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THE HEART OF A STUDENT

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.      The word “student” comes from the Latin word “studere.”

1.       The Latin word literally means “to take pains.”

2.       The English language defines the word as “a person formally engaged in learning.”

 

B.      Christians are supposed to be students.

1.       We call ourselves disciples which means “one who sits at the feet of another.” (Acts 11:26).

 

…And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

 

2.       Our discipline of study is the Christian religion. 

3.       The primary textbook of our study is The Bible, also known as “The Word of God,” or, “the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

 

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

C.      If we are supposed to be students, shouldn’t we be “good” students?  In fact, shouldn’t we be “excellent” students?

 

D.     To become excellent students, we must develop “The Heart of A Student.”  Let’s look at the qualities of that kind of a heart in this lesson.

 

I.                    A HEART OF RESPECT FOR GOD’S WORD

 

A.      2 Timothy 3:16 is familiar to us all, but there is a saying that states:  “Familiarity breeds contempt.”

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…

 

1.       All Scripture proceeds from the breath of God.

2.       The words found in the Bible are divine words.  They are the words of deity.  Man was merely the instrument through which God worked in order to make His words known to man.

 

B.      A Bible student realizes the sublime nature of this book we call the Bible. 

He knows it is a unique, one-of-a-kind volume.

He knows there is no other book on earth that has the value of the Good Book.

 

C.      As a student, he holds the Bible in high regard.

1.       This is God’s message to me.

2.       This is the story of man’s redemption.

3.       This is God’s will for my live.

4.       This is God’s law.

5.       This book contains all I need to be in fellowship with the sovereign Lord.

 

D.     Isaiah 66:5

 

Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word…

 

II.                 A HEART THAT IS GOOD AND HONEST

 

A.      During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught a lesson called, “The Parable of the Sower.” 

1.       He noted that there are four different soil types:  wayside, stony, thorny, and good soil.

2.       These four soils represent the hearts of men.

3.       Only one receives the seed of God’s Word and produces fruit, the good soil.

 

B.      The description of the good soil (Luke 8:15)

 

But that on good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 

1.       Honest:  excellent in nature and characteristics, upright, fair, not deceitful

2.       Good:  good natured, pleasant, agreeable

 

C.      The honest and good heart will examine the facts.

The honest and good heart is not easily angered.

The honest and good heart is not dismissive.

The honest and good heart will discern right and wrong.

The honest and good heart acknowledges truth and rejects error.

 

III.              A HEART OF READINESS

 

A.      Paul preached in numerous places throughout his ministry. 

1.       He saw the response that multitudes of people had toward the Word of God.

2.       In Acts 17:11, he reveals the attitude of the Bereans.

 

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

 

B.      Readiness of mind

1.       Readiness of mind is one word in the Greek language.

a.       It is composed of a prefix meaning “forward,” and a root word meaning “mind or disposition.”  Thus, a forward mind or a forward disposition.

b.       The picture is that of a person who rushes forward.  It involves an eagerness to hear and receive the message of truth.

2.       An eager, zealous disposition to hear the Word of God is not something that is created by the speaker.  It is something that is found in the heart of the student.

 

C.      Example:  Saul of Tarsus

1.       The Lord appeared unto him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6).

2.       Two passages of Scripture reveal the readiness of mind possessed by Paul.

a.       Acts 26:19

 

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.

 

b.       Galatians 1:15-16

 

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.

 

IV.               A HEART OF HUNGER

 

A.      Two verses:

1.       Jesus noted this characteristic of the heart in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:6).

 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they shall be filled.

 

2.       Peter likened our hunger to the desire an infant has for his mother’s milk (1 Pet. 2:2).

 

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

 

B.      Spiritual hunger and physical hunger are not identical.

1.       Yes, they both involved an intense desire that needs to be fulfilled.

2.       Physical hunger is a natural phenomenon. 

a.       As our body uses its energy, it is designed to yearn for food.

b.       We do not have to work at being hungry.  We do not have to tell ourselves that we need to eat.  Our bodies do that for us.

3.       The spiritual man has to develop a desire and longing for the nourishment of God’s Word.

a.       Our minds do not just naturally yearn to study God’s Word.  (Ex., many Christians go days on end without ever studying the Bible.  They are malnourished, but do not know it).

b.       Spiritual hunger is something that has to be appropriated.

1)      At first, it is almost a forced action.  We make ourselves read.  We make ourselves study.  We force ourselves to attend Bible classes.  We do these things even when we do not want to do them.

2)      In the course of time, the yearning seems to be much more natural.  It isn’t a struggle.  It becomes a joy.

3)      Ex., working out at the gym

 

V.                 A HEART OF SELF-DISCIPLINE

 

A.      To study God’s Word in depth is not an easy process.

1.       There is the sacrifice of time and of other activities.

2.       There is devotion to study over a long period of time to truly accumulate knowledge.

 

B.      It takes self-discipline to sit down regularly for a measurable period of time over the course of several years in order to learn the truth about a multitude of subjects.

1.       1 Timothy 4:13

 

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

 

2.       1 Timothy 4:15

 

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear unto all.

 

C.      In 2 Timothy 2:15, the KJV is translated:  “Study to shew thyself approved.”  The ASV begins the verse with the words:  “Give diligence.” 

1.       It is laborious doing a verse-by-verse study.

2.       Some topics of study require a lot of research and time.

3.       Most of the time it is only possible to focus on a couple of items of study at a time.  This means that other topics have to lie dormmate for a period of time.

 

VI.               A HEART THAT IS SET UPON DOING GOD’S WILL

 

A.      Study is not just for the pursuit of knowledge.

 

B.      Once knowledge has been obtained, it is to be implemented in the life of the individual.

1.       We want to know so we can do.

2.       We want to learn so we can obey.

 

C.      The student must have a heart that is set upon doing God’s will.

1.       Psalm 119:5

 

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

 

2.       Psalm 119:44

 

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

 

D.     It sounds easy until the Lord gives us a command that truly challenges our thinking and our desires.

1.       The rich were commanded to turn from their riches (Matt. 19:22).

2.       The Jews were commanded to believe circumcision availed nothing (Gal. 6:15).

3.       The Gentiles were commanded to turn from idols to serve the living God (1 Thess. 1:9).

4.       Christians were told to rejoice in their sufferings (1 Pet. 4:12-13).

5.       The immoral were told to put to death their members upon the earth (Col. 3:5).

6.       The strong and powerful were told to humble themselves and be servants (2 Cor. 4:5).

7.       Some were commanded to leave their fathers, mothers, and families (Luke 18:28-30).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.      When we became Christians, we obligated ourselves to become students of the Word.

 

B.      Some have taken this responsibility very lightly.

 

C.      In order to be the students God wants us to be, we have to develop the heart of a student.

1.       A heart that respects God’s Word

2.       A good and honest heart

3.       A heart of readiness for the Word

4.       A heart that hungers for truth

5.       A heart that is self-disciplined to do the study required

6.       A heart that is set upon doing God’s will once it is learned

 

D.     When we become excellent Bible students…

1.       We will grow and mature (Heb. 5:12-14).

2.       Our profiting will appear unto all (1 Tim. 4:14).

3.       We will save ourselves and those who hear us (1 Tim. 4:16).

4.       We will be approved unto God (2 Tim. 2:15).