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Sketched IX Day 14 Costly Surrender: 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 Costly Surrender!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)

2) Why is it necessary to renounce your possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)

Luke 14:25-35

25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

34 “Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)
Crucifixion was an extremely horrific type of execution. It consisted of tying or nailing the victim to a cross until he died, usually hours or even days later. Before the actual crucifixion, the victim was flogged with a leather whip woven through with iron balls and sharp sheep bones. The scourging was meant to bring the victim to a state just short of death. (Robert Gidley) In this weakened state, the criminal carried the crossbar to the execution site upon his shoulders.  If he tripped or fell, he could not use his arms to break the fall and would most likely fall on his face to the ground, bringing further shame, humiliation, and pain upon himself. Jesus’ death by crucifixion shows the length and breadth of His rescue mission in order to save us from the punishment we each deserve for our sins, death. Christ’s death was the ultimate sacrifice because He, though completely innocent of all sin, chose to take on sin’s consequence out of deep love for us. To bear our cross, we must be willing to follow His example by dying (crucifying) to our sinful selves and living for Jesus in the new life He gives freely to all who surrender themselves to Him.

2) Why is it necessary to renounce our possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)
Before Jesus began His ministry, His cousin, John the Baptist, taught about money, possessions, and repentance. One day while baptizing by the Jordan, John told the crowd to share their clothes and food with those who didn’t have any. He instructed tax collectors to collect no more than required. He taught soldiers to not extort money and be content with their pay. (Luke 3:10-14) Jesus also told quite a few parables about the effects of accumulating wealth. For instance, the parable about the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 teaches that focusing on storing up wealth for future use is senseless. The rich fool’s focus was not on God, but on himself and his accomplishments. So with all his plans, he died that very night, unable to enjoy the fruits of his labour, leaving everything he had for someone else. In Luke 18:18-25, a young ruler came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the rich ruler replied he kept from his youth. But Jesus told him he lacked one thing, which was to sell his possessions, distribute to the poor, and come follow Him. This saddened the ruler because he couldn’t bring himself to part with all his wealth. These examples demonstrate that accumulating wealth can easily deter us from serving God whole-heartedly. Jesus wanted total commitment from His disciples; commitment that would be impossible if they insisted on holding tightly to material things.

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)
In the biblical days, salt was not as pure as it is today. It was mixed with different forms of impurities causing it to lose its saltiness. Therefore, nothing much could be done with it. According to Zondervan, “such salt does not complete its purpose, and it lacks the resource, the saltiness, to do the job it was intended for.” (Zondervan KJV Commentary) Jesus used what was common, tasteless salt, to teach His disciples that if they chose to muddy their lives with other “lesser loves”, they are no longer suited for effective Kingdom purposes, just like flavourless salt. Every Christ follower must be willing to live for and worship God alone, continuously surrendering to His purpose for their lives.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to bear our own cross? (verse 27)
The Roman execution method of crucifixion was a slow and painful process. When Jesus used this metaphor He knew exactly what He was talking about, and so did His audience. This wasn’t intended to be an emotionally encouraging pep talk. He was telling His disciples that following Him would guarantee intense persecution, even death. While many today, at least in the western hemisphere, may not experience this level of persecution, being a Christian still guarantees a cost. To truly follow Jesus means whole-life commitment and sacrifice, and living for Him does not mean automatic happiness and an easy life. I was the victim of a crime committed by a close family member. I wasted no time in reporting the matter. Other family members begged me not to take action, but I could not turn a blind eye to wrongdoing and did what I knew was right. As a result, I lost favour with family members, and my relationship with the perpetrator has been severed for almost two years. It has been really hard, but I do not regret the choice I made. We must not condone sin, no matter who commits it. Our calling as Christ-followers is to live solely for Jesus and not focus on money, possessions, or relationships that are out of alignment with God’s calling to live holy. We will experience difficulty for following God and His plan; we must be prepared and willing to endure hardship because Jesus gave everything for us. If we try to save ourselves from pain and heartache, we will not grow into maturity, thus missing out on our intended purpose in following Christ.

2) Why is it necessary to renounce our possessions to become a disciple of Jesus? (verse 33)
True repentance means a radical change of lifestyle especially as it relates to money and possessions. As mentioned above, I was a victim of a crime. My entire life savings was stolen from me. While I had no choice to report the crime, the Lord told me to not attempt to retrieve the money. With His guidance, I rebuilt my finances and became financially stable once more. It took time, but during that time, the Lord provided and worked out His goodness in my heart as He taught me to trust Him instead of my finances. One passage of Scripture I have seen fulfilled in my life is Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you”. The whole incident of theft changed my life. I drew closer to God and He has demonstrated to me that He will take care of me once I give my life wholeheartedly to Him. By surrendering to Jesus, He proved a faithful Provider. If I had chosen to trust money instead, I would have missed out on the better thing, which will always be Jesus. Placing Jesus first in your life ahead of family, career, and wealth means building a relationship based on faith, trust, and commitment to God. Is it difficult? Yes. But this sacrifice means living a life of purpose and meaning far more valuable than money or human relationships could ever provide.

