“Father Abraham” – Galatians 3:6-9

Galatians 3:6-9

“Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

When I was little, we would sing a song in Sunday school called “Father Abraham.” It was repetitive in a way that is fun for kids, but annoying for adults – basically the church version of “100 bottles of beer on the wall.” It went, “Father Abraham, had many sons, and many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you. So, let’s just praise the Lord.” This chorus was repeated over and over and was accompanied by arm and leg swings, head bobs, and spins. And if you grew up in church, you probably hummed the tune as you read these words. At some point along the way, I remember questioning this song. Was I a child of Father Abraham? Head bobs and arm swings aside, I was pretty sure I fit squarely in the Gentile camp. 
 
To the Jew, being a child of Abraham was a real source of pride. They would trace back their lineage generation after generation showing that they were a part of the family. This family background separated them from the rest of the world. In fact, they saw the main breakdown of people types as 1-Jews, and 2-everybody else – aka Gentiles. Jesus took a shot at this arrogance when he said, (paraphrase of Matthew 3:9) “So, you’re children of Abraham. Big deal, God could make children of Abraham out of these rocks.”
And then Paul called into question with the words above, what it even meant to be a part of his family? And what made Abraham so special? See, the Judaizers had been trying to get the Gentile believers to be good Jews before they could be Christians, but Paul showed them from their own scriptures (the Old Testament) that they didn’t realize what actually made Abraham special. Abraham was considered right with God because of his FAITH, not his works! And we become children of Abraham (without all the initial membership fees like circumcision) through our faith, just as he did. 
 
Use the HEAR method to dig or drill a little deeper into this passage. 
 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
Photo by Eric Ayon on Unsplash

 

 

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“An Easy Mark” – Galatians 3:1-5

Galatians 3:1-5

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—“ 
 
As long as there have been people, there have been the gullible, as well as those willing to take advantage of them. P.T. Barnum famously said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Sometimes the pranks and jokes that people play on others can be funny, but when the stakes are high, it’s not a laughing matter. Adam and Eve lost their beautiful home because they fell for the deceitful words of the serpent. Esau gave up his birthright and lost his blessing when Jacob pulled a fast one on his blind and trusting father. Gideon’s tiny ragtag of leftovers defeated the Midianite camp by posing as a much larger army at night armed with trumpets, clay pots and torches. And the Galatians were fooled into exchanging the grace of God, for a broken system of works. 
 
Paul was flabbergasted with the Galatians for being so easily duped. He called them “foolish” for seeing the movement of the Spirit of God, and knowing full well that this power came from the crucified and risen Christ. In this letter he is taking their hand, walking them through the evidence that they’ve already seen with their own eyes to get back to the point where they once were. 
 
How many times have we fallen for the lies of the enemy? How many times have we traded what is valuable for that which is temporary? How many times have we seen God work in our lives only to return to fear and doubt? And how many times do we go back to the old ways of trying to earn God’s favor by good works? 
 
Let us read the words of Paul as if he were giving us this stern talking to. I think I’m a sucker far more than I’d like to admit. Read the passage again substituting your own name in the place where the Galatians are referred to.   
 
While using the HEAR method, prayerfully ask God to speak to you the truths you need for today. 
 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
Photo by Max Letek on Unsplash
 

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My Toolbox – Study Bibles

“Some people are troubled by the things in the Bible they can’t understand. The things that trouble me are the things I can understand.” – Mark Twain
 
The Bible is a huge collection of 66 books – written by 40 authors over 1500 years, written in 3 different languages, using half a dozen literary genres, and dealing with the biggest issues in life. So have at it!
 
Honestly, anyone who isn’t a little intimidated to crack open the pages of the Bible simply doesn’t appreciate how foreign it can be, and how much can be missed or misunderstood simply reading it at face value.* It’s for this reason, many people never even try and leave understanding the Bible to the “professionals.” But the Bible is God’s love letter and it is written to and for all of us. So one of the most important things you can do is to jump in. At the same time, it’s good to have a little background. 
 
Fortunately there are a ton of tools to help us understand God’s word and get the most out of it. From time to time we will suggest some tools to add to your toolbox. One such tool is the study Bible. A study Bible is one of the more accessible tools as it typically contains verse by verse commentary, word studies, cross referencing, book summaries, timelines, maps and other helpful resources all in one publication. Some study Bibles have so many resources that they usually stay on your desk or coffee table at home where you do your studying and accompany your “normal” Bible that’s a little easier to tote around. Of course, now in the digital age, many of these study Bibles are available on your computer, tablet or smartphone as well. 
 
