Sacrifice and Atonement

Animal sacrifice is one of those things in the Bible that can be hard for modern readers to come to terms with. Though it may seem strange, animal sacrifice was a common practice across the ancient world. The practice is introduced in the Bible in Genesis 22 when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of surrender. 

Wait, what?! 

Let’s back up. God had promised Abraham that he would bless the world through his family, but instead of trusting and surrendering to God, Abraham tried to fulfill the promise on his own. This led to broken relationships, oppression, and violence. So God tested Abraham to see if he would give up his way and trust in God’s way. And Abraham trusted God, following his instruction to sacrifice his son, and, right on time, God provided a ram as a sacrificial substitute. The story of Abraham and the practices of sacrifice in the Torah all point us to Jesus. Jesus followed God’s plan for blessing the world and became the sacrificial substitute. And Jesus’ sacrifice is one we can rely on. When we go to the mountain to sacrifice ourselves to God, we’ll find Jesus there offering himself in our place. In this week’s study, we’ll reflect on the concept of becoming “living sacrifices” in response to Jesus’ ultimate act of sacrifice. 

- Jon Collins

Here's the intro by Jon 

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  Romans 12  THE VOICE

       Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. 2 Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete. 

 Paul urges those who read and hear his letter to respond to the good news by offering their bodies—eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet—to God as a “living sacrifice.” Paul knows well enough that sacrifices end in death, not life. But the sacrifice of Jesus changes everything. His resurrection steals life from death and makes it possible for those who trust in Him to become a sacrifice and yet live. But how do we live? We do not live as before, wrapping ourselves in the world and its bankrupt values. We live in constant renewal and transformation of our minds. = THE VOICE 

 3 Because of the grace allotted to me, I can respectfully tell you not to think of yourselves as being more important than you are; devote your minds to sound judgment since God has assigned to each of us a measure of faith. 4 For in the same way that one body has so many different parts, each with different functions; 5 we, too—the many—are different parts that form one body in the Anointed One. Each one of us is joined with one another, and we become together what we could not be alone. 6 Since our gifts vary depending on the grace poured out on each of us, it is important that we exercise the gifts we have been given. If prophecy is your gift, then speak as a prophet according to your proportion of faith. 7 If service is your gift, then serve well. If teaching is your gift, then teach well. 8 If you have been given a voice of encouragement, then use it often. If giving is your gift, then be generous. If leading, then be eager to get started. If sharing God’s mercy, then be cheerful in sharing it. 9 Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically. Despise evil; pursue what is good as if your life depends on it. 10 Live in true devotion to one another, loving each other as sisters and brothers. Be first to honor others by putting them first. 11 Do not slack in your faithfulness and hard work. Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord. 12 Do not forget to rejoice, for hope is always just around the corner. Hold up through the hard times that are coming, and devote yourselves to prayer. 13 Share what you have with the saints, so they lack nothing; take every opportunity to open your life and home to others. 14 If people mistreat or malign you, bless them. Always speak blessings, not curses. 15 If some have cause to celebrate, join in the celebration. And if others are weeping, join in that as well. 16 Work toward unity, and live in harmony with one another. Avoid thinking you are better than others or wiser than the rest; instead, embrace common people and ordinary tasks. 17 Do not retaliate with evil, regardless of the evil brought against you. Try to do what is good and right and honorable as agreed upon by all people. 18 If it is within your power, make peace with all people. 19 Again, my loved ones, do not seek revenge; instead, allow God’s wrath to make sure justice is served. Turn it over to Him. For the Scriptures say, “Revenge is Mine. I will settle all scores.”[a] 20 But consider this bit of wisdom: “If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink; because if you treat him kindly, it will be like heaping hot coals on top of his head.”[b] 21 Never let evil get the best of you; instead, overpower evil with the good. 

Footnotes
12:19 Deuteronomy 32:35
12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22
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Sacrifice and Atonement Video by The Bible Project

 In the letter to the Romans, Paul writes about Jesus’ sacrificial mercies towards us and invites us to put our hope in these mercies. In light of what Jesus sacrificed, Paul calls us to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices” in response. This means relying on what Jesus has already accomplished through the cross and joining in his sacrificial lifestyle—becoming like him. This is a totally different way to live because the world teaches us to pursue goodness, pleasure, and perfection apart from Jesus. When we become living sacrifices, we are transformed by the good, pleasing, and perfect will of Yahweh, leading to a life of sacrificial love and humility that serves others and overcomes evil with good. 

