Jesus

Worship XII Day 5 O Holy Night

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Worship XII Day 5 O Holy Night

Lesley Crawford

November 24, 2023

Adoring,Beauty,Cross,Promises,Prophecy,Reveal,Song,Worship

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 61:1-3
Matthew 2:1-12
Luke 1:78-79
Philippians 2:5-8

“O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining.”
(O Holy Night)

Those words conjure up a beautiful image of peace, but, as I come to pray, my mind is whirling.
So many worries compete for my attention.
Increasing work responsibilities, my friend’s mental health, challenges at church… the list goes on.

The last couple of months have been full of relentless change and upheaval, and significant uncertainty remains about the future. When I stop to consider it all, it’s far too easy for anxiety to take control.

God, help me to lift my eyes, to look beyond the troubles I see around me to focus on You (2 Corinthians 4:18). Remind me that You are with me, You care, and You are sovereign over all things. Thank You that I don’t need to carry these anxieties by myself, but I can cast them onto You. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
till He appeared,
and the soul felt its worth.” 

Thank You that You are not a distant God, removed from our struggles, but in Jesus’ earthly arrival, You drew near in physical form like never before. Knowing You value humanity, You value me, enough to enter into the mess of this broken world, truly stirs “a thrill of hope,” and joy, even in the weariness.

“Fall on your knees.”

The only appropriate response is worship, bowing before You in humble surrender, acknowledging You are God and we are not, turning our faces to seek You and honour You.

We see such worship in the example of the wise men, “led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,” travelling many miles to bring their gifts of worship, refusing to give up until they found You.

May I be as fervent and committed in seeking You. While I may not have the light of a star, the light of  Your Word guides my path, shows me who You are (Psalm 119:105), and reveals the amazing truth: 

“The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger.”

 It is mind-blowing to consider You humbled Yourself to enter Your own creation as a helpless baby. Even more amazing, You chose a criminal’s death on a cross, though You were blameless, as a sacrifice for us in order to offer us total forgiveness and rescue from eternal death. (Philippians 2:5-8)

In Your loving sacrifice and victorious resurrection, we find the hope we so deeply crave. Righteousness and peace are not achieved by our own efforts or striving, but through grace, in You. 

“In all our trials born to be our friend.”

As we walk through the challenges of life, we can know we are never alone, because You are with us. Since You have experienced the joys and sorrows of human life, we can come to You confidently knowing You understand. Yet as King of Kings, we can also approach, knowing You have power to transform our mess, to bring order to our chaos, hope to our weariness, peace to our anxious minds.

“Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.”

As we have experienced Your love and peace through the amazing good news of the Gospel, may we continue to anchor our hope here each day, while also sharing it with others.

So many people walk in darkness, desperate for hope and light. True, following You doesn’t exempt us from hardship, we, as believers, have a wonderful hope even in our trials, but many others do not. We are emphatically commanded to share the hope we have in word and deed, loving one another as Christ has loved us. (1 Peter 3:14-15, John 13:34-35)

“Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.”

Thank You for coming to bring hope and healing! Lord Jesus, You proclaim liberty, You replace ashes with beauty and despair with joy. (Isaiah 61:1-3) Because of what You did, we can experience true freedom from sin and shame, freedom only You can give. Empower us as we seek to help others grasp and experience this wonderful truth.

Help us never lose our sense of wonder as we consider all You have done.

“Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.”

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Christmas,holy,Jesus,welcome,worship
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Worship XII, Day 5
Digging Deeper

In Christ we have been given gifts of wisdom, forgiveness, faith, hope, understanding, endurance, strength, and righteousness. (Colossians 1:3-14)

But the best gift of all – we’ve been given Jesus Himself.

We all come to Him from the very same place despite our nationality, our culture, our income level, our appearance, and even our past. In HIM, our sweet Lord Jesus, we have become forever family.

Let’s fall on our knees and worship Him!
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Known Day 3 Christos

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Known Day 3 Christos

Katelyn Palmer

July 12, 2023

Alive,Fullness,gentle,God,Identity,Jesus

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 10:11-18
Revelation 19:11-16
Hebrews 1:1-14

Titles are telling.
Sr. Jr. Sir. Madam. PHD. Mrs. Master. Dr. CEO.
A few simple letters before a name can tell us who is in charge, a person’s qualifications, their relationship status, or their generational rank.

Your name and title matter. When someone misspells or mispronounces your name, a little flag goes up inside, waving around saying, “Hey! You don’t know me.”

More than a few letters, God’s titles and names preserved in Scripture reveal much about His character, His heart, His purposes, and His person.

To skip His name, is to miss out on truly knowing Him.

Christos is Greek for “anointed” and is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word Mashiach, meaning Messiah. It is also the origin of the English word Christ, which identifies Jesus as the one sent from God to be King and Savior. 

From the beginning of Creation in the Old Testament to the glorious return of the Lord Jesus in Revelation, God consistently points us to the Sovereign Savior who would come to earth as the wholly divine, wholly human, Jesus Christ.
Here is God as Christos in action!

Genesis 3:15 is the first foretelling of an Anointed Messiah.
“I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your (Satan) head, and you will strike His heel.”
The Christos.
The Mashiach.
He would conquer sin and death by killing it once and for all.

Psalm 22:16-18 and Isaiah 53:5-6 each prophesy in detail of Jesus’ future death that would pay the sin-debt we owed. (John 20:25, Matthew 27:32-50)

In Noah’s ark we see refuge from God’s holy judgment discovered only in Jesus. (Genesis 6:17-18, 1 Peter 3:18-22)

Joseph pictures Christ as he is unjustly persecuted yet raised to a position of honor. (Genesis 37; Genesis 41:37-45)

Abraham is called to sacrifice his son just as Jesus would be sacrificed on the cross. Isaac even carried the wood for the burnt offering like our savior carried His cross. (Genesis 22:1-14)

Moses, born into poverty, called to intercede on behalf of his people as he leads them by God’s hand out of bondage (Exodus 2:1-10; Exodus 3:4-22), also pictures Jesus.
Every story speaks of the promised coming of Christos.

Through the brilliant lens of Scripture, we come to understand the title of Christos more fully. Jesus is…
Anointed as Savior of the world (Luke 2:11, 1 John 2:2)
Conqueror of sin and death (Isaiah 25:8, John 1:29, John 3:14-15)
Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:14-15)

The Promised Mashiach of the Old Testament is the Reigning Christos of the New Testament!

