripture: Genesis 8:1-19

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God remembers
  • Noah waits
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Can anyone tell me, what is the word we use to describe the point at which a seesaw balances? I’ll give you a couple of seconds. [Wait]

That’s right, the point at which a seesaw balances, is called a fulcrum  

We find fulcrums everywhere. The hinge in a door is a fulcrum. Likewise, your hip, knee and shoulder joints act as fulcrums for your bones. A fulcrum allows movement and change.

The word ‘fulcrum’ can also be used metaphorically to refer to a person or thing that plays an essential (or pivotal) role in an activity or situation. For example, a teacher may be described as a fulcrum for a student’s learning or a common love of fishing might be the fulcrum for a friendship. This microphone is a fulcrum for my voice.  

Today we continue our series on the story of Noah and the great flood.

Last Sunday we heard how God instructed Noah to enter the ark, with the animals, and then the flood came.  This morning’s passage (Genesis 8) is a fulcrum passage – the rain stops and the flood waters recede. Everything pivots on God remembering Noah.

From Genesis chapter 8, verses 1-19, we read…

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth,and the waters receded. 2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavenshad been closed, and the rainhad stopped falling from the sky. 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty daysthe water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh monththe ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.

6 After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven,and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

13 By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second monththe earth was completely dry.

15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”

18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us

There are two things I want to highlight from this morning’s Bible reading: God’s remembering and Noah’s waiting. First let’s consider God’s remembering. God’s remembering is the fulcrum which changes things for the better.

God remembers:

There’s a programme on TV 1 called The Repair Shop. In this programme people bring along a family heirloom or some other beloved belonging that has seen better days and leave it with a group of craftspeople who restore the old item to something close to its former glory.

It might be an antique bicycle or a teddy bear or a doll or a clock and the workers at the repair shop re-member it – they literally put it back together the way it used to be. The show normally ends with the grateful owner looking at their treasured object, with tears in their eyes, amazed at the wonderful work that has been done in restoring it.

When reading the Bible, we need to keep in mind that the words we read (in English) are a translation and something of the meaning is often lost in the process of translation. The word remember is a classic example.

We tend to equate remembering with recalling a thought we had previously forgotten. For us, remembering is generally a mental exercise and nothing more. But for the ancient Hebrew people (who wrote the Old Testament) remembering was far more than recalling something in your head. Remembering involved actually doing something practical. Remembering may start in your mind but it’s supposed to find expression in your hands and feet.

In the Old Testament remembering is more akin to repairing, restoring, regathering, repenting and renewing. Putting things back together again, the way they are supposed to be – sort of like they do in The Repair Shop.

To use another example, if you cut your finger off, then you literally re-member your finger by having a surgeon sew it back on your hand.

When God gave Moses the 10 commandments, the Lord framed the fourth commandment by saying: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…”

Remembering here doesn’t just mean recalling something in your head. Remembering is an act of obedience; ceasing work to allow your body, soul and relationships to be restored or repaired. The Sabbath is a kind of Repair Shop for the human soul. On the Sabbath, we re-member what’s important. We put our perspective and priorities and relationships back together in the right place.

The Old Testament concept of remembering isn’t totally foreign to us though. To some extent we still remember in the way the ancients used to.

If someone in your family has a birthday, you remember them by buying them a present or baking them a cake.

Or if one of your friends ends up in hospital, you remember them by visiting and cheering them up.

Or you might remember the poor by sponsoring a child through World Vision or donating to a food bank.

We remember the environment by recycling and reducing our carbon footprint.

And you remember your marriage vows by staying faithful to your partner in marriage.

The establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1975 was one way the NZ government sought to practically remember the Treaty; by providing a means for Maori to find resolution for Treaty grievances.

During lockdown we remembered our neighbours by observing physical distancing and phoning people to check up on them.        

Later in the service today we will share communion together. When Jesus instituted communion he said, ‘Do this to remember me’. By remember me he didn’t just mean, ‘think about me in your head’. He meant re-member my body, the church. As in, come back together (regather) as a community of faith. The fact that we actually do something physical when we share communion (like eating and drinking) shows that Biblical remembering is more than just a mental exercise.  