What stands out to you most in this chapter from Paul's words to the Church in Rome?   What happens to communities when we rely on Jesus’ sacrifice but neglect to join him in a sacrificial lifestyle? Why is belief followed by action so important? (Consider Belief without Action... now imagine Action without Belief.  How can we find the proper balance?)

Paul gives some practical guidance for what it means to be a living sacrifice. A transformed lifestyle includes a humble mindset (3-5), that serves in community (6-13), and overcomes wrongdoing with good (14-21). - Jon Collins

How did Jesus model and empower this lifestyle? How is this lifestyle different from what you’ve seen in the world, and how does it display Yahweh’s good, pleasing, and perfect will? What is one area where you relate more to the world’s lifestyle than to Jesus’ humble, serving, and overcoming lifestyle? 

Let us all pray for a renewed mindset. 

Jesus’ humble sacrifice made us one in him. Reflect on the connection between sacrifice, humility, and unity in verses 1-5. 

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Jon Collins, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Learning to break over the things that truly grieve God

*Learning to lament is an uncomfortable yet important part of our spiritual growth. And since there’s so much worth lamenting in the world right now, this fall of 2020 is an appropriate time to practice. 

May God give us hearts big enough to take up the pain of the world and bring it to him in prayer. 

Audio Introduction by Tim Mackie

Lamentations is a collection of Hebrew poems that focuses on the grief, pain, and suffering that came out of living in Jerusalem when it was besieged by the armies of Babylon and eventually captured, plundered, and destroyed. The poet acknowledges that Jerusalem’s fall was an act of Yahweh’s justice, but he still laments, and even protests, the suffering that took place. He draws attention to how terrible the situation was and then calls for God to hear the suffering of his people and respond.
These laments give a sacred dignity to the emotion we feel when we see injustice and suffering. Through studying Lamentations, we can learn to see lament as an important spiritual exercise that brings our anger, pain, and confusion to God, trusting that he cares about it too. In this week’s study, we will practice lamentation as we focus on the poem at the book’s center, Lamentations chapter 3.- Tim Mackie

Video on Lamentations by The Bible Project

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Lamentations 3  The Voice

1 Afflicted, I have seen and know what it’s like
to feel the rod of God’s anger:
2 An absence of light and only darkness.
Darkness—that’s where God has driven me.
3 Against me and me alone, over and over,
God raises His hand incessantly.

4 Bones are broken, skin rubbed off, and my flesh wasted;
this is God’s doing:
5 Besieged in hardship,
wrapped in a husk of bitter poison and trouble;
6 Brought to darkness like those dead and decaying,
and left there alone to live.

7 Cut off from every avenue of escape, God has fenced me in
and tied me up with heavy chains.
8 Crying and carrying on do me no good;
God shuts out my prayer.
9 Closed in and blocked by walls of cut stone,
what paths I have left, He has twisted and confused my steps.

10 Dangerous as a stalking lion or a lurking bear,
God lies in wait for me.
11 Dragging me off the path and tearing me up,
He has left me desolate.
12 Drawing back His bow, God aims
straight at me with His own arrow.

13 Ever true arrows, ready in His quiver,
now sink into my gut.
14 Echoing taunts ring ’round me from the mouths of my own people,
laughing and joking about me all day long.
15 Enough! He has filled me with bitterness,
saturated me with gall.

16 For He crushes my teeth with a mouth filled with gravel;
He humiliates me, trampling me in ashes.
17 Fragmented, my self knows no peace.
I cannot remember what it’s like to be happy.
18 “Failed,” I say to myself. “My hope fails
in the face of what the Eternal One has done.”

19 Grievous thoughts of affliction and wandering plagued my mind—
great bitterness and gall.
20 Grieving, my soul thinks back;
these thoughts cripple, and I sink down.
21 Gaining hope,
I remember and wait for this thought:


22 How enduring is God’s loyal love;
the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.
23 Here they are, every morning, new!
Your faithfulness, God, is as broad as the day.
24 Have courage, for the Eternal is all that I will need.
My soul boasts, “Hope in God; just wait.”


25 It is good. The Eternal One is good to those who expect Him,
to those who seek Him wholeheartedly.
26 It is good to wait quietly
for the Eternal to make things right again.
27 It is good to have to deal
with restraint and burdens when young.

28 Just leave in peace the one who waits in silence,
patiently bearing the burden of God;
29 Just don’t interfere if he falls, gape-mouthed in the dust.
There may well be hope yet.
30 Just let him offer his cheek when struck.
Let him be the butt of jokes.

