Messiah

Enough Day 9 Perfect Prophet: 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 Perfect Prophet!

The Questions

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?

Luke 24:13-26

13 Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. 15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. 16 But they were prevented from recognizing him. 17 Then he asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. 18 The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Original Intent

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?
The passage of Scripture we are digging deeper into begins with the word “now” in the CSB (Christian Standard Bible). The original Greek words καί (kai) and ἰδού (idou) translate into “and behold.” The translators chose “now” to indicate the transition to a new scene, but also had a desire to keep the urgency of the moment. (netbible.org) We know from the verse that “now” is the “same day” in which the tomb of Jesus had been found to be vacated. (Luke 24:1-3) These disciples of Jesus, not part of “the Twelve,” had heard about the empty tomb. Although the CSB uses the word “arguing”, the term indicates only that this was an emotional dialogue between the two. Whether the men were actually debating we don’t know, but it was most certainly an intense conversation about the events of the past few days. (verse 15) And why wouldn’t it be?! The events described in Luke 23 are dramatic and difficult to understand. These disciples were attempting to process together as they walked along. I imagine a present-day scene in which two eyewitnesses are walking away from a horrific car accident, in which they overhear there were no major injuries or fatalities. They begin to talk with each other about what they saw and heard. Each one gets more and more animated as they process their reactions out loud. This was the scene on the road to Emmaus that day.

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?
We are told only one of the names of the men walking along. We know that neither were one of Jesus’ original disciples because we read in verse 33 how they joined the “eleven” later. After Jesus joins them, He opens by asking them a question that references their conversation. Based on His words, we can discern that Jesus had walked silently with them for a while, simply listening while they walked along. It was evident they were saddened by what had happened. (verse 17) Shocked that the stranger did not seem to know what was going on, they began to explain the current events. Their explanation to Jesus demonstrated some important things these men had come to believe about Jesus. They knew His name and where He was from. They said He was a prophet who was mighty in how He acted and spoke. They shared with the stranger that Jesus had been crucified by the religious leaders. They remembered He had promised to redeem Israel and they had hoped it was true. Now, because it was the third day, they were uncertain and confused. Possibly they had heard the prophet say something significant would happen by the third day. It is unclear whether these men were fully convinced about the Christ of whom they were speaking. What is clear is Luke’s priority by including this scene in his Gospel narrative. “The importance of the affirmation of the two disciples here in Luke 24:19 must not in any way be underestimated. It is integral to Luke’s theology and purpose.” (Walter Liefeld, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary on Luke)

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?
What a shocking response! The men walking along thought they had been approached by a clueless visitor. (verse 18) How could anyone be so uninformed as it appeared this man seemed? Then He begins rebuking them! (verse 25) The Bible tells us these men were unable to recognize Jesus. (verse 16) Somehow, Jesus’ appearance was altered. It is difficult to know what this means, although there is no indication He was frightening or odd to them. All we are able to discern is that they did not immediately recognize who He was at this point. Still, Jesus’ response and demeanor apparently drew them to Him instead of becoming frustrated at Him. He spoke as one who knew them and knew more of the story. They did not shrink back from His critique. Instead they listened intently to His lengthy message and explanation. Later in verses 31-32 it is revealed that their hearts were stirred as “He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (verse 27)

Everyday Application

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?
What a nightmare the previous days had been. These had been agonizing moments for everyone who followed closely to Jesus. Luke 22-23 provides many details. What eyewitnesses saw and heard was incomprehensible. Even though Jesus had previously spoken of the events as prophetic descriptions, it is obvious His hearers just did not get it. His closest friends even missed it. Before we are too hard on them, I must confess my own tendency to be confused when things do not seem to line up. Instead of trusting what I know to be true about God, I often doubt. Instead of rehearsing God’s promises, I often linger far too long in my own thinking. I look around and cannot see how it is possible for God to work things out for my good. There are times when nothing points to victory. It is easy to let the bad things we experience become our sole point of focus. How foolish of us! Instead, the psalmist reminds us to pause and preach the goodness of God to our souls. (Psalm 103)

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?
I love the fact that these two men were not famous people. The disciples walking along the road that day following Passover were ordinary followers of Jesus who seem to be unlikely candidates for His after-resurrection appearance. Yet, there they were, talking to the Messiah Himself. They had no idea it was Him, yet they spoke with courage and confidence about what they had seen. They even boldly confessed that the religious leaders were the ones who had crucified Jesus. Can you imagine the scene, friend? They sincerely wanted to believe the best. They said as much, “But we were hoping that He was the one who was about to redeem Israel.” (verse 21) When we face disappointment, it is easy to be discouraged and lose hope, but our Lord invites us to pray and trust. Commentator David Guzik says, “Jesus wanted to know from them what He wants to know from us today.” He then asks the reader, “can we believe without seeing with our own eyes?”(Guzik, Enduring Word) Sometimes we fall at the feet of Jesus like the father mentioned in Mark 9:23-24 and must confess, “we believe, Lord. Help our unbelief!”
Sister, He is here. He is present. Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?
As he does so often, gospel-writer Luke painted the scene in such dramatic fashion I feel like I am right there with them! Two men were walking along discussing Jesus’ death as well as the confusing message they had heard of His resurrection. Without realizing it, there was Jesus! Some Bible teachers have offered this scene as a parallel to Jesus’ presence with His often-non-perceptive disciples in our modern age. Luke’s implication was that they were ‘being prevented’ from recognizing Jesus. Apparently, Jesus appeared like the real man He was, but they could not identify Him. The key to us recognizing Jesus as exactly Who He claims, is to keep digging into the Scriptures that teach us what He looks like in real life scenes. Perhaps you’re familiar with the letters WWJD, prompting believers to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” However, the better question to ask ourselves as we seek Jesus in the Scripture would be, “Is this who the real Jesus is?” If the answer is clarified in our souls through the Spirit, we can proceed in faith and confidence. We can know that The Christ is among us, teaching us, leading us, inspiring us, saving us! Who He reveals Himself to be in His Word will never contradict other Scriptures about Himself. He encourages us to keep seeking that we find Him! (Matthew 7:7) “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee. Ready, my God, Thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine! (Open my Eyes by Clara Scott)

