Introduction
The Kingdom Story is a seven-week study of the entire narrative of the Bible. Our goal is to look at Scripture from start to finish from a bird’s-eye view. Instead of zooming in on one story, character, or book, we want to better understand what God is doing throughout the Bible as a whole. How do all of these stories, books, and people connect together in the end? Why is it important to know and understand Scripture? Throughout this study, we are going to be discovering God’s Redemption Plan for his people and how God was, is, and will always be a faithful God.
Bible Overview
The tricky thing about Scripture is that there is so much variety within one large book. There are at least 35 authors we know by name who write Scripture in different time periods, cultures, and genres. The powerful thing about the Bible is that it is eternally relevant—valuable for all people at all times. The Bible was written for us, but it’s important to remember that it was not written to us.
When we read our Bibles, we often read in fragments. This isn’t a bad thing, but if we never read or understand the Bible as a whole, we have a limited view of what God is doing and how it impacted the story as a whole. Our goal is to grow in our understanding of the Bible, and in turn, God can use that understanding to shape how we live our lives. Even though Scripture was written many years ago, it still has the power to change our lives today.
Questions
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your understanding of the Scriptures right now?
- What are some of the main questions about the Bible that you hope to get answered in this study?
Island Hopping
When we read our Bibles in fragments, we are focusing on one book, one chapter, even a few verses at a time. This approach to reading Scripture can cause us to miss out on some important context, which can even lead to misinterpreting the Bible.
In this study, we will look closely at the bedrock, the Kingdom of God. By doing this, we will start to understand the overarching theme that God is using humans to establish his Kingdom on earth. We will look at how God makes covenants with his people as a part of his Redemption Plan. Time and time again, God remains faithful even when humanity is broken and sinful. And his faithfulness is ultimately seen in Jesus coming to earth, fully human and fully God, to be a fulfillment of the law, covenants, and prophecies of the Old Testament. Now, we get to be a part of what God is doing in The Kingdom Story.
Questions
- What are some main obstacles you personally face when it comes to reading and understanding the Bible?
How to Read Your Bible
Through understanding the bigger picture of Scripture, we hope you will have a better understanding of what you are reading on your own. Check out the questions below, which are helpful to keep in mind when reading Scripture. You won’t always have an answer for each question, but they are a good starting point.
- What does this passage say?
- What did this passage mean to its original audience?
- What does this passage tell me about God?
- What does this passage tell me about myself?
- Based on what I’ve read, how should I think, feel, and act today in response?
Another helpful tool to have on hand is a Study Bible. Again, it may not give you the answer to everything, but it can be a helpful guide as you are reading Scripture on your own. Scan the code to learn more about this helpful resource
Let’s put this into practice. Read Hebrews 8:8-12. Then, spend a few minutes writing out the answers to the following questions.
- What does this passage say?
- What did this passage mean to its original audience?
- What does this passage tell me about God?
- What does this passage tell me about myself?
- Based on what I’ve read, how should I think, feel, and act today in response?
The Bible Project video, “Links,” talks about different words or ideas that connect the entire Bible together. One example is that God blesses his people throughout Scripture. What are some other links you can think of that happen across Scripture?
- In your own words, describe who God is.
- What role do you think humanity plays in God’s plan for creation?