*This is the heart of the lament. Pain and despair are deep and lasting, but God’s rejection is not forever because Jerusalem is the city of the Lord. -The Voice

1 Kept in God’s care:
the Lord won’t reject him forever.
32 Kindness prevails: Even though God torments sometimes,
the greatness of God’s loyal love wins out.
33 Keeping us down: it is not the desire or way of God’s heart
to hurt and grieve the children of men.

*Hope is realized when the next generation of exiles in Babylonia receive God’s mercy and are brought back to the promised land, Palestine, in a second exodus, a journey not unlike what the Israelites experienced as they left Egypt under Moses’ leadership.

God surely causes grief and torment, but He also provides kindness that originates from His heart of compassion. The discipline administered by the heavenly Father hurts, but the pain is not lasting and actually reflects His compassion. When the Lord sends affliction, it is instructive, restorative, and temporary. Affliction and judgment may sometimes come from the Almighty, but what always springs from the heart of God is a deep and eternal mercy for His people. - The Voice

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34  Left as captives of the land
to be stomped on and crushed,
35 Legal action and human rights denied
in the very presence of our exalted God,
36 Lord, surely You do not approve it—they deny
one person’s rights and a fair trial.

37 Matters not who says a thing will or won’t happen
unless the Lord determines that it should.
38 Most High God must proclaim it so—
for both good and bad, joy and sorrow come from Him, so
39 Mind your complaint. Why should a person fuss
when faced with the consequences of his own wrongdoing?
__________________________
40 Now let’s search out our thoughts and ways
and return to the Eternal.
41 Now let’s lift up to God in heaven
our hearts along with our hands in praise and supplication.
42 Now, let us admit that we persisted in wrong
and You, God, were right to deny us forgiveness.

43 You have wrapped Yourself in anger.
You hunted us down and became our merciless killer.
44 Our prayers couldn’t penetrate the cloud
You then wrapped around Yourself.
45 Oh, we are trash: You’ve made us so
in the eyes of all people.

46 Putting us down, our enemies scoff.
They gape and gawk at us.
47 Panic and pitfalls are all around us,
nothing but breakdown and decay.
48 Pouring out from my eyes are tears like rivers
over the destruction of my people, daughter Zion.

49 Quenched? It can’t be quenched,
this sorrow in my eyes,
50 Quelled only by knowing that
the Eternal looks down from heaven and sees.
51 Quickly I recoil from what my eyes see; I am choked with grief
at the fate of the young women of my city.

52 Running me down, my enemies for no reason
hunt me, a tiny bird.
53 Rattling my bones with stones thrown down on my head,
having flung me mercilessly in a pit.
54 ’Round about me and over me, watery darkness closes in.
I cry out, “I’m drowning! All is lost, lost.”
______________________________
55 Saying Your name, Eternal One, I called to You
from the darkness of this pit.
56 Surely You’ve heard me say,
“Don’t be deaf to my call; bring me relief!”
57 So close when I’ve called out in my distress,
You’ve whispered in my ear, “Do not be afraid.”

58 Taking up my cause, Lord, You’ve been my champion.
You’ve paid the price; You saved my life.
59 Terrible things have been done to me. You’ve seen it, Eternal One.
Judge my case with justice.
60 Their abuses against me are not hidden from You.
You’ve seen all the awful things my enemies determine to do to me.

61 Ugly words and uglier plans they have for me—
You’ve heard it all, Eternal One.
62 Under their breath, my adversaries whispering about me,
devising nasty schemes all the time.
63 Unkind jokes at my expense,
whether they’re sitting around or going to and fro.

64 Villains You will return to their recompense,
Eternal One, according to their deeds.
65 Visit them with anguish and an insensitivity to Your words.
Make Your curse fall hard on them.
66 Vehemently pummel them. Chase them down, obliterate them
from below the heavens of the Eternal, from the earth itself.

_____________________________

Ask Yourself:
What is one broken reality that stands out to you as you read these words from Lamentations?

What, during this historic chapter of Israel's history, was wrong in God’s eyes? How does this circumstance go against God’s plan for his world? 

Shift your focus to today.  Take time to mull over present circumstances.  What words of Lament would you be calling out to God?  Take a moment to process your emotion, and voice any confusion in a heartfelt prayer.