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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

Reveal day 13 We Have This Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
1 Peter 1:3-7

Reveal, Day 13

Wars and rumors of wars . . . that is our life these days. One king after another has slaughtered us, starved us, kept us in confusion, unsure of the truth. Unsure of whom to trust.

At a loss, I try to remember the reassurances of my grandmother. “Remember Yahweh’s words,” she would say. “Listen for the prophets.”

But even Grandmother knew the prophets were long dead.

Their words of promise, of hope, are a distant, fading memory. A King to save us? That’s what they all say. Hundreds of years later, there is still no salvation from the bare existence we scratch out day . . . after day . . . after day.

They used to talk about David’s line, his descendants. From his family would come a new King, a Messiah. Ha! David’s line has not been seated on the throne for generations.

What good is Yahweh’s word when it simply isn’t?

It seems no one mentions Yahweh anymore. Not even a whisper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father has taken to reading the Torah and the writings of David again. Pulling dusty scrolls from forgotten back shelves, he reads aloud Psalm 130 and Psalm 131.

Hope.
Yahweh.
“Wait on the Lord.”
I can’t see it. But if it makes him feel better, I will listen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tikvah. HOPE. Why are people suddenly talking about this?
Today at the well, one woman was even singing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND THEN IN THE HEAVENLIES —

“Now. It’s time.”

To the Earth below, there appeared a star, shining brighter than all others in the sky, and the sound of a baby’s first breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever had a falling out with someone and not heard from her again?

I’ve been there.

What if you relied on someone to coach you, to give you good counsel, warn you of unwise plans on your part . . . but then suddenly she drops out of touch, just stops communicating with you?

How do you sit with that silence?

Israel sat in silence for 400 years. Generation after generation. An entire nation depended on hearing God’s voice, either directly or more typically, through His prophets, those He called to be His mouthpiece. Whether the prophets delivered words of encouragement and salvation, or chastisement and judgment, at least Israel heard from God.

But then came those 400 years of silence. As if Jehovah, God, locked tight the door of heaven. Silent.

It wasn’t as if they experienced 400 years of prosperity, of great economic growth and health, and stopped pursuing Him. No, they still had their cycles of corrupt governments, of wars, of pestilence.

Of hopelessness.

Maybe after so long without hearing from God, they simply gave up.

After being invaded and taken over by the world power of Rome and living under strict authoritarian rule, they wanted rescue. They wanted to hope in a King, a ruler who would come in like a warrior, defeat the Roman tyrannical rule, and bring prosperity and safety.

Have you ever felt that hopeless, that desperate?
Have you ever felt like God has left you, or you wonder if He was even there at all?

Even in the desperation, the questions, the loneliness, we can have hope.

We have hope in Christ, our God-made-flesh Who came to Earth and was born of a virgin.

Fast forward 30 years. Messiah begins His ministry of Hope. Not as the warrior or ruler Israel thought they wanted, but as a Savior, a Rescuer, and the Hope they needed.

He promised life abundant and life everlasting.
But like Israel, when we are in a hopeless situation, we can’t always see His promises.
We know we want out and want out now.
We want the answer to our hopelessness to be tangible. But it isn’t always.

Having faith in God, putting our hope in Jesus Christ, means trusting in the intangible. (Romans 8:24-25)

And yet, that intangible Hope is a very real anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:19)

We no longer need to strive within ourselves. We are free to admit we need something beyond ourselves; we need a Savior.

And so, our GOD OF HOPE gave of His very self to meet our desperate need. Jesus, the same babe born that first Christmas night in a Bethlehem cave, is our Hope. The God-man who gave His life on the cross, was buried, and rose again so we would be free and have eternal life is our living, breathing Hope.

He is your Hope. You only have to ask, to surrender yourself, your needs, and your heart to Him. Our journey in this life will still have challenges and struggles and hardship and hurt, but the One who sustains and controls everything in the Universe can and will be by our side through it all. (John 16:33)

Jesus Christ, our living hope. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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

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

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

Reveal Day 11 Dancing In The Dark

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 37:15-28
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Reveal, Day 11

I woke up today and struggled to put my feelings into words. For a person who loves words, failing to figure out which ones to use only added to the loneliness of the moment.

As I thought, a picture of the ocean tide going out came to mind.
That. I was feeling that.

How does the beach feel as the tide heads back to sea, taking with it anything not strong enough to anchor itself in the sand?
Does it recognize something is missing?
Does a sense of loss and an inability to hold onto the waves cause it to tremble?
Does an awareness of uncovering surprise it as the ocean breeze makes contact with the wet soil?

