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BIBLE STUDY: HINDERANCES (1)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
G. Campbell Morgan
referred to Bible study as “the one supreme necessity.” He took this thought from the story
involving one of Jesus’ stays in the home of Martha and Mary (Luke
10:38-42).
Now it
came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha
received him into her house. And
she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his
word. But Martha was cumbered about
much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister
hath left me to serve alone? Bid
her therefore that she help me. And
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled
about many things: but one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
1.
Only one thing was
needful.
2.
Mary had chosen it,
the “good part.”
3.
She was sitting at
Jesus’ feet, hearing His words.
B.
Not only is Bible
study needful, it is also commanded (II Tim. 2:15).
Study to
shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
C.
Bible study is also
profitable. It
brings:
1.
Salvation (Ps. 19:7;
Rom. 1:16).
2.
Proper conduct (Titus
2:11-12).
3.
Protection (Ps.
119:11, 104).
4.
Hope (Ps. 119:43, 49,
74).
D.
Even knowing that
Bible study is needful, commanded, and profitable, we still find very few
diligent students of the Scriptures within congregations of the Lord’s
people.
1.
Bible study and
worship periods
2.
Daily Bible
reading
3.
Hit and miss
study
E.
Why is there such a
lack of study? What is it that is
hindering our growth in the knowledge of God’s Word?
I.
LACK OF DESIRE
A.
Desire is the key to
all endeavors.
1.
Desire involves our
wants, cravings, and longings.
2.
Knowing that we should
study will not necessarily drive us to study. Wanting it and craving it will cause us
to increase our knowledge.
B.
Desire is something
that we must create within ourselves.
1.
At first, this desire
may be forced. We may not want to
study, but we force ourselves.
2.
As we grow and
understand more of God’s Word, the desire becomes stronger and more
natural.
C.
I Peter
2:2
As newborn
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby.
II.
TOO BUSY
A.
The
B.
TVs, cell phones,
computers, video games, and MP3 players seem to fill all of our “spare”
time.
C.
We, like Martha, are
cumbered about much serving. We
question where we are going to fit in an hour per day for Bible
study.
D.
We must make
sacrifices in order to get the time.
1.
An hour less
sleep
2.
An hour less
television
3.
Cancel one of the
activities of the kids
4.
Give up one of your
many hobbies
E.
The reality is that
Bible study really involves nothing more than our choice.
1.
Mary had a
choice: help Martha? Or, sit at Jesus’
feet?
2.
We, too, have
choices. Our choices need to be
tempered by the Word of God.
a.
Matthew 6:33
But seek
ye first the
b.
Colossians 3:1-2
If ye then
be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God. Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
III.
PRACTICING MORAL OR PRACTICAL ATHEISM
A.
In this type of
atheism, one still believes in God.
He also believes in the Bible as God’s Word. The individual believes that it is good
to study the Bible.
B.
However, this person
has the attitude of “I will do as I please” with regard to divine
things.
1.
God tells them to do
something.
2.
They could care
less. Thus, they do as they
please.
3.
It is as if God does
not exist to them.
4.
All of their beliefs
are vitiated by heedlessness.
C.
Hebrews
2:1
Therefore
we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip.
D.
Two Biblical
examples:
1.
King Saul (I Sam.
15).
a.
Saul was given a specific command to annihilate all the Amalekites (I
Sam. 15:3).
b.
Instead of giving heed to the Lord’s command, he spared Agag, the king,
and the best of the flocks and herds (I Sam. 15:8-9).
c.
God’s will was ignored.
Listen, however, to Saul’s first response to the prophet Samuel (I Sam.
15:13).
And Samuel
came to Saul: and Saul said unto
him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I
have performed the commandment of the Lord.
d.
NOTE: God’s condemnation
rested upon this self-deceived king.
2.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
a.
The fifth of the Ten Commandments states: Honor thy
father and thy mother (Exo. 20:12).
b.
The Pharisees and scribes devised ways to circumvent this command of God
through their traditions.
c.
