How To Prepare a Basic Bible Message

By Ron Jones ©Titus Institute 2009


Step 1 Understanding the passage

Use commentaries to come to an understanding of what the passage is all about. You want to understand its details.

Ask yourself questions about the words and sentences and what they mean.

Take notes verse by verse: by reading commentaries and observing the text to answer the questions.

Example

Jn. 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word."

What does "in the beginning" mean?

Commentary: "in the beginning" = Gen.1:1, in the beginning before creation, etc.

What does "the Word" mean?

Commentary: "Word" = "revelation of God" used in the OT ‘The Word of the Lord came"

Why did John use the Word as a term for Jesus?

Jesus was the revelation of God. See Jn.1:18

What is the significance of "was"?

Jn.1: 2 "And the Word was with God."

What does "with God" mean?

Who is "God" in relation to the "Word"?

Another key question: Are there any other passages that relate to the truths of this passage?

Step 2 Organizing the facts into a theme

Organize your material and develop a theme based on the following format.

I. Introduction:

A. Introduces the theme

B. Explains why John is writing this to his readers (historical context)

C. Explains why we care today about what John is writing here

"Why is this important to us as believers in the 21st century?"

The theme is the nature of Christ, who he was. John is writing this to the first century believers because there were false teachers spreading lies about the nature of Christ. They said he was not truly God and truly man.

The reason this is important to us is because the Christian life is all about Christ. Everything we are and everything we hope to become in the future is bound up in the nature of Jesus Christ.

Ex. Of following a political candidate and putting all your hopes and dreams in him and he turns out to be a fraud. The greatness of the Christian life is the greatness of Christ.

II. The Main Points

Each point tells us something about the main point.

This passage tell us three major truths about the nature of Jesus Christ.

He existed before the world was created v.1

He existed in a trinitarian relationship with God the Father v. 1

He existed as God v.2

OR

He is eternal

He is the Son of God

He is God

OR

III. Conclusion

Summarize the "why" of the introduction – remind people why this is so important to them as 21st century believers.