3) Why did Jesus use salt as an analogy? (verses 34-35)
Being a Christian means more than just saying, “I believe in Jesus Christ”. We are called to be doers (active followers) of the Word of God, not simply hearers only. (James 1:22)  Being a disciple means fulfilling the calling God has for you, whatever that may be. If you begin your journey of walking with Jesus, and then become distracted by other things along the way, you have lost your saltiness. There was a season when I spent a lot of time in Bible Study and sharing what I learned through writing. Distraction set in and “life” got in the way. My excuses were plentiful. I had children to raise and a career to develop, and I allowed “following God” to take a backseat. Just before the theft incident, I would have said my life was great. It was when my whole world turned upside down, God lovingly used that hardship to correct my course and bring me back to Him. I have returned to daily Bible Study and have begun writing and sharing about Jesus once again. I am fulfilling my purpose and the calling the Lord has given me. In the words of Zondervan, “Believers must determine never to be “useless Christians”, like salt that has lost its flavour. (Zondervan KJV Commentary)

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Catch up with Costly Surrender!

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

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched IX Week Three!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Nations Day 15 Praying For The Nations

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 7:9-17
1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Titus 2:11-3:8

Nations, Day 15

“When we meet someone from a different culture, race, or social class
who has received the same grace (of Christ), we see someone who has been through
the same life-and-death experience.

In Christ, we have both spiritually died and been raised to new life. And because of this common experience of rescue, we now share an identity marker even more indelible than the ties that bind us to our family, our race, or our culture.”
Tim Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced Gospel Centered Ministry In Your City

I grew up in the church.
But my eyes focused on myself and how “good” I was because I was associated with the church.

Then I hated the church.
Finding hypocrisy everywhere, I spurned God and loathed the “false cover” of “church”.

Then, I became passionate about my local church.
In discovering the heart of God, I loved church, for it was His Body. Still, my eyes saw only the inside of a building.

Gradually, the Lord brought friends into my life who challenged me about my ethnocentric way of viewing life and church. I didn’t even see the peoples and nations around the globe, let alone how they were represented in my own community.

Graciously, the Lord shattered my view of church and began replacing it with His own.

The Black family down the street whose son loves to play monster trucks with my boys. The Muslim couple who walks my neighborhood streets. The Buddhist shop owner who schedules my daughter’s nail appointments. The Indian man and his family who makes the most delicious chicken pulao. They each have names, families, stories and a hole that only Christ can fill.

Sisters, the Nations are at my front door and yours.

For far too long, my response has been to focus on the work being done inside the four walls of the building I call “church”, when really, I, with you, with my Nigerian sister, with my Indian brother, with my Malay friend, are the Church.

So I urge you, please, beg the Lord to expand your view of His beautiful Church, then step up and in and love the Nations as you courageously hold out the unshakeable Hope of Jesus Christ to all people.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” (Titus 2:11)

For three weeks, we have read the stories of women just like you who are passionate about sharing Jesus in their cultures. I plead with you now to not let these stories simply pass you by. Instead, let’s ask the Lord God to stir our hearts to pray for the Nations.

Pray for Sarah and the local churches in Nigeria.
Turn the tide of darkness back on itself, Lord God. Bring revival among the wives, daughters, and young women of Jos. Silence those who place their hope in witchcraft, using Enemy tools as an excuse to remain in darkness. (Pray 1 Peter 2:9-10 for Nigeria)

Pray for Marietta and the Black community.
Give our Black brothers and sisters endurance and boldness to keep fighting for righteousness. Lord Jesus, stir us all to deep, radical, transformative love. Remind us that none who follow You can innocently stand by as injustice continues unmitigated. (Pray Isaiah 30:18 for the oppressed)

Pray for the persecuted believers in Malaysia.
Lord Jesus, embolden the believers in Malaysia to hold fast to truth and invest deeply in relationship with their Muslim friends and neighbors. Encourage them and feed them from Your truth. Remind them they are not alone and the cost of following You is worth it! (Pray Deuteronomy 10:18-21 for Malaysia)

Pray for Lesley and the people of Scotland.
Lord God, bring boldness where fear threatens. Shine the light of Truth on these believers as they face the reality of living within a nearly “unreached people group” for the gospel. Raise up ordinary men, women, and children to speak truth in love. (Pray 2 Thessalonians 1:3-8 for Scotland)

Pray for Christine and the churches in Australia.
Being submerged in a culture that runs so counter to You, we pray Your Spirit would make every believer’s life to blaze with the brilliance of Your glory.  We ask for the believers to be bound together as they urge one another to seek out the sick and lost with love and Hope. (Pray Matthew 25:35 for Australia)

Pray for Anna and the believers in Switzerland and Sweden.
Lord Jesus, You love all people of all nations and races. Press this truth upon those who love and follow You in Sweden and Switzerland. May they view their unique place in the world as a means of sharing how You bring all of us together in Yourself. Anchor them in truth. (Pray Isaiah 42:5-7 for Switzerland and Sweden)

Pray for Laurie and the orphaned in Zambia.
Jesus, give Your wisdom to those who love You and who love the people of Zambia. Give them clarity in knowing how to communicate the full satisfaction that comes from trusting You alone. Stir hearts to embrace You as the One True God above all others. (Pray Isaiah 45:5-7 for Zambia)

Pray for Janna and church planters across North America.
Father, the work of planting your gospel seed and shepherding Your flock is long and difficult. Encourage those You have called to lead Your church in North America. Embolden them to study Your Word and train others to tenaciously hold to truth as they seek Your face. (Pray Titus 2:11-15 for North America)

Lord, may each one of us seek to know You more deeply and love Your Church more tenderly as we bring Your hope to the nations!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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 Nations Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Sketched VIII Day 5 Dining With Sinners

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 3:22-25
Romans 6:15-23
Psalms 32:1-5
Psalms 130:1-4
Luke 7:36-50

Sketched VIII, Day 5

Tales of the crazed wilderness Baptist seemed to ride the wind in my village. He urged people to be watchful for the coming King. Then came news of another teacher, a man some called the Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophets of old.