Now consider Jesus’ cross and empty tomb as you lament this broken reality. How did Jesus enter into the sufferings of the world? How does Jesus’ resurrection change your perspective on the state of the world?

Let's chat:
Notice how the poet/author of Lamentations does not place his hope in improved circumstances; rather, he places his hope in Yahweh God (vs. 24). What do you think it looks like to place our hope in Yahweh instead of in our desired outcomes?  How do the truths in verses 21-26 help us hope in Yahweh while we grieve?  What broken parts of 2020 are you most lamenting about?

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Dr Tim Mackie, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

In our darkest despair ...

Stop and think about the vast numbers of people who will never darken the doors of the churches that exist in your city. Now ask yourself why. Once you’ve answered that question, you’re halfway to understanding who your church is called to go after, what part of the city it’s called to go to, and what it’s called to do. Everything from the location it meets in, to the time it meets, what people do when they get there, to the way the room is set up will all come into play. (I’d say that for the most part, everybody plants a cookie cutter version of church with hipper music, sexier graphics, and skinnier jeans, thinking that will really reach people. But have you ever noticed that the “stuff Christians like” is often worlds apart from what a lost person really notices or desires when they come to a point of honestly seeking God?) -Peyton Jones, "Reaching the Unreached -Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art"

Audio teaching: Carissa Quinn


Psalm 88
For the worship leader. A song of the sons of Korah accompanied by dance.[a] A contemplative song[b] of Heman the Ezrahite.


*This individual lament was composed by someone afflicted with a grave illness, feeling lonely and abandoned by God. This song is reminiscent of Job’s sufferings. - The Voice

1 O Eternal One! O True God my Savior!
I cry out to You all the time, under the sun and the moon.
2 Let my voice reach You!
Please listen to my prayers!

3 My soul is deeply troubled,
and my heart can’t bear the weight of this sorrow. I feel so close to death.
4 I’m like the poor and helpless who die alone,
left for dead, as good as the unknowable sea of souls lying under our feet,
5-6 Forsaken by Him and cut off from His hand,
abandoned among the dead who rest in their graves.
And You have sent me to be forgotten with them,
in the lowest pits of the earth,
in the darkest canyons of the ocean.
7 You crush me with Your anger.
You crash against me like the relentless, angry sea.

[pause][c]

8 Those whom I have known, who have been with me,
You have gathered like sheaves and cast to the four winds.
They can’t bear to look me in the eye, and they are horrified when they think of me.
I am in a trap and cannot be free.
9 My eyes grow dim, weakened by this sickness;
it is taking my strength from me.
Like a worn cloth, my hands are unfolded before You daily, O Eternal One.
10 Are You the miracle-worker for the dead?
Will they rise from the dark shadows to worship You again?

[pause]

11 Will Your great love be proclaimed in the grave
or Your faithfulness be remembered in whispers like mists throughout the place of ruin?[d]
12 Are Your wonders known in the dominion of darkness,
or is Your righteousness recognized in a land where all is forgotten?

13 But I am calling out to You, Eternal One.
My prayers rise before You with every new sun!
14 Why do You turn Your head
and brush me aside, O Eternal One?
Why are You avoiding me?
15 Since the days of my youth, I have been sick and close to death.
My helpless soul has suffered Your silent horrors;
now I am desperate.
16 Your rage spills over me like rivers of fire;
Your assaults have all but destroyed me.
17 They surround me like a flood, rising throughout the day,
closing in from every direction.
18 You have taken from me the one I love and my friend;
even the light of my acquaintances are darkness.

Video on The Psalms

Let's consider:

As you read through Psalm 88, the psalmist does not hold back his grief or anger when he talks to God. How does that sit with you? Do you give yourself the freedom to express all your deepest emotions and thoughts to God. If not, what holds you back?

Have you ever found yourself in a place where the only prayer you can muster is “help?” Have you ever felt that deep loneliness that the psalmist expresses? What are your deepest pain points at the present moment? Write or pray out loud to God, even if your only prayer is “help.”

During the week:  Have you ever read through the Psalter, or a group of psalms, looking for how they connect to one another? If you are interested, we’d suggest reading through some psalms and looking for repeated words and themes that link them. Starting with Psalms 1-2 is a great idea, or you could look at 88-90, the psalms brought up in our study today.