As the beach imagery provides words for my emotions, it also reminds me of the treasure trove revealed in the absence of those salty waters as the
waves run out and sea shells glisten on sandy shores. The ocean picture of runaway tides and hidden shells reminds me that while I may be feeling much like the beach at low tide, I have hope.

Good things, God-things, are found in the midst of these emotions.
Good things, God-things, are found in the faith that sustains us in the wake of raw, uncovered, and alone.

This hope is found in one Place, in one Person, the Presence of God.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says, “‘You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you’–this is the Lord’s declaration.” How many times I have held onto this promise, and seeking Him, knowing He would faithfully allow me to find Him.
I’m sitting here humbled by the Lord’s promise not only to be found by me when I search for Him with all my heart, but to dwell within me. Because Christ came to earth and died for my sins, I am able to interact with Him directly.

This was not the case for those believers living in the days prior to His arrival. In fact, leading up to Jesus’ birth, the Israelites had no prophetic voice communicating the heart of the Father for 400 years. They had promises of the Messiah to come, but no present-day prophet through whom the Lord would guide and lead His people.

The Holy Spirit did not indwell them individually; a priest served as the intermediary between a believer and the Lord through the sacrifices required by the Law. Until Christ became our perpetual sacrifice, the Israelites lacked consistent access to the Presence of the Lord in their lives.

But oh, how they reveled in the joy of His nearness when His Presence visited! David danced with abandon before the Ark of the Covenant as it was restored to Israel. When was the last time you danced with joy, and I mean more than quiet toe tap to a song with a good beat? This dancing sprang up within David as an outrageous act of worship, totally disregarding social norms. David sought only to please the Lord and rejoice in His Presence.

Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, also experienced the impact of the Lord’s nearness. The baby in her womb leapt as the baby Mary carried, Jesus, drew close. I’ve never been pregnant, so I can only imagine the surprise and delight at feeling a child within dance. This must have been far more noticeable than the butterflies and kicks a soon-to-be mother feels.

As the first Christmas arrived, the shepherds were unaware of the nearness of the Lord’s Presence, but what must their responses have been when an angel appeared and brought the glory of the Lord with him? Years of silence ended as the host of heaven sang praises to the Lord.

The first Christmas ushered in the grace of access to experience the Almighty’s presence directly within our souls if we surrender our hearts to Him. When we seek Him with all we are, we will find Him. He will make His home with us. (Ephesians 3:17)

In those moments when an aching void turns your world dark, come to Him with your raw and uncovered and alone. Come with your bereft heart echoing mourning Israel’s exile cry,
“Oh, come, oh come, Emmanuel! “
Come with your longing for God with us, our God whose nearness is our good.
And in your dark waiting, hope in the assurance your Emmanuel is near!
Dance with David, John the Baptist, and a few surprised shepherds, and delight in the Presence of the Lord who came near!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

Reveal Day 9 Sudden Peace: 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 Sudden Peace!

The Questions

1) What is the glory of the Lord? (verse 9)

2) How can we give glory to God like the angels did? (verse 14)

3) What do the angels mean with “peace on earth” when there are still so many struggles, trial, and war? (verse 14)

Luke 2:8-14

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

Original Intent

1) What is the glory of the Lord? (verse 9)
Defining the glory of the Lord is not easy to do! How do you define something with human language that is untouchable and belonging solely to the divine? Looking at the content of these verses (like the verb ‘shone’), the words ‘glory of the Lord’ may have been used to describe an incredibly bright light. It was so bright the shepherds were terrified of its presence. A similar event happened when the angel of the Lord rolled away the stone at Jesus’ resurrection and the soldiers “became as dead men” in the presence of such outstanding glory and light so radiant it was described as “lightning”. (Matthew 28:3-4) The light shining around the angels at Jesus’ resurrection and His birth was brighter than we can even begin to imagine. So great was this reflection of God’s righteous glory, it terrified witnesses!

2) How can we give glory to God like the angels did? (verse 14)
In verse 14, the angels deliver the shepherds their message of the Messiah’s arrival and they give glory to God in doing so. Looking at what we previously discovered about the glory of the Lord, it seems rather impossible at first glance to give ‘light’ back to God. This use of “glory”, though the same Greek word, means something a little different given the particular context. What does remain the same is the straight definition of glory in Greek which carries the idea of the highest pronouncement of what is good and holy. In essence, “glory” is the good righteous holiness of God on display for us to see and interact with. This makes a lot more sense when we hear the word ‘glory’ in the context of verse 14. The angel here tells us to give praise and honour unto God for He has sent His Son into the world to save us.

3) What do the angels mean with “peace on earth” when there are still so many struggles, trial, and war? (verse 14)
The shepherds, though cultural outcasts, were still acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah and understood the implications of the angels’ message of “peace on earth”. In Isaiah 9:6 it is prophesied that Jesus would be known as the “Prince of Peace”. Isaiah also foretold that, while “the result of righteousness will be peace” (Isaiah 32:17), there would be “no peace for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22) Even these shepherds understood that, for God’s people, there would be peace because “the Lord blesses His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11). God had long ago laid the foundation of prophecies and His truth to be unfolded and later understood as the world welcomed the promised Messiah who would hold out salvation to all people, regardless of cultural status or difficult circumstance. Those who follow the Lord will have peace within them wherever they are, no matter the situation.

