This past Sunday, we continued our series on Reading the Bible by exploring one of the most common mistakes we make when reading the letters of the New Testament:
We often extract a verse without understanding the conversation. When reading a letter, the invitation is different:
Don't just extract the verse. Understand the conversation between the writer and the reader.
We introduced a simple Letter Blueprint to help us read the New Testament letters more faithfully:
- Who is speaking, and who is listening?
- Why is this letter being written?
- What is the writer actually saying?
- What is timeless, and what is situational?
- How did this letter shape their lives, and how does it shape ours?
Then we put that framework into practice with one of the most quoted verses in the Bible:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
When we slow down and read the entire conversation instead of isolating one sentence, we discover that Paul isn't primarily talking about limitless achievement. He's writing about something even more profound:
If your fundamental identity is secured somewhere circumstances can't touch, your sufficiency doesn't have to be renegotiated every time your circumstances change.
One of the biggest takeaways from the morning was this:
Don't ask what a sentence means until you've listened to the conversation it's part of.
If you've ever wanted to move beyond reading verses in isolation and begin reading the Bible the way it was written, I think this message will be incredibly helpful.
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Have a great week!