Jesus confronted their tradition and noted that it made the command of
God of none effect and caused them to transgress God’s will (Matt.
15:3-6).
But he
answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by
your tradition? For God commanded,
saying, Honour thy father and mother:
and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his
father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by
me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God
of none effect by your tradition.
E.
We look upon Saul and
the Jewish leaders with contempt.
How could they? But our
actions often resemble theirs.
Bible study is a command of God.
“No thank you,” is often our reply.
CONCLUSION
A.
This Book is the most
important Book on earth. It is the
most powerful Book on earth.
B.
This Book can save us
now, and it will judge us in the last day.
C.
What is hindering you
from making a study of this book you life-long endeavor as a disciple of
Christ?
BIBLE STUDY: HINDERANCES
(1)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
G. Campbell Morgan referred to Bible study as “the one supreme
necessity.” He took this thought
from the story of one of Jesus’ stays in the home of Martha and Mary (Luke
10:38-42).
B.
Not only is Bible study needful, it is also commanded (II Tim.
2:15).
C.
Bible study is also profitable.
It brings: 1) Salvation (Ps.
19:7; Rom. 1:16); 2) Proper conduct (Titus 2:11-12); 3) Protection (Ps. 119:11,
104); and 4) Hope (Ps. 119:43, 49, 74).
D.
Even knowing that Bible study is needful, commanded, and profitable, we
still find very few students of the Scriptures.
E.
Why is there such a lack of study?
What is it that is hindering our growth in the knowledge of God’s
Word?
I.
LACK OF DESIRE
A.
Desire is the key to all endeavors.
1.
Desire involves our
wants, cravings, and longings.
2.
Knowing that we should
study will not necessarily drive us to study. Wanting it and craving it will cause us
to increase our knowledge.
B.
Desire is something that we must create within
ourselves.
1.
At first, this desire
may be forced. We may not want to
study, but we force ourselves.
2.
As we understand more
of God’s Word, the desire becomes stronger and more
natural.
C.
I Peter 2:2
II.
TOO BUSY
A.
The
B.
TVs, cell phones, computers, video games, and MP3 players seem to fill
all of our “spare” time.
C.
We, like Martha, are cumbered about much serving. We question where we are going to fit in
an hour per day for Bible study.
D.
We must make sacrifices in order to get the time: less sleep, less TV, cancel activities,
give up a hobby.
E.
The reality is that Bible study really involves nothing more than our
choice.
1.
Mary had a choice: help
Martha? Or, sit at Jesus’
feet?
2.
We, too, have choices. Our
choices need to be tempered by the Word of God (Matt. 6:33; Col.
3:1-2).
III.
PRACTICING MORAL OR PRACTICAL ATHEISM
A.
In this type of atheism, one still believes in God. He also believes in the Bible as God’s
Word. The individual believes that
it is good to study the Bible.
B.
However, this person has the attitude of “I will do as I please” with
regard to divine things.
1.
God tells them to do something.
They could care less. Thus,
they do as they please.
2.
It is as if God does not exist to them. All of their beliefs are vitiated by
heedlessness.
C.
Hebrews 2:1
D.
Two Biblical
examples:
1.
King Saul (I Sam.
15).
a.
Saul was given a specific command to annihilate all the Amalekites (I
Sam. 15:3).
b.
Instead of giving heed to the Lord’s command, he spared Agag, the king,
and the best of the flocks and herds (I Sam. 15:8-9).
c.
God’s will was ignored, but listen to Saul’s response to Samuel (I Sam.
15:13).
d.
NOTE: God’s condemnation
rested upon this self-deceived king.
2.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
a.
The fifth of the Ten Commandments states: Honor thy
father and thy mother (Exo. 20:12).
b.
The Jewish leaders devised ways to circumvent this command of
God.
c.
Jesus confronted their tradition and noted that it made the command of
God of none effect and caused them to transgress God’s will (Matt.
15:3-6).
E.
We look upon Saul and
the Jewish leaders with contempt.
How could they? But our
actions often resemble theirs.
