fellowship

Anchored Day 1 Saints, Apostles, & Brothers

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:1-3
John 17:20-26
Romans 12:1-21

Anchored, Day 1

“Quien son la iglesia?”
He was a quiet man standing before a gathered few, Bible in hand and a passion in his voice that belied his calm persona. His was a new church plant in my city and me, with my meager Spanish, had decided to join them for a Sunday. His question asked, “Who are the church?” In both English and in Spanish, the grammar is incorrect, matching a plural verb with a singular noun. But the audience responded loudly, with a veritable boldness that struck me deeply.

“Nosotros!”
Us.
We are.

No questioning. No pause while the pastor explained what he meant. No exhortation to let the believers gathered there realize they had an identity as Christ’s Body as a whole called Church linking all believers across all culture, tribes, languages, and time through the precious blood of Christ. Simply an immediate response: Nosotros! Us! We are!

To read Scripture is to hear the heartbeat of the triune God as His Spirit breathed out His inspiration to every human author. God, eternally existing in three persons, perpetually delights in beautiful community within Himself. God, the fullness of Him as Father, Son, and Spirit, longs for us to enjoy that same community between fellow believers and with Himself.

Not only is our harmonious unity as believers the very desire of God, He also created our hearts to long for it as well. It’s why we want followers on Instagram and likes on Facebook, while also aching for people to really, truly know us, love us, and walk with us. Relationships, deep, meaningful ones, are important because God designed us for them.

This clear need for genuine community is vividly depicted throughout the pages of Scripture from Eden to Revelation, but Paul’s letters hearken back to this theme of unity within the church again and again on repeat. As Paul opens Colossians, this grand book describing deep mysteries of the triune godhead and the centrality of Christ in all things, he humbly begins in familiar, but fundamental territory: the familial unity of all believers.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Timothy our brother,
To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Colossians 1:1-3)

Paul, an apostle by Christ.
Christ, the very author and original eternal participant of community, willed that Paul would become an apostle to build His kingdom and participate in the riches of biblical community known as Church.

Enter Timothy, our brother.
Not named for his role in the church as pastor, or for his age, or by his abilities, but by his identity as a brother in the sacred fellowship of Church.

Breathtakingly, on this stage of the greatest apostle and his coworker for the gospel, suddenly all believers are welcomed to join them.
Saints and faithful brothers in Christ.

Yes, this letter was originally penned to a fairly small town house church in Colossae, but it also carried instruction to have it read at other churches, broadening the scope of “saints and brothers in Colossae” to include all believers.

All believers.
Saints every one.
Brothers and sisters, each of them.
Each partaking of the other for the mutual benefit of all; Church. (Romans 12:5)

“Quien son la iglesia?”
Who ARE the Church?!

“Nosotros!”
We are!

Paul knew his recipients weren’t blood relatives of Timothy.
He didn’t declare them saints because they had all been baptized or taken communion, followed the ten commandments, or sold their belongings to give to the poor.
The believers were saints and brothers in Christ.

As we dive into this extraordinary letter, we will encounter incredible truths to shape our everyday life, but we must keep it all in the framework of unity within the Body of Christ. The church in Colossae was just a small gathering of believers Paul had only “heard about” from Epaphrus, another pastor Paul had likely trained and discipled from his time in Ephesus (Acts 19:8-10). There were other churches, seemingly more important ones, bigger ones in larger cities Paul had written to also, but this letter to the Colossians was preserved and accepted into the whole of Scripture.

Its truths are deep and applicable to us today.
As we gaze into these mysterious beauties, we must hold up the lens by which it was intended to be seen through, unity within the Church.

“Quien son la iglesia?”
Who ARE the Church?!

“Nosotros!”
We are!

Don’t miss out on Church, Sister!

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Screenshot Day 1 From Religion To Relationship

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 9:9-17
Matthew 5:17-20
Isaiah 1:11-20
Galatians 3:21-29

Screenshot, Day 1

Jesus constantly pushed the boundaries and did things that were socially unacceptable for ‘good’ people to do. He didn’t follow the rules.  He didn’t do what was expected.

Jesus spent time with people I wouldn’t approve of.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the people Jesus hung around.
I wouldn’t want my daughter dating the people that Jesus spent time with.

