affliction

Ready Day 6 Laboring Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1Thessalonians 3:1-13
Colossians 1:24-29
Jude 20-25

Ready, Day 6

During my daughter’s first years of university studies, my mind was always with her.  I knew that university lifestyle was quite different from secondary school. I was praying for her almost every day, calling to know how she was doing, and sending her text messages to encourage her.

Two things prompted my actions.

  1. I love her, and wanted her future to be good.
  2. I was afraid lest she fell into a bad company and ruin her life; I didn’t want my labor to be in vain.

I see a similar relationship between the Thessalonian Christians and the apostle Paul, Silas, and Timothy, who traveled together to encourage churches. (1 Thessalonians 1:1) Having suffered great opposition, they persevered to preach the gospel to the believers in Thessalonica together. After being forced to leave the city, they were keen to know how the new believers were growing in their faith. Paul’s team made several attempts to visit, but were hindered by Satan (through aggressive persecution). At last, they resorted to sending Timothy to go and encourage the churches on their behalf.

Recalling his labor among them, Paul said,

“We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” (1Thessalonians 2:8)

As a result, Paul’s team was afraid, lest the new believers become weary and give up their faith because of affliction. Therefore, they sent Timothy to “strengthen and encourage” them, so no one would be shaken by afflictions. (1 Thessalonians 3:2)

Wow! That pricks my heart; I ask myself again and again whether I am committed to loving the Church this way. How often do we pray for the Church, especially new believers? What about those who have backslidden? Are we making efforts to restore them back into Christ’s fold? I am afraid that instead of reaching out in empathy and support, sometimes others’ failures become a topic of discussion to us. In our hypocrisy, we talk of it with pleasure, as if to say, “it serves them right.”

There’s a hymn that usually keeps me in check; as I sing, I am reminded of all I owe Jesus:

“Must I go and empty-handed?
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him?
Must I empty-handed go?”

Are we prepared to meet our Savior?
Will our life’s work reflect His heart of passion for each person?
We must return to this first-love question throughout our lives.

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19-20) We must not take His command for granted; it calls us to action! The immediate receivers of His command (His disciples) obeyed it.

Now it is our turn.

How committed are we to making disciples?
Do our hearts yearn with love, the way Paul and his team did for the Thessalonian Christians?

His deep care for them compelled Paul to say,

“When I could no longer stand it, I also sent him [Timothy] to find out about your faith.” (1Thessalonians 3:5)

Paul was afraid Satan might have tempted them to abandon their faith, and thus Paul’s labor would have been in vain. I am deeply challenged by the attitude of Paul and his team; overwhelmingly, it is dominated by caring for and nurturing the Thessalonians’ faith. Similarly, our concern must be to prepare the world for the coming of Christ.

When Timothy returned with a positive report about the Thessalonian Christians, Paul describes how the team celebrated with joy:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we were encouraged about you through your faith. For now, we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience?” (1Thessalonians 3:7-9)

To Paul and his team, the steadfastness of the faith of the Thessalonian Christians was life; he explained, “Now, we live.” What a passion!

Such celebration is for us, as well!

Jesus describes the incomparable joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7); should there be anything for us to celebrate more than the increase of God’s kingdom?

The report of the Thessalonian Christians further spurs Paul and his team to deep and fervent prayers.

“[A]s we pray very earnestly night and day to see you face to face and complete what is lacking in your faith.” (1Thessalonians 3:10) What a commitment!

Doesn’t this kind of zeal challenge us?
Sisters, it’s time for us, like Paul, to step into Jesus’ commission and commit ourselves to disciple-making. Like Paul and his team, may our hearts burn in prayer “day and night” for those we know are perishing without Jesus.

What joy shall it be, when we see such people repenting and growing strong in their faith! Such great rejoicing will be ours when, at last, Jesus says to us,
“Well done, my faithful servant!”
(Matthew 25:21)

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Ready Day 2 Trade Routes: 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 Trade Routes!

The Questions

1) Why had Timothy traveled to visit the Thessalonians? (verse 6)

2) Why was Paul in distress and affliction? (verse 7)

3) Why was Paul experiencing joy? (verse 9)

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10

6 But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love. He reported that you always have good memories of us and that you long to see us, as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction, we were encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience before our God because of you, 10 as we pray very earnestly night and day to see you face to face and to complete what is lacking in your faith?

