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Kneel Day 9 Believing The Best Of God: 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 Believing The Best Of God!

The Questions

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)

Philippians 4:5-7

5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. the Lord.

Original Intent

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)
This isn’t a trick question! But it is a weighty one, isn’t it? Most of us want some sort of clarification for the commanding statement in Paul’s letter. Maybe the original readers did too. Anytime we read a word as inclusive as “everyone”, we typically begin to look for parentheses to offer some sort of exception. Much to our chagrin, there is no clause excluding certain people or situations. The believer is to let our “graciousness be known to everyone.” The Greek word (epieikes) used in this verse conveys that our attitude toward others, all the others, is to be gentle, equitable and patient. Digging into the context of the verse helps us understand Paul’s instructions regarding relationships. In verses 2-3, he encourages two women in the church to strive toward unity, implying there are far-reaching gospel implications in their pursuit of reconciliation. Their discord could drastically affect how others are hearing and receiving the peace of Christ. He writes that these women had “contended for the gospel at my side”. (verse 3) They were faithful servants with Paul in the work of sharing Jesus. Whatever had caused the disagreement wasn’t nearly as important as the commonality they shared in Christ and their goal of telling others about the freedom and peace He brings. It was essential that the gospel (What is the gospel?) they proclaimed not be hindered by their disunity. This message regarding unity and humility wasn’t only for these two women. It was for all believers at the church in Philippi. Graciousness was to be demonstrated by every believer and toward everyone who witnessed their interactions.

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)
The graciousness we are to show to all people is painted with a broad brush. Our human tendency may be to flinch at the command to treat everyone with grace. It means that our kindness and patience is not just toward those we love or find desirable. Our heart-motivation is key to genuineness! We do this because “the Lord is near.” (verse 5) Sandwiched between the more well-known and oft-quoted “rejoice-in-the-Lord-always” and “be-anxious-for-nothing” verses is this treasure. “Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” When the believer lives with the awareness of Jesus’ daily presence and His pending return (Hebrews 9:27-28), it becomes easier and more significant to rejoice in the Lord and show gentleness to all people. Since we know Jesus will settle every wrong when He returns, we carry our personal struggles and conflicts to Him because we can trust Him to make things right in our sin-stricken world. James tells us that receiving God’s grace and giving His grace are linked. (James 1:19-27) Our time with Jesus in prayer and in the Word is evidenced by our graciousness. When we exhibit the humility of Christ, we season the gospel in a way that adds flavor. We adorn it. Our graciousness gives credibility to our gospel message of grace. When Paul wrote to his disciple Titus, he reminded him to encourage all the believers in sound doctrine and motivate them toward gracious living. (Titus 2:1-14) The Lord is near. He is with us now through His Spirit and His bodily return is forthcoming. Therefore, we live in such a way as to preach the gospel with our lives as well as our words.

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)
Paul tells the believers at Philippi to reject worry and instead “present your requests to God.” Though we may never fully grasp how our prayers and God’s will work together, the Bible makes it clear we are to pray. The Greek gnōrizesthō means “to make known, declare, know, discover.” We are to make known to God our worries. Yes, He does know everything, but Scripture repeatedly tells us to confess our sins, to confess our needs, and to confess our desires. We do this by bending our hearts in prayer and taking a humble posture toward God’s purposes. We do not come to Him asking humbly because God is reluctant to answer, but because He is the sovereign Lord of all. He deserves our humble hearted response. (2 Corinthians 9:7-15) We make our requests known to God because He commands us to do so. Had a Syrian woman with a demon-influenced daughter not been bold enough to approach Christ with her request, she would have missed the opportunity to demonstrate her faith in His power to heal. (Mark 7:24-30) Had a blind beggar not cried out to Jesus for mercy, those in the crowd wouldn’t have witnessed Jesus’ power to give sight to the blind. (Luke 18:35-43) God says we often go through life without answers to our prayers because we do not ask, or we ask with the wrong motives. (James 4:2-3) Prayer is the means of defeating the enemy of our souls who constantly presses against our peace. (Ephesians 6:18-19) We can take our thoughts captive by replacing big fears and little worries with pleas to our good Father. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We acknowledge the presence of our great high priest, and are then able to approach God boldly with our requests. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)
This promise is AMAZING! Who would not desire to have this kind of peace? “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Praying from a thankful heart is the key to unlocking the door of peace. If something completely fills a space, the only way another item can fully fit is to switch the items. Paul wanted his readers to understand they could not simply sideline worry without making an adjustment in their minds. Replacing worry with its antidote was imperative! Praying about everything serves as a kind of guard in our hearts. It fills the space that worry might occupy. Nothing that produces angst can get past the guard of peace. Colossians 3:15 tells us the peace of Christ is to serve as a ruling umpire in our hearts and minds. The way we fill up on peace is by praying for it. As we pray, God provides peace to us that we are unable to fully explain. I love how Bethany wrote, “Paul assumed God was good at giving good things. If what he was praying about was a good gift, he assumed it came from God…If Paul was petitioning God for something, he assumed what God had already given and was going to give was good, too…In everything, God’s good provision meant that prayer could coincide with thankfulness.” God takes our obedience of replacing worry with prayer and provides the good gift of peace to us. A supernatural peace only He can give.

Everyday Application

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)
We read in the New Testament that the apostle Paul was a mentor to several young men in the faith. I’m especially struck by some of his final instructions to his dear “son” Timothy. He told him to pursue, among other things, gentleness! (1 Timothy 1:2 6:11) He mentions this along with “righteousness, godliness, faith, love and endurance.” My sweet sister, even those of us who may have studied these verses many times, let’s not miss this. Our gentle disposition is an integral part of demonstrating the power of God in our lives. We find the strength to radiate this beautiful grace only through the power of the Spirit. Galatians 5 tells us the fruit of the Spirit include the characteristic of gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23) Oh that I would exude graciousness when everyone is expecting fretfulness! I long to get up from my knees with an energy to conquer my worry and fears evidenced by a gentleness that mimics Christ. In the power of our Lord and Savior, I have the provision I need to do exactly this.

