Pastor Colin Smith's four-volume masterpiece moves you past Bible stories to understand the Bible as one story--the glorious, unbroken account of Christ's work to redeem a fallen world. With this accompanying Study Guide, you'll be able to make the journey even more rewarding. The Volume Two Study Guide matches the second volume of the book series, and will help you unlock the Bible Story from Job to Malachi.
Unlocking the Bible Story Study Guides will help you:
- Focus you or your small group's study time to be as productive and rewarding as it can possibly be
- Enrich your understanding of the book and your comprehension of God's Word
- Apply the book's lessons in ways that will change your life forever
Volume 2 is a perfect follow-up to studying volume 1, which takes you through the beginning books of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Nehemiah--you or your small group could move through the entire Old Testament by using volumes 1 and 2 in less than a year. Then dive into the New Testament study guides by using volumes 3 and 4.
Pastor Colin Smith's four-volume masterpiece moves you past Bible stories to understand the Bible as one story--the glorious, unbroken account of Christ's work to redeem a fallen world. With this accompanying Study Guide, you'll be able to make the journey even more rewarding. The Volume Two Study Guide matches the second volume of the book series, and will help you unlock the Bible Story from Job to Malachi.
Unlocking the Bible Story Study Guides will help you:
- Focus you or your small group's study time to be as productive and rewarding as it can possibly be
- Enrich your understanding of the book and your comprehension of God's Word
- Apply the book's lessons in ways that will change your life forever
Volume 2 is a perfect follow-up to studying volume 1, which takes you through the beginning books of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Nehemiah--you or your small group could move through the entire Old Testament by using volumes 1 and 2 in less than a year. Then dive into the New Testament study guides by using volumes 3 and 4.
eBookFirst Edition (First Edition)
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
Related collections and offers
Overview
Pastor Colin Smith's four-volume masterpiece moves you past Bible stories to understand the Bible as one story--the glorious, unbroken account of Christ's work to redeem a fallen world. With this accompanying Study Guide, you'll be able to make the journey even more rewarding. The Volume Two Study Guide matches the second volume of the book series, and will help you unlock the Bible Story from Job to Malachi.
Unlocking the Bible Story Study Guides will help you:
- Focus you or your small group's study time to be as productive and rewarding as it can possibly be
- Enrich your understanding of the book and your comprehension of God's Word
- Apply the book's lessons in ways that will change your life forever
Volume 2 is a perfect follow-up to studying volume 1, which takes you through the beginning books of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Nehemiah--you or your small group could move through the entire Old Testament by using volumes 1 and 2 in less than a year. Then dive into the New Testament study guides by using volumes 3 and 4.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781575677965 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Moody Publishers |
| Publication date: | 03/01/2004 |
| Series: | Unlocking: Bible Studies , #2 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 64 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
COLIN SMITH is President of Open the Bible and Pastor Emeritus of The Orchard church in northwest suburban Chicago. He can be heard daily on the radio broadcast, Open the Bible, and at openthebible.org. Colin is the author of many books, including: Fly Through the Bible, Heaven, How I Got Here, and Momentum: Pursuing God's Blessings Through the Beatitudes. He is married to Karen, and they have two married sons and five granddaughters.
Read an Excerpt
Unlocking the Bible Story Study Guide Volume 2
By Colin S. Smith
Moody Publishers
Copyright © 2004 Colin S. SmithAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-57567-796-5
CHAPTER 1
Suffering
Read JOB 1
What does God have to say about the suffering of His people?
Launching
1. Describe how someone you know honored God through his or her response to great difficulties or suffering. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Exploring
God's People Will Suffer
2. How would you react if you heard that a highly respected Christian had suffered the same tragedies as Job? Does your natural reaction unveil any misconceptions about suffering? Explain. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
God's People Will Feel Pain
3. What would you say to a Christian who is facing a major hardship and feels guilty for not experiencing greater peace and joy in the midst of it? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
The Story Behind the Story
4. What was being accomplished through Job's suffering? How can that same thing be accomplished in your suffering? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Same Problem: Different Response
5. How can you explain the contrast between Job's response and his wife's? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. How does our response in suffering reveal the condition of our hearts? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spotlight on Christ
7. What can you learn from the way Jesus handled suffering? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Applying
8. Based on what you learned in this chapter, what might you say to someone who is enduring great difficulties? What would you avoid saying? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9. Think of a time that you experienced grief and suffering. What comments did you find encouraging and helpful, and what did you find discouraging or offensive? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10. How can the principles from this chapter help you to endure a present difficulty or one that you may encounter in the future? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Optional Small Group Exercise:
As an individual, family, or small group, make a plan to encourage someone you know who is in the midst of suffering.
CHAPTER 2Resurrection
Read JOB 19
How can I hold on to my faith in the darkest times?
Launching
1. How do you picture life after death? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Exploring
Where Do You Turn When Nobody Understands?
