Opening Prayer and Introduction

Let’s pray. God, You are holy, You are different than us. The right response to seeing You, who You are, is to worship. Yet our hearts naturally refuse to worship; that is the essence of sin. That is how we were born. Every one of us suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. Some here still do. I pray that by Your Spirit You would open eyes through Your Word, so we see You in Your Word and worship.

As I teach, give my hearers ears to listen, minds to understand, hearts to believe. May Your Spirit cause obedience and trusting faith. Guard my words, help me speak clearly and accurately. May Your Holy Spirit transform hearts and change lives through Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

We are back to our series on how to read the Bible. If you don’t have a note-taking sheet, please raise your hand. We have outlines and new inserts for your binder every week. When you come in, look on the back table and grab your note sheet and inserts. Today is “How to Read the Bible, Part 1.” We’ll start getting into the practical steps of how to read your Bible. I’ll explain why your note sheet is arranged as it is, and in the coming weeks, we’ll discuss what to do when you have your Bible open, how to study and get the most out of Scripture.

Reading the Bible Prayerfully and with Faith

The first thing: read the Bible prayerfully, with faith. This may seem obvious, but do you do it? How often do you just open your Bible and start reading, thinking, “I know how to read, I’ll understand on my own”? I confess I’ve done that. Even this week, preparing for this lesson, I started reading without prayer. Then I remembered what I’m about to teach you. This must change how you read the Bible every day. You must read it prayerfully and with faith.

Remember the prayer I taught you before reading the Bible or hearing a sermon: LUBOT. L is listen, U is understand, B is believe, O is obey, T is trust. It’s a silly acronym, but it helps. I prayed it before this sermon. I’ve prayed it almost daily for about a decade and a half before reading my Bible. I commend it to you.

L means you must listen. For a sermon, listen with ears; for the Bible, listen with eyes. Pay attention. Have you read a chapter and realized you didn’t think? Ask God to help you listen. U is understand. Ask God for focus and the Spirit’s help to understand. But listening and understanding alone aren’t enough. Many times we think we did our job if we can say what the text said, but that’s just the first line of your note sheet: “What did the text say?” Understanding the text is necessary but not the end.

Next is B, believe. That takes a miracle. Then O, obey. Not Pharisaical external obedience, but obedience from the heart (Romans 6:16). Finally T, trust. When God says something, trust it’s true. You need a miracle for that response, so we pray LUBOT. Martin Luther noted the unregenerate can understand grammar but won’t believe. If you only listen and understand but don’t believe, obey, trust, you’re in danger. That’s why we pray for all of it.

The Veil Over Our Hearts and the Need for God’s Help

Now, consider 2 Corinthians 3:15. It explains why some read God’s Word unaffected. It speaks of unbelieving Jews, but it applies to all: a veil lies over their hearts when they hear Moses (Scripture). The glory is there, but they can’t see it due to unbelief. Ephesians 4 says Gentiles are darkened by hardness of heart. The problem isn’t in the Bible; it’s in our hearts, a veil of unbelief.

How is the veil removed? Verse 16: “Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” You can’t remove it yourself. Turn to Christ and ask God to remove it. That’s a miracle. When it happens, what do you see?

Verse 18: With unveiled face, we behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror and are transformed into His image from glory to glory by the Spirit. We don’t just read to understand; we read to see God and His glory, and be changed by it. Understanding is a step, but you must see God in the text. That’s why your note sheet asks, “What does it teach me about God?” Seeing God is the goal. Then “How should this affect me?” Because when you see God, you must respond—believe, obey, trust.

Seeking Wisdom and Treasure in God’s Word

Proverbs 2:4-6 says if you seek wisdom like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you’ll understand the fear of Yahweh and find the knowledge of God. This is treasure worth digging for. Not just knowledge, but to know God, worship Him, and be transformed by His Spirit through His Word.

The Miracle of Spiritual Sight (2 Corinthians 4:4-6)

2 Corinthians 4:4-6: Unbelievers are blinded by the god of this world. Light is there, but eyes are closed. For believers, the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts, giving the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Christ. It’s as miraculous as creation. That’s why we depend on God’s power, not mere human effort.

Conclusion and Application

When you open your Bible, ask God to remove unbelief, let you see His glory, and change you. Understand what it says, see Him there, respond with faith, obedience, trust. We’ll learn practical study steps in coming lessons, but don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal: seeing God and being transformed.

Jacob (closing): Let’s pray before discussion groups.

God, I pray for our discussion time, that it would be fruitful. Help these students desire to know You. Let this transform how they read Scripture. May Your Spirit work now, prompting trust and obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.