The people I would approve of, the religious ones who followed the law and the traditions of the church, were the ones Jesus rebuked.

This challenges me!

While the religious leaders were always close by, the disciples Jesus called to follow Him were not the religious elite. They were a motley crew of misfits and rejects (I mean that in the most loving and respectful way possible) who other Rabbis hadn’t wanted to take on as students, or who did not qualify for a good religious education.

When Jesus taught the crowds and performed miracles, it wasn’t the good religious people who were at the front of the line, deserving the focus of the Messiah. It was the oppressed, marginalized, outcaste and rejected of society. Jesus interacted with women and children, the sick and disabled, tax collectors and prostitutes. Sinners.

God gave his people the law to show them his character and holiness, to show them how to have a relationship with the living God, to give them a way to live in tabernacle with the Almighty God.
But they missed the point.

They took the law as a set of rules and set up more rules around the rules.
They invented ‘religion’.

Religion made them feel good about themselves.
They could tick their boxes and make their sacrifices and fulfil their requirements.
They became proud and judgmental, and their hearts became hard.

Then Jesus came along and challenged everything they knew as right and good. He said,
“But go and learn what this means:
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 (NIV)

Jesus went on to explain, you can’t mix the old way of thinking with the new.
You can’t follow the law for salvation, you must have faith in a Savior.
Religion must give way to relationship.

The law was to show us that we cannot rely on ourselves for salvation.
The law shows us we need a Savior.
The law brings us to Jesus.

Our human propensity to develop formulas, follow and obey rules is persistent.
Obeying rules makes us feel good about ourselves.
It also makes us proud and judgmental,
just like the religious leaders who heckled Jesus.

It makes our hearts hard and callous.
We need to hear Jesus’ message loud and clear today,
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice!”

We can’t mix and match the old way with the new. In one short parable Jesus teaches: if you use new cloth to patch an old tear, you make the tear worse. If you put new wine into old wineskins, the wineskins will be ruined, and the wine will be wasted.

We have a couple of thousand years of church tradition to follow. There are many wonderful examples of faith and spiritual discipline, but we can easily turn tradition into formulas to follow and rules to obey.
Jesus calls us into a dynamic, innovative, exciting adventure instead!

I’m a rule follower.
I think I would have been a good Pharisee.
I like knowing what to do and what not to do.
I like knowing where I stand and what the consequences will be.
I have been driving for 30 years, and I have never received a parking or speeding fine.
True story. I find comfort in the rules.

This makes me a terrible passenger!
I can’t cope. I’m constantly distracted, looking to see if we are speeding, changing lanes without indicating, or sneaking through an orange light.
I am filled with anxiety. The road rules have my full attention.

I miss out on appreciating the beautiful scenery.
It’s difficult for me to engage in a good conversation.
I miss out, because I’m focused on the wrong thing.

I’ve been a Christian all of my life and have grown up in church each Sunday. I know what a ‘proper’ service is like, how many hymns should be sung, and how long a good sermon should last. While I’m busy critiquing the service, I miss out.
I notice the drums are too loud…..while missing the words of adoration I should be singing to my King.
I notice someone’s skirt is too short….. while missing out on the look of hurt in their eyes. I’m focused on religion instead of relationship.
I’m holding on to old wineskins, while claiming to want new wine.

Jesus’ ministry shows us what God is like.
He spent time with people who were lost and loved them.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry and loved the lonely.
He wasn’t interested in following the Pharisee’s rules.
Instead, Jesus focused on relationships.
He loved people.

This is a constant challenge for me, and I hope it is an encouragement for you.
Let’s reject the striving for approval, which makes us proud and judgmental.
Together, let’s enjoy an intimate relationship with our loving Savior and nurture a heart that loves one another.

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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 Screenshot 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 Screenshot!

Tabernacle Day 14 Heart Work: 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 Heart work!

The Questions

1) Who is the “we” in this passage?  
 
2) What is John describing in verses 1-4?  

3) What comparison does John make in verses 5-10?

4) What do we learn about our choices in this passage?