2. Have you ever experienced a time that you felt you could not endure what you were facing? What did you do to cope with the situation? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. In addition to the tragedy itself, what made Job's situation so desperate and difficult? How can you identify with this? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Job's Secret of Survival
4. What was Job's secret of survival? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. If everything in your life was collapsing around you, what convictions would be the "solid branch" that you could hold on to? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. Describe a time those convictions and truths helped you deal with a difficult circumstance you were facing. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Job's Confidence
7. Job believed that he would see God, and this confidence sustained him. How does the anticipation of seeing God affect your life? How could it affect you more deeply? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spotlight on Christ
8. Why is it important that Jesus rose from the dead bodily rather than simply returning to the Father in His spirit? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Applying
9. How can your hope of the Resurrection help you deal with a difficult or painful situation you are currently facing? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10. Write out the core convictions you mentioned in question 5 with supporting verses. Have this accessible for a future time when you encounter difficulties and trials.
CHAPTER 3Revelation
Read JOB 38
How can we know God?
Launching
1. What is one question you would like to ask God when you get to heaven? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Exploring
The Bible: God's Exclusive
2. In what ways has God revealed Himself to us? How has each of these given us a progressively greater understanding? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. In what sense is the Bible an "exclusive"? What would you say to someone who was offended by the Bible's claim to give exclusive information? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Truth, Spin, and Fantasy
4. On what can we base our confidence that the Bible is actually true? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
The Measure of Truth
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. If the Bible is truly God revealing Himself, what are the implications of this? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. How then should we approach the Bible? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Snowflakes and Crocodiles
7. God did not give Job an explanation of why he was suffering but rather a revelation of Himself. How did that ultimately help Job to cope with the situation? What did Job discover about God from his encounter with Him? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spotlight on Christ
8. Read Hebrews 1:1–3. How has God revealed Himself to us uniquely in Jesus? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Applying
9. What have you found helpful in gaining a greater sense of God's glory and greatness? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10. To what extent would you say that your use of and response to the Bible is in line with your belief about its nature and source? What adjustments do you need to make? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Read through a psalm this week, noting any pictures or attributes of God. Praise God for one of these attributes. Reflect on it throughout the day. Psalm 23, 25, or 33 represents a great place to start. Report to the group how it impacted your week.
CHAPTER 4Wisdom
Read PROVERBS 7
How can I put my life together with success?
Launching
1. What is something you have done in the past that you now consider foolish? What makes you view the situation differently now? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Exploring
Looking Through the Window
2. How did the young man whom Solomon observed demonstrate three pitfalls of folly—drifting without purpose, acting on impulse, and not considering the consequences of a decision? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Describe a time you did something foolish that involved one of these same three pitfalls. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. How could you have avoided making the mistake? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. In general, which of these pitfalls do you feel most susceptible to? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spotlight on Christ
6. How was Jesus' life an antithesis to the foolish young man Solomon observed? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
7. How would living out your faith in Christ overcome each of the pitfalls of folly? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
The Spirit of Wisdom
8. What role does the Holy Spirit play in living out a life of wisdom? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Wisdom Looks for Company
9. To whom is wisdom offered? In what areas of life do you see your need for the wisdom of God? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Applying
10. Think about the pitfall you chose in question 4. What can you do in practical terms to keep from falling prey to this tendency? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
In one of your quiet times this week, praise Jesus for being the personification of the wisdom of God.
Optional Small Group Exercise:
Discuss what role your small group can play to protect one another from doing something foolish.
CHAPTER 5Holiness
Read ISAIAH 6
What is God like?
Launching
1. How do you think it would change your life if God appeared to you as He did to Isaiah? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Exploring
Growing Casual Toward God
2. In Isaiah's day, there was a disconnection between the belief and behavior of God's people. How would you explain this contradiction? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. In what ways do you see this disconnection between belief and behavior among Christians or in your own life today?
The Angels Who Couldn't Bear to Look
4. What effect did God's presence have on Isaiah and the angels? Why? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. God has many attributes. Why do you think the Bible puts such emphasis on His holiness? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. Which attributes are most emphasized in the Christian community you are part of? How do you see that impacting people's lives for good and bad? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Caught in an Earthquake
7. Many people have a diminished view of God. The god they believe in makes little impression on their lives. Others have grasped the greatness and glory of God, and their lives have been changed. How can you cultivate and communicate a higher view of God? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Coming Apart at the Seams
8. When Isaiah saw God, he became painfully aware of his own sin and the sin of his people. Rate yourself from 1 to 5 as to how sensitive you are to your own sin and the sin of your culture. Explain your answer and how you arrived at the point you indicated.
Insensitive 1 2 3 4 5 Sensitive
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
A Hot Coal
9. Isaiah's renewed sense of his sinfulness was followed by a touch of God's grace. How have you experienced these two dynamics operating together in your life? How has that equipped you to serve the Lord? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spotlight on Christ
10. How does Jesus reveal the holiness of God? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Applying
If you feel that you have become desensitized to your own sin and the sin of your culture, confess this to the Lord and ask for a renewed sense of His holiness.
Read the italicized comments under Pause for Prayer on page 76, and make the prayer that follows your own.
Optional Small Group Exercise:
Sing the hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy together, and then pause for a couple of minutes to sit in awe of God.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Unlocking the Bible Story Study Guide Volume 2 by Colin S. Smith. Copyright © 2004 Colin S. Smith. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
1. Suffering2. Resurrection
3. Revelation
4. Wisdom
5. Holiness
6. Comfort
7. Servant
8. Calling
9. Heart
10. Tears
11. Glory
12. Shepherd
13. Breath
14. Alien
15. Love
16. Faith
17. Hope