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)
We demonstrate graciousness because God is good and full of grace! I believe one of the greatest testimonies of a woman of prayer is her Spirit-induced ability to maintain kindness to everyone in the midst of conflict. What a beautiful gospel picture we are proclaiming when a peaceful spirit oozes from us. I love picturing Jesus’ dear friend, Mary, sitting at His feet, enthralled in His presence. (Luke 10:38-42) Why was her sister Martha fretting? Because she hadn’t learned where rest comes from. She had missed the way to be at her absolute best. I don’t think Jesus was scolding her for attempting to check off her To Do list. Rather, I think He was reminding her there is only one authentic way to peace – remembering Jesus’ nearness and presenting our worries to Him. I think if Mary were here today, she would joyfully join singing with us:
Come find what this world cannot offer.
Come and find your joy here complete.
Taste the living water, never thirst again,
rest here in His wondrous peace.
Come and find your hope now in Jesus.
He is all He said He would be.
Grace is overflowing from the Savior’s heart.
Rest here in His wondrous peace.
Oh the goodness, the goodness of Jesus!
Satisfied, He is all that I need.
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days in the goodness of Jesus.
(The Goodness of Jesus by CityAlight)

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)
Paul’s instruction here is more than a soft word of encouragement. It’s possible that in our attempts to not offend others, we sometimes don’t emphasize the wealth that is found in our obedience to this command, “Don’t worry about anything.” Let’s face it, sweet friends, this isn’t written like a suggestion, is it? Paul is urging his Philippian friends to live at peace with another and within themselves through the command of rejecting worry. I’m so thankful he does not leave us hanging though; Paul continues by telling them to pray about everything. Well, my goodness. We are to be gracious to everyone, not worry about anything and pray about everything. I’m beginning to feel my skepticism rise within me. This feels impossible! And you probably know what’s coming next. It IS impossible! When Jesus used hyperbole in Matthew 19:23-26 to teach His disciples that riches were a hurdle for some to enter God’s kingdom, they were astonished. But He looked at them and stated a dramatic reality: “With God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) We are able to graciously interact with others. We are able to face difficulties and conflict with inner peace. We are able to maintain a thankful heart. We are able to do these because God has given us access to Himself through prayer. It doesn’t even need to be eloquent or long. It just needs to be sincere.
Lord, I believe You are who You say You are. You are able to do anything. But in my humanity, I’m weak and frail. I fret and flounder. Lord, help my unbelief and replace my worry with worship. Amen.

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)
We pray because Jesus taught us and showed us it was essential to pray. It would seem to us if anyone did not need to pray, it would have been Jesus. After all, He was God in flesh. But as Bethany reminded us in her Journey Study, “Paul assumed God wanted to hear it all.” This assumption was borne out of hours spent in prayer to God for His glory to be shown through himself and others. Jesus prayed not only for something, but out of something. He prayed because of His already-established relationship with the Father. He came to His Father through prayer as an obedient, faithful, and loving Son. For the believer, prayer should be like breathing, easier to do than to not do. Yet we know many things keep us from approaching God. Unconfessed sin, distractions, doubt, and even plain old forgetfulness crowd out our intimacy with God. Friend, I’m committing anew to let “everything” mean “everything.” I’m expectant and hopeful to watch my powerful, faithful, and loving Father work in ways that will astound me and bring me unexplainable peace. “For this reason, I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you [and me], according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Believing The Best Of God!

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 Kneel Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Kneel Day 8 Believing The Best Of God

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 4:5-7
Psalm 139
Colossians 1:3-14
Ephesians 3:14-21

Kneel, Day 8

Have you ever told someone a story, only to have them remind you they were there? Sometimes, while we’re talking, we forget to whom we are speaking: of course we remember their identity at a basic level, but we might also assume something of them inaccurately . . . like their presence or absence on a particular occasion!

The same thing happens in prayer.

We might pray, “Father,” and then speak, assuming God is distant, cold, and uninvolved. There are times when we tell Him all about a problem and how to solve it, grateful He knows every detail, but forgetting He also has power over every detail.

While there are many powerful insights to glean from the apostle Paul’s many prayers as recorded in the Bible, I am most often struck by Paul’s assumptions, or beliefs, about God as he prays.

“[I]n everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6, emphasis mine)

Everything.

Paul believed God wants to hear it all. In Psalm 139, the psalmist reveals God knows us intimately, even knowing our thoughts before they reach our tongues. If He’s aware of everything anyway, why not share everything with Him?

Paul’s prayer life demonstrates this reality. A quick perusal of all prayers recorded by Paul in the Bible show his prayers cover a wide variety of topics. Similarly, all the spheres of our lives – physical, social, emotional, work, etc – are fair game for prayer.

For example:
Paul prayed for healing and relief from suffering. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
He prayed for God to make him fit for his work and to enable him to share the gospel well. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
He thanked God for the fellow believers God placed in his life. (Philippians 1:3-6)
He prayed for others’ spiritual lives. (Colossians 1:3-14)

When we read Paul’s prayers for other believers, we also find Paul believed God wants us to know Him better. 

To the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Similar words are echoed throughout his letters, as Paul prayed for other believers to be filled with ever-increasing knowledge of Christ, to be one in the Lord, to keep growing in God. Through his prayers, we learn Paul fervently believed God delights in filling us with His fullness, and He wants us to know His love.

Another hallmark of Paul’s recorded prayers is thanksgiving; gratitude is closely tied to the Biblical command to pray.
For example, let’s revisit Philippians 4:6 (emphasis mine): “[I]n everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Paul believed God was good at giving good things. If Paul was praying about a good gift, he assumed it came from God, which he lived out time and again, in thanking God for the very people to whom he was writing. If Paul was petitioning God for something, he believed God’s answer would be for his good. He thanked Jesus for strengthening him and working through him, even though Paul was a sinner. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) In everything, God’s good provision meant prayer could coincide with thankfulness.

I don’t know about you, but reading Paul’s prayers convicts me that too often, I believe less of God than I should when I pray. Afraid of being demanding, or getting it wrong, I don’t pray about everything. Concerned with things of the world or not being spiritual enough, I pray as if I should already know God thoroughly, and not as though He wants me to know Him more and more. And it’s easy to fall into the trap of praying, especially petitioning, without thanks!

But one of Paul’s go-to prayers, which marks many introductions and conclusions in his letters, offers encouragement, “Grace and peace to you.“ (1 Corinthians 1:3)
Today, as we engage with God in prayer, believing the best of God, we can also pray assuming we will experience His grace and peace as we learn.
Thanks be to God!

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Advent Day 12 A Shepherd’s Heart: 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 A Shepherd’s Heart!

The Questions

1) Who is the shepherd?

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?

3) What does the shepherd provide?

Psalm 23:1

“The LORD is my shepherd. I have what I need.”