It’s breathtaking to see a prophecy fulfilled, let alone hundreds of them in a singular person of Christ, but lest we misunderstand His name, we must remember He is no mere man, no angelic being, no greatly glorified, almost God-man, but the full manifestation of God Almighty in flesh.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Prior to Jesus’ physical arrival as a baby in Bethlehem, there are many Christophanies (an appearance or non-physical manifestation of Christ). One way we can spot these is through the designation of “the” Angel of the Lord, rather than “an” angel of the Lord as we read Old Testament passages. When reading, look for these distinctions between The Angel of the Lord and other created angels:
         1) The angel is identified as divine (Genesis 16:11-14; Exodus 3:1-6)
         2) The angel accepts worship (Joshua 5:13-15; Numbers 22:31; Judges 13:19-22)
         3) The angel speaks as God (Genesis 16:10; Genesis 22:15-18)

In understanding Christos, we are compelled to rightly respond to His distinct title as Promised Anointed Messiah who fulfilled every prophecy and rules and reigns today at the right hand of God.

We should respond to a Sovereign Savior with
Godly fear or awe,
obedience,
surrender,
deep gratitude and joy,
and adoring worship. 

Proverbs 1:7 tells us the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Godly fear is a reverence of God’s majesty, perfect righteousness, and sovereign grace. 

Obedience is a natural result of godly fear. (Philippians 2:12)
When we witness the majesty of our Lord, we recognize our own littleness; we are humbled that we might become holy as He is holy! (1 Peter 1:15)

In his book, “The Sovereignty of God,” A.W. Pink addresses the attitude of surrender we should all have toward God, “A true recognition of God’s sovereignty will avow God’s perfect right to do with us as He wills.” One unmistakable example of complete surrender to God’s will is found in 1 Samuel 3:11-18 when Samuel tells Eli the high priest that God will strike down his two sons for cursing Him. Eli responds in surrender, “‘He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is good.’”

Deep gratitude and joy is discovered as we intentionally choose worship while exercising our faith. A tested and steadfast faith (James 1:2-4) will give thanks for all things (Ephesians 5:20) and “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

We should offer adoring worship to the Creator of everything, the One who is sovereign over all, including us! A.W. Pink says it exquisitely once more, “The mere fact that God’s will itself is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear, but once I realize that God wills only that which is good my heart is made to rejoice.”

When we correctly position our eyes on Christos, our Sovereign Savior, we are removed of our own selves and filled with a reverent fear of the Lord, which leads to complete obedience and surrender, upon which we are able to worship the King with deep gratitude and a joyful soul!

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Christ,God,Jesus,rescue,salvation,Savior,Trinity
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Known Day 4
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Jesus knows each one of us by name. He calls us and gently leads us individually the way we need to go. He takes time with each one of us and knows everything about us.

I am so grateful that Jesus knows my name. He knows my actions and detects when something isn’t right, because He is faithfully watching over my every step.
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Confidence Day 6 Confidence In Our Rescue

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Confidence Day 6 Confidence In Our Rescue

Malinda Fugate

April 24, 2023

Believe,Beloved,Faith,Follow,Forgiven,Freedom

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 1:9-2:11
1 John 2:13-14
1 John 3:24
Psalm 18:16-19
James 2:14-26

“This is how we know that we know Him: if we keep His commands. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But whoever keeps His word, truly in Him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.”
(1 John 2:3-6)

John, a friend and apostle of Jesus, penned his letter to believers who were facing difficulties. Navigating persecution and false teachers strained their faith, bringing doubts and questions into their hearts. Unlike John, these followers had not personally walked with Jesus many years before. How could they believe in One they could not see? How did they know the salvation He promised was true?

Our own hearts ask these questions as we walk by faith instead of by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) We trust a Savior we haven’t yet seen with our eyes, all the while learning what it means to follow Him. We find ourselves trying to live in the hope of His promises while life’s difficulties pull us toward doubt. When so much of faith is unseen, how can we know with certainty that we are truly saved by Christ?

John points to obedience as evidence we know God. However, if we look at these few verses without context, we might mistakenly assume the equation is simple: follow God’s commands and then be saved. However, our achievement of divine tasks does not earn our salvation. Instead, as preacher and teacher Paul writes to the early Ephesian believers, we are saved by God’s grace, which is not based on our merit.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! […] 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.” (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9)

Through childhood, awards assured me I had achieved victory while trophies testified to my triumphs. They were tangible evidence of talent and skill. They proved a great achievement happened, lest memories fade. They reassured an insecure girl who believed her worth was measured by success and love must be earned. Unfortunately, I also thought the amount of God’s love for me depended on how well I upheld His rules. 

Yet, as I read Scripture, God told me the truth! We are forgiven through Christ’s death and resurrection as He took the consequences of our sin on the cross. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8) Once and for all, He saved us. Nothing we do accomplishes this, only the grace of God. 

So why does John urge us to follow the Lord’s commands so we know Him and are confident in our salvation?

The apostle James discusses faith and works in James 2:14-26 . He explains our acts of obedience do not save us, but instead, our actions are both a natural and necessary result of our faith. It’s not obedience that leads to salvation; rather, salvation leads to obedience. 

“[Jesus said] ‘If you love me, you will keep my commands.’” (John 14:15)

“The one who keeps His commands remains in Him, and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)

When we are filled with the love of God, our desire is to live and love like Christ. The Holy Spirit in us enables us to fulfill His instructions. This life of love in action demonstrates that yes, it’s true, we certainly do know Christ. We don’t need a certificate of salvation or a trophy to prove we achieved God’s forgiveness. Every day we follow Him reassures us we do know Him, that we are in Him.

With this confidence in His salvation, what commands must we follow? 

John tells the early believers, and us, to share God’s love. 

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” (1 John 4:9-11)

In Romans 13:8-10, Paul explains how loving one another fulfills the law, summing up all other commandments. Our love for others is an overflow of the love God pours into us. By living out Christ’s love, “we walk just as He walked.” When we are transformed and equipped by the Holy Spirit to love our neighbors, we know we are in Him, and we can rest in the confidence of His rescuing grace.

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forgiveness,goodness,Jesus,rescue,salvation
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Confidence Day 7
Digging Deeper

The gift that God gives is not from this world. It isn’t anything that we can work for or boast about but rather only comes from knowing Him.

His grace is given and in faith we accept it. It has been there since Christ died on the cross and rose again on the third day, but we have to be willing to take the free gift.
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Steadfast Day 8 Worth It?

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Steadfast Day 8 Worth It?

Rebekah Hargraves

April 5, 2023

Alive,Awake,Future,Resurrection

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:29-34; 58
Matthew 16:24-27
Ephesians 2:4-10
Galatians 6:7-9
Psalm 51:10-13

I write these words a mere three days after Easter Sunday 2022. Easter egg hunts have concluded, sunrise services have been completed, and celebrations have ended. The resurrection of Jesus feels, appropriately, like a big deal every year on Easter morning. But come Monday? Easter memories begin to fade and are replaced by the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The hymns are silenced, the dresses are put away, and life resumes as normal.

