Calvary of Albuquerque Webcast - The Language of God

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The Language of God
By Brian Nixon
Psalms 139:1-10

Language often gets mixed up due to different understandings and interpretations. I'm afraid, many people feel like Amalia Bedelia when they approach the Bible; they confuse or misunderstand the language, words, and grammar found in the Bible; which can lead to misunderstanding of the text or author’s intent. Sadly, many people suffer from the famed disorder, ABS. The Amelia Bedlilla syndrome. We mix our metaphors, smash our similes, and torture our terms. However, understanding the language of the Bible does not have to be this way. My premise is that when you understand some basic literary principles in the Bible, it will not only help clarify aspects of the Bible, but will make the Bible that much more alive!

From the teaching series Spiritual Cooking 101

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Psalms 139 (NKJV™)
1	For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2	You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
3	You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
4	For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5	You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
6	Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
7	Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8	If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9	If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10	Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

The Language of God - Psalms 139:1-10 
 From the series: Spiritual Cooking 101 
 By Brian Nixon 
 
 MESSAGE SUMMARY
 Language often gets mixed up due to different understandings and interpretations. I'm afraid, many people feel like Amalia Bedelia when they approach the Bible; they confuse or misunderstand the language, words, and grammar found in the Bible; which can lead to misunderstanding of the text or author’s intent. Sadly, many people suffer from the famed disorder, ABS. The Amelia Bedlilla syndrome. We mix our metaphors, smash our similes, and torture our terms. However, understanding the language of the Bible does not have to be this way. My premise is that when you understand some basic literary principles in the Bible, it will not only help clarify aspects of the Bible, but will make the Bible that much more alive!
 
 DETAILED NOTES 
 Three Letters: G, T, F 
 <ul> 
 <li>Genres (the big picture): a category of form, style, and substance</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Key Principles</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Know basic genres:</li> 
 </ul> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Letters: Exposition and doctrine</li> 
 <li>Narration, history, and biography</li> 
 <li>Parables, poetry, and prophesy</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Poetry:  Is a descriptive, imaginative use of language, communicating truth in a beautiful and flowing way.</li> 
 <li>Parable:  Is a form of narration that uses allegory to tell a story.</li> 
 <li>Prophesy, as Skip likes to say, "Is history written in advance."</li> 
 </ul> 
 <li>Wisdom literature: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes</li> 
 <li>Apocalyptic literature- Prophesy</li> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Terms (the detailed picture): a word or phrase used to describe a thing or express a concept</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Key Principles:</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Define it historically</li> 
 <li>Define it contextually</li> 
 <li>Define it Scripturally: use Scripture to define the Scripture</li> 
 <li>Define it academically: use dictionaries and concordances to help clarify and expand the word’s understanding.</li> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Figures (the meaning and language; seasoning): an illustrative word or phrase used to add force to the written or spoken language</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Key Principles:</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li> Use the "literal" unless there is some good reason not to: Song of Solomon</li> 
 <li>Use the figurative when the passage calls for it: Daniel 7-12</li> 
 <li>Use the figurative if the literal is impossible: Revelation</li> 
 <li>Use the figurative if the literal is contrary to the greater teaching of the Bible: John 6: 53-55 (Eat my Flesh)</li> 
 <li>Know some basic figures of speech:</li> 
 <ul> 
 <li>Anthropomorphisms- the attribution of human features to action to God: The Lord’s hand</li> 
 <li>Allegory: a story, picture, or poem that can be used to teach a moral lesson or hidden meaning: the parables of Jesus.</li> 
 <li>Apostrophe- addressing a thing as if it were a person: "O, death."        </li> 
 <li>Euphemism- the use of a less offensive expression: "cut your self vs mutilate.</li> 
 <li>Hyperbole- exaggeration to say more than is meant:  </li> 
 <li>Hypocatastasis- comparison in which likeness is implied, rather than stated</li> 
 <li>Idiom: expression to a particular person</li> 
 <li>Merism: a substitution to two contrasting or opposite parts for the whole: sit down, stand up.</li> 
 <li>Metaphor: a comparison in which one thing represents the other: "light of the world."</li> 
 <li>Paradox: a statement that seems absurd, self-contrary, or anti-logical: "to save his life shall loose it."</li> 
 <li>Personification:  ascribing human characteristics or actions to inanimate objects or animals: "the moon shall be ashamed."</li> 
 <li>Rhetorical Questions:  a question that required no response, causing one to answer internally</li> 
 <li>Simile: a comparison using "like" or "as.</li> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 </ul> 
 </ul>

Who We Are:

Calvary Albuquerque Logo We pursue the God who is passionately pursuing a lost world; we do this with one another, through worship, by the Word, to the world.

What We Do:

Upreach
We express our adoration of Jesus through dynamic worship and uncompromised obedience.

Inreach
We explain the relevance of the Bible to empower and transform lives for service.

Outreach
We extend hope to a hurting world by proclaiming the gospel and demonstrating Christ's love.

Our Beliefs

We Believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.

We Believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired, without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice.

We Believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in Holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

We Believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit.

We Believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teaching, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth.

We Believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all that believe in Jesus Christ for ministry.

We Believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide.

We Believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We Believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

We Believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and empowers the believers for service, often subsequent to regeneration.

We Believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head, and all regenerated persons are members.

We Believe that Jesus committed two ordinances to the church: 1) Baptism and, 2) the Lord's Supper. We believe in baptism by immersion and communion open to all believers.

We Believe also in the laying on of hands for baptism of the Holy Spirit, for ordination of pastors, elders, and deacons, and receiving from the Holy Spirit through the believer the gift of healing.

We Believe in the personal, visible return of Christ to the earth and the establishing of His Kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

We Believe in what is termed the Apostles Creed as embodying the fundamental facts of Christian faith.

Giving

Agape Box At Calvary we believe that giving is a matter of the heart and that each person should give according to what they believe the LORD has purposed in their hearts.

We do not take a formal offering at Calvary, however there are brown wooden boxes (Agape boxes) located in and around the sanctuary for your gifts, offerings, and prayer requests. Below you will find resources to help you in the giving process.

• Make an online donation
• Support Missions
• Support Crisis Caregivers

All donations to the church and its ministries are 100% tax-deductible. Statements detailing your financial contributions in excess of $250 are automatically mailed each year prior to January 31. Additional statements are available upon request.

The Language of God
By Brian Nixon
Psalms 139:1-10

Buy an Audio CD $4.00

From the Series:
Spiritual Cooking 101

Spiritual Cooking 101

Coming to church for spiritual sustenance can be like going to a restaurant for meals. It's all prepared for you and served to you by someone else. A far better way to get your spiritual nourishment is to learn how to get the "ingredients" and prepare the "meals" for yourself. In this series, Skip Heitzig and the Calvary pastoral staff teach how to study the Bible on your own and apply it—how to really "feast on the Word" and satisfy the deepest needs of your heart.

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