Original Intent

1) Who is the shepherd?
The psalmist begins by acknowledging that it is the Lord who continually provides all he needs. “The LORD … is my shepherd.” The image of a shepherd suggests the writer is considering himself to be a sheep under the care of the Lord, the genuinely good shepherd. The psalmist expands the metaphor in the following verses of the chapter and describes how the Lord is like a shepherd to him. Each verse is packed with images about the shepherd’s character and care. Bible translation notes offer us insight into the Hebrew language used in the verse. “The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the Lord as his shepherd (habitual present use).” (netbible.org) The Lord provided constant care to His servant, David. In verse 6, David says to his Lord and shepherd, “Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.” (Psalm 23:6) This shepherd of David is the same God who passed in front of Moses displaying His glory, “The LORD came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, ‘the LORD.’ The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7) This is the One to whom the people of Israel sang when the ark of God was returned. David himself was leaping and dancing before the Lord in celebration of Who He is, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:7-18 34-36)

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?
Psalm 23 is a “psalm of David.” This same David was the people’s unlikely choice for king of God’s people. (1 Samuel 16:10-13) Theologian, Charles Spurgeon, said of the psalmist and songwriter, “I like to recall the fact that this psalm was written by David, probably when he was a king. He had been a shepherd, and he was not ashamed of his former occupation. When he had to wear a crown, he remembered the time when he had handled the shepherd’s crook, and as a lad, with his sling and stone, had kept watch over his father’s sheep in the wilderness.” (www.spurgeongems.org) Being a shepherd was a familiar role for David. He had cared for his father’s sheep as a youth. As a shepherd, he knew the constant watchfulness it took to be a faithful and protective shield for the sheep in his care. (1 Samuel 17:12-15, 34-35) As David’s shepherd, the Lord provided him with peace, even when he was pursued by enemies. (Psalm 23:4-5) As Rebekah stated yesterday, “When the going got tough and trial upon trial came up, David repeatedly relied upon the One whom He referred to as ‘The Lord, my Shepherd’. King David understood that his position, a God-given one, was a position of being under God’s protection even as he lived in anticipation of the ultimate Shepherd, King Jesus.” Shepherding was considered a noble occupation for the Israelites before the social shift began with Egyptian prejudice toward them. (Genesis 46:33-34) Still, most shepherds never became kings, and most kings had never been shepherds. God gave David a unique perspective as the shepherd-king.

3) What does the shepherd provide?
Sheep are vulnerable animals for several reasons. Most of us understand they are susceptible to predators because they are defenseless creatures. They have many natural predators in the wild, but those who care for them tell us sheep are their own worst enemy. They have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. When they stray, they put themselves in danger of being lost, attacked, and even becoming disoriented to the point of tragically killing themselves by drowning or falling off cliffs. The shepherd’s job is an offensive and defensive one. He guides the sheep to places that will provide for their needs, while being constantly on guard to protect them from prowling enemies. (Psalm 23:2-4) As a king with enemies, David faced many days of fear and worry. Several of his psalms reflect his human emotional turmoil and suffering. It was a natural response for him to have dread and anxiety when his life was in danger. Yet, time and again, David took his fears to his God, the Good Shepherd. He resolved in his heart to trust the God he had come to personally know and trust, the One Who was faithful and generous in love. (Psalm 13)

Everyday Application

1) Who is the shepherd?
As our Shepherd, the Lord provides us all with His personal care, direction, protection and presence. When David declared the Lord as His shepherd, he was acknowledging the connection he had with God. As we read through the Old Testament books, we find that the relationship God had with His people dynamically shifted when Jesus came to earth as a man to bring us nearer to Him. Yet, even the patriarch Jacob had a comprehension of the shepherding heart of God. When he blessed his grandsons, he spoke of the “God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” (Genesis 48:13-16) The prophet Isaiah also referred to the coming Messiah as a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:9-11) As our gracious and gentle shepherd, God revealed His good news at night to a group of men in a field caring for their flock. How beautiful it is that the angel announcing the birth of the Christ appeared to shepherds! Years ago, I sang a chorus with these words: “Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need You to help us find our way. Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us for we need your strength from day to day. There’s no other we can turn to who can help us face another day. Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need to you to help us find our way.” Friend, during the season of Advent (when we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s coming), we can worship our Good Shepherd with joy and thanksgiving. The One who chased after David also pursues us with His goodness and mercy, which He will continue to do all the days of our lives. (Psalm 23:6)

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?
Like others in the ancestry of the Christ child, David was an unlikely pick to be king of Israel. When Samuel anointed him, David had yet to defeat Goliath and establish war strategies. But, sister, who doesn’t love a good underdog story? As usual, God chose to lead His people in unexpected ways by calling on a young shepherd boy. As a shepherd himself, David was able to savor the sweetness of having a personal shepherd. He understood the implications of the imagery in the verses in Psalm 23. He said of God, “the Lord is MY shepherd.” Although the prophet Nathan shared a vision with David about his future (2 Samuel 7), I am doubtful that David fully comprehended his part in the fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming. His name would be forever inscribed in the greatest story of all time. “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son …” (Luke 2:4-7, emphasis mine) To all who call on the name of Jesus, we too become recipients of the Good Shepherd’s goodness and mercy. Oh come, friend. Let us adore Him. “Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” (Hebrews 13:20-21, emphasis mine)

3) What does the shepherd provide?
David was acutely aware of his own need for a shepherd as evidenced in his gut-honest psalms. Only God could fully supply everything he needed. Jesus said we are all in the same condition of need, both spiritually and emotionally. What comfort during this Advent season to know that it is precisely our need that leads us to find the source of our lasting joy. (Matthew 5:3-5) Charles Spurgeon said that to know the Lord as our shepherd, we must first understand our own wandering nature, “for he cannot know that God is his Shepherd unless he feels in himself that he has the nature of a sheep.” (Spurgeon.org) I recognize how I am prone to wander away. Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus to us. Sweet sister, He is our only hope!
“In the process, in the waiting, You’re making melodies over me. / And Your presence is the promise, for I am a pilgrim on a journey / You will lift my head above the mighty waves; / You are able to keep me from stumbling. / And in my weakness, / You are the strength that comes from within. / Good Shepherd of my soul, take my hand and lead me on. / You make my footsteps and my path secure, so walking on water is just the beginning. / Cause my faith to arise, stand at attention, for You are / calling me to greater things. / Oh how I love You, how I love You! / You have not forsaken me. / Oh how I love You, how I love You! / With You is where I want to be.”
(Shepherd by Amanda Falk)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with A Shepherd’s Heart!

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 Advent Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Advent Day 10 Bridging The Gap

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 9:6-15
Isaiah 53:4-6
Romans 3:10-26 
John 14:1-3
Romans 5:12-21

Advent, Day 10

“There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one [. . .] For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10b-12, 23)

After the first man made the crushing choice of self over God, mankind became warped in their sinful selves, unable to truly stand before a righteous and holy God. They became objects of God’s wrath, and so there was nothing left for mankind except condemnation.

But while man was grubbing in darkness and hopelessness, One came who perfectly fulfilled the role of a mediator between God and man. He was God in the flesh, come to take our punishment and to cover our sinfulness with His righteousness. The Scripture says, “For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26)

As we celebrate the coming of God in the flesh with our Advent series, today, we journey further back still to examine how the priesthood foreshadowed our Savior’s arrival, generations before His birth.

Consider Jesus, our perfect Priest, Who sacrificed Himself to put away the sin of mankind. As it is appointed for man to die once, and after that judgement, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of the many. (Hebrews 9:26-28) He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)

What lavish love! What priest would dare love like this?
In His humble coming, He provided access to the Father never before known,
to not just a select few who could enter the holy of holies,
but for all who believe in Him.

In fact, Scripture says of those who have believed in Christ,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

No other blood can save except the blood of our Perfect Priest. While the priests in the Old Testament offered animals’ blood for the atonement of sins, their sacrifice could not grant complete access to God’s presence. In fact, it was offered as many times as sin was committed. The perfect Priest, however, offered Himself willingly and freely,
as a sacrifice for our sins once and for all.

