In today's edition of
3ABN Sabbath School Panel
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we continue our discussion
of "How to Interpret Scripture."
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This lesson,
lesson number six is
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"Why is Interpretation Needed?"
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I want to encourage
you to grab your Bible,
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and your Sabbath
School quarterly,
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and a notebook
to take down notes
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as we explore
this topic together.
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But first if you
don't have a quarterly,
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go to the following
website, ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That's ABSG.Adventist.org.
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And you can download a
copy and study with us.
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Hello, and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill Morikone,
and we're so glad that
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you've taken time from your day
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to join us in our
study of the Word of God.
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It's been an incredible
study as we delve into,
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why is scripture important?
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And this lesson, lesson six,
"Why is Interpretation Needed?"
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I am excited to open
up God's Word with you
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and with our panelists.
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To my left Pastor John Lomacang,
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always a
privilege to have you here.
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Yes, I'm excited
about the lesson.
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"Translation and Interpretation"
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is my day and
I'm going to become
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ecclesiastically obiter-dicted.
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That would be a
Pastor CA Murray phrase.
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To Pastor John's
left is Pastor Ryan Day.
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Thank you so
much for being here.
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Hey, it's a blessing to be here
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and I'm excited
to study this topic.
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It's going to be
very much a blessing.
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Amen. To your
left Mr. Danny Shelton.
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Honor and a joy to
have you on the panel.
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Thank you, it's good to be here
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with all of these pastors, I
feel a little bit inadequate.
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So today whatever I
don't do my Brother Kenny
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is on the left of me
so you can clean up for me
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or whatever needs
to be done, right?
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Yes, exactly.
What brothers are for?
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Yeah, there you go. I love that.
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Both of you as brothers together
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here on the panel,
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and a treat to have
you too, Pastor Kenny.
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It is always a blessing
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and as a learning
experience for me, thank you.
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Amen. Learning
experience for me too.
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Before we go any further,
let's go to the Lord in prayer.
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Pastor John,
would you pray for us?
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Yeah.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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every opportunity is one
where Your spirit is needed.
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We do pray that your
Holy Spirit will come now,
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Lord, we have
studied, but we need guidance
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from above to make this an honor
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to Your glorious name.
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Be with each of us who present,
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and those who are watching,
and those who are listening,
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and may all the glory
and honor go just to You.
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In Christ's name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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As we launch
into our study today,
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I want to look at six principles
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of interpretation
before we jump into Sunday,
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which is on presupposition.
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Principle number one,
intention determines meaning.
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The intention, the
interpretation of scripture
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must always be based on
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the author's
intention of meaning,
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not on the
readers' understanding.
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What I mean by that is,
if I wrote you, Pastor Ryan,
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and I wrote a
letter or I wrote a note,
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what that note meant would
be what I intended it to mean,
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not necessarily what
he got from the note,
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you know, at the
bottom of emails,
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they always say emails
are notoriously misunderstood
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and are not a substitute
for live communication.
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So we need to understand
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the intended
meaning of the text writer
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when they wrote it.
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That way we can
properly convey the message.
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The text cannot
mean what it never meant.
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So we have to look at the
author's intended meaning.
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Principle number two,
contexts determines meaning.
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Interpretation must be done
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based on the
context of the passage.
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Don't take one
text and assume you know
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what that text is telling
you or what that text means.
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You know, there's that
story that people tell a lot.
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A man opened up
his Bible, remember?
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And he said, "Now,
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what do you have
for me today, God?"
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And he opened up to
Matthew, and it said,
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"And Judas went out
and hanged himself."
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He thought,
"Surely that's not for me."
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So he closed it again
and he opened it again
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and he opened to
Luke and it said,
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"Go thou and do likewise."
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And then he
thought, "Wait a minute,"
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so he closed it again and
he opened it the third time
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and he opened to
John and it said,
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"What thou doest, do quickly."
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Context determines meaning.
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You think about the
phrase, "It was a ball."
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That could mean
many different things
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based on the context.
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You could mean we went
to the dance last night,
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but it was so
formal, it was a ball.
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It could mean
the baseball umpire
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saw the pitch
drift to the outside,
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and he said "It was a ball."
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It could mean I'm
walking on the golf course
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and I saw something small
and white and round over there,
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it was a ball.
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It could mean I had great fun
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at the game
night, we had a ball.
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Context always has to
determine the meaning.
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That's right.
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Number three,
understand the difference
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between literal and
symbolic interpretation
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because that will determine
the meaning of scripture.
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We interpret the Bible literally
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when it can be
taken at face value.
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Literal
interpretation means that
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the biblical text has to be
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interpreted
according to its plain meaning
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conveyed by the
grammatical construction
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and historical context.
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Martin Luther
subscribed to that,
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John Calvin and the
Protestant Reformers
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subscribed to
that interpretation
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of the Word of God.
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But we also know
that there are symbols
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and prophetic
things in the Word of God.
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Not everything is
to be taken literally.
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So we need to understand
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when is it to be
interpreted literally
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and when is it
figurative or symbolic?
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Number four,
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the genre of biblical literature
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determines the meaning.
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In other words, the Bible has
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many different
types of literature.
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So we need to analyze,
"Is this a portion of the law?
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Is this a portion of prophecy?
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Is this a portion of
history from the Word of God?
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Is this a portion
of wisdom or poetry?
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Is this a portion of the gospels
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about Jesus or a
portion of the parables?
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Or a portion of the epistles,
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those writings
in the New Testament
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specifically directed
to a person or a church?
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Number five, other
scriptures determine meaning.
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In other words use the
Bible to interpret itself.
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Isaiah 28:10,
"Precept must be upon precept,
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precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
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here a little
and there a little."
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Finally, number six,
separate the interpretation
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from application.
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Look at the local
historical context,
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and then determine
what the application
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of that
scripture is for us today.
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Think about the widow
who gave the two mites
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in that story that Jesus.
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When we read
that you could think,
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"Okay, literally that means
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I'm supposed to give too mites,"
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that does not mean that.
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If you look at the
application for today,
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it means we are
called to give sacrificially
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for the cause of Christ.
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So you look at the
historical context,
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and then see what is
our application for today.
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Our memory text is Hebrews 11:6,
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we've spent some
time in Hebrews 11
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through this journey.
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Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith,
it is impossible to please Him,
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for he who comes to God
must believe that He is,
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and that He is a rewarder
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of those who
diligently seek Him."
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Sunday we looked
at presupposition,
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it's kind of a big word.
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What does presupposition mean?
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The dictionary says,
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"It is a thing
assumed beforehand,
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at the beginning of a line
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of argument or a
course of action."
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We really bring presuppositions
into everything in life.
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They come from our background.
They come from our culture.
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They come from the
way we were raised.
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They come from the
things we experienced
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or the things we
didn't experience.
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It's what we
call baggage of life.
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Have you ever noticed that?
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We bring our
baggage and experience
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from the past into the present.
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We bring presuppositions
into relationships,
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you ever noticed that?
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You bring what you carry
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from the past into a
current relationship.
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My grandmother
really spoiled my grandpa.
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In fact, every morning
when it was time to wake up,
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she brought him orange juice.
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And that was his
morning wake up like alarm.
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Here's my grandma walking in
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with a glass of
fresh orange juice.
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She ironed even his
sheets and his t-shirts.
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So when my grandma passed
away and my grandpa remarried,
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he brought with him
some presuppositions
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from the previous
marriage thinking,
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"Oh, maybe my new wife
is gonna iron my t-shirts,
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or maybe she's gonna
bring me orange juice in bed."
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Presuppositions, we
bring them into relationships,
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we bring them into
understanding of God.
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How our parents treated
us, sometimes it impacts
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how we think God
is going to treat us.
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We bring
presuppositions into our jobs
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and into our study
of the Word of God.
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The lesson says, "No one
comes to the text of scripture
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with a blank mind."
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In other words, we
all bring into our study
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of the Word of
God, a presupposition.
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So how do we
lessen presuppositions
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or how do we break
down our preconceived ideas
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when we come to a
study of the Word of God?
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Four keys.
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Number one,
experience God for yourself
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and share His character
of love to someone else.
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Luke 24:36-40, Jesus said,
He stood in the midst of them.
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This is the disciples,
this is after the crucifixion,
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death, resurrection,
00:10:12.61\00:10:13.94
the disciples are
still terrified thinking,
00:10:13.98\00:10:15.54
"Is Jesus resurrected?
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We heard some rumors
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but we're not
sure what's going on."
00:10:18.31\00:10:19.65
"And Jesus stood and
He said, 'Peace to you,'
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but they were
terrified and frightened,
00:10:22.32\00:10:25.15
and supposed they
had seen a spirit.
00:10:25.19\00:10:27.16
And He said to them,
'Why are you troubled?
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And why do doubts
arise in your hearts?
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Behold My hands and My
feet, that it is I myself.
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Handle Me and see,
for a spirit does not have
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flesh and bones
as you see I have.'
00:10:39.33\00:10:41.04
When He had said this,
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He showed them His
hands and His feet.'"
00:10:42.44\00:10:44.54
So the disciples could
not believe it was Jesus.
00:10:44.57\00:10:47.41
So what did He
say? "Taste and see."
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Psalm 34:8, "Experience Me,
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handle Me,
experience Me for yourself."
00:10:52.61\00:10:57.19
So when we
truly experienced God,
00:10:57.22\00:11:00.32
it breaks down some
of those presuppositions
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or preexisting
thoughts we had about God,
00:11:03.69\00:11:07.00
or about His Word.
00:11:07.03\00:11:09.86
1 John 1:1-3, "That which
was from the beginning..."
00:11:09.90\00:11:14.34
This is one of
my favorite passages
00:11:14.37\00:11:15.80
and I've quoted it
before, John the Apostle,
00:11:15.84\00:11:18.17
"Which we have heard,
which we saw with our eyes,
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which we've
looked upon and our hands
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have handled
concerning the Word of life,
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that which we've seen
and heard we declare to You,
00:11:25.85\00:11:28.35
that You may also
have fellowship with us."
00:11:28.38\00:11:30.95
So John's saying,
00:11:30.99\00:11:32.32
"I experienced God
and I'm going to share
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what I've experienced with you."
00:11:34.22\00:11:36.46
So the first key is
just to experience God
00:11:36.49\00:11:38.73
and then share
that with someone else.
00:11:38.76\00:11:40.46
The second key, to break down
00:11:40.50\00:11:42.56
these presuppositions
is to allow the scriptures
00:11:42.60\00:11:45.93
to interpret themselves.
00:11:45.97\00:11:48.10
Don't try to interpret
based on your understanding,
00:11:48.14\00:11:51.04
or based on
maybe your tradition,
00:11:51.07\00:11:53.01
or the culture of
the church around you,
00:11:53.04\00:11:54.84
or what you were
taught in the past.
00:11:54.88\00:11:57.28
Luke 24:44, "He,
Jesus, said to them,
00:11:57.31\00:12:02.05
'These are the words
00:12:02.08\00:12:03.42
which I spoke to you
while I was still with you,
00:12:03.45\00:12:06.55
that all things
must be fulfilled
00:12:06.59\00:12:08.32
which are written
in the law of Moses,
00:12:08.36\00:12:09.92
and the prophets, and
the Psalms concerning Me."
00:12:09.96\00:12:13.96
So Jesus didn't just
take one scripture and said,
00:12:14.00\00:12:16.30
"Now here is the proof that
00:12:16.33\00:12:19.03
the Messiah was
supposed to suffer"
00:12:19.07\00:12:20.80
'cause the
disciples, what did they think?
00:12:20.84\00:12:22.80
They thought Jesus was going
to come as a conquering king.
00:12:22.84\00:12:26.51
Who was going to
up-break the Roman oppression.
