Observation: What Am I Seeing? | Dr. Ernest Grant, II | Accelerate Church

Main message: Before you jump to application, train yourself in careful observation so the Bible can "read you" — start with Scripture, observe patiently, then interpret and apply; this disciplined process prevents misapplication and points you to Jesus.

Key points:

• The four pillars for reading the Bible: Scripture (what it is), observation (what it says), interpretation (what it means), application (what to do).
• Before reading: pray for illumination, choose and stick with a reliable translation, and do simple pre-work (who wrote it, when, genre, context).
• While reading: make concrete observations — look for lists, contrasts, cause/effect, repetition, commands/promises, connecting words (e.g., "therefore"), and emotion.
• After reading: ask investigative questions of the text, compare translations or resources if needed, and always look for Jesus as the focal point of Scripture.
• The gospel (God’s mercy in Christ, his death and resurrection) is the grounding reason for ethical commands — observation must precede prescription.

Scriptures mentioned: Psalm 119:18, Romans 12 (esp. v.1), Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53, Romans 1–11 (chapters referenced), Acts 1, Luke 24, 1 Samuel 3, Daniel, Joel, Revelation