This Teacher turned water into wine, and the Baptist baptized Him. So strange. They said he was a carpenter’s son, certainly not what I expected of our Messiah. Rumors about Him were first carried on hidden whispers, but as time passed, they began circulating freely.

Townspeople, the rumors said, were leaving their homes, jobs, and families to follow Him. Fishermen, common people, my neighbors . . . even a scoundrel tax collector. They encountered this Teacher, then walked away from their lives, as if they were suddenly worth nothing. I was astounded by their foolishness.

He was inviting people to a greater life, the rumors said, a life of freedom.
He came to heal not just the sick, the rumors said, but to set captives free.

As stories about Him grew, I nearly believed them. Of course, I wasn’t physically ill or imprisoned. But in moments of stark honesty, I admitted my desperation to escape the life I’d scratched out for myself. I longed to be able to make decisions for myself, and to be welcomed into my community, rather than relegated to its outskirts in shame.

Suddenly, my life felt . . . defeated. Lonely. Confining.

“Bah, escape is simply not possible,” I told myself. “I’m a realist, not a dreamer.”

My life had its benefits. I was crazy for thinking there was more.

Days turned into weeks. While I tried to forget about this mysterious man, I couldn’t avoid hearing more of His teachings about Yahweh. He claimed God wasn’t wrapped up in the Law. Inconceivable! The Law was the very foundation of our culture.

All the same, I began to wonder.

What if God could see me? Love me?

What if I could approach Jehovah myself? Not just listen from behind a stone wall.

Is such a relationship even possible?

I wrestled with myself, caught between the world as I knew it and the inexplicable pull I felt toward this Teacher.

My “chosen profession” silenced my voice in the public spaces of our town, but others were freer with their words. From them, I learned the Teacher and His followers were gathering at Simon’s house.

Like everyone else in town, I knew of Simon and other members of the elite and powerful Sanhedrin. They feigned interest in the Teacher’s words only to entrap or make sport of Him.

In a moment of outrageous and uncharacteristic courage, I made up my mind. I would never be invited to the gathering, but I knew I must go.

This man was offering a way out, freedom for captives. I’d realized He wasn’t talking about physical locks and bars imprisoning me, but I was nearly strangled by chains of emptiness, shame, and desolation. I began to hunger, fiercely, for the freedom He proclaimed.

As I slipped through the shadows, the flask I’d tucked into my satchel bumped against my side.

This fragrance had cost me.
Everything. 

Dusk had settled by the time I neared Simon’s house. A few servants hovered outside the door. Why weren’t they inside? I didn’t want to be seen. The flask was small, but seemed heavier with each step.

Who was I trying to fool? Was there really hope for someone like me?
How dare I consider coming near the Messiah?

Fear nearly made me flee, but I crept into the main room as if physically drawn towards Him. Important men reclined at the table while servants lined the walls. I prayed no one would hear the deafening pound of my heart.

The conversation grew lively and I forced myself to move forward. Instantly, I recognized the Teacher. Simon, as host, was next to Him. Thankfully, he was too engrossed in the discussion to notice me.

In an instant, the room became silent and all eyes turned toward me as the scent of spikenard from the flask I’d opened filled the room.

By now, my tears were falling freely. I was still afraid of being cast out and punished for my audacity, but a much bigger part of me simply broke open in the presence of the Teacher, much like the remnants of the flask clutched in my hands. Suddenly, I understood I was a prisoner to my sins and only this man could bring me release and redemption.

The precious oil mixed with my tears as I anointed His feet. My long hair had fallen free of its covering and unashamedly, I used it to dry His feet.

Simon spoke, the hostility in his voice startling me from the tender moment. His voice was thick with condemnation for the Teacher for allowing me, a woman of widely-known sin, to touch Him. Yet, how often had I stifled my revulsion in submitting to Simon’s own touch? But his sin was secret, and his self-righteous indignation protected his public image, so I closed my eyes and waited to be dragged from the room.

The Teacher didn’t shout, didn’t startle, didn’t demand my immediate removal or fall prey to Simon’s manipulation. Instead, He praised my actions, reminding Simon he hadn’t provided water to wash his guest’s feet before He entered the house, hadn’t greeted Him with a kiss . . . hadn’t welcomed or honored Him as I had.

Flustered and embarrassed, Simon complained about the oil. Yes, it was costly. I should know; I paid such a high price for it.

The Teacher then told a story about the forgiveness of debts. I am not dense; I understood He was demonstrating to Simon his own sinfulness and hypocrisy.

Then the Teacher stopped talking. I felt His eyes upon me, and lifted my eyes to meet His gaze.

“Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace,” the Savior said.

After one last look at my Lord, I walked out of the room, head high, knowing I was free and a new life awaited me.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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

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 Sketched VIII Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Sketched VIII Day 4 Zacchaeus: 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 Zacchaeus!