00:12:26.54\00:12:29.91
They thought that Jesus
was going to deliver them
00:12:29.94\00:12:32.81
and set them free.
00:12:32.85\00:12:34.48
And so Jesus didn't
just take one scripture.
00:12:34.52\00:12:36.72
He began with the Law of Moses,
00:12:36.75\00:12:39.19
and the prophets and the Psalms,
00:12:39.22\00:12:41.79
He took multiple scriptures
00:12:41.82\00:12:43.69
and allowed the
scripture to interpret itself.
00:12:43.73\00:12:46.36
Number three, this
is vitally important.
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.76
Ask the Holy
Spirit for understanding.
00:12:48.80\00:12:52.87
Luke 24:45, "He, Jesus,
opened their understanding
00:12:52.90\00:12:56.81
that they might
comprehend the scriptures."
00:12:56.84\00:12:59.71
We can never open up
00:12:59.74\00:13:01.08
the Word of God
without going to God in prayer.
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.58
Without asking God to
open up our hearts and minds
00:13:03.61\00:13:07.08
to understand what
His truth is there.
00:13:07.12\00:13:09.88
John 16:13,
Jesus says, "When He,
00:13:09.92\00:13:12.05
the Spirit of truth has come,
00:13:12.09\00:13:13.42
He will guide
you into all truth."
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.46
The Holy Spirit
can open up your mind
00:13:15.49\00:13:18.49
and heart to the
truth in the Word of God.
00:13:18.53\00:13:21.20
Finally, number four,
00:13:21.23\00:13:22.66
do not harden your
heart against Jesus
00:13:22.70\00:13:26.74
or the truth in His Word.
00:13:26.77\00:13:29.27
Ephesians 4:18,
kind of a sad scripture.
00:13:29.30\00:13:32.34
Paul says,
00:13:32.37\00:13:33.71
"Having their
understanding darkened,
00:13:33.74\00:13:36.28
being alienated
from the life of God,
00:13:36.31\00:13:39.15
because of the
ignorance that is in them,
00:13:39.18\00:13:41.22
because of the
blindness of their heart."
00:13:41.25\00:13:43.22
The NIV says,
00:13:43.25\00:13:44.59
"Due to the
hardening of your heart."
00:13:44.62\00:13:46.99
So when you are
confronted with scripture
00:13:47.02\00:13:49.19
that maybe goes directly
against your presupposition,
00:13:49.22\00:13:52.69
the way you were taught,
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.06
the church you were raised
in, what you believed before.
00:13:54.10\00:13:56.93
Do not harden your heart
00:13:56.97\00:13:59.77
against the truth in God's Word.
00:13:59.80\00:14:03.14
So as we break down
these presuppositions,
00:14:03.17\00:14:05.47
we experience who God is,
00:14:05.51\00:14:08.01
allow scripture
to interpret itself
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.11
as the Holy
Spirit for understanding.
00:14:10.15\00:14:12.31
And don't harden
your heart. Pastor John.
00:14:12.35\00:14:14.35
Thank you,
Jill. Thank you, Jill.
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.22
Which takes us to "Translation
and Interpretation."
00:14:16.25\00:14:20.96
You know, when
the Bible was written,
00:14:20.99\00:14:22.32
the Bible was
written in various languages.
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.66
Old Testament, mostly
Hebrew, a very small portion,
00:14:24.69\00:14:29.26
particularly the
Book of Daniel Aramaic,
00:14:29.30\00:14:32.03
and the New
Testament in Koine, Greek.
00:14:32.07\00:14:34.70
Now when you think about that,
we don't speak that way today.
00:14:34.74\00:14:37.41
So every Bible has to go
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.67
through some kind
of interpretation.
00:14:39.71\00:14:41.71
In other words, in order for me
00:14:41.74\00:14:43.08
to understand
what Moses was saying,
00:14:43.11\00:14:45.51
or what Elijah was saying,
00:14:45.55\00:14:47.12
or what any Old
Testament prophet said,
00:14:47.15\00:14:49.65
I have to first understand
00:14:49.68\00:14:51.02
it in the context
of their language,
00:14:51.05\00:14:53.46
in the setting that
they communicated that
00:14:53.49\00:14:56.62
and through the very means
that they communicated that,
00:14:56.66\00:15:00.73
whether Greek or
Hebrew or Aramaic,
00:15:00.76\00:15:03.06
when I understand
what it means to them,
00:15:03.10\00:15:05.37
then I could
understand what it means to me,
00:15:05.40\00:15:07.20
then I could make application.
00:15:07.24\00:15:08.84
So before you get application,
00:15:08.87\00:15:10.64
first begin with interpretation,
00:15:10.67\00:15:12.81
then translation.
00:15:12.84\00:15:14.88
Now any good
translation has to go through
00:15:14.91\00:15:17.45
some kind of
linguistic process today.
00:15:17.48\00:15:21.32
So I want to introduce something
00:15:21.35\00:15:22.68
because the picture
that we presented the world
00:15:22.72\00:15:25.92
is the picture that
00:15:25.95\00:15:27.29
we believe God
has disclosed to us.
00:15:27.32\00:15:30.03
I would describe
something to someone
00:15:30.06\00:15:31.66
based on what I
believe that thing is.
00:15:31.69\00:15:33.86
So therefore, our understanding
00:15:33.90\00:15:36.20
of the scripture
shapes another person's belief
00:15:36.23\00:15:39.93
about who I communicate to them,
00:15:39.97\00:15:42.10
that God is or that Jesus is,
00:15:42.14\00:15:44.51
and the process is
called hermeneutics.
00:15:44.54\00:15:47.38
It shapes our picture of God,
00:15:47.41\00:15:49.41
it assists in seeing
the scriptures clearly.
00:15:49.44\00:15:53.08
Let me read this
very short quote,
00:15:53.11\00:15:55.05
"The primary
need of hermeneutics
00:15:55.08\00:15:57.62
is to determine and understand
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.29
the meaning of
the biblical texts.
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.82
The purpose of hermeneutics
is to bridge the gap
00:16:01.86\00:16:04.86
between our mind
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.73
and the minds of
the Bible writers
00:16:06.76\00:16:08.93
through a knowledge
of the original language,
00:16:08.96\00:16:12.50
the ancient history,
00:16:12.53\00:16:13.94
and the comparison of
scripture with scripture.
00:16:13.97\00:16:17.34
I like that you said,
Jill, let the entire Bible,
00:16:17.37\00:16:20.48
we pointed that out in
a number of past lessons,
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.81
the Bible is
its own interpreter.
00:16:22.84\00:16:24.98
If you understand the setting,
00:16:25.01\00:16:27.15
when Jesus talked about
the Parable of the Sower,
00:16:27.18\00:16:29.38
He did that during
the time of the year
00:16:29.42\00:16:31.25
where there was
sowing so it was very clear
00:16:31.29\00:16:33.62
to the listeners of His day.
00:16:33.66\00:16:35.39
But if we say today, "Sowing"
somebody that's make clothing,
00:16:35.42\00:16:39.19
they may think I'm
talking about garments.
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.83
Well, we use words
today like seeding,
00:16:41.86\00:16:44.33
which is quite different
than the ancient word sowing.
00:16:44.37\00:16:47.34
So simply put, we
see what we want to see
00:16:47.37\00:16:51.27
and we understand
00:16:51.31\00:16:52.77
what the Bible writers
were attempting to show us.
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.51
If we make sure the
Bible writers go first,
00:16:55.54\00:16:58.58
then they are able
to shape what we see
00:16:58.61\00:17:00.72
and thereby we begin
to communicate clearly
00:17:00.75\00:17:03.25
what the Bible is
trying to communicate.
00:17:03.28\00:17:05.45
Next, our theology is
shaped by our hermeneutics.
00:17:05.49\00:17:09.12
Said another way,
00:17:09.16\00:17:10.49
when our understanding of
God's Word is Bible molded,
00:17:10.53\00:17:14.80
biblically molded,
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.56
then our picture of God
will be scripturally accurate.
00:17:16.60\00:17:21.70
When the Bible
molds the picture,
00:17:21.74\00:17:23.44
the story is a, you
know, a man was very busy,
00:17:23.47\00:17:25.97
his son came to
him interrupting,
00:17:26.01\00:17:29.11
and he kept coming back.
00:17:29.14\00:17:30.48
He told to him to do things,
00:17:30.51\00:17:31.85
he kept coming back and he said,
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.25
"I'll give him something
that will take some time."
00:17:33.28\00:17:34.75
So he tore up a sheet
of paper and send him away
00:17:34.78\00:17:37.49
and he came back a
minute later and he said,
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.65
"Put that together."
00:17:39.69\00:17:41.02
He came back, he said,
00:17:41.06\00:17:42.42
"How do you put that
together so quickly?"
00:17:42.46\00:17:44.13
He said, Well, dad,
00:17:44.16\00:17:45.49
on the other side
was a picture of Jesus.
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.56
I just put the picture together.
00:17:47.60\00:17:49.06
That's how easy it was."
00:17:49.10\00:17:50.60
When you are handling
things that are in pieces,
00:17:50.63\00:17:55.67
the picture that you
present of Jesus will be molded
00:17:55.70\00:17:58.37
by your study of the Word.
00:17:58.41\00:17:59.77
Now one of the reasons
00:17:59.81\00:18:01.14
why Christian theology today
is disjointed is perception,
00:18:01.18\00:18:06.11
rather than
what God's Word says.
00:18:06.15\00:18:08.35
I'll introduce a few phrases
00:18:08.38\00:18:09.88
such as you may have
heard of before propositional
00:18:09.92\00:18:12.72
and non-propositional theology.
00:18:12.75\00:18:15.19
What's the difference?
00:18:15.22\00:18:16.56
Propositional mean
God reveals the truth
00:18:16.59\00:18:20.03
to which we
respond by accepting them.
00:18:20.06\00:18:23.06
I'll give you an
example, proposition,
00:18:23.10\00:18:25.10
if I said to my
wife, "Would you marry me?"
00:18:25.13\00:18:27.37
That's a proposition.
00:18:27.40\00:18:28.84
If she says no, today,
00:18:28.87\00:18:30.21
I'm gonna ask her the same thing
00:18:30.24\00:18:31.57
next month and the
same thing next year.
00:18:31.61\00:18:33.54
The proposition is
not going to change.
00:18:33.58\00:18:35.78
When you are studying
the Bible propositionally,
00:18:35.81\00:18:39.68
it doesn't change.
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.18
Every time you
approach it, it's the same.
00:18:41.22\00:18:43.39
So propositional theology
could be said another way,
00:18:43.42\00:18:46.45
it's called exegesis.
00:18:46.49\00:18:48.16
The process of
drawing out of the scripture,
00:18:48.19\00:18:50.53
the meaning
that's in the scripture.
00:18:50.56\00:18:53.86
When you draw out what's in it,
00:18:53.90\00:18:55.23
I cannot pull out
of a hat with a bird,
00:18:55.26\00:18:58.20
I can't pull out a car
because the bird is in it.
00:18:58.23\00:19:00.97
That's what
exegesis simply means,
00:19:01.00\00:19:02.67
pull out what's
already in the scripture.
00:19:02.70\00:19:04.54
Now there is now
non-propositional theology.
00:19:04.57\00:19:08.78
They place emphasis on
experience and rationality.
00:19:08.81\00:19:12.71
In other words, what
does this mean to me?
00:19:12.75\00:19:15.08
What is my
experience in my denomination?
00:19:15.12\00:19:17.45
And then they enter
00:19:17.49\00:19:18.82
into something called eisegesis,
00:19:18.85\00:19:20.36
quite different from exegesis,
00:19:20.39\00:19:21.72
which means the
process of inserting a meaning
00:19:21.76\00:19:25.89
into the text that's not there.
