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Advent Day 4 Until: 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 Until!

The Questions

1) What is being referenced by blazing fire, darkness, gloom, storm, trumpets and words? (verses 18-21)

2) What does the opposing imagery represent in verses 22-24?

3) How does the author urge his audience to respond and why? (verses 25-29)

Hebrews 12:18-29

For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20 for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear. 22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven. 26 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Original Intent

1) What is being referenced by blazing fire, darkness, gloom, storm, trumpets and words? (verses 18-21)
The Hebrew audience would have instantly associated the apostle’s dark description with the imagery of Mount Sinai. Ringing in their ears would have been every story they’d heard and every Hebraic character from scrolls they’d studied since boyhood about Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Sinai. Here was the core pillar of the Jewish faith, this was the Lord’s proof of His covenant as evidenced by His commandments. The sky was dark and heavy with clouds, thunder boomed, lightening flashed, and though they technically could touch the mountain, death awaited all who dared. (Exodus 19:12-13) Only Moses and Aaron had permission to go up the mountain of God. (Exodus 19:20, 24) The fear of the Lord and His awe-full presence was too much for the people to bear, even Moses testified, “I am trembling with fear.” (Hebrews 12:21) Likely for some in the audience, their response to the apostle’s words would have been visceral with chills and a physical pulling back; such was the power of the images evoked by this description. Yes, God Almighty had humbled Himself even then to come down to His people, but so thick, heavy, and terrifying was His presence that truly drawing near without an advocate was impossible.

2) What does the opposing imagery represent in verses 22-24?
The author skillfully turns the audience’s eye from the base of one mountain to another. The drastic scenery change between Sinai and Zion is a shift the first hearers could sense with their whole selves. Zion was the place of perfection. As heavy and terrifying as Sinai, Zion surpassed these concepts with the overwhelmingly freeing sense of finally living peaceably; to live in Zion is to live at home for God dwelt there. Zion was the great reward, the longing of every heart, for here, peace flourished and love made its home. Even in the Old Testament, which again, the first audience would have been keenly familiar with, Zion was lush with welcome. This was no cotton-candy sweet place to visit, neither was this a tragedy-doomed utopian dream, Zion was steadfastly and assuredly perfect because Righteousness Himself lived there and only the righteous could dwell securely with Him. The Old Testament rings of the enthralling, eternal loveliness of Zion. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “…the Lord of Armies who dwells on Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 8:18) Ancient worship leader, Korah, described Zion as the Lord’s “Holy mountain, rising splendidly, (as) the joy of the whole earth.” (Psalm 48:2) To be in Zion was to live alongside the deepest joys and impenetrable securities for all eternity. It’s beauty and might reflected the God who embodied it and gave Himself to its citizens forever with the greatest delight, “Go around Zion, encircle it; count its towers, note its ramparts; tour its citadels so that you can tell a future generation: “This God, our God forever and ever—He will always lead us.” (Psalm 48:12-14)

3) How does the author urge his audience to respond and why? (verses 25-29)
Sinai’s terror of the Old Covenant with its law keeping and constant animal bloodshed to offer payment for perpetual sinfulness of God’s people is made plain under the disciple’s pen. So also, the glorious freedom of Zion’s beauty radiates with grand invitation and stunning aura as the author continues his description, but then he pivots our attention to the weightiness of our own decision. Centuries before, as Israel prepared to finally cross over from desert wanderings into their long-awaited Promised Land, their leader Moses declared, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For He is your life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) In much the same fashion, the author of Hebrews urged his audience to refuse to reject what had been set before them. “See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they (ancient Israel) did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from Him (God) who warns us from heaven.” (verse 25) Life and death are again set before the author’s hearers and the choice is given, will they accept the gift of Christ’s forgiveness and dwell in Zion or will they remain under the shadow of death at Mt. Sinai where every sin must be paid in full on their own, which is utterly impossible.

Everyday Application

1) What is being referenced by blazing fire, darkness, gloom, storm, trumpets and words? (verses 18-21)
Today, regardless of culture or location, we simply do not have the same physical response or drastic images playing in our mind’s eye when we read these words in Hebrews. We don’t live in the period of animal sacrifice, we didn’t wander the desert with Moses, we didn’t see the Red Sea waters part, or smell the acrid smoke that surrounded the Hebrew camp of newly-freed slaves as God Almighty descended on Mt. Sinai. We simply read some words and wonder at their curious description. Let’s not pass up this opportunity to slow down and learn from these ancient Hebrew people of how they viewed God with awe. Precisely because we are don’t share their visual experiences, we much too easily dismiss the authority and all-consuming power of the Lord God. When we worship on Sundays, do we ever consider the One to Whom we sing as holding all power and authority, or are we simply waiting for an emotion strong enough to make us raise our hands? God is absolutely unchanging. Though we understand more of His tender heart through the whole of Old and New Testaments, His awesome sovereignty and authority are no less abated simply because Christ came as a helpless infant with silky skin and trembling lips. Considering the absolute magnitude of His unfathomable glory should make us bow with ever deepening awe and reverence as we dare cast our eyes to the Babe in the manger. God displayed a sliver of His glory to Moses, Aaron and the Hebrews gathered at the base of Mount Sinai. (Hebrews 12:29) Let’s gasp together that this same I AM has already come as a wholly divine, wholly human infant and will one day come again as Lord of Lords to once and for all bring His beloved Church Home.

