Digging Deeper #2

After the first step of defining the scriptures for study, the next step to digging deeper is to develop a list of content items. Here are the attributes of content items:
  • Content items boil down the Scriptures to pure facts
  • Must be personally meaningful to the studier
  • No more than 20 total
  • Try to keep the content item brief to one line - abbreviations are okay, as long as you know what they mean.
  • Content items can cover a part of a verse or multiple verses or chapters
In our example, Acts 1:1-26, I have developed 16 items:
  1. Author refers to former book about Jesus’ works, teachings, and instructions (v1-2)
  2. After Christ’s suffering, He showed Himself to many and continued teaching (v3)
  3. Once while eating: ‘don’t leave Jerusalem; wait for gift of Holy Spirit’s baptism (v4-5)
  4. Apostles asked: are you going to restore kingdom to Jerusalem? (v6)
  5. Not 4 u 2 know; rcv pwr fm Spirit, witness in Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, ends of earth (v7-8)
  6. Jesus taken up before their eyes and they stared at His leaving (v9-10a)
  7. 2 men asked why they were staring; said Jesus would come back same way (v10b-11)
  8. They returned to Jerusalem fm Mt. Olives, went upstairs to a room (v12-13a)
  9. All apostles present with the women, Jesus’ mother & brothers; all in prayer (v13b-14)
  10. Peter spoke among them (120), referred to Scripture concerning Judas betrayer (v15-17)
  11. (Judas bought a field w/ betrayal money and died there) (v18-19)
  12. Psalms says: his place deserted, may another take his leadership place (v20)
  13. Must choose a man who’s been with us fm John’s baptism of Jesus to now (v21-22a)
  14. This man must become a witness with us of Jesus’ resurrection (v22b)
  15. 2 proposed: Barsabbas & Matthias; they prayed God choose Judas’ replacement (v23-25)
  16. They cast lots; lot fell to Matthias; he was added to the 11 apostles (v26)

Next step: divide the content items and the verses they represent into 2-4 sections in order to develop Summary Items. We'll discuss that next time.

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