00:19:25.93\00:19:29.76
That's why people say,
00:19:29.80\00:19:31.43
"Well, I know the Bible says,
00:19:31.47\00:19:32.80
'We sleep' but
what about the soul?
00:19:32.83\00:19:35.80
Well, doesn't the
soul go to heaven?"
00:19:35.84\00:19:37.57
The Bible says Lazarus sleepeth.
00:19:37.61\00:19:39.47
Well, I know he's sleeping
but his soul went to heaven.
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.71
That's eisegesis, the
Bible never said that.
00:19:41.74\00:19:44.75
And so we start inserting, why?
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.75
Because that's what we've
been hearing in our circle.
00:19:46.78\00:19:48.98
That's what our theological
denomination teaches.
00:19:49.02\00:19:51.39
Don't insert into the text,
00:19:51.42\00:19:53.15
that's
non-propositional, meaning,
00:19:53.19\00:19:55.39
your interpretation
changes from setting to setting
00:19:55.42\00:20:00.03
because you're not
making the proposition
00:20:00.06\00:20:01.76
based on God's Word.
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.40
Until we spend time in
the study of God's Word,
00:20:03.43\00:20:06.53
we will naturally place
more emphasis on experience
00:20:06.57\00:20:10.17
and rationality.
00:20:10.21\00:20:11.57
You know, 1 Corinthians 12:10
00:20:11.61\00:20:13.41
and 1 Corinthians 14:26,
I'm not going to read it.
00:20:13.44\00:20:16.24
But in both of those passages
00:20:16.28\00:20:17.65
you find the
word interpretation.
00:20:17.68\00:20:20.32
In both cases it's
talking about tongues.
00:20:20.35\00:20:22.65
Right. Yeah. Interpretation.
00:20:22.68\00:20:24.85
And one of the reasons today
00:20:24.89\00:20:26.22
why tongues is so confusing is
00:20:26.25\00:20:28.36
because they try to bring
out the meaning of tongues
00:20:28.39\00:20:31.03
in 1 Corinthians 12
and 1 Corinthians 14.
00:20:31.06\00:20:35.53
They often miss
1 Corinthians 13,
00:20:35.56\00:20:37.27
where Paul says, "Though I speak
00:20:37.30\00:20:38.63
with the tongues
of men and of angels."
00:20:38.67\00:20:41.10
But if you begin where
tongues was first practiced,
00:20:41.14\00:20:44.24
in the Book of
Acts, you get the context.
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.68
It was simply communicating
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.54
a local guy from West Frankfurt,
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.21
Danny and Kenny communicating
in English that they have,
00:20:50.25\00:20:54.58
God now gives them
00:20:54.62\00:20:55.98
this instantaneous
ability to speak in Greek,
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.99
Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Arabian,
00:20:59.02\00:21:01.42
the list goes on and on.
00:21:01.46\00:21:02.99
It's not some
glossolalia, some confusion,
00:21:03.02\00:21:06.53
that God all of a sudden says,
00:21:06.56\00:21:07.90
"Now you have a secret language
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.40
that's called eisegesis, a
non-propositional theology.
00:21:09.43\00:21:14.17
Luke says it very clearly
00:21:14.20\00:21:15.67
and we keep
referring back to that,
00:21:15.70\00:21:17.04
but Jesus, Luke 24:27,
00:21:17.07\00:21:19.51
"He expounded to
them in all the scriptures
00:21:19.54\00:21:22.14
of things concerning Himself."
00:21:22.18\00:21:23.88
Expound means to illustrate,
to expand, to explicate,
00:21:23.91\00:21:29.72
meaning to illuminate,
to expose and to reveal.
00:21:29.75\00:21:33.52
Jesus did that, if
He wanted to establish
00:21:33.56\00:21:36.22
His divinity
based on one passage,
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.29
He could have
simply said to them,
00:21:38.33\00:21:39.66
"I am the Christ."
00:21:39.69\00:21:41.26
But they have been
reading the Old Testament.
00:21:41.30\00:21:43.43
So He began where
He knew the foundation
00:21:43.47\00:21:46.74
would be concrete and He,
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.90
He didn't leave a
single detail out.
00:21:48.94\00:21:51.24
Before you come to the
conclusion of a belief,
00:21:51.27\00:21:54.14
uncover every text that refers
to that particular practice,
00:21:54.18\00:21:58.28
and then it's very clear.
00:21:58.31\00:21:59.65
Now here's a
very powerful passage,
00:21:59.68\00:22:01.02
Luke 10:25-26, "On one occasion,
00:22:01.05\00:22:04.45
an expert in the law
stood up to test Jesus."
00:22:04.49\00:22:08.26
He was what? An expert.
00:22:08.29\00:22:10.56
He's a teacher.
00:22:10.59\00:22:11.93
He asked, "What must I
do to inherit eternal life?"
00:22:11.96\00:22:15.23
Jesus said, "What
is written in the law?"
00:22:15.26\00:22:19.17
And Jesus then said,
"How do you read it?"
00:22:19.20\00:22:23.20
That's the NIV.
"How do you read it?"
00:22:23.24\00:22:26.27
Are you ready for a light bulb?
00:22:26.31\00:22:28.94
The issue of reading the Bible
00:22:28.98\00:22:30.31
is not how much
but how we read it.
00:22:30.35\00:22:33.92
It's not how much
but how we read it,
00:22:33.95\00:22:37.22
because some people said,
00:22:37.25\00:22:38.59
"I read the
Bible over and over,"
00:22:38.62\00:22:39.95
and they're still
locked in the false teachings
00:22:39.99\00:22:41.32
that they have been locked in.
00:22:41.36\00:22:43.12
It's like going into a room
00:22:43.16\00:22:44.49
with the lights
on and you come out,
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.43
you come out still not
seeing anything in the room,
00:22:46.46\00:22:48.90
because the Word
of God is a light.
00:22:48.93\00:22:50.60
The issues of the Bible is
not how much but how you read,
00:22:50.63\00:22:54.44
approaches to
understand the Bible,
00:22:54.47\00:22:56.50
and less contextually
and inter textually.
00:22:56.54\00:23:01.18
A text without a
context is a pretext.
00:23:01.21\00:23:03.65
Now let's first saw text.
00:23:03.68\00:23:05.25
What is the
immediate passage saying?
00:23:05.28\00:23:09.18
Then context, what
role is the passage
00:23:09.22\00:23:12.59
contributing to
the entire story?
00:23:12.62\00:23:15.46
Then wider context,
00:23:15.49\00:23:17.19
what happened
before and after the story?
00:23:17.23\00:23:21.43
And then the entire Bible.
00:23:21.46\00:23:22.80
Is the language in the context
00:23:22.83\00:23:25.10
found elsewhere
in the scripture,
00:23:25.13\00:23:27.80
like Behold the Lamb of
God, why would John say that?
00:23:27.84\00:23:31.04
Because the people
standing on the shore
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.38
were Jewish
leaders who for centuries
00:23:33.41\00:23:36.38
were involved in
sacrificing lambs.
00:23:36.41\00:23:39.71
Paul uses a
phrase and I use that
00:23:39.75\00:23:42.48
about the death as asleep.
00:23:42.52\00:23:44.99
The Bible says,
00:23:45.02\00:23:46.35
"We shall not all sleep
but we shall all be changed."
00:23:46.39\00:23:49.76
Well, what did Jesus
understand what that mean?
00:23:49.79\00:23:52.83
When Jesus said,
"Lazarus sleeps,"
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.73
they thought that Jesus
was talking about sleep.
00:23:54.76\00:23:57.60
When the Bible says in
John 11 plainly in verse 13,
00:23:57.63\00:24:00.90
"Lazarus is dead."
00:24:00.94\00:24:03.81
So understand the
context because you'll walk away
00:24:03.84\00:24:06.14
with things that the
Bible doesn't support.
00:24:06.17\00:24:08.71
Build a doctrine
not on a fragment
00:24:08.74\00:24:12.51
or a single
scripture, but on the context
00:24:12.55\00:24:15.18
of the entire
message of the story.
00:24:15.22\00:24:17.82
Amen. Thank you so much.
00:24:17.85\00:24:20.29
What an
incredible job, Pastor John,
00:24:20.32\00:24:22.19
"Translations
and Interpretations."
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.49
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break, we'll be right back.
00:24:24.53\00:24:27.23
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Welcome back to our study of
"Why is Interpretation Needed?"
00:25:07.14\00:25:10.24
We'll pick up with
Pastor Ryan on Tuesday's lesson,
00:25:10.27\00:25:12.34
"The Bible and Culture."
00:25:12.37\00:25:13.71
That's right, "The
Bible and Culture."
00:25:13.74\00:25:15.51
We've talked a little bit about
00:25:15.54\00:25:16.88
culture in one of
our previous lessons.
00:25:16.91\00:25:19.41
But this kind of takes it
a little bit a step further,
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.25
and us trying to understand
00:25:22.28\00:25:24.19
how do we balance
this concept of culture?
00:25:24.22\00:25:28.52
And how do we use culture?
00:25:28.56\00:25:31.09
Or do we use culture
to further the gospel?
00:25:31.13\00:25:34.23
Does it
transcend certain cultures
00:25:34.26\00:25:35.80
or is the gospel message
00:25:35.83\00:25:37.40
that we find in the Bible
only for particular cultures?
00:25:37.43\00:25:39.90
So that's basically
00:25:39.93\00:25:41.27
what we're
talking about right here.
00:25:41.30\00:25:42.64
And I love how
this lesson opens up,
00:25:42.67\00:25:44.44
giving us a fine
example of this in Acts 17.
00:25:44.47\00:25:48.41
So why don't we go ahead
and go to Acts Chapter 17.
00:25:48.44\00:25:50.35
We're going to
take our beginning
00:25:50.38\00:25:53.08
here in this particular passage,
00:25:53.11\00:25:55.05
in which we find Paul.
00:25:55.08\00:25:57.25
Paul, of course
is in Athens, okay?
00:25:57.29\00:25:59.75
This is in Greece,
and if you know anything
00:25:59.79\00:26:01.82
about the Grecian
culture, then you know that
00:26:01.86\00:26:03.69
this is a very
Hellenistic pagan culture,
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.80
they worship the
god of everything,
00:26:06.83\00:26:08.20
very polytheistic,
the god of the air,
00:26:08.23\00:26:09.86
the god of the
grass, the god of the gold,
00:26:09.90\00:26:11.23
the god of the silver,
all these different gods.
00:26:11.27\00:26:13.40
And so Paul is now in Athens,
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.60
and he is just being covered up,
00:26:15.64\00:26:17.37
he's steeped in
this pagan culture,
00:26:17.41\00:26:20.74
but at the same time,
he's preaching the gospel.
00:26:20.78\00:26:23.01
He's been going around
and preaching the gospel.
00:26:23.04\00:26:25.38
In fact, notice verse 16
here, starting in Acts 17:16,
00:26:25.41\00:26:29.15
it says, "Now while Paul
waited for them at Athens,
00:26:29.18\00:26:32.59
his spirit was
provoked within him
00:26:32.62\00:26:34.62
when he saw that the
city was given over to idols.
00:26:34.66\00:26:38.43
Therefore, he reasoned in
the synagogue with the Jews
00:26:38.46\00:26:41.16
and with the Gentile worshipers
and in the marketplace daily
00:26:41.20\00:26:45.17
with those who
happen to be there."
00:26:45.20\00:26:47.70
And so he's been
preaching all throughout Athens
00:26:47.74\00:26:51.47
and now he's kind of
stirred the attention
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.28
of all of the
people to the point to now
00:26:54.31\00:26:56.48
they're going to actually
bring him before the Areopagus.