Everyday Application

1) What is the glory of the Lord? (verse 9)
While the glory of the Lord in today’s verses are referring to God’s brightness and His light, the word translated ‘glory’ is also used in Acts 22:11 in similar fashion. In this verse, Paul tells the story of his radical encounter with the risen Jesus. He describes seeing a bright light that instantly blinded him as he traveled to Damascus, intent on imprisoning and killing Christians. His intentions were fully against the Lord God, but he was left blind for three days from the glorious light of God. The King James Version reads, “And when I could not see for the glory of that light…” (emphasis mine). The Christian Standard Bible translates the Greek word “glory” directly into “brightness”. “Since I (Paul) couldn’t see because of the brightness of the light…” (emphasis mine) This closer study of the word “glory” and its intended meaning helps us understand the shepherds’ experience on that dark night. The lowly group of sheep herders witnessed an enormous bright light which itself reflected the character of God and they were forever changed. Just like Saul on the road to Damascus, the trajectory of his life was radically made new as he was renamed Paul and given a new mission. Has Jesus changed your life? Have you ever truly encountered His glory?

2) How can we give glory to God like the angels did? (verse 14)
In his gospel, John describes Jesus as being the Light of the world. In Colossians, Paul writes that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God”. (Colossians 1:15) The author of Hebrews says Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature.” (Hebrews 1:3) Jesus is God’s glory on display in human form for us to interact with and experience. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, His light becomes ours and we shine for Him. When we love like Jesus, when we worship Him in song, when we speak with kindness, show His compassion, and come alongside others as God has done for us, we are “giving glory to God”. We actually are giving His light back to Him because we are reflecting the Light He first gave us! Philippians 2:11 says, “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Confessing Jesus as Lord mirrors God’s glory back to Him. Paul also wrote that Jesus (and therefore God) is glorified by asking God through prayer to make us worthy of His calling and to fulfill our every desire to do good by His power (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). So, by confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord, and by fulfilling God’s calling in faith, we give God glory!

3) What do the angels mean with “peace on earth” when there are still so many struggles, trial, and war? (verse 14)
Although the world can seem like a crazy place; when we have Jesus, we do have peace. Why? Because Jesus Himself brings the gift of peace. He tells us, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” (John 14:27) He warns us that life will not be easy, and will be filled with sorrow and suffering, but to prepare us for the troubles to come, He gives us peace. (John 16:33) Paul writes, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) He even refers to God in Heaven as our “God of peace” (Romans 15:33; 16:20). Perfect peace is only found through Jesus Christ. Whenever we feel overwhelmed by the chaos and confusion in this world, we need to turn to Him who gave up His life for us, so we might have eternal life… and peace! Amen.

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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

Reveal Day 7 Filling The Empty: 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 Filling The Empty!

The Questions

1) Who is the Word? (verse 1)

2) In what way did the Word “come to His own”? (verses 10-11)

3) What does it mean that “He has revealed Him?” (verse 18)

John 1:1-13

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

Original Intent

1) Who is the Word? (verse 1)
John didn’t write about the Word so as to invoke a mystery, he wrote to make one truth abundantly clear. Jesus IS God. Not a god. Not a good man. Not a great prophet. Jesus is God; the very fullness of God dwelled in Him. (Colossians 1:19) If it is true about God, John writes, it is also true of the Word. The total equality of power, authority, will, and sovereignty is made abundantly clear right from the start of John’s gospel. A gospel record which, by the way, focuses every story on the unequivocal identity of Jesus Christ as God. Are we absolutely certain the Word is indeed Jesus Christ? Without a single hint of doubt! John says the Word carried life within Him (verse 4), a life described as the “light of the word” (verse 9), of whom, John (the Baptist) was a forerunner testifying of this coming Light. (verses 7-8) John describes the Word as coming to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (verse 12) Making his point more clear, John adds that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (verse 14) Beyond all imaginings, the Word, who is God, now put on human skin! The fullness of God wrapped in frail flesh and bone, coming as a helpless baby born to a virgin girl. Fully God, and fully man, this Word did not come in secret to a few select people, but He was widely-known and countless people testified of Him, including John who wrote this gospel a mere 60 years after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This allowed for plenty of time for readers of his gospel to interview and cross reference with other witnesses who had walked with Jesus to verify all John testified of this Word made flesh. (verses 14-15) To remove all potential remaining doubt as to the identity of the Word, God in the flesh, John writes, “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—He has revealed Him.” (verses 17-18)

2) In what way did the Word “come to His own”? (verses 10-11)
John wrote his gospel so that all would understand that Jesus is indeed God, but more so, that they would believe in His Name so they could experience adoption as children of God. (verse 12) It’s only when we put our full trust on who John describes Jesus as (fully God, fully human) and on everything Jesus taught we can become a child of God. This is the “receiving” John wrote of in verse 12. John said Jesus “was in the world, and the world was created through Him, and yet the world did not recognize Him.” (verse 10) Every tree, flower, smile, gentle breeze, human bone, and intricate eyeball screams of a loving Creator God who is infinitely wise and infinitely interested in His creation, yet the One who crafted every fingerprint, wasn’t recognized as He came and dwelt among His people. Though He clothed Himself in human skin and hair, moved in miraculous ways only God could, healed broken bodies, and fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy about Himself, they still chose unbelief. He “came to His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (verse 11) Even as far back in the Old Testament as the moment the first sin was acknowledged by humans before God, He promised One who would come to crush the head of Satan, forever ending death and suffering. (Genesis 3:15) Throughout all of history since that moment, the Lord God has crafted events and prophetic messages to point to the coming of His promised Messiah. Finally, as Jesus was born, and God was present in the flesh with His people, the Jews rejected Him. (Acts 2:22-23)