2) What does the opposing imagery represent in verses 22-24?
None who dwelled in Zion experienced lack, grief, shame, or fear because the very same God of Sinai inhabited Zion. “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home: “This is My resting place forever; I will make My home here because I have desired it. I will abundantly bless its food; I will satisfy its needy with bread. I will clothe its priests with salvation, and its faithful people will shout for joy.” (Psalm 132:13-16) Was there an enormous distinction between the two images of Sinai and Zion? Assuredly, yes, this stark difference is emphasized by Hebrews’ author. Yet, also inherently underscored is the reality that the God of Sinai was also the God of Zion. The difference is that peace with His people had been made. No longer did the dread of perfectly keeping God’s commands hang over them while sin plagued them on all sides, for sin had been slain and righteousness had been perfectly purchased, making peace with God available to all. Those who accepted this peace, were cleansed by the precious blood payment of God Himself and welcomed to Zion’s embrace forever. Zion, with its Heavenly city of Jerusalem, myriads of angels, every redeemed saint, and God’s glorious presence results in the grandest “festive gathering” of all peoples and nations. (verses 22-24) This is Heaven, the great reward of Home for all who trust Christ as Savior and Forgiver from sin.

3) How does the author urge his audience to respond and why? (verses 25-29)
Through the scrolling ink marks of a disciple whose bones have long since returned to dust, yet whose soul, even now, rejoices in dwelling in the presence of the Most High God, the Lord God reaches through history to personally plead with you and I. Which mountain will be your Home? Sinai, representing judgment for every sin and eternal death to pay the consequence for that sin, which each of us have committed, is the default homeland for every human being. Let that sink in. Default. Homeland. Yet, wondrously, Zion is available to all. (Colossians 1:13-14) The payment for sin has been made through Christ the Righteous One as He took our death punishment upon Himself at the cross, then proved His victory over it by rising from His own deathbed three days later. He is the entrance doorway to Zion’s delight, for He longs to make His home with us! (John 10:9) Hear the pleadings of an ancient author, see the love of God who sacrificed Himself for you, repent from your sin, accepting His grace-filled forgiveness, and come Home to Zion! When we surrender our lives to Christ, His Spirit indwells us as He comes to live with us. (Romans 8:9) But this glory is merely a down payment of the Zion yet to come. (Ephesians 1:14) One day, with gloriously resurrected bodies, all who have trusted Christ will rise from the grave as the Holy Jerusalem is inhabited in the new Heaven and the new earth and so we will be with the Lord forever! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Sister, choose this day whom you will serve!

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

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 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.

The GT Weekend Worship IX 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!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Jesus said, “…True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23) Does that make you wonder if there are “fake” worshippers? Looking at Scripture, I would say yes. In Monday’s Journey Study we saw that worshipping in spirit means we are tuned into and obeying the Holy Spirit living within us. Worshipping in truth means our adoration flows out of knowing His Word and His identity as the unchanging One True God.  Consider some ways you can sharpen your ears to hear from the Holy Spirit? How might you begin putting these into practice starting this weekend? Another side to truth is intention. Worship cannot be like a cloak, used to cover the stain of our sin. We must truly be cleansed to be considered true worshippers. Have there been times when you were a “fake” worshipper? What steps did you take to return to the heart of true worship? What are some ways you can move worship from just “Sunday mornings during church” to the everyday moments of your life? Revisit the Journey Theme Character to remind yourself of the character of the God we serve and worship. Journal something new you learn about God, or are especially thankful for, each day this next week!

2) Did you know that many worship songs are based on Scripture? Does anyone else besides me pause at a passage or verse and start singing the associated song? Brenda taught us that even though songs can tug at our emotions, the most powerful songs are those which sing Scripture back to God. What better way to worship Him than to echo His words? Journal the names of some songs that are based on Scripture, adding the passage or verse and why it resonates with you. A beautiful aspect of worship is how it boasts about God. Who better to boast about?! King David even realized this when he wrote in Psalm 5:11, “…may those who love Your name boast about You”. Spend time this weekend looking up some of God’s promises. How do they spur you on to boast about Him? Recall some hard situations God has seen you through. If you haven’t boasted about His goodness and faithfulness to you during those times, use this weekend to do just that.

3) In Friday’s journey, Paula took us on a stunning journey through the Old Testament, pointing out “I AM” in many chapters and stories. We’re then transported to the New Testament where I AM came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Christ. If we worship Him for nothing else, this would be a sufficient reason. But even more so, He not only dwelt among us, but also redeemed us by taking our place as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. Revelation 5 tells us all of Heaven will worship the Lamb. Can you think of anything better than focusing your worship on God? Revisit Worship VII, which focuses on God’s wondrous glory! Pick one day from each week of Worship VII (or more if you’re feeling ambitious!) and journal your thoughts on that day’s topic.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I think of the song that talks about “going back to the heart of worship”. I confess the times I’ve made worship about me and my preferences. Only true worship focuses on You because it’s about You in every aspect. I pray I can focus on Your unchanging character so I’m always mindful of how holy, great, and deserving You are of all my worship. May I remember Your faithfulness toward me even in the face of my unfaithfulness. As I live my daily life, I want others to see me worshipping You by the things I do and say, in the small choices and the big ones. Let my internal thoughts also contribute to a lifestyle of worship for You desire truth in every inmost place. (Psalm 51:6) You, God, are the One True God who has redeemed me from all my rebellious sin. I will worship You in spirit and truth because only You are worthy of that kind of whole-life praise.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship IX Day 15 The God Who Is

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3
Exodus 34:4-9
Isaiah 57:15-20
Colossians 1:3-23
Revelation 5

Worship IX, Day 15

It was a quid pro quo arrangement with God.
My part was excellence on all points in Christian living;
His was to deliver my version of the blessed and beautiful Christian life.

Despite my quest for perfect performance, my only consistent accomplishment was failure. I was caught in a self-defeating, self-inflicted trap. My expectations and reality were worlds apart, resulting in a brutal head-on collision. I slumped in the wreckage of disappointment, a casualty of my own deception. Had I misunderstood Him; did I even truly know Him?

My disillusionment led me to Scripture, where I encountered the tender, yet terrifying God Who Is. 