The Questions

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”

6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Original Intent

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?
Jesus extends the invitation of hope to Zacchaeus, even calling him by name. You can almost hear the rich welcome in Jesus’ hearty greeting as He called aloud to the rich man in the tree. Zacchaeus’ heart was ready to welcome Jesus, not just in his house, but in his heart and life. Joy is the inevitable, always consistent component of welcoming Jesus into one’s heart and life. Peace flows and joy abounds every single time; it’s simply part of the delight of being made new! God does not call us to Him only for us to respond as if we had been coerced; genuine repentance always results in genuine joy because we are being welcomed by the God of the Universe! However, to those hearts who aren’t ready to repent, who are still stuck in themselves and their own prideful arrogance, this “good news” of forgiveness and new life, repels them. Follow Jesus and give away their wealth? No, thanks! Follow Jesus and become an outcast in their family or society? No way! Follow Jesus and live His way instead of my own? Insanity! Paul illustrates this reality by using the imagery of a wonderful fragrance lingering on the clothes of a redeemed, Christ-following heart. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) To those who are also ready to welcome Jesus, this fragrance is a beautiful, sweet invitation to new life! To those who still want to serve themselves, this fragrance carries the strong reminder of their own soul-death. Paul bluntly states it as “the aroma of death leading to death”. (2 Corinthians 2:16) While Jesus and Zacchaeus rejoiced, the Pharisees around them complained because their hearts still stubbornly clung to their own attempt to rule their own lives.

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
First, it’s important to note that Zacchaeus’ actions are indeed a response, not an initiation. Often, we think we have “found God” as if He were working to hide from us, waiting for us look in the right place. Long before Zacchaeus climbed that sycamore tree, his heart had been stirred to curiosity about Jesus as the Spirit of God wooed his heart to hunger for depth and truth. On our own, we will never seek for God, instead, we will all choose to go our own ways. This is exactly why Jesus came! He knew we would never seek Him out, so He came to choose us, to lovingly sacrifice Himself for us, and to call us to be in relationship with Him. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him (Jesus!) for the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) He does, however, still give us the choice to accept or reject Him. He calls us to Him, willingly holding out forgiveness and hope, but it’s our decision to either humbly accept with joy, as Zacchaeus did, or to reject Him. (Romans 10:13) Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, and commanded him to hurry, to which Zacchaeus wastes no time scurrying down the tree. His heart was awakening to new life! He further responds to Jesus by declaring full repentance from his past way of life and making choices to live out his new redeemed life in new, radical ways.

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations. He would have so many offspring they would be too numerous to count, even more than the sand on the shores or the stars in the sky! (Genesis 22:17) God gave Abraham a son, Isaac, as his son of promise. From Isaac came Jacob, whose name was changed by God to Israel and who fathered 12 sons who became the patriarchs for the 12 tribes of Israel. This is the beginning of the nation Israel, the Jews, God’s chosen people. A “son of Abraham” was common lingo among Jews for a traceable bloodline that extended back to “Father Abraham”. This was strictly for Jews and would never be associated with a Gentile who had zero physical connection to Abraham. While Zacchaeus was a Jew, he was easily the most hated man in the Jericho region for his swindling and collaboration with the Roman government. To call this man a “son of Abraham” was offensive and despicable! In this heart-transformative moment, however, Jesus wasn’t referencing Zacchaeus’ physical heritage. When God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations, God wasn’t limiting his promise to physical children, He went far beyond flesh and bone to include spiritual offspring. Abraham’s son of promise was more than the first Jewish boy, rather, Isaac became the first offspring through whom would eventually come Jesus Christ. All who trust in Jesus’ saving work on the cross becomes a child of God through their faith. Instead of physical genetic code being passed down generation to generation, God had always intended for His people to understand it was Abraham’s faith that saved him and set him apart. (Romans 4:23-25) When Jesus said Zacchaeus was a “son of Abraham”, He meant Zacchaeus also believed Him with faith just as Abraham had done centuries earlier.

Everyday Application

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint? We look at the scenario in these verses and it may seem happenchance. Jesus was walking through the area, which happened to be in the vicinity of a certain tax official. This official also happened to have already heard of Jesus, and his curiosity about Him happened to be so intensified he climbed a sycamore tree, which also, by the way, happened to be on the route where Jesus was walking. Then, Jesus happened to know Zacchaeus’ name and his exact location. Good luck, right? Because Jesus is fully God, and walked in full unity with God the Father, there was absolutely nothing circumstantial about Jesus meeting Zacchaeus on the road that day. In fact, in His infinite knowledge, God foresaw this divine appointment when He planted the seed that would one day grow into that very sycamore tree! As Jesus walked the road that day, He knew He would meet Zacchaeus. He knew He was about to reach a lost soul and rescue him for all eternity. He knew of the impact Zacchaeus’ renewed life would make for the kingdom, and He was excitedly anticipating “meeting” Zacchaeus. Play out this divine perspective in your own life. Where have you experienced God deeply? Imagine how He eagerly waited for those moments! Embrace this joy, then walk confidently in the calling He has prepared for you! God rescued you on purpose to live for Him with intentionality. It isn’t always easy, in fact, like Zacchaeus, you will be met with sneers, complaints, and mockery for following Jesus, but to others, you will be extending the fragrance of life that was extended to you through Jesus! Following Him is always worth it!