3) What does it mean that “He has revealed Him?” (verse 18)
By looking at these words alone, the pronouns become nonsensical, which is why it is always critically important to study Scripture by reading a whole passage, not just a single soundbite. We must first understand the message in its original setting before we can make any application to our lives today. (for more on this, see “Why Do We Dig Deeper?”) Verse 18 says in full, “No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side—He has revealed Him.” While there were occurrences of people seeing some of God’s glory as He allowed it (Exodus 33:18-19), Scripture teaches no one can see God and live. (Exodus 33:20) He is perfectly holy, and we are utterly sinful. There is no possible way for sin to stand in His presence. “Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3) The only way we could possibly “see” God was for Him to come to us in human form. John was careful with his words to express to us, “…The one and only Son, who is Himself God, and is at the Father’s side…” No one can tell us who God is like, except God Himself. There is only One authority able to accurately convey the fullness of Who He Is. God Himself. At the time of John’s writing, Jesus had already ascended back to Heaven and taken His place at the right hand of the Father. Note that John was again careful to make a distinction by saying Jesus was at the right hand of the Father. Both of them, along with the Holy Spirit, are fully God together. They are triune; 3 equally divine beings in 1 God. Finally, we come to the phrase, “He has revealed Him”. Now that we have slowed down for proper understanding, it is clear Jesus, fully God, came in human form, to make the unseen God seen and knowable. What incredible humility and love!

Everyday Application

1) Who is the Word? (verse 1)
I could sit with just these few verses of Scripture for the rest of my life and never unpack their fullness; they are so rich! That being said, the very first verse, only consisting of 17 words, leaves absolutely zero wiggle room about the identity of the Word. These last 4 words of sentence one set the bedrock foundation for e v e r y t h i n g else we read in John. What four words you ask? “…the Word was God.” Ladies, this is the biggest mic drop in history, and John wanted to make sure his readers didn’t even move onto a second sentence before understanding that this “Word” not only was “with” God from the very beginning of Creation, He Is God. Everything that could be said about God, can also be said of the Word. It can be hard to identify, much less tear down, our own false beliefs we have about who Jesus is as the fullness of God. I was blessed to be raised in a home where the truth that Jesus was God was taught over and over, but even so, I held a number of false beliefs about God when I left my family of origin. It took my marriage careening towards divorce, suffering depression, and surviving my suicide plans, before I was willing to finally, level the tower of my long-held beliefs. What I thought was true, just wasn’t adding up in real life. Too many questions didn’t have answers, and I needed answers. I decided to read the Bible for myself, forcing myself to remove the thick lenses of my past, and study God’s Word for what it really said. God was faithful to teach me Who He really was, and, praise God, He has continued to show me over and over who He is, and always will be!

2) In what ways did the Word “come to His own”? (verses 10-11)
This is the single greatest tragedy known to mankind. That we would choose to reject the very Author of Life, deciding instead to clench our fists around ourselves, our own arbitrary measure of “good enough”, or our own twisted perception of who God is and what He is like, this tragedy will result in our eternal separation from Him. We will be utterly lost in unending darkness, forever suffering without the good, kind, forgiving God, who is Himself Light and Love. (Matthew 7:21-23) Amid swirling conversations and social debates on who this Jesus really was because He spoke and acted like He had the power of God, but looked like an ordinary man, Jesus asked this question to His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”. (Matthew 16:15) Peter rightly answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Who do you say Jesus is? Is He the Messiah, the Christ, the promised One from the beginning of time? Is He exactly who John, and rest of Scripture, declare Him to be as God Himself? Jesus followed up Peter’s response with this affirmation, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) If you aren’t convinced Jesus is precisely who He claimed, ask the Father to reveal it to your heart. Be certain you know Who you are believing in!  

3) What does it mean that “He has revealed Him?” (verse 18)
It would be easy for us, sitting at the tail end of 2020, to say with a bit of a scoff, “It was easy to see God when Jesus was doing miracles right in front of them.” While true, we don’t have the benefit of walking beside Jesus, watching Him sweat under a hot Judean sun, or laugh out loud when the disciples poked fun at each other. Neither can we stand beside Him in awe as He brought life from a previously dead person or straightened a once-crooked leg. Though it may not seem like it, because our culture has a love affair with instant gratification and visual experiences, Jesus said it was better for Him to leave earth. (John 16:7) “If I go, I will send Him to you.” Once Jesus left, the Holy Spirit could come, indwelling every person who fully places their trust in Jesus, the Christ, the only Holy God. Jesus couldn’t be everywhere with every person at the same time in the limits of His physical body, but through the Holy Spirit, (who is also fully God!), every believer has direct access to God at all times. He isn’t a finnicky God, deciding to leave us when we misbehave, He stays inside to forever mark us as His. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Christ Jesus died for us, the ungodly, so His righteousness could be imputed (or directly replacing our old, sinful identity) on us. (Romans 5:6-11) As the Spirit lives within hearts that believe in Jesus as the One True God, He continues revealing more about God to us through His Word. Only God can reveal God.

