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Sketched IX Day 2 Who Is This?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Who Is This?

The Questions

1) What is significant about knowing the proximity of Lydda and Joppa? (verse 38)

2) What do we learn in verse 39 about Tabitha (Dorcas) that made this scene so poignant?

3) How did Peter’s private encounter with Tabitha in verse 40 impact so many people?

Acts 9:36-43

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 37 About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner.

Original Intent

1) What is significant about knowing the proximity of Lydda and Joppa? (verse 38)
Bible commentaries and geographical maps reveal that Lydda was a city northwest of Jerusalem and was about 10.5 miles (16.9 km) from the city of Joppa. With recent news concerning the notorious persecutor, Paul, becoming a disciple of Christ, the apostle Peter had been able to travel in the area with less anxiety. Paul’s conversion story is found in Acts 9:10-31. Verse 31 sets the context for us, “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” Peter, having been called by God to Samaria, was now making his way back to Jerusalem with his traveling partner, John. (Acts 8:14-25) He had been staying in Lydda and had healed a man there. Upon hearing that Peter was nearby, some disciples from Joppa sent for him because a beloved woman in town had become very ill and died. We are not told if the people in Joppa had heard the story of the healing God had done through Peter while he was in Lydda, but we do know there was urgency in their plea for him to come. The Bible makes it clear in verse 38 that the proximity of the two towns was significant in several ways. 1) News of Peter’s presence had rapidly traveled from Lydda to Joppa because of the short distance. 2) Disciples could promptly be sent to find him, which strengthened the church through proximity.  3) Peter was able to swiftly arrive in Joppa from Lydda to fulfill the urgent request. The church was growing rapidly, and being free to move between locations greatly aided this spread of the gospel.

2) What do we learn in verse 39 about Tabitha (Dorcas) that made this scene so poignant?
Read verse 37! A serious and sorrowful situation had occurred. A woman named Tabitha (Dorcas is the Greek translation of the Aramaic name Tabitha, netbible.org) had died. Tabitha was well known for her acts of service and charity, as a result of her outpouring of love, her death was deeply felt by her community. We learn in verse 39 that the deep sorrow was a response to the life she had lived so well. As Peter approaches the place where they had laid Tabitha’s body, her weeping friends approached him first. They showed him gifts she had given them and expressed to him the ways she had cared for them. I wonder if, at that moment, Peter thought about another incident where someone beloved had died. Did his mind go back to the day his Lord Jesus had taken him to the family gathering on the occasion of Lazarus’ death? John 11 records the scene. As Jesus neared the place where the dead body of his friend lay, the sisters of Lazarus ran out to Jesus to tell Him what happened. Jesus was evidently so deeply moved by their sorrow that those standing around noticed and commented. I cannot help but believe that Peter’s heart was stirred by the memory as he was approached by the mourners on this day. Not only that, did Peter quickly rehearse in his mind the outcome of that day with Jesus? Did he reflect on the resurrection power of his Master? Whether he thought about it in that moment, we do not know. What is clear is that a community’s love for Tabitha moved Peter to action. In faith, Peter knelt by the body of the beloved woman, awakening her to life by God’s resurrection power. (verse 40)

3) How did Peter’s private encounter with Tabitha in verse 40 impact so many people?
It is not apparent in the passage that the disciples from Joppa came to Peter in Lydda with the hope he would raise their beloved Tabitha from the dead. It is possible they simply hoped for him to come back to serve and care for their grief-stricken community. But on this day, God chose to respond to Peter’s faith with a resurrection! Had Tabitha not been raised, we would probably not know what happened in the privacy of her room that day. I wonder if there would even be a record of the day as Peter simply followed some disciples to minister to a group of mourners. This was the common life for Peter as He followed the Holy Spirit leading him. Reading through Acts, we don’t find any indication that bringing back the dead was common practice. Though the New Testament records resurrections happening (Mark 5:35-43, Luke 7:11-16, John 11:1-44), this was a remarkable event among believers. Just as the sisters of Lazarus thought the death of their brother was final, these mourners were not expecting Tabitha to wake up that day. (John 11:38-39) But she did! As a result, her amazing story was shared throughout the community, leading many to believe the gospel and prompting Peter to remain in Joppa. (verses 42-43)

Everyday Application

1) What is significant about knowing the proximity of Lydda and Joppa? (verse 38)
You have likely heard, or used the phrase, “bad news travels fast”. With social media, this seems truer than ever! But I love to think about how good news also finds its way to people quickly. Lydda and Joppa were “near” enough to each other that news of Peter’s visit quickly passed to other believers in the area. Do you remember reading stories of Peter as a disciple when Jesus walked the earth? In today’s vernacular we would call him a “wild card” for his impetuous spirit! What Peter had witnessed in his years of following Jesus continued inspiring him to do bold things in Christ’s name. In Acts 8 and 9 we find Peter speaking the word of the Lord and preaching the gospel in many villages as he traveled from place to place. What a beautiful picture of God’s grace to know that the believers in Joppa called for Peter, the same disciple who had once fearfully denied even knowing Jesus. (Matthew 26:69-75) We don’t know what these grieving believers expected from Peter, but we do know they felt it necessary to have him come to them. God had placed Peter in Lydda to also do miraculous things through him in Joppa. Dear Sister, you may not understand why God has you where He does right now. Like Peter, maybe you have failed Him (we all have!) and wonder if He will still use you to do great things. Thankfully, we know our failures don’t thwart God’s purposes. Though we cannot always see all He is doing where we are, you never know what God is working out around the corner from you.

