Author: Bob Stone

As we return to tackle the fourth session in our series and review the big picture of how God chose to communicate with man, we will be reminded again how the Bible came to us, and how we should respond to it.

Let me begin by trying to illustrate what happens when we have a lack of Bible study. In two words, people starve!

The vista from the top of Sulphur Mountain, just outside the town of Banff, is one of the most picturesque in the Canadian Rockies. A gondola takes you to the top of the mountain where you stand looking at peak after peak, stretching off into the distance in a virtual sea of mountains. When the sun is shining, and the snow is glistening, it is a breathtaking scene.

We all know that God usually works through history to accomplish His will. This is certainly true when it comes to the Bible, which is not only a history of God's action in the world, but God's Book with a history. It is a miraculous history of its own; sometimes violent and controversial.

Today we begin a series on the Book of Books, a series that will in many ways be like the beginning of a tour, a journey. We will not to be able to make all the stops, but every step promises to be exciting and life-changing. As we walk through these lessons, my prayer is that you will go away from our time together with a new love and appreciation for the gift the Lord has given to us.

Sessions Six to Nine: The Process of God’s Communication to Man (click links on left to access sections).

The following are some of the questions that will be asked and answered in this session: How can I do topical studies accurately? How do we respond to finicky spiritual tastes? Should we teach others to evaluate our and others' messages biblically? How long into the future should I plan my preaching?

To properly exegete a passage, it is necessary that we get in touch with some basic rules of interpretation. These rules are called "the science and art of Hermeneutics." The word comes from the Greek verb that means to "translate," or "interpret." It is a science, because it is guided by principles, or rules, arranged into an orderly system of approach. It is also called an art, because as we will see, it requires skill and sensitivity to complete it.

Several expository styles and approaches will be viewed and compared, e.g., those of Ray Stedman, Charles Swindoll, John Stott, Jerry Cook. Examples of individual sermons, a whole series on a book, and individual topics will be viewed and evaluated. COMING SOON