I found God reveals Himself in seemingly-opposing ways.
He honors humans with intimate friendship, yet acts independently,
delineating His realm of existence; we are creatures, He is Creator.
In divine wisdom, He takes action, reinstating order where humans create chaos,
all the while working out His redemptive plan for humanity.

The Creator “walk[ed] in the garden at the time of the evening breeze” with Adam and Eve in Eden. (Genesis 3:8)
He also banished them from Eden following their rebellion. (Genesis 3:22-24)

In Noah, He confided His regret in creating mankind, and His plan to decimate creation with a deluge, restarting with Noah and his family. He dictated instructions for their ark of rescue, then proceeded with the deluge. (Genesis 6, 7, 8, 9)

He chose a pagan named Abram, renamed him Abraham, and honored him with covenants and promises. God called Abraham His friend, yet clearly illustrated to Abraham that his Friend was the Divine Power. God made shocking demands of Abraham, yet in the process, sketched His overarching plan for humanity’s redemption. (Learn more about Abraham in Genesis 11-25)

He shepherded Abraham’s descendants through multiple generations, revealing Himself by the name “I AM” to Moses, and honoring Moses with the first character description of Himself. (Exodus 3) Once again, when the evil of mankind had reached His limits, “I AM” stepped in, restoring order, wielding judgement, and delivering Israel by His bared, holy arm. (Learn more about God’s rescue of Israel in Exodus 1-14)

“I AM” guided Israel by a pillar of cloud and fire, protected them, and established them as a nation. He called men and women who followed Him for bold missions, feats of valor, and fearless preaching. Prophets foretold “I AM” would come in human form. His mission would be to redeem fallen humanity. (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

Weathered sages scratched truth-filled messages and prophetic visions onto sacred scrolls. Once again, they told of “I AM,” Who seeks tender friendship with mankind, yet, remains “in a high and holy place.” (Isaiah 57:15)

He speaks comfort, extends lovingkindness, and powerfully protects. (Isaiah 41:8-11)
In the same breath, He holds mankind accountable for their choices. Once again, “I AM” emblazons the distinction between mankind and Himself. (Isaiah 40–41)

All the while, “I AM” is weaving together our redemption, revealing with uncanny clarity His jaw-dropping plan to redeem mankind by coming in human form as their Passover Lamb. (Isaiah 53)

Prophetic words came true; “I AM” arrived as “God with us.”
The Holy Spirit divinely fathered Jesus in Mary’s womb. (Matthew 1:18-23)
He lived a common, yet wholly uncommon life; fully human, fully God. Jesus championed authentic religion marked by ongoing compassion for the helpless and hopeless while offending the elite with truth. He revealed His divine power and identity simply to undergird the tenderly flowering faith of His followers and underscore His bold assertions, He was eternity’s “I AM” in human form.

He was “I AM” submitting to the slashing whip and criminal’s crucifixion.
God, slaughtered as the unblemished Passover Lamb. (Matthew 26-27)

“I AM,” “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth” (Exodus 34:6), so accessible and relatable— so killable. He was born to die, all while remaining God and conquering death. Resurrection Day both seals and celebrates His resounding victory! (Matthew 28)

Following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, His disciples were freshly empowered by the truth and His indwelling Holy Spirit. (Acts 2) So, they turned the world upside-down with the gospel. In a stunning vision, the aging Apostle John received a glimpse into Heaven’s throne-room where his Friend awaits. It was Him! Israel’s Passover Lamb; Judah’s warring Lion; his Friend, Jesus of Nazareth, the Great “I AM”! (Learn more about John’s vision in the book of Revelation)

Dwelling in holy friendship with such other-worldly majesty—how can it be?  What does He want with us?

Simply, He wants us.
The stunning truth is that dwelling amidst His holy thunder, communing with “I AM” as Friend with friend, is a reality available to all who are unafraid to press in and follow Him in trusting obedience. (Isaiah 57:15-21, Micah 4:1-8, James 4:4-10)

We will never understand Him; He is incomprehensible.

We will never grasp the magnificent condescension of His redemptive work on our behalf.  However, like the heavenly throng, the unnerving eye-covered creatures and the Apostle himself, we too can gaze transfixed upon the Victorious Lamb, joining the unending chorus, crying, “Blessing and honor and glory and power [. . . ] be to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelation 5: 9-14)

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Worship IX Day 11 Spirit & Truth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 4:19-26
1 Samuel 15:20-25
Isaiah 1:11-21

Worship IX, Day 11

Worship is a lifestyle.
It is not just a Sunday act, but an everyday practice.
It is not just the status of being in awe for a few moments, but a lifetime habit.

The Bible teaches us to worship God in Spirit and Truth. (John 4:23)
What does it mean to obey this instruction? Let’s study God’s Word together and find out!

First, we can never truly worship a God we do not know.

I love Moses’ first encounter with God in the wilderness. He asked God about Who He is, before following Him and serving as God’s voice and hands in the rescue of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 3:13-18) Moses’ act was reasonable, born of a sincere desire to know the One he would be obeying and surrendering his life for. God answered Moses’ question by explaining, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14), referring to His unchanging character. Moses could follow the great I Am with confidence because He had revealed Himself to Moses.

Similarly, as present-day worshippers, it is important for us to know the God we worship. The more deeply we know Him, the more “we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,” (Hebrews 12:28); our everyday lives become offerings of worship that will be pleasing in His sight. Let’s pursue His heart in prayer, learn of His character through studying His Word, and respond by worshipping in spirit and in truth.

. . . in spirit and in truth. What does this phrase mean in real life?

  1. Worship God in spirit
    We can begin by acknowledging that along with our physical bodies, we have been created with spirits longing to connect with God. (Genesis 1:26-27, John 4:24)

More than our physical gestures, God longs for us to worship Him in spirit, because it involves the very core of our identities. Worship from our spirit flows from the bottom of our hearts, sincerely adoring the goodness of God and acknowledging He is enough. Worship in spirit doesn’t follow a prescribed order of service for a few minutes Sunday morning, or move through the motions of all the “religious things”. Rather, true worship offers our spirits to enter into deep communion with Him, transforming every little act of our lives into lavish acts of worship. Even mundane tasks like eating and drinking are now beautiful worship; this is worshipping in spirit every day! 

