Part 9 The Principle of Proclamation

A student told about a professor who made an impact on his life.  He passed the professor’s home many times, early in the morning and late at night, and often saw him pouring over his books.  One day the student asked, “I’d like to know, what is it that keeps you studying?  You never cease to learn.”  The professor replied, “I would rather have my students drink from a running stream than from a stagnant pond.”

Regular Bible study is vitally important.  It keeps us close to God, constantly finding fresh insight from His Word.  But study only for our own personal benefit is not the ultimate goal.  It has been said that “True learning does not occur until the student is able to teach someone else what they have been taught.”  Proclamation is the culmination of the process of interpretation.  It is teaching the truths you have learned to others.

Many Christians today remind me of the farmer that was trying to gather a harvest while he sat in the toolshed.  They go to the toolshed every Sunday and they study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and then get up and go home.  Then they come back that night, study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and go home again.  Then they also come back Wednesday night, and again study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and get up and go home.  They do this week in and week out, year in and year out, and nobody ever goes out into the fields to gather in the harvest.

As we conclude this last class on How To Study The Bible I would like us to consider some of the ways and factors involved in proclaiming God’s Word to others.