But what if it didn’t? 

What if we actually lived our everyday Mondays in light of Jesus’ resurrection, which we commemorate on Easter Sunday?

Truly, this is Paul’s very desire for us as Christ-followers! 

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:32-34, “If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus as a mere man, what good did that do me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’ Come to your senses and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.”   

It’s helpful to read this passage in light of Paul’s concluding words in verse 58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

We hear Jesus say something very similar in Matthew 16:24-27, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. 

For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done.’”

This is the essence of what it means to live our everyday Monday in light of Resurrection Sunday – laying our lives down daily for the sake of Christ, remembering He is alive! 

It isn’t always fun, easy, or comfortable to live for Christ, to labor for the sake of the Gospel, or live in light of God’s ways and in obedience to His commands. To do so rubs against our sinful flesh and wages war with our innate desires. 

While that reality  is certainly true, there is good news, friend! Yes, it is hard to live for God sometimes, but we are able to do so with hope, purpose, and joy when we remember we live for Him because He is alive! He has secured our salvation and is currently in Heaven preparing a place for us! (John 14:2) The day will come when we will die, yes, but death is not the end for us, because death was not the end for Jesus!

Therefore, on our everyday Mondays, we have the privilege and opportunity to risk everything in this life for the sake of Christ’s kingdom work. When wholly following Christ  we risk power, wealth, health, earthly prosperity, relationships, possessions, and more. 

This can be scary. 
But it’s worth it! 

Dying daily to our own wants and instead following God’s plan for our lives will yield more abundant fruit than we can ever imagine. It will result in lasting joy as we live as God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Paul encourages our hearts in Galatians 6 when he writes, “Don’t be deceived; God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

Your work for the kingdom is worth it, dear sister. 
Your sacrifices for the sake of the Gospel will bear much fruit. 

Anchor yourself in the steadfast hope of eternity you have as a result of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Live in light of that hope. 
Be immovable in your God-given purpose. 

“Come to your senses,” reject the distractions and lesser pursuits the enemy throws your way, and refuse to let Paul’s words, “[S]ome people are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame” be said of you. (1 Corinthians 15:34)

Living each day in awe of Jesus’ resurrection, share the Gospel, apply the Word, encourage those in your sphere of influence, and you will never be lacking for purpose or fruitfulness. 

It really is worth it, friend.

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Easter,everyday life,hope,Jesus,real life,resurrection
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Steadfast Day 9
Digging Deeper

There is nothing anyone can do to attain salvation for themselves or anyone else, past or present apart from personal repentance from sin and personal acceptance of Christ’s free gift of salvation for the forgiveness of sin. Paul was using the apparently common knowledge of this practice of baptism by proxy to highlight the actuality of resurrection for followers of Christ.
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Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

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Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

March 17, 2023

Christ,church,Discipleship,Faith,Song,Submission

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 "Holy Submission"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:15-20

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul cautioned believers to “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—- making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul wanted believers to seize the day and make the most of the opportunities God had given them, using their time for God’s glory.

More than just spending time wisely, Paul spoke of “a definite season of opportunity that Christians must redeem” according to David Guzik. Paul knew God desires us to be purposeful with our lives by paying special attention to how we spend each day.

The Lord desires all parts of our life to be lived out in surrender to Him, which means making wise choices according to His Word that honor Him. (Proverbs 2:1-5) Our culture and the world we live in are ruled by evil (1 John 5:19) and there are snares everywhere! If the Christ-follower is not diligent in prayer, they will quickly become trapped in the pull of sin. (1 Peter 5:8)

We need to understand God’s will by regularly reading His Word and then walk out His plans (James 1:23-24). His Word safeguards us from becoming distracted or derailed by sinful pleasures that will drag our lives into chaos and sidetrack us from fulfilling our destiny in God. (John 8:34) John Piper suggests “the Christian life is a vigilant life, defensively guarding itself from the subtleties of the evil days and offensively redeeming the time to strike for love and righteousness again and again.”

We can make the most of our time by pursuing God’s will, which is found through careful study of God’s Word, then walking it out in our lives.

The Everyday Application

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

One of my kids does not like to have too much free time on her hands. She is fine to lounge around for a few days of summer vacation, but then she needs a plan of action or she feels like she is wasting her life. Making a checklist of things to do, even if those things include watching tv or playing video games, it provides structure and purpose to her time and she can better enjoy her vacation. Her strategy is much like the one Paul promoted when he told the Ephesians to make “the most of the time, because the days are evil.” (verse 16).

Time is one of the most valuable gifts we possess, and most of us frequently squander it on unworthy endeavors. We scroll through social media pages, only to realize later we’ve spent an hour viewing dance trends, pranks, and clever pet videos.

Sometimes the things that drain our time are not so benign and are actually evil pursuits that bring us harm and separate us from God. (Galatians 5:19-21) We must realize that the time we are given is a gift, and God wants us to do everything for His glory with all the resources He has given. (1 Corinthians 10:31) He created us to do good works, which He carefully laid out for us with love! (Ephesians 2:10)

This doesn’t mean we can’t pursue interests we enjoy or take time out to rest; these are important too! (Mark 6:31) But we are commanded to be mindful of how we spend our time, making sure we use what the Lord has given for His glory, not our own, so we can do well in the work laid out for us by God. (Colossians 1:10)

The Original Intent

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

Paul admonished the Ephesians to “be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19). The Greek word for speaking, laleo, means “speaking with yourselves, which refers to believers as a community . . . it simply means to use the voice to make a sound and in this context the sound is a song.” (Preceptaustin.org).

When we are filled with the Spirit, as Paul advocated, the joy of His presence bubbles out of us in singing. (Psalm 16:11) Of course, to sing His word to another requires us to first know it deeply for ourselves. (Colossians 3:16) As author R. Kent Hughes explains, “Spirit-filled people overflow in song!” John Eadie notes that the people of Paul’s day would have sung Psalms from the Bible and other songs of praise to God, and spiritual songs, or odes, similar to those of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), Mary (Luke 1:46-56) and Zachariah (Luke 1:67-79).

Paul knew that when Holy Spirit-filled believers in Jesus gathered together, worship would burst forth from their mouths and their hearts. He understood that Christians need the unity and boost of faith that comes from rejoicing together.

Corporate worship not only glorifies the Lord, but it also encourages and edifies His people as they lift their voices together to sing His praises. As we bless God, we are in turn blessed by His presence and the encouragement of being with God’s people.

Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16 we can use songs, hymns, and spiritual songs to admonish, or advise, one another. Paul taught that corporate worship was an integral part of the Christian life, providing a way for believers to thank and praise God while exhorting and encouraging one another.