This worship in spirit is a natural response to His Holy Spirit who lives within every believer as described by Jesus in John 15:26. Through the Holy Spirit, we are better able to know and experience the God we worship.

  1. Worship God in truth.
    As we’ve discussed, it is important to know the God we are worshipping: the one true, authentic God. Our worship will not be sincere if we merely pay lip service to an unknown deity. Remember, we are not pretending when we worship; instead, worshipping in truth means being confident God is THE truth, and His Word is true.

When our worship overflows from revelation of the Lord we receive through His Word, our worship is not only sincere adoration, but also rooted in truth. Based on Scripture, we learn that a lifestyle of worship is found in following Jesus’ example and instruction to live in wholehearted pursuit of God and of the lost. (1 John 2:3-6)

When Jesus came to earth, He removed the condemnation of the law over our
lives. We are no longer slaves to sin and we are freed by His blood which offers us forgiveness! (Romans 6:6-11) Jesus has torn the veil between God and us so we can freely worship God, not just through traditions, but in spirit and truth, just as it says in John 4:23,
“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.“

So sisters, let us come to know the fullness of God by reading His Word and being taught by His Spirit. May we lead lives of worship with full confidence He will accept us, and our offerings of worship, because Jesus has made a way to bridge the gap between us and God!

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

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Terrain Day 9 Bethlehem & Nazareth: Digging Deeper

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Terrain Day 9 Bethlehem & Nazareth: Digging Deeper

Marietta Taylor

August 12, 2021

Faithfulness,Fruitfulness,Gift,God,Jesus,Life,Mercy,Salvation,Treasure,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Bethlehem & Nazareth"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:22-35

22 The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat. They also saw that Jesus had not boarded the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone. 23 Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why were the people looking for Jesus? (verse 25)

The events in this passage take place just after Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with a young boy’s “five barley loaves and two fish”. (John 6:1-13)

The people were determined to make Jesus king over them and had spent the night and part of the morning looking for him. They knew Jesus did not leave in the boat with his disciples and were confused about how he got to the other side. According to the Bridgewater Bible Commentary, “the people wanted him to be king not because they felt any spiritual need, but because they thought he had magical powers that could supply all their daily needs.”

Jesus had done a great sign pointing to Himself as the long-awaited Messiah. But the “ people missed it. In John Piper’s sermon, “Do Not Labor For the Food That Perishes”, he states, “What they did was fixate on the product of the miracle, not the person of the miracle. And so the sign ceased to be a sign for them.”

How tragic to be graced with the wonder of the Messiah you’ve read about all your life only to singularly focus on the wonders done by the Messiah. Would that they were more like the shepherds in the field who simply worshipped Jesus, the Messiah when he was born.

The Everyday Application

1) Why were the people looking for Jesus? (verse 25)

We often read the Bible and criticize the Israelites. But aren’t we often guilty of the same things we fault them for? I can raise my hand here because sometimes I seek the gift more than the Giver. I anticipate the treasure from God more than the treasure that is God. There is even false doctrine that is centered on this very concept. It has fooled many people into the same thinking the Israelites had.

But unlike them, we should be like the Psalmist who praises God and thanks Him for who He is, thereby pleasing God. As believers, we should always check our motivations. David Guzak instructs, “Often we can learn more from understanding the reason we ask God a question than from the answer to the question itself.”

Let us make a daily habit of determining if our desire is for the Lord or for what He can provide. May it be that our heart echoes King David’s in Psalm 27:4.

The Original Intent

2) What is the difference between “the works of God” in verse 28 and “the work of God” in verse 29?

When Jesus told the people to work for spiritual food instead of food that perishes (Verse 27), they were still focused on how they might get what they were looking for. Enduring Word Commentary explains their response as “Just tell us what to do so we can get what we want from You. We want Your miracle bread and for You to be our Miracle King; tell us what to do to get it.” The works of God to them was a checklist that, when completed, would result in the reward Jesus spoke of.

“The work of God” Jesus refers to is not work at all. Eternal life was not something they could work for. Romans 6:23 boldly proclaims, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You can’t work for a gift. It’s freely given. The work of God was “simply believe in Him that God sent.” One verse that sums it up is John 3:16, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 

The Jesus they were conversing with was offering Himself, the Son of God, the work of God. All they needed to do was believe in Him. Not His works, Him. Jesus was ready and willing. But again, they missed it because they misunderstood who He was.

The Everyday Application

2) What is the difference between “the works of God” in verse 28 and “the work of God” in verse 29?

Works based salvation is the idea of our salvation being tied to works. If one were to believe this you would be embroiled daily in a list of “the works of God” you need to do so that you can “earn” eternal life. This is not how you gain salvation. There is one way to be saved, Ephesians 2:8-9 says it best. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” 

We are saved by faith in Jesus’ redeeming work on the cross, “the work of God”. There is no set of tasks we can do, no amount of good deeds we can perform that will allow our names to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is by faith alone, in Christ alone. The second part of this is that when we are saved, we begin a new life.

This life, Ephesians 2:10 tells us, will include good works, not for salvation, but as the fruit of faith in Christ. Even after we are saved, we can get caught up in doing works because we think God will love us more. God loves us the most already. God loved us and Christ died for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) There’s not much more love than that! One way we can keep ourselves grounded in “the work of God”, is to daily acknowledge God as the source of our salvation while also asking Him to lead us to the good works He has planned for us. God will never steer us wrong!

The Original Intent

3) What does the statement in verse 35, “I am the bread of life” tell us about Jesus?

