Read an Excerpt
A Brief Survey of the Bible Study Guide
By John Walton ZONDERVAN
Copyright © 2015 Zondervan
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-89489-6
CHAPTER 1
SESSION 1
An introduction to
A Brief Survey of the Bible
* * *
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
WELCOME
Welcome to session 1 of A Brief Survey of the Bible. If this is your first time together as a group, take a moment to introduce yourselves to each other. Then go around the group and answer the following questions:
• What three adjectives best describe your attitude toward reading the Bible?
• What is your primary reason for wanting to do a survey of the Bible?
WATCH THE VIDEO
Play the video teaching segment for session 1. As you watch, use the following outline to record any thoughts or concepts that stand out to you.
Notes
The Old Testament is God's story — God's revelation of himself. If we are going to serve him, know him, love him, we have to know his story.
The whole idea of the Bible is to help us understand God's big plan for things. In the beginning God created a place for us, and he would dwell there with us so we could be in relationship with him. Sin disrupted that relationship — we no longer had access to God's presence.
God initiated the covenant with Abraham. By making a relationship with Abraham, God was reestablishing his presence among people.
At the end of the kingdom period, everything was in jeopardy and God was about to pick up and leave. Yet God had already talked about Immanuel — God with us.
God is a God of grace, and he launched a rescue plan. This plan involved a man and a nation. God made a covenant with Abraham, and all nations would be blessed through him. It was through the line of Abraham that God would bring a Savior.
The Old Testament gives us the stories that help us understand what kind of God he is. Only when we understand God's character can we appreciate his presence in us and seek after a relationship that will please him, honor him, and allow us to serve in relationship with him.
The central theme of the Old Testament is promise. The central theme of the New Testament is fulfillment of that promise in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.
Jesus is the center point of salvation history. Jesus is the one prophesied in the Old Testament. The story in Luke 24 summarizes the whole message of the Bible: through Jesus, God has acted to bring his people back into a right relationship with him.
GROUP DISCUSSION
Take a few minutes with your group members to discuss what you just watched and explore these concepts in Scripture.
1. After watching the video, what is your primary motivation for reading the Bible?
2. What challenges and benefits do you anticipate as you participate in this study?
3. What most excites you about the prospect of doing this survey of the Bible?
4. As you do this study, what do you expect to discover in terms of practical living, spiritual growth, knowledge of history, or other areas?
5. What do you hope to learn about God by reading his story?
6. How can knowing God's story build your relationship with him?
7. God's love story is one of promises and fulfillment, of pursuit and restoration. How do these qualities of God, and his passion for his people, encourage you to trust him?
LIVING THE WORD
For this activity, each group member will need a blank piece of paper, a pen, and an envelope.
* * *
In this session, you have seen that the Bible is God's love story — his revelation of himself to his people in order to establish a relationship with us. This story comes to fruition through Jesus, who was God fulfilling his promise to dwell with us and bless us. On the blank piece of paper, describe the relationship you have with God right now. Then describe the ways in which you would like your relationship with God to grow during the course of this study. Date and sign your paper and seal it in the envelope. Keep it in your Bible as a reminder of your desire to grow closer to God. At the end of the study, you will read your description and write a new one based on any areas of spiritual growth that you have experienced.
CLOSING PRAYER
Use the following prayer to close out your group time, or feel free to say one of your own.
God, you've invited each of us here to embark on this study of your Word. While we understand the parameters of this journey and may have some idea where it will lead, we also know unanticipated twists and turns await us. Ultimately, we believe there are significant truths you want to teach us about you, the world, and ourselves. As each of us prays our silent decision to you, we ask that you give us the strength to respond to your desires more strongly than to our own. Hear us as we each pray. In your Son's name, amen.
On Your Own
Between Sessions Personal Study
This week, you listened to an opening introduction from John Walton and Mark Strauss about how the Bible is the story of God's revelation of himself and about his pursuit of a loving relationship with his creation. In the next session, you will be discussing key stories and principles from the books of Genesis and Exodus. Use the following between-sessions material to give you some background on these books and guide your reading for the week.
Overview
The following is a brief overview of the books you and your group will cover during next week's session. Take a moment to review this information, and at the end of the section note any questions you want to discuss with your group.
Genesis
Genesis is the book of beginnings and sets the stage for everything that follows in the Bible. It establishes God as the creator of all that is — in heaven, on earth, and beyond. Genesis focuses on the essential relationship of humanity, the one that exists between God and the people he created, and introduces us to the way God makes covenants with them. In Genesis we witness Satan entice Adam and Eve to disobey God, which establishes the central conflict of human history. The remainder of the Bible is the story of how God resolves that loss of relationship. Historically, Jews and Christians have held that Moses was the author of the first five books of the Bible, writing to God's chosen people, the Israelites, around 1446 to 1406 BC.
Exodus
The word Exodus means "exit" or "departure," and the book describes the Israelite people's journey from slavery in Egypt to the threshold of the Promised Land in Canaan. Yet Exodus is not only the story of Israel's departure from the land of Egypt but also the story of Israel's departure from the lifestyle of Egypt. It is not merely a journey of time and distance but also a journey of the heart, as a holy God prepares his chosen people to live the life he offers in the land he has provided. In Exodus he reveals his name, his attributes, his redemption, his Law, and how he is to be worshiped, and then he invites his people into relationship with him.
Reading
Each day this week, read the passages of Scripture indicated below. If it is helpful, use this chart to help you record your reading progress. Establish a reading schedule that works best for you — and then stick with it. Try to make it a habit to pray before you begin reading each day, asking God to use his Word to instruct and guide you.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What are some of the highlights — knowledge gained, puzzling questions, moments of insight — you experienced during your reading this week?
2. How would you describe God's response to his creation of Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:27 – 31; 2:4 – 8, 15 – 25)? How did Adam and Eve's disobedience change their relationship with God (see Genesis 3)?
3. Why did the people want to build the tower of Babel (see Genesis 11:1 – 9)? How did God feel about their efforts?
4. What did God ask Abraham to do in Genesis 12:1? What promise did God make to Abraham? How did God keep this promise (see Genesis 21:1 – 7)?
5. What obstacles did God overcome in Joseph's life? What was Joseph's response to God's presence in his life? How would you describe Joseph's relationship with God?
6. What was God trying to show Moses and the Egyptians through both the miraculous signs he performed and the plagues (see Exodus 7:5 and 14:4)?
7. What message does God give Moses in Exodus 19:4 – 6? How does God show his presence among the Israelites while they are in the desert?
8. Briefly list the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20). What was God's purpose in giving his people these laws (see verse 20)? Why did God instruct the Israelites to build the tabernacle (see Exodus 25:8)?
Use the space below to write down any key points or questions you want to bring to the next group meeting.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from A Brief Survey of the Bible Study Guide by John Walton. Copyright © 2015 Zondervan. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
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