The Everyday Application

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

I love to watch old movies, particularly musicals, but my husband doesn’t share my appreciation of the genre. He finds it irksome that every plot point requires choreography and a catchy song. Musicals require some suspension of disbelief, which annoys him as much as it delights me. I can’t help thinking of Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 5:19 in terms of a movie musical when Paul tells Christians to speak to one another in “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.”

Paul did not mean their dialogue between one another needed to be sung, but that their collective thanks and praise to God should pour out in corporate singing to the Lord and the way they encouraged one another should flow from Scripture’s words. John Piper explains “There are reasons for this corporate dimension to worship. Being together and singing to each other, and not just alone, intensifies our emotions for God, communicates our witness to God, and unifies our corporate life around God.” (Romans 15:6)

When believers are together, their love for God and thankfulness for His love and goodness should well up inside and pour out onto each other. (Psalm 149:1) Their shared praise and adoration of God encourages and edifies each worshipper, strengthening their faith and producing hope and joy in their hearts. As author David Mathis explains, “Our own awe is accentuated, our own adoration increased, our own joy doubled when we worship Jesus together.”

Make it a point to worship together with other saints, magnifying the Lord with your lifted voices and encouraging each other with your corporate devotion to God.

The Original Intent

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

In Ephesians 5:21, Paul exhorted Christ’s followers to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. Paul encouraged Christians to develop and display an attitude of humility, “a willingness to be responsive and to yield to one another out of love.” (Lawrence Richards) We can submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ by not insisting on our way or by having the last word.

We should prefer others over ourselves (Philippians 2:3) and make their well-being a priority (Philippians 2:4), even over our own. We should treat others the way we want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12), especially those who have also surrendered to Christ as their Lord. (Galatians 6:10)

We can follow Jesus’ example of humility and service by giving up what we think we deserve in order to benefit others. We humbly submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the fear, or respect, of Jesus as our Ruling Lord. Because we love Jesus, we follow His example of service and obedience. His submission to God included His obedience unto death on the cross for the sins of the world, a punishment He didn’t deserve. (Philippians 2:8)

Not only did Jesus make a way for us to come to the Father through His humbling sacrifice, He also showed us how to submit our own will and way to the authority of God our Father. If Jesus, being God, did not give Him reason to stop choosing humility, there is nothing preventing us from humbling ourselves by submitting ourselves to other Christ-followers.

The Everyday Application

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

I have a brother in Christ who exemplifies what it means to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) He served as a pastor at one time in his life, but now he works in maintenance and janitorial services at his church. He labors diligently on his own list of tasks to be done, but he never fails to ask the staff at his church if they need anything or if he can do something additional for them.

Even if he is done with his shift or just about to clock out, he offers his assistance and makes sure he is not needed before leaving the building. He also volunteers at his church, leading Bible studies and volunteering in the hospitality ministry. Time and again he prefers others above himself out of His love and respect for Christ. (Galatians 5:13) My friend is not in it to win a spotlight, but to point to his Savior.

John Piper explains, “That kind of humility and readiness to serve rather than be served, to honor rather than be honored, is a fruit of the Spirit. And when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be submissive to each other in this way.”

In a world that is increasingly self-centered and self-promoting, my friend’s submission to his Christian brothers and sisters is as refreshing as it is counter-cultural. He doesn’t set up a camera to film his good deeds and then post them online with a request to like or subscribe. He just lets the love of God fill him up and then pours out that love onto others. (John 4:14) He is a good example for each of us to follow if we want to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. How can you start today?!

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Submission is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Through faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness as our own and keep His commandments through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Submission denies us the power and privilege we want, instead choosing to stand under the Lord’s authority, wisdom, and power.
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Another Day 7 Helping Hands: Digging Deeper

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Another Day 7 Helping Hands: Digging Deeper

Natalie Smith

March 14, 2023

church,Community,Family,gentle,Heart

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 "Helping Hands"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 13:5-20

Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. 16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me.19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20 Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why would Jesus emphasize washing Peter’s feet, but refuse to wash all of him? Does Jesus not need to cleanse every part of a sinner for us to be right with God? (verses 8-10)

When I read these verses of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, I see a truly humble servant.Yet, when reading verses 8-10, deeper spiritual teachings seem to exist. It’s important to consider that both Enduring Word Commentary and Matthew Henry, biblical theologian, note that Jesus didn’t wash His disciples’ feet to illustrate how we are saved from our sins and made clean by the forgiveness only God can offer. Salvation wasn’t the point of Christ’ stooping to wash unsandaled feet.

The tension between Jesus’ washing and Peter’s remarks point toward spiritual growth and a demonstration of how to live the Christian life rather than a picture of how one is saved from sin. The disciples were already eating (John 13:2-4), but nobody had volunteered to cleanse feet, nor had a hired servant handled this distasteful task.

They sat on the floor with pillows, as was common at the time, with the stench of the outside road sitting with them at the table. Having planned the evening and knowing this situation would arise, Jesus chose the role of a lowly servant to demonstrate in an exceedingly personal manner what it was to love others as God loves them.

This was uncomfortable for Peter! Christ was His Lord, not his foot slave! Initially, he refuses. But Jesus stressed the importance of receiving His service by stating, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.” (verse 7) Confused, Peter goes to the other extreme, asking to be bathed in whole. (verse 9) When Jesus responds practically that only his feet are dirty, Peter discovers he must be humble in heart in order to truly receive humility’s love. Only through Jesus’ great humility does Peter wrestle with his own deep seeded pride. It takes humility to receive humility.

The Everyday Application

1) Why would Jesus emphasize washing Peter’s feet, but refuse to wash all of him? Does Jesus not need to cleanse every part of a sinner for us to be right with God? (verses 8-10)

Jesus said His disciples were already clean except Judas Iscariot (verse 10), meaning they had already repented of their sin and trusted Christ to be exactly Who He claimed to be as God. They had been washed clean (forgiven of all sin) through faith. (Titus 3:5) Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an example of how His people were to love others with humility and how all must be humbled by the depths of their sin in order to receive humble love.

We cannot save one another by serving them, but we can point them to the love of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Both the humility in giving and receiving servant-love is a refining fire used by the Lord to make us more like Him!

Before we married, my husband served in youth ministry; together we envisioned wonderful ways to care for others in ministry. Instead, as we moved into life and marriage, we ran into broken down cars, basement floods, and other stressors we couldn’t finagle alone.

The families we envisioned serving were keeping us afloat with their humble service. They loaned us their cars and brought shop-vacs to quickly remove water. When we had two small children and I became suddenly sick, ladies literally picked up their dinner plates and came to our house to babysit.