I am. God reveals himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 with the title, “I AM WHO I AM’. And Jesus starts this statement declaring He is God, I AM. He was the Word walking around in flesh, dwelling with the people (John 1:14) But Jesus also gets specific.

In response to the Israelites reminiscing about the manna “Moses” gave to fulfill their hungry bellies, Jesus let them know God was concerned with providing for their spiritual hunger, by giving bread from heaven. “The true bread from heaven gives eternal spiritual nourishment. It is infinitely superior to the manna provided in Moses’ day, which met only physical needs.” (Global Study Bible) Jesus that bred from heaven, the Bread of Life. 

This “I am” statement tells us that Jesus is loving and merciful. Only a loving God would provide salvation for such sinful, selfish, self-centered people. We also learn that Jesus is sufficient  to provide what the people needed, even though they didn’t realize what that was. Jesus, the Messiah, willing to be “poured out like water”, thirst, and be pierced for their sins so that they could have eternal life (Psalm 22:14-18) What a Savior!

The Everyday Application

3) What does the statement in verse 35, “I am the bread of life” tell us about Jesus?

On this side of the cross, we know that Jesus is the Messiah. We have the Gospel accounts and the story of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. But there are still things to learn from verse 35. Christ is our satisfaction. There are so many opportunities for “pleasure” as the world defines it. We can indulge in as much or as little as we want. Not all of it is bad, but one thing is universally true. Nothing we engage in will keep our appetites quenched. 

Chuck Smith puts it this way: “…though a person pursues after the pleasures, the excitements, the thrills of the world, one thing about them is that they’re just not lasting. It isn’t long before you’re thirsting again. But Jesus said, “I’m the bread of heaven. God has sent Me. And if you eat of Me you’ll never hunger again, and if you believe in Me you’ll never thirst again.” What glorious good news!” Glorious indeed! We also learn Jesus is our refreshment.

In the blazing summer heat, a cool drink of water is so refreshing. It makes us feel revived. Jesus is our perpetual source of refreshment. No matter what the situation, when we feel the heat, He is available to refresh and restore us. (Revelation 21:6-7) He is the One who will never forget or forsake us.

Be prepared for those times when it feels like life has turned up the heat and you’re fading fast. Have your list of Scripture verses ready to draw upon. Think back on all the times God has sustained you. The Lord will refresh you. He will be all you need.

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Terrain Day 8
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Come journey with me as we navigate the rough terrain Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born! (Luke 2:1-7) Are you ready to unpack the wonderful nuggets God is going to share with us? Let’s go!

Imagine the hot, humid climate of Israel. You’ll need plenty of water on this trip. (Here’s where being a camel would be great, haha!)

Feel the sun on your back. The sizzle of the water as it touches your lips, and the refreshing relief it brings! You’ll also need to pack bread and oil for your meals. Just take the clothes on your back, traveling light is a necessity in these parts. I think that’s everything on my travel list. Wait, the donkey . . . ok, check!
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If Day 2 One God?: Digging Deeper

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If Day 2 One God?: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

July 13, 2021

Blessed,Digging Deeper,Dwell,Fullness,God,Holy Spirit,Jesus,Truth

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "One God?"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:13-22

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him…
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How is Jesus the “firstborn over all creation”? (verse 15)

Colossians 1:15 states Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” The use of the term firstborn has been problematic for some readers. It would seem to indicate that Jesus was created first, implying He is a created being, similar to an angel, and not co-existent with God before time began.

According to author Arthur Peake, “there have been some false doctrines who assert that “angelic mediators usurped the place and functions of the Son in nature and grace.”

Author David Guzik explains, “The Greek word for firstborn, prototokos, “can describe either priority in time or supremacy in rank. As Paul used it here, he probably had both ideas in mind, with Jesus being before all created things and Jesus being of a supremely different order than all created things.”

Calling Jesus firstborn in the original language was a way to describe Him as being above all, not born or created first. There are several other Scriptural instances of the term firstborn to indicate exalted state or rank, including God telling Pharaoh that Israel is His firstborn son (Exodus 4:22) and God calling David, Jesse’s youngest son, His firstborn, “greatest of the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 89:27)

Author William Barclay also points out that the word firstborn is “a title of the Messiah.” The Bible tells us clearly that Jesus is God, not just an angel or some other marvelously created being. Colossians 2:9 declares, “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ.”

We can be secure in knowing that the Jesus who came to save us (John 14:6) is the same God who created all things (Colossians 1:16).

The Everyday Application

1) How is Jesus the “firstborn over all creation”? (verse 15)

When Paul called Jesus “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,” (Colossians 1:15), he was declaring Christ’s supremacy over all things God (as Father, Son, and Spirit) had created. It was part of his teaching about the power and purpose of Jesus on earth.

Jesus is our Creator, and He desires to help His creatures. Paul reminds us that Jesus is not just a great moral leader created by God, as some false teachings suggest, but that He is Almighty God Himself, one part of the triune Godhead.

Author R.C. Sproul says of Jesus, “We are called not simply to follow His guidelines but to throw ourselves at His feet in adoration and praise. Consequently, if we want others to have a proper view of the Messiah, then we need to be careful and always speak of Him as God incarnate, who rules over all.”

This is why Paul declares Jesus to be pre-eminent over all things. Paul’s message to anyone who will listen is that the omnipotent God, because of His great love for us, came to earth as our Redeemer and covered our sins. (Colossians 1:14)

It is astonishing to realize that the God over all creation longs to be in relationship with the finite, sinful beings He created and for them to each be reconciled back to Him! (Colossians 1:22)

The Original Intent

2) What does it mean that God is “before all things, and by Him all things hold together”? (verse 17)

We read in Colossians 1:17 that God “is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.” If God is before all things, then He existed before creation. We read the truth of this in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Before the beginning, there was God. The “beginning” was when time began!