00:26:56.51\00:27:01.02
The Areopagus which is basically
00:27:01.05\00:27:02.82
the Chief Counsel of Athens,
00:27:02.85\00:27:05.95
they're going to bring him
before the governmental leaders
00:27:05.99\00:27:07.96
and he's going to
have to defend himself
00:27:07.99\00:27:09.79
because he's already
stirred up the masses
00:27:09.82\00:27:12.36
within this particular culture.
00:27:12.39\00:27:14.00
Notice picking up in verse 22.
00:27:14.03\00:27:16.77
So Paul is about to address
this Areopagus, this council,
00:27:16.80\00:27:20.27
and this is what it says.
00:27:20.30\00:27:21.64
"Then Paul stood in the
midst of Areopagus and said,
00:27:21.67\00:27:23.87
'Men of Athens I perceived
00:27:23.91\00:27:25.57
that in all things you
are very religious for,
00:27:25.61\00:27:28.78
as I was passing through...'"
00:27:28.81\00:27:30.21
I'm gonna pause there,
that was a good point there.
00:27:30.25\00:27:32.01
I perceive that you
were all very religious.
00:27:32.05\00:27:35.05
And so you
know, the question is,
00:27:35.08\00:27:37.12
what type of religion?
00:27:37.15\00:27:38.49
What type of
religious person are you?
00:27:38.52\00:27:40.59
You can be very religious,
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.02
but be very wrong in
the religious experience
00:27:42.06\00:27:44.49
that you're having, and
we want to make sure that
00:27:44.53\00:27:46.39
we're having a
genuine religious experience.
00:27:46.43\00:27:48.90
Notice, "Men of Athens,
00:27:48.93\00:27:50.27
I perceived that in all things
you were very religious for,
00:27:50.30\00:27:52.07
as I was passing through
and considering the objects
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.70
of your worship.
00:27:54.74\00:27:56.07
I even found an altar
00:27:56.10\00:27:57.44
with the
inscription to the unknown god."
00:27:57.47\00:28:00.71
And then he goes on to say,
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.08
"Therefore the one whom
you worship without knowing,
00:28:02.11\00:28:04.51
him, I proclaim to you."
00:28:04.55\00:28:06.25
He says, "Hey,
this unknown God that
00:28:06.28\00:28:07.78
you don't know
about, let me inform you,
00:28:07.82\00:28:09.38
let me tell you
about this powerful God,
00:28:09.42\00:28:11.85
this Creator God."
00:28:11.89\00:28:13.22
Verse 24, he says, "God,
00:28:13.25\00:28:14.72
who made all the
world and everything in it,
00:28:14.76\00:28:17.56
since He is Lord
of heaven and earth,
00:28:17.59\00:28:19.79
does not dwell in
temples made with hands,
00:28:19.83\00:28:21.96
nor is He
worshiped with men's hands,
00:28:22.00\00:28:24.57
as though He needed anything
00:28:24.60\00:28:26.47
since He gave to all
life, breath, and all things.
00:28:26.50\00:28:30.04
Now notice verse 26,
00:28:30.07\00:28:31.61
because now we
see how this gospel,
00:28:31.64\00:28:35.28
Paul is transcending the gospel
00:28:35.31\00:28:37.75
from the Jewish culture
now to this Athenian culture.
00:28:37.78\00:28:40.88
Notice what it
says here in verse 26,
00:28:40.92\00:28:42.38
"And He has made from one blood,
00:28:42.42\00:28:45.65
every nation of men
00:28:45.69\00:28:47.09
to dwell on the
face of the earth,
00:28:47.12\00:28:49.32
and has determined
their preappointed times
00:28:49.36\00:28:51.96
and the boundaries
of their dwellings,
00:28:51.99\00:28:54.13
so that they should
seek the Lord in hope
00:28:54.16\00:28:56.46
that they might grope for Him,"
00:28:56.50\00:28:58.07
that is reach for Him,
"search for Him and find Him,
00:28:58.10\00:29:01.37
though He is not
far from each of us,
00:29:01.40\00:29:04.24
for in Him we live and we
move and we have our being,
00:29:04.27\00:29:07.08
and also some of
your own poets have said,
00:29:07.11\00:29:09.98
'For we are
also His offspring.'"
00:29:10.01\00:29:13.18
So Paul is showing
up, he said, "Look,
00:29:13.21\00:29:14.72
this unknown God
that you don't know,
00:29:14.75\00:29:16.58
let me tell you about Him.
00:29:16.62\00:29:17.95
He's the Creator God,
He's the one true God."
00:29:17.99\00:29:20.36
And I love the
fact that, you know,
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.49
he's speaking to these
people for the first time
00:29:22.52\00:29:24.29
that he's never met,
he's in a different culture
00:29:24.33\00:29:26.63
that is not like that
of the Christian culture.
00:29:26.66\00:29:29.90
But yet he's still
calling these people to repent.
00:29:29.93\00:29:32.83
It's powerful to see
and notice the response,
00:29:32.87\00:29:35.10
verse 32 of
some of these people.
00:29:35.14\00:29:36.91
It says, "And when they heard
00:29:36.94\00:29:38.27
of the resurrection of the dead,
00:29:38.31\00:29:39.64
some mocked, while others said,
00:29:39.67\00:29:41.64
'We will hear you
again on this matter.'"
00:29:41.68\00:29:43.71
So some heard, some did not.
00:29:43.75\00:29:45.78
But it brings up the question
now as we see the fine example,
00:29:45.81\00:29:49.12
clear example
given in scripture,
00:29:49.15\00:29:51.19
is the gospel transcultural?
00:29:51.22\00:29:54.06
Is the Bible transcultural
or is this just a Jewish thing?
00:29:54.09\00:29:59.19
Obviously as Christians
here in North America,
00:29:59.23\00:30:03.23
and in other parts of the world,
00:30:03.26\00:30:04.60
we see that the gospel
has reached the entire world.
00:30:04.63\00:30:07.87
But it still
raises some questions
00:30:07.90\00:30:09.27
because some people
say, "You know what,
00:30:09.30\00:30:11.07
this particular text,
or this particular passage,
00:30:11.11\00:30:13.51
or this particular
council given in scripture,
00:30:13.54\00:30:15.84
that's only to
that particular culture,
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.41
or that's only that.
00:30:17.45\00:30:18.78
You know, keeping the
Sabbath, that's a Jewish thing.
00:30:18.81\00:30:21.72
God didn't really create
the Sabbath for all of us,
00:30:21.75\00:30:24.92
for all mankind,
it's just a Jewish thing."
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.86
And so we see here that
00:30:26.89\00:30:28.72
when you are considering
the Bible and culture,
00:30:28.76\00:30:31.56
we really, really need to put it
00:30:31.59\00:30:33.03
in its proper context,
00:30:33.06\00:30:34.40
we really need to
understand the importance
00:30:34.43\00:30:36.26
of finding that happy balance
because truth never changes.
00:30:36.30\00:30:41.40
I just want to make
that clear, truth...
00:30:41.44\00:30:43.10
While people
change, cultures change,
00:30:43.14\00:30:45.44
customs change,
truth never changes.
00:30:45.47\00:30:48.34
And we will see very clearly
throughout this entire book
00:30:48.38\00:30:51.18
that God has
made these councils,
00:30:51.21\00:30:53.01
these principles,
00:30:53.05\00:30:54.38
His way of life
for every single person
00:30:54.42\00:30:56.85
under the globe.
00:30:56.89\00:30:58.22
I think of the
different biblical example,
00:30:58.25\00:30:59.99
it's not on the same note
00:31:00.02\00:31:01.36
as what we just read in Acts 17,
00:31:01.39\00:31:03.43
but to see that the Word of God
00:31:03.46\00:31:05.53
and God's plan is transcultural,
00:31:05.56\00:31:07.83
that He wants to
reach every single person
00:31:07.86\00:31:10.10
with the gospel in
every single culture,
00:31:10.13\00:31:12.43
every single part of the globe.
00:31:12.47\00:31:14.37
I think of
Pharaoh and the Egyptians,
00:31:14.40\00:31:16.07
you know, I believe that
while God made a clear demand
00:31:16.10\00:31:18.97
that Pharaoh let his people go,
00:31:19.01\00:31:20.84
God was reaching
for this man's heart.
00:31:20.88\00:31:23.14
He was hoping that
through these series of events,
00:31:23.18\00:31:25.51
that He would reach
him with the gospel,
00:31:25.55\00:31:27.18
and He was willing to
reach him within his culture,
00:31:27.22\00:31:29.88
to establish the
truth within his heart.
00:31:29.92\00:31:32.02
I think of
Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.22
You know, bringing God's people
00:31:34.26\00:31:35.86
into a completely
different culture,
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.89
a completely different arena.
00:31:37.93\00:31:40.06
But we still see God
reaching for this king's heart
00:31:40.10\00:31:42.93
and for the hearts
of the people of Babylon
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.23
with this transcultural
gospel, which is very clear.
00:31:45.27\00:31:48.74
The Medes and the Persians
are another great example.
00:31:48.77\00:31:50.81
The Romans, as we see
that Peter goes into the home
00:31:50.84\00:31:53.84
of the centurion and the Romans,
00:31:53.88\00:31:55.38
and they're pleading,
and they're praying together,
00:31:55.41\00:31:58.08
we see that God wants to reach
00:31:58.11\00:31:59.88
every single one
of us with the gospel,
00:31:59.91\00:32:02.35
I think of the 12
Ephesian disciples,
00:32:02.38\00:32:04.35
as they were giving
their heart to the Lord,
00:32:04.39\00:32:06.05
they allowed the
truth of God's Word,
00:32:06.09\00:32:08.56
which is
universal, to change them
00:32:08.59\00:32:10.56
because they recognized that
00:32:10.59\00:32:11.93
they too while
they weren't Jews,
00:32:11.96\00:32:13.40
were still God's people.
00:32:13.43\00:32:15.13
I think of the
wonderful scripture
00:32:15.16\00:32:16.50
in Galatians Chapter 3,
that famous series of verses,
00:32:16.53\00:32:20.00
verses 26-29 says,
00:32:20.04\00:32:22.47
"For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus,
00:32:22.50\00:32:25.77
for as many as you
were baptized into Christ,
00:32:25.81\00:32:27.94
have put on Christ,
there is neither Jew nor Greek,
00:32:27.98\00:32:31.61
there is neither slave nor free,
00:32:31.65\00:32:33.78
there is
neither male nor female,
00:32:33.82\00:32:35.28
for if you are all one in...
00:32:35.32\00:32:37.12
for you are all
one in Christ Jesus,
00:32:37.15\00:32:39.12
and if you are Christ,"
00:32:39.15\00:32:40.56
I love this, "then
you are Abraham's seed
00:32:40.59\00:32:43.32
and heirs
according to the promise."
00:32:43.36\00:32:44.99
We're all spiritual Jews.
00:32:45.03\00:32:47.40
And so that point being
made, I just want to make this
00:32:47.43\00:32:49.30
last point in
the closing minutes
00:32:49.33\00:32:50.80
that I have here.
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.37
Sometimes it does help
us though to remove our mind
00:32:52.40\00:32:57.47
from our own culture and
see the truth of God's Word
00:32:57.51\00:33:01.44
through the eyes of
a different culture.
00:33:01.48\00:33:03.58
What I mean by
this is, you know,
00:33:03.61\00:33:04.95
taking the Israeli culture,
00:33:04.98\00:33:07.22
for example, the Hebrew culture.
00:33:07.25\00:33:08.85
I just want to give an example
of Psalm 23, this is powerful.
00:33:08.88\00:33:11.75
You know, for
this western mentality,
00:33:11.79\00:33:14.39
through our western lenses
we read Psalm 23, you know,
00:33:14.42\00:33:17.83
"The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.79
He makes me lie
down in green pastures,
00:33:19.83\00:33:21.80
He leads me
beside the still waters."