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Dr Carissa Quinn, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Out of My Abundance

Audio by Jon Collins

Matthew 6:19-34 Read here  The Voice

19 Some people store up treasures in their homes here on earth. This is a shortsighted practice—don’t undertake it. Moths and rust will eat up any treasure you may store here. Thieves may break into your homes and steal your precious trinkets. 20 Instead, put up your treasures in heaven where moths do not attack, where rust does not corrode, and where thieves are barred at the door. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 The eye is the lamp of the body. You draw light into your body through your eyes, and light shines out to the world through your eyes. So if your eye is well and shows you what is true, then your whole body will be filled with light. 23 But if your eye is clouded or evil, then your body will be filled with evil and dark clouds. And the darkness that takes over the body of a child of God who has gone astray—that is the deepest, darkest darkness there is.


*When Jesus speaks of eyes and light, He means all people should keep their eyes on God because the eyes are the windows to the soul. Eyes should not focus on trash—pornography, filth, or expensive things. And this is what He means when He says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - The Voice


Jesus: 24 No one can serve two masters. If you try, you will wind up loving the first master and hating the second, or vice versa. People try to serve both God and money—but you can’t. You must choose one or the other.

25 Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than merely eating, and the body is about more than dressing up. 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They do not store food for winter. They don’t plant gardens. They do not sow or reap—and yet, they are always fed because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are even more precious to Him than a beautiful bird. If He looks after them, of course He will look after you. 27 Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying?

28 Nor should you worry about clothes. Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not work or weave or sew, and yet their garments are stunning. 29 Even King Solomon, dressed in his most regal garb, was not as lovely as these lilies. 30 And think about grassy fields—the grasses are here now, but they will be dead by winter. And yet God adorns them so radiantly. How much more will He clothe you, you of little faith, you who have no trust?

31 So do not consume yourselves with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? 32 Outsiders make themselves frantic over such questions; they don’t realize that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. 33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today.

Video 

Take a piece of paper and pen.  Making a list, ask yourself, "What do I have much of?".  

Our “muchness,” or how much we have, can easily become what we love. But God calls us instead to use all that we are and have to love him and others. When we use our muchness in this way, it receives the joy and security of God’s own muchness and becomes even more valuable.

• What did you observe as you read the scripture passage above? What goals do you think this passage is inviting you to?
• Think of all the experiences, challenges, talents, relationships, possessions, time, and health that you have. This is what you can think of as your muchness. List three to five specific examples of your muchness.

Sometimes we think our muchness is not very much, so we anxiously hoard it. Next to each of the things you listed in the above question, write one way you might be prone to worry.

How do these worries hinder you from using your muchness to love God and others?

Take some time now to admit your worries to God in prayer.

Jesus’ teachings remind us of our value and also of God’s generous provision to help us in times of distress or worry.

Next to each item on your list, write one way God has expressed his care and provision towards you. Take time now to thank God in prayer.

Consider your list again. Let's summarize together.  

What would it practically look like to use your muchness to love God and others? What is one step you can take this week? Remember that God is with you, strengthening you to carry it out.

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 - Study by Jon Collins.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Our response led by our faith

 

Read and Discuss


Ephesians 1:9-10 Read here The Voice


9 He has enlightened us to the great mystery at the center of His will. With immense pleasure, He laid out His intentions through Jesus, 10 a plan that will climax when the time is right as He returns to create order and unity—both in heaven and on earth—when all things are brought together under the Anointed’s royal rule. In Him


Ephesians 2:11-22 Read here The Voice


*The relationship between faith and works is often misunderstood. Some think that salvation is God’s reward for good deeds. If that’s true, then it can’t possibly be a gift. If it were a reward, then heaven would be a place where people might compare notes on what they did to make it through the gates. But Paul is confident in the truth of the gospel. The truth is that salvation is God’s gift through Jesus. Grace and faith make salvation real in us. When we are transformed by grace, then we become His new creation and begin to live out the good works He has planned for us. Works, then, aren’t the cause of salvation; they are its result. To put it another way, works aren’t the means of salvation; they are its presence. The Voice Commentary


11 So never forget how you used to be. Those of you born as outsiders to Israel were outcasts, branded “the uncircumcised” by those who bore the sign of the covenant in their flesh, a sign made with human hands. 12 You had absolutely no connection to the Anointed; you were strangers, separated from God’s people. You were aliens to the covenant they had with God; you were hopelessly stranded without God in a fractured world. 13 But now, because of Jesus the Anointed and His sacrifice, all of that has changed. God gathered you who were so far away and brought you near to Him by the royal blood of the Anointed, our Liberating King.

