Podcast: Download (40.7MB)
Pursuing God in Our Bible Study
Introduction: In John 5:18, the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus because he made himself equal with God. In the rest of John 5, Jesus gave the testimony of three witnesses as proof that God was his Father and he indeed was equal to God. The first witness was John the baptizer, the second was God bearing witness through the miracles of Jesus, and the third was the OT scriptures. It is this last witness that Jesus spoke about the most because their greatest flaw was how they read the scriptures. It can also be our greatest flaw, and therefore our lesson.
- John 5:36-47 The Testimony of the Scriptures
- First, note the words of verse 37, “his voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen.” Now why does Jesus make that statement? Is he saying the obvious? – Nanny, nanny, I’ve heard and seen God and you haven’t? Notice the following words, “and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.”
- Now before we give the answer consider the last line of verse 39. They searched the scripture, thinking that in the scriptures they would have eternal life, and it was these very scriptures that testified of him. In other words, the reason you have not heard God’s voice, seen his form, or had his words abiding in you is because of the way you read the scriptures. You did not hear or see God who was testifying about me, and therefore when I came speaking the words of God and you could have seen the form of God in me, you rejected and therefore do not have God’s words abiding in you.
- Thus, the question for us: when you read the scriptures, do you hear the voice of God and see his form? Let’s explore this further.
- This text illustrates the flaw of first century Judaism. The prism through which they read scripture was to maintain a separation from defilement instead of reading to know God. Many of us have had a similar heritage of reading scripture through the lens of maintaining purity by avoiding a wicked world. In fact, do we relate to the Pharisees’ complaint in Luke 15:2? If we actually saw God in our study, our hearts would be so compassionate and loving toward sinners that we would do just like the shepherd with the lost sheep, the woman with the lost coin, and Father with lost sons. We would not need a “commandment,” we would imitate our Father because we are sons and daughters of God.
- Consider! The people considered the scribes and Pharisees sound in the faith, with superior knowledge. This is a false test of faithfulness! We can have perfect “knowledge” but not faithful.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1-2, “We know that ‘we all have knowledge.’ Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.” It should be disturbing to us when we make a huge deal out of a possible doctrinal error, but at the same time transgress every law of love! (Cf. Matt. 23:23)
- Revelation 2:1-4 Ephesus was as “doctrinally sound” as any church could be. They would put many churches today to shame. But they were hardly sound. The candlestick was about to be removed.
- What is the primary purpose of Scripture?
- Is it to record a history of God’s dealing with mankind? Certainly the scripture does this, but that isn’t the primary purpose.
- Is it to reveal certain truths to mankind? God’s word is truth and it reveals many truths that give us a foundation or framework by which we should see the world and live a godly life, but that still is not the primary purpose.
- Is it to tell us how to be saved from our sins (Cf. vs. 39).
- The primary function of scripture is to point men and women to Christ, not just to “discover” him, but to see his beauty and find all our fulfillment in him. Isaiah 28:5-6 “In that day the LORD of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people, and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.”
- Jesus’ statement in verse 42 further illustrates how these Jewish leaders and experts in the scripture did not read the scripture correctly: “but I know that you do not have the love of God within you.” Their study of the scripture did not result in them loving God! You might say, “How could they be experts in the scripture and so dedicated to the Law and yet not have the love of God?”
- Their dedication was more to their nation than to God. Notice verse 44: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” Wrong motive! Just make sure we are in good standing with each other.
- If they did not come to love God as a result of reading the scriptures, then they read without seeing the gravity of their sin and need for mercy.
Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When we read the scripture, it should humble us by exposing our thoughts and intentions. Ultimately, God wants to correct our heart because it is the root of our deeds. Is that how we read? Does the Sword of the Spirit pierce us deeply causing us to seek God’s mercy and glorify him for his grace?
- Jesus explains further in verses 45-46. Moses would accuse them to the Father, because Moses “wrote of me.” Now, how should we understand that? Did Moses write of Jesus based solely on a prophecy in Deuteronomy of a prophet to come? Would a simple prophecy somehow have created in them the love of God or caused them to more deeply know God and pursue glory from God?
The problem of that understanding is to recognize that what Moses wrote was the whole Torah – Genesis through Deuteronomy. How did Moses write of Jesus in each of those books? Let’s note a few simple examples:- Jude 5: “Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” As we read that, we should all ask ourselves when we ever read of the exodus and the years in the wilderness and saw that Jesus himself was directly both saving and destroying the people of Israel.
- That being so, what are we to learn about Jesus during these 40 years? Further, if Jesus is found in the whole book of Exodus, what are we missing in Genesis? Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy?
- Remember, this is not just a matter of interest or some cool way of uncovering a mystery. Seeing Jesus in every book of the Bible is intended to portray the glory of God so that we know him deeply and love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. In other words, we are without excuse if we think we are acceptable to God by simply making sure we are obey the key commands. Brethren, the key command is to love God; love Jesus. Remember Hosea 6:6.
- 1 Cor. 10:1 “…our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea…they drank from the Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”
- First notice Paul’s use of “our fathers.” Paul is talking to Gentiles and yet he wants the Corinthian church to understand their relationship to the Exodus of Israel of old and the foreshadowing of their salvation.
