Lesson Theme:  The purpose of this lesson is to show the student that the Bible is God’s only inspired pattern for His Church and its member.  It will also provide a high level overview of the Bible.

 

References:

“Pattern Teaching” Woodson, William,  Gospel Advocate, November 2003, p. 30-31 

 

The Church of Christ, Wharton,Edward C., Sunset School of Preaching {copied from Chuck Gambill}

 

“Is the Bible Accurate?:  How History and Archaeology Have Confirmed the Innerancy of Scripture”, F. Furman Kearley, Gospel Advocate, May 2003, p 12-13

 

Overview of Bible

·        Divided into Old Testament and New Testament (Covenant)

·        66 Separate books written in 3 languages by 40+ authors over a period of 2000 years.

·        Discuss some popular English translations

 

Inspiration of Writers

·        All scripture is God breathed – 2 Tim 3:16:

o       The Bible is the most accurate history and science book.  It is supernaturally accurate.

·        Internal Evidence:

o       Obadiah 1:18:  Prophesied that descendants of Esau would have no survivors but descendants of Jacob would endure (853-841 BC)

·        External Evidence:

o       Within the last century, seventy different people and events from the Bible have been confirmed as accurate by archeology and science.

o       Psalm 8:4:  Paths of the sea;  sea currents were discovered and mapped after the American Civil War

The Pattern of the Church

·        To reproduce anything exactly requires a pattern

o       McDonalds Franchise is a pattern

o       Sauder furniture follows a pattern

·        God wants to reproduce Christians and churches according to his model so he made a pattern

o       Rom 6:17-18:  Form of teaching

o       John 8:32:  Truth shall set you free

·        What authority do we have to alter the pattern

o       Nadab and Abiju offered unauthorized fire:  Lev 10:1

o       Do not add or take away from the Word:  Rev 22:18-20

·        What if you add something to your Sauder furniture?  You void your warranty.

What Patterns are Found

·        Direct Command

o       Example:  Great Commission:  Matt 28:19-20

o       Example:  Sing and make music in you heart:  Eph 5:19

o       Do we have authority to alter or disobey?

·        Binding Example

o       Example: Conversion of Ethiopian Eunuch:  Acts 8:26-40

o       If we deviate from the example set, we will not achieve the originally intended result.

·        Principle

o       Example:  Reap what you sow:  Gal 6:7

o       Learning to apply these will bless your life.

·        Building Noah’s Ark:  Genesis 6

o       God commanded gopher wood, pitch, dimensions, door, window, roof.

o       How was Noah to cut the wood, attach it, where should the kitchen be, where should the elephants be housed?

o        

 

Conclusion

·        Upcoming study of some of the important patterns in scripture

o       Patterns of worship

o       Patterns of church organization

o       Patterns of Christian activity

·        Important points to remember

o       Bible is completely reliable and accurate

o       There is a single acceptable pattern for the church