1 John 1:1-10

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

Original Intent

1) Who is the “we” in this passage?
From this passage alone, we do not get any indication about who the exact recipients of this letter were or where they were located. Based on the contents of the letter, we know that John is speaking to believers that he knows very well because of the way he addresses them. (1 John 2:1) We also know there are issues of false teaching from within the Christian community plaguing this congregation. (1 John 2:18-19) 

2) What is John describing in verses 1-4?
John is telling his readers he has had first hand knowledge of Jesus. He saw Him, he touched Him, and he is now testifying about what he experienced. He is an eye witness of the life of Jesus and now professes these real-life truths so that others may come to know Him and fellowship in the body. (1 John 1:3) 

3) What comparison does John make in verses 5-10?
John uses the comparison of light and dark. This is a similar analogy he makes in the Gospel of John. In his comparison, God is light and the opposite of light is darkness, which is separation from God or that which stands in opposition to God.  

4) What do we learn about our choices in this passage?
John makes it very clear to the reader we have choice in the matter of light and dark. He says we choose to walk in the light or we choose to walk in the dark. If we choose light, “we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” If we choose darkness, we have no truth in us and we are liars. This is, according to John, the most simple form of the gospel, we either follow in light or we walk in darkness.  

Everyday Application

1) Who is the “we” in this passage? 
The exact audience of this passage is not known but as we read this today, the words of John are still just as true, therefore, John’s words serve as a wake-up call for all believers. When we witness and experience God’s greatness and walk in His light, we have fellowship with one another and put Him on display. The “we” in this passage could be defined as every person who aligns themselves with Christ.  

2) What is John describing in verses 1-4? 
John says in sharing His life-experience with Christ, his joy is made complete by watching others share in the same faith. We may not have seen Christ on this Earth, but we see His power every day and have opportunities to testify about the eternal life found in Him. John told his story, which is exactly what God is asking of us, to tell our story- His story- in our life. If you are interested in sharing that story of His transformation, consider encouraging other women by writing it out and letting God use it to reach others! Contact Dee at facesofgrace@gracefullytruthful.com for more info!  

3) What comparison does John make in verses 5-10?
We recognize light and dark. It is obvious when we walk into a dark house or a dark room just how overwhelming that darkness can be. Darkness plays tricks on our mind about what and who is in the room. When we can’t see the “truth” of the room, navigating through it is extremely difficult. One flip of a switch and the room illuminates, the truth of the what and who is in the room becomes obvious. John uses this light and dark illustration to make clear how God illuminates the dark spots of our heart; where God is, darkness cannot exist. When we confess our darkness before Him, the light floods just as if a switch had been flipped. “I once was blind, but now I see.” God’s truth, His light, His forgiveness, all bring fellowship and restoration to the hurting, dark spots of our life.  

4) What do we learn about our choices in this passage?
As a believer, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we must daily choose light. The shame of an un-righteous past, the brokenness of relationships, or the lure of addiction are no match for the power of God in our life. There is no darkness and no sin so great that God’s light cannot overcome. Choosing to put the darkness of our life before Him once and for all allow us to be transformed a little bit more into His perfect, beautiful likeness as we are refined by His truth. Darkness is pervasive, it is also a liar. It comes from the Father of Lies who stands in opposition to God and wants darkness to stay. Yet, God is faithful, even in our darkness, to be a beacon of light leading us into eternal relationship with Him.  

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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!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Tabernacle Week Three!
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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 :-))

Memorize It!

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The GT Weekend – Remade Week 3

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The GT Weekend

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

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) There’s no one right way to be a follower of Jesus. We aren’t cookies cut out of the same mold in our expression of love back to Him. How does this change your view of the “rules” or legalistic tendencies of humans?

2) Write out the following and post it somewhere you will see it easily.

God told us to do two things. Love Him and love others.
If we are doing those two things, then we are living in His will!

3) Are you struggling to move forward in anything? Turn it over to the Lord and be blown away by the place He leads you into next!

Worship In Song

Music Video: Elevation Worship’s “Resurrecting”

Pour Out Your Heart

Father, I sin against You often, yet You take me back into Your presence. I turn back to me leading the way instead of listening for Your gentle whisper. Forgive me Father, take that from me and renew my mind.

Lord, You are in the business of restoration and redemption; not condemnation and separation. Draw me closer to You, let me not be fearful of stepping in your presence before I try to fix all the broken things in my life.
Let me be remade by Your Spirit.

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
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Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

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What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
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