Communion is the sign of the new covenant with God, established by Jesus. Therefore, to remember Jesus is to keep the new covenant. It is to maintain our obedience of faith in Jesus. And where we have messed up, remembering means repenting and putting things right. To remember Jesus is to ensure he remains in his proper place as Lord of our lives.

Genesis 8, verse 1, is the fulcrum verse in the account of Noah and the flood.

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth,and the waters receded.

This is the pivotal verse. It is God’s remembering that changes the situation. From this point onwards the destruction of God’s judgement swings the other way toward renewal and a fresh start for creation.

It’s not that God had forgotten about Noah and the animals in the ark. God was mindful of them the whole time. As Derek Kidner observes, God’s remembering combines the ideas of faithful love and timely intervention. [1]

God’s remembering of Noah is expressed in a real and physical way by his stopping the rain and sending a wind to dry up the waters. Those of you who are familiar with the creation account in Genesis 1 will recognise the parallels. Verse 2 of Genesis 1 tells us that in the beginning, the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit (or wind) of God was hovering over the waters. The flood waters represent chaos. God’s remembering of his creation restores order to the chaos. Noah is the new Adam. 

There are other parallels with Genesis 1 as well, but I’ll let you figure those out for yourself. 

One of the things we notice about God’s remembering here is that it is a process. God’s remembering doesn’t necessarily produce instantaneous results. It’s not like God clicked his fingers and, voila, the water instantly disappeared. No. It took months for the water to steadily recede, for the land to dry out and the vegetation to regrow. In the meantime, Noah had to wait.

Noah waits:

What we notice about Noah’s waiting is that it is purposeful and not passive. Noah isn’t just sitting there in the ark, with the animals, twiddling his thumbs. He’s not just waiting for the water to go down. Noah is waiting for God to give him the green light to leave. Noah’s waiting is purposeful, not passive.

You may have heard of the marshmallow experiments, conducted by Stanford University in the 1970’s. In these experiments a child was put in a room with a marshmallow in front of them and told that if they waited until the grown up came back they could have a second marshmallow. So, it was either one now or two later.

Subsequent marshmallow studies showed that trust was one of the main reasons children would wait for a second marshmallow. If the child was led to mistrust the adult doing the experiment, they would grab the marshmallow sooner. But if they were led to trust the adult they were more likely to wait. 

Noah may have been like one of those kids who could wait long enough for the extra marshmallow. Noah was able to wait because he trusted God. He knew God was reliable and would deliver.    

Noah’s waiting was purposeful, not passive. It was resourceful, not resentful. He demonstrated patience and meekness in waiting. His heart is to trust and obey God.

I’ve spoken about meekness before. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is power under control. In fact, meekness requires great strength of character as it combines gentleness with self-control. And we know what Jesus said about the meek: they shall inherit the earth. In other words, they get the marshmallow in the end. Noah certainly inherited the earth.

Although Noah had many opportunities to leave the ark, he waited until God said it was okay to leave.

When the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, in the Lake Van region of Eastern Turkey, Noah had been on board for about 150 days, which is around 5 months. That’s a long time to wait in cramped and smelly conditions. As the water receded and land became visible, it would have been tempting for Noah to get out for some fresh air and to stretch his legs but he doesn’t. Instead Noah waits for God, for another 150 days.

Like I keep saying, Noah’s waiting was not passive. Noah’s waiting was purposeful and active. Noah looked forward in hope and anticipation to the time when God would set the captives free from the darkness of the ark.

We see Noah’s hopeful anticipation in what he does while he waits. Noah does three things: he opens a window, he sends out birds to test the waters and he takes the roof off.

Studies have shown how prisoners, with a window in their cell, tend to maintain better mental health than prisoners who have no window.    

Verse 6 of Genesis 8 tells how Noah opens the window he had made in the ark. Sometimes we might feel like God has forgotten us. Sometimes the winter of our discontent seems to drag on and on. Sometimes our prayers seem to go unanswered and our faithfulness unrewarded. We may feel like God is absent and we are in the dark. When it feels like that, open a window. Let some light in so you can see. Let some air flow through so you can breathe. Slow down. Let yourself look at the mountain tops. Dream a little. Recover a sense of the bigger picture. Let your perspective return.    