We deserved none of these gifts, and it was uncomfortable to receive such love from the ones we were supposed to be serving. For years, it seemed others were helping us more than we could offer in return. We can never repay the service of those loving church members who acted like family, but through the humility of receiving, the Lord has shown us how to better give. Serving is not sustained in our own strength, but in His strength.

The Original Intent

2) How does Jesus’ command to wash each other’s feet apply to the Church at large? (verse 14)

Jesus, always intentional, began the process of washing feet noting that His disciples did not understand now, but would later understand His purposes. (verse 7) Allowing Jesus to wash their feet required much on both sides. Jesus stooped low to do the job no one else was willing to do, while the disciples surrendered in obedience. 

 Both sides practiced humility, patience, and endurance with the careful and involved process of cleansing and cleaning up. Multiple times throughout Scripture, and even during this last meal (Luke 22:24), Jesus’ disciples had discussed who was the greatest among themselves. (Luke 9:46) But here in chapter 13, Jesus strongly emphasizes His call of spiritual growth through humility, which is a requirement for following Him with our lives.

Jesus called out the disciples’ pride and mis-focus on being “better” than one another. He instructs that none is greater than their masters or teachers, which was Christ. (verses 16-17) The disciples readily called Jesus their Lord and Leader, which underscored the reality that Jesus called them to also stoop to the lowliest tasks. In fact, the disciples are actually commanded, not to necessarily physically wash feet, but to willingly stoop to the lowest of positions for the benefit of fellow disciples of Christ.

The Everyday Application

2) How does Jesus’ command to wash each other’s feet apply to the Church at large? (verse 14)

It is not unheard of to attend a wedding, youth group service, or other church gathering where the act of foot washing is part of the service. It’s meant as a lovely portrayal of their heart’s intention to humbly serve one another. But what about the day in and out experiences of doing life within the church? When Jesus commanded His disciples to “wash another’s feet” He did not mean serving to end when the feet were physically clean. Rather, Jesus referenced the heart’s need to let go of pride for the benefit of our Christian family.

I have the gift of knowing a sweet story of a local pastor and church member; I hope their story encourages you like it does me! A long-time, faithful church member took on the church’s janitorial needs as a paid second job. After months of cleanliness, people suddenly began noticing problems. There were unkempt bathrooms, crumbs and dirt remaining on the floor after gatherings, and the like.

The attentive pastor noticed something amiss, and instead of approaching the situation with business-like efficiency of firing the worker, he chose to lean into spiritual growth for himself and his friend. Despite his leadership role and busy demands, the pastor stooped low to save face for the man until the heart of the matter could be discussed. Unannounced, the pastor cleaned the nursery bathrooms and vacuumed the sanctuary for several weeks allowing the hired man to receive payment.

This pastor chose humble grace-filled service for his brother, demonstrating his submission to Christ’s lordship as more important than his own authority as pastor. Are we willing to take on the difficult and dirty for the spiritual benefit of one another?

The Original Intent

3) Did Jesus invite Judas into His discipleship circle for the purpose of Christ’s betrayal? (verse 18)

Backing up in this passage, which is an important practice when studying the Bible, we read that Jesus, “knew His hour had come to depart out of this world (…)” and that Jesus “loved His own to the end”. (John 13:1) As both God and man, Jesus knew His purpose. He knew when to keep his head down and do daily life, when to start teaching and displaying miracles, and when to withdraw with His closest disciples.

Jesus knew which chosen disciples would follow Him in faith and which one would move His mission forward at the time of betrayal because of his choice to reject Jesus. (John 6:64)

Judas had every opportunity to know Jesus as Messiah and Lord just as each of the other disciples did. Judas traveled with Jesus, witnessed His healings and mercies, and sat in on quiet conversations where Jesus as He explained parables. Still, Judas did not repent and his heart was hard set against God.

Scripture warns of a time when God turns us over to our heart desires if we continue rebelling against Him, making it known that what we want most is to be our own “god”. (Romans 1:21-24, Ephesians 4:19) Verse 2 tells us the devil put betrayal into Judas’s heart, which describes a moment of being turned over to Judas’ true heart-desire to keep rejecting Him.Jesus knew the heart of Judas from the beginning, still He invited Judas along, allowed him to manage the money, and even included him in the washing of feet before sending him on his way to betrayal. Jesus tells us that allowing this deceit was not in vain, but rather that Scripture was fulfilled, and further evidence was provided His disciples of His divinity as the All-Knowing God. (verse 18-19) He was more than a good teacher and example of humble service, Christ is God and Savior!

The Everyday Application

3) Did Jesus invite Judas into His discipleship circle for the purpose of Christ’s betrayal? (verse 18)

God, as being perfectly good, does not create evil, but He still has control over it, as He is all-powerful. Humans are responsible for sin and the Devil causes much deceit and evil through our human fleshly desires to love sin. (gotquestions.org) Still, God is sovereign and able to use what is already present because of sin to move His plans forward for the good of His people and the accomplishment of His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

Judas-like people are present in both our families and churches. These are people who have learned to mimic the outward fruit of what Christianity “looks like”, but their hearts are far from their actions. Such masqueraders cause much pain. How can someone be so close, and yet, so far from the Lord?

As a child, I incorrectly thought if Jesus would perform a miracle for my dad, he would surely love Jesus. Years later, I realized Scripture addresses my mis-understanding. The Bible describes multitudes experiencing the miracles of Jesus, and then following Him merely for the physical benefits. (John 6:26) Jesus calls out this heart-attitude saying, “You have seen me and yet do not believe.” (John 6:36) The God of all truth is not deceived by outward appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7)

How is one truly saved? Scripture teaches it is the Lord who calls us to Himself and He perfectly knows our hearts. “I know those I have chosen.” (John 13:18) “[The disciples] did not choose [Jesus], but He chose [them]” (John 15:16). It also says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts (…)” (Hebrews 3:15) and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Call on the Lord, repent of your sin and confess Him as Lord!

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Serving with the assumption of an expected response, especially one benefitting ourselves. This is a business exchange, and potentially even manipulation, while covering up the gross sin of self-serving.

Serving someone with the mindset he or she is less than or “lower” than us, unworthy of our presence, or any other thought in which we are exalted as higher than the other. This is the sin of arrogance. (1 Peter 5:5-6)
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Another Day 6 Helping Hands

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Another Day 6 Helping Hands

Sara Cissell

March 13, 2023

Character,Christ,church,Faith,gentle

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 10:1-18
Matthew 20:20-28
John 13:2-20
Proverbs 27:17
Proverbs 3:34

Have you ever seen a grindstone wheel used to sharpen axes? Picture a circular stone, mounted on a frame and axle. The edge of the ax would be placed against the turning stone; the pressure of the ax on the stone and the texture of the stone itself would sharpen the ax blade. 