In looking for a good study Bible here are some things to consider. 
  • Translation – a good balance of form and function (accurate to the original language while being easy to understand in the english) article: “A Brief Description of Popular Bible Translations” 
  • Theological leaning – The commentary for the passages (usually at the bottom of each page) reflects the theology of the individual or team that provides the content. There are some very respected scholars that bear reading, but a team of scholars can typically provide a more balanced and well rounded approach. For instance, the English Standard Version Study Bible (ESV) used a team of 95 theologians. 
  • Thematic leaning – There are a large selection of study Bibles for men, women, teens, new believers and more. 
The Bible is in most places, pretty easy to read and understand. With a little direction, you can begin reading God’s word and gather tools as you go. Although the words “below the line” (commentary) are not inspired scripture themselves, a good study Bible will help answer many of your questions and give context revealing the power and depth a word or phrase contains.   
 

If you want a good review of some of the more popular study Bibles check out the article, “Study Bibles: the epic list (and how to choose one)”

 
Do you have a favorite translation or study Bible you recommend? 
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 

 

 

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“God So Loved” – John 3:16

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 
 
Some people are great gift givers. They love giving gifts and really make an effort to pay attention, to listen, to search for just the right thing that will blow the recipient away. When I think of what makes a great gift, several things come to mind: 
  • the cost – how much money, time or effort went into the gift? 
  • the sacrifice – is it the widow’s mite or spare change? 
  • the rarity – is it a Flame Lily from Zimbabwe or a dandelion from the empty lot next door? 
  • the need – is it one more thing for your next garage sale or the missing puzzle piece to an area of your life? 
  • the significance – does the gift show that the giver really knows you like no one else? 

Any or all of these factors gauge the love that the giver has for the one receiving the gift, and display the lengths to which they have gone to communicate that love. When we read that “God so loved…” what follows is the evidence of how much His gift reveals about His feelings for you and me.      

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What parts in John 3:16 meet the different criteria of a great gift? (cost, sacrifice..)
  • Are you a great gift giver, or not so much? Contrast your gift giving skills against God’s. 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
 

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“The Gift of Grace” – Romans 3:23-24

Romans 3:23-24

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” 
 
This is a powerhouse of a verse. It is one of the most widely used passages in explaining how justification and salvation work. You could spend hours digging into the terms in this verse,  like “glory”, “justified” and “redemption.” One of the resources that we recommend, the Bible Project, does a beautiful job explaining God’s grace, the central idea of this verse, as well as the whole book of Galatians. Click on the image below to watch a short video about this amazing characteristic of God. And check out some of the other great videos while you’re there!     
 
Read Romans 3:23-24 again after watching the video to get the full concept of God’s grace, and then spend a little time looking at this wonderful verse through the lens of the HEAR method: 
 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
 
bibleproject.com 
https://youtu.be/ABPVVw_aw44

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“That’s a Real Weight Off” – Romans 5:1

Romans 5:1
 
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
 
The weight loss industry makes over $72 billion a year. And if you’re like me, you might have contributed a bit to that number. Diet after diet promises to melt away the pounds by one means or another – no carbs, or no fat, just bananas or no bananas, counting points, counting calories, or counting steps. It’s a frustrating cycle that seems to make a difference for some, but most simply end up back where they began. 
 
People start diets for many reasons – they’re uncomfortable, embarrassed, in pain, stressed out, facing health problems, or having relational issues. If you’ve had success losing weight, you might attest to the increased energy, concentration, health and healing that comes with it. 
 
When we think about our spiritual well-being, we know that life provides constant challenges that pack on the stress and pressure, threatening to bring us to our knees. We know that this sense of overwhelm can be crushing and effect every area of our life – our health, our relationships, our outlook and effectiveness. We long for something to come and lift all of that weight off of our shoulders. Just like the serial dieter, we might jump from strategy to strategy, finding a little release, but nothing long lasting.  
 
When we attempt to gain peace with God through our works, we find it a treadmill with no clear finish line. I mean really, how good is good enough? Through this paradigm, we struggle to read enough, pray enough, attend, give and volunteer enough so that we can get “close to God.” But it’s only through our faith in Christ that we truly find peace. And there is no close second to the peace that God offers. It is a peace of knowing we can drop the never-ending quest to be “close to God” because our faith brings us into an everlasting fellowship that makes us “in Christ.” You can’t get any closer than “in.” Experiencing the lightness of living by faith, means that we are letting God do all the heavy lifting, and we are freed up to feel like (and be) a whole new person.  
*for more on this idea, we recommend the book “Learning to Live and Love Like Jesus” by Brandon Cook
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What are some stresses or circumstances that are weighing you down?   
  • How can being “in Christ” bring you peace? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor

 
Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash

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