2) What do we learn in verse 39 about Tabitha (Dorcas) that made this scene so poignant?
Tabitha’s life gives us a picture of what it means to be a true friend, deeply invested in biblical community. If she was living in 2021, I imagine her to be one of those friends everyone considered to be their “bestie.” We all need those kinds of sisters and friends in our lives. If we follow Jesus, we should desire and strive to be a generous friend like this to others. Sincere and selfless deeds demonstrate we have been changed by Jesus’ life at work within us! The Bible tells us that on the night before He died, Jesus picked up a basin of water and a towel and washed the feet of His disciples. (John 13:3-15) He was modeling how all of His followers are to treat others. Tabitha lived this kind of life. The sorrow felt by so many in her community at her loss inspires us to find ways to be this same kind of woman; one who leaves a lasting impact on those around us. I am confident the traveling missionary, Peter, was inspired by Tabitha’s reputation. Though there are a variety of ways we can serve in our churches and communities, we all have gifts to share with others. All believers are to “to remember the poor”. (Galatians 2:10) Sincere religion, the kind God accepts, is “to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. (James 1:27) Peter witnessed the gospel in action by observing the effects of true religion practiced by Tabitha.

3) How did Peter’s private encounter with Tabitha in verse 40 impact so many people?
I doubt that bringing Tabitha back from the dead was done for her own sake. I believe Peter knew her death meant she was in the presence of God. (2 Corinthians 5:8) But maybe he considered those dear widows and others in need. Her presence in their lives brought them comfort and joy and pressed them closer to knowing God. It reminds me of how the apostle Paul came to view his life surrounded by those he loved, as well as longing for life with Christ through death. “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-22) If we have put our faith in Christ, and if we trust His work on the cross for our salvation, then while we live here on earth we are to live for Jesus. When our time on earth ends, we get to be with Jesus. But beyond that practical concern for her friends, this resurrection had a far-reaching impact. The miracle of Tabitha’s resurrection was spread among the community. Because of it, many people in Joppa came to believe in the God of miracles. This event opened the door for Peter to come to Joppa and stay a while, strengthening and teaching the local believers. And friends, I just can’t help but think that he did not waste a second of his time there sharing the story of Jesus! John Piper said, “the book of Acts is written to encourage us again and again that the Jesus who began to do and to teach on earth is now alive with omnipotent power and continues to do what he began to do and teach what he began to teach. He is turning things around all over the world—from huge political upheavals to personal periods of gloom and discouragement.” (John Piper)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Who Is This?

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Nations Day 8 Religious Or Relationship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 9:9–13
Matthew 5:13–16
1 Peter 3:13–16
1 Corinthians 9:19–23

Nations, Day 8

I grew up a pastor’s kid in a small town in Queensland, Australia. I love being an Aussie. We don’t take anything too seriously, especially ourselves. Our country has beautiful beaches, desserts and rainforests, interesting and deadly animals, and a culture rich in history and diversity. I may be biased, but I believe Australia is the best country in the world.

When I was a little girl the Australian culture resembled a Christian ethic in many respects. Almost all of the shops were closed on Sundays even though most of my friends were at the beach rather than in church. Traditional family values were accepted and esteemed, and television had very little swearing or nudity. Most kids lived in a traditional family, with married parents and siblings. We called ourselves a ‘Christian country’ and our community values respected that.

Fast forward forty years and times have changed dramatically. None of the things I just mentioned are true anymore. Sunday is one of the busiest retail days of the week, and many people have to juggle their desire to attend church around their work commitments. Most television is full of inappropriate content, and sadly, the majority of Australian children live in a home with either a single parent or in a blended family of divorced adults and stepchildren.

With the breakdown of Christian values our community is broken, and its people are hurting. The disease of accumulating wealth and success has gripped us, leading to workaholicism and the worship of productivity. The breakdown of family relationships has resulted in a community of hurt, lonely and broken people. People’s lives are full of conflict, unforgiveness and anger. Our community is ravaged by anxiety, suicide and mental illness.

I have been blessed to always be a part of a supportive and loving church family. This encouraging environment has helped me navigate the challenges of marriage and raising three children. I have been able to worship God wholeheartedly and listen to His word preached openly every week through my entire life. This is a gift I often take for granted. The local church has always been a safe place for me, a place I love and retreat to. My church was an integral part of my personal evangelism. If I wanted to introduce someone to Jesus, I would invite them along to church. Things are different now.

A few years ago we had a Royal Commission into institutionalised abuse, and a light was shone on the horror many children endured at the hands of those who claimed to represent Jesus. The moral failures of high-profile church leaders made the headlines, and the Church’s reputation was smeared. It has become more difficult to be a Christian in Australia.

I have been compelled to my knees as my heart breaks for a community who desperately needs Jesus, and yet has largely rejected the Church. It has changed the way I think and the way I live. I am learning to take Jesus outside the walls of my church.

This has had to be very intentional for me. For most of my life, all of my close friends were already Christians—already part of my church family. I had to make an effort to mix with people who don’t have a faith, people who are very different to me. First, I joined a fitness group. We met to work out in a park close to my home three mornings a week. I found myself making friends with a lady who was openly gay. It was so good for me to get to know her as a person, with hopes and fears and worries similar to my own, and for me to share my life with her.

I also joined a community book club. Each month we read a new book, most of which I wouldn’t have chosen for myself, and we discussed the themes and characters together. The group was smart and diverse, and very different to me. They had different political views, different backgrounds and different values. At the end of my two years in the group one of the ladies said to me, “I’ve never known a proper Christian before.”

Reading the gospels, I am always challenged by the way Jesus lived and who He spent time with. It wasn’t with the religious people, who were often judgemental and exploited those they were supposed to be leading. No, Jesus spent time with sinners. The people who were far from God. The ones who needed healing, saving and loving.

In Matthew 9 we read about Jesus calling Matthew to be one of His disciples. Matthew was a tax collector, someone who had betrayed his own people to work for the occupying Roman nation. Matthew was getting rich by exploiting others, and the people hated him for it. And yet, Jesus calls Matthew to be part of His inner circle.

