1. Water: 7.37-39. John 6:35. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, l and let him drink who believes in me. As the scripture said, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” John 7:37-38 Isaiah 12:3; Numbers 20:11; Ezekiel 47:1; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 3:18 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Revelation 22:1-2
2. Light: 8.12. Bible study suggestion. “What do these passages tell you about the meaning in your own life of the metaphor of light?
Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 51:4 ___________________________________________
Matthew 5:14-16 _______________________________________________
Colossians 1:13 ________________________________________________
John 4:4 ______________________________________________________
1 John 2:9-11 __________________________________________________
Ephesians 5:8-10 _______________________________________________
3. Expulsion: 9.22. Why aposunagogos? John 9:22; 34-35; 12:42; 16:2 Read the Gospels thinking about what it tells you about the early church and what they were going through. When doing Bible study, ask yourself this question: “What might have been the value to the early church of this teaching, story or example?”
4. Voice: 10.3-5, 8, 14, 16
“Obviously God must guide us in a way that will develop spontaneity in us. The development of character, rather than direction in this, that, and the other matter, must be the primary purpose of the Father. He will guide us, but he won’t override us. That fact should make us use with caution the method of sitting down with a pencil and a blank sheet of paper to write down the instructions dictated by God for the day. Suppose a parent would dictate to the child minutely everything he is to do during the day. The child would be stunted under that regime. The parent must guide in such a manner, and to the degree, that autonomous character, capable of making right decisions for itself, is produced. God does the same.”
E. Stanley Jones
Three aids to hearing the voice of God:
i. Scripture: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105
ii. Friends: 1 Samuel 3:1-21
iii. Time: Psalm 40:1; Romans 8:25; Hebrews 6:15
Book recommendation: “Hearing God: developing a conversational relationship with God”, Dallas Willard
Summary
“What has stood out to you from tonight?”
Read John 11-12 between now and Sunday
Discuss what you’re learning and your questions with your spouse/friends.
Ask God to reveal what aspect of Jesus he would like you to focus on through this series.
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
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God bless, Malcolm
PS: If you would like some coaching in spiritual disciplines, look me up here.
PPS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John