Author and researcher Ken Ham explains that before the creation, there was “God existing from everlasting to everlasting—God existing in eternity.” God was there, before all things, being “I AM” (Isaiah 48:12) He also holds all things together.

Author Albert Barnes states that God keeps all things “in the present state; their existence, order, and arrangement are continued by His power. If unsupported by Him, they would fall into disorder, or sink back to nothing.” Hebrews 1:3 makes a similar statement, that God “is sustaining all things by His powerful word.”

As author James Coffman puts it, “Not only did Jesus Christ create the universe, He sustains, upholds, and supports it!” God is the Author of all things and the maintainer of all things. Without Him, we would have nothing, and without Him, nothing we do have would hold together. We are divinely blessed that not only did God create everything, but He also continues to support everything He made.

The Everyday Application

2) What does it mean that God is “before all things, and by Him all things hold together”? (verse 17)

My friend taught at a school where the longtime secretary retired at the end of the school year. The next school year was quite chaotic for my friend because folks in the office didn’t seem to know what to do, or when to do it. The teachers received last minute requests to submit paperwork, schedules were revised multiple times, and annual events were forgotten or cobbled together at the eleventh hour. When the secretary who held the office together retired, everything fell apart! I think of this situation when I read Colossians 1:17, stating that God “is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

Not only did God create everything, but He holds it all together in ways we don’t even suspect or understand.  If He suddenly stopped holding things together, nothing would be the same and everything would come crashing down. 

David Guzik describes Jesus as “the personal sustainer of all creation.” Not only does He hold all things together, but the verse also says He is before all things. I have sometimes wondered about that time before creation, before God spoke the world into being. Author Adam Clarke calls Jesus “the unoriginated and eternal God.” He is outside of time as we understand it. 

R.C. Sproul proclaims that God’s “Eternality goes in the other direction as well. There will never be a time in the future when God will cease to be. His being remains self-existent for all eternity.” It is both awe-inspiring and comforting to know that the eternal God is the One sustaining all creation, including you and me and all whom we hold dear.

The Original Intent

3) What does it mean that Jesus is the “beginning, the firstborn from the dead”? (verse 18) 

When Paul called Jesus “the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” in Colossians 1:18, he was referencing Christ’s resurrection. Calling Jesus the “firstborn” was a way to say that He was pre-eminent, the highest of those ever to come back from the dead. He obviously didn’t mean he was the first to come back from the dead, because Jesus Himself had raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11:42-44.

Author Don Stewart explains, “Jesus was the first person in time to come back from the dead never to die again. In addition, He is preeminent over the dead and death itself. Jesus said that He has the keys, or the authority, to death and Hades.”

Paul alludes to Jesus’ resurrection, but He also refers to a beginning, a new age, ushered in by the resurrection. R. C. Sproul explains that people redeemed by Jesus “now experience a taste of the power of the age to come through the ability to resist sin by the Holy Spirit. This future age will arrive in its fullness when all are raised from the dead, and our union with Christ assures us that we will then be raised unto eternal life just as He was.” The resurrection of Jesus points to the day when all Christians will have eternal life with Christ. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

The Everyday Application

3) What does it mean that Jesus is the “beginning, the firstborn from the dead”? (verse 18) 

I bought a book for my friend about the names of God because he liked to pray using the various names given to God in the Bible. The cover featured Immanuel, which means “God with us,” Jehovah Jireh, “God provides,” Prince of Peace, and Light of the World, among others. Nowhere on the cover did I see the name Firstborn From the Dead, though that is one of the names of Jesus in Colossians 1:18.

It doesn’t sound as dazzling as Alpha and Omega, but the meaning behind it is just as powerful. The name firstborn indicates that Jesus is above all and over all, and in this case, it means He has power over death. He is the only one to come back from the dead and not die again.

Author Scott Hubbard explains, “Only Jesus, the second Adam, has gone from dust to dust to glory. Jesus is the first human to have a heart that will never stop beating, lungs that will never stop breathing, legs that will never stop walking, eyes that will never stop seeing.”

When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered death (Romans 6:9) and sin (1 Peter 2:24) Because of His victory over death, we have the opportunity to live forever with Him in Heaven when we repent of our sins and accept His forgiveness (John 3:16)

While Firstborn From the Dead might not sound like a great name, it conveys the best news ever shared…Jesus died to set us free from sin!

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If Day 1
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What if Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher? What if Jesus wasn’t really God? Honestly, I’ve asked myself these questions. It wasn’t from unbelief, but a desire to be able to explain my faith to others.

Those questions have one answer: Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore God did come down, teach as only God could, and then endure the cross so we could obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with Him.

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Sketched IX Day 15 On This Rock

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Peter 1:12-15
1 Peter 3:14-18
Luke 22:54-62

Sketched IX, Day 15

In the pale half-light of early morning, softly growing light glows in the east. The speckled rooster slumbers still. I know he’ll rise to remind me of my failure. Crowing roosters and early mornings like these could forever taunt me, but they now proclaim His holy calling upon me, a fallen man. Because of His calling, I shepherd His flock of those who believe.

The menacing specter of evil looms, yet we remain His glowing lampstand in this idolatrous place. In recent days, dear brothers have fallen beneath the brutal blade of martyrdom. Our Lord Christ has made plain the path before me; I too will soon lay aside this earthly tent. The brothers can no longer depend upon me for nourishment and guidance. My focus now must be transferring the baton of faith to the brothers, so they will remain steadfast in my absence.

False teachers prowl among the flock, confusing and deceiving the sheep with their insidious half-truths. These babes in faith need the pure milk of truth taught by reliable brothers, so they can grow strong, able to teach and lead others. Remaining in the Scriptures, craving and continuously feeding upon the truth, is the only way to remain steadfast and not be led astray.

My earnest desire is that they will not simply know the truth, but be seized with wonder by this precious faith. We’ve been given the riches of the Law and Prophets, all anticipating and announcing beforehand the coming of our Messiah. I’ve not only seen Him, but I’ve known Him as my Friend and Brother.