- Further, Paul reminds them that they were following the same Christ as they followed. They were cared for and nourished by the same Christ to whom the Corinthians had committed their lives. In fact everything Israel experienced, the Corinthians were now experiencing, even in their baptism.
- 10:11 “…they were written down for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come.” These words further emphasize what we have already noticed, which challenges our study habits. Which of us would have read about the “rock” giving its water and thought of Christ in the wilderness with Israel or considered that just as Jesus led them and cared for them in their journey to the Promised Land, so he would do for us? Also the rest of this text, which relates so many of Israel’s incidents, have we seen that it was Jesus who was not only bringing them through the wilderness but also exacting discipline on them when they rebelled?
- James Montgomery Boice states, “The Catholic Church weakened the orthodox view of the Bible by exalting human traditions to the stature of Scripture. The Protestant Church weakened the orthodox view of Scripture by lowering the Bible to the level of traditions. The differences are great, but the results are similar. In both cases the unique character of the Scripture has been lost, its divine authority forfeited, and the function of the Bible as the reforming voice of God within the church forgotten for the majority of people.” (If we don’t stop seeing the Bible as a way to verify our “tradition,” instead of reforming our lives and glorifying God, we are doomed.)
- Learning to Pursue God in Our Bible Study
- Please recognize, we must defend truth, we must expose that which is false and deceitful, promoted by Satan, and which destroy men’s souls. But that does not change the fact that the primary goal of scripture is for us to see his image, then create us in his image, and then share and reflect that image to the world. It is that passion and love for who God is and the greatness of what we see in his glorious image that will change the world. A “dull Christian,” a dispassionate Christian, a Christian who will only tithe the “mint, dill, anise, and cumin,” will never show the glory of God, and certainly will not please God.
- We should be disturbed with ourselves if we do not have a burning desire to know all that God has revealed about himself. What are we to do? How are we to gain that desire? That is like asking, “How am I going to learn to like hamburgers?” Well, have you tried one? No? Then there is only one way, you must taste it. That was Peter’s answer in 1 Peter 2:2-3 – you will desire it, if you taste it. You have to taste the “goodness of the Lord.” The problem is, if we spend so little time tasting it, we will never desire it like a newborn babe desires milk.
- Hebrews 6:5, “…and have tasted the goodness of the word of God”
- I can tell you one of the reasons that has happened among us. Studying the Bible by answering questions from a study guide, especially one that directs you to regurgitate the facts of a text. The Bible is the Holy Spirit’s art. Scripture gives us beautiful panoramic views that are portrayed over huge swaths of text that transport us beyond chapters and verses and connect writings of scripture that are thousands of years apart, creating for us a time warp into eternity.
- Therefore, the primary job of a preacher or teacher is often misunderstood. It is not to take the word and mash it up into its most basic or simplest form. That would ruin the intricacies and beauty of the message. That would be like taking the most beautiful painting of an art gallery and copying it into stick figures. Instead, the teacher of the word must be like a guide who opens doors to a great mansion, but must let you examine and appreciate each room’s contents.
- Isaiah 29:10-14; 18-19 Before all else, Isaiah is the preaching of the Lord to the people of Israel. Look at his rebuke of their desire to learn his words and understand. They make lame excuses for themselves, as if it was impossible for them to know the message. How many of us have made those same excuses for not knowing certain parts of the Bible? Especially Isaiah. In verse 18, look who will understand: the deaf and blind, the ones who cannot hear if it were read to them and cannot see if they were asked to read it. We who can hear and see have no standing before God to make an excuse.
- We have all suffered with this flaw. Years ago, after preaching a sermon on a text that was new to many in the church, a young man came to me and asked, “Is understanding this a salvation issue?” What I should have said was, “No, perfect understanding of every part of scripture is not a salvation issue. But not wanting to know everything you can about the one who gave his life for you, the one who will be your husband, the one who loved you and redeemed you, that is a salvation issue! If all you want is to do just enough to crawl over the edge of heaven just to say you made it without a deep desire for the one who got you there, that is a salvation issue!
- Mark’s account: the only ones who saw the “Son of God” were a blind man and a centurion. Mark 8:22-26 gives us the picture of how people come to see clearly and understand the nature of the Son of God. They begin by seeing “men as trees walking.” They must continue seeking, asking, and knocking for Jesus to lay his hands on their eyes again so they can see clearly. Look at the desire of the blind man: “he begged him to touch him.” The question is, will we pursue beyond seeing men like trees walking or will we be satisfied with blurred vision?
- This is each person’s responsibility which cannot be accomplished for you. Did Paul write Romans or John his Gospel or Revelation so only a few could understand it and the rest sit desolate of its message until a so-called expert revealed it? The word “revelation” comes from the Greek, apokalypsis. It means, “a disclosure, revelation, manifestation; a spiritual enlightenment.” God revealed his message. He did not hide it. He wrote it so it could be understood, but he also wrote it so that it had to be diligently searched and pursued in order to uncover its beauty. After all, we are searching the mind of God!
Berry Kercheville