Original Intent

1) Why had Timothy traveled to visit the Thessalonians? (verse 6)
Paul’s original visit to Thessalonica was cut short and he was sent away due to a riot initiated by the Jews. Check out the story in Acts 17:1-10! However, Paul did not forget about the believers in Thessalonica and, while he himself was delayed in revisiting them because of Satan’s hindrances (1 Thessalonians 2:18), he sent Timothy to “strengthen and encourage” the believers. (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2) Paul was concerned that the persecution would ruin the faith of the Thessalonians and they would feel overwhelmed, buying the lie that Jesus wasn’t worth the struggle. As with everywhere he went, Paul had fully invested himself while with the new believers in Thessalonica. (1 Thessalonians 2:8) He sent Timothy to ensure his (and Silas’) labors in sharing the gospel hadn’t been for naught. (1 Thessalonians 3:5)

2) Why was Paul in distress and affliction? (verse 7)
Paul had been driven out of Thessalonica during the riot of the Jews. Yet again, Paul was met with persecution for his faith, which he lived out in daily, obedient surrender to Christ. While no stranger to persecution, it still caused distress and affliction in his life. He suffered emotionally and physically in ways we may never experience, but he counted it all as significant gain because he suffered for Jesus, who is of immeasurable worth! (James 1:2-4, Philippians 3:8) Paul was no stranger to the feelings of physical and emotional distress as he was continuously confronted with persecution after his conversion to Christ. However, Paul knew every affliction that came as a result of his obedience to God was absolutely worth it if the gospel was being spread! (1 Peter 3:17-18) He wrote to the church in Philippi regarding his suffering for Jesus, “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” (Philippians 3:10)

3) Why was Paul experiencing joy? (verse 9)
Timothy brought back an encouraging report to Paul that far exceeded his expectations. The believers in Thessalonica were persevering and flourishing both in their faith and love for one another. This caused great joy in Paul and he publicly thanked God for His work in the lives of the Thessalonians. Paul knew this good work was not to be attributed to him and quickly placed credit where credit was due. Paul was witnessing in the testimony of the Thessalonians what he himself had experienced to be true in his own life of persecution. The more believers surrender to the work of God in their lives, the more God advances the gospel and finishes His work in and through their outpouring of faith and gratitude. Even in the midst of significant hardship, there was still reason to offer thanksgiving, and Paul did exactly this. Paul was also joyful that the Thessalonians had not forgotten him (verse 6), which emphasizes the love all believers share because of the love of God at work within them!

Everyday Application

1) Why had Timothy traveled to visit the Thessalonians? (verse 6)
Paul had been forced away from Thessalonica before he had finished the work he planned to do there. He was concerned the work of discipling new believers, and helping them grow into mature Christ-followers, would fall apart. He was concerned the Gospel would not flourish or take root in his absence. There are times in our own lives where we share the Gospel with people and don’t have the opportunity to stay and watch it grow. If we travel to a mission field away from home, we will likely need to return home before we can witness the growth and change happening in the hearts of those with whom we shared Jesus. People may briefly be placed in our lives for a short season and then they are no longer part of our everyday life for us to see the Good News take root in their lives. Whatever the case, there will be times where we will obediently plant seeds we may never have the opportunity to see grow. While Paul had the ability to send Timothy to follow up on the Thessalonians, we may not have that same privilege. However, we can take comfort that it is God’s job is to grow the seeds we plant; He will send the right people into the lives of those we share with at just the right time in order to encourage and strengthen them. Conversely, we may be the people fulfilling this specific role after someone else has planted seeds in obedience. Whatever the task, and whoever is around us, our command to share Jesus and invest well never changes! We never know where someone is in their faith journey, but it is always our job to work as God is calling us in the lives of those He places around us. While we are obedient to His call, He will be faithful to accomplish His mission!