The first thing Jesus does is have lunch at Matthew’s house with his tax collector friends, but the Pharisees, the religious leaders, didn’t like it. They questioned the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Matthew 9:11—12)

As an Australian Christian I have spent most of my life with the healthy, people who already have a relationship with God. But now, God has called me to go to the sick. It is challenging and uncomfortable at times. I often feel awkward and struggle to find the right words to say, but God is faithful. I am learning to be a friend to those who are far from God and show them what Jesus is like. Australians need Jesus.

My prayer for the Australian Church is we would represent Jesus well, both as individuals and as an organisation. Pray we would be a friend to the sinners and introduce them to the One where hope is found and help them find a safe place of belonging in God’s family, here on earth as it is in heaven.

Christine Wood

Bio: Christine is a writer who packed up her city life to live in an RV and travel full-time around Australia with her husband. She misses her three adult children and church family while loving the opportunity to explore the beauty of creation and strengthen her sense of adventure. Christine writes about faith, self-care and simple living on her blog, www.livingwithmargins.com.

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Nations Day 7 The Unreached At Home: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Unreached At Home!

The Questions

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. 3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I replied, “Lord God, only you know.”

4 He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. 6 I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of

Israel. 13 You will know that I am the Lord, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it. This is the declaration of the Lord.’”

Original Intent

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)
Ezekiel is the author of his book and is the “me” in this passage. He is considered a “major prophet” simply because he had more prophecies than some of the shorter prophetic books. He was often forced to hide from kings who neither cared for Yahweh nor His prophets. Ezekiel was given detailed, and seemingly outlandish, visions of judgments from God. Yahweh didn’t just speak to Ezekiel and give him wild dreams, He also commanded Ezekiel to do unusual things to get God’s message across to Israel. One time, God told him to eat a scroll that represented God’s word of judgment. When he ate it, he said it tasted sweet like honey. (Ezekiel 3:3) During Ezekiel’s growing up years, Jeremiah was Israel’s prophet. Perhaps when God called him into service, Ezekiel remembered the way Jeremiah had been treated and wondered if he would also be poorly received. He may have known Daniel personally, though Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonians a few years before Ezekiel. Ezekiel was in captivity when God called him to be His spokesperson; he wasn’t someone on the outside, he was right with them in Israel’s exile. Sometimes Ezekiel hid in caves for protection, other times he brought food and news to others in hiding. A prophet’s job was not to teach or expound on God’s word, rather, they were hearers of God’s voice and seers of God’s visions. They would then speak the words as given directly from the Lord. Always the truth of God’s heart, whether chastisement or promise, without a prophet’s personal interpretation was to be declared to God’s people. True prophets of Yahweh would also point to the deception of false prophets, warning God’s people not to listen to them. Ezekiel often issued indictments to the people over their broken covenants with God. Ezekiel saw, and prophesied, about the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem before it happened and was also given a vision of the New Jerusalem still to come in Heaven. In this passage, Ezekiel is taken to a graveyard by the Holy Spirit and told to speak life, power, and restoration to dead bones.

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)
Through the years, Israel allowed evil kings who didn’t follow Yahweh to rule over them. Weakened by giving into their own lusts, vices, and the worship of the pagan gods, Israel’s kings led the nation into deep sin. As a consequence, God permitted them to fall into the hands of enemy nations. Israel was attacked by the Babylonian nation and the vast majority of Jews were taken as captives. The very few who remained in Jerusalem became impoverished and were scattered. While Israel was in captivity, they learned of Jerusalem’s complete destruction and how their beautiful temple, built by King Solomon, had been raided and destroyed. With this loss of their “center” as a people, and the destruction of their physical identifier (the temple of Yahweh), the people of Israel felt as if all “hope had perished.” (verse 11) They saw no source of rescue, felt forgotten by God and cut off from Him as the temple was the physical place of His dwelling with Israel. As a people, Israel was worn down with souls so despairing, they felt as if they were dead. Surely, with such vast destruction and loss, Israel could never regain their footing as a nation or a people chosen by God again. Set against this backdrop of hopelessness and despair, Ezekiel records this conversation of sorts between himself and God. God’s message for Ezekiel and all of Israel is that He will surely restore them. Israel had not been left to perish in their destruction, God would bring His Rescuer to save them and bring Hope to the world!

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)
This portion of Ezekiel’s book records one of his many visions during which, the Spirit of God physically brings Ezekiel to a literal graveyard. Decaying, dry bones are scattered everywhere across a valley. The grotesque sight before Ezekiel was strewn with remnants and reminders that what once was living, was now destroyed by death. Just visualizing it in my head makes me shudder! Where Ezekiel saw dried up old bones and decay returning to dust, God saw something entirely different. He saw Israel waiting for the impossible, God as Rescuer. He wanted Ezekiel to know, and declare to every Israelite, that God not only saw their death and decay, but He would surely bring His new life to enter their dried-up hearts. Only once we are assuredly dead can the impossibility of life and restoration be attained by God and God alone! Only Yahweh, the One True God, can bring radical life where death once reigned! Ezekiel breathes on the bones, but it is God’s Spirit in him that causes the bones to come alive and have muscle and flesh restored. There are many more stunning ‘death-to-life’ moments in Scripture! Elijah raised a widow’s dead son. (1 Kings 17:17-18) Elisha raised a widow’s dead son. (2 Kings 4:8-16) Jesus raised Jairus’ dead daughter. (Luke 8:41-42, 49-54) Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been dead for 4 days. (John 11:1-44) Peter raised Dorcas back from the dead. (Acts 9:36-41) Jesus Christ’s own Resurrection from the dead. (John 20:1-17)