This process enabled the ax to function to its highest potential and saved its owner much time and energy when using it. Sharpening was imperative to the lifespan of the ax. 

Sharpening is imperative to our lifespans as well. 
“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
That’s right, our interactions with others sharpen us. 

Serving others with humility is one of the most significant ways we can leverage a situation to sharpen us into becoming more like Christ. In fact, Jesus demonstrated this reality time and time again in His ministry. 

Jesus had every right to expect others to serve Him. Not only was He perfectly sinless during His years on earth, He carried with Him all authority as Lord. (Matthew 28:18) He literally could command angels, and how did this God Man treat His disciples?           

He washed their feet. (John 13:2-20)
Jesus filled one of the lowliest cultural roles as He willingly, humbly served His very human disciples. 

Jesus, being fully God (John 10:30), had no need to be sharpened by humbling Himself. However, He modeled humble service because this is His character and He desires to see His heart flourishing in us. 

“Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God, 
did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient,
to the point of death–
even to death on a cross.”
(Philippians 2:5-8)

Serving with humility creates a softness of heart that allows us to be shaped into the likeness of Jesus, and the Lord gives many opportunities to practice humility in everyday life.

Patience with personalities, going the extra mile, serving others regardless of social standing, gender, race, active listening, and the list is endless. Basically, in all real-life scenarios choose “humility, consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

For clarity, let’s also consider what an attitude of humility does not look like. 

Serving with the assumption of an expected response, especially one benefitting ourselves. This is a business exchange, and potentially even manipulation, while covering up the gross sin of self-serving. 

Serving someone with the mindset he or she is less than or “lower” than us, unworthy of our presence, or any other thought in which we are exalted as higher than the other. This is the sin of arrogance. (1 Peter 5:5-6)

Serving with impatience and a communicated sense that another person is an inconvenience. This demonstrates a lack of value for the other person, revealing the sin of pride. Remember, we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” by the God who crafted each of us in His image. (Psalm 139:13-16)

These non-examples make me cringe because I can easily pinpoint times when I have done all of them. The sweet, and usually pointed, conviction of the Holy Spirit has helped me recognize those moments. When I ask for forgiveness and allow my heart and thoughts to reflect the love of the Lord, I am sharpened and become more like Christ. 

Serving others with humility is not for the faint of heart, nor is it to be confused with abandoning healthy boundaries. We interact with others imperfectly, and healthy boundaries are needed in relationships. If you’re a believer in Jesus, having repented from your sins and trusted Christ for your eternal rescue, asking Him to be Lord of your life, the key to discernment here is listening. Listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit who lives within you to guide you as you seek to love others with humble service. If you’ve never surrendered your whole life to Jesus, it’s just impossible to truly serve with Christ’s humility in real life. Come to Jesus now, with the humble awareness that you need a Rescuer from your sin. Ask Him to make you new, forgive your sin, and put His Spirit inside you to begin cultivating your heart to love like Him!

Jesus set the example for serving others during His years on the earth. We have been given our time here to become more like Him and invite others to experience His goodness in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13) May we humble ourselves to experience the fullness of the sharpening process, for His glory. 

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The pastor, despite his leadership role and busy demands, stooped low to save face for the man temporarily until the heart of the matter could be discussed. The pastor stooped down to clean the nursery bathrooms and vacuum the sanctuary for several weeks allowing the hired man received the check. An act of grace and humility for the gift of spiritual growth before coming to a resolution. Are we willing to take on the difficult and dirty for the spiritual benefit of one another?
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Philemon Day 4 Ties That Bind: Digging Deeper

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Philemon Day 4 Ties That Bind: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

February 16, 2023

church,Family,Grace,Peace

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 "Ties That Bind"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:3-5

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why does Paul wish grace and peace to Philemon? (verse 3)

Paul opened his letter to his friend and convert to Christianity, Philemon, with greetings of grace and peace. (verse 3) Paul frequently used this greeting in his writing like a trademark and example for believers to follow in greetings. (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2)

These words signified more than just pleasantries or common greetings, they were keynotes that marked Paul’s God-given mission to share the Gospel with both Jews and Gentiles. (1 Corinthians 9:20-22) Paul addressed his readers with sentiments that appealed to both Hebrews and Gentiles. In Paul’s letters, according to James Burton Coffman, “Paul wishes, desires and prays that those greeted may possess that spiritual state ‘which is the result of a right relationship between God and man.’ The bringing of such a state of tranquility was viewed by the Jews as being one of the main functions of the Messiah.” (Luke 2:14)

To appeal to Jewish readers, Paul greeted them with the Hebrew term for peace, shalom. He combined this with the Greek term charis, or grace, appealing to His non-Jewish readers, to express “the essence of Judaism and Christianity.” (Expositor’s Greek Testament)

Paul’s salutation invited Jews and Gentiles to follow Christ together as one Body. Casey Shutt explains, “Paul’s classic greeting is a declaration of hope: stating in the most succinct way where creation is heading (not to disarray but peace), how it will get there (by grace), and how we ought to live in the meantime (living from grace, which brings peace).”

All those who love Christ can live in His grace and exemplify His peace in their daily lives.

The Everyday Application

1) Why does Paul wish grace and peace to Philemon? (verse 3)

When Paul wrote his letter to Philemon, his opening line was “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philemon 3) Though Paul did not use a verb here, author John Piper argues that Paul undoubtedly meant may God multiply to you grace and peace: “The word to you implies movement. Grace and peace are on the way. More is coming.”

If a package arrived on my doorstep today offering me grace and peace, I would rejoice, because so much of what comes at me on the daily through the news, social media and cultural chaos is completely lacking grace and peace. Paul greets his friend with these virtues because they are part of the amazing gift of trusting in Jesus, something Paul wrote about, preached, and shared from villages to cities, from ships to jail cells.

Paul spent the rest of his life after his conversion sharing the Good News about the grace offered by Jesus (Acts 20:24) and the peace He brings. Paul taught that Jesus justifies sinners by His grace, redeeming them by His sacrifice on the cross. (Romans 3:24) This faith in Jesus brings us peace. (Romans 5:1)

The Good News Paul offered in his letter to Philemon is just as true today as the day Paul wrote it. Having a relationship with Jesus brings us grace and peace in our lives, too. In a world rocked by hate, war, and wickedness, having the grace of God in our lives can bring us peace in any circumstance. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

The Original Intent

2) What is the significance of Paul praying for Philemon? (verse 4)

In writing to Philemon, Paul declared, “I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers.” Chuck Swindoll explains that Paul met and converted Philemon, who lived in Colossae, when Paul was preaching in nearby Ephesus. Paul wrote to Philemon while he was under house arrest in Rome a few years after they worked together.

