How to Study a Bible Passage

40 Days in the Word
How to Study a Bible Passage 

I. Introduction

A. The key to Bible study is good !

B. You’ll never hit bottom in the Bible because it’s a book!

II. Three Words to Know for Bible Study

A.

1. What does this Bible passage ?

2. The difference between studying a passage of the Bible—and reading a passage of the Bible—really comes down to .

B.

1. What does this passage ?

2. We need to know the of this passage!

3. Biblical exegesis – – discovering what the passage meant to the

C.

1. What am I going to about this passage of Scripture?

III. Background to Philippians 2:19-30

A. Philippians 2:19-30 (NLT) ¹⁹ If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.²⁰ I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.²¹ All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.²² But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.²³ I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.²⁴ And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.²⁵ Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.²⁶ I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.²⁷ And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.²⁸ So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.²⁹ Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.³⁰ For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.

B.

C.

1. A godly person is a person.

a. Philippians 2:20-21 (NLT) ²⁰ I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. ²¹ All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.

2. A godly person is .

a. Philippians 2:22 (NLT) But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.

3. A godly person is .

a. Philippians 2:25 (NLT) Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.

b. We work together on “Team Vineyard” to help people find Jesus—and find freedom—and discover their purpose in life—and make a in the world!

c. Therefore, we each other in this fight!

d. “If you want to go fast—go alone. But if you want to go —go together.”

4. A godly person is .

a. Philippians 2:26 (NLT) I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.

5. A godly person is .

a. Philippians 2:27-30 (NLT) ²⁷ And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.²⁸ So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.²⁹ Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.³⁰ For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.

b. A godly person takes for the benefit of others—and also for the benefit of the Kingdom of God!

c. “I’ll live for Christ—if it’s .”

D.

1. Who are the people I need to in my life?

2. Which of the characteristics of a godly person do need to in the most?

a. Caring, consistent, cooperative, considerate, courageous

IV. Conclusion