The prophet Isaiah expounded,
“Yet he himself bore our sickness, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Jesus Himself said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

We may not appreciate this demonstration of great love by our perfect Priest if we do not understand the awful and grievous nature of our sinfulness.

In Ephesians 2:1-3, apostle and preacher, Paul, provides a sobering elucidation:
we were dead in our trespasses and sins,
following the course of this world, according to the ways of the prince of the air (Satan)
fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of our minds,
by nature children of wrath.

By following the course of this world,
we become servants of Satan.
We follow his dictates and crave evil rather than good. 

But this perfect Priest obtained for us eternal redemption with His own blood; He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The payment price to buy us back from the slavery of sin, under the dictatorship of Satan, is His blood.

What love!
What mercy!
Our redemption is in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

When I recall I was an object of God’s wrath, and consider the saving grace of my Redeemer, I shed tears of joy.

When I reflect on my awfulness, and how I deserved eternal death, but Jesus, the perfect Priest, died in my place, I know I owe Him my all.

Willingly, Christ died for us even when we were God’s enemies. (Romans 5:8) Now, He has provided access to God for whoever believes in Him, welcoming all to be reconciled to God. One day, coming still, we will leave our own sin-wrecked selves and find solace in Christ, face-to-face.

Scripture confirms,
“[T]here will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads [. . .] and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelations 22:3-5) Oh, what great joy awaits those who believe in Christ, the perfect Priest!

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Advent Day 9 The Suffering Servant: 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 Suffering Servant!

The Questions

1) What do we learn of the Promised Messiah from Isaiah’s description? (verse 2-3)

2) What did Jesus achieve on our behalf? (verses 4-5)

3) What truths can we know about our human condition from this passage? How does this impact our relationship with God? (verses 6)

Isaiah 53:2-6

2 He grew up before him like a young plant

and like a root out of dry ground.

He didn’t have an impressive form

or majesty that we should look at him,

no appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.

He was like someone people turned away from;[a]

he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,

and he carried our pains;

but we in turn regarded him stricken,

struck down by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion,

crushed because of our iniquities;

punishment for our peace was on him,

and we are healed by his wounds.

6 We all went astray like sheep;

we all have turned to our own way;

and the Lord has punished him

for the iniquity of us all.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn of the Promised Messiah from Isaiah’s description? (verse 2-3)
Throughout Scripture, many facets of Jesus’ character and His role in human history are revealed. He is present before creation (John 1:1) as a part of the Triune God and active in it (Hebrews 1:2); He is preordained as Savior (Ephesians 1:5); His role and presence echo throughout the Old Testament (John 8:56-58, Hebrews 11:26, Jude 1:5, 1 Corinthians 10:4). In Revelation, Christ is foretold as mighty redeemer and judge. (Revelation 19:11-16) But, between the imagery at creation and the powerful descriptions in Revelation, we glimpse something unexpected. Our God is humble and meek. (2 Corinthians 10:1) First on display in the lowest of places, a feeding trough, God is born in human form. Philippians 2 highlights His willing submission to death on a criminal’s cross. Isaiah’s prophecy describes Jesus growing up as a “tender shoot” in dry ground. This statement refers to Him as a “sucker” plant or something that comes from the plant but isn’t part of it. He brought divinity with Him in whole, it didn’t come from another source. “From dry ground” references the difficulties experienced where He was raised (in Nazareth, an insignificant town with economic and political troubles). Additionally, “dry ground” represents the harsh reality of hearts hardened by sin, unwilling to accept Christ as Lord. In His humanity, Jesus came from humble beginnings without majesty to attract us to Him. (verse 2) The Hebrew word God uses to refer to the relationship between Himself and Israel is “helper”. “The One enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.” (Psalm 113:5-6) All of Scripture tells of a humble God who consistently stoops to “raise the poor from the dust and lift the needy from the ash heap.” (Psalm 113:7-8)

2) What did Jesus achieve on our behalf? (verses 4-5)
Jesus bore our griefs and sorrows, was pierced for our transgressions, and punished for our sins. The word translated rebellion in verse 5 comes from the Hebrew word, pesha, which generally is associated with rebellion, trespass, or revolt. In the New Testament language of Greek, the term used is parabasis, and it implies a breaking or violation of the law. Spiritually speaking, these actions are the result of a defiant or rebellious spirit, one that is bent away from a Holy God. Every sin we commit, willfully or not, is an act of rebellion against holiness. These are the transgressions, pesha, for which Jesus was pierced. Isaiah 53:5 proclaims He was crushed for our iniquities. “Iniquities” refer to something deeply profound in a person’s heart; it is our human sin nature. This depravity within a person leads us to sin and be accountable for the guilt that accompanies the iniquities of our wicked hearts. Jesus didn’t just take my iniquities and your iniquities. He took the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) The sin of the entire world from the beginning of creation until He returns. He took it all. (1 John 2:2) Jesus was punished for all sin and sinfulness, for the sin that entered the world through Adam and Eve to the sins we commit today, and all that will be committed in the future. He was pierced, crushed, and punished for us, in our place. We are offered peace with God and healing for our broken, sin-infested hearts through His willing substitution for us. His peace and healing are not ours by default, but become ours when we choose to trust Him at His word and surrender ourselves fully to Him. This is what He gives us, and He gives it at the ultimate cost—His own life.

3) What truths can we know about our human condition from this passage? How does this impact our relationship with God? (verse 6)
Verse 6 describes the entirety of human experience in relation to God, “We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way…”. In any good relationship, we know there is a give and take, a mutual love, respect, and sacrifice. There is faithfulness and pursuit of the other person for the good of the relationship. But Scripture teaches that when it comes to our relationship with God, He is the one who is loving, respectful, sacrificing, faithful, and pursuing. We go astray. We turn to our own way. Of course, we have moments of love which grow over time, but these are due to the Holy Spirit working within our surrender to Him. It is the Spirit inside of every believer who cultivates true sacrifice, respect, faithfulness, and following Him. These moments grow into longer seasons as we practice submitting to the Spirit, but invariably, we wander from Him. As the old hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing) It is our nature to stray and His to stay.

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn of the Promised Messiah from Isaiah’s description? (verse 2-3)
Isaiah foretells how the Messiah would be despised and rejected which was fulfilled in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and even today. We would expect God’s message of hope, love, and forgiveness embodied in Jesus to be gladly received like water on a hot day.  Instead, Jesus’ message is often despised and rejected. We are prone to esteem Him not. (verse 3) We likely know people who have rejected Christ or have animosity toward Jesus. We should think of them, pray for them, love them, reach them, and be present in their lives as the fragrance of Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:15) In doing so, we become conduits of God’s grace and love. Just as importantly, we should remove the log of sin from our own eye before removing the speck from others. (Matthew 7:4-5) We must examine our hearts and lives through the lens of Scripture as we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. (James 1:22-25) It’s easy to be like the man who entered the temple, thanking God he wasn’t like the sinner across from him. (Luke 18:10-14) God asks us to examine our lives to see where we reject Him, His people, and the gospel. (2 Corinthians 13:5) If we are honest, we will know we reject God by our actions, thoughts, and speech. Even those committed to following Christ wholeheartedly fail to do so perfectly. Because of God’s humble, patient, merciful love, He continues extending opportunities for us to repent (turn away) from sin. We can turn to Jesus for forgiveness when we acknowledge and repent of the ways we reject Him. When we allow the compassionate Lord to remove our log of sin, we can extend His love and hope to others on His behalf.