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
Jesus called Zacchaeus to hurry down, which he hastily and joyfully obliged, then he took another step and declared a turning away from his past life. He simultaneously admitted to his sinfulness, while also actively moving in a new, opposite, direction from how he was previously living. He moved from deceptively stealing to generously giving following his heart shift from arrogance to repentance. This pattern is significant because we see it all over Scripture. The disciples immediately left all their material possessions and followed Jesus when He called them. (Matthew 4:19-20) The demon-possessed man begged to follow Jesus after being healed spiritually and physically. (Mark 5:18-20) In the Old Testament, Abraham left his hometown and his family of origin to follow God. (Genesis 12:1-4) This same pattern should show up often in our own lives. Hear God’s call to obedience, joyfully embrace His grace, then waste no time moving into following Him and living it out!

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
For centuries, Jews had missed the point that it was Abraham’s faith, not his bloodline, the Jews were to emulate. They focused so heavily on pure heritage and traceable ancestors they missed the whole concept of saving faith in God. It was never Abraham’s work, or even the heir he produced, it was always and only about trusting the God of the Universe who brought life and miracles out of dead things. (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:22) In their late 90’s, Abraham and Sarah were far past the age of child-bearing. Their bodies were “dead to heirs”, (Romans 4:19) but God brought life just as He said He would. What a beautiful illustration of our own souls! Apart from Jesus, we are dead to the “real life” we could have in God! (Ephesians 2:1) We are bound as a slave to sin and completely incapable of pleasing God and earning a right standing with Him. The author of Hebrews says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) This is the key! Only through faith alone, can we find peace with God and abundant life. When we trust Jesus and repent from our sin, trusting Him with our everything, God uses our faith as a “seed” to make us new and call us into life from the dead way we had been living. (Romans 4:23-25)

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

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

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched VIII Week One!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched IV Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) With parents who divorced when she was only 6, but still raised in believing households, Cassidy was eventually faced with a difficult realization. She believed God had abandoned her when she needed Him most. Sure, she believed He loved her, but there was certainly no possible way He could have been with her during her most painful moments, she felt so deeply abandoned. Eventually, through studying God’s word for herself, seeking wise counsel, and learning to transparently live in biblical community, Cassidy traded in the heavy, hurtful lies she’d been believing for truth grounded in Scripture. Where have your own wounds left you holding onto lies that Scripture refutes? Have you held up your beliefs lately to the light of His Word and examined them against solid truth?

2) With vulnerable transparency, Danielle shared on Wednesday of her struggle to always perform and achieve perfect success, while also never missing out on an opportunity to party, drink, and smoke. Keeping up with two polar opposite lifestyles, however, found her wrapped in shame and guilty secrets. Surely, God despised her, she thought, and she pushed away from church and faith. God’s relentless pursuit of Danielle’s heart eventually caught up to her as she gave birth and she realized with sudden awareness how much she wanted her son to know Christ. God used the small life of her infant son to bring Danielle back to God’s heart. What small things can you see along your own journey that have arrested your attention for God’s purposes? Take time to write down a few of those pivotal markers, then write out a praise to the Lord for the ways He has lovingly pursued you!

3) Denise hit rock bottom with her marriage unraveling on all sides while welcoming the precious life of her daughter, and later her son. In her words, she “couldn’t do it (her) own anymore”. Where have you voiced a similar sentiment? Contrarily, where are you actively working to keep up the hard work and figure this out on your own strength? Whether you’ve crossed the line of faith or not, we are all tempted to do it on our own. It’s when we, like Denise, realize we just cannot do it, that we are in the sweetest place to benefit from the tenderness of Jesus as His love finally catches up to us and we surrender to His gracious forgiveness of every single time we walked away. Spend some time writing down where you’ve pushed hard to do it on your own in the past, and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of where you might still be doing it now.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from John 8:12 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Prayer Journal
Oh Lord, how m-a-n-y times am I convinced that I can survive on my own. I attempt to create my own “light” in my life, building my own kind of success. How quickly I am willing to trade the delicacies of your life-giving light for the foolishness of my own pride. Lord, I confess, that often, I’m too wrapped up in myself to even realize my broken appetite for Self and Sin. Please, Lord, un-blind my eyes. Help me to see the Treasure of Your Light and to pursue You above all else. Thank you for being my Rescuing Savior, always pursuing me with Love!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Open Day 8 Casting Out Fear

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 8:14-17
1 John 4:18
John 8:36
Isaiah 61:1

Open, Day 8

Freedom. Such a profound word, but it carries a vague meaning when it comes to my mind.

When defined, freedom means, the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

Initially, when I read that definition I thought, “I’ve always acted in freedom”, but as I look back on my life I see a different story, I see a girl who was very afraid.

Afraid to talk to people.
Afraid to speak my mind.
Afraid to use my God given gifts.
Afraid of being vulnerable.
Afraid to get hurt.
Afraid to truly live.

Fear has always crippled me.
Even though I gave my fear other names, like being shy.

As Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Meaning that my spirit of fear was a stronghold the enemy had in my life and was using against me. Satan had me where he wanted me, cowering in fear and not living up to my call.

But, though the years, the Lord has been chipping away at the enemy’s territory.
He has been cutting out all the things I was afraid of and replacing it with His perfect love.

