Means of Grace: The Word - Studied & Meditated On
June 21, 2026
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God’s Word in Community Groups
- Acts 2:42: devoted to the Word in house-to-house fellowship
- John 15:8-10: abiding through obedience to Jesus’ commandments within community
- Our goal: unite the preaching of the Word in Sunday sermon to discussion and application of the Word in Community Groups
- Every CG member can help reach this goal by: discuss, pray, follow-up, mutual accountability
God’s Word in Biblical Counseling
- Hebrews 4:12: the Word discerns the heart
- “Enter, Understand, Bring” (flows from Jesus’s ministry in God’s Word)
- Matthew 9:35–36, Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
- Enter his/her world (verse 35a)
- Spend time with the person, develop a loving relationship
- This fosters an environment where truth can be shared
- Understand his/her need (verse 36)
- Be a good listener
- Gather information to know the person, problems, felt needs
- Interpret this information biblically and define true needs
- Respond with Christlike love, compassion, and commitment to help
- Bring Christ and His answers through His Word (verse 35b)
- Speak God’s Word to comfort or confront the heart.
- Show the hope of the gospel in the midst of what needs to happen
- Direct him to behavioral/heart changes through practical instruction and homework.
- Guide and coach him as he progressively changes and grows.
- Equip him to grow in desire and skill to counsel himself and others.
God’s Word in Individual Study
- The Word fully integrated with prayer
- Psalm 119:9-16: discipline and delight together
- Discipline: methods, time, place, rhythm, tools
- Delight: we get more of God!
- Mission as fuel for growth in the Word; the Word as fuel for mission
- Inductive Bible Study!
- What does it say? (Observation)
- What does it mean? (Interpretation)
- How do I live it out? (Application)