2) Why was Paul in distress and affliction? (verse 7)
Paul was no stranger to significant struggle. We see him confronted with it time and again throughout his ministry. However, Paul was willing to accept distress and affliction if it meant the Gospel was advanced. (Philippians 1:12-13) He lived a life exemplifying what it looked like to continuously surrender to Christ no matter the earthly consequences. Paul never allowed affliction to prevent him from sharing the reason for his faith, which is a lesson we all need to learn and put into practice! Persecution, distress, and affliction will come our way if we are committed to following obediently after Jesus. However, it is our choice whether we will be silenced by these struggles or, whether we, like Paul, will choose to share the Gospel regardless of our circumstances. Paul always had a response to the hope he had in the midst of all kinds of persecution. (1 Peter 3:15) The question we must ask ourselves is, do we?

3) Why was Paul experiencing joy? (verse 9)
The genuine joy Paul abundantly experienced resulted from the fruit of the Thessalonians’ actively growing faith in God. While not all was perfect in Thessalonica, the believers there had not abandoned their faith and instead they were maturing in it, despite living in the midst of conflict and persecution. In the same way, our authentic joy comes from knowing God and seeing Him move regardless of the circumstances around us. Joy also flows out of actively engaging in shared biblical community. The Thessalonian believers had not forgotten Paul, just as he had not forgotten them; this shared unity and delight in being mutually invested in one another brought deep, satisfying joy. We cannot live this life alone and the joy Paul and the Thessalonian believers felt speaks to the sense of community we all long for, to be known and loved, both by fellow believers in Jesus and by God Himself. What a delight to know God gives these as gifts to share between all believers and Himself!

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

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 Ready 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.

Sketched VI Day 2 Rhonda: 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 Rhonda!

The Questions

1) What does comfort mean in these verses?

2) Why is affliction for salvation? (verse 6)

3) In light of these verses how should suffering and comfort be viewed?

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

Original Intent

1) What does comfort mean in these verses?
Paul is writing to prepare the Corinthians for the life of a believer, a life in which there will be suffering. Jesus suffered up to the point of death on the cross, Paul suffered in his life as you traveled around teaching and preaching, and he knew suffering was expected for every genuine Christ-follower. If we look ahead to 2 Corinthians 4:8-11, Paul discusses how believers will be persecuted. However, there is also the promise of comfort that overflows. Matthew Henry describes it this way, “In the world they had trouble, but in Christ they had peace. The apostles met with many tribulations, but they found comfort in them all: their sufferings (which are called the sufferings of Christ because Christ sympathized with his members when suffering for His sake) did abound, but their consolation by Christ did abound also.” They were never alone and they had the peace of Christ, this was their comfort.

2) Why is affliction for salvation? (verse 6)
I can imagine the Corinthians read verse 6 and thought Paul had absolutely lost his mind. How could their salvation benefit from their affliction? However, God in His divine plan knew His creation and exactly what they would need. He also knew what lie ahead for them with false teachers and the temptation to fall away from truth. God knew as they leaned into Him there would be comfort and a deepened relationship. Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “All that helps men to endure to the end, helps them to salvation. All that tends to break the spirit and to sink men in despondency, or hurry them into impatience or fear, leads in the opposite direction.”
It also links this suffering and comfort to salvation of others. It says, “If I am afflicted, it is in the interest of your comfort: when you look at me, and see how I bear myself in the sufferings of Christ, you will be encouraged to become imitators of me, even as I am of Him.” The God who specializes in redemption uses painful trials for His glory and expansion of His kingdom. In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul explains how even his imprisonment lead to increased boldness in other believers! Why might this be? Because the cost of following Jesus is always worth it, and the God who loves us, will always redeem evil for good; we can take great comfort in that truth!

3) In light of these verses how should suffering and comfort be viewed?
Paul informs the Corinthians they should know suffering will come, but it comes with the promise of comfort. He also tells them they will be able to comfort others through the same comfort they received. It is an abnormal picture of suffering and comfort and one which doesn’t make sense from a worldly perspective. However, the Corinthians need to look beyond a worldly perspective and to an eternal perspective where God is going to use their suffering and the comfort God provided to love His people and call those who don’t know Him into the fullness of salvation.