I was afraid to sing, yet God has placed me on stages leading worship.
I was afraid to speak, yet God has placed me in front of audiences speaking.
I was afraid to write, yet God has placed me in this ministry writing His word.
I was afraid to be vulnerable, yet God has allowed me to open my heart to others.
I was afraid to make mistakes, yet God has redeemed those mistakes for His glory.

I have been engulfed by a love so captivating, welcoming, and endearing that my fears are swallowed up by it.
This love fills all voids.
This love transforms.
This love empowers.
This love casts out all fear.

Through this vast love, the Lord has shown me the truth of John 8:36,
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”

A few months ago, I was meeting with a brother and sister in Christ as they shared some things they felt God pressing upon them for me. They described the image of a heart completely black, but then God took a paint brush and painted the heart completely red as the once-black-heart began to beat.

This was my own heart.
Black from my sins and brokenness, but God didn’t allow my heart to stay that way He took His time to repaint my heart, giving it color and new life. He pursued me, chasing away my fear, and bringing me freedom through His love.

That is true freedom. Being transformed from the inside out.
God’s sweet love cascading into our lives radically shifts our hearts, overflowing into our everyday lives.
Freedom is allowing God to remove you from bondage and give you a new life!

I had been walking into freedom for years, but in that meeting, I was shown how God wanted me to claim the freedom He had already given me.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Which means I can say in full confidence that God has freed me from my spirit of fear.
This doesn’t mean that I never get scared or think fearful thoughts but it does mean I’m not in bondage to those fears. I can point out when Satan is trying to attack me, and I have strength through the Holy Spirit to walk in the freedom afforded me through Christ.

How does this transformation connect to living with open hands,
ready to live out the hospitality of Jesus?
Because I’ve experienced this love, I am deeply passionate about sharing it, helping others to experience God and His perfect love in the same way I have.

In Matthew 8, Jesus performs another miracle and heals Peter’s mother in law. After she is healed, she gets up and begins serving Jesus. That night, many people were brought to Jesus and also received healing of their bodies and souls.

This woman encountered the perfect love of Christ and gets up, goes out and serves Him. And her serving results in others encountering that same love.

Sisters, this is our call as believers!
We are not simply to help people meet the Christ who profoundly loves us, but also be small streams of Christ’s love flowing outward onto others.

Isaiah said, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

Sisters, what has God healed you of or freed you from?
How have you allowed this good work to transform the way you serve and love and live and operate with openness?

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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 Open Week Two! 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 Open!

Woven Day 8 Enslaved

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 6:5-8
Genesis 17:6-8
Ephesians 1:3-10
Ephesians 2:11-18 

You probably know the story of Joseph in the Old Testament.
As a teen, he had dreams which foretold of his future position of power with all his older brothers serving him. His brothers hated him – not only because he bragged about the dreams but also because daddy, Jacob, loved Joseph more than any of the others.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt, then he was falsely accused of rape and thrown in prison. But he eventually became prime minister of Egypt. When famine struck, Jacob and the whole family moved to Egypt where there was plenty of food (thanks to Joseph’s wise management).

The Hebrew clan enjoyed the best part of the land and relative ease.
Over time, the family grew in number from 70 to 600 thousand males, plus women and children…approximately 2 million Hebrews in total!

The Pharaoh, who came into power after Joseph’s death, was fearful that this large community of foreigners in his land would call for an uprising; or, at the very least, would side with Egypt’s enemy in a war. “Under a previous administration, the Israelites had royal permission to live in the land and to work it. But here the new king of Egypt sensed in their numbers a threat to his national security and thus decided to deal ‘shrewdly’ with them (Exodus 1:10)” (www.theologyofwork.org).

Whatever the case, Pharaoh didn’t trust them…
so he enslaved them.

“There were levels of slavery in Egypt.
Some slaves worked long hours in mud pits while others were skilled carpenters, jewelers, and craftsmen. Regardless of their skill or level, all slaves were watched closely by brutal slave drivers, supervisors whose assignment was to keep the slaves working as fast as possible.
They were specialists at making a slave’s life miserable.”*
(*The Life Application Bible study notes)

This “crushing labor” and “ruthless” treatment of the Hebrews only led to their multiplication. So, Pharaoh did the only thing he could think to do:
he ordered the midwives to kill all male babies born to Hebrew women,
and infanticide was added to the mix.

I guess since the harsh working conditions weren’t killing the adults,
Pharaoh decided to eliminate the Hebrews in another way.

But Grace…
The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh, feared God rather than man, and lied, saying the babies were born so quickly they couldn’t get there to carry out his order.
(Surprisingly, he bought that!)
Through their rebellion to Pharaoh and reverence for God,
Moses was spared.

Forty years later, God called Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt,
when he heard their groaning and crying.

Just as Moses led the Israelites out of slavery,
God sent Jesus to lead all of us into salvation.

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem in Judea, just a little bit south of the city of Jerusalem. He is the Son of God, fully God yet also fully man,
who was sent by God the Father to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

He came to redeem all people from their slavery to sin,
including you and me, Sister!

Slavery doesn’t look the same to most of us as it did to the once-slaved-Israelites,
but for many of us, our stories of redemption do have similar threads as those Hebrews in Egypt.

The Hebrew people, before enslavement, enjoyed the land,
they lived well and were increasingly prosperous.
Life was good for them,
until the place intended for their delight ended up being their prison.