Bible study is a command of God.
“No thank you,” is often our reply.
CONCLUSION
A.
This Book is the most
important Book on earth. It is the
most powerful Book on earth.
B.
This Book can save us
now, and it will judge us in the last day.
C.
What is hindering you
from making a study of this book you life-long endeavor as a disciple of
Christ?
BIBLE STUDY: HINDERANCES
(1)
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
G. Campbell Morgan referred to Bible study as “the one supreme
_____________.” He took this
thought from the story of one of Jesus’ stays in the home of Martha and Mary
(Luke 10:38-42).
B.
Not only is Bible study needful, it is also ___________________ (II Tim.
2:15).
C.
Bible study is also profitable.
It brings: 1) __________
(Ps. 19:7; Rom. 1:16); 2) Proper _______ (Titus 2:11-12); 3) ___________ (Ps.
119:11, 104); and 4) ____________ (Ps. 119:43, 49, 74).
D.
Even knowing that Bible study is needful, commanded, and profitable, we
still find very few students of the Scriptures.
E.
Why is there such a lack of study?
What is it that is hindering our growth in the knowledge of God’s
Word?
I.
LACK OF _________________
A.
Desire is the _________ to all endeavors.
1.
Desire involves our _______________, cravings, and
longings.
2.
Knowing that we should study will not necessarily drive us to study. Wanting it and craving it will cause us
to increase our knowledge.
B.
Desire is something that we must ______________ within
ourselves.
1.
At first, this desire
may be forced. We may not want to
study, but we force ourselves.
2.
As we understand more
of God’s Word, the desire becomes stronger and more
natural.
C.
I Peter 2:______
II.
TOO _____________
A.
The
B.
TVs, cell phones, computers, video games, and MP3 players seem to fill
all of our “spare” time.
C.
We, like Martha, are cumbered about much serving. We question where we are going to
______ ______ an hour per day for
Bible study.
D.
We must make _____________ in order to get the time: less sleep, less TV, cancel activities,
give up a hobby.
E.
The reality is that Bible study really involves nothing more than our
______________.
1.
Mary had a choice: help
Martha? Or, sit at Jesus’
feet?
2.
We, too, have choices. Our
choices need to be tempered by the ____________ of ________ (Matt. 6:33; Col.
3:1-2).
III.
PRACTICING MORAL OR PRACTICAL
__________________
A.
In this type of atheism, one still believes in God. He also believes in the Bible as God’s
Word. The individual believes that
it is good to study the Bible.
B.
However, this person has the attitude of “I will do as _____ please” with
regard to divine things.
1.
God tells them to do something.
They could care less. Thus,
they do as they please.
2.
It is ___ ___ God does not exist to them. All of their beliefs are vitiated by
heedlessness.
C.
Hebrews __________:1
E.
Two Biblical examples:
1.
King _____________ (I Sam. 15).
a.
Saul was given a specific command to annihilate all the Amalekites (I
Sam. 15:3).
b.
Instead of giving heed to the Lord’s command, he spared Agag, the king,
and the best of the flocks and herds (I Sam. 15:8-9).
c.
God’s will was ignored, but listen to Saul’s response to Samuel (I Sam.
15:13).
d.
NOTE: God’s condemnation
rested upon this ___________-deceived king.
2.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
a.
The fifth of the Ten Commandments states: Honor thy
father and thy mother (Exo. 20:12).
b.
The Jewish leaders devised ways to _______________ this command of
God.
c.
Jesus confronted their tradition and noted that it made the command of
God of _________ effect and caused them to transgress God’s will (Matt.
15:3-6).
3.
We look upon Saul and the Jewish leaders with contempt. How could they? But our actions often resemble
theirs. Bible study is a command of
God. “No thank you,” is often our
reply.
CONCLUSION
A.
This Book is the most ___________ Book on earth. It is the most ____________ Book on
earth.
B.
This Book can ___________ us now, and it will ____________ us in the last
day.
C.
What is hindering you from making a study of this book you life-long
endeavor as a disciple of Christ?