Linked Together: Reading the Bible

Not So Simple
Yes, the Bible is perspicuous, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy read.

When we stress the Bible’s “easiness,” we lead our people into two wrong directions. Some will throw up their hands and say, “I must be really stupid because this seems very dense.” Or, even worse, we train people to only look for the easy parts, to be satisfied with daily nuggets of wisdom and never wade deep into the Bible’s waters. Either way, you wind up with people who never feel the satisfaction of studying the Bible on their own.

Instead, I suggest we be upfront about the demanding nature of the Bible. Let your people know that it’s hard work. It’s a challenge.

Read all of Trevin Wax’s How to Get People to Read the Bible Without Making Them Feel Dumb. 

Where to Start
Four practical steps to take to begin becoming Biblically literate. 

1. Read your Bible and pray.
2. Read large sections of the Bible at a time.
3. Read Scripture in community with others in the local church.
4. Sit under good preaching of God’s Word.

(Matthew Barrett at Credo Magazine.) 

Heidelberg Catechism

Question 15. What sort of a mediator and deliverer, then, must we look for?

Answer: For one who is true man, and perfectly (a) righteous; (b) and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is also true God. (c)

(Click through to see scriptural proofs.)

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Sunday's Hymn: All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord

All praise to Thee, eternal Lord,
Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;
Choosing a manger for Thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are Thine alone.

Once did the skies before Thee bow;
A virgin’s arms contain Thee now,
While angels, who in Thee rejoice,
Now listen for Thine infant voice.

A little child, Thou art our guest,
That weary ones in Thee may rest;
Forlorn and lowly is Thy birth;
That we may rise to Heaven from earth.

Thou comest in the darksome night
To make us children of the light;
To make us, in the realms divine,
Like Thine own angels round Thee shine.

All this for us Thy love hath done;
By this to Thee our love is won;
For this we tune our cheerful lays,
And sing our thanks in ceaseless praise.

—Martin Luther

I couldn’t find a video of this in the more traditional tune, but here it is sung to a new one.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• O Holy Night at Gospel Grace
• Across the Lands at By Grace Alone
• People, Look East at The Happy Wonderer
• The Gift of Gifts at Theology for Girls
• Jacob’s Star at The Upward Call
• Why Christ Came -To Reveal God’s Love for Sinners at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 50, 2013 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: “The eternal Name”

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.