However, even while He was among us as Friend and Brother, He was clearly not of us, but from a high and holy place, discharged here on a sacred mission. The same dove-like Spirit present at creation was Him. All the truth of the Law and Prophets came to fruition in Him. I was privileged to see His eternal glory on the sacred mountain. This Friend and Brother among us is Elohim—I AM before creation. My Brother visited Father Abraham in his tent. Our Friend called Moses from the burning bush, decimated Egypt, and delivered our fathers through the Red Sea.

He is the true Lamb to which the Law and Prophets pointed. Our redemption was purchased by His human-yet-holy blood. Direct access was torn open by His blood; now within reach are all the divine resources we will ever need for this life of godliness.

The Holy Spirit is the key to this door of access. The Holy Spirit enables us to live such holy lives among the pagans that they will have no plausible grounds for accusation. Our faith must be expressed through virtuous lives in every facet, from our work to our citizenship, and especially in our relationships.

In these evil days, we can still live with steadfast and stalwart spirits. Trusting His sovereign plan is paramount, I believe. His plan spanned the epochs, has been in motion since before Eden, and plays out even now. His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension were all key points of this sweeping drama of mankind’s redemption. Our Lord and Master—my Friend, is seated in ethereal glory now, as completely in control now as the day the stars spilled from His nail-pierced hands.

Because our Friend is also “I AM,” we have no cause for fear. While this brutal persecution will likely grow increasingly worse, our suffering is not in vain. It purifies and strengthens us, provided we are trained by it; as our dross is burned away, we emerge as pure gold, reflecting the character of our Lord Christ! Even though it is painful now, it is only temporary. Our sufferings here are “light and momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17) compared with the glory to come.

Christ is our model in this. Though He existed in ethereal glory before His incarnation, He stepped into this narrow slice of time and space for a season and endured the brutality of a Roman crucifixion on our behalf.

However, now He’s seated in Heaven at God’s right hand!
Our salvation has been secured and death and hell, forever defeated!

Like Him, we shall endure suffering for a little while and then receive the glories of heaven. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, Death, our final enemy, is now simply a doorway into eternal glory where Jesus awaits just across the threshold! I must soon cross that threshold; the path stretches plainly before me. He has lit the way well by His example. For the joy set before Him, He endured the brutality of the cross. (Hebrews 12:2)
As He calls me, I shall follow. 

When the brothers come today, I will dictate a letter. Time is short; truth must be imparted.

Ah, the rooster crows now! He mocks me! However, the truth remains that my Lord Christ has redeemed me as His called and chosen child, and placed upon me this mantle of shepherd. Therefore, I shall faithfully discharge my duties until I cross that threshold into eternal glory.

“Mock on, rooster, your crows no longer taunt me, for I am His called and chosen, the shepherd of His flock, and will soon run into His embrace as I cross that blessed threshold!”

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched IX Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Sketched IX Day 9 Who Do You Say I Am?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Who Do You Say I Am?!

The Questions

1) Why did people think Jesus might be Elijah, John the Baptist, or a former prophet? (verse 14)

2) Why did Jesus change Simon’s name to Peter? (verse 18)

3) What are the keys of the kingdom of Heaven that Jesus says He will give Peter?  (verse 19)

Matthew 16:13-20

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

 

Original Intent

1) Why did people think Jesus might be Elijah, John the Baptist, or a former prophet? (verse 14)
The events recorded in Matthew 16 occur in Caesarea Philippi, which author David Guzik explains was “associated with idols and rival deities.”  Jesus knew this when He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (verse 13) Jesus probably expected the Gentiles to compare Him to their gods since His miracles proved He was more than just a wise teacher. By His Jewish followers, He was compared to John the Baptist or one of the Old Testament prophets. Author Adam Clarke explains that the Pharisees taught the “doctrine of the Metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls . . . that the soul of the Baptist, or of Elijah, Jeremiah, or some of the prophets, had come to a new life in the body of Jesus.” Jesus probably sounded like an Old Testament prophet to the Jews. His Words and actions fulfilled the Scriptures right in front of them! His miracles convinced them He must be an emissary of God like Elijah or Jeremiah had been hundreds of years prior. These comparisons to Old Testament characters probably also signaled the hope that Jesus was a messenger of the coming Messiah, or perhaps the Messiah Himself. David Guzik suggests, “perhaps in seeing Jesus in these roles, people hoped for a political messiah who would overthrow the corrupt powers oppressing Israel.” It was important that even though many accounts existed of who Jesus was, His disciples knew the Truth about Him. Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”, was to proclaim, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”. (verses 15-16) The disciples believed Jesus was divinely God’s Son, the promised Messiah. Because the disciples believed the truth that Jesus was God, Jesus could begin building His Church through their faith and their discipleship of His followers.

2) Why did Jesus change Simon’s name to Peter? (verse 18)
When Jesus first met a fisherman named Simon, he changed His name to Cephas, or Peter. (John 1:42) He elaborated on the name change in verses 17-18, when Peter acknowledged for Himself that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Peter got his name from the Greek word petros, “a masculine proper noun which means a ‘stone’ and generally a smaller stone than the feminine form petra which refers to a massive rock or a foundation boulder.” (Preceptaustin.org) Jesus renamed Simon, the emotional, unpredictable fisherman, to Peter, a rock-solid character on whom He could build His church. The name change represented a new phase in Peter’s life, who had just professed His faith in Jesus as the Son of God. His unshakeable faith in Jesus as the Messiah was the kind of faith required to act as the foundation for Christ’s Church. The name Peter represented rock-solid faith of the new Christ followers. Author, Gregg Allen, explains, “Using a play on words, Jesus renames his disciple Peter (Greek petros) and promises to found Messiah’s church on “this rock” (Greek petra.)”  Because Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus provided a foundation on which Christ could build His Church, Peter became instrumental in building a body of believers who would confess Christ and take His Good News to the world.  That body, Christ’s Church, continues to share the Gospel and stand firm in faith today!