Paul did not forget his disciples when he moved on to a new city or when he was imprisoned. He wrote to Philemon and other friends, giving them advice and counsel, and he supported them by praying for them. (Romans 1:8-9)

For Paul, prayer was a vital part of the Christian life. He taught that God’s will was for Christ’s followers to pray constantly about everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Paul was a man given to prayer. E.M. Bounds suggests that Paul’s praying “fitted him to teach others what prayer was and what prayer could do. And for this reason he was competent to urge upon the people that they must not neglect prayer. Too much depended upon it.” John Gill suggests “The apostle was a man much in prayer, frequent at the throne of grace; and he prayed not for himself only, but for all the saints, for all the churches and ministers of the Gospel; whom he not only bore upon his mind and heart, but made mention of them.”

Paul knew God wanted to strengthen and mature Christians like Philemon, so he prayed God would give them spiritual power (Ephesians 3:16), love for others (Philippians 1:9), and a fruitful walk (Colossians 1:10). Through prayer, Paul called on the Lord to minister to the needs of the growing Church.

The Everyday Application

2) What is the significance of Paul praying for Philemon? (verse 4)

When I ask a friend how things are going and they respond by sharing their troubles or sorrows, I often reply with, “You will be in my prayers.” Or when scrolling through social media I see someone’s post about a difficult situation, many responses consist of “thoughts and prayers”.

This can annoy some folks, even when accompanied by cute hearts and prayer-hands emojis, or maybe especially when accompanied by them. Some feel like the phrase is a cop-out. They want action and change, not kind but ineffectual words.

But those who know the actual power of prayer realize that having someone keep you in their prayers is sustaining and impactful. (James 5:16) When we add those comments and actually pray, we fulfill Paul’s admonition to pray for others so that we might “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity”. (1 Timothy 2:1)

Paul knew this when writing to Philemon when he stated, “I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers.” (Philemon 4) Paul believed that praying for people brought them the strength and help they needed because it led them to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit and his work in their lives. (Ephesians 1:16-19)

Mentioning his friends and converts before the Lord in prayer was a regular practice for Paul, as was seeking prayer from his friends in his own dire circumstances. (2 Corinthians 1:11, Romans 15:30) Paul even encouraged believers that when they didn’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit Himself was interceding for them. (Romans 8:26)

When a praying person commits to pray for you, you can expect to be touched by the Lord in some way because of God’s power and grace. When someone asks you for prayer, be a friend like Paul, who prayed everywhere in all circumstances for God’s will to be done and His power to be revealed.

The Original Intent

3) Why is Paul grateful for Philemon’s love for the saints and faith in Jesus? (verse 5)

Paul told Philemon he thanked God for him “because I hear of your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.” (Philemon 5) It was important for Paul to have mature, dependable leaders like Philemon in the churches he planted. Paul needed to travel to spread the Good News of Jesus and to seek personal safety when his message upset local leaders. In addition, he was frequently imprisoned for his teachings. Paul relied heavily on the converts and disciples he left behind to grow the church and spread the Gospel. Having a good and faithful partner like Philemon to lead others in The Way was invaluable to Paul. This made him very thankful for Philemon’s love for the people and faith in Jesus.

Jennie Allen reminds us, “God made sure to include a clear call to thankfulness in Scripture because He knows that only when we’re planted in the soil of gratitude will we learn and grow and thrive: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Paul was deeply grateful that Philemon was leading others to advance the cause of Christ and to minister to his own needs; his prayers and letters evidenced his gratitude for God’s provision.

The Everyday Application

3) Why is Paul grateful for Philemon’s love for the saints and faith in Jesus? (verse 5)

Part of the blessing of working with teenagers is you get to watch them grow, change, and mature into the men and women God has called them to be. Part of the challenge of working with teenagers is their growing, maturing, and changing can be a painful and messy process. I was reminded of this truth recently while working with teen volunteers during a church VBS.

Most of the young volunteers were fun, friendly, God-loving kids who were rock-stars in the eyes of the little kids because of their kindness and enthusiasm, but some were more reliable than others. The dependable helpers saw a need and stepped in to lend a hand, helping kids feel welcome and safe. (Colossians 3:23) The less reliable volunteers struggled to stay on task and focus on the kids, requiring more hands-on involvement from adult mentors.

That is an expected part of working with teens, but I was very grateful for the young people who spread joy and excitement while being responsible, respectful, Christ-like examples to the kiddos they were serving. When Paul wrote to Philemon, he expressed this kind of gratitude for his friend’s spiritual maturity when he thanked God for his “love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.” (Philemon 5)

After my week at VBS, I realized Paul was not just padding his letter with filler statements before he got to the crux of his communication with Philemon. The gratitude was an honest, heartfelt, crucial part of Paul’s message to Philemon. Paul was grateful God answered his prayers and blessed him with a faithful, trustworthy leader who cared for God’s church in the same loving way Paul would.

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Paul’s spiritual walk was marked by a strong, consistent, prioritized, ongoing prayer life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, he exhorted believers to “pray constantly.” Paul lived out this emphasis on prayer, as evidenced throughout his New Testament letters.

These are no begrudging, obligatory prayers!
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Philemon Day 2 Fellow Ones: Digging Deeper

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Philemon Day 2 Fellow Ones: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

February 14, 2023

church,Comfort,Community,Encourage,Family

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 "Fellow Ones"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 1:1-2

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is writing this letter? (verse 1)

In the greeting of this letter, the co-authors are identified as Paul and Timothy. Paul, a pharisaical radical turned Christ-following radical (Acts 22:1-21), was a missionary and church planter. Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. (Acts 16:1-3)

Paul referred to Timothy as his “true son in the faith“. (1 Timothy 1:2) Though he was young when he joined Paul in his travels, Timothy was a mature and devoted spiritual leader early in his life. He had been greatly influenced by the faith of his mother and grandmother. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Unlike the other prison epistles of Paul, this letter to Philemon is brief and deals with a single issue. It’s as if Paul jotted down a quick personal note to encourage Philemon regarding a situation with a friend, while including others who would be affected by his request.

Evidenced by the fact there are certain details left out of the letter that appear to be mutually known (verses 10-16), we can conclude there is a previous relationship and a familiarity which existed between the writers and recipient.

Bible scholars are uncertain about Paul’s location, though most believe he was imprisoned in Rome when he wrote to Philemon. Although there is no specific account of Paul being imprisoned in Ephesus, he mentions numerous unnamed imprisonments. (2 Corinthians 11:22-23) So, it is possible he could have been writing from somewhere other than Rome.

I agree with the reasons commentator Malick provides about his location being Rome. (bible.org) Since the themes and language used in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians are similar, it was probably written between AD 60-62.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is writing this letter? (verse 1)

He has been given the titles “greatest missionary” and “greatest Christian” by many people through the years, but Paul’s transformation was humbling if it was anything at all.