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.50
And it goes on, "He leads me,
00:33:23.53\00:33:24.87
He leads me in paths
of righteousness for You
00:33:24.90\00:33:27.14
are with me, oh, God."
00:33:27.17\00:33:28.57
We see this beautiful,
almost poetic nature of this.
00:33:28.60\00:33:31.47
But when we read
it and comprehend it
00:33:31.51\00:33:33.14
from this
western cultural mindset,
00:33:33.17\00:33:35.18
we read that and
we think of, you know,
00:33:35.21\00:33:36.88
belly deep alfalfa, you know.
00:33:36.91\00:33:38.95
You know, this
beautiful open field of
00:33:38.98\00:33:41.38
just beautiful green pastures.
00:33:41.42\00:33:42.92
But it's interesting,
when you consider something
00:33:42.95\00:33:45.25
like this through
the eyes of the culture
00:33:45.29\00:33:46.99
in which David
would have delivered this.
00:33:47.02\00:33:50.29
Green pastures was
not belly deep alfalfa.
00:33:50.33\00:33:53.40
Green pastures in
that particular culture
00:33:53.43\00:33:55.56
actually existed.
00:33:55.60\00:33:56.93
And in fact, you can go
over to Israel right now
00:33:56.97\00:33:58.90
and there's a
place south of Israel,
00:33:58.93\00:34:00.50
in fact, south of Jerusalem
00:34:00.54\00:34:01.87
in the southern region of Israel
00:34:01.90\00:34:03.24
called Green Pastures.
00:34:03.27\00:34:04.61
And if you could
go out and look at it,
00:34:04.64\00:34:05.97
it's literally this dry,
rocky, desolate hillside that
00:34:06.01\00:34:10.75
when you look at it's
like, "All I see is rocks,"
00:34:10.78\00:34:12.51
but you will see
droves and droves
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.78
and flocks and flocks of
sheep with their shepherds.
00:34:14.82\00:34:16.92
And it's like, "What
are these sheep eating?
00:34:16.95\00:34:19.12
Are they rock eating sheep?"
00:34:19.15\00:34:20.79
You know, it's like,
00:34:20.82\00:34:22.16
what this place actually exists,
00:34:22.19\00:34:23.53
it's called Green Pastures.
00:34:23.56\00:34:25.16
And it's amazing when
you consider the truth
00:34:25.19\00:34:27.00
that this shepherd
is leading these sheep
00:34:27.03\00:34:30.37
along what appears to
be this dry, desolate,
00:34:30.40\00:34:32.43
rocky hillside that has
no, you know, no greenery,
00:34:32.47\00:34:37.64
no alfalfa, nothing to eat.
00:34:37.67\00:34:39.71
But yet, if you
look at the terrain,
00:34:39.74\00:34:41.24
you will see
there's a sprig here,
00:34:41.28\00:34:42.78
there's a sprig there,
00:34:42.81\00:34:44.15
there's a sprig
here every so many feet.
00:34:44.18\00:34:45.61
And it's a powerful lesson
that when you see, for example,
00:34:45.65\00:34:48.78
Psalm 23, and other passages
of scripture through the eyes
00:34:48.82\00:34:52.22
of a particular
culture like Israel,
00:34:52.25\00:34:54.19
God is teaching
us a powerful lesson
00:34:54.22\00:34:55.79
and in this case, it's that...
00:34:55.82\00:34:57.23
Here's the
lesson, Green Pastures,
00:34:57.26\00:34:59.69
the shepherd will get you
what you need for right now.
00:34:59.73\00:35:02.86
He will lead you along. He
will take care of you today.
00:35:02.90\00:35:05.83
Don't worry about tomorrow
00:35:05.87\00:35:07.20
'cause tomorrow
will worry about itself.
00:35:07.24\00:35:08.74
But see the Bible and culture.
00:35:08.77\00:35:10.97
How do we put it
in proper perspective?
00:35:11.01\00:35:12.81
Allow God to lead you
and to be able to transcend
00:35:12.84\00:35:16.08
this gospel in all cultures.
00:35:16.11\00:35:17.85
Amen. Amen.
00:35:17.88\00:35:19.25
Thank you, Ryan. Wow.
00:35:19.28\00:35:20.92
Mine is "Our
Sinful and Fallen Nature."
00:35:20.95\00:35:24.02
And the scripture, I
really want to center
00:35:24.05\00:35:26.76
in on is John 12:42-43.
00:35:26.79\00:35:30.03
It says, "Nevertheless,
00:35:30.06\00:35:31.46
among the chief rulers
also many believed on Him,
00:35:31.49\00:35:35.13
but because of the Pharisees,
they did not confess Him,
00:35:35.16\00:35:38.87
lest they should be
put out of the synagogue,
00:35:38.90\00:35:41.97
for they love the praise of men
more than the praise of God."
00:35:42.00\00:35:47.81
They'd love to praise
the men more than God.
00:35:47.84\00:35:49.81
So the question
that is asked here
00:35:49.84\00:35:52.31
in the quarterly
is what kept the man
00:35:52.35\00:35:55.95
and this passage
from accepting the truth
00:35:55.98\00:35:58.95
of the biblical message?
00:35:58.99\00:36:00.86
It kind of explains it here
but sometimes it's really easy,
00:36:00.89\00:36:03.83
Brother Kenny, when
we're looking at scripture
00:36:03.86\00:36:06.49
to try to kind of
judge other people and say,
00:36:06.53\00:36:09.23
"Oh, man, I don't
know, you can see.
00:36:09.26\00:36:11.03
They should have done this
or they should have done that."
00:36:11.07\00:36:13.60
But I kind of want
to center in today,
00:36:13.64\00:36:15.97
not only talk about answer,
00:36:16.00\00:36:17.51
why did the men in the scripture
00:36:17.54\00:36:19.51
not accept the truth as to maybe
00:36:19.54\00:36:21.41
why we not accept the truth?
00:36:21.44\00:36:23.35
Now some of us as
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:36:23.38\00:36:25.31
we kind of see
ourselves differently,
00:36:25.35\00:36:27.02
and we feel like,
well, we have the truth.
00:36:27.05\00:36:29.98
But there's a lot of things
lacking in our church as well.
00:36:30.02\00:36:33.19
And personally, that
I want to talk about,
00:36:33.22\00:36:35.09
I've actually
listed about seven things.
00:36:35.12\00:36:37.63
So this can include everybody.
00:36:37.66\00:36:40.26
If you're alive and
listening to this human being,
00:36:40.30\00:36:43.00
then this is going
to include you, right?
00:36:43.03\00:36:45.37
So now, what kept these
men... What keeps us from...
00:36:45.40\00:36:50.27
In this passage from accepting
the truth of the Bible message?
00:36:50.31\00:36:53.64
One is self
preservation or fear.
00:36:53.68\00:36:56.75
It says here, I'm
sure some of these guys
00:36:56.78\00:36:58.78
didn't want to lose
their high positions, right?
00:36:58.81\00:37:01.88
They didn't want to lose
their, maybe their high pay,
00:37:01.92\00:37:04.29
maybe their
credibility and their community.
00:37:04.32\00:37:07.19
So I could ask the question is,
00:37:07.22\00:37:09.29
do you think this
is a problem today,
00:37:09.32\00:37:11.49
with Christians
today, with people today,
00:37:11.53\00:37:14.20
that maybe we reject truth,
00:37:14.23\00:37:17.20
because of self
preservation, may be from fear?
00:37:17.23\00:37:20.20
How about religious hypocrisy?
00:37:20.24\00:37:22.37
I don't see any
of that today, right?
00:37:22.40\00:37:24.67
Believing one thing
and teaching another
00:37:24.71\00:37:26.51
that's kind of
what these guys did.
00:37:26.54\00:37:27.91
They heard
Jesus and believed it,
00:37:27.94\00:37:29.71
but they taught something else.
00:37:29.74\00:37:31.51
So today there are many pastors,
00:37:31.55\00:37:33.62
for instance,
00:37:33.65\00:37:34.98
who believe in the
Seventh-day Sabbath,
00:37:35.02\00:37:37.22
but they won't preach
it because they're afraid
00:37:37.25\00:37:40.16
of their
positions in their churches,
00:37:40.19\00:37:43.53
and many have.
00:37:43.56\00:37:44.89
Now thankfully, many
accepted but many don't.
00:37:44.93\00:37:48.30
So number three, I listed
as lack of commitment to truth.
00:37:48.33\00:37:53.23
Other words, needing
a spiritual backbone.
00:37:53.27\00:37:56.30
So not being settled in truth,
00:37:56.34\00:37:58.57
but being swayed by
every wind of doctrine.
00:37:58.61\00:38:01.38
So men not willing to
take a stand for right,
00:38:01.41\00:38:04.35
you and me again,
00:38:04.38\00:38:05.71
we're talking about
these guides in the scripture.
00:38:05.75\00:38:07.88
But what about
you and made today?
00:38:07.92\00:38:09.48
Where do we stand on
some of these things?
00:38:09.52\00:38:11.65
You know, Ellen White makes this
00:38:11.69\00:38:13.09
beautiful statement that says,
00:38:13.12\00:38:14.46
"The greatest want in
the world today is men
00:38:14.49\00:38:18.99
who will not be,"
help me, "bought or sold."
00:38:19.03\00:38:22.86
The greatest one
in the world today is
00:38:22.90\00:38:25.77
God is looking for
men who will not be bought
00:38:25.80\00:38:28.74
nor sold for the
gospel, but those...
00:38:28.77\00:38:31.41
So number four,
00:38:31.44\00:38:32.91
I've kind of
grouped these together.
00:38:32.94\00:38:34.94
I hesitated, I thought
maybe I should do it separately.
00:38:34.98\00:38:38.15
But I went
ahead and grouped them
00:38:38.18\00:38:39.91
together pride/rebellion.
00:38:39.95\00:38:43.02
How does that work?
00:38:43.05\00:38:45.05
No doubt some were not
willing to submit to Jesus.
00:38:45.09\00:38:48.32
And we can think
about our own selves today
00:38:48.36\00:38:50.39
but in this scriptures,
these people, chief leaders,
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.33
it says in the church,
00:38:53.36\00:38:54.80
they were not
willing to submit to Jesus
00:38:54.83\00:38:56.67
because He was
considered an uneducated layman.
00:38:56.70\00:38:59.67
Well. All right.
00:38:59.70\00:39:02.00
He was considered
an uneducated layman.
00:39:02.04\00:39:03.91
So now why are you going to be
00:39:03.94\00:39:05.27
going to the
school of the Pharisees
00:39:05.31\00:39:07.21
and listen to an
uneducated layman?
00:39:07.24\00:39:09.44
Jesus did not attend
00:39:09.48\00:39:10.81
the theological
universities of the day.
00:39:10.85\00:39:13.15
He wasn't, and He wasn't even
an ordained Pharisee, right?
00:39:13.18\00:39:16.65
He couldn't
even get in that way.
00:39:16.69\00:39:18.32
I have no doubt that
00:39:18.35\00:39:19.69
if Jesus had chosen
to come to earth in 2020,
00:39:19.72\00:39:23.69
the same way He
came 2,000 years ago,
00:39:23.73\00:39:27.06
He would not be
allowed to even teach
00:39:27.10\00:39:29.06
in some of our
universities or preach on
00:39:29.10\00:39:31.63
some of our campus churches.
00:39:31.67\00:39:33.17
Why not?
00:39:33.20\00:39:34.54
Because some of
the same reasons today,
00:39:34.57\00:39:36.50
pride and selfishness,
many members and leaders,
00:39:36.54\00:39:39.17
I'm not talking
about just church leaders,
00:39:39.21\00:39:40.88
I'm talking about all
of us, leaders, right?