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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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)
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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?!

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Reveal Day 6 Filling The Empty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:1-5
Romans 15:8-13
John 1:1-13
Luke 2:8-11

Reveal, Day 6

When I was growing up, Christmas was always my very favorite time of year. It was also my Daddy’s favorite season, and his excitement automatically spilled on us all. Christmas is still magical to me, even at the age of 28. Now, I also experience it through the eyes of my children, witnessing their wonder and curiosity, which increases my own anticipation.

While my love for Christmas hasn’t abated, my childhood naivety has. With my own aging has come the subsequent aging, and then passing, of so many with whom I celebrated Christmas as a child. The loss of these special people creates an undercurrent of grief and sadness when I think on Christmas. Add to this, the reality of being a mother of two and often falling prey to the lie I must be all things to all people in December. Here in the wake of hurry and loss, Christmas joy quickly wanes. What was once so tangible and easy as a child is complex and difficult to grasp as an adult.

Maybe you feel this way, too? Perhaps you’re grieving a loved one this Christmas. Or maybe, like many of your fellow sisters-in-Christ, you feel hurried and harried, busy and overwhelmed by all you feel you must do to make Christmas special.

You’re not alone!
Amazingly, in studying the first Christmas, we find a beautiful mystery experienced by all who welcomed the Savior.
Great joy.

And yet, it’s important to remember that those who welcomed Christ at the first Christmas battled their own churning chaos.

Jewish persecution ran high. Rome increasingly took more and more control of land, of taxes, of daughters as sex slaves, of food, and of morale, as Jews were pressed on all sides to serve the wealthy.

After 400 years of silence from any prophetic voice from Yahweh, the Lord God, it was easy for Jews to look around in fear at the swirl of chaos, wondering if joy had slipped away forever.

And finally, there were those who stood in direct opposition to a Messiah. King Herod certainly was not interested in welcoming a Newborn King, and so for him, there was no joy. Herod was bent on destroying Him so he could continue relying solely on himself, his own capabilities, and his own glory. Herod rejected the Savior, and the result was a complete lack of joy. He found only death, fear, and a reliance on self that never satisfied, but instead destroyed himself and others.

Do you find yourself reflecting Herod’s harried attempt to protect self and somehow attain happiness? Instead, does it feel like stress and hurry persistently steal away any elusive joy that might be found? What if our lack of joy reveals something about the focus of our hearts?

It’s shockingly easy to rely on ourselves to be the savior of the season as we purpose in our hearts to bake all the cookies,
watch all the Christmas movies,
attend all the parties,
complete all the shopping,
do all the crafts,
send out all the Christmas cards,
say “yes” to all the requests,
and decorate our home to the Pinterest max.

The chaos beckons with glitter and lights and peppermint drizzle,
while joy quietly waits to be delighted in.

If Christmas is feeling a bit more chaotic than cheery, is it time to consider that maybe self is the idol we’re trusting? Is it any wonder joy feels out of reach?

Scrolling all the way back to the beginning of time, when God spoke His voice into the mass of nothing, bringing forth all of everything, we find a God who delights in bringing His joyful presence into the chaos of emptiness.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty (…).”
(Genesis 1:1-2)

From nothing, His voice filled the chaos, bringing forth a creation He delightedly declared “Good!”

“Then God said,’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good (…)”.
(Genesis 1:3-4, emphasis mine)

As darkness drew nigh that first Christmas and one girl’s laboring screams filled the night, followed by the shrill cry of a newborn babe, delight was filling the dark once more.  The very same Word was going forth from the Father once again.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“I came from the Father and have come into the world.” (John 16:28)

His light was shining in the darkness as He Himself took on human flesh.

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (…).” (John 1:14)

The Joy of Jesus had come to rescue His people,
drawing them out of eternal night into eternal day. 

If your Christmas season is feeling heavy with sorrow and rising stress, cling to the same Living Hope around Whom angels and shepherds hovered as they welcomed the light of the world, and the Joy whose presence promised unending delight.

Our emptiness, our longings, our stress, and our sadness all point to our need for the fullness of God and our souls’ longing for Immanuel, God with us. As C.S. Lewis once said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Focus your eyes on that other world this Christmas, friend. With eyes of faith, see the One Who came to offer His life for you, His light in exchange for your darkness, and watch your Christmas joy surge and swell!

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Reveal Day 5 The Longest Night

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Zephaniah 3:18-20
Malachi 4:1-6
Luke 1:26-38
Romans 5:6-8
Revelation 22:6-21

Reveal, Day 5

As I tossed and turned in an unfamiliar bed, it seemed like morning would never come.

I was tired, but sleep eluded me. Away from home for the first time, in a dorm filled with unfamiliar people, in darkness far deeper than I was accustomed to at home, it was impossible to settle.

After lying there, trying to sleep for what felt like hours, I finally grabbed my torch (that’s a flashlight for my American friends) I drew it under the covers so as not to disturb the others, and checked the time only to find, to my dismay, just twenty minutes had passed.

There were still hours to wait until morning . . .

The Israelites faced an even longer night.

Throughout the Old Testament, God promised a Messiah, a Saviour who would come to redeem and restore, who would deal with the problem of sin and provide a way back to closeness with God.

Zephaniah spoke of an end to oppression and shame, a gathering of God’s people who had been scattered, and the restoration of good fortune.