Everyday Application

1) Who is “me”, the author who describes his experience in this passage? (verse 1)
Even if Ezekiel didn’t personally know Daniel while they were in captivity together, it was likely an encouragement to know he wasn’t alone. At least there was one other person who still followed Yahweh! Ezekiel was called to be a prophet when he was 30 (Ezekiel 1:1), but despite his age, God chose Ezekiel to fulfill this enormous task. I’m sure there were many times Ezekiel felt inadequate, but God continued using Him for His divine purposes and gave His Spirit to equip Ezekiel. Do you ever struggle with feeling worthy or capable of doing what God has called you to do? Or perhaps you feel as if others view you as too young to fulfill a position you know God has directed you into. We don’t know if Jeremiah was ever in a position to mentor Ezekiel, but even without a face-to-face mentor, Ezekiel knew many prophets had gone before him and God had faithfully preserved His message through them. Of course, God Himself was speaking directly to Ezekiel as well; what stronger encouragement could there be?! When it comes to following Jesus, it’s exceedingly helpful to have someone who has walked ahead of us offer guidance and wisdom. We desperately need community with other like-minded Christ-followers so we can be encouraged and sharpened in our faith journey. Knowing others have faithfully followed Jesus before us and are still continuing to grow in their faith is a treasure indeed! When we hear a word from the Lord, or are given a vision from Him, it is helpful to ask another trusted believer for insight, but it is even more important to study God’s Word for ourselves. Scripture will never contradict what you feel God is calling you to do. Always test your actions and thoughts with His word! (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21) Ask God to confirm the validity of the word or vision we have. If it is from Him, He will confirm and encourage us through His Word and others who seek Him!

2) Why was Israel cut off without hope? (verse 11)
We can certainly feel dried up and hopeless just like the Israelites. We all experience many times when we feel as if we are cut off from God, even for those of us who are committed Christ-followers! We go down paths we thought were good at the time, only to discover we are far from God’s design for us because we have chosen to love and serve other things above God. Are you feeling without hope? Israel did, many times. Jesus’ disciples felt that way occasionally as well, and they walked alongside Jesus in the flesh! Have your circumstances created heartbreak and hopelessness instead of the joy and fulfillment you anticipated? If you aren’t sure where to turn, lean into Christ. The same God who declared His rescue and victory for a destroyed nation, promises rescue and His faithful presence to each of us reading this today! Jesus is always present, listening, and waiting for us to turn to Him. If you’ve never searched the Scripture for words of hope before, you aren’t alone. Perhaps you’ve never cracked open a Bible at all, please hear me, the God of the Bible is for you! Determine to come close to the God who is even now calling you, open His Word, and begin knowing Him in deeper ways. Wherever you are with God, there will always be more of Himself that He is waiting to reveal to you! You could start really anywhere in reading Scripture, but a good place to begin knowing God better is in the gospel of John. What will you discover about the Almighty as you turn to Him as your Rescuer?!

3) Where else do we find “death to life” scenarios in Scripture? (verses 11-14)
Because God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) and is therefore able to transcend all of time, the hope that was present for each of these people from the past, is still available to us today. The same Almighty God is just as capable of bringing life from dead places today as He was in the Old and New Testament. While God absolutely still brings physical healing to our bodies today, the grandest stage for “death-to-life” transformations are the hearts and lives of regular people with messy, broken circumstances. Only the Almighty God can take a heart bent on self-worship and rebellion against God and bring it to repentance. People whose love for Christ has grown cold, marriages that are withering away, friendships that have been severed, or the ugly, deep wounds of abuse can all be transformed by the God who specializes in bringing life from “impossible death” scenarios. Freedom and life are available to all of us because of the most pivotal death-to-life moment when Jesus Christ died and then raised to life three days later. He gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, paying the penalty required for all sin, for all time, for all people. (John 3:16) In His death, everyone can find life! Christ created access to God for everyone and anyone, but this gift does not come to us automatically. We must believe on Christ, trusting His work to cover for our sin (Acts 2:38, Acts 16:30), then we are to repent and turn away from our sins to follow Him. When we come to Jesus in honest, humble repentance, He is faithful and just to forgive us. (1 John 1:9) In this moment we have life! Our former existence of shame and sin has now died in the death of Christ and, just as Jesus was raised, so are we! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our new self is alive and well for all eternity!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Unreached At Home!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Nations Week Two!
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Nations Day 6 The Unreached At Home

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 43:14-21
Judges 2:10-15
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Matthew 5:13-16

Nations, Day 6

As I climbed the steps of my former church building, I paused.  There was a sense of familiarity; for five years I had entered through these doors almost every Sunday to join others in worship. But this also felt incredibly surreal, because now the fragrant aroma of garlic and herbs was drifting from the building, and inside people had gathered not to worship, but to eat. My former church was now a pizza restaurant.

This one incident encapsulates being a Christian in Scotland today.

Scotland is a country with a rich Christian heritage. It was once known as the “land of the Book” and sent many missionaries to spread the Gospel in other countries. People such as David Livingstone, Mary Slessor, and Eric Liddell originated from Scotland. Church buildings are everywhere in Scotland’s cities, and even city mottos reflect this history.

Edinburgh’s motto, Nisi Dominus Frustra, comes directly from Psalm 127:1, meaning “except the Lord, in vain.” Glasgow’s motto is a prayer, “Lord, let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of Thy word and praising Thy name.”

Despite our faith-filled past, our present is very different. Today, most people of Scotland have no idea what the Bible says, nor any interest in learning. Many church buildings have been repurposed as restaurants and carpet salerooms, while others have been knocked down. As for the city mottos, I’ve lived in Edinburgh for 14 years and never heard its motto mentioned. Glasgow’s is better known, but has been stripped to simply “let Glasgow flourish.”

