Facing A Crisis?

Does the Bible Really Say That? — Scriptures We Often Misinterpret Theme: Understanding Scripture in its proper context Key Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15 Lesson Goal By the end of the lesson, students should understand that a Bible verse can be completely true and still be misused when it is removed from its context. The goal is not simply to ask: “What does this verse mean to me?” We should first ask: “What did this verse mean when it was written?” Only then should we ask how it applies to us today. ________________________________________ 1. Opening Discussion Begin by asking Have you ever heard someone quote a Bible verse and thought, “I don't think that's what that verse means”? Then ask: Can someone quote the Bible accurately but still teach something incorrectly? The answer is yes. The words may be quoted perfectly, but the meaning can be misunderstood because the verse has been separated from its context. Read 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth.” Explain: Paul reminds Timothy that handling God's Word correctly requires care. We should not simply find a verse that sounds like it supports something we already believe. Four questions to remember today Whenever we study a Bible verse, ask: 1. Who is speaking? 2. Who are they speaking to? 3. What is happening around the verse? 4. What did the writer intend to communicate? Let's use those questions with some familiar Scriptures. ________________________________________ 2. Philippians 4:13 — “I Can Do All Things” — 6 minutes Read Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Ask the class: What do people sometimes think this verse means? Possible answers: “I can accomplish anything.” “I can achieve any goal.” “If I have enough faith, I will succeed.” But now read Philippians 4:11–13. Paul says he has learned to be content whether he has little or much, whether he is hungry or well fed. That changes our understanding. Paul isn't saying: “Christ will help me accomplish anything I decide to do.” He is saying something closer to: “Whatever circumstances I face, Christ gives me the strength to remain faithful.” Application This verse isn't primarily about achievement. It is about contentment and endurance. Discussion question Which requires more spiritual strength: achieving something we desperately want, or remaining faithful when we don't get what we want? Allow several answers. ________________________________________ 3. Matthew 7:1 — “Judge Not” “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” This may be one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Bible. Someone confronts another person's behavior, and the response is: “The Bible says don't judge!” Ask: Did Jesus teach that Christians should never determine whether something is right or wrong? Now continue reading Matthew 7:2–5. Jesus talks about someone noticing a speck in another person's eye while having a beam in his own eye. Notice something important. Jesus does not say: “Ignore the speck.” He says: First remove the beam from your own eye. Then you can see clearly to help your brother. The issue is hypocritical judgment, not moral discernment. Important distinction There is a difference between: Condemning a person and recognizing that an action is wrong. Jesus teaches us to examine ourselves before correcting others. Discussion question How can we correct another Christian without becoming judgmental or hypocritical? Possible answers include humility, love, examining ourselves first, listening, and speaking privately rather than embarrassing someone. ________________________________________ 4. Jeremiah 29:11 — “I Know the Plans I Have for You” — 6 minutes Read Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil…” This verse appears on cards, posters, graduation gifts, and social media. It is often understood to mean: “God has a wonderful plan for my life, and everything will soon work out the way I hope.” But ask our questions: Who was God speaking to? Read Jeremiah 29:4 and 29:10–11. God was speaking through Jeremiah to Jewish exiles in Babylon. And there is an important detail. They were going to remain there for seventy years. Imagine receiving this message: “God has good plans for you—but you're staying in Babylon.” Some of the people hearing Jeremiah's message would probably never personally return to Jerusalem. The promise concerned God's faithfulness to His covenant people despite their present suffering and exile. Application Jeremiah 29:11 doesn't teach that believers will avoid hardship. Quite the opposite. God's people were already experiencing hardship. The larger message is: Difficult circumstances do not mean God has abandoned His purposes. Discussion question Why is that message perhaps more encouraging than simply saying, “Everything will work out the way I want”? ________________________________________ 5. Romans 8:28 — “All Things Work Together for Good” Read Romans 8:28. Ask: Does this verse say everything that happens is good? No. There are terrible things in this world. Loss is painful. Sickness is painful. Betrayal is painful. Persecution is painful. Paul isn't calling evil