Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

I think you are a bit confused here Shanina. The Inductive Bible Study is a separate document that has nothing to do at this point with your lesson in terms of format or points. This is what you do in preparation of preparing your lesson. This is the “background” work where you go through the questions on the Inductive Bible Study (IBS) template and answer them according to your passage. I will make some other comments in red in the paper throughout. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Inductive Bible Study Teaching

INTRODUCTION (3 minutes)

Philippians 1: 1-21

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons[a]:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

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3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[d] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Observation: What does it say?

The Exegetical Idea What was the author saying to the original audience when it was written? Paul was telling the church in Philippi ….

• In the original, there are two alternatives: there is Christ, the other gain.

The Pedagogical idea. As Christians we must …

• This passage emphasized that the need for all of us to grow in Christ’s likeness.

Sticky Phrase:

• “To live is Christ, to Die is Gain”

Context Questions

1. What is the overall message of this book, and how does this passage fit into the message?

This passage is found in the short book of Philippians and it was written by Paul as a painting of a picture of a mature Christian faith.

“To live is Christ”

This particular passage demonstrates that “Christ is my life” and captures the undying commitment to ensure the concrete state of life is so lived in Him that is evolves into a strong and genuine manifestation of His unfailing presence. The notable contradiction in the passage is between the states of living (being alive) and dying (being dead), and not necessarily between the principles of life and death. This may be deemed as distinctive from the similar passages: Galatians 2:20, “I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in Me.” and Colossians 3:3-4, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”). One of the key point that emerges from these passages is that once Christ becomes the principle of life in use, then whatever we say, think and do, demonstrating visibly that inner life, must be the manifestation of the glory of God, through our common faith in Christ. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

“To die is gain”

In this particular verse, it appears that death (end of life) should be understood as the new phase in the progress of union and comradeship with Christ. In other verses, Philippians 1:23, “To depart is, in a leveraged sense than can be realized here, “to be with Christ.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, “Knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the lord… we are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”  In those passages, the comparison of life and death in a Christian thinking to him/herself alone must be fully informed by a better understanding of the wisdom and experiences that pours through these great words by Apostle Paul.

Lesson Aim (s)

1. Students will describe the two main reasons Paul wrote this letter by exploring the idea of right ‘thinking’ in this letter. Behavioral
2. Students will learn that Paul was in big trouble as he writes ‘Philippians;’ but also joyful and hopeful. Cognitive
3. The students will be able to honestly reflect on their reactions to hard times. Affective
4. The students will be able to commit utilizing the distinct circumstances of their lives as a living platform for the Gospel of Christ to be shared and cherished. This would be an Affective AIM but I don’t even understand it. Commit to what? Is living platform of the Gospel your words or something taken from a commentary? That is usually not how people talk. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Topics

Paul, Hardship, Gospel, Apostles, Missions, Fellowship, Trials, Persecutions, Joy, Community, Witnessing and Death.

GETTING STARTED (5 minutes)

Considering that Paul was in chains, I would like you to experience at feeling of confinement and mistreatment. For this activity, you are all going to be bound.

All the students will be required to sit on the floor and to submissively put their hand behind their backs. The teacher will be required to firmly but gently tie the hands of the students together with sip ties, ropes, duct tape, handkerchiefs or others.  Ensure that the participating students are fully bound and that not even one will try to untie themselves, and this is mainly done in order to enable them envision what incarceration and solitary confinement must be have been life for Paul. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

During the time the participating students are tightly yet gently bound, read Philippians 1:12:30

At the commencement of the passage, Paul writes, “what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”

Discussion Questions

1. What happened to Paul? (He’s facing hard times under imprisonment)
2. How do we know? ( Paul mentions about looming death, chains, confinement and persecution)
3. How long will be willing to be bound for Christ? (This particular question is geared at stimulating discussion, considering that the students are bound themselves)

Whilst untying the students, more emphasis must be placed on making them to fully understand that the bounding had only taken for period of ten minutes. Ask them give their own explanations and thoughts about what it may have been for individuals such as Paul who faced solitary confinement and other forms of imprisonment for many day, months and even years. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Digging In (15 Minutes)

We don’t use words like “whilst”

Whilst all you of your experienced a good deal of physical bounding, that cannot be compared to what Paul experienced during his Roman imprisonment. At this time, whilst he writes this book, Paul deeply speculates on the difficult experiences and also on positive outcomes of his incarceration.