Verses 7-11 describe how Noah sends out first a raven and then a dove to do some recon-nascence for him. The raven doesn’t bring him any good news, so he sends out a dove. In verse 9 we read: But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.

That last sentence there shows us something of Noah’s gentleness with the dove; reaching out his hand to bring the dove back into the ark. It provides a beautiful picture of a man who cares about God’s creatures in a personal way. Noah is a greeny – perhaps a bit like the character Cooch, in Murray Ball’s cartoon Footrot Flats.

Seven days later Noah sends the dove out a second time. This time it returns with an olive leaf in its beak. Olive trees are very hardy – they are difficult to kill. They are the kind of tree that survives a flood. The fresh foliage is a sign that the vegetation is recovering, so the animals will have something to eat.

A week later when Noah sent the dove out it did not return, which showed that God’s renewal of the land was almost complete. But still Noah waits for God’s word.

The dove over the flood waters reminds us of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus over the waters of the Jordan river, after Jesus’ baptism. [2] Just as Noah’s dove proves itself sensitive and discerning, a guide to those waiting for God’s new creation, so too the Holy Spirit is like a dove to us; sensitive and discerning, gently guiding us as we wait for the new creation Jesus brings.

The third thing Noah does, as he waits in hopeful expectation of God’s renewal, is he removes the covering of the ark. He takes the roof off in other words. This is a quiet act of courageous faith on Noah’s part. To remove the covering is to take a risk and make oneself vulnerable. What if the rain started again? Removing the roof is a statement that Noah believes the storm will not return.

Taking off the roof also allows Noah to get a broader view of the situation than his little window afforded him. Even though Noah could see the ground was dry, he still does not disembark. Noah continues to wait for the word of the Lord and finally God says to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark and let the animals out too…’ and Noah obeyed God.

Conclusion:

You know, in some ways, our experience of lockdown was similar to Noah’s experience as he waited in the ark. Like Noah, our waiting was purposeful, not passive. We weren’t as restricted as Noah was of course, but we did have our wings clipped. Our recent experience gives us some understanding for Noah’s situation and his waiting.

While I don’t want to talk too soon, it seems that God has remembered us here in New Zealand. Relative to the rest of the world we have much to be thankful for.

Globally though, the world is still in a time of waiting for the ‘flood’ of new COVID cases to recede. We pray for the fulcrum of God’s mercy.     

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

What does the Bible mean by remembering? How is this different from the way we (today) tend to think of remembering?

What happened as a result of God remembering Noah and the animals in the ark?   

What parallels do we notice between the account of creation in Genesis 1 and the renewal of creation in Genesis 8?

How do you feel about waiting? Is it something you find easy or hard? Why is that do you think?

What helped Noah in his waiting? (What did he do?) What might help us in our waiting? For example; when we feel trapped in a dark place, how might we open a window to the let the light and air in?

In what ways does Noah’s dove point to the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism?

Is there someone or something you need to remember, in the Biblical sense of that word? What might this mean you need to do?

[1] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on Genesis, page 92. 

[2] Refer to Luke 3:22 for an account of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus at his baptism.

Tawa Baptist

God’s Word in the Bible

(Scroll down to read Guidelines for reading the Bible)

Key Idea: The Bible is like a bag of groceries – it holds the Word of God

 

This morning we are thinking about the Bible

–         There are many things we could say about the Bible but I’m not going to try and say everything today

–         This morning I want to focus on just one image of the Bible

–         The Bible is like a bag of groceries

–         Just as a bag of groceries holds food, so too the Bible holds the Word of God – the Word of God is like food for our soul

–         The Bible opens up a whole New World to us

 

In Matthew 4, verse 4, Jesus says: “Human beings don’t live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”

–         Which is another way of saying we don’t just need bread to survive, we also need the Word of God

–         Bread feeds our body and the Word of God feeds our soul

–         Just as food gives us strength and nourishment and comfort – it makes us feel good and keeps us healthy

–         So too the Word of God (found in the Bible) strengthens and comforts our soul, keeping our heart & mind healthy