14 He is the embodiment of our peace, sent once and for all to take down the great barrier of hatred and hostility that has divided us so that we can be one. 15 He offered His body on the sacrificial altar to bring an end to the law’s ordinances and dictations that separated Jews from the outside nations. His desire was to create in His body one new humanity from the two opposing groups, thus creating peace. 16 Effectively the cross becomes God’s means to kill off the hostility once and for all so that He is able to reconcile them both to God in this one new body.


17 The Great Preacher of peace and love came for you, and His voice found those of you who were near and those who were far away. 18 By Him both have access to the Father in one Spirit. 19 And so you are no longer called outcasts and wanderers but citizens with God’s people, members of God’s holy family, and residents of His household. 20 You are being built on a solid foundation: the message of the prophets and the voices of God’s chosen emissaries[a] with Jesus, the Anointed Himself, the precious cornerstone. 21 The building is joined together stone by stone—all of us chosen and sealed in Him, rising up to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In Him you are being built together, creating a sacred dwelling place among you where God can live in the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:1-5:2 Read here

As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you. 2 Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love. 3 Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace binding you together.

*Now that Paul has described the new world as God would have it, he urges believers to live out their callings with humility, patience, and love: to walk as Jesus walked. These are the ways of Jesus. Paul encourages them to do whatever it takes to hold onto the unity that binds people together in peace. He does not ask them to create that unity; this has already been accomplished through the work of the Rescuer and His Spirit. Rather, he calls believers to guard that unity—a more modest but no less significant task—because that unity is founded on God’s oneness and work in the world. The Voice Commentary

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were all called to pursue one hope. 5 There is one Lord Jesus, one living faith, one ceremonial washing through baptism,[a] and 6 one God—the Father over all who is above all, through all, and in all. 7 This God has given to each of us grace in full measure according to the Anointed’s gift 8 as the Scripture says,


When He ascended to the heights,
He put captivity in chains;
And in His triumph, He gave gifts to the people.[b]

9 (Well, when it says “He ascended,” then that must mean that He had descended earlier to the lower levels, that is, to the earth. 10 The One who descended is the same One who rose from the dead to ascend far above all the heavens so that He could fill all things.)

11 It was the risen One who handed down to us such gifted leaders—some emissaries,[c] some prophets, some evangelists, as well as some pastor-teachers— 12 so that God’s people would be thoroughly equipped to minister and build up the body of the Anointed One. 13 These ministries will continue until we are unified in faith and filled with the knowledge of the Son of God, until we stand mature in His teachings and fully formed in the likeness of the Anointed, our Liberating King. 14 Then we will no longer be like children, tossed around here and there upon ocean waves, picked up by every gust of religious teaching spoken by liars or swindlers or deceivers. 15 Instead, by truth spoken in love, we are to grow in every way into Him—the Anointed One, the head. 16 He joins and holds together the whole body with its ligaments providing the support needed so each part works to its proper design to form a healthy, growing, and mature body that builds itself up in love.

17 Therefore, as a witness of the Lord, I insist on this: that you no longer walk in the outsiders’ ways—with minds devoted to worthless pursuits. 18 They are blind to true understanding. They are strangers and aliens to the kind of life God has for them because they live in ignorance and immorality and because their hearts are cold, hard stones. 19 And now, since they’ve lost all natural feelings, they have given themselves over to sensual, greedy, and reckless living. They stop at nothing to satisfy their impure appetites.

20 But this is not the path of the Anointed One, which you have learned. 21 If you have heard Jesus and have been taught by Him according to the truth that is in Him, 22 then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self—that dark blot of a soul corrupted by deceitful desire and lust— 23 to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. 24 Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy.

25 So put away your lies and speak the truth to one another because we are all part of one another. 26 When you are angry, don’t let it carry you into sin.[d] Don’t let the sun set with anger in your heart or 27 give the devil room to work. 28 If you have been stealing, stop. Thieves must go to work like everyone else and work honestly with their hands so that they can share with anyone who has a need. 29 Don’t let even one rotten word seep out of your mouths. Instead, offer only fresh words that build others up when they need it most. That way your good words will communicate grace to those who hear them. 30 It’s time to stop bringing grief to God’s Holy Spirit; you have been sealed with the Spirit, marked as His own for the day of rescue. 31 Banish bitterness, rage and anger, shouting and slander, and any and all malicious thoughts—these are poison. 32 Instead, be kind and compassionate. Graciously forgive one another just as God has forgiven you through the Anointed, our Liberating King.