Read Philippians 1:12-14

Discussion Questions.      Is progressive outcomes your words? Again sounds like commentary language

1. What are the things that Paul illustrates as progressive outcomes associated with his inhumane imprisonment? (Serving to advance the Gospel of Christ, and encouraging believers to be more confident and strong).
2. Is there any justification that Paul would have abandoned his mission of fervently serving to advance the Gospel, and to start feeling sorry for himself? (Although the harsh circumstances faced by Paul proved costly and a huge threat to his life, he deliberately chose to be obedient to Christ and to advance the Gospel, irrespective of the promise of life or death).
3. Is it possible that God can transform a difficult time or a tragedy in your life into a platform for his glorification? (This is basically meant at stimulating discussion and open conversations). Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

• Is there anyone willing to share their experience and how it felt when it happened?

Regardless of the circumstances we go through or endure, God must be gloried. Although it seems difficult and sometimes, even impossible, God’s power and wisdom can take us beyond what we can dream up. Consider the difficult times faced by the Philippians, and the harsh circumstances experienced by Paul while in Rome. What greater constraints and obstacles besides death and imprisonment would  have discouraged and undermined Paul from preaching the true gospel? Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

Read Philippians 1-15-18

Discussion Questions

1. What does Paul infer when he says that the gospel has been marred by wrong motives? (For stimulating discussion)
2. Paul indicates that his options are two: either to live or die through execution- what are his goals for each? (For stimulating open discussion)
3. How can the modern Christian hand being punished and hurt for his/her faith in Christ? (For stimulating discussion)

Closing Prayer (2 minutes)

Pray that the involved students will focus on seizing the d ay for Christ and securing the glory of glory in their midst.

Inductive Bible Study Example

Rightly Divided:  Studying the Bible to Teach the Bible

1. James 4:4-10:

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double- minded.

9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

1. Observation: What does it say?

1. Context Questions

1. What literary form is being employed in this passage?

James is written as a letter to a Hebrew audience. The writing is distinctively Jewish (Zondervan 1803). James uses rhetorical questions to emphasize his point. In verses 7-10 James also uses a list of couplets to emphasize his point. There is also an interesting parallelism between chapter 1 and 4:11-17, chapter 2 and 5:1-6, and chapter 3 and 5:7-12.

2. What is the overall message of this book, and how does this passage fit into that message?

This message of James is one of seeking God’s wisdom (Sailhamer 574) through all the trials the early Jewish believers were enduring. James’ wanted to encourage the scattered tribes in their faith and walks. This passage talks about not being friends of the world, but rather humbly submitting to God in all things. This fits in with the message of the whole book in that it encourages the believers to submit to God’s divine authority. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

3. What precedes this passage? What follows?

The first three chapters of James talk about the need to endure through temptation (1:1-16), to be a doer of the word (1:17-27), to show your faith by your works and by not showing partiality (2:1-26), controlling your tongue (3:1-12), and seeking wisdom from above (3:13-18). A common thread throughout the first three chapters and this passage is humility. Immediately before this passage in chapter 4 is an admonition to the believers about their quarrels and conflicts. James asks what is causing these quarrels and then answers by saying that the believers do not have the right attitude. This leads right into our passage. Immediately following James 4:4-10 is a passage about not judging others or making plans for the future (4:11-17). This seams to be an extension of what our lives will look like when we are submitted to God. The final chapter of James calls for the rich to treat the poor fairly (5:1-6), for the brothers to endure through hardships (5:7-12), and for prayer for healing and forgiveness (5:13-20).  Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

1. Structural Questions

1. Does the author raise any questions? Provide any answers?

James asks two rhetorical questions in this passage. He first asks the believers if they do not know that friendship with the world is hostility with God. The answer to this is obvious and James gives the answer in the same breath. James also asks about a scripture passage that the brothers knew about and asks if they really believe it. This question again has an obvious answer and is used to show that the brothers already agreed with James (Hartin).

