The Bible as the Map
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Nancy Burmaster
Please read and meditate on these verses relating to hearing and doing :
- Mark 4:1-20
- Isaiah 6:9, and as quoted in Matt. 13:14, Mark 4:12, and Acts 28:26
- Ask God to remind you of things that you are seeing but not perceiving, and
- ask Him to remove your blinders, making your heart perceptive to
- His voice. (John 10)
In small groups: draw a state map of the US ( or your home country)—or something they are very familiar with but not used to drawing or communicating in a concise manner.
When finished, discuss difficulty of perspective, relationships, familiarity, details, etc. Relate this to the idea that knowledge of the Bible is very different than communication and application of the information.
Now ask one group to choose a location on their map not telling the other groups their location. Ask this group to describe their location to the other groups and ask the other groups to find it.
When finished, discuss the hinderance of not using the same map—and how as leaders we are sometimes leading people who are using different maps—their perceptions will color their interpretation of your leadership. Sometimes our first task as a leader is to make sure we are all using the same “map” (the Bible) as our only guide.
Divide into 2 groups. Give one group a simple hand-drawn map to a local place; give the other group an official looking, accurate map to the same place. Ask them to go to the location indicated. When they meet at the location, ask them to choose one map to use to return to the original location by a different route.
When they return discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the maps provided. Discuss how the team decided whose interpretation of the map to follow. Discuss the decision for the return route. Point out that the Bible doesn’t give exhaustive explanations for everything in our lives—but the Bible does tell us how to restore relationship to God and how to live in that restoration in expectation of His return.