Similarly in our stories, things may seem good and grand as we lived it up!
We had material gain, wealth, everything we wanted….
and then something happened that made us want to get as
far away from it all as possible and into the arms of Jesus.

In my own story, it meant leaving my marriage to an adulterous husband (which was also impacting my family). After the initial shock wore off, I realized that I had begun a relationship with Jesus while I was in college, but had wandered away, so I re-committed myself to God and began a personal Bible study about love and marriage.

I couldn’t be more thankful to God for bringing me back to Himself!
God used my enslavement, to show me His freedom!

When God’s people, the Hebrews, were in an impossible situation in slavery to the Egyptians,
God heard their cry and rescued and redeemed them.
After generations of their disobedience,
God progressively revealed that His redemption and grace was intended to include
every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Jesus Christ has purchased each of us from our slave-master of sin
to give us freedom and access to a relationship with God!

What a remarkable sacrifice!
What a precious gift!
He has loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:8).

If you feel like you’re a slave to sin right now, Sister,
or like you’re far from God,
just turn around.
He’s there, waiting for you to come to Him
and have a relationship that leads to life!

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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 Woven Week Two! 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 Woven!

Freedom Day 8 Freedom Finisher

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 3:1-14
Romans 8:38-39
Deuteronomy 21:23

Friend, more than anything, right now I want you to know that you are loved. You are loved by the King of Kings. And you, dear one, did absolutely nothing to earn it. The way you raise your children, the frequency you attend church, the cleanliness of your house, the income bracket you fall into… none of that determines the love the Great King has for you.

Why?
Because we can do absolutely nothing to earn the love that is given as a gift.

That’s almost unheard of in this society.
Good teachers receive “Thank you” gifts at the end of the year.
Hard workers receive bonuses.
Dedicated volunteers receive recognition and a gift card for appreciation.
Friends who give time and energy are given great birthday presents.
And so on…

We have been tricked by the way things are done today, into thinking that no gift is really just given – including the gift the Lord has offered to us!

But you cannot earn this gift.

We have fallen into the same trap the church of Galatians fell into. Paul writes to them, asking who has tricked them? What spell are they under? Why do they think they must live their lives following the laws of the Old Testament?

Paul reminds the Church that they didn’t receive the Spirit by following the law or by doing good deeds. It was because they had FAITH. They BELIEVED that Jesus is God’s Son.

Deuteronomy 27:26 says that anyone who doesn’t follow the law is cursed, and Paul reminds the Galatians that if they rely on the law, then they fall under that curse because it’s impossible to keep it!

The New Testament author, James, says it like this:
For whoever keeps the whole law, but fails in one point has become guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)

If we claim to rely on the law, or being “good enough”, to earn salvation and entry to Heaven, then we stand condemned already because it’s utterly impossible to keep the whole entire law.
Why?
Why can’t “close” be “good enough”?

I’ve never killed anyone or stolen anything.
I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.
The problem with that reasoning is that the standard for morality isn’t “other people”.
It’s God.
His standard, His law, His righteousness.

Our God isn’t a “pretty good God” or a “decent” authority or “mostly” righteous.
He is flawless.
To be in His presence, you have to be flawless as well.

So, relying on the law, and our own ability to be good, in order to gain righteousness is clearly a bad idea.
By forgetting that it is through faith we have received Jesus, we fall under that curse.
We start living by laws… some that we’ve written for ourselves and some that have been written for us by other’s expectations.

But Jesus.
There’s always Jesus.

You see, there’s another curse.
One that says that anyone who hangs on a tree is cursed. (Deuteronomy 21:23)

Jesus OVERCAME the curse of the law by becoming another curse by hanging on a tree!

He did that so that we might believe through FAITH instead of having to follow the law.
Through faith, we are freed to live by grace instead of legalism!

But, here is where Paul takes his audience a little deeper….
“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)

Most of us will readily admit that we obviously can’t obtain salvation on our own.
We need Christ’s perfect sacrifice to make us right before the Holy God.
But after we’ve asked Jesus to be our Savior and seeing Him transform us, we start looking around.
We compare.
We think we should be doing life like that friend.
Being a Christian like this friend.
We read Scripture and pretty soon all we hear is condemnation….I’m not loving enough, not kind enough, not generous enough, not good enough…
And so we try harder to be better Christians and get it all together so we can be more like Jesus, or at least more like that other woman…
And legalism has snuck in again.

“You foolish Galatians!”, Paul cries in disbelief.
“Having begun with the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

Friends, we are not the Holy Spirit.
We can no more make ourselves more like Jesus than we can earn our way to Heaven by trying to hold onto the law.
When we try to grow our own Christianity, we spit upon the gift that Jesus died to give us.

Freedom.

Freedom from the law.
Freedom from “good enoughs”.
Freedom from condemnation and expectations.
Freedom from ourselves.

Sister. Do not get stuck trying to follow the law. Do not get stuck trying to be the picture-perfect woman with the Instagram worthy beauty and the Pinterest inspired home. Don’t get caught trying to earn the love of Jesus by trying to earn the love and acceptance of the world.

Take Him at His word. Believe that Jesus really does love you just because He does. Both for the gift of salvation as well as making you more like Himself!
He began this work in you, and He alone will finish it! (Philippians 1:6)

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*today’s Journey Study co-written by Kendra Moberly and Rebecca Adams

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 Freedom Week Two! 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 Freedom!