Over the last thirty years, church attendance in Scotland has more than halved. A study from 2016 showed just 7% of the population attending church and found only around 2% attend evangelical churches, bringing Scotland dangerously close to fitting the definition of a people group unreached with the Gospel.

So, what went wrong?  It’s not an easy question to answer. Too often, religion in Scotland has been associated with sectarianism, and the church has regularly been distracted by arguments around same-sex marriage and the appointment of clergy in same-sex relationships, resulting in many church splits.

However, the main cause of the decline in the church is simple in one sense, as elderly churchgoers have died, younger generations haven’t replaced them. In an increasingly secular culture, which highly values inclusion and diversity, Christianity is often seen as old-fashioned, irrelevant, and narrow-minded.

A similar pattern of falling away occurs in the Israelites’ story. They witnessed many miracles as God led them to the Promised Land, but once they arrived, “another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)
The result was evil and idolatry.

How easy it is to be influenced by the surrounding culture! We cannot underestimate the importance of passing on our faith to the next generation. Rather than relying on heritage, we should encourage them to know God for themselves.

While, in many ways, the church in Scotland continues to decline, I believe there is cause for hope. All through the Bible we see God’s faithfulness, even when His people are unfaithful. He has the power to bring new life, even from dry bones. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

When God’s Word is proclaimed and His Spirit is poured out, dry bones can become a mighty army! It is encouraging to remember that although the number of believers in Scotland may be small, we are not powerless. Paul writes of “the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”  (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT)

And God is still at work.

“Look, I am about to do something new, even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”  (Isaiah 43:19)

Over the last ten years, various Scottish organisations have invested in equipping leaders to begin missional communities or church plants, many in Scotland’s poorer communities. These aim to help with practical needs as well as sharing the Gospel. Churches have experimented with different styles of gatherings and new, creative methods of outreach and community involvement. The results have been impactful, particularly in less affluent communities, where people are perhaps more aware of their need for something beyond what this life offers.

I am part of a church plant which was nearly five years ago, and through community meals and family activities (pre-COVID), as well as provision of food parcels, many people have been impacted and expressed interest in learning about Jesus. One man came to faith through the witness of our church during lockdown, and there are several others waiting eagerly to join our church when we can gather again. They may not yet follow Jesus, but they have found a community where they belong.

Although the church is smaller, in some ways it is stronger.  There is no cultural expectation for people to attend church, so those who participate are generally committed and willing to play an active part.

Christian values are so different from those of our culture that we have a real opportunity to live the distinctive lives Jesus describes (Matthew 5:13-16), for even a small amount of salt and light can make a difference.

My prayer for Scotland is these small signs of life and growth will increase, for people to come to realise that without God all their efforts to create a better society are in vain, and in order for Scotland to truly flourish, it must return to the preaching of God’s Word and the praising of His name.

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The GT Weekend! ~ Fervent Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) It’s supposed to be so simple, but it can feel so complicated, and if we’re honest, empty. What are we talking about? Prayer. In what ways have you wrestled through the significance and power available through prayer? What are the questions your heart wants to ask, but your tongue is afraid to voice? Maybe you’ve been blessed to listen as someone of great faith prays, or perhaps you’ve read some prayers in the Bible and wondered why God doesn’t seem to listen to you in the same way. I hope you’ll spend some time being honest about your fears, your questions, and your hopes for what prayer really is over the next few weeks of this Journey Theme. For now, take some time and write out some of your thoughts and experiences with prayer. Write down your doubts and some ways you’ve seen God working through your prayers. Close out your journal time by asking God to show you what HE wants you to know, deep in your gut, about truly fervent prayer!

2) Very interesting things start bubbling to the surface when we begin studying prayer in Scripture, especially the prayers of New Testament authors, on whose shoulders the first century church was rapidly growing. While there are many things we can take and apply from prayers in the Bible, among the easiest to begin applying right away is intercession for one another. Paul’s prayers are flooded with strong emotion for his brothers and sisters in the church. Though he had strong correction for many churches he wrote to, he loved them all fervently and prayed for them each with great persistence. Spend some time sitting silently with the Lord, asking Him persistently who He would have you interceding for. Then commit to praying specifically and consistently for that person. Consider reaching out with a text or phone call to let them know how the Lord has brought them to mind. The Lord will do much through your prayers for one another!

3) What are some things you know to be absolutely true about the Lord? Maybe He has been faithful to show His heart to you in specific circumstances in your life, or maybe you know Him because you’ve read of His character in Scripture and you trust His word. Or maybe, you just aren’t sure who God really is. Is He kind? Angry? Disconnected? Loving, but only out of obligation? Is He waiting for you to mess up so He can mock you? Trusting God, and speaking to Him in an on-going daily dialogue, is precious, but it isn’t a prize won overnight. We cannot manufacture depth with a God we do not know for there is no trust to build upon. The Lord knows this, and He invites us to come and to know Him deeply. His heartbeat is found in the pages of His Word and the context of biblical community. Whatever your next step into knowing Jesus might be, begin carving out time this weekend to explore what that could look like. Know Him, trust Him, and watch your prayer life flourish!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 40:4-5 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

4 How happy is anyone
who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!
5 Lord my God, you have done many things—
your wondrous works and your plans for us;
none can compare with you.
If I were to report and speak of them,
they are more than can be told.

Prayer Journal
Lord, entering here into prayer with You feels too simplistic for a God whose grandeur and majesty are infinite and unfathomable. Yet, it is You, this very deity, who invites me to sit, and learn from the rhythms of Your good Father heart, and know what it is to both speak to You and hear the cadence of Your voice. Teach me, Abba. Teach me to pray. Teach me to know You. Teach me to pray earnestly for others, for myself, for the ones I love, for the ones I do not know yet Your Spirit has burdened me for, and teach me, Lord, to pray for my enemies. Loosen my heart strings, knock down the defenses I don’t even know I have, and draw me deeply into this mystery of fervent prayer.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Questions 2 Day 11 Rescue Mission

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Exodus 20:1-17
John 3:1-21
Romans 3:21-26
Romans 3:9-20

Questions 2, Day 11

How could a loving God send anyone to Hell?

