Shaping

Sketched VII Day 12 My Shaping Moments: 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 My Shaping Moments!

The Questions

1) What is mercy in this context?

2) What is grace in this context?

3) How are we alike or different from Paul?

1 Timothy 1:12-20

I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, 19 having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Original Intent

1) What is mercy in this context?
Our English word for mercy comes from the Greek word eleeo, meaning compassionate and tender kindness. Throughout the New Testament, eleeo is used to convey the idea of God not punishing as we justly deserve; this is an act of mercy. Because of our sinful rebellion against God, we deserve instant exile into eternal separation from God, but because of His mercy, He gives each of us time to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) In this letter to Timothy we see Paul recounting how merciful God was to him.  Paul was rebelling against God, imprisoning and murdering Christians, but God showed Paul mercy by continuing to give him life, patiently waiting for Paul to come to repentance, and by mercifully giving him the opportunity to repent multiple times over. Mercy, God’s tender-hearted compassion toward His people by not giving them what they justly deserve, is abundant throughout the Bible. We see Moses writing about mercy in Numbers 14:18, describing God’s slowness to anger even though He will also dispense consequences because He is loving and just. David writes about God’s mercy and compassion throughout the Psalms. Some examples are Psalm 86:5, Psalm 103:8 and Psalm 145:8-9. We see God Himself speaking through the prophet Isaiah about His tireless compassion towards His people in Isaiah 65:2 in spite of their rebellious actions and attitudes.

2) What is grace in this context?
In the original Greek, grace is charis. Its definition is broader than mercy, but includes the attributes of mercy as kindness and compassion. Grace is like an umbrella that mercy fits beneath, but it also carries the idea of undeserved favor represented by a gift. It also comes from the Hebrew word hsd, or hesed, meaning loving-kindness. All of this comes together beautifully presented as a lavish, entirely unmerited, impossible-to-earn gift, which is given out of God’s core character of love. Grace is given unconditionally, knowing the favorable gift could never be repaid. God states that He is the God of grace, love, forgiveness, and favor in Exodus 34:6-7. Grace sees the impoverished orphan and lovingly provides lavishly for that orphan, treating her as precious and priceless, knowing she could never do anything to earn the gift or ever do anything valuable enough to repay her benefactor. (Ephesians 1:5-9) Paul says in verse 14 that the “grace of our Lord overflowed” to him, meaning a new life, fully undeserved, was given to Paul as a gift. This is grace!

3) How are we alike or different from Paul?
Before Saul’s encounter with God, and his subsequent surrender to Christ as well as his name change to Paul, we see him as a Pharisee, a very learned man of the Law. Meaning he knew the Torah, the first 5 books of our Bible, and was well practiced in working hard to keep every bit of the Law, while also making sure others were keeping it as well.  The Torah is full of lengthy passages of rules, rituals, and laws for Israel to follow as a nation. (Don’t let this deter you from reading it, however, there are some incredible stories and accounts of interesting people!) As a Pharisee, Saul believed every Jew was to uphold those laws, or else they were deemed not ‘good enough’ for God. Saul (before he became Paul) wrongly believed anyone could attain their own righteousness by following these Old Testament laws. Flying in the face of these laws, Saul saw the followers of Jesus as wrong and blasphemous against God because Jesus taught that He was the fulfillment of those laws because only in Him could anyone be declared righteous. Jesus taught it was through faith one became righteous to God, not through works of the Law. This inflamed Saul, and his fellow Pharisees! So, he set out to destroy all who followed Christ. In Acts 8:1 he has a follower of Christ, Stephen, put to death. (Acts 6:8-8:3) In Acts 8:3, Saul goes house to house physically removing anyone who has professed that Jesus is Lord. Finally, by God’s grace, God stops Saul in his literal tracks in Acts 9:1-7 and opens Saul’s heart to realize how everything he had been doing was in opposition to God.

Everyday Application

1) What is mercy in this context?
In today’s world we tend to use the word compassion more often than mercy as it seems to be an outdated term for most. In our society, we most often associate compassion with rooting for the underdog or a feeling of kindness to someone less fortunate. But oh, do we need to be reminded of true, biblical mercy! While we are urged to show mercy and compassion to one another as a reflection of God’s heart in Scripture (Luke 10:37), eleeo goes deeper than compassion. Compassion sees a hurting friend and lovingly walks beside them in grief. Mercy looks at the teenager who snuck out against the known rule and says, I will not punish you as you rightly deserve. Eleeo is most often used in the New Testament to demonstrate a kind, tender mercy that comes from God. Mercy is an act of God, too magnificent for us to fully comprehend because our injustices against Him are too great. Take time to look up these passages using eleeo and consider how unfathomably great is God’s mercy towards us. (Luke 1:50, Jude 1:21, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:4) Then allow this overwhelming richness of mercy to motivate you to extend mercy towards others as a reflection of God’s magnificent eleeo mercy! (1 Peter 1:3)

