BIBLE STUDY
– COLLABORATION
Tuesday,
September 15, 2015
Hebrews
4:9-14 So then
there remains a rest to the people of God. For he who has entered into his
rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Therefore let
us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of
unbelief. For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all
things are naked and opened to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Since
then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son
of God, let us hold fast our profession.
After deciding This DT title I realize that
though common in my youth, “collaboration, collaborating, collaborator,
collaborated” is not household words today.
Collaboration, a word of action meaning
cooperative teamwork on accomplishing something; today emphasizing forming an
alliance with one or more people with the common goal of studying,
understanding, and applying Scripture to their lives.
Cooperative collaboration doesn’t necessarily
mean without lively discussion or possible argument, and perhaps at times sharp
disagreement. (Heb.4:12)
I’m not talking about one teaching with
students listening and asking a question or so.
I’m talking about 2 to 6 collaborators
pre-reading pre-chosen Bible passage, thinking about, then meeting together reading
the Scripture verse by verse and freely discussing; hopefully their leaving in
peace as brothers; pondering in their own closet, and productively returning
together again.
(I’ve never been much for emotionally arguing
as for me it is quite distracting and physically exhausting. I have learned
much by listening to thought-provoking arguments.)
Collaboration is a fine Bible study method. I
encourage you to try it as yet another way to stimulate your and others’
edification. EBB4
An example
from 200 years ago: 22 questions the members of John
Wesley’s Holy Club asked themselves every day.
- Am
I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better
than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
- Am
I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
- Do
I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
- Can
I be trusted?
- Am
I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
- Am
I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
- Did
the Bible live in me today?
- Do
I give it time to speak to me everyday?
- Am
I enjoying prayer?
- When
did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
- Do
I pray about the money I spend?
- Do
I get to bed on time and get up on time?
- Do
I disobey God in anything?
- Do
I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
- Am
I defeated in any part of my life?
- Am
I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
- How
do I spend my spare time?
- Am
I proud?
- Do
I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who
despised the publican?
- Is
there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment
toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
- Do
I grumble or complain constantly?
- Is
Christ real to me?
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