00:39:40.91\00:39:43.71
The word rejected him
then and they're rejecting now.
00:39:43.75\00:39:46.72
Many theologians today would,
00:39:46.75\00:39:49.28
don't even believe in
the six day creation week.
00:39:49.32\00:39:51.59
They would take issue
with Jesus on this, right?
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.82
If Jesus were here today,
00:39:53.86\00:39:55.19
they'd say "What do
you know about this?
00:39:55.22\00:39:57.16
You know, because
this is the way I see it.
00:39:57.19\00:39:59.73
This is the politically
correct way to do it.
00:39:59.76\00:40:02.43
So they would
dispute Him on that.
00:40:02.46\00:40:04.40
Some would dispute Him
00:40:04.43\00:40:05.77
on the sixth and
seventh commandments
00:40:05.80\00:40:07.14
including same sex marriage
and abortion as outdated
00:40:07.17\00:40:11.17
and not relevant in
today's society, right?
00:40:11.21\00:40:15.24
Say we pride ourselves today
00:40:15.28\00:40:16.91
on how smart the
human race really is.
00:40:16.95\00:40:19.51
And based on what?
00:40:19.55\00:40:21.18
On technological strides,
00:40:21.22\00:40:23.05
but in reality the
smarter we appear in man's eyes,
00:40:23.08\00:40:26.15
the dumber we get spiritually.
00:40:26.19\00:40:28.69
Do I need to say that again?
00:40:28.72\00:40:30.63
Smarter we get in man's eyes,
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.69
the dumber we
get spiritually, why?
00:40:32.73\00:40:34.86
Because we tend to
become too self reliant.
00:40:34.90\00:40:37.83
That's right. Right?
00:40:37.87\00:40:39.20
Become self reliant, but for...
00:40:39.23\00:40:41.40
and rely on our own capabilities
00:40:41.44\00:40:43.67
of life on planet earth.
00:40:43.71\00:40:45.74
When in fact is, we
need a savior to save us
00:40:45.77\00:40:49.54
from the destruction
that is sure to come.
00:40:49.58\00:40:52.65
Now five, compromise.
00:40:52.68\00:40:56.02
Well, I mean
whichever is haven't done it.
00:40:56.05\00:40:58.85
He who is without sin,
00:40:58.89\00:41:00.56
casts the first
stone, compromise.
00:41:00.59\00:41:02.72
This is a big one today,
00:41:02.76\00:41:04.09
maybe even bigger
than in Jesus' day.
00:41:04.13\00:41:06.53
I doubt the apostles
and disciples of Jesus
00:41:06.56\00:41:09.93
could have foreseen
the Ten Commandments
00:41:09.96\00:41:11.73
becoming irrelevant
00:41:11.77\00:41:13.10
to the followers
of Christ in 2020.
00:41:13.13\00:41:15.60
I mean,
constantly, we're doing away,
00:41:15.64\00:41:17.24
chipping away at one
and another and another.
00:41:17.27\00:41:20.31
I mean, who would have thought
the followers of Christ back
00:41:20.34\00:41:23.01
then the fourth
commandment would be replaced,
00:41:23.04\00:41:26.01
at least attempted to
be replaced by a theology,
00:41:26.05\00:41:30.15
by a Christian church,
an early Christian church,
00:41:30.19\00:41:32.89
and to change it
from Saturday to Sunday.
00:41:32.92\00:41:35.46
Again, we mentioned the other,
but who would have thought that
00:41:35.49\00:41:38.03
tradition from this church
or who would have thought,
00:41:38.06\00:41:41.06
I'll make a jump to
this, same sex marriage again,
00:41:41.10\00:41:43.67
and abortion would
become law of the land.
00:41:43.70\00:41:46.43
Now that's one thing,
00:41:46.47\00:41:47.80
but it would be
supported by church leaders
00:41:47.84\00:41:49.77
and acceptable lifestyle
in many Christian churches.
00:41:49.80\00:41:53.24
I hope that's not
your church or my church,
00:41:53.27\00:41:55.61
I know it's not our church
00:41:55.64\00:41:56.98
'cause Pastor
John wouldn't allow it.
00:41:57.01\00:41:58.95
That's right. So
thank you, Pastor John.
00:41:58.98\00:42:01.48
Many Christian schools
00:42:01.52\00:42:02.85
and health
institutions have compromised
00:42:02.88\00:42:05.32
their mission in exchange
00:42:05.35\00:42:06.69
for financial
support of the government.
00:42:06.72\00:42:09.19
We're talking about
compromise right here for that.
00:42:09.22\00:42:11.76
Not any names,
but think about it,
00:42:11.79\00:42:13.50
we have a mission and the reason
00:42:13.53\00:42:15.16
for the health
message is to reach the world
00:42:15.20\00:42:17.70
and teach them about
Jesus and Him crucified,
00:42:17.73\00:42:19.87
and His soon coming,
00:42:19.90\00:42:21.74
but sometimes we set
up these institutions
00:42:21.77\00:42:24.04
and we get away from God,
we get away from the Bible,
00:42:24.07\00:42:27.14
because we don't
get enough financial aid
00:42:27.18\00:42:29.74
if we don't compromise
and do as the government
00:42:29.78\00:42:34.85
would have us to do.
00:42:34.88\00:42:36.79
All of the above
00:42:36.82\00:42:38.15
is not only a
compromise to God's Word,
00:42:38.19\00:42:41.02
I wrote down,
00:42:41.06\00:42:42.39
it's open rebellion to
God's Ten Commandment laws.
00:42:42.42\00:42:45.43
Now sixth, you hit on culture.
00:42:45.46\00:42:47.73
So I put culture
and I slash tradition.
00:42:47.76\00:42:50.70
Satan has seduced
many of our members
00:42:50.73\00:42:53.10
through culture,
and or tradition,
00:42:53.13\00:42:55.30
placing them
above the Word of God
00:42:55.34\00:42:57.61
when it comes to
action, dress, lifestyle,
00:42:57.64\00:43:00.94
religion,
politics, racial bigotry,
00:43:00.98\00:43:03.95
and in many churches
as late as the 1960s,
00:43:03.98\00:43:07.25
many Christian churches
00:43:07.28\00:43:08.75
would not allow
blacks to worship with them
00:43:08.78\00:43:11.42
on a given Saturday or Sunday.
00:43:11.45\00:43:13.76
Isn't that amazing?
00:43:13.79\00:43:15.36
Christian, we're a
Christian churches,
00:43:15.39\00:43:17.39
Christ like, to be
Christ like, to follow Jesus.
00:43:17.43\00:43:20.20
But what do we do?
Compromise, because why?
00:43:20.23\00:43:24.23
Politics, it's not
politically correct.
00:43:24.27\00:43:26.27
Number seven, politics.
00:43:26.30\00:43:28.17
In the last three years,
00:43:28.20\00:43:29.54
isn't that interesting,
it just came up with it.
00:43:29.57\00:43:31.67
Isn't it interesting
in the last three years,
00:43:31.71\00:43:33.74
I've seen more division
in the church over politics
00:43:33.78\00:43:36.95
than on almost anything else.
00:43:36.98\00:43:38.98
I say more posts on Facebook
and Twitter and Social Media,
00:43:39.01\00:43:42.58
from church members
about their political beliefs
00:43:42.62\00:43:45.09
than they do about
their beliefs in Jesus,
00:43:45.12\00:43:47.72
their religious beliefs.
00:43:47.76\00:43:49.59
I'm ashamed to say that
00:43:49.62\00:43:50.96
I've even seen numerous members,
00:43:50.99\00:43:52.83
using Facebook to encourage
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.40
other members to
vote for politicians
00:43:54.43\00:43:56.93
who endorse same sex marriage
and abortion and justifying it
00:43:56.97\00:44:00.44
because they
hate the other side.
00:44:00.47\00:44:03.00
This would be
like church members
00:44:03.04\00:44:04.51
voting in favor of a
politician ready to pass
00:44:04.54\00:44:08.41
a national Sunday
law because we justify it
00:44:08.44\00:44:11.41
'cause we don't
like the other side.
00:44:11.45\00:44:12.91
Two wrongs don't make right.
00:44:12.95\00:44:14.88
My thing is why should we
spend so much time promote...
00:44:14.92\00:44:18.25
Why shouldn't we
be spending more time
00:44:18.29\00:44:20.46
promoting Jesus on social
media than political sides?
00:44:20.49\00:44:23.79
Man's governments
will always be corrupt.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.96
Why fall into this trap
that the devil has for us
00:44:27.00\00:44:30.67
of campaigning for either side.
00:44:30.70\00:44:32.83
It's a huge distraction
by the devil to take us away
00:44:32.87\00:44:36.44
from the Word of God.
00:44:36.47\00:44:37.84
So self-preservation,
religious hypocrisy,
00:44:37.87\00:44:41.94
lack of commitment to truth,
00:44:41.98\00:44:43.58
pride, rebellion,
compromise, culture, politics,
00:44:43.61\00:44:47.05
and wanting to
praise a man is nothing new,
00:44:47.08\00:44:50.02
it started in heaven, right?
00:44:50.05\00:44:51.99
Satan said, "I shall be
like the Most High," right?
00:44:52.02\00:44:56.06
I shall be. Are we
all guilty of this?
00:44:56.09\00:44:58.69
Yes, at times we are.
00:44:58.73\00:45:00.06
I'm running out of time,
00:45:00.10\00:45:01.43
I had a lot more but
here's the good news.
00:45:01.46\00:45:03.67
I'm gonna go
down to the good news.
00:45:03.70\00:45:05.73
There's only one way to
overcome our sinful nature.
00:45:05.77\00:45:08.70
And that is we
accept Jesus Christ
00:45:08.74\00:45:10.71
as Lord and Savior of our lives.
00:45:10.74\00:45:12.71
We come to the
foot of the cross,
00:45:12.74\00:45:14.11
we confess our
sins, He is faithful
00:45:14.14\00:45:16.14
and just to
forgive us from our sins,
00:45:16.18\00:45:17.98
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
00:45:18.01\00:45:20.38
Amen. Amen.
00:45:20.42\00:45:21.75
Praise the Lord.
00:45:21.78\00:45:23.12
I believe he hit it
on the head, don't you?
00:45:23.15\00:45:25.02
We could probably wrap it up
00:45:25.05\00:45:26.39
and we'd have
plenty of food for thought.
00:45:26.42\00:45:27.76
Thank you for that.
00:45:27.79\00:45:29.12
Yeah, it makes us
think, doesn't it?
00:45:29.16\00:45:30.73
In these lessons,
you know, we've covered
00:45:30.76\00:45:32.36
quite a few
different areas right here,
00:45:32.39\00:45:34.26
but yet they've
all come together.
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.23
And it has to do
with mine, you know,
00:45:36.26\00:45:38.03
we're on lesson number
six, certainly on Thursday.
00:45:38.07\00:45:40.90
Why Interpretation is Important?
00:45:40.94\00:45:43.37
Well, it's been covered
several different times,
00:45:43.41\00:45:45.47
but it'd be good I guess,
00:45:45.51\00:45:46.84
I assumed to go over it
once again and be reminded.
00:45:46.88\00:45:49.88
For instance, if
somebody asked you
00:45:49.91\00:45:51.41
a question right
now, as a Christian,
00:45:51.45\00:45:53.58
what's the most
important question
00:45:53.62\00:45:55.32
that the Bible deals with?
00:45:55.35\00:45:57.32
I got a feeling we'd get
quite a few different answers.
00:45:57.35\00:46:00.42
But probably most of us
as Christians we might have,
00:46:00.46\00:46:02.39
it might have something to
do with the plan of salvation.