2) What is grace in this context?
There is a popular saying describing the difference between grace and mercy by stating, “Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve. Mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we do deserve.” These two may sound similar, but by this description, God’s gift of wiping away our sin is a gift of grace because He is giving us what we do not deserve. Mercy could be receiving a less harsh consequence. For example, when a judge is lenient with a defendant and gives a lesser punishment, he is showing mercy. Mercy stops the executioner from delivering deserved justice to the offender. Grace then enters to give that offender the gift of walking out of his jail cell with his sentence marked “paid in full”. Mercy compassionately doesn’t give what is rightly deserved. Grace kindly gives what could never be deserved. Grace is never about legalism, checking all the boxes, and working hard to earn favor. (Galatians 5:4) Grace is undeserved no matter how hard we try to win it; it cannot be won. We are saved not by the ‘law’, or our attempts at good deeds, but by God’s gracious love and favor; this is His grace towards us. (Ephesians 2:4-5) Grace wins over sin every time for the one who puts their faith fully in the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf at the cross. This lavish gift of grace, however, doesn’t mean Christians have received a ‘free pass’ to keep on sinning. (Romans 5:20-6:2) Rather, the recipient of such grace is motivated to live for Christ, the One who set them free to live a life of love instead of sin!

3) How are we alike or different than Paul?
In our humanity, we are all like Paul when he was Saul, because we all rebel against God, seeking to be our own “god”. Perhaps, like Saul, we are ignorant of the saving message of Jesus, even if we do know God exists, which, as a Pharisee, Paul did. He knew all about God, but didn’t see anything he did as sinful, until God Himself showed him the error of his ways on the Damascus road. We can be very much like that.  Whether that sin is giving in to doing something we know is completely wrong, or simply falling prey to ‘little’ sins.  Backbiting, lying, slander, stealing, and many others are examples of sin, but there are no “small sins” to God; even one marks us unholy, resulting in eternal separation from a perfectly holy God. We also sin by simply not acknowledging that we are indeed broken and sinful. (1 John 1:8) We can think, like Saul did, that by being ‘good’ we are saved and are in “good enough” standing with God. We deem ourselves as righteous. We get caught up in the “laws” in our mind of how people should act and behave, without ever considering that maybe there is something in ourselves that needs to change. The beautiful thing is, God is indeed gracious and merciful, overflowing with compassion and love. We don’t need to do anything to earn His love and forgiveness, other than repent and turn away from a life of sin and acknowledge He alone is holy, and in His mercy and grace, provided a way to rescue us from sin by sacrificing Himself for us. That’s it!  2 Peter 3:9 says God desires that none should perish.  Because of God’s great love for us and His blood which He shed on the cross, we can come to Him in repentance and He will pour His unfailing love and grace out on us. (Ephesians 1:5, John 1:4, Romans 5:2)

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

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 Sketched VII Week Three!
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.

Sketched VII Day 11 My Shaping Moments

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Timothy 1:12-20
John 12:23-28
1 Corinthians 15:35-49

Sketched VII, Day 11

I can feel my coffee cooling as time passes between us. I fix my gaze on Billy, hunched across the table from me, head hanging low and shame creeping up his neck. He has every right to be upset: his home life is a mess and his girlfriend just broke up with him.

This. This moment is everything to me as a youth pastor. And yet, during my training, I never saw it coming.

In high school, I developed a deep, lasting friendship with my youth pastor. He called out the best in me, challenged me, and saw something in me I’d never seen in myself.

Following an abrupt change in pastoral leadership during my senior year, I volunteered to help lead a mission trip. Thus, I became the first unofficial youth ministry intern.

As I served under the discipleship of my youth pastor, my faith became real. I began to long for others to experience the magnitude of God, as I had. I am most alive when I see others take steps forward in their faith, steps from death to everlasting life. It is my life’s devotion.

I’m brought back to the present by Billy’s shaky sigh. He’s on the verge of speaking. I wait, allowing the silence to penetrate his soul. I’m in no rush. This moment in time is just for Billy. 

These moments, teetering on the cusp of breakthrough, are pivotal. My best days in student ministry have never been behind a desk, prepping for a catchy Wednesday night message. No, my best days have always been at a table shared with a kindred or hurting spirit.