Malachi described a day when wickedness would be dealt with, and assured the people of God’s promise that, “for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2)

The promises were amazing . . . but then silence.

And waiting . . .

And still more waiting . . .

. . . Over four hundred years after Malachi’s words at the end of the Old Testament, the Israelites were still waiting for God’s promises to come true. Even worse, there were no more messages from the prophets. It seemed God had gone s i l e n t.

Perhaps this led to questions:

Would God’s promise of a Redeemer ever come true?
Had He forgotten?
Could He really be trusted?

And what about you? What are you waiting for just now?

The fulfilment of a long-held dream?
An answer to prayer?
Resolution in a situation of uncertainty?

Maybe, like the Israelites, you know God’s promises, but you’re struggling to see any evidence of their truth in your current situation. Maybe it feels like God has gone silent. It can be easy to lose hope, to wonder if God really will come through for us. Those times of waiting can be unsettling, uncomfortable, and often dark.

But what if God is at work in the waiting?
What if He is waiting, too . . .
For just the right moment?

Hundreds of years after Zephaniah and Malachi’s words, Jesus came, and the promise was fulfilled. It’s striking to note Paul, writing after the coming of Jesus, looks back on the fulfilment of the promise and describes both Jesus’ birth and His death as coming at just the right time.

“When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” (Galatians 4:4)

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

Suddenly, we realize the years of waiting were not caused by a delay, but were part of God’s design.

During those four hundred years, God may have been silent, but He was not inactive.
Various world powers rose and fell as predicted in prophecies in the book of Daniel. The Old Testament was translated into Greek, which was important for God’s Word being spread among the Gentiles. And Israel was conquered by the Romans, leaving the Jewish people desperate for freedom from oppression, recognising their only hope was in the coming of the Messiah.

The scene was set for Jesus to come.

Not only was God at work in the big picture of world events, but He was also preparing individuals for their part in His plan.

When the moment came, Mary was ready. She was ready to respond with faith and obedience despite the seeming impossibility of the angel’s message.

We can’t always understand why we have to wait; God’s ways and His timing are often not the same as ours. But we can trust in His goodness and His faithfulness. His promises will be fulfilled, sometimes (often!) in unexpected ways.

We can also trust He has a purpose in the waiting. Sometimes, while we are concerned with our circumstances, God is more interested in growing our character and our dependence on Him.

Often, the times of waiting reveal our lack of control and our inability to fix things for ourselves. They can drive us to God as they remind us our true hope is found in Him.

As we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ first coming, may it remind us, even when the situations troubling us are resolved, we are still waiting.

We are waiting for the day when He will come again, when sorrow and suffering will finally be gone forever, when our waiting will come to an end, when we see “the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16) and we know the longest night is finally over and the darkness is no more.

Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

..
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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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Worship VII Day 10 King Of Kings

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-23
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 4:14-21
Isaiah 53
Acts 2

Worship VII, Day 10

I’ve had the opportunity to speak at several of my church’s womens’ ministry events. One phrase I use almost every time is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” There is something about the majesty, power, and authority of His title that grounds me in Who Jesus is. One of the reasons I love the song “King of Kings” is its rich evidence of Who Christ is, as well as Who and what He should be to us.

“In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
‘Til from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt”

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi, and the first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels. Throughout the Old Testament, there are hundreds of prophecies of the Messiah, the Deliverer of the Israelites, Whom we meet in the Gospels. For example, Isaiah 61:1-3 speaks of the Messiah coming to comfort, provide, and make righteous. Jesus quotes it in Luke 4:18-19. Then in verse 21, He announces the prophecy has been fulfilled. Can you imagine being present for that? The long-awaited Messiah is standing in front of you!

Malachi ends by proclaiming a messenger will come ahead of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6), which echoed Isaiah 40:3. John the Baptist quotes this prophecy in John 1:23 to identify himself as that messenger. After Malachi’s conclusion,  four hundred years pass. Can you imagine waiting so long? I can barely wait 4 minutes! But were they truly waiting in the darkness with no hope? They were invaded and ruled by the Greeks, briefly gained their independence, then fell to the Romans in 63 BC.

So the New Testament opens with the Israelites still waiting for the Messiah to save them from oppression by another foreign nation.

All the while, their sins remained an insurmountable barrier between themselves and their God. And let’s not forget the oppression of the corrupt, self-righteous religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

I cannot imagine their despair.

But Jesus was on the way! The Messiah had awaited this moment, willingly surrendering His heavenly throne to put on flesh and save His people. (John 1:14-18) Enter a young virgin, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus, the Word Who fulfilled every. single. word. of prophecy. (John 1:1, Matthew 1:18-24, prophesied in Isaiah 7:14).
Hallelujah!

Why would Jesus make such a sacrifice?

“For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died”

The answer is found in a treasured verse of Christians, 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.”

God loves us so much, He would not leave us separated from Him. Through Jesus, we are reconciled to Him despite our sin. There is no animal, ruler, or leader who could grant us salvation. Only the Lord of the Universe could accomplish it. So the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords came for each of us.
Praise Him!

But Jesus’ death is only part of our redemption story:

“And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death”

Jesus is Lord over death. It had, and has, no power over Him. On the third day, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords rose from the dead. (Matthew 28:5-7) With His resurrection, our redemption was sealed. Our place in heaven is reserved, if we trust in Him.