The question is a reasonable one. The juxtaposition of a God who loves mankind so much He would send His very Son to die for them appears to be utterly at odds with a God who would send good people to a fiery destination for all of eternity.

However, the very question itself is hinged on a dangerous and erroneous assumption: people are inherently good. It’s tempting to lean toward the thought. After all, as humans, we tend to categorize wrongdoing at varying “levels.” We wouldn’t categorize a murderer with, say, a person who told a lie to spare someone’s feelings. Our natural instinct is to determine who is good, and how good they are, by their actions and our own perception of morality. But this view is absolutely inaccurate. 

From the moment mankind fell from a perfect relationship with God and chose knowledge and self over trust in Him, every human being has been marked by the consequences of that choice. We are born with sin’s DNA woven into ours by our own failings, but the truth is humans have never been “good” on our own. Even Adam and Eve, who had every opportunity to continue in a right relationship with God, and who enjoyed perfect communion with Him in the Garden of Eden, lost everything the moment they chose the allure of sin’s temptation for self. Sin excluded them from fellowship with Him. Because God is completely righteous, holy, and just, He can not be in the presence of sin. Adam and Eve could not remain in the place of intimacy with God while sin existed in their hearts.

The same is true for us. 

Loves, not one of us is good. Romans 3:23 reminds us all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God. As we studied in Ten, God says if we have broken even one part of the Law, we are guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10) Furthermore, Jesus said if we so much as think sinful thoughts, we have actually committed that sin in our hearts. (Matthew 5:21-22) This is why Jesus came to earth as a man. He was the only One Who could live a perfect, sinless life and serve as the spotless sacrifice for all our sins, past, present and future.

Only One who was righteous, both fully God and fully man, would ever be able to do it. 

Because of His selfless sacrifice, our ability to be in communion with God was restored. The sin we have all chained to ourselves has no power against the blood of Jesus Christ when we surrender to Him. God’s master plan for a relationship with His beloved creation is perfectly fulfilled in the salvation He purchased for us. We, who are born sinners, can access communion with God through the shed blood of Jesus when we give our lives to Him and trust Him over ourselves. We were born dead in our sin, but we are made alive in Christ. (Ephesians 2:5) When God looks at those who have trusted Him for salvation, He no longer sees our sinful nature. Instead, we are completely, totally wrapped in Christ. When He looks at us, He sees His Son in us. He sees righteousness.

Do you know what the enemy’s master deception is, Beloved? He’s been singing the same tired tune for literally ages.

It’s to sell all of us on the lie that we are basically good, on our own. That we, ourselves, are righteous, apart from Christ’s blood. That we are capable of saving ourselves. In fact, he would love for us to be so completely infatuated with who we are, what we’re like, and how we feel, that we have no room in our thoughts for God. After all, if we’re basically good, and we can be trusted to do the righteous thing, why do we need Jesus, anyway?

This is why the Law is such a vital part of God’s ultimate rescue mission: without the knowledge of God’s law, we are absolutely incapable of recognizing we are sinners. Romans 3:20 says, “For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.”

Read that again. Twice, if you must.

Every one of us are born sinners. There’s nothing we can do about it. No amount of denying will change it. No amount of good works will offset it.

Our adversary is against us from day one. He endeavors to convince us that we’re good, and if we’re honest, most of us are inclined to agree.

But God. 

Long before we were born, long before Jesus was born, He handed His Law to Moses. It is the very knowledge of this Law that brings us to the realization that we are filled with sin. But the knowledge of this sin isn’t designed to condemn us! It’s to draw us to repentance and confession that we need salvation through Jesus Christ, so we can enter into relationship and communion with God! 

Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your very Son to die for my sins. There’s no One else like You. Help me to understand how deep and how wide Your great love is for all mankind. Show me every place where I haven’t invited You to rule and reign. All I have belongs to You alone. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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Questions 2 Day 1 Let’s Party

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
John 15:1-8

Questions 2, Day 1

As humans, we are constantly in search of satisfaction and pleasure. We want to feel good. One easy way to feel good is through partying. “Let’s have fun!”, we say. After all, we are social beings; doesn’t God want us to “have fun” together?

But, as Christians, should the pursuit of fun be our top priority?
Can it satisfy the yearning of our souls?

To answer these questions, we first need to understand what fun is, and what God’s Word says about it. A quick online search defined fun as:

Based on these definitions, we might decide fun is all about enjoyment and pleasure, but what does the Bible say? Unfortunately, the specific word “fun” seems to be scarce in some translations of the Bible. However, one study suggests that within Scripture, fun is synonymous with pleasure.

For example, consider Luke 8:14, when Jesus uses a story of seeds falling into different types of soil to illustrate how the Gospel is received by different audiences.

The Message translation actually uses our English word fun:

“And the seed that fell in the weeds–well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money and having fun.”

The same passage in the New International Reader’s Version uses pleasure, instead:

“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth.”

Not only does this verse demonstrate the synonymous nature of fun and pleasure within Scripture, but it answers an important question on the role the pursuit of fun ought to play in our lives.

Are fun and pleasure inherently sinful?

Not at all! In fact, God designed us to live in community, as a reflection of the perfect community He experiences within Himself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Enjoying, or finding pleasure, in doing life together is a gift.

However.