2) What did Jesus achieve on our behalf? (verses 4-5)
In Isaiah 53:4, we are reminded that Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. Truly pondering this reality draws us to Him with deep gratitude and humility. We do not serve an unapproachable God who is “distant” or “up there,” but one who chooses to be right here, in the mix with us as we suffer. We have a Great High Priest who sympathizes with us as described in Hebrews 4:14-16. He is with us, and He cares about what we endure. Not only does He care, but He bears up our griefs and sorrows, taking them upon Himself. He steps into our place of sin, accepts the punishment for our sin and the ramifications of our sin nature. He bears it all, so we may be set free to live in a restored relationship at peace with Him. He provides the means for us to be healed at our deepest soul level. Because of His intimate investment in each of us, even though we were born into a sin-infested world, inheriting a sin-nature in our flesh, we can live renewed, reborn, and resurrected from the death that was our first inheritance.

3) What truths can we know about our human condition from this passage? How does this impact our relationship with God? (verses 6)
We are prone to wander. We go astray like sheep. How do sheep stray? It’s been said, “One nibble at a time,” and that’s quite accurate. A sheep becomes fixated on grazing and loses sight of both their surroundings and even the shepherd himself. Most sheep won’t “run” away; instead, they nibble away, one small action at a time. So do we. We nibble at selfishness, self-centeredness, pride, Pharisee-like legalism, lust, greed, anger, fear, and a myriad of other sins. In doing so, we take another small bite and barely notice how we are straying from Jesus bit by bit. At some point, our wandering might get so far off we look up from our grazing and wonder where our Shepherd has gone and how we got so far away from Him. We lost sight of Him, but He never lost sight of us. He is the Good Shepherd, and He leaves the ninety-nine to pursue us when we stray. (Matthew 18:10-14) We may leave His side, but we never leave His sight. Knowing we are prone to wander can help us become more purposeful in keeping our eyes on Him. We can and should set our hearts on Him more consistently and with greater intentionality. Even still, we will wander from Him. In those times, we can rest in this promise: He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and He will always bring us back (Psalm 71:20-21).

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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!

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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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Advent Day 3 Until

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 12:1-3
Deuteronomy 28:1-26
Deuteronomy 18:15-22
Luke 24:25-27
Hebrews 12:18-24

Advent, Day 3

It seemed straightforward enough.

So He could fulfill the covenant promises He’d made to Abraham, God set up parameters for holy living and gave His people a system of choice and consequence.

Choose righteousness, and be blessed. (Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
Choose disobedience and sin, and be cursed. (Deuteronomy 28:15-26)

Easy choice, right?
Yet, inevitably, Israel pivoted to sin.

Like any Good Father, God sought to remind His children of the consequences of their choices before they earned total catastrophe.

Enter, prophets. Since the first sin separated humans from God, and since the people of Israel were subsequently overcome by fear in God’s direct presence, He appointed prophets to deliver His Word.

Today, as we continue to look forward to Jesus’ coming, we travel back to the days of the minor (read, shorter-winded) prophets, ordinary men called by God to warn sin-entangled Israel of impending disaster unless the people repented and returned to God.

Ultimately, each prophet foretold the coming Messiah, Who would once and for all time break the power of sin and bring restoration and redemption. (Hebrews 10:11-18)

The prophet Hosea’s steadfast love for his wife despite her habitual betrayal reflected God’s heart toward unfaithful Israel; he revealed Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 3:16-17). Jesus is the Bridegroom Who loves with compassion (Hosea 11:4, 8-9), healing those who return to Him. (Hosea 6:1-2)

Joel watched a swarm of locusts darken the sun, devouring the few leaves not strangled by drought, then leveraged this devastation to mirror Israel’s sin of abandoning God. He foretold the coming Day of Yahweh, when Jesus would judge the nations (Joel 3:2,12), send His Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28, John 16:7-15), and stand as Israel’s refuge. (Joel 3:16)

Amos, a farmer and rancher who delighted in a life spent tending God’s creation, convicted Israel of breaking covenant with God in their pursuit of materialistic prosperity. Though he warned of impending judgement, Amos also spoke great prophecies of restoration, foretelling Jesus as the fulfillment of David’s line, the rebuilder, and the restorer of God’s people. (Amos 9:11-15)

Author of the shortest book in the Bible, Obadiah emphasizes Christ’s “ordinary humanity” as he descended neither from kings nor priests. Obadiah was simply an ordinary man chosen by God to condemn the pride of Israel’s enemies and reveal Christ as the judge of the nations (Obadiah 1:15-16), Israel’s Savior (Obadiah 1:17), and the Possessor of the Kingdom (Obadiah 1:21).

Jonah’s three-day detour in the belly of a big fish foreshadowed Christ’s three days in the grave before His resurrection (Matthew 12:38-42). Once released, Jonah’s call to repentance from the dreaded Assyrians was an early reflection of Christ’s desire for all people to repent and receive salvation. (Jonah 3:4-10, 2 Peter 3:9)

Micah, a prophet residing in a busy trading town, proclaimed God’s displeasure at the empty rituals of worship offered by Israel, even as they abandoned any pretense of righteousness in their daily dealings. (Micah 6:6-8) Micah’s words portray Jesus as the King to be born in Bethlehem and, following Jesus’ birth, were quoted to the current king, Herod. (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6)

In condemning the Assyrians for unabated savagery and wickedness, Nahum comforted God’s people and revealed Christ as the jealous God who avenges adversaries. (Nahum 1:2-3)

As Habakkuk wrestled with the mystery of God’s goodness and power when faced with the reality of evil, he portrayed Jesus as Savior (Matthew 1:21), the Holy One (Habakkuk 1:12, 1 John 1:9), the Justifier through faith (Habakkuk 2:4), and He who will fill the earth with knowledge of God’s glory (Habakkuk 2:14).

Descended from the righteous king Hezekiah, Zephaniah delivered God’s judgement against the people’s sin under the reign of evil kings, called for repentance, and extended the hope of redemption. In Zephaniah’s words, Jesus is foretold as the Righteous One (Zephaniah 3:5) and the people’s true King (Zephaniah 3:15).

Yet the Lord’s words went unheeded. Israel was conquered and exiled by the Babylonians. After 70 years, a remnant was allowed to return; more than a decade after their homecoming, they continued to struggle against enemies and to obtain basic necessities.