Struck blind, he was forced to run straight forward into the grace of God Whose brilliant light pierced the darkness of his sin-wrecked soul! After his conversion, Paul was transformed into a man who would spend his life pointing to the One he became convinced was indeed the greatest, the only Savior, the Lord of all. (Acts 9:18-22)

One day, this very Paul who was a former legalistic Jew, found himself in Jerusalem where he was falsely accused of breaking Jewish law. As a hush fell on the angry mob who wanted him dead, Paul began to share his testimony of the Lord who brought him out of darkness and into light. What a sermon it was! (Acts 22:1-21)

Whether or not he was the greatest saint to ever live, we don’t know, but we do know he lived his life in surrender to the Lord who redeems all who call on Him for rescue. There have been many who have lived a life like Paul, even giving themselves as martyrs for the gospel of Jesus Christ. His example has inspired many to follow hard after Jesus with the same passion.

The Original Intent

2) Who is specifically addressed? (verses 1-2)

Philemon is personally addressed in verse 1 of the greeting. While he is not mentioned outside of this letter, because his slave, Onesimus, is mentioned in Colossians 4:9, we can build a bridge to evidence the relationship between Philemon and Paul.

In verse 2, we are introduced to other recipients: Apphia, Archippus, as well as the entire gathering of people meeting in the home of Philemon. Likely, Philemon was the leader of a house church in the city of Colossae. There is no direct reference to location, but a comparison of Paul’s letter to the Colossians with the Philemon letter gives us good reason to conclude this. Paul mentions he is with Timothy in both of his letters. (Compare verse 1 with Colossians 1:1-2)

Another similarity is found at the end of Colossians where Paul mentions several of the same people he addresses in Philemon.  (Onesimus and Archippus are mentioned in Colossians 4:9, 17) It is interesting to note how Paul writes to Philemon with a personal touch not evidenced in all of his letters.

Of the 13 letters Paul wrote, he called himself an “apostle” in 9 of them. Even when he wrote to the entire church at Colossae, he had a more formal approach, mentioning his apostleship and calling. Most Bible scholars leave little room for doubting that Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus was also a member of the family. Many have good reason to believe Archippus was their son. (bible.hub, precepts.wordpress)

It makes sense to understand this letter was a personal plea from Paul to a friend and his family. Knowing that a church gathered regularly in their home, he extends his greeting and request to the church in their home. Paul had a deep love for all those in the situation, and he is hoping this very personal letter will bring about restoration if needed. (verses 9-16)

The Everyday Application

2) Who is specifically addressed? (verses 1-2)

Paul was writing with his friend to his other friends about another friend. These were all genuine friends in the faith.

The lyrics of an old song speak to his relationship with them, “And friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them. And a friend will not say never ‘cause the welcome will not end.” (“Friends” by Deborah D. Smith / Michael W Smith) Paul had a request for some of his dearly beloved friends to welcome another friend he had come to appreciate and care about.

He greeted Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus with deep affection because he loved them and desired reconciliation and restoration to bloom. The church is a place where individuals are molded into one people, one family, and one Body through the Spirit of God by the blood of the Son of God. Where the Spirit of God dwells, there is a shared desire for harmony, unity, and shalom, an old Hebrew word meaning ‘nothing out of place, all is well, at peace’.

Once we enter into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus, we gain brothers and sisters from all over the world. It’s a relationship intended to run even deeper than the one we share with blood relatives. Paul wrote about it in Philippians 2:1-5 and Ephesians 2:16-22.

Sister, aren’t you thankful for this example of sweet relationships formed because of Jesus? And it’s all found in a 2-phrase greeting in a letter to Philemon.

The Original Intent

3) What can we learn from the identifying words in this greeting? (verses 1-2)

Paul identifies himself as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” in verse 1. While it’s true that the Jews had falsely accused him to the Romans in Jerusalem and had him arrested (Acts 21:27-32), Paul explains in other passages that he considers himself a prisoner for the cause of the gospel of Christ. (2 Timothy 2:8-10, Ephesians 3:1-2)

Paul had always been willing to suffer for the message he was called to proclaim regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus because he knew he was blind to truth and dead in his sins without it!

He gladly wore physical chains while he prayed his imprisonment would mean salvation to those near him. He also desired his message to spread through the entire Roman imperial guard and throughout the Roman world! (Philippians 1:12-14, Philippians 4:22)

Paul’s faithful companion was “Timothy, our brother“. Since Timothy had come to understand the salvation of Jesus through being taught the scriptures from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15), he was identified as a brother. He was a brother to Paul in the family of God. He was also a son. Paul had mentored him and been an example to him of faith and love; through this familial growth, he had become like a son. (2 Timothy 1:13)

Philemon was “a dear friend and coworker“ to Paul and Timothy. Noting that Paul requested a guest room at Philemon’s home (verse 22) and he previously had a slave (verses 15-16), it is probable he was more wealthy than most Christians in the day. He had become a valued partner with Paul in his gospel ministry.

As mentioned previously, Apphia “our sister” and Archippus “our fellow soldier“ were possibly members of Philemon’s family, or perhaps leaders in the gathered church who acted like family. (biblehub.com) Regardless of their blood relation, they were partners with Paul in the gospel, making them all part of a family in the “household of faith”. (Galatians 6:10-11)

The Everyday Application

3) What can we learn from the identifying words in this greeting? (verses 1-2)

Paul identified the people in his letter by using kind descriptions like “brother”, “dear friend”, and “sister”. Paul’s greeting identified the beautiful relationships we find in the family of God’s people. Those brought into the family of God through faith in Jesus are our “brothers” and “sisters” in Christ, our spiritual siblings.

Paul urges us to “love one another deeply as brothers and sisters.” (Romans 12:10) His note of encouragement to Philemon acknowledged his love for his friends and challenged them to demonstrate grace to a brother.

When you think of Paul identifying as a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” maybe you have some people come to mind who live by faith and submission to Jesus. I’m reminded of missionary and martyr Jim Elliot who may have been a modern-day Paul. Though he wasn’t jotting down a note for anyone but himself, his journal entry has made its way into the hearts of many who have figuratively chained themselves to Jesus to serve others. “One of the great blessings of heaven is the appreciation of heaven on earth – Ephesians truth. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

So my Sister, sharing Paul’s words, I pray for us,
“For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)

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Philemon Day 1
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I wonder, are we more concerned for our fellow ones than ourselves?
Have we considered who our fellow ones are?
Are we coworkers with Paul, Lydia, Aquila and the rest?
Have we become prisoners of Christ to do His kingdom work?
Or are we chasing our own glory?
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Feb 13 - Mar 3, 2023 - Journey Theme #114

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