We have spent 8 days on John 4. It is probably time to move on. I am not going to give you a lot of input. Why is that? Because I am tired or have run out of things to say.? Those of you who know me will know that is not the case. I am merely giving you some time to look at the rest of John 4:43–54. Milk it for all its worth and I will give you some input in the next Gem. Don’t forget John’s theme statement in John 20:31. Remember he has told us that is why he has written this gospel. It may pay to refresh your mind on his themes before you look at the passage.
Don’t think this is enough to do? Then look at the boundary between chapters 4 and 5 and see if you can see how they link together. Interesting isn’t it. What? You go find it, I am not doing all your work for you. You know we learn the most when we do it ourselves. The treasures we find for ourselves are the ones that stay with us. Go find them. God’s Word is full of them. After this you will have a clearer picture of what John is doing.
More hot tips for deepening your Bible Study: You know these because I have shared them in action but thought I would spell them out again. Nothing like a good dose of repetition to drive the point home.
- Read across chapter boundaries; don’t get into the habit of just reading your bible chapter by chapter. So often the theme continues and you miss it.
- Get into the habit of reading the Bible one book at a time in one sitting.
Why?
- To Maintain the continuity and connection
- To follow the thread of truth
- To get the full story
- To resolve confusing events
- To get an idea of elapsed time
- To follow the logic
- Like reading a love letter
Now who among us would get a love letter from our sweetheart and only read it paragraph by paragraph (pericope by pericope), a new section each day. How you would read the love letter is how you should read the Bible. You would read it in one sitting, wouldn’t you? Then you would go back and read it over and over. Then you would go back and read between the lines and go back over every detail and study it. Looking for little clues of your sweetheart’s love for you. Until you memorised it.
Yes exactly! So go do that with the Bible.
Winston Churchill once made a very famous speech to his old grammar school. I have included the text of the speech in full below.
Never give up. Never give up. Never ever ever give up!
Winston Churchill
That’s right. That’s the whole speech. Only 11 words. When the great man stood to speak to them they waited in anticipation for what gems he would share. Ha ha he said it all in just 11 words. You can imagine the impact when he sat down.
I want to start sharing a series of examples which embody this attitude over the next days. Watch for them.
When you have exhausted all your possibilities, remember you haven’t.
Anon