 

Let me show you what I’ve got here in this bag of groceries

–         Here we have some vegetables – potatoes, carrots and an onion

–         Some fruit – apples, bananas and a lemon

–         As well as some bread & butter, some nuts, baked beans and chocolate

When we eat food we try to get a balance in our diet – it’s the same with reading the Bible, we need a balanced and varied diet of Scripture

–         Just as my bag of groceries contains a variety of different kinds of food, so too the Bible contains a variety of different kinds of words & books

Some of the words in the Bible are really old laws, like the 10 commandments – do not steal, do not lie, do not covet and so on

–         Sometimes reading the law is a bit like eating your vegetables – you know it’s good for you but you would rather be eating ice-cream or bacon

Other parts of the Bible contain poetry and song lyrics, like the psalms or the Song of Solomon

–         Some of the poetry is sweet to read, like eating apples or grapes

–         And other pieces of poetry are bitter or sour, like lemons or onions

–         All these different types of writing add flavour to the Bible

 

Now you can see here that some of the items of food can be eaten as they are, raw and without preparation

–         For example, apples don’t need to be cooked or peeled or anything like that – you can put this apple straight in your mouth and chew

–         But other items of food need to be prepared before you can eat them

–         For example, the potatoes need to be boiled or baked

–         And before you can eat nuts you need to remove the shell

–         Or before you eat a banana you need to peel the skin

–         Or before you eat baked beans you need to open the can & heat the beans

Reading the Bible is bit like that too

–         There are some passages in the Bible which you can simply listen to and understand without removing the skin or cooking them first

–         But there are other passages that need some preparation before they can be understood

–         The book of Revelation needs a lot of preparation before it can be understood – reading Revelation raw, without any knowledge of the rest of the Bible or without any awareness of the context in which it was written, will probably make you sick, like eating raw chicken

–         Some parts of the Bible are a bit like nuts in that you have to crack them open before you can eat them – the meaning isn’t always obvious at first

Whether food needs preparation or not, it always needs chewing before swallowing and once it has been swallowed it needs time to digest

–         It’s similar with reading the Bible – if it doesn’t make sense straight away, don’t panic and don’t give up. Take your time with it…

o   Ask God to help you understand what he is saying,

o   Chew it over in your mind,

o   Think about the context in which it was written and what the original purpose was,

o   Talk about it with other Christians, get another perspective

o   Give it time to digest – the meaning will come

 

The Bible is like a bag of groceries – it holds the Word of God

At a basic level we eat for our health, so that we don’t get sick or starve

–         But we also eat for enjoyment and comfort

–         So when you sit down to read the Bible, don’t think of it like a chore or a duty or a rule that you have to follow to try and keep God happy

–         Think of it as something you do for the well-being of your soul and for pleasure – enjoy it like you would a bowl of macaroni cheese or a piece of chocolate or whatever it is you enjoy eating

 

We’ve talked about the fruit and veges and nuts of the Bible, but the bread & butter of the Bible is stories

–         The Bible is full of stories about people and Jesus and God

–         Stories feed our soul with meaning and purpose

–         A Bible story has the power to help us to make sense of our lives

–         Some of the people in the Bible might be similar to us in some way and so we can identify with them

–         Their story is sort of like our story and so we feel close to them

–         It’s like they have faced the same sort of challenges we are facing and that makes us feel less alone, more brave

 

There’s a young girl named Sadie whose favourite Bible story is the one about David & Goliath [1]

–         Sadie likes David because David is a bit like her – he is young and small and he faced a giant

–         The story of David & Goliath helped her when someone bigger at school was mean to her

–         David gave her courage not to be afraid but to speak up for what is right and to get help from a teacher

–         Because she was like David, and God was with David, Sadie believes that God is by her side also

My question to you this morning is: what is your favourite Bible story and why?

–         What story feeds your soul and comforts you?

–         What story is similar to yours?

–         Who is it that inspires you to be brave?