2. Does this passage have a climax?

The climax of this passage comes in verse 7 “Submit therefore to God.” James has been leading up to this in the six verses before by challenging the believers to change their attitude toward the world and each other. After this exhortation to submit to God, James lays out some practical ways that the believer can show his submission to God. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

3. Is there a pivotal statement or word?

Verse 7 it the pivotal statement as an encouragement to submit to God. The quarrels and conflicts that the brothers were experiencing (vs. 1) would only cease if the brothers would submit to God.  This concept of submission is the only way that the believers could truly be exalted (vs. 10).

4. What linking words are used? What ideas do they link?

The word therefore is used in verse 4 to like the rhetorical questions with its answer. Because the believers knew the answer they should want to be an enemy of the world and friend of God. The word but is used in verse 6 to show the grace of God despite our friendship with the world (Moo 145). And the word therefore is used again in verse 7 to show that the reason we are to submit to God is because of His grace.

5. What verbs are used to describe action in the passage?

Verses seven through ten have several imperative verbs. The first is submit. This is to be the first response to the grace of God. The second word is resist; this describes our fight against the devil. The third verb is draw near. In order to resist the devil we are to draw neat to God. The next two verbs are cleanse and purify. These verbs bring to mind the priestly roles from the Old Testament (Moo 149). The believer is to clean up his life as he draws near to God. In verse nine James uses the words mourn, weep, be miserable, and gloom to describe the action a believer ought to take in response to the sin in his life. These verbs paint the picture of the prophet’s role in the Old Testament (Moo 150). Finally verse ten tells the brothers to humble themselves before the Lord. This verb links back to the first one of submit and ties the whole passage together. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

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Interpretation:  What does it mean?

1. Continuity of the Message – The Law of Non-Contradiction

1. What does the Bible teach on the subject addressed in this passage?

The Bible has a lot to say about not befriending the world, submission, and humility. In 1^st John 2:15 we are told to love not the world and that if we love the world the love of the Father is not in us. We are also told that we are aliens and strangers here on earth, and that our citizenship is in heaven.

In Philippians 2 we are given the prime and perfect example of submission to God and humility. Paul points the Philippians to Christ and tells them to emulate His attitude of submission and humility. He obeyed to the point of death. Jesus told the crowd in Matthew 23:12 that whoever humbled themselves would be exalted. This combination of example and exhortation makes this message very clear. Our only proper way of relating to God is through humble submission. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

The use of the word adulteresses in verse four calls to mind the Old Testament unfaithful bride/wife analogies (Moo 144) The unfaithful Israel was befriending the world and not humbly submitting to their God. This concept drives home the message to the readers of James.

2. Is this passage clear on this subject? Is there another passage that more directly addresses this subject?

This is one passage in James that is very clear in what it means. James lays out the problem, quarrels and fighting; explains the solution, humility before God; and tells of the rewards, the Lord will give you grace and exalt you. Another passage that is very similar to this one is 1 Peter 5:5-9 where Peter is encouraging his readers to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God so that they might be exalted. Peter walks his reader through almost the same steps as James does and even quotes the same proverb. Both of these passages are equally clear about the need of believers to humbly submit to God. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

3. Is this passage intended to teach a truth or simply record an event?

James is writing this passage to teach a truth. He wants the believers who are being persecuted and are experiencing conflict among themselves to realize the ultimate aim of the Christian walk: to submit to God.