We come to God as sinners; but He wants to transform our habits, attitudes, and practices into the ways of Jesus: to live, forgive, and love as He did.

5 So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children, 2 and live in love as the Anointed One loved you—so much that He gave Himself as a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing God.

Video
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks to Jews and non-Jews, two groups that were divided by so many factors it would have taken an act of God to unite them. In the first three chapters, Paul teaches about the great measures God took in order to make these two groups into one new humanity in Jesus. Then in the last three chapters, Paul shows them how Jesus’ unifying work should impact every relationship and aspect of their lives.

• What are two groups in your community that disagree with one another about a current issue?
• Growth in Jesus requires speaking the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). Think about the two groups that came to mind in the question above. What happens in these groups when truth is not spoken in love or when love is spoken without truth?

Consider the needs of the person or group that has opposite views from you. What truthful and loving words do you think would most benefit them today? Think about Ephesians 4:29.

Ponder this:

Take note of the dangers of dealing with anger inappropriately (see Ephesians 4:25-31). Consider how fractured communication can make us vulnerable to the devil’s work and grieve the Holy Spirit.

Reflect on Jesus’ example of sacrificial love (see Ephesians 4:32-5:1-2).
Who needs your forgiveness today? Take time to pray for them.

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Dr Tim Mackie, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Tree of Life

Image taken from https://onlinepethealth-info.com/2019/12/12/the-dunning-kruger-effect/

Intro by Jon Collins

Proverbs 3  The Voice

1 My son, always remember what I have taught you;
keep my instructions dear to your heart.
2 If you do, they will be your guide to
a long, healthy, prosperous life.


3 Stay focused; do not lose sight of mercy and truth;
engrave them on a pendant, and hang it around your neck;
meditate on them so they are written upon your heart.
4 In this way, you will win the favor of God and others,
and they will think well of you.


5 Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely;
never depend upon your own ideas and inventions.
6 Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish,
and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead.
7 And don’t think you can decide on your own what is right and what is wrong.
Respect the Eternal; turn and run from evil.
8 If you depend on Him, your body and mind will be free from the strain of a sinful life,
will experience healing and health,
and will be strengthened at their core.


9 Pay tribute to the Eternal in all of your affairs.
Honor Him with the best of what you make.
10 That way you will prosper to the fullest
and have plenty of food to eat and wine to drink.


11 My son, do not ignore the Eternal’s instruction
or lose heart when He steps in to correct you;
12 Because the Eternal proves His love by caring enough to discipline you,
just as a father does his child, his pride and joy.[a]

*God knows well what He is doing. He has established rewards for living wisely: A happy, long life. A good reputation. Guidance when you need it most. Health. Success. Even, dare we say, fatherly discipline. These are just a few of the benefits accompanying God’s wisdom.- The Voice

13 How fortunate are those who discover Lady Wisdom
and those who understand her ways!
14 For her worth is greater than the most expensive prize you could win.
Her profit is greater than the finest thing you could buy.
15 No gem is more precious than she is—
your most extravagant desire doesn’t come close to her.
16 She holds the secret of a long life in one hand
and riches and fame in her other hand.
17 Her ways are pleasant;
all of her pathways are peaceful.
18 She is like a tree that produces a satisfied life for anyone who can wrap their arms around her;
happiness waits for any who hold her tightly.

19 It was by wisdom that the Eternal fashioned the earth
and by understanding that He designed the heavens.
20 Through His knowledge, the deep was divided into seas and sky,
and the clouds understood when to let down the morning dew.

21 My son, never lose sight of God’s wisdom and knowledge:
make decisions out of true wisdom, guard your good sense,
22 And they will be life to your soul
and fine jewelry around your neck.
23 Then each one of your steps will land securely on your life’s journey,
and you will not trip or fall.
24 Your mind will be clear, free from fear;
when you lie down to rest, you will be refreshed by sweet sleep.
25 Stay calm; there is no need to be afraid of a sudden disaster
or to worry when calamity strikes the wicked,
26 For the Eternal is always there to protect you.
He will safeguard your each and every step.


