DBS+ Samples
Passage: Acts 17:16-34
- Observation: While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. Acts 17:16
- Interpretation: What does it mean to be deeply troubled about ungodliness?
- Exploration: Why is being deeply troubled about ungodliness important?
- Application: How are you responding to what deeply troubles you about our culture?
- Observation: He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there. Acts 17:17
- Interpretation: Who were the "all who happened to be there? Were they acquaintances or strangers?
- Exploration: Why is it so important to speak about God to those you don't presently know?
- Application: How did God use strangers to inform you about his love and truth? How do you inform strangers about God's love and truth? See Spiritual Conversation for more help.
- Observation: Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Acts 17:18
- Interpretation: What is meant by the term resurrection?
- Exploration: Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so important? See Resurrection study.
- Application: How did you come to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ for yourself?
Passage: John 9:1-34
- Observation: “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. John 9:3
- Interpretation: What does this say about why God might allow bad things to happen to people? See John 11:1-4 What power does God want others to see?
- Exploration: Why is this an important truth?
- Application: What bad thing(s) did God allow in your life so the power of His love and truth could be experienced by you and then be seen in you?
- Observation: We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. John 9:4
- Interpretation: What are the tasks assigned us? See Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 26:17b-18
- Exploration: Why is it important to understand the task assigned to us as Christians, by God?
- Application: How are you carrying out the task of the Great Commission?
- Observation: “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” Vs. 25.
- Interpretation: This man initially gained physical sight. But later he gained spiritual sight (John 9:38). What are the unsaved blind to? What do the saved see?
- Exploration: Why is this concept so important?
- Application: Describe how you went from being spiritually blind to being able to see (spiritually).
Passage: Romans 5:12-21
- Observation: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Romans 5:12
- Interpretation: What does the phrase "death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned" mean? Try and restate it in your own words. Hint; try moving from the end to the beginning of the phrase.
- Exploration: Why is this important to know?
- Application: Describe how your sin contributed to you experiencing a broken relationship with God?
- Observation: But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15
- Interpretation: What does forgiveness mean? See Hebrews 8:12.
- Exploration: Does the guilt of Romans 5:12 set up the forgiveness of Romans 5:15? Explain. Why is it so important to know that forgiveness is at the heart of what God accomplished through Jesus Christ? How does this differ from believing in Jesus to feel better, improve yourself, save your marriage, etc.?
- Application: Are you trusting in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins?
- Observation: So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:21
- Interpretation: What is eternal life? Is just infinite life, or is there also a quality of life included in the concept? See John 10:10.
- Exploration: Why is it important to enfold John 10:10 into eternal life?
- Application: How have you experienced abundant eternal life since you trusted in Jesus Christ.