It took me a while to learn this. I landed a job at Living Stones Community Church before my college graduation.  On my first day of work, I rolled up in my car with a backseat full of textbooks and the latest and greatest resources.

With my pride-puffed chest and irremovable smile, I approached the lead pastor as he watered flowers and we began chatting. “Adam,” he remarked a few minutes later, “you’re going to find out ministry is more than just sermon prep.”

My face remained attentive while I silently scoffed, “That’s what you think. People are going to be changed because of MY convicting sermons. Just you wait. Living Stones isn’t going to know what hit it.”

I began spending my days preparing my sermons. I would sit and dream, praying about what God wanted me to teach my students.

And yet, I was working completely alone. It was lonely, isolating, and depressing.

Then, a mentor told me, “If you want to shepherd but hate sheep, you need to go home.” 

BOOM.

It was the punch-in-the-gut conviction I needed.

I couldn’t just sit behind a desk preparing sermons,
or change the name of the youth group to make it sound catchier,
or buy the latest youth packages available,
and call my efforts discipleship or even pastoring.

I needed to love the students where they were, in hospitals, schools, at basketball games, and school performances. God began giving me a Gospel-ache to help other student pastors love their sheep well. 

Eventually, I began a Student Pastor Network in our area. Once a month, we pray for one another and share ideas.

I also began getting a little dirtier with my students.
I sat in their mess with them.
I stopped preaching at my sheep and began loving them.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the transformation He’s worked in my heart. If I’d remained unchanged, I wouldn’t be sitting with Billy, helping him navigate hard questions and confusing times.

“But, Adam?” Billy says. “All of this mess, all of the hard times and sad nights and even loneliness, it’s all worth it for one life, isn’t it? If I get to see my dad come to know Jesus because of everything I’ve been through, it’ll be worth it, right?”

I understand his question; we ask our youth group, “Who is the ONE LIFE you’re praying will come to know and trust Jesus? What is your role in the process?”

I wonder if Billy is also asking if he’s worth it to me. Billy joined our youth group in the midst of my chaotic personal life, and came to know Jesus when I shared the messy truth even pastors are faced with tremendous losses and life-altering, hard decisions.

“Billy,” I say, “it is completely worth it. You are the one life who’s made my struggles worth the pain. My trials aren’t easier, and my messes aren’t cleaner. But God used you to remind me I have hope and purpose.” Billy’s eyes soften as truth settles over him and soothes his heart.

As Billy and I wrap up our time together, I pray over him and ask if I’ll see him at FCA the next morning. I’ve learned connecting with teenagers doesn’t just look like chatting with them when they’re at church, or sharing memes during my sermons, or even trying to use their slang when interacting.

The truth is, I’m going to grow more “out of touch” as I grow older, and it’s ok! I don’t need to be one of them, I need to be with them. I work hard to become a student of my students.

Teenagers are charting new waters, ones many of us have never faced. They are learning to navigate the world not only in person, but digitally. These days, students are bolder with their thumbs than with their mouths, and they need help ensuring what pours from their mouths and their devices reflects what’s inside their hearts. That’s just one of my jobs as their pastor.

I strive to unite all of the roles I fill behind my ultimate calling to preserve the bride of Christ. The Church is certainly not perfect, but she is beautiful, and I want to live and pastor as He leads.

I pull into the church parking lot and give our lead pastor a little wave as I head back inside; he’s watering the flowers again.

It’s been eight years since I began working at this church, and I’m a different man. Our pastor knows I’m heading inside to prep my message. But he also knows I came from meeting with Billy.

It turns out, he was right. There is so much more to ministry than sermon prep.

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

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 Sketched VII 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 Sketched VII!

Sketched V Day 7 Paul, The Student: 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 Paul, The Student!

The Questions

1) Who is the author and the recipient? What is the author’s purpose?

2) How is this list different than a set of legalistic laws like Saul (Paul) would have followed before Christ made him new?

3) How does this passage relate to “waiting” and being a “student” as we saw in yesterday’s Journey Study?

1 Timothy 3:1-10

This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy. 4 He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap.
8 Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons.

