tender

Worship IX Day 15 The God Who Is

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Worship IX, Day 15

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We will never understand Him; He is incomprehensible.

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

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

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Sketched IX Day 5 Almost, But Not Yet

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 21:1-14
Acts 1:4-14
Acts 2
1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Sketched IX, Day 5

The walls felt like they were closing in with every passing day.

It was Day 9 of sheltering-in-place for us 11 remaining disciples, after Judas’ reckless decision to solve a temporary problem with a horribly permanent solution. My insides still quaked at the memory of his face, strangled by a noose made with his own hands. I shook my head to clear it, focusing on the troupe of ants dotting the limestone walls where I sat. They were purposeful. Intentional. Clearly headed to a goal, working together as a family.

“Consider the ant, you slacker…”

The familiar Old Testament proverb (Proverbs 6:6) came unbidden to mind in the warm, firm voice of my father as he raised his eyebrows at my 10-year-old self, who had only partially finished chopping wood. I repeated the words, letting them linger with my father’s voice wrapping around me.

“If only it was as easy as picking up that ax, Abba,” I muttered, rising to pace. Again. Leaving the ant family behind, I realized with fresh angst that I was here.
*sigh* Again.
Here, in this place of “almost, but not yet.”

It had been 9 days for us Eleven, less for the 120 other faces I scanned. They’d come sporadically in the last week, as if drawn by an unseen force of comfort and hope through community. Word spread, and soon, this Upper Room was bursting at the seams.

We were all here, waiting.
Waiting for next.
Sheltering, not sure exactly what next would be or how we would recognize it.
It seemed like a lifetime ago when Jesus and the 12 had sat in this very room the night before He was betrayed, then brutally killed.

“You will receive power,” Jesus’ voice filled my senses again with rich love and unshakeable authority. He said we would receive His power and comfort.

Oh, the tender comfort of Jesus! Despite the stench of 120 unwashed bodies sprawled around the Upper Room, I saw Jesus in every pair of eyes. The woman from the well in Samaria. She was here with several friends whom she’d told about Jesus. Once outcast, but now, waiting like the rest of us.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, was here, of course, and her sister, Salome. The man healed from leprosy at a word from Jesus was praying in a corner with James. Grinning, I waved at the 5 men who took turns challenging each other to arm wrestling. Not long ago, the robust man in the middle had lain paralyzed on a mat carried by the other four friends. Now they were whole and healthy because of Jesus.

The woman Jesus called Daughter, healed from bleeding, was handing out fruit and blessing each recipient. Hey, there’s the centurion whose daughter was brought back to life, and his little girl, too! Gentiles; my stomach churned only a little. These were welcomed by my Savior and my God; surely, they could be present here, too.
Waiting.
Waiting for the Comforter.
The same comfort each person gathered here had experienced in Jesus’ physical presence before He had ascended into the clouds nine days ago.

Nine.

Nine days of sharing community in the bond of knowing and experiencing Jesus. This was enough to keep us here until His Promised power and comfort finally came…however long it took. Our nights were spent singing hymns and our days were filled with the intangible joy of shared laughter and the sweetness of prayer. The outside world carried on with their hurry, but here, we delighted again in the depth of community with one another and God.

Here, in “almost but not yet,” we wait. We wonder. What good thing might the Lord be giving us through His Spirit that is better than His physical body?

—

The very next day would end Peter’s wait. One moment would begin as mundane, only to exhale as magnificent glory. The Spirit of the Living God would descend on each believer, regardless of Jew or Gentile, wealth or poverty, single or married, male or female. What they had once experienced with Jesus in the flesh would now be ignited in the heart of every person who ever trusted Christ. In the blink of an eye, holy divinity instantly and permanently bound every believer together. Comfort became infinitely available. His Presence was a guarantee, never to leave, ensuring the soul would pass from this fleeting life into one that would never end.

In the span of a single moment, the sacred space that had felt so empty for Peter was plunged into an infinite invitation to come, to know God better, deeper than ever before, for He Lived Within!

Power and boldness became the rightful possession for every soul gathered in the Upper Room that Day of Pentecost. Divine purpose was theirs in abundance. Comfort bound them up, together with each other, and jointly as the Bride of Christ.

As incredible as that moment was,
even it was an Almost, But Not Yet.
For here, in this same space, you and I wait, too.