27 Do not withhold what is good from those who deserve it;
if it is within your power to give it, do it.
28 Do not send your neighbor away, saying, “Get back with me tomorrow.
I can give it to you then,”
when what he needs is already in your hand.
29 Make no plans that could result in injury to your neighbor;
after all, he should be more secure because he lives near you.
30 Avoid fighting with anyone without good reason,
especially when no one has hurt you;
you have nothing to fight about.
31 Do not envy someone who profits at the expense of others
or copy any of his tyrannical ways,
32 For crooked people are detestable to the Eternal,
but those with integrity receive His counsel.
33 His curse lingers over the wicked and their families,
but He forever favors residence of those who do what is right.
34 God treats the arrogant as they treat others,
mocking the mockers, scorning the scornful,
but He pours out His grace on the humble.[b]
35 In the end, the wise will receive honor,
but fools will face humiliation.
_________________________________

*Proverbs is a letter from a wise father to his son. He speaks of the life-giving power of God’s wisdom and compares it to the tree of life, warning of the dangers of proudly ignoring godly wisdom. (Note: Throughout Proverbs, God’s wisdom is personified as a woman, so that’s what “she” and “her” refer to in vv. 13-18.) - Jon Collins

Video on Tree of Life - Bible Project

Question 1:
With all the good news that God’s wisdom holds, why do you think it’s so hard to follow it? Why do we so often choose to live by our own limited understanding?

Question 2:
Compare verse 7 with Genesis 3:2-7. What do you observe? How can our eyes be deceived when defining good and bad?

Question 3:
Reflect on a time in your life when you followed God’s wisdom even though it defied your own understanding (see verses 5-8). What was that like?

Question 4:
Picture yourself resting under the tree of life, basking in God’s wisdom. Pray and ask God to fill you with his wisdom, so you can be a tree of life for others.  (You can also check out Proverbs 15:4).

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Dr Carissa Quinn, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

GOD = Love

Intro by Carissa

Read:
John 17:20-24 The Voice
Jesus is praying to the Father:  17 Immerse them in the truth, the truth Your voice speaks. 18 In the same way You sent Me into this world, I am sending them. 19 It is entirely for their benefit that I have set Myself apart so that they may be set apart by truth. 20 I am not asking solely for their benefit; this prayer is also for all the believers who will follow them and hear them speak. 21 Father, may they all be one as You are in Me and I am in You; may they be in Us, for by this unity the world will believe that You sent Me.

22 All the glory You have given to Me, I pass on to them. May that glory unify them and make them one as We are one, 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be refined so that all will know that You sent Me, and You love them in the same way You love Me.


24 Father, I long for the time when those You have given Me can join Me in My place so they may witness My glory, which comes from You. You have loved Me before the foundations of the cosmos were laid.

*In this great prayer that Jesus prays for His disciples, He returns repeatedly to the gathering of believers unified with the Father and the Son. - The Voice

*God’s very essence is love. He has eternally existed within a community, or triunity, of love. Jesus’ prayer, recorded in John’s Gospel, gives us a glimpse into the love and unity Jesus has always shared with his Father. It also shows us how committed he is to helping us participate in this divine community of love and oneness.- Carissa Quinn

Video - God by Bible Project

Question
Consider vs 23. What happens when followers of Jesus live in oneness with God and with one another? On the other hand, what if onlookers can’t find a unified expression of love on earth? How might this affect how they view God?

Read:
Ephesians 4:1-6 - The Voice

Paul is writing to the Church of Ephesus: As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you. 2 Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love. 3 Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace binding you together.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were all called to pursue one hope. 5 There is one Lord Jesus, one living faith, one ceremonial washing through baptism,[a] and 6 one God—the Father over all who is above all, through all, and in all.

*Now that Paul has described the new world as God would have it, he urges believers to live out their callings with humility, patience, and love: to walk as Jesus walked. These are the ways of Jesus. Paul encourages them to do whatever it takes to hold onto the unity that binds people together in peace. He does not ask them to create that unity; this has already been accomplished through the work of the Rescuer and His Spirit. Rather, he calls believers to guard that unity—a more modest but no less significant task—because that unity is founded on God’s oneness and work in the world. - The Voice

*Paul urges his listeners to live a life that matches God’s call to unity. He understands that without humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearing love, unity cannot exist. So he calls people to make every effort to keep the habits of unity that exist in the Spirit of God. God is one, and we too are called to be one. -Carissa Quinn

Question:
Where have you noticed expressions of humility, gentleness, patience, or love most recently?

Think on this in the coming week:
Think about a time when you were experiencing brokenness in a relationship. If you could travel back to that time, with this passage in mind, what would you do differently? What can you do today to build or rebuild a bond of peace?

Copyright © 2020 The Bible Project 1302 SE Ankeny St Portland, OR 97214 Church at Home series Dr Carissa Quinn, author

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.