00:46:02.42\00:46:05.03
It may be of Lord,
what must I do to be saved?
00:46:05.06\00:46:09.66
You know, because you look
00:46:09.70\00:46:11.03
a lot of the other issues
that may not be that which,
00:46:11.07\00:46:13.23
you know, it centers
our eternal salvation.
00:46:13.27\00:46:15.70
But if we ask
ourselves that question,
00:46:15.74\00:46:17.41
what would be, you
know, our response to that?
00:46:17.44\00:46:19.27
We ask the question,
then we look for a response.
00:46:19.31\00:46:21.68
And I asked the
same question to myself,
00:46:21.71\00:46:23.55
"Lord, what must
I do to be saved?
00:46:23.58\00:46:25.81
What is the importance
00:46:25.85\00:46:27.18
of the
interpretation of scripture?
00:46:27.22\00:46:28.95
How important really is
it?" It's life and death.
00:46:28.98\00:46:31.49
So the whole issue
we've been talking about here,
00:46:31.52\00:46:33.09
if everyone
that I've heard here,
00:46:33.12\00:46:34.59
you really put it on the line,
00:46:34.62\00:46:36.19
you may not have said it,
but it's life and death issue,
00:46:36.22\00:46:38.59
that we
interpret scripture the way
00:46:38.63\00:46:40.23
that it's
supposed to be interpreted.
00:46:40.26\00:46:42.83
What really matters
if you think about it,
00:46:42.86\00:46:45.53
from the very beginning of time
or in our own personal life,
00:46:45.57\00:46:49.74
to the very end of
life what really matters?
00:46:49.77\00:46:53.98
Well, Jesus said it
like this in Matthew 16:26.
00:46:54.01\00:46:57.25
He made it very clear.
00:46:57.28\00:46:58.68
He said, "What
should a man profit,"
00:46:58.71\00:47:00.92
if he should what?
00:47:00.95\00:47:02.35
"Gain the whole world
and lose his own soul,
00:47:02.38\00:47:05.95
or what shall a man..."
00:47:05.99\00:47:07.32
Notice this one?
00:47:07.36\00:47:08.69
What shall a man give
in exchange for," what?
00:47:08.72\00:47:11.13
"For his soul."
00:47:11.16\00:47:13.09
I've thought
about that question.
00:47:13.13\00:47:14.46
I just can't come
up with something.
00:47:14.50\00:47:16.33
You know, I mean,
it's pretty heavy duty
00:47:16.36\00:47:17.73
and you may
00:47:17.77\00:47:19.10
and this has ever
been the ambition,
00:47:19.13\00:47:22.10
you know, the plot of the enemy
is to get a man to think down
00:47:22.14\00:47:26.68
to what are you going to
give in exchange for your soul?
00:47:26.71\00:47:29.44
What is it that's
really important to us?
00:47:29.48\00:47:30.98
The enemy says,
"I'll give you that thing,
00:47:31.01\00:47:32.55
whatever it might be to
pull you away from Christ."
00:47:32.58\00:47:34.48
Proper
interpretation of scripture,
00:47:34.52\00:47:36.55
"What shall a man give
for exchange for his soul?"
00:47:36.58\00:47:39.25
It's, to me it's a question
00:47:39.29\00:47:42.06
where there's
no adequate answer.
00:47:42.09\00:47:46.83
I maybe wrong with
that, somebody would come up,
00:47:46.86\00:47:48.60
naturally come up with thing
00:47:48.63\00:47:49.96
but there's no
real adequate answer.
00:47:50.00\00:47:51.33
What would you give in
exchange for your soul?
00:47:51.37\00:47:53.54
So why is the
interpretation important?
00:47:53.57\00:47:56.24
That's what this
whole lesson is about.
00:47:56.27\00:47:58.37
Why is it important?
00:47:58.41\00:47:59.74
What if we interpret
the Bible in a wrong way?
00:47:59.77\00:48:03.65
Maybe that's simple to put it,
you know, what's so important,
00:48:03.68\00:48:06.18
why should we inter...
00:48:06.21\00:48:07.55
What if we
interpreted it the wrong way?
00:48:07.58\00:48:09.98
There's our life depended
upon how we interpret scripture.
00:48:10.02\00:48:13.92
You know, it's important that
00:48:13.96\00:48:15.32
we come up with
the right answers,
00:48:15.36\00:48:17.53
or is it, it's very
important if we come up
00:48:17.56\00:48:20.10
with false
interpretations of scripture.
00:48:20.13\00:48:22.70
So salvation certainly
has something to do with it,
00:48:22.73\00:48:25.67
life and death issue.
00:48:25.70\00:48:27.04
John 7:17 says
this, I like this.
00:48:27.07\00:48:29.54
It says, "If any
man will do," what?
00:48:29.57\00:48:32.34
"If any man will do His will,
he shall know of the doctrine,
00:48:32.37\00:48:37.98
whether it be of God
or whether it be," what?
00:48:38.01\00:48:40.65
"That I speak of myself?"
00:48:40.68\00:48:42.12
So notice that there's something
00:48:42.15\00:48:43.49
here very important, if
any man will do His will.
00:48:43.52\00:48:45.75
How can I know
what's been said here?
00:48:45.79\00:48:47.26
How can I know
if this scripture,
00:48:47.29\00:48:48.99
if I'm reading
it, if it's correct,
00:48:49.02\00:48:50.43
and if it's right?
00:48:50.46\00:48:51.99
Well, John says, he says,
"If any man will do His will,
00:48:52.03\00:48:54.96
he shall know of the doctrines."
00:48:55.00\00:48:57.67
So it's not
something God has put out there
00:48:57.70\00:48:59.47
that's what's
impossible for us to figure out.
00:48:59.50\00:49:02.57
You will know the will,
but if you look at that,
00:49:02.60\00:49:05.44
there to me is a
prerequisite here, right?
00:49:05.47\00:49:08.38
If any man will,
00:49:08.41\00:49:09.74
if any man
another translation says,
00:49:09.78\00:49:11.35
if a man
wishes, you have to wish
00:49:11.38\00:49:13.78
or you have to
want, right to begin with.
00:49:13.82\00:49:16.69
But the other is, if you ask,
00:49:16.72\00:49:18.75
"Lord, I want to
know what truth is.
00:49:18.79\00:49:20.89
I want to receive more
light, the more fresh light,
00:49:20.92\00:49:23.53
whatever it might be."
00:49:23.56\00:49:24.89
The seeker of this is the seeker
00:49:24.93\00:49:27.10
must be willing
to follow that light.
00:49:27.13\00:49:29.96
Would that be true?
00:49:30.00\00:49:31.43
I mean, why ask for more light
00:49:31.47\00:49:32.80
if you're not
willing, People say,
00:49:32.83\00:49:34.17
"I'm praying for
light all the time."
00:49:34.20\00:49:35.54
You know, I want
to know God's will
00:49:35.57\00:49:37.01
and then you present God's will,
00:49:37.04\00:49:38.67
first of all, God's
will for each one of us
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.81
is to be saved in the kingdom.
00:49:40.84\00:49:42.91
But then, are we
willing to accept that
00:49:42.94\00:49:45.85
light as God shines
that light upon our path.
00:49:45.88\00:49:48.85
After all, in John 8:12,
00:49:48.88\00:49:50.45
Jesus simply
says, whoo, I am what?
00:49:50.49\00:49:53.52
"I am the light of the world."
00:49:53.56\00:49:55.99
Are we willing to accept Christ?
00:49:56.02\00:49:58.23
I had somebody put a text
or something one time on there.
00:49:58.26\00:50:00.90
And they simply
said, "You know what?
00:50:00.93\00:50:02.30
There's a lot
more important things
00:50:02.33\00:50:03.67
to talk about that
things that might separate us,
00:50:03.70\00:50:05.90
you know, in the Word of God,
00:50:05.93\00:50:07.64
we need to talk
more about Jesus.
00:50:07.67\00:50:10.14
You know, and I love that.
00:50:10.17\00:50:11.51
And I'd like to
address that someday
00:50:11.54\00:50:13.01
is this and I will, is
to talk more about Jesus
00:50:13.04\00:50:15.91
because that's exactly
what we've been doing here.
00:50:15.94\00:50:19.51
We've been talking about Jesus'
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.02
approach to the
interpretation of scripture.
00:50:21.05\00:50:23.59
We've been talking about
the life of Jesus Christ.
00:50:23.62\00:50:26.19
We've been talking
about what He talked about.
00:50:26.22\00:50:28.46
And what He related,
what He lived out in His life.
00:50:28.49\00:50:32.16
So that is very, very important.
00:50:32.19\00:50:33.53
Now it might come
to touchy subjects
00:50:33.56\00:50:38.03
and then that's where
people get a little squeamish,
00:50:38.07\00:50:39.73
you know, they
don't want to follow that.
00:50:39.77\00:50:42.44
So maybe the big
question for us today is what?
00:50:42.47\00:50:46.78
And I've heard it
over, what is truth?
00:50:46.81\00:50:48.98
Wouldn't that be the big punch?
00:50:49.01\00:50:50.58
Yeah. What is truth?
00:50:50.61\00:50:53.31
That's a common
subject matter of,
00:50:53.35\00:50:56.65
it's complicated to many people
00:50:56.69\00:50:58.62
because there are so many
different positions to take.
00:50:58.65\00:51:02.69
Why is that?
00:51:02.72\00:51:04.06
You know, the Bible's, you know,
00:51:04.09\00:51:05.73
the Bible gives a very clear
what the position of, you know,
00:51:05.76\00:51:09.36
the Word of God is
on different subject
00:51:09.40\00:51:11.17
that people say
there's just so many here,
00:51:11.20\00:51:12.70
I can't quite figure it out.
00:51:12.73\00:51:14.24
Why?
00:51:14.27\00:51:16.20
Why is it that they
can't figure it out?
00:51:16.24\00:51:18.27
Could it be that they
don't want it, number one?
00:51:18.31\00:51:20.94
Could it be
because you mentioned here,
00:51:20.98\00:51:22.31
it might change their life,
00:51:22.34\00:51:23.68
it might change
their perspective,
00:51:23.71\00:51:25.05
it might change their job.
00:51:25.08\00:51:26.41
It might change a lot
of things in our life,
00:51:26.45\00:51:27.85
they're not really
ready for that change.
00:51:27.88\00:51:30.02
And then this, well,
00:51:30.05\00:51:31.55
we just can't
figure out what truth is.
00:51:31.59\00:51:33.49
It becomes an excuse for
them, not having any part
00:51:33.52\00:51:36.76
or any part of a Christian home,
00:51:36.79\00:51:39.23
or accepting Christ
as their personal Savior.
00:51:39.26\00:51:41.36
And they just leave the
whole ball of wax we'd say.
00:51:41.40\00:51:44.10
They leave it
and they just go out
00:51:44.13\00:51:45.47
'cause they say we
can't figure it out anymore.
00:51:45.50\00:51:47.20
But I don't believe that
God would give us anything
00:51:47.24\00:51:49.04
that we can't figure
out right, line upon line,
00:51:49.07\00:51:51.04
precept upon
precept, praise God for that.
00:51:51.07\00:51:54.18
Theological error.
00:51:54.21\00:51:57.15
How long has theological
error's been with us?
00:51:57.18\00:51:59.61
Well, maybe from the beginning,
00:51:59.65\00:52:03.72
I'll just say that it
has always been in churches.
00:52:03.75\00:52:06.89
It's always been in the church.
00:52:06.92\00:52:08.66
And, you know, how did
it come into the church?
00:52:08.69\00:52:11.89
Simply by the false
interpretation of scripture.
00:52:11.93\00:52:15.33
That's how it came in.