3) What are the keys of the kingdom of Heaven that Jesus says He will give Peter?  (verse 19)
Jesus told Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound[ in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.” (verses 18-19) Some interpret these keys as literal keys to Heaven, exemplified by many art depictions of Peter holding the keys to the pearly gates. Others view the keys as symbolic. Author, Thomas Constable, suggests, “Probably the keys stand for the judicial authority that chief stewards of monarchs exercised in the ancient world . . . They could permit people to enter the monarch’s presence or give them access to certain areas and privileges. As the Judge of all humanity, Jesus gave this authority to Peter. Of course, some of the other Apostles exercised it too.” In Matthew 18:18, Jesus uses similar wording when He tells His followers, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”  This suggests that Peter, and others who believed Gods’ message, were entrusted with carrying out the work of Heaven here on earth. Rather than denoting Peter as Heaven’s gatekeeper, the keys to the kingdom of Heaven represent the authority Jesus gave Peter and other Christians to carry out His will and bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. Author, Louis Barbieri, explains that “Peter was told he would possess the keys and be able to bind and loose people. These were decisions Peter was to implement as he received instruction from heaven, for the binding and loosing occurred there first. Peter simply carried out God’s directions.” Using the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven includes doing God’s will and sharing His Word. What a privilege to be entrusted with taking God’s Word to the world!

Everyday Application

1) Why did people think Jesus might be Elijah, John the Baptist, or a former prophet? (verse 14)
My teenagers are Marvel fans, and they enjoy discussing theories about what the latest episodes set up for the future. Every scene is intensely scrutinized for its importance in upcoming installments. I get this sense of frenetic “fandom” when I read the theories about who Jesus is in Matthew 16. The disciples report how some think Jesus is “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (verse 14) These theories come from people who didn’t know Jesus very well. His lifestyle probably reminded casual observers of John the Baptist. Even King Herod, when He heard about Jesus, said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mark 6:16) None of the theories going around about Jesus’ identity were accurate. Jesus wanted to ensure His closest followers believed He was who He claimed to be, the divine Son of God. Although Jesus already knew the answer, He queried, “Who do you say I am?” (verse 15) so His disciples would be moved to profess their faith. Author, Thomas Constable, asserts, “This passage represents the climax of Jesus’ teaching ministry. It was, in effect, the apostles’ final examination, consisting of but one question, the ultimate question that every human being must face: Who is Jesus Christ?”  When Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (verse 16) he demonstrated their belief in Jesus as God’s Son, their Redeemer.” Today, confusion still surrounds people’s perception of Jesus’ identity. Some consider Him benevolent, though not divine; others consider Him just one entrée to sample on the smorgasbord of religions, but equal to all others. But those who truly know Him have come to understand and believe He is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” the only bridge to reach God the Father. (John 14:6)  His desire is for everyone to trust Him, by relying on His sacrifice on the cross to bring us back in relationship with God. (1 Peter 2:24) Only His sacrifice is sufficient to pay the penalty we owe because of our sin, allowing us to deeply know God as our Rescuing Savior!

2) Why did Jesus change Simon’s name to Peter? (verse 18)
My friend was known by his middle name, John, well into his thirties when he decided to switch to his first name, Michael. He had recently gained some personal victories over self-destructive thinking patterns, and wanted to reflect those improvements by presenting himself in a healthier way to others. His name change reflected an important new mind-set. I always admired him for doing this, even though it took me months to remember the switch. It has always interested me how God changed peoples’ names in the Bible for similar reasons to Michael’s. God changed the name of a temperamental fisherman, Simon, to Peter, the rock, as seen in Matthew 16:18. He gave Simon a new name indicative of the strong foundation God would build in Peter. Author, Kenneth Ortiz, notes, “Many times in the Bible, God changed someone’s name because He was calling them to live out a new mission or identify with a new role God was giving them. This is exactly what Jesus did with Simon as He saw the greatness God could do in Peter’s life. Everyone else saw Simon, but Jesus saw Peter.” God may not call you to change your name to express what He is doing in your life but know that He is at work and He does see the good work He can do in you if you surrender to Him. (Ephesians 2:10) Others may not be able to see how God could use you, maybe not even you. Rejoice with me today that God has good plans for me and for you that will accomplish His good purposes! (Jeremiah 29:11)

3) What are the keys of the kingdom of Heaven that Jesus says He will give Peter?  (verse 19)
I drive an ancient mini-van with only one remaining key. I constantly fuss at my family not to lose my one and only key. On a recent mechanic’s visit, I separated the key from the fob in case he needed to lock the key inside the vehicle if I retrieved the van after hours. Of course, I promptly lost the key fob, and my family gloated over the irony. Being the keeper of the keys can be a lot of pressure! The Apostle Peter was entrusted with something even more important than car keys in Matthew 16:19 when he was given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. In giving Peter these keys, Jesus gave him authority to loose and bind things that had been loosed and bound in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus called on Peter to do His work and carry out His Word, and to lead others to do the same. Now this was the same Peter who was previously called Simon, the tempestuous fisherman with a big heart, and a big mouth, and a propensity for making big mistakes. Simon probably would not be my first choice for key-keeper in God’s Kingdom. But Jesus saw Simon’s strong faith and called him Peter, the rock, designating him to disciple others and spread His Word as the Holy Spirit led him. You might feel like you shouldn’t be trusted with keeping track of the car keys some days, let alone with showing others how to live out God’s great plan for their lives. When you feel this way, remember Peter and his rock-solid faith. God didn’t choose Peter because of Peter’s strength or ability. He chose him because Peter believed unswervingly in God and His Word and was willing to surrender to Him. When we trust in God, He strengthens us to do what He asks.

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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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