good. Look at the surrounding chapter. Romans 8 speaks about suffering, weakness, groaning, persecution and hardship. Yet in the middle of those circumstances Paul declares that God remains at work. The distinction is important: The Bible does not say: Everything is good. It teaches: God can work through everything for His purposes and the ultimate good of those who love Him. Discussion question Can you think of a difficult experience that God eventually used to teach or strengthen someone? This can generate some meaningful personal discussion. ________________________________________ 6. “God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle” — Ask the class: How many of you have heard this statement? “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Then ask: Where does the Bible say that? Usually people point to 1 Corinthians 10:13. Read it. But notice the subject: temptation. Paul says God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear without providing a way to endure it. The verse is not promising that life's burdens will never overwhelm us. In fact, Paul says something quite different elsewhere. Read 2 Corinthians 1:8–9. Paul describes being: “pressed out of measure, above strength…” Why? So that they would: “not trust in ourselves, but in God…” That's fascinating. Sometimes life does give us more than we can handle by ourselves. And those situations teach us to depend upon God rather than our own strength. Discussion question What is the danger of telling a suffering person, “God won't give you more than you can handle”? It can make someone think: “Then why can't I handle this? Is something wrong with my faith?” A better biblical message is: You may face something you cannot carry alone—but you do not have to carry it alone. ________________________________________ 7. Matthew 18:20 — “Where Two or Three Are Gathered” — Read: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” We often hear this at prayer meetings or small church gatherings. Someone might say: “We only have five people tonight, but where two or three are gathered, Jesus is here.” There is nothing wrong with remembering Christ's presence. But is that the main point of this verse? Read Matthew 18:15–20. The surrounding passage concerns a brother who sins and the process of confronting and restoring him. Jesus discusses witnesses and church discipline. The “two or three” language also echoes the biblical requirement for witnesses. So the verse isn't primarily teaching: “If at least two Christians meet together, Jesus shows up.” After all, Christ is with the individual believer too. The context concerns Christ's authority and presence as His people faithfully deal with serious matters in the church. ________________________________________ 8. Revelation 3:20 — “I Stand at the Door and Knock” — Read Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock…” This verse is frequently used in evangelism: “Jesus is standing at the door of your heart waiting for you to invite Him in.” That may communicate a broader spiritual truth, but let's examine the context. Ask: Who is Jesus speaking to? Read Revelation 3:14–20. Jesus is speaking to the church at Laodicea. These people considered themselves rich and self-sufficient, but Jesus described them as spiritually poor. The striking picture isn't primarily Jesus standing outside an unbeliever's heart. It is: Christ standing outside a complacent church that claims His name. That makes the passage especially challenging for Christians. Discussion question Can a church become so comfortable with its programs, traditions and success that it effectively leaves Jesus outside? ________________________________________ 9. Bringing It Together Return to the central question: How do we avoid misinterpreting Scripture? Give the class these five simple rules: 1. Never build a doctrine from an isolated verse. 2. Read what comes before and after the verse. 3. Ask who originally spoke or wrote the words and who received them. 4. Consider the historical situation. 5. Compare the interpretation with the rest of Scripture. Then add one especially important principle: The question isn't first, “What does this verse mean to me?” The first question is, “What does this verse mean?” Once we understand that, we can ask: “How should this truth change my life?” Closing Challenge Return to 2 Timothy 2:15. God has entrusted us with His Word. That means we have a responsibility not merely to read Scripture, but to handle Scripture faithfully. Sometimes the most dangerous biblical misunderstanding isn't someone denying the Bible. It is someone saying: “The Bible says…” and then giving the Bible a meaning its author never intended. Final Discussion Question Ask the class: Which Scripture we studied today surprised you the most, and why? Let several people answer. Then finish with this challenge for the coming week: Choose one familiar Bible verse. Don't read only that verse. Read the entire chapter. Ask who wrote it, who received it, what was happening, and what the verse means in that context. You may discover that a verse you have known for years is even richer when you understand what it actually means.