And sometime because, whoo!
00:52:15.36\00:52:19.73
Some of us who are
watchmen on the walls of Zion
00:52:19.77\00:52:22.94
haven't given that
trumpet a certain sound.
00:52:22.97\00:52:25.27
Yeah.
00:52:25.31\00:52:26.64
There's nothing more irritating,
00:52:26.68\00:52:28.11
I think, it doesn't bother me
00:52:28.14\00:52:29.48
'cause my ears not
that good at music.
00:52:29.51\00:52:31.21
But I understand that
people who have good ears
00:52:31.25\00:52:33.21
and they're really
in tune with thing,
00:52:33.25\00:52:34.65
when someone's flat and
someone is sharp, it hurts.
00:52:34.68\00:52:39.12
Am I okay to saying that?
00:52:39.15\00:52:40.56
It hurts their ears,
it might not hurt mine,
00:52:40.59\00:52:43.29
I'll just say "Well, I
don't sound quite right."
00:52:43.32\00:52:44.79
But people who
really got it tuned up,
00:52:44.83\00:52:46.49
you know, it hurts their ears.
00:52:46.53\00:52:49.40
And so when I hear things
00:52:49.43\00:52:50.77
that are untruth in
scripture, it hurts.
00:52:50.80\00:52:52.83
That's right.
00:52:52.87\00:52:54.20
It hurts the
mind, it hurts the ears,
00:52:54.24\00:52:56.24
not just because of
who's right and who's wrong,
00:52:56.27\00:52:58.87
it's because it's leading
someone down the wrong path.
00:52:58.91\00:53:02.48
And then these are
life and death issues.
00:53:02.51\00:53:05.68
Our lesson asks the question
00:53:05.71\00:53:07.12
is how clear
understanding of scripture...
00:53:07.15\00:53:09.52
How important is it? I
wish we had time, we don't.
00:53:09.55\00:53:12.09
In Nehemiah, if we go
to Nehemiah Chapter 8,
00:53:12.12\00:53:14.82
I'm getting to the
very first question
00:53:14.86\00:53:16.19
of the lesson, isn't it sad?
00:53:16.22\00:53:17.73
It's time to move out.
00:53:17.76\00:53:19.09
But you know what if you've read
00:53:19.13\00:53:20.46
the Book of Nehemiah
Chapter 8, what happened?
00:53:20.50\00:53:22.93
Your
interpretation of scripture.
00:53:22.96\00:53:24.73
Notice, what it
says right there.
00:53:24.77\00:53:26.10
And all the
people gathered together.
00:53:26.13\00:53:27.47
I'm looking for the churches
00:53:27.50\00:53:28.84
willing to do
what these people did.
00:53:28.87\00:53:30.81
They came
together, and they listened
00:53:30.84\00:53:32.34
to the Word being read to them
five and six hours at a whack.
00:53:32.37\00:53:36.51
Now, did that mean they
just read the Word of God?
00:53:36.54\00:53:38.65
All the people come out,
00:53:38.68\00:53:40.02
all of them got
excited in the street,
00:53:40.05\00:53:41.75
and they said, "We
want to hear the Word.
00:53:41.78\00:53:43.69
Praise God.
00:53:43.72\00:53:45.05
I'd like to hear
somebody come up and say
00:53:45.09\00:53:46.42
"I want to hear the Word today."
00:53:46.45\00:53:47.79
Amen. In fact
the people did that.
00:53:47.82\00:53:49.82
And they were willing
to stay in there for hours
00:53:49.86\00:53:51.53
but what happened with it?
00:53:51.56\00:53:52.89
It just wasn't put out
there and read to them.
00:53:52.93\00:53:55.43
They would read
for a little while
00:53:55.46\00:53:56.80
whether be an hour or two,
00:53:56.83\00:53:58.17
whatever it might be
and then they would stop,
00:53:58.20\00:54:00.04
and then the interpretation,
00:54:00.07\00:54:02.10
right
interpretation of the scripture
00:54:02.14\00:54:03.51
made by the Levites, whatever,
would be given to the people
00:54:03.54\00:54:06.57
so that they
could fully do what?
00:54:06.61\00:54:08.71
They could
certainly understand it.
00:54:08.74\00:54:10.41
In verse 8 there,
if you read Nehemiah 8,
00:54:10.45\00:54:13.35
read verses
1-3, and then verse 8
00:54:13.38\00:54:16.02
is just really
powerful there in Nehemiah.
00:54:16.05\00:54:18.25
It says, "So
they read in the book,
00:54:18.29\00:54:21.09
the law of God," I like that,
"distinctly and gave the sense
00:54:21.12\00:54:26.80
and cause them to
understand the reading."
00:54:26.83\00:54:31.23
You know, a guy come out
to church one day and he said,
00:54:31.27\00:54:33.57
"Wasn't that one
of the best sermons
00:54:33.60\00:54:35.37
you ever heard?"
00:54:35.40\00:54:36.74
Now wasn't me
preaching, was somebody else.
00:54:36.77\00:54:39.17
And I said, "Well,
I..." That was pretty deep.
00:54:39.21\00:54:41.98
It's hard for me
to understand it.
00:54:42.01\00:54:43.35
You know, I
didn't want to discourage
00:54:43.38\00:54:44.71
and I said,
"Well, what did he say?
00:54:44.75\00:54:46.58
What did you gather from this?"
00:54:46.61\00:54:48.82
He said, "You know
what, I'm not really sure.
00:54:48.85\00:54:50.95
I'm not really
sure what he said.
00:54:50.99\00:54:52.32
But he said it was so deep."
00:54:52.35\00:54:54.49
I just said, "You
know, give me simple,
00:54:54.52\00:54:56.26
plain teachings of Jesus Christ.
00:54:56.29\00:54:58.06
It's something that
this poor little mind
00:54:58.09\00:54:59.66
can comprehend and understand
00:54:59.69\00:55:01.56
something that
truth will come in
00:55:01.60\00:55:03.03
and lie in my heart, in my life,
00:55:03.06\00:55:04.50
that will transform me
into the image of Jesus.
00:55:04.53\00:55:07.00
That's my only hope.
That's your only hope today.
00:55:07.04\00:55:09.24
That's our only encouragement,
is let truth come in.
00:55:09.27\00:55:11.77
It is important about
00:55:11.81\00:55:13.14
the interpretation of scripture.
00:55:13.17\00:55:14.51
And you've heard
from the panel here,
00:55:14.54\00:55:15.88
and given some good ideas
on how that's accomplished,
00:55:15.91\00:55:18.11
you know, again,
accept that God's in control
00:55:18.15\00:55:20.88
and He said, "I'm coming back."
00:55:20.92\00:55:22.25
Just believe that
and be ready. Amen.
00:55:22.28\00:55:24.39
Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny.
00:55:24.42\00:55:25.92
What an incredible study.
00:55:25.95\00:55:27.42
The Word of God
has life giving power,
00:55:27.46\00:55:30.26
because it is
inspired by God Himself.
00:55:30.29\00:55:32.99
Want to give each
one of you a moment
00:55:33.03\00:55:34.40
to share something
about the lesson, Pastor John.
00:55:34.43\00:55:36.77
Well, "Interpretation
and Understanding,"
00:55:36.80\00:55:38.50
I think that's what mine was.
00:55:38.53\00:55:40.37
But the point is
because we don't accept it,
00:55:40.40\00:55:44.24
it doesn't mean
that it's not required.
00:55:44.27\00:55:46.37
Come on. It's good.
00:55:46.41\00:55:47.84
Amen.
00:55:47.88\00:55:49.21
You know, that reflecting
on this just overall study
00:55:49.24\00:55:52.01
of what we're talking about
how to interpret scripture,
00:55:52.05\00:55:54.38
you know,
00:55:54.42\00:55:55.75
I just want to be like one
of those sheep in Psalm 23.
00:55:55.78\00:56:00.46
I just want to be
like one of those sheep
00:56:00.49\00:56:02.06
right now probably
that's in the Naqab desert,
00:56:02.09\00:56:04.93
that southern region of
Israel that's out there grazing
00:56:04.96\00:56:07.26
on this rocky hillside
00:56:07.30\00:56:08.90
that seems like
there's nothing there.
00:56:08.93\00:56:10.50
But depending on the
shepherd to lead them
00:56:10.53\00:56:12.50
every way would
help me to follow You.
00:56:12.53\00:56:15.30
Amen. Amen. Good.
00:56:15.34\00:56:17.27
Mine was "Our
Sinful and Fallen Nature."
00:56:17.31\00:56:20.11
All I want to leave
you with is this, John,
00:56:20.14\00:56:22.81
because He lives,
I can face tomorrow.
00:56:22.84\00:56:25.38
Amen. Amen.
00:56:25.41\00:56:26.98
Isn't that wonderful?
Praise God, that is good.
00:56:27.02\00:56:29.58
I found a little article in
Message to Young People 260,
00:56:29.62\00:56:32.89
notice it, and I think it
fits in what was said here.
00:56:32.92\00:56:35.12
"Do not read the word
00:56:35.16\00:56:36.52
in the light of
a former opinion,
00:56:36.56\00:56:39.49
but with a mind
free from prejudice.
00:56:39.53\00:56:42.16
Search it
carefully and prayerfully.
00:56:42.20\00:56:45.07
Do not try to make,"
00:56:45.10\00:56:46.70
notice this, "the
Word fit your opinion."
00:56:46.74\00:56:50.77
Make it what? "Make
opinions fit the Word."
00:56:50.81\00:56:54.14
Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:56:54.18\00:56:55.78
Thank you all so much
00:56:55.81\00:56:57.15
for your study
of the Word of God.
00:56:57.18\00:56:58.51
Pastor Kenny,
Pastor Danny, we can say.
00:56:58.55\00:57:00.48
Pastor Ryan and Pastor
John, thank you for your study.
00:57:00.52\00:57:03.62
We're so glad that
you joined us today
00:57:03.65\00:57:06.19
as well for this study.
00:57:06.22\00:57:07.79
It is important to understand,
the Bible is inspired
00:57:07.82\00:57:10.53
but it is just
as equally important
00:57:10.56\00:57:12.89
to understand
00:57:12.93\00:57:14.26
how to
understand the Word of God,
00:57:14.30\00:57:15.93
and how to
interpret the Word of God.
00:57:15.96\00:57:18.47
I want to read a
passage from that same section,
00:57:18.50\00:57:21.50
Pastor Kenny,
Messages to Young People,
00:57:21.54\00:57:24.44
page 260.
00:57:24.47\00:57:25.81
It's just before the
passage that you read.
00:57:25.84\00:57:28.11
"In your study of the Word
lay at the door of investigation
00:57:28.14\00:57:32.38
your preconceived opinions,
00:57:32.41\00:57:34.65
and your hereditary
and cultivated ideas.
00:57:34.68\00:57:37.49
You will never reach the truth
if you studied the scriptures
00:57:37.52\00:57:41.39
to vindicate your own ideas.
00:57:41.42\00:57:44.59
Leave these at the door
and with a contrite heart
00:57:44.63\00:57:48.33
go into hear what the
Lord has to say to you."
00:57:48.36\00:57:51.67
So that's our appeal to
you from 3ABN to you at home,
00:57:51.70\00:57:55.60
leave your
preconceived opinions.
00:57:55.64\00:57:57.77
We want to do the
same thing at the door
00:57:57.81\00:58:00.14
and go in to hear
what the Lord has to say
00:58:00.18\00:58:02.78
to you through His Word.
00:58:02.81\00:58:04.38
Join us next week
00:58:04.41\00:58:05.91
as we continue our study
with lesson number seven,
00:58:05.95\00:58:08.95
Language, Text and Context.
00:58:08.98\00:58:11.45