Not only did He conquer death; Ephesians 1 says He went beyond salvation. He also gave us “every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (verse 3), a glimpse into God’s plan (verses 9-10), an inheritance (verse 11), and the seal of the Holy Spirit (verse 13). I could cry in amazement that the One Who created all, and is over all, cares so much for us.
Glory!

“And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame”

Christ’s church was born on Pentecost, when the disciples received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), Whom we also carry as Christians. Peter, in his love for Christ and the power of the Spirit, explained to the gathered crowds how Jesus fulfills every prophecy of old. (Acts 2:17-36) Thousands of people believed, and became the first church. This is the same church, the same family, into which we’ve been adopted (Ephesians 1:4-5) in Jesus!
I am honored to be your sister in Christ.

Truly grasping Who Christ is, and Who He is to you, is highly personal. I beg you, sisters, to reread the passages and verses listed here. Read cross references. Ask God to make you more aware of Jesus as King of Kings. And when He does, praise Him!

“Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings”

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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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Sketched VIII Day 11 Giver Of Sight

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 8:22-26
Psalm 27:13-14
Lamentations 3:25-26

Sketched VIII, Day 11

The sound of familiar voices woke me, but opening my eyes revealed nothing but more darkness. Even after all this time, each morning brought a renewed longing to see the faces of loved ones. I feared forgetting them.

Estimating the time by the temperature in the room, I sat up and felt my surroundings, getting my bearings. My sandals sat by the bed, and I slid into them, one foot at a time.

Excited energy crackled in the air. Outside my window, I heard people walking, but I didn’t know what was happening. Everyone seemed to be heading east, chasing after someone or something.

What was going on?

My friends’ voices grew louder.
They were inside now.

“Berel, hurry! You must come with us now. Jesus is coming! He is here in town.”

I’d heard of Jesus. Stories of Him were spreading throughout Bethsaida and many claimed He was the Promised One. But I wasn’t so sure. A carpenter from Nazareth was not the Messiah I envisioned from the prophets’ description.

Besides, I wasn’t sure healing was part of my story. How many times had I prayed from the psalms, asking God’s forgiveness and for my affliction to be removed? How many times had my friends fasted on my behalf on the Day of Atonement, with no resulting change? Hope was buried somewhere deep within me, and seemed too dangerous to reach for again.

But my friends were hopeful and relentless. They pushed me toward the door as my inner monologue of doubt and questions shouted in my ears. Regardless of what I thought, my friends believed this man could heal me, and they were not going to miss this opportunity. Even if it meant dragging me down the road to the carpenter.

Resigned to their efforts, I allowed them to lead me. The day was already hot as we made our way down the dirt road and I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead. After we’d walked about half a mile, I heard my friend Alon cry out, “There He is! It’s Him!”

His hands left mine for a moment and I sensed he was using them to plead with Jesus.

“Please, Rabbi. If You could just touch him. Please. He has been blind many years, but we know You can heal him.”

Time seemed suspended as we stood in the street. I had a feeling Jesus was looking at me assessing my need, and perhaps even my faith. Then, before I had the chance to speak or plead my case, my eyes were wet with a slimy residue. What was happening?!

I began protesting, but strong fingers pressed against my eyelids. Warmth permeated from them and when He removed His hands, I noticed something. The darkness that had been my world for years was no longer pitch black; light began filtering in. I could see shapes where before, I saw nothing.

Something I barely recognized pulled at my heart. It had been so long since I felt it, I almost pushed it back down.

It was hope.

Was this man capable of healing me? Was this the beginning? A juxtaposition of fear and possibility overtook me; I knew a crossroads of choice had come.

“Do you see anything?” (Mark 8:23)

Jesus’ question interrupted my warring thoughts. His voice was calm and centered, and I felt He already knew the answer. Although I didn’t fully understand it, I knew the question went beyond my physical sight: He was asking me to make a decision. I also knew honesty was the only way to answer Him.

“I see people; they look like trees walking around,” I said. (Mark 8:24)

I wanted to see. I tasted it and now I longed for it with everything in my being. Hope and firm belief sprang to life in my spirit, silencing doubt and fear. This Messiah could indeed heal me, fully and completely. The soft light and blurred shapes were only a fragment of what He could do. I knew it.

My body trembled as He reached out again. I could make out the shape of His hands this time. His fingers caressed my eyes again, but this time I had no doubts about His ability. As soon as He removed His hands, my belief was confirmed. Tree shapes became people. Masses devoid of detail became faces and I saw hope in everyone’s eyes.

Suddenly, my body felt lighter, as though a weight was lifted. This Jesus saved me! He was the One.

My friends jumped with excitement as they realized I was healed. I looked at the face of the man who changed my life forever. I will never forget how His eyes spoke of kindness and compassion, but there was something else. A sadness. As if He knew something I didn’t. I hoped I wasn’t a part of it.

A posture of worship overtook me, and I wanted to shout my story from the center of town. After all, if this Messiah restored my sight, what could He not do? Everyone needed to know about Him.

Jesus had other plans. He sent me home with instructions not to tell anyone about what happened. Why? I didn’t understand it, but somehow I knew I needed to listen to Him. So even when my neighbors questioned me about my healing, I remained quiet.

But my quietness could not hide the transformation inside of me. Every morning when I woke up, my renewed sight brought fresh cause for worship.

People around me witnessed the change, too. They saw hope, once buried, now resurrected.

And they went looking for this man called Jesus.

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VIII!