We have His Spirit if we have called Jesus our own Savior.
Every gift those disciples experienced is also ours for the taking.
Yet, here we wait.
Paused with inexplicable hope, waiting for that Day of Going Home forever.

In the meantime, we are the Church, moving among one another, blessing each other, sustaining and carrying each other’s burdens, praying fervently, worshipping, and, as wonderfully led by the Spirit of God, preaching Christ crucified, risen, and coming again to a world hurrying around us.

Almost, But Not Yet.
We are here now.
Let’s live together as His Bride on purpose, and filled with His Spirit!


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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!

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 IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched IX

Beloved Day 6 A Lover’s Delight

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:12-16
Genesis 2:18-25
Proverbs 31:10-12

Beloved, Day 6

Have you ever walked in a garden under a pale moonlight? It’s counterintuitive, but at night, a garden truly glows. Everything is bathed in the moon’s gentle light. Visitors can breathe in the sweet fragrance of roses and lavenders, an intoxicating aroma.

During the day, the gardener tends to the plot, and the garden becomes hard-working and industrious. But at night, the garden invites the gardener to lay down the stresses of the day and rest in the pleasure of the fruits of his labor.

Our God is a giver. In Scripture, we encounter His gifts of both literal and metaphorical gardens. In the beginning, He created a world full of blessings. Then, God gave Adam and Eve dominion over creation and entrusted them to rule as He would. God also gave mankind the gifts of food and His Sabbath rest. Tucked away in the midst of all those blessings was another gift, a command to be fruitful and multiply while subduing the Earth.

In Genesis 2, we learn of the creation of the first man, Adam, and how God entrusted him with two gardens. The literal garden of Eden was given as part of Adam’s domain to cultivate, because it is where Heaven met Earth. The second and metaphorical garden, Eve, was given to Adam because God saw Adam needed a companion and helper in order to fulfill his purpose.

In the union of Adam and Eve, we find the design for pure delight and pleasure within marriage:

“This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. Both the man and his wife were naked, but felt no shame.”
(Genesis 2:24-25)
Wrapped up in the sacred space of marriage, both husband and wife were truly free and truly satisfied.

Song of Solomon builds upon the foundation laid in Genesis, giving us a detailed look at God’s plan for pleasure and delight within the boundaries of marriage. Chapter 4 recounts the culmination of the wedding ceremony; here, we find the groom describing his bride as an abundant garden.

Within the garden metaphor, our Creator begins to unlock the mystery of Godly marriage. A good gardener tends carefully to his garden, looking forward to a fruitful harvest. He protects it from pests and disease and rot. The gardener removes troublesome weeds, ensuring a nutrient-rich environment. Finally, his gentle hand encourages flowers and fruit-producing trees to grow. Such a prized and prioritized garden will not only produce an abundant harvest, but will be a great beauty to behold.

In the same way, a husband is to tenderly care for, encourage, and protect his wife, helping her to flourish. Proverbs 31 describes a wife who is industrious and productive under the care of a good gardener.

Within the partnership of Godly marriage, both husband and wife, gardener and garden, delight in the pleasures of a fruitful harvest. In the safety and innocence of lifelong commitment, spouses find every physical sense captivated and exhilarated:

“You have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes;
With one jewel of your necklace.
How delightful your caresses are, my sister, my bride.
Your caresses are much better than wine,
And the fragrance of your perfume, than any balsam.
Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride.
Honey and milk are under your tongue.”
(Song of Solomon 4:9-11, emphasis mine)

As with a garden, cultivating joy and pleasure within marriage requires time and intention. After the battles of the day have been fought, and the responsibilities of the day are laid to rest after bedtime prayers, husband and wife must intentionally turn their hearts, minds, and bodies to one another. Just as a vigilant gardener tends to every corner of his garden, we must make space to nurture our emotional, relational, spiritual, and physical connections.

But this sweet image of man and wife delighting in the fragrance and abundance of their nighttime garden is incomplete. Spouses will never find full delight, full satisfaction, full completion, solely in their mates . . . because husband and wife are human, and imperfect, and sinful.

Only when we have first found fullness of delight in God (our perfect, holy, lacking-in-nothing and possessing-all-we-need God) can we turn our attention from the scarcity in our spouse to overflowing gratitude for all the ways God blesses us through him.

And so, sisters, in the gardens of our marriages, let us first pursue and delight in our Master Gardener. Then, let’s enjoy the blessing of love and take delight in our spouses all the days of our lives.

“Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun.”
(Ecclesiastes 9:7-9)

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

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Neighbor Day 14 Wounded One: 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 Wounded One!

The Questions

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?

Luke 10:25-37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Original Intent

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?
Luke simply identifies this man as an expert of the law. We don’t know his exact job or role, but we do know he would have been well versed in the law of Moses, or the Torah, which are the first 5 books of the Bible. He comes to Jesus wanting to know how to gain eternal life. He was likely looking for a checklist of what he needed to do in order to earn eternal life. However, Jesus turns the question back to this man, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”. The man answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This dialogue leads the expert to ask, “who is my neighbor?” He is looking for a box to check in effort to prove to himself that he is keeping the law and worthy of earning eternal life.

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?
While the Samaritan man who helped is the obvious answer, we need to understand the relationship between Jews and Samaritans in order to see the significance of the point Jesus is making. Samaritans were despised by Jews. Israel had been split into 2 kingdoms, the southern and the northern. In the northern kingdom, people married from the hated Assyrian empire. Due to that they were seen as a mixed race, people who were not true, pure bloodline descendants of Abraham. This created a separation between these two groups of Jews. Jesus uses this parable, intentionally selecting the characters of His story to be religious people pitted against a Samaritan to show not only who a neighbor is, but also how to be a neighbor. It would have required a true act of love for the Samaritan to take care of this man regardless of the cost. Jesus is forcing the expert to look inside himself and realize radical love would require caring for others no matter who they are or where they come from.

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?
The obvious answer is how to love our neighbor. However, when we look deeper into the parable, we see it is often easy to justify unloving behavior. The expert was looking for justification for his behavior and confirmation that his rule-following was enough to satisfy God. However, it never would be and Jesus uses this illustration to show the expert exactly this reality. We learn what a true expression of love looks like from the parable. In this case, it is loving beyond ourselves to meet the need of another. Sometimes the need is obvious, as it was with the injured man. Other times a need is only recognized in a relationship with others as the Holy Spirit gives us insights. Either way Jesus’ point is simple, care for one another with radical, humble, generous love.

Everyday Application

1) Who is the expert on the law and what does he want to know?
The expert has all the head knowledge of what the Old Testament contains. He is all about living in the legalities of what Scripture says. This expert is attempting to live a “good enough” life, one that will earn him salvation, on his own. However, being a true believer is not about checking boxes and living a “good enough” life. The truth is, none of us are capable of living a good enough life, because the standard is impossible high. Only absolute perfection is acceptable, which is why God, in His great love, sent Jesus to perfectly fulfill what we never could. Jesus offers His own righteousness to us, while He takes our imperfections. The question we must wrestle with is will I be like the expert, trying to do it on my own, or will I surrender, allowing God to live and love through me?

2) According to this parable, who is my neighbor?
Mark Black writes, “The astute reader recognizes this Samaritan is acting just as Jesus has acted: he has compassion, he touches the ‘unclean’, he heals, and he uses his possessions for the benefit of the needy.” Jesus was the perfect neighbor during His life on earth. The Samaritan in the story took care of a man who would have despised him. The reality is, Jews and Gentiles alike treated Jesus with contempt in His last days, yet Jesus still loved them enough to die on the cross. He was still willing to give up His life for us. When we look at Jesus, we see He was unconcerned with race or lineage, but instead He was concerned with our need, specifically our spiritual need. If we behave as Jesus did, we will live a life that shows love to all peoples regardless of race, religion, social status, or anything else we often allow to divide us. It means treating all of humanity as our neighbor.

3) What can be learned from Jesus’ illustration?
Matthew Henry writes, “It is the duty of every one of us, in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.” As I reflect on these verses and the quote from Matthew Henry, I cannot help but relate them to the time we are living in. I cannot think of a better time in our lives to be a neighbor. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. While this pandemic demands we live life practicing a new concept of social distancing, it is not an excuse to deny love to others. It is not a pass to forget about our neighbors. If anything, this illustration shows us how we need to look beyond what is right in front of us, instead looking for the need. It requires us to lean in to how God is asking us to be His hands and His feet in a time when people are so desperate for truth and answers. The needs may be obvious, or they may only be known in a relationship, or as the Spirit prompts our hearts. This isn’t a time to withdraw into ourselves, but instead offer help and love as we are able. The question is, are we rising to the challenge of loving our neighbors with the same radical, humble love demonstrated by the Samaritan and Jesus Himself?

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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