I tend to study verse by verse, and admittedly, most of the study tips fit that style the best. Over the next few weeks, we'll look at some other systems of studying, starting with character profiles.
A character profile is a spiritual biography of a Biblical person, that allows you to pull life lessons from their experiences. As you read, ask these three questions to help build your profile:
- What do I learn about the person?
- What situations (in my life or someone else's) could this person connect with?
- What can I take away?
My Sunday school boys and I looked at Stephen this past week so I'll use him as an example. Now, we could go back the the early verses of chapter 6 and read all of chapter 7 to get a fuller biography. An in-depth character profile can mean real research. However, you can glean quite a bit from a short passage. Let's look at Acts 6:8-15.
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
What do you learn about Stephen from the verses? He was full of faith and power. He was a miracle-worker. Those miracles drew the attention of the opposition. They couldn't refute him. He spoke with the Spirit's wisdom. He was lied about. His ministry was defamed. He was unjustly accused. The council saw his face as the face of an angel. (If you found others, good for you.)
Now what situations could Stephen's life identify with? Have you ever been lied about? Or maybe had a good deed punished? Ever worked to do the right thing only to have it all blow up? Has anyone ever spread rumors about you? We may not be first century miracle working evangelists, but some of those other things we can certainly identify with.
What can I take away? Look at the key details in Stephen's life and response.
He was FULL of faith and power. I'd guess that being full of faith resulted in being full of power. I'm hardly ever full of either.
He spoke with wisdom and the Spirit. I usually go with what sounds good the split second before I say it.
His opposition couldn't find any real charges. They had to fabricate them. Do I live my life in a way that the only accusations brought against me are false?
He had the face of an angel. When the heat is on, do I look like someone who spends most of my time in the presence of God?
What things have you learned from studying Biblical people?