When the pursuit of momentary pleasure becomes our top priority,
when we leave the bounds of healthy relationships in search of an ever-more-fleeting emotional high,
or when we shift our hearts away from gratitude to our Father as the source of the blessings of community and pleasure,
the work of the Spirit within us is choked, or crowded out.

As believers, when we are considering a fun activity or choice, we can ask ourselves:
Is it beneficial?
And does it glorify God?

Scripture explains, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything builds up [. . .] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:23, 31)

Perhaps someone may say in light of giving up certain pleasures for the glory of God, “If that is all about the Christian life, then it is a dull life”. I also thought that way when I had not known Christ well.

Steering clear of fun as an end unto itself can leave us feeling dull, or deprived, or even resentful, until we turn our gaze from our abstention to all the Father offers instead.
It is in knowing God in ever increasing fullness, we find He alone provides a life overflowing with abundance of joy, abundance of intimacy, and abundance of everlasting pleasure.

Even the best of earthly pleasures pale in comparison to knowing God. King Solomon, the wisest and richest king of Israel, states succinctly, “I said to myself, ‘Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.’ But it turned out to be futile.” (Ecclesiastes 2:1)

Fun cannot give us fulfilment; we may feel excited for a moment, but as our feelings fade, we are left more frustrated. And that was the experience of Solomon. He had the money, time, and influence to try whatever he liked. Therefore, he experienced fun through a steady stream of entertainment, amassing unimaginable wealth and accomplishments, and pursuing every whim of momentary pleasure . . . but at last, it was all meaningless.

When we remain on our own, we are bound to feel empty and depressed; as a result, we seek things to amuse us. But if we are sincere with ourselves, how satisfied have those fun things left us? Haven’t they left us emptier and more depressed?

What we truly need is not momentary pleasure, but that which makes us more like our Father and deeply satisfies the yearning of our souls. True transformation, true satisfaction, and true pleasure are only found in a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ, and submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10); in Him alone do we find the sacred path for our lives, fullness of joy, and eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11).

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Follow Day 5 Where We See A Mess

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:1-14
Exodus 4:1-20
Acts 4:7-13
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

Follow, Day 5

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation? Humans use the past to judge the present, but God sees beyond the past. Regardless of our history, He longs to make us radically new and use us to build His kingdom.

Consider Moses, who grew up in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh knowing he was a Hebrew. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and, after carefully ensuring no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian. Still, Pharaoh learned of Moses’ crime and sought to kill him, so Moses fled to Midian. Welcomed into the family of Jethro, a Midian priest, Moses planned to live out his days in the wilderness as an isolated shepherd caring for mangy sheep.

Like Moses, there was a time in my college life when I felt like running away. My boyfriend spent the night with another student in his home, and someone told the school authority I was the student. I was innocent, but unable to convince school leadership. My punishment was a warning; a repeat would earn my dismissal.

I was devastated. In time, bolstered by God’s merciful strength, I ended the relationship. God gave me a new beginning altogether: since then, I have been following Him, and am now in His service.

Similarly, Moses was in desperate need of a new beginning. Moses was content with a shepherd’s life in the bush; one day God appeared to him in a literal bush bursting with fire. God called Moses to Egypt to bring His people out from slavery and into a land of freedom and plenty, a land of promise.

Dismayed, Moses gave God a slew of excuses:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11)
What if they ask Your name? ( Exodus 3:13-15)
“What if they don’t believe me?” (Exodus 4:1)
I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); send someone else (Exodus 4:13).

Looking through the lens of his past, Moses saw himself as unfit for the work God was calling him to do. But despite his resistance, God was not deterred. He promised to be with Moses, and commissioned Moses’ brother, Aaron, as his spokesman. God also understood the physical fear hiding behind Moses’ excuses, and assured him those who sought to kill him were dead.

We cannot mess up God’s plan for us, even if we push against Him!
He refuses to give up on us because He looks not at our mess, but our potential in Him.

As Moses’ heart turned toward trusting obedience to God, he encountered God in a personal and powerful way. He received instruction and clear direction from God for his next steps. When he met resistance in Pharaoh, he sought God who faithfully met and guided him. Soon, the naïve and fearful man became a threat to Pharaoh and all of Egypt, until Pharaoh released the Israelites.

Sometimes, our past failures threaten to hold us back from following God. The past upsets us, and we lose confidence. Like Moses, we easily conclude we cannot be useful to God. Moses didn’t have an organized plan, talent, or the confidence of a leader, but God still invited him to follow. It was not about Moses, but about God. He chooses the foolish, the weak, and the despised to shame the wise and the mighty, so we boast in Him alone. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Regardless of our past, God forgives completely, and equips us by His power for His service as we choose to follow His way. We see this truth in the lives of the apostles. Some were mere fishermen; one was even a tax collector, considered by the Jews as the most sinful; yet Jesus called each of them to follow Him. When the Pharisees grumbled about Jesus dining with sinners, Jesus replied His call was precisely for sinners such as them. (Mark 2:15-17)

Consider the Apostle Paul, a persecutor of the Church; yet God called him out of slavery and empowered him with the Holy Spirit to follow Him in freedom. As a result, Paul became a great preacher of the gospel. His Spirit-inspired writings continue to guide our lives today, comprising a large part of the New Testament.

Hear Paul’s own testimony, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–and I am the worst of them.’”
(1 Timothy 1:15)

Moses’ story, the first 12 apostles, Paul, and even my own life, join together to declare in wondrous chorus . . .
Where we see a mess,
God sees an opportunity for transformation.

God simply requires hearts willing to accept His invitation to follow Him, one step after the other.

Sisters, let us turn our eyes from our pasts to the One who holds our tomorrows and whisper, “Yes.”

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Calling Day 12 The Lens Of Truth: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Lens Of Truth!