Original Intent

1) Who is the author and the recipient? What is the author’s purpose?
Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, his “son in the faith”. A nearly identical list is also recorded to Paul’s letter to Titus. (Titus 1:5-9) Though Paul was never married, Timothy was like a “spiritual” son because Paul had deeply invested in Timothy for many years; the two were very close relationally through their bond of Christ. Paul’s work for the Church was immeasurably important, but he knew the work wasn’t about him and neither began nor ended with him, which is why investing in younger leaders to carry on his legacy was so important to him. Paul begins this section with extreme seriousness when he says, “This saying is trustworthy.” The only instances Paul uses this specific phrase are to either to describe the heart of the gospel, as in 1 Timothy 1:15, or to express the character of leaders within the church. If there is nothing more important, or true, than the gospel and Christ’s sufficiency, then the outlined qualities of leaders here described are to be handled soberly with integrity, humility, and prayer.

2) How is this list different than a set of legalistic laws like Saul (Paul) would have followed before Christ made him new?
All the heavy laws Saul, and Pharisees like him, laid on the Jews had everything to do with looking right, and nothing to do with being right in their hearts. This list, along with Paul’s other various lists in Scripture, all have a common thread: the outpouring of the heart. The actions simply mirror the reality taking place inside where Jesus Christ is Lord. Paul didn’t pen this list because he wanted to control what kind of people would be allowed to lead his missionary church plants. Everything about these qualifications, including how he introduces it with serious respect, speaks of Paul’s desire to honor none but Christ. Yes, there are character traits outlined here, and they may look like a list of “must dos”, but truly they are given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that church leadership may lead well to the glory of God!

3) How does this passage relate to “waiting” and being a “student” as we saw in yesterday’s Journey Study?
No one drifts into these qualities. No one progressively attains the character traits outlined here without time, dedication, devotion to Scripture, and spiritual discipline by humbly submitting to the hand of the Lord as He shapes hearts. What we see here are marks of a spiritually mature person who has long walked with the Lord. Verse 6 specifically calls this out, “He must not be a recent convert…” Verse 7 also reinforces the idea of lengthened time as the “student” grows rich and deep in their faith walk, “he must be well thought of by outsiders…”. All of these characteristics have an observable aspect to them as the intention is that if one is called to pastor, their lives should be seen and known with authentic transparency. Even Jesus had this observable aspect about His character before entering the ministry, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

Everyday Application

1) Who is the author and the recipient? What is the author’s purpose?
How important do you view your role within the Church, both locally and globally? Have you ever considered it before? Perhaps you wonder if you even have one, or if you view your contribution is too insignificant. Paul is easily known as the best evangelist of all time, next to Christ, but he was well balanced in his view of himself. He was neither puffed up with prideful arrogance nor entangled with a low perspective, allowing his sins and flaws to become his identity and keep him from walking into all God had for him. Whatever your gift, use it for the kingdom, Sister! And if your gift is teaching or shepherding, approach it with serious awareness of the high calling it is to handle the Word of Lord and lead others to know it. As you grow in developing your gift and service to the Body of Christ, look for a “younger” one in the faith you can mentor and encourage along the way. No matter how long you’ve been following Jesus, and even if you haven’t decided yet, find someone “older” in the faith to mentor and encourage you! No believer should ever stop being a student!

2) How is this list different than a set of legalistic laws like Saul (Paul) would have followed before Christ made him new?
As we look over this list, it’s important to remember it is not a list of requirements to being a Christian. Checking off these “requirements” does not win favor with God. The intention is to give serious weight to considering the specific role as “overseer”, meaning “shepherd”, or what we would identify as the pastor role in our churches. The calling of Pastor is a high one, never to be taken lightly. Sisters, the seriousness with which Paul treats this particular leadership role insists that we come alongside our pastors and church leaders to regularly encourage and pray for them as they follow the Lord. Pray for grace. Pray for their adherence to the full gospel. Pray for them to be reminded their value and identity rests in the finished work of Christ on their behalf. Have you written a note or email to your pastor or church leadership team lately? Do it today and come alongside them in Kingdom work!

3) How does this passage relate to “waiting” and being a “student” as we saw in yesterday’s Journey Study?
The Lord has long waited, since the beginning of time, and continues to this day, to wait for His perfect timing to return to earth and finally call His children home. He created humans to be born as helpless infants who needed nurturing and time to grow into maturity. He designed processes for our spiritual growth as we are wooed to Himself, investigating the claims of faith, cross the line and are given salvation, and each day after are given the opportunity to grow deeper with Him. All of this requires waiting, growing, and intentional decision to follow hard after Christ. Those who “aspire to the office of overseer” (verse 1) are not the only ones who are called to be a student of the Lord and wait for Him, all Christ-followers are invited to do the same. If even the Lord Himself waits (Psalm 27:14), something tells me He enjoys the Journey. We should too!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Paul, The Student!

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 Sketched V 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.