Pastor Shane Gorman - Reading Scripture In Context - August 23rd. 2026 - Bible Study

Bible Reading

John 1:1, 14

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

[21:41]

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

[30:51]

Luke 4:9-12

“And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,” and “On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”’”

[34:40]

Acts 17:11

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

[39:13]

Acts 8:30-31

“So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

[40:35]

Observation questions

1. In John 1, what is said about the Word before John says the Word became flesh, and who is the Word referring to? [21:56]
2. In Jeremiah 29, what situation were God’s people living in when they received the promise about a future and a hope? What were they told to do while they waited? [31:42]
3. In Luke 4:9-12, what did Satan ask Jesus to do with the words of Scripture, and how did Jesus respond? [35:11]
4. What do Acts 17:11 and Acts 8:30-31 show about the way believers should approach Scripture both personally and with others? [40:23]

Interpretation questions

1. If Jesus is the living Word and Scripture leads toward him, how should that shape the way a person reads the Bible instead of treating it like a collection of isolated sayings? [44:25]
2. Jeremiah 29:11 is often used as a promise of quick success or relief. How does the exile setting change the way that promise should be understood today? [32:25]
3. Satan used a true passage in a false way. What does that reveal about the difference between knowing Bible words and understanding God’s character and purposes? [35:20]
4. The Bereans examined Paul’s teaching carefully, while the Ethiopian official needed guidance. How do those two passages together help show the balance between testing what is taught and receiving help with humility? [42:04]

Application questions

1. Is there a Bible verse that has become a quick comfort, slogan, or assumption in personal reading? What might it look like this week to slow down and read the whole chapter around it? [45:12]
2. Have there been times when a passage was used in a way that gave a distorted picture of God, either in personal experience or in someone else’s life? How did that affect trust, and what would a more careful reading have changed? [26:48]
3. When life feels more like exile than victory, is there a tendency to assume God has stepped back or lost interest? How does Jeremiah 29:11 speak into a long season of waiting rather than immediate change? [32:42]
4. Faith trusts God, while testing demands that God prove himself. In what situations is there a temptation to say, even quietly, “God, if you do this for me, then I’ll trust you”? [36:20]
5. Is there an area where Scripture has mainly been used to defend a position, win an argument, or confirm something already wanted? What would it look like to let Scripture examine the heart instead? [37:24]
6. Who are the trusted believers in life who can help with difficult passages, ask good questions, and offer correction with love? If those relationships are missing, what would be a wise next step? [41:06]
7. Correction is part of discipleship, not a threat to it. What helps a person admit, “Perhaps I have misunderstood this,” without becoming defensive or discouraged? [45:47]