The Questions

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)

Ephesians 5:6-14

6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Original Intent

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
At the beginning of Chapter 5, Paul continues his thought from Chapter 4. He wants his reader to understand the importance of their relationships with each other and with those outside the Church. Scripture makes it clear that those who consistently walk in disobedience (those living outside of God’s grace), have intentionally rejected God’s forgiveness. (Romans 1:18-28) Forgiveness is God’s answer to the impossible state of reality for all humanity, we are insufficient to save ourselves. We see from the creation story that God created humans with a freedom that allowed them to choose obedience or disobedience. That freedom sadly exposed mankind’s unwillingness to choose rightly. Adam and Eve found themselves deceived by an empty argument from the source of all disobedience, pride. (Genesis 1-3) In the Old Testament, the Psalmist reviewed the disobedience in Israel’s history. (Psalm 78) In the New Testament, the apostles reminded the people of their rebellion against God (Acts 3, Acts 7). Had the very first man and woman refrained from approaching the one tree God had forbidden, they could have continued their sweet fellowship with their Creator. In this section of his letter, Paul encourages the saints to remain distanced from the message and lifestyle of the rebellious. This intentional choice demonstrates, and promotes, obedience to Christ over self.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Note the wording in verse 8. Paul not only says the saints were once in darkness, he says they were darkness. This “darkness” is not simply a place without light. It is the condition of all men apart from Christ. (studylight.org) Every heart not regenerated by the light of Christ is utterly dark. The prophet Isaiah said that everyone stumbles in their darkness. (Isaiah 59:9-10) Light necessarily shines on the rebellious and disobedient heart, revealing the need for forgiveness. As “dearly loved children of God” (Ephesians 5:1), the believers were to walk in the love and light of Christ. The only good thing about darkness is that light is seen so clearly! The letter to the Ephesians emphasizes Paul’s desire for them to recognize God’s “goodness, righteousness and truth.” (verse 9) When light and darkness are in the same space, light wins. The recipients of Paul’s letter had come into the light only though God’s gracious revelation to them. God’s light shone in and on their dark hearts. The exposure to sinfulness produces repentance that leads to “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
In the original Greek, the words that speak of the previous darkness reveal a forceful impact. As darkness itself, they were “utterly sunk in ignorance of Divine things, [and] wholly lost in the evils accompanying such ignorance.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) But God! If two words were used to be the subtitle of Ephesians, it could be these! Though the English word “but” is supplied in Ephesians 2:4 for clarity, it perfectly translates the message of Paul in the letter. Multiple times, he compares who the saints at Ephesus previously were with who they now are. The God of light has shone His mercy in the darkness since the days of Noah. (Genesis 7:23-8:1)The urgency of Paul to proclaim this message of transformation from dark to light is found in his letters to the Romans and the Corinthians. (Romans 5:6-11, 1 Corinthians 1:26-27) How glorious and radical is the light that shines in, on, and through the darkness. “The completeness of the change [from dark to light] is evidenced in that they were so possessed and penetrated by that truth, that they could be described not simply as enlightened but as themselves now light.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament) Being light is evidenced through our obedience. Paul speaks in the remaining chapter (Ephesians 6:1-23) of how we are to shine our light in marriage, family life and in the church.

Everyday Application

1) Who are the disobedient mentioned in verse 6 and how are the saints to proactively stay connected?
Genesis pronounces that human beings were “hardwired to be good creatures who live in a good world created by a good God for the purpose of expanding this goodness to the ends of the earth.” (Terry Evans, upi.org) But Satan took advantage of the atmosphere of freedom in the Garden of Eden. It is in the very same environment of suspicion and skepticism that we are led to be disobedient rebels today. Just like the people Paul was writing to, we are prone to wander away from following God wholeheartedly. Even as believers in Jesus, our human nature is still fighting within us as the enemy uses it against us often. (Romans 6:12-16) If we keep ourselves too close to those who are recklessly denying God’s judgment to come, we may find ourselves listening to, and believing, their shameful lies. It is in these situations we are tempted to succumb to a wrong way of thinking about our obedience. We begin to believe those trapped in darkness who tell us that God’s way is restrictive or unnecessary. The forbidden fruit we read about in Genesis 3 becomes more desirable. If we continue to stand too close to the tree, we are setting ourselves up for disillusionment and ultimately disobedience.

2) How did the Ephesians, to whom Paul is writing, move from darkness to light? (verse 7)
Darkness is uncomfortable, dangerous, and scary. So, why are so many people staying there? Because they have been convinced by the prince of darkness (Ephesians 2:1-2), the father of lies (John 8:43-44), that obedience to God is keeping us from something. The devil is continuing to use his stealth against humanity. He thrives in bringing confusion and chaos. (2 Corinthians 2:9-11) God is good and does good. Satan is evil and does evil. God is light and brings light. Satan is darkness and brings darkness. This is why we feast on God’s words. That is why we avoid those who desire to cause us to doubt the goodness and mercy of God. It is in the light that we see so clearly who God is and who we are! “This is the message we have heard from Him: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7)

3) Once a person is walking in the light, what is the public evidence? (verse 9)
The evidence that we are walking in the light is our witness. We give witness to our transformed heart and life by our words, our obedience, and our love for others. Once we have been transformed from darkness to light, we are to shine in the dark places everywhere we go. There is just something about a woman who consistently walks with Jesus through prayer and Bible study. She lights up a room like no one else can! Oh sister, I encourage you to study the Word so you deeply know Jesus, that you might become an ever-brighter reflection in this scary, dark world. The way to be the light is to wake from apathy and drudgery and celebrate the Light!
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9) It’s not Christmas yet, but let’s worship Him and share the good news:
Noel, Noel!
Come and see what God has done.
Noel, Noel!
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us.
Noel.
(Lyrics by Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman)

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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3) Write down your questions
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4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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