STUDY

For three weeks we have been studying Spiritual Disciplines. Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, breaks Spiritual Disciplines into three categories – Inward Disciplines, Outward Disciplines, and Corporate Disciplines. This week we finish up the first category of Inward Disciplines.

The first inward discipline we discussed was meditation and talked about what meditation is and is not, why we should meditate, how to prepare to meditate and then examples of meditation – experiencing biblical stories, focused concentration on Scripture or creation.

The second inward discipline was the Discipline of Prayer. We defined prayer as communication between us and God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and the communication is not a monologue but two-way. And unlike meditation which requires other disciplines to be in motion as well –prayer can be done in isolation; it is a counterpart of many of the other disciplines.

Last week we discussed the third inward discipline of fasting. We talked about how it is not the diet-fad that is going around but it is a spiritual discipline of connecting deeper with our Heavenly Father and being more in tune to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We looked at 8 biblical examples of fasting as well as going over 9 potential ways to fast.

The last inward discipline is the discipline of Study.

Let us Pray!

I. Why Study?

The purpose of the Spiritual Disciplines, the reason we should be practicing and implementing them into our life is for the total transformation of ourselves. To be more conformed to the image of Christ. The Spiritual Disciplines help us with replacing old destructive habits of thought with new life-giving habits.

Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are called to sacrifice as well as renew our mind.

That is done through the Discipline of Study.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

1 Timothy 4:13 – Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

With the discipline of study, we are living out John 8.

John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

As believers we have a duty, an obligation to know the truth – if more knew the truth – less would fall prey to false teaching –

II. What Is Study?

Devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge on a subject

Careful attention or detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation

Sustained and purposeful concentration and attention on a subject

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 – “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

If they Studied the Word of God and followed the word of God it came with a promise

Deuteronomy 11:21-23 – that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.

The New Testament replaces doorposts and gates with our hearts and minds

Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Hebrews 8:10 – For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people

Romans 2:15a – They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness

III. How to Study?

1. Included 4 Steps – Repetition, Concentration, Comprehension, and Reflection

a. Repetition – continued practice of it – how did we learn our multiplication facts, to drive a car, play an instrument?

b. Concentration – focused attention on what you are studying. Remove distractions allowing us to go to a deeper level

c. Comprehension – we need to understand what we are studying – goes beyond memorizing and focusing on knowledge – looks at it through wisdom

John 8:32 – and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

We must know it, understand it to implement it into our lives

d. Reflection – take time to reflect on what you just studied; reflection provides the significance and understanding of what we just studied. How does this apply to my life? Reflection allows us a glimpse into God’s perspective, see things through the eyes of God

To really develop the discipline of study – we need humility

Fully Submit to God’s Authority – needed to go to comprehension and reflection

Arrogance and a teachable spirit are opposites – at war with each other – cannot coexist in a believer’s life

SOAP does a great job of helping us implement these 4 steps in our study of Scripture.

S – Scripture O – Observation about Scripture A – Apply Scripture P – Write a Prayer with the Scripture

S is the repetition O is the concentration A is the comprehension P is the reflection

2. Book Study – reading words does not equate to studying a book

Understanding (Comprehension above) – what is the author saying

Interpreting – what does the author mean

Evaluating –– how does this apply to me

Experience – relate to what the book is saying – put us in the story

Utilize other books – dictionaries, commentaries,

Utilize others – discuss what you read

Bible should be the book we study not just read

Psalm 119:9-11 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Where do I start? The Bible is not necessarily to be read Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:21

Pick a major book like Genesis or Jeremiah or John or Matthew – read straight through – read a chapter or so a day, take notes about flow, structure, questions, aha moments – look at different translations and compare

Pick a small book like one of John’s 3 letters, Philemon, Jude – read the entire book every day for a month – journal thoughts, ideas, prayers, aha moments, word choices (look at different translations)

3. Non-verbal books – study through creation

Isaiah 55:12 – You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Study nature – look for God’s handiwork – observe carefully the flowers, birds, clouds

Study self – what controls us, what affects our moods, what motivates us, this is not a call to exalt self but to better understand how to be more humble

Study relationships – what does a healthy relationship look like, an unhealthy one -how do you develop one – one of the most important things, important functions we are called to do as believers;

Study produces joy but Study, of course, is a much larger Discipline than reading, and many who read never study; but reading is an important element in study and should not be lost. I’m sure you will find God waiting for you as you engage in the ministry of study.