Interpretation
Summary
In this concluding sermon of Gateway’s series on biblical genres, Matt Crummy explores the importance of becoming spiritually fluent readers of Scripture in a complex, distracted age. Using 2 Timothy 2:1-9, he urges the church to move beyond surface-level Bible reading to cultivate embodied moral fluency—a way of life formed by deep, communal, repetitive engagement with Scripture. Drawing parallels to learning jazz or a language, he encourages a slow, humble apprenticeship to Jesus. Matt walks through Michael Gorman’s seven-step exegetical method to help us grow in our ability to interpret Scripture faithfully. In a world of algorithmic answers and self-isolation, he reminds us that God’s Word is never chained—and calls the church to become people shaped by wisdom, endurance, and the living Word.
Questions for reflection
What does it mean to become fluent in Scripture, not just familiar with it?
How has your approach to reading the Bible been shaped more by speed than formation?
In what areas of your life do you feel spiritually underdeveloped or disoriented?
How can slow, communal reading of Scripture help form your moral imagination?
How do you respond to Paul’s reminder that “the Word of God is not chained”?