 

Jesus said “I am the bread of life”

–         Which is another way of saying that Jesus is the Word of God who feeds our soul – we can find strength and comfort in Jesus. Let us pray… 

Father God, we thank you for the Bible. Help us to be nourished and comforted as we feed on your Word

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we pray for those who are hungry or sad. May you satisfy the needs of body & soul

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we pray for those affected by natural disasters in Japan, America, the Philippians and other parts of the world. Lord have mercy.

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. May they be aware of your nearness and grace.

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we pray for those who feel scared or alone. May you give courage and friendship

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we pray for those who haven’t read the Bible or don’t know the true story about Jesus. Bring your Word in season

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life

Father God, we are sorry for the times when we have ignored your Word by neglecting justice & mercy. Give us strength to do what is right

–         Jesus, you are the bread of life. Amen.

 

Following are some guidelines for how we might read and understand the Bible, as well as some practical exercises that you can try…

Some guidelines for reading the Bible

Pray

Reading the Bible is part of an on-going conversation with God. Before you start, ask God to help you understand what you are reading so you can discern what is meant for you and what isn’t. Not everything you read will specifically apply to you at the time, but some things might.

 

Jesus

Jesus is the central organising principle and person of the Bible. From a Christian perspective the main point of the Bible is Jesus. He is like the hub which holds the wheel together. The Old Testament points to Jesus and the New Testament reveals Jesus. Jesus Christ is the lens through which we understand the Scriptures. He is the living Word of God, the common thread, woven through the Bible.

 

Context

Context is the key to unlocking meaning. The Bible was written thousands of years ago on the other side of the world (the Ancient Near East). Therefore to understand what a passage of Scripture is saying we need to be mindful of the historical and cultural context in which the text was written. We may approach the Bible with our own 21st Century scientific thinking but that is not necessarily how people in the ancient world thought. The questions we are asking today may not be the same as the questions the Bible seeks to answer. We have to allow the Bible to speak on its own terms.

To get a handle on the context of a particular passage of Scripture, ask yourself the following:

–         What was the situation of the person writing this piece of Scripture?

–         What was the situation of the original intended audience?

–         Is their situation similar to mine or different?

o   If it is similar, then in what way?

o   If it is quite different then perhaps this passage does not have a direct or specific application to my life at this time.

–         What was the purpose of the author in writing?

–         What meaning would the original audience have got from what was written?

You may need a Biblical commentary to answer these sorts of questions

 

Scripture interprets Scripture

This principle is closely related to context. The various books of the Bible are inter-related. The Bible has its own internal integrity. If the meaning of a particular passage or word is unclear we can often (although not always) find clarity by comparing it to another part of the Bible which talks about the same or similar things.  Ask yourself:

–         What are the verses around my chosen text saying? (That is, widen the lens of your focus to read what comes immediately before and after)

–         What do other Bible passages, which deal with a similar idea or theme, say about this?

 

Scripture interprets us

While we may think we are interpreting the Bible, we often discover the Bible is interpreting us. By which I mean, our responses / interpretations of the Bible often reveal more about the way we think, and what we value, than anything else. If we find ourselves reacting strongly against something we read, we need to ask ourselves why that is? Reading the Bible requires some self-awareness.

 

Humility

We need to approach the Bible with humility by recognising there are limits to our understanding. For example, we weren’t there at the beginning when God created the cosmos so we should be careful not to become too entrenched in our views about the age of the earth, etc. Likewise we live within the confines of time so we don’t really have suitable categories for understanding eternity. Therefore we shouldn’t claim to know the temperature of hell or the furniture of heaven.  While there are some things we know to be true and can rely on we don’t see the full picture. Only God knows the whole truth.

 

Read Scripture in conversation with other believers

Talk about your understanding (or misunderstanding) of the Bible with other Christians. Ask those you trust what they think of your interpretation or application and whether you are on the right track or not. We need the perspective that others can bring. We can get this perspective by participating in a Bible study group and/or by reading Biblical commentaries written by reputable scholars.

 

Apply what you can

True understanding comes with experience. To know something in more than an intellectual (head knowledge) sort of way we need to put it into practice. For example, to really understand the release of forgiveness we have to realise our own mistakes and receive forgiveness. We also need to forgive others. Or, to understand what it means to be ‘poor in spirit’ we have to plumb the depths and reach the end of our own resources.

