I. Complete Material from Previous Week
II. Intro: As research shows the correlation between spiritual maturity and reading the Bible, one organization is addressing the significant lack of biblical literacy within the Christian community, as few Christians take time to make Bible study a daily practice.
Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, says his group's findings indicate that church members may be aware of general themes about Christianity, but they lack the biblical literacy necessary to better understand the full story of what God is doing in the world.
"We did a study at LifeWay Research and found the number-one correlated factor to spiritual growth and maturity was consistency in the Bible," he reports. "We know how essential this is to spiritual maturity, so literacy is not just something that kind of floats out there by itself; it is a tool. Biblical literacy is a tool that God uses to grow people spiritually as well." — from onenewsnow.com email brief 12/3/2011
III. Read Passages, Discuss: What does it mean to be "after God's own heart?" with these points in mind:
A. The context is God's rejection of Saul and choice of David. Why did this happen?
B. Psalm 63 and the disciple's delight in God and devotional life
C. The Christological foreshadow, John 4:34
D. Sidebar: "Paul's Amplified Version"
The account of the divine choice of David by the apostle Paul (Acts 13 text) adds the phrase "who will do all my will" which does not appear in the 1 Samuel 13 text. This is an example of how inspired writers have the freedom to summarize or paraphrase, or of how an inspired account is not necessarily also an exhaustive account of what was spoken on a certain occasion.
Three inspired Gospel writers record a discourse of Jesus with slightly different wording. Not an issue. Perhaps someone said, "Please pass the olive oil" at the feast which Levi gave in Jesus' honor, but Matthew (ch. 5) did not record it. In either case, no problem – no shadow cast on our full assurance of the Bible's infallible trustworthiness.
IV. Application: seeking to be people after God's own heart — Westminster Larger Catechism, Q/A 104 with Scripture proofs
Q104: What are the duties required in the first commandment?
A104: The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God;[1] and to worship and glorify him accordingly,[2] by thinking,[3] meditating,[4] remembering,[5] highly esteeming,[6] honoring,[7] adoring,[8] choosing,[9] loving,[10] desiring,[11] fearing of him;[12] believing him;[13] trusting,[14] hoping,[15] delighting,[16] rejoicing in him;[17] being zealous for him;[18] calling upon him, giving all praise and thanks,[19] and yielding all obedience and submission to him with the whole man;[20] being careful in all things to please him,[21] and sorrowful when in anything he is offended;[22] and walking humbly with him.[23]
V. A Valiant Effort!
…was made in class at learning and singing Psalm 63, version B, from the Book of Psalms for Singing
Go to Fifth Session - Bible Study on the Life of David (COMING)
Go to 2 Timothy 2:15 Dept.
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