Freedom Day 2 No Other Gospel: Digging Deeper

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

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

The Passage

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Journey Study?
Check out No Other Gospel!

2 Corinthians 11:1-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

The Questions

1) Why was Paul jealous?

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?

The Findings for Intention

1) Why was Paul jealous?
Paul says he has “divine jealousy” for the church in Corinth because he has invested heavily into them through visits in person, letters, and much prayer, preaching, and teaching. He loved this church and was spending himself, as he partnered with the Holy Spirit, to present them as a “pure virgin” to Christ. While it is only the Spirit that can make us Christ-like (see Sanctification & Glorification), God has designed the members of the Body of Christ to continuously point one another back to Jesus again and again and again. (Look up these verses!) Paul’s jealousy was flaring up because these that he loved and valued were turning away from the solidity of the full gospel for a lesser, false gospel based on works instead of faith. This broke Paul’s heart, filling him with jealous love!

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?
The Enemy, Satan, has been lying to the human race since we existed in the Garden of Eden. That original sin, where Eve stepped into disobedience because she listened to Satan’s voice of deception over God’s voice of truth, is what Paul is referring to here. The impact of sin from that moment is significantly deep and widespread; there is no escaping sin. As Jesus says in the book of John, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” (John 8:44) Our birth father is Satan, who by his very nature is a liar and deceiver. We have no hope of truth by this birth order, which is why we desperately need to be adopted by God!

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?
Both of these references are abstract concepts rather than indicative of specific people or spirits. Paul is warning the Corinthians to watch and test what they hear and learn, being careful to hold every teaching, every leader, every “fad”, up to the truth of the gospel. The full gospel alone is the only acceptable litmus test for true teaching. All other religious roads do not lead to Heaven. How reassuring it is that we don’t have to wonder if the gospel is true or whether we have an accurate measuring stick to test the thoughts and ideas that swirl around us!

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?
Paul, originally Saul, persecuted the early church, was not one of the 12 disciples who walked with Jesus and was taught by Him. He loathed Jesus and His teachings. When Paul speaks of not being inferior to the “super apostles” (Peter, James, and John and the other disciples) he is saying that, even though he did not walk with Jesus during those 3 years, he is not disqualified as having the authority of Jesus Christ. The same Lord who rescued the 12 disciples from sin and spiritual death, rescued Saul, transforming him to Paul, a fervent preacher for the full gospel.

The Everyday Application

1) Why was Paul jealous?
Paul longed for the Corinthian church to wholly love Jesus with every aspect of themselves, both corporately and individually. There are several applications we can take away from this, but let’s look at just two. One, do you wholly love the Savior Jesus Christ? Where is the proof in your life? Ask the Spirit to show you which areas you love Him most and which areas you are choosing a lesser gospel. Two, who are you spiritually investing in so deeply, and walking so tightly in community with, that at any point, you can look at them and see when they are choosing another gospel? Invest well for the Kingdom! Give yourself away for Christ….enough that you become righteously jealous for them when you see them begin to stray from His solid truth!

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?
Precious sisters, daughter of the Most High God, our Enemy is real, he is present and dangerous, seeking to destroy our souls forever. He is constantly “prowling” around us like a lion seeking prey. But we, as Christ-followers, have the victory! God and Satan are not opposite powers; Satan’s power is extremely limited while the Lord God holds limitless power. When we are purchased by the precious blood of Christ, Satan no longer has dominion over us. We have literally been transferred from the kingdom of the Enemy into the Kingdom of Light! Satan loves distraction because it turns our eyes and hearts and focus away from the beautiful Savior. Refuse to give him this power, and cling tightly the full gospel!

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?
Christians are often labeled as being close-minded by claiming that Jesus is the only way to inherit eternal salvation. While it’s true that this is a core doctrine of the Christian faith, it doesn’t mean we are close-minded, rather it point to the intensity of our love for the lost. God claims all-power, all-knowing, and always-present. He laid out the definition of holiness and made it clear through the Ten Commandments what it looked like to fail to be righteous, which included every single human being in just one list of 10. If we had 10 terminally ill cancer patients and 10 vaccines that would cure them, is it “open-minded” or “intensely loving” to only offer the 10 vaccines with a genuine cure? There are a million counterfeits, but only one truth. And this truth is so sweet, so precious, and worth every ounce of our lives!

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?
Whether you’ve shared the gospel 100 times, pray for strangers out loud in Target, have attended Bible studies for decades, or are only just now exploring what this new-found faith in Jesus means, you’ve never prayed out loud, and you’re a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of reading the Bible….here is good news! If you have given your whole heart to Jesus Christ to rescue you from the consequences of your sin, which is death, then you have His authority and abilities working in you to declare the gospel; the full, glorious, freeing gospel! “Even if I am unskilled in speaking”, says Paul. His weaknesses were not strong enough to stop him from making the gospel plainly known. You have this same Spirit of God inside you, fellow Christian! Go ahead, lean in to the sweet truths of God, declare them boldly over your life, pray for that stranger, carve out that time to read His word, sing His praises in your car, tell your friend what a difference Jesus has made in you. Share your story! Live Boldly; Jesus has come to set you FREE!

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

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

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

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

The Why!

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

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

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

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Freedom!