Biblical Preaching and Teaching

II Timothy 3:1-17

David Fitzgerald – April 21, 2013

 

Theme: Biblical Preaching and Teaching: in every Sermon and Bible study, taking the main point of a Biblical text and making it the main point of the sermon or Bible study, and applying that point in practical ways to life. It is possible to be creative and use various methods to convey that Biblical truth, but it must always be based upon a properly interpreted passage of Scripture, and the reading and teaching of scripture must be central in the sermon or Bible study both in worship services and in small groups.

2Timothy 3:1-17

Marks of the Last Days (3:1-9)

(1)  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

(2)  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

(3)  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

(4)  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

(5)  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

(6)  For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

(7)  always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

(8)  Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;

(9)  but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Following Paul’s Example (3:10-13)

(10)  But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,

(11)  persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

(12)  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

(13)  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

 

The Scripture is Central for our Faith and Practice (3:14-17)

(14)  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

(15)  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

(16)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

(17)  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

What is Verbal Inspiration?

·      It is not the idea of inspiration like we often use it today as when an artist or an author is “inspired” (motivated) to do a work of creativity.

·      It does not mean that the Holy Spirit mechanically dictated (controlled) the writers of Scripture as passive instruments to compose the Bible, except of course the sections of Scripture where he directly told them verbally what to explicitly say such as in the case of Moses on Mount Sinai, Jeremiah and Baruch (Jeremiah 36), or John in the Book of Revelation.

·      God spoke through the authors of the Bible using their own personalities, backgrounds, and styles of writing in such a way that the end product was exactly what God wanted to say without error.

 

Passages Teaching the Doctrine of Inspiration

·      Jesus spent three years teaching his disciples. He was known as Rabi, Teacher. The Holy Spirit continues the work of teaching the apostles after Jesus left this world. There is a consistency in the message of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15).

 

John 16:12-15

(12)  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

(13)  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

(14)  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

(15)  All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

 

·      The hidden things of God ordained before the foundation of the world were revealed to the writers of Scripture through the Holy Spirit. This passage teaches both the fact of the inspiration of Scripture working through Paul and the apostles as well as the necessity for illumination of the Holy Spirit in the understanding and interpretation of Scripture for believers (I Corinthians 2:6-16).

 

I Corinthians 2:6-16

(6)  However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

(7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

(8)  which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

(9)  But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."

(10)  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

(11)  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

(12)  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

(13)  These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

(14)  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

(15)  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

(16)  For "WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE MAY INSTRUCT HIM?" But we have the mind of Christ.

 

·      This passage teaches that every Scripture originates from God (θεόπνευστος God breathed), and teaches us of the practical benefit that Scripture plays in our lives to be equipped for service (II Timothy 3:14-16).

o  For doctrine (πρὸς διδασκαλίαν) teaching

o  Reproof (ἐλεγμόν) conviction

o  Correction (ἐπανόρθωσιν) Restoring to an upright state (ὀρθός erect) setting right.

o  Instruction (παιδείαν) chastisement or discipline.

 

II Timothy 3:14-17

(14)  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

(15)  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

(16)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

(17)  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

·      This is Peter’s testimony of the Mount of Transfiguration incident. Scripture did not originate through human beings, but through the moving of the Holy Spirit. This gives us assurance in the face of doubt in the validity of Scripture (II Peter 1:16-21).

 

II Peter 1:16-21

(16)  For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

(17)  For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(18)  And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

(19)  And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

(20)  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

(21)  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

 

“Open my eyes, that I may see

     Wondrous things from Your law.”      -Psalms 119:18

                                        

Definition: Illumination is the Divine ability to understand God’s word through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is possible to know facts about the Bible (knowledge) without the spiritual discernment (wisdom) to know what they mean.

 

God’s Wisdom - I Corinthians 2:6-16

·       Spiritual Wisdom is Divine in origin before the foundation of the world (2:6-9& Proverbs 8:22-31)

·       God’s Wisdom is Given through the Spirit and involves verbal communication (2:10-12)

·       God’s Wisdom is illuminated through the Spirit (2:13-16)

·       Illumination is inhibited by Sin (3:1-3)

 

Preparing Yourself for Allowing God to Speak

·       Set aside a regular time and place where you can focus (Psalms 1:1-3, Luke 4:1,4, 4:42, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18,29).

·       Start with a clean heart through Confession (Matthew 6:14, I John 1:8).

·       Pray for illumination (Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21).

·       Personally Investigate the Bible itself and not what others have said about the Bible (Acts 17:10-11).

·       Make your investigation Consisitent and Systematic 3:14-17).

 

Two Extremes to Avoid

1.   Cocooning: Media is of no use at all or evil and should be avoided altogether.

2.   Saturation: Media is everything and replaces personal, face-to-face relationships and causing one to neglect one’s relationship with God. It becomes a monster that consumes all of one’s time and energy.

 

The Median Changes but the Message does and should stay the same

 

•      Tablets of Stone etched with the finger of God and given to Moses to read to the people (Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 9:10).

•      Scrolls probably using Papyrus or other material copied one at a time by hand.

•       Books after the invention of the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450.

•      E-Readers and computers using U-Version or other software.

•      Jesus said: For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:18).

 

MR. UNIVERSE
You can't stop the signal, Mal. Everything goes somewhere, and I go everywhere.
(In the movie Serenity in reference to the way electronic signals can’t be stopped)

How to Study the Bible

Worksheet

 

“Wonderful things in the Scripture we see. Most of them put there by you and by me.”                                                                                       -Irish Ditty

 

Observation: What does it say?

Setting Questions

1.   Who is the author or speaker?

2.   Why was the book written? What was the occasion of the book?

3.   What historic events surround the book?

4.   Where was it written? Who were the original recipients?

 

Context Questions

1.   What literary form is being employed in this passage?

2.   What is the overall message of this book, and how does this passage fir into the message?

3.   What precedes this passage? What follows?

 

Structural Questions

1.   Are there any repeated words? Repeated phrases?

2.   Does the author make any comparisons? Draw any contrasts?

3.   Does the author raise any questions? Provide any answers?

4.   Does the author point out any cause and effect relationships?

5.   Is there any progression to the passage? In time? Action? Geography?

6.   Does the passage have a climax?

7.   Does the author use any figures of speech?

8.   Is there a pivotal statement or word?

9.   What verbs are used to describe action in the passage?

Interpretation: What Does It Mean?

1.   Continuity of the Message – Use the larger teaching of scripture to interpret the passage

2.   Context of the Material – Interpret scripture in its context – what comes before and after the text. A text without a context is a pretext.

3.   Customary Meaning – How has the text been interpreted throughout church history?

 

Generalization: What is the Big Idea?

A single sentence statement of the main point of the text

1.   What is the author talking about? The subject of the text

2.   What is the author is the author saying about what he is talking about?  The compliment

 

Application: What Difference Does it Make?

1.   Interpretation always precedes application.

2.   Application focuses on biblical answers to common issues.

3.   The Bible must be applied as God intended.

4.   Is there a teaching here to be learned and followed?

5.   Does this passage communicate a rebuke to be heard and heeded?

6.   Is there a correction to be noted?

7.   In what way does this passage train us to be righteous?

Implementation: What Must I Change?

This step requires us to take action. It must be highly individual and concrete