At Second Glance - Reading the Bible

A second look at this past week's message from Shoal Creek's Student Ministries...

This past Sunday our topic was "Reading the Bible," and we focused on the factors that keep us from reading, and believing, the bible.

Our biggest obstacle, what keeps us from reading the bible more than anything else, is that we don’t want to be told what to do. Generally speaking, we all intensely desire and are attached to our personal freedom. Nothing can ruin my mood more than when someone else tells me what to do, regardless of whether I respect them or not. I like doing things my way. You like doing things your way. We all "buck" authority in our lives when any kind of authority suggests that we should do things their way instead of our own.

So naturally, when the concept of reading the bible comes up, there is an internal resistance that comes from our desire to keep doing things our way. When we look at the bible, or think about the bible, we default into thinking about it like some kind of spiritual instruction manual. We assume that the purpose of the bible is to tell us what to do and what not to do. We assume the bible is like spiritual "home work," and we all HATE homework, don't we?

To fix that, we have to stop looking at the bible as a set of directions, and start looking at it like a story. This might sound weird, but let me tell you something: the primary purpose of the bible is NOT to tell you what to do!!! Crazy, huh?!?! It’s really not! The bible is more like a diary--God's diary. In the bible are stories, and poems and accounts of the lives of God's people over the centuries. When we engage the bible, we need to start with primarily asking ourselves, "What does this tell me about God?" 

You see, you and I, we all have our own views about who God really is. The primary purpose of the bible is to help you know who God—your Creator—is!!! The bible is NOT trying to control you!!! The bible is actually trying to SET YOU FREE!!! 

We absolutely need God to help us from being controlled by destructive forces in our lives (sin). Meaning, the broken internal thoughts/feelings that you have about yourself that lead you to do what you do. We all completely miss how much God loves us and how worthy we are to him, so we all seek affirmation apart from God--that's what "sin" is. We seek to make ourselves feel better with things that are not God, because we don't understand how completely and absolutely God loves us. Because if we did, we would of our own will (so not forced) choose to honor God at of gratitude/thankfulness for what he has done/will do for us.

More than anything else, the bible is trying to tell you who God is, because if you ever really get to know Him, there’s NO WAY your life won’t be changed. The bible isn’t trying to force you to do anything. The bible is trying to show you the amazing awesomeness of God!!! The bible isn’t trying to change us through force; the bible is trying to win us over by showing us how much God loves us.

As we come to understand how infinite God's love for us is, our hearts will begin to change and to want the same things God wants. And THAT--wanting the same thing God wants--is what "obedience" is. Obedience isn't becoming a mindless robot, as we often mis-think that's what it means. Obedience is wanting what God wants, and when we obey God, we experience God's life-changing love.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jesus, John 15:9-13