Into the disarray stepped Haggai, who encouraged the people to rebuild the temple as a sign of their commitment to God’s centrality in their lives; in doing so, Haggai revealed Christ as the ultimate Restorer of the temple’s glory (Haggai 2:7-9, John 2:17-22) and Overthrower of all worldly kingdoms (Haggai 2:22).

As Zechariah encouraged the people to complete temple reconstruction, he foretold Israel’s restoration through the coming Christ, portraying Jesus as Servant King (Zechariah 9:9), crucified Savior (Zechariah 12:10), smitten Shepherd who would be abandoned (Zechariah 13:7), and coming Judge and righteous King (Zechariah 14).

As the concluding prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi convicted Israel of their sin yet again and delivered the final words of the Lord until John the Baptist would declare the arrival of Jesus (Malachi 3:1, John 1:29).

And then, silence.
For 400 years.

Until a wild-haired, animal skin-clad man waist-deep in the waters of the Jordan River froze, mid-baptism, as he locked eyes with a nondescript Hebrew making His way to the shore.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

[Did one of these prophets spark your curiosity? Learn more at Bible.org, our main resource for this study!]

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Advent Day 2 The Arrival: 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 Arrival!

The Questions

1) What title of Jesus is revealed in John 18:37?

2) Why does Jesus refer to Himself as a servant in Philippians 2:7?

3) What title descriptor of Christ is found in Matthew 20:28?

John 18:37

“You are a king then?” Pilate asked.
“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Philippians 2:7

Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.

Matthew 20:28

“[J]ust as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Original Intent

1) What title of Jesus is revealed in John 18:37?
Jesus is standing before Pilate on trial for His claim to be God. This claim infuriated the Jewish rulers, who declared Him a blasphemer (Matthew 26:64-65), rendering Him worthy of the death penalty according to Jewish Law. (Leviticus 24:16) Pilate is searching for a reason to crucify him and queries, “You are a king then?”. In Jesus’ three years of earthly ministry He described Himself with many titles, but He never declared himself King even though His role as king fulfilled many prophecies. (Isaiah 9:6-7, Zechariah 9:9) The Jews thought the Messiah would be an earthly king sent to free them from Roman rule and set up His geo-political reign on earth. They easily recalled the ancient prophecy foretelling how a king would come from (King) David’s lineage from his father, Jesse. (Isaiah 11:1-10) We can understand how this would be a reasonable conclusion given their perspective, but King Jesus didn’t arrive on the scene with an army. He arrived with all humility, though He held all power; He came with the fullness of all Truth and Light, yet gentle and compassionate. (Zechariah 9:9) This King perplexed everyone. His power was revealed in His words, His miracles, and the humility of His extravagant love not in military might. So, yes, Pilate, a King indeed; a King beyond description with humility so grand He is willing to stand before you.

2) Why does Jesus refer to Himself as a servant in Philippians 2:7?
In ancient times, a servant was considered slightly higher up on the socio-economic chain than a slave, but both were considered as significantly “less than”. To be a servant or slave was to be without identity or personhood, often traded as property. To associate oneself as a slave was to surrender all of oneself to another in ways that are quite difficult for our minds to comprehend today. No one desired to become a servant. For the Messiah to “assume the form of a servant” would have been utterly reprehensible to first century ears. Kings owned servants; they didn’t willfully become servants. Yet, this is precisely what the King of Kings modeled when He laid aside His rights as the second person of the Godhead, choosing to lower Himself as a servant to all mankind in order to rescue us from our sin, thereby demonstrating the deepest love. Jesus arrived on earth in complete humility and lived His life as a servant, culminating in His sacrificial, humiliating, and excruciating death by crucifixion, perfectly fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. (Isaiah 53) Jesus refers to Himself as a servant even as He predicts His own death. (Matthew 20:28) The creator of the world became, not an earthly political king, but the Lord’s chosen servant. (Isaiah 42:1) No one expected the Messiah to act as He did. Yes, Christ, being God, performed miracle after miracle, proving His infinite authority. As a Jew, He taught in the synagogue, proving His infinite wisdom. But, in the greatest paradox, this God, the True Messiah, sat with the sinner, forgave the prostitute, touched the diseased, spoke calm to the deranged, and washed the dirt from filthy feet, even those of His enemy. This God served with infinite love and humility. (John 13:5-17)

3) What title descriptor of Christ is found in Matthew 20:28?
The title “Son of Man” was Jesus’ most preferred title for Himself in the gospels. (Mark 10:33, Mark 2:10) He used it so often because it carried significant implications for His Jewish audience. Every ear who heard Jesus call Himself “Son of Man” couldn’t possibly help but instantly bring to mind the famous prophetic words from Daniel, “I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) This is a direct description of a Divine Being, co-equal with God the Father (the Ancient of Days). Every time Jesus used this title, He emphasized again that He was fulfilling this prophecy. Filling out this description, the disciple John writes in the opening words of his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (…) The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:1-2, 14) The Son of God became the Son of Man that we might see the duality of God’s nature and His purpose in coming to reconcile mankind back to God. Christ is the same God in the Old Testament as He is in the New. In the gospels, Christ is born in the likeness of man to fulfill the ancient prophecy and one day, as the Scriptures foretell, we will once again see the Son of Man on the throne of Heaven (Revelation 1:10-18) Jesus is from Genesis to Revelation, our perfect Redeeming God.

Everyday Application

1) What title of Jesus is revealed in John 18:37?
The Jewish rulers hated Jesus for His claim to be the promised Messiah, but they wanted Him dead for His claim to be the “I AM”, God Himself. (John 8:58-59, John 19:7) Though Pilate shifted uneasily with the death sentence upon Christ, and wrestled heavily with the idea of Christ being the King, he still gave in to the people and called for Jesus’ crucifixion. (John 19:8, Mark 15:10-15) With a subtle, but significant move, Pilate wrote, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” on a sign posted above Jesus’ head on the cross. (John 19:19-22) The Jews, not surprisingly, were insulted by this public declaration and made it known to Pilate that he should remove it, but he remained adamant. Like the Jews and Pilate, we each must wrestle with the title of King for Christ. Will we accept Him as the King He claims He is? To do so, insists on our complete surrender and fealty to Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Alternatively, we can deny and reject Him, attempting to ignore Him, but if even death by crucifixion couldn’t slay Him, our denial of truth will not change His authority. Scripture declares Christ as Ultimate King and Ruler; in Him alone are all things held together. (Colossian 1:17) How will we respond to this truth? Just as Christ conquered death, so He conquers our sin in our own lives when we surrender to Him. In the world to come, and for all eternity stretching forward, Scripture continues to declare Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:16) Only today, while we are alive, do we have the opportunity to come to Him in surrender and claim Him as our own King. If we do this through repentance of our sin, we will see the King of Kings seated on His throne and will join all other believers and angels in worshipping Him as King forever. (Revelation 5:11-14)