1. Context of the Material

As you review your observations of the context of the passage (section II, B above), how do those observations help interpret this passage?

The process of determining the climax and pivotal word/idea was very helpful in understanding the main message of this passage. It was fascinating to see how the first few verses really did build up to one idea of humble submission and how the verses after that gave practical application of this idea.

1. Customary Meaning

1. Briefly summarize the teaching of the passage giving the passage its most natural, normal meaning.

The teaching in this passage is to not be a friend of the world but rather to submit and draw near to God. The believer is to be encouraged that when he truly humbles himself before his Lord then He will exalt him.

2. What issues, questions, terms, or teachings are difficult to understand? Read commentaries to help with these and then summarize your findings.

In verse 5 James says he is quoting scripture, but the quotation he uses has not been found anywhere in the Old Testament (Hartin). The various translations of the Bible state this verse differently. New Living Translation says “the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy.” While the NASB says that “God jealously desires the Spirit which He has made dwell in us.”  Which one is right? Intervarsity Press’ online commentary says that the latter translation is more accurate linguistically, grammatically, contextually, and logically. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

V. Generalizations:  What is the big idea?

1. Subject: What is the author talking about?

The subject of this passage is humility. We are not to be friends with the world but rather friends of God. Our appropriate response to sin should be one of misery and mourning because we know when we sin we are not submitting to our Father.

1. Complement: What is the author saying about what he is talking about?

James presents this as the only logical life for a believer to live. He calls a life of friendship with the world a life of adultery and it is clear through his rhetorical questions that he sees no other way to live.

1. Generalization: What is the transferable principle?

Our lives should be humbly submitted to God. We should mourn over our sin and turn to God.

1. Application: What difference does it make? (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

1. Teaching: Is there a teaching here to be learned or followed?

The teaching here to be followed is one of turning from the world to God and humbly submitting to Him. James clearly wanted his scattered brothers to continue to follow after their God. He saw the desires of the world and the pressures of persecution drawing them away from the God they loved. This principle amazingly applies to us today. The world today is pulling us away from God and we can only over come this by submitting to God. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

1. Rebuke: Does this passage communicate a rebuke to be heard and heeded?

James rebukes his adulteress brothers in their love of the world. This rebuke also goes out to all those who value the worldly things over the things of God. Our action is out of line and we are not living the life that God intended for us to live.

1. Correction: Is there a correction to be noted?

There is not any doctrinal correction in this passage.

1. Training: In what way does this passage train us to be righteous?

Verses 7-10 lay out specific actions we can take to draw near to God. Submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse you hands, purify your hearts, grieve over your sins, and humble yourself before your Lord. If we follow these steps, we will be trained up to be righteous.

VIII. Implementation:  What Must I Change?

I see several areas that I need to change in my own life. The first area is in loving the world too much. I need to be focused on the Lord rather than on my own desires. This is a hard thing to do because the world often seems so much more attractive than submitting to God. But my adultery must end. The second thing I need to change is my attitude toward submission. This is not just a command that I need to learn to obey. It is the only way that I can really resist the devil and draw near to God. Only through my humble submission to my Lord can He exalt me to where He wants me to be. I need to learn to really grieve over my sin and no longer belittle my sin as something to laugh over. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper

1. Moo, Douglas. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: James. Grand Rapids: William B. Erdmans, 2000

2. Hartin, Patrick. Sacra Pagina: James. Collegeville, Mn: Litergical Press,

3. Zondervan Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.

4. Sailhamer, John. NIV Compact Bible Commentary. Zondervan : Grand Rapids, 1994.

5. “Commentaries; James 4.” Don’t You Know the Choice to be Made. 1995-2006. InterVarsity Press. 7 Oct 2006 <http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/index.php?action=getCommentaryText&cid=13&source=1&seq=i.66.4.3>. Communicating Biblical Truth to Adolescents Discussion Paper