Everyday Application

1) What does comfort mean in these verses?
When we place our faith in Jesus we will join with Christ in suffering for Him as we surrender our life to Him, but we will also join with Christ in the peace only He can offer.  The life Jesus calls us to is guaranteed to include difficulty (John 16:33), but His peace is equally guaranteed. This is the comfort Paul is referring to. Comfort doesn’t mean God is going to take away suffering, but He will provide others to walk with us through it. God will give us strength only He can provide. He will place other believers in our lives to walk with us, encourage us, and love us through our struggles, and we always have the hope found only in Jesus. That is the comfort promised to us in our suffering. How have you been comforted lately? How have you extended comfort to others as part of the comfort of Christ?

2) Why is affliction for salvation? (verse 6)
We read that statement as believers and it seems confusing. However, when our life seems to be going according to the plan we think it should and it feels as if everything is perfect, there is a huge temptation to think we can do it all alone. There isn’t as much dependence on God. However, when we are in times of suffering or affliction, we lean into God in a much different way. Our relationship with Him is deepened in ways it never could be aside from affliction. We begin to look more like Jesus as we rely on Him and not on ourselves. Without affliction, we may begin to think we don’t need Jesus when in all reality Jesus is the source of everything we truly need. God also uses how we walk through affliction and suffering to draw others into relationship with Himself. Unbelievers watch how believers walk through trials and the testimony they provide draws others closer to a relationship with Jesus (or prayerfully into relationship with Jesus). Jesus promises affliction when He calls believers to take up their cross in Matthew 16:24 and immediately following in Matthew 16:25, Jesus promises that those who do will gain their life. That is salvation. As Expositor’s Bible Commentary states, “The great service that a true comforter does is to put the strength and courage into us which enable us to take up our cross, however sharp and heavy, and to bear it to the last step and the last breath.” The choice is ours… will we lean into affliction and suffering or try our best to avoid it?

3) In light of these verses how should suffering and comfort be viewed?
Scripture never makes the promise that with Jesus in our lives we will be free of suffering and believers can live a completely comfortable, perfect life. Quite the contrary, Scripture tells us we should be prepared to suffer just as Christ suffered. If the Son of God, the Word of Life, wasn’t exempt from suffering, neither are we. However, we do not suffer alone. Instead, Scripture offers the hope provided in Christ and the promise of His comfort. While in the midst of suffering, it is difficult to see how it will ever be beneficial. Often times, it isn’t until we are on the other side of that suffering we can see how God is using it for His glory. It doesn’t make it easy, but it does give us a hope to cling to. Our suffering will never be in vain!

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

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 Sketched VI 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.

Sketched III, Day 4 Leah The Loved: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Leah The Loved!

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak. 14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

The Questions

1) What is “this treasure” that we have in clay jars, and what are the clay jars?

2) What is Paul trying to get the Corinthians to see in verses 8 and 9?

3) What does “we are being given over to death for Jesus’ sake” mean?

4) What is an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is “this treasure” that we have in clay jars, and what are the clay jars?This treasure that Paul is speaking of is the “light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ” according to verse 6. Basically, it’s the gospel, and the clay jars were the Corinthian believers themselves. They carried the treasure of the gospel within them. In those days, kings would store up their gold and silver in clay jars. It’s said of the King of Persia that he would melt any tribute given to him and pour it into earthen jars simply to break the jars and have a gold or silver mass. The true treasure wasn’t the jar itself, but what it contained. Paul, likewise, is telling the Corinthians that their true treasure wasn’t their bodies, but what their bodies possessed, the knowledge of God’s glory. The treasure of the knowledge of God’s glory is what gave them the power to continue on and share the gospel. The power came from God, not themselves.

2) What is Paul trying to get the Corinthians to see in verses 8 and 9?
Paul had been through a great deal of trials and tribulations to spread the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul tells the Corinthians about his labors, imprisonments, beatings, and all the dangers he had endured for the gospel. In verses 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians 4, Paul uses four examples of things that had happened to him while spreading the knowledge of God’s glory to others. He had been afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. These are all things that happened to his “clay jar”, but his true power came from within, so he was never crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed because of the power of God within him. He was a living, breathing example of God’s power to overcome!