2) Why does Jesus refer to Himself as a servant in Philippians 2:7?
Even when we love others, it is sometimes difficult to become subservient to them. Perhaps part of you even pulls back from even the word “subservient”. On another level, serving our enemy is even more challenging. Your cranky neighbor who is always complaining? That ornery co-worker who often seems to have a chip on their shoulder? Not easy. But the Creator of the world humbled Himself to model serving others with love. Jesus didn’t boast of His power, but instead set it aside in order to love us well. Are we willing to love like this? God became flesh and dwelt among us to show us the best way to love. He surrendered His all, indeed emptying Himself on a cross as He suffered a cruel death and separation from God the Father. (Matthew 27:46) He took our punishment upon Himself that we might be made righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21) See the “suffering servant” who laid down His life for us! Surrender hardly sounds enticing, and when told we are to surrender to Christ in order to gain His reward of eternal life and peace with Him, we worry what this surrender might cost. Will it mean our physical death? Will it mean surrendering our finances in ways we hadn’t expected? Will it mean surrendering our plans, career, or dreams? We cannot know the future, but choosing to serve Christ with total surrender means humble love toward others. Whether it’s your close family, your cranky co-worker, or someone who has betrayed, offended, or wounded you, these are the ones Christ calls us to lovingly serve with all humility. A humility deep enough to set ourselves aside entirely as we point others to the Great Light of Christ, the greatest servant King of all!

3) What title descriptor of Christ is found in Matthew 20:28?
What an unfathomable gift of grace that God the Son willfully became the Son of Man! Not only did He offer us rescue from our death-sentence of sin and prove He is worthy of our surrender to Him as King because He fulfilled all prophecy, but He also became like us that He would be intimately acquainted with all our suffering. (Luke 4:2, Matthew 4:1-11) He knows grief. (John 11:38-44) He knows anxiety. (Matthew 26:38, Luke 22:41-44) He knows betrayal, and the full range of human emotion. (Matthew 26:47-50) Other “gods” cannot do this. In fact, other religions, disdain the idea of deity integrating with puny humans! God isn’t on a pedestal somewhere waiting for us to do everything right before He will engage with us.  He has experienced everything we have, or will, walk through. Christ Jesus is indeed the “with us” God; He is as close as the mention of His name. He is ever ready to hear our pleas, our dreams, our struggles, our joys, and our fears. He became the Son of Man to pay the ultimate price for all who would trust Him as their Savior, that we might be with Him forever in Eternity. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

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

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 Advent Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Advent Day 1 The Arrival

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 7:10-14
John 9:13-41
Mark 2:15-17
John 18:33-37
John 15:18-25

Advent, Day 1

I know, most people start at the beginning of the story.
Advent is really about “leading up to” the birth of Christ, right?

The word “advent” means “coming.”
But, here we are on December 6th, already at the fulfillment.

Jesus is here!
Angels are singing!
Mary holds a shivering infant’s divine skin next to her fallen flesh.
Here, as mama suckles Jesus, tears flowing for both of them, and a terrified Joseph stands in flushed awe, we see the gospel laid out.

This Jesus, this GOD, here with us.
Immanuel, God with us.
The Holy Righteous and Divine in the middle of our biggest mess.

When else has Love looked like this?!

In love, God ordained Jesus, truly man and truly God, to be born like any other person.
“Instead He emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant,
Taking on the likeness of humanity.” (Philippians 2:7)

Although His conception was a miracle by the Holy Spirit, Jesus grew in His mother’s womb and was born a helpless babe, the same as you and me.

God works in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4-5), and so Jesus was born in the days of Herod, a king who guarded his throne with jealousy and violence. As we will see later in this Journey Theme, Jesus’ coming was foretold by Old Testament prophets, and when Herod learned of those prophecies, he sought to kill Jesus as a potential rival king. (Matthew 2)

Yet, King Jesus didn’t come in splendor and glorious robes.
He came in humility, in a stable, wearing swaddling clothes.
This was the beginning of Jesus’ purpose to serve.
“[J]ust as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

From the beginning, Jesus confounded expectations for the long-awaited King of the World. Much of Jesus’ ministry on earth revealed a new, “upside-down” Kingdom understanding of knowledge, wisdom, service, and culture. He came to bring judgement on those who were right in their own eyes.

“I came into this world for judgement,
in order that those who do not see will see,
and those who do see will become blind.” (John 9:39)

Often, such judgement was addressed to the religious scholars of the day, the Pharisees and Sadducees. These self-righteous, self-aggrandizing men added their own religious laws and heaped legalistic burdens on the Jews. In reality, they were blind and deaf to the Truth when He stood before them. (John 14:6) They thought they were going to heaven because they were ethnic Jews, God’s chosen people. But Jesus came to usher in a new covenant, available to anyone, Jew or Gentile, who would turn from sin and trust in Him.

“When Jesus heard this, He told them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Mark 2:17)

Jesus Himself declared, “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37b) And the angel told Joseph, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Jesus came to bear witness to the truth and to save his people from their sins. Nothing would stop Him from accomplishing His ministry. Before the foundation of the world, God set His plan of redemption in motion. Jesus was born to die, to speak the truth in love so those who listened to His voice and repented of their sin would be saved and bring glory to God.

Against the backdrop of our inky rebellion, God’s beautiful, holy love shines brilliantly, ready to rescue us from the brokenness of our sin.

Jesus came into a dark world as a bright shining light. (John 8:12) We are all born blinded by sin (Ephesians 2:3), but by His grace, He opens our eyes to see the light. Then it is our duty and delight to shine this light before others that they may see God’s glory for themselves. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Tragically, just as Jesus’ light was not welcomed by all, neither will His light in us be embraced by all. And just as Jesus was mocked, ridiculed, and ultimately murdered on a cross, we too will face persecution for carrying His light.

“Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:20)

With the confidence of Christ, let us go forth boldly this Christmas season, shining His light and proclaiming His gospel, and not letting anything stop us from this ministry. Let us pray God would open the eyes of the unbelieving around us that they may have eyes to see the truth and light in Christ. Amen!

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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!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Advent Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Advent!

Worship IX Day 14 Lyrical Pursuit: 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 Lyrical Pursuit!

The Questions

1) How can we take refuge in God?

2) How does God shelter those who rejoice in Him?

3) What does it mean to boast about God?

Psalm 5:11

But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.