 

Be patient

Give it time. We can’t expect to understand everything all at once. The Word of God is like a seed. It gets under our skin and takes root in our heart & mind, growing while we don’t notice. Jesus tells us that one of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into truth. If we read the Bible in good faith and with an open heart the Spirit will shine light as we need it.

What’s more, there are layers of meaning in Scripture. The same Scripture can mean different things to us at different points in our life, depending on our experiences or circumstances at the time. It truly is a book that goes on giving.          

 

Some practical strategies for a devotional reading of Scripture

Listen to an audio recording of one of the shorter books of the Bible

The majority experience of early Christians was to hear the Scriptures read aloud. Hearing a whole New Testament letter or a whole gospel read out loud, in one sitting, gives a different perspective than just reading one or two chapters silently in our head. If you don’t have access to an audio recording you could read the Bible aloud to yourself or take it turns to read it aloud in a small group.

 

Meditate on a verse or a brief passage about Jesus

Put aside 20-40 minutes when you can be on your own, undisturbed. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the Scriptures you are reading. Start reading through one of the gospels. Take your time. When you come to a particular verse or passage that stands out to you or touches you in some way, pause over it. Read it over again slowly and carefully several times. Let it sink in. When you are ready ask yourself…

–         What does this mean?

–         What is God (or Jesus) saying about himself?

–         Why am I drawn to this verse?

–         What experience in my own life does this passage put me in touch with?

–         What might God be saying to me through this verse or passage?

–         Write down your thoughts in a journal

–         After a few days come back to the verse and to what you have written in your journal.

o   Have your thoughts and feelings changed?

o   Do you have anything more to add to your journal?

o   Is there anything further you need to do – like, share this with a trusted friend or take some action?

 

Imagine yourself in the story

Read a Bible story. For example, the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Imagine yourself in that story. That is, imagine yourself as the younger son, then as the older son, then as the father. Ask yourself…

–         How do I feel as the younger son (or daughter) returning home?

–         How do I feel as the older son (or daughter) standing outside the party?

–         How do I feel as the father (or mother) welcoming the younger child?

–         How do I feel as the father (or mother) when the older child speaks to me with such contempt?

–         Have I ever actually been in any of these situations in real life?

–         Who do I identify with most?

–         Where is God / Jesus in this story?

–         What is the Holy Spirit revealing to me about God, or myself, or others, through this story?

 

Compare a range of translations

Choose a psalm or the beatitudes or something similar. Look up the same psalm or passage in four or five different translations. You can do this on line if you don’t have several translations to hand. Compare and contrast the different translations. Ask yourself…

–         How are they different?

–         How are they the same?

–         What different nuances, perspectives or layers of meaning do each of the translations reveal

 

Read a book of the Bible alongside a commentary

Choose a particular book of the Bible to read. For example, the gospel of John or Isaiah. Get yourself a decent commentary on that book. You can order commentaries online. (The Bible Speaks Today series is generally easy to read with solid research behind it.) Read a chapter (give or take) of the Biblical book you have chosen each day and then read what the commentary is saying about that passage. Ask yourself…

–         What difference does this make to my understanding?

–         What do I agree with?

–         What am I struggling with?

–         Does the context of the Bible passage relate to us today in anyway? How?

You could do this exercise on your own or in a small group with one or two others. If you find that an academic commentary is too difficult to understand then Scripture Union provide a range of short Bible study notes designed to support a daily rhythm of Scripture reading.  The Scripture Union notes also offer a varied diet of Scripture over time.

 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this sermon?

2.)    In what sense is the Bible like a bag of groceries?

3.)    What are your Bible reading rhythms / habits like?

4.)    How might we get a balanced diet of Scripture?

5.)    What can we do to crack open the meaning of Scripture?

6.)    How might you know whether a particular verse or passage of Scripture is God’s Word for you personally?

–         Have you ever had the experience of God speaking to you directly through the Bible?

–         How did you know it was God? What did God say? How did you respond?

7.)    What is your favourite Bible story (or character) and why?

8.)    Try one of the devotional Bible reading exercises above.

 

[1] https://biblesociety.org.nz/discover-the-bible/the-bible-good-for-life/