3) What does “we are being given over to death for Jesus’s sake” mean?
The expression used here has the connotation of carrying around a corpse with you everywhere you go. Paul faced death at every turn. He suffered as Jesus had suffered. He even had scars to prove it (Galatians 6:17). Paul was always dying to himself, so that he could live for Jesus. In Galatians 2:20, Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Why did Paul give himself over to death for Jesus’ sake? So that Jesus’ life would be displayed in his life. Death and resurrection. He dies to himself and lived for Christ. No matter what he went through physically, he would glorify Christ because he had the knowledge of the glory of God stored up inside his “clay jar.”

4) What is an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory?
“Absolutely” means there are no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. It is absolute; a sure thing! The word incomparable means “an excess of”. It is the state of having extremely or superlatively more than is necessary. Eternal means never-ending, FOREVER!! Weight is something that is of importance, significance, or dignity bears heavily on the senses or spirits. “Glory” is the manifest presence of God’s infinite and majestic nature. In other words, trials and tribulations produce a sure way to manifest God’s divine nature in a way that is extraordinary and will weigh heavily on all who see it forever.

The Everyday Application

1) What is “this treasure” that we have in clay jars, and what are the clay jars?We, too, have the knowledge of the glory of God, and not only that, but we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. That is our true treasure! Ephesians 1:19-20 tells us that the power that we possess through the Holy Spirit is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. It is so easy in our day and age to be consumed with how our outer vessel looks and forget that our true treasure lies on the inside. God’s Spirit inside of us is what makes us powerful, and I would even argue that He is what truly makes us beautiful!! Our outer body and beauty WILL fade away, but He is eternal. He is there to get us through anything that we might be going through. We are not left on our own. We possess the power of God Himself!

2) What is Paul trying to get the Corinthians to see in verses 8 and 9?
Many of us feel afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, or struck down. Maybe for you it’s a relationship or a job or even that your “clay jar” is sick and making you feel these things. For me, it’s a very rough season of parenting. One of my children was violated by another person close to our family, and one of my children has been dealing with clinical depression and suicidal thoughts. Additionally, my husband and I both have mothers that are single and aging. One is declining physically, while the other is declining mentally. As if that’s not enough, the enemy keeps whispering lies into my ears about how bad of a parent and daughter I am. It feels as though I am being afflicted in every way. BUT GOD!! God within me is greater than he who is in the world. When I’m perplexed, He reminds me that He knows the beginning from the end. When the enemy persecutes me, He reminds me of the truth of who I am in Him. When I feel struck down, He reaches down and picks me up. I can never fix myself or anyone else around me, but Jesus came and fixed everything. The knowledge of His glory is the power that sees me through, and He will see you through, too.

3) What does “we are being given over to death for Jesus’s sake” mean?
It is HARD to die to ourselves in this self-centered world that we live in!! It’s so easy to tell ourselves that we deserve to have our way because our culture tells us that we should. But Christ tells us something very different. In Luke 9:23, He says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” DAILY!! Jesus knew that it would be a minute to minute decision to die to ourselves and live for Him. Why is it important to give ourselves over to death for Christ’s sake? For the same reason it was important for Paul to do the same thing. There are people watching us because we’re different than the world. They are watching to see how we will handle conflict. Watching to see how we will handle heartache. Watching to see how we will handle rejection, loss, persecution, and sickness. They are watching to see Jesus in us. We are the only ones who get to choose if they see us or if they see Him. If we live for ourselves, they may never see Him, but if we die to ourselves and live out of the power that is in us through His Holy Spirit, they will see Him in all His glory!!

4) What is an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory?
Our trials and tribulations are momentary and fleeting, but they offer us a way to glorify God forever to all who are watching. As we go through trials here on earth, they might beat us down emotionally, physically, mentally, and even sometimes spiritually, but if we tap into the power that lies within us, we can glorify God in a way that is incomparable to anything else we could ever do or say. The effects of persevering through this life, dying to ourselves, and living for Christ will have eternal ramifications. When you’re hurting, remember God’s glory, for it will be yours forever in the end. You hold within you the power to change lives for His Kingdom. Keep your eyes fixed on that which is unseen. Walk by faith during those times and not by sight, and you will be a Kingdom shaper!

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into
Sketched III Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion. 
We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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.
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched III!