Original Intent

1) How can we take refuge in God?
The concept of God’s people taking refuge in Him is central to the Bible’s teaching and is most often found in the Old Testament. In Psalm 5:11, David writes, “all who take refuge in You (God) rejoice.” To take refuge implies removing ourselves from harm’s way and under God’s wings of protection. Author, Alexander MacLaren, explains, “As a man in peril runs into a hiding-place or fortress, as the chickens beneath the outspread wing of the mother bird nestle close in the warm feathers and are safe and well, the soul that trusts (God) takes its flight straight to God, and in Him reposes and is secure.” To take refuge in God means to run to Him when trouble comes. Psalm 46:1 proclaims, “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” One way David takes refuge in God is by coming to Him in the morning; he habitually begins his day communing with the Lord. Author, David Guzik, explains that Psalm 5 is a “morning prayer. It shows David coming to the LORD in the morning and receiving the strength and joy he needs to make it through the day against many adversaries.” David had real enemies and dire circumstances to fear, but He trusted in God to shield and save him. Proverbs 14:26 tells us, “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children have a refuge.” David feared the Lord and trusted in God’s promises of protection more than he feared his adversaries. David knew God alone would provide true refuge from life’s perils. We are blessed that the same is true for us today. I encourage you to call on God and let him be your refuge from the chaos of life today!

2) How does God shelter those who rejoice in Him?
In Psalm 5:11, David tells God, “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.” David notices a correlation between God sheltering His people and their praise to Him. David asserts that God’s shelter–His presence and protection–is not extended to the unrighteous, and His people should praise Him for the loving refuge He provides. God drives out His enemies (Psalm 5:10), but He shelters those who love Him. He shields them, sheltering them through hard times. (Psalm 119:114) Those who are sheltered have reason to rejoice, and those who shout for joy to the Lord will be sheltered by God. David again calls God his shelter in Psalm 27:5-6, declaring that he will shout for joy because of God’s salvation. David implicitly trusts in God’s protection. Author, Bill Crowder, contends that we rejoice “because we know Someone who is strong enough to carry us through the churning waves of life that threaten to overwhelm us. . . In the face of life’s great dangers and challenges, we can know a joy borne out of our trust in God. His strength is more than enough!” God shelters those who love Him by being with them in their troubles and sometimes helping them out of their troubles, resulting in rejoicing. God’s people can call on Him when life is challenging, and He helps them. Author, Becky Harling, suggests, “As you praise Him in the middle of your anxiety, the Holy Spirit awakens your soul to His presence and the Holy One calms you down.” Those who trust in Christ are blessed that His presence acts as a shelter from the problems they face on a daily basis. This is reason to rejoice!

3) What does it mean to boast about God?
David tells the Lord, “…may those who love Your name boast about You.” (verse 11) David wants God’s people to tell everyone about His great and glorious works and how He makes Himself a shelter for His people. Author, Tony Evans, explains that David “urges God’s people to boast about Him and to shout for joy as a way of expressing recognition of who God is, what He has done, and what He can be trusted to do.” We should boast about Him so others know about His goodness, but also because God delights in our praises. His Word says He is enthroned upon the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3) According to author Jessica Brodie, this means that “God inhabits—rests in, sits upon, dwells within—His people’s songs of worship and adoration.” God delights in our praises because He loves us, and He desires a relationship with us. When we praise Him, we invite His presence to actively dwell with us. Psalm 16:11 tells us abundant joy is found in God’s presence. Praising God ushers us into the fullness of His presence, which brings us the fullest joy we can know! John Piper asserts, “God would not be loving if He was indifferent to our praise. If He didn’t pursue our praise in all that He does, (…) He would not be pursuing the fullness of our satisfaction.” God is worthy of all praise and honor (Revelation 4:11), and He encourages us to do everything for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). When we boast about our loving God, we are entering His presence in more full ways; this is where we find abundant joy.

Everyday Application

1) How can we take refuge in God?
When I hear the phrase “take refuge,” I remember the storm cellar we had in my childhood home. It was a mound of earth with a door leading down to a dirt floor. It was dark, dank, and covered in cobwebs, so we never went inside unless we either wanted to impress visitors with our “dungeon” or a storm was coming. Several times each summer we found ourselves throwing open that cellar door and scurrying inside to wait out dangerous storms in the company of bugs and the spiders. One time, we emerged to find tree limbs down and damaged property. We knew the storm was bad, but we didn’t know the level of devastation from the safety of our cellar refuge. This is how it feels to take refuge in God. He shields us from the dangerous storms of life. No matter how bad things get around us, we are safe in His sheltering arms. His plans are good, despite how it feels at the time. (Psalm 119:68) He is sovereign over all things, even the difficult. Author Josh Philpot notes, “Taking refuge in God does not always mean immediate escape from pain and suffering. But because God is enthroned, he is in control and unperturbed by the apparent chaos on earth. . . He remains unshaken and eternally in power, which provides us with confidence in the day of trouble.” I can understand why David said of God, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever”. There is true joy in having God as your protector. Again in Psalm 34:8, the psalmist declares, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in Him!” No matter the storms raging around you today, take refuge in God and rejoice in the shelter He brings.

2) How does God shelter those who rejoice in Him?
Two weeks overdue with my daughter on March 19, 2003, I fell asleep knowing I would be induced the following day. It was already March 20 in Iraq, and war ensued as the USA fought to defeat Saddam Hussein. I kept thinking of the Iraqi women like me, about to give birth, but with nowhere to seek medical care due to the chaos. I prayed these women would find safety and shelter in the midst of the conflict, and I thanked God for the roof over my head and a hospital nearby in the morning. I’m reminded of this scenario when I read Psalm 5:11, “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.” I rejoiced in the physical shelter God provided for me and prayed He would shelter those in need, but He has faithfully provided shelter in many ways throughout my life. He provides godly relationships (Hebrews 10:24-25) as a shelter from loneliness and discouragement. He provides the shelter of my church family (Acts 2:44-47) who help me grow in faith and reach out in service to those who don’t know Christ. God also makes His presence a shelter for me. (1 Corinthians 3:16) The presence of His Holy Spirit empowers me to do His will and strengthens me when hard times arise. (Romans 8:26) God shelters me in the physical world, and for that I rejoice! But He also provides refuge when I am sad, when I am afraid, and when I am losing hope. In those times, I run to Him and find shelter from life’s troubles and strength to endure. (Proverbs 18:10)

3) What does it mean to boast about God?
In high school, my friend participated in a basket lunch auction where the girls bid on lunch dates with boys to raise money for charity. My friend spent the morning of the auction bragging on his basket, which consisted of fish and chips from a local restaurant. He raved about the golden fried batter, the flaky fish, the crispy fries, and the creamy coleslaw. When it came time to eat, he was mortified to find his order was wrong and the paltry meal he offered did not live up to his hype. He had boasted in something that did not deliver. When David hopes that all those who love the Lord will boast in Him in Psalm 5:11, it is because God’s works are definitely worthy of boasting about. Much of the Psalms consist of David and other writers boasting in God for who He is and what He has done. In Psalm 34:1-2, David declares, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord…”. Psalm 44:8 declares, “We boast in God all day long; we will praise your name forever.” David also prays in Psalm 86:8-10, “Lord, there is no one like you among the gods, and there are no works like yours. All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God.” When God’s people recognize His goodness and His divinity by praising Him alone, God is glorified. We serve a mighty God who is worthy to be praised, so let us boast in the Lord by praising Him for being a God of wonder and majesty!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Lyrical Pursuit!

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 Worship IX Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.