The Need for the Word

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I wrapped up teaching my first day, and I'm excite and exhausted at the same time. A bit excitausted if you will. (If Stephen Colbert can invent truthiness, then I can make up this one)

Today I introduced the class to Hermanutics or Inductive Bible Study if you fancy that better. We began with the writing of the scriptures: the who, when, where, how, of the divine inspiration of our inerrant Bibles. Stories were shared, favorite passages studied through new lenses, and often mishandled texts like Jeremiah 29:11 brought into the light of context.

It was awesome!! Not just the time in God's word, but watching students begin to open up to the intense and important task of systematic study of scripture. Washing away the years of shared "knowledge" and letting the very word of God speak instead of opinion, is of utmost importance. These students love Jesus and want others to know him too, but they need a firmer foundation to lead and love their congregations well. That doesn't happen outside of the right teaching of God's word. You can care for people and lend some comfort, but eventually that runs out when the world is shaken.

The core of the Gospel is that Jesus saves up through his work on the cross, and we know that because of the scriptures. Paul restates this fact twice here:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Without God's word, you can't begin to understand the depths of His love for you.

The work that TLI is doing here and around the world is eternally important. By strategically sending pastors to train other pastors, the theological and gospel spreading impact is exponential!! What a blessing to each nation that gets newly trained and equipped pastors to spread the name of Jesus.

Well, I'm so excitausted that I need to head off to get some rest. I will leave you with this illustration I got from Grasping God's Word. It's the core principle we are using this week for each passage, and a great tool to keep handy if you are diving in deep.