Sabrina Gogerty, Author at Do Not Depart

When the Darkness Deepens

February 19, 2022 by Sabrina Gogerty 2 Comments

“Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.”
—Abide with me: fast falls the eventide, Verse One, Henry Francis Lyte

Just over a year ago, I was in the hospital with my stepmother and sister, waiting for my dad to take his last breaths on earth. A Muslim all his life, he had always shied away from spiritual conversations with me. While he was in a medically-induced coma, hooked up to a ventilator, I cried, shared the gospel, and sang hymns to him, unable to know what he could hear or understand.

When the moment came, after weeks of waiting, I felt numb. But the night before the funeral, as I contemplated where my dad’s spirit might be and having to face the day ahead without a single brother or sister in Christ, separated by a thousand miles from my husband and children, I was broken. Indeed, it felt like the darkest moment of my life, devoid of hope. I remember lying flat on the floor in the guest room at my parents’ house, pouring out my grief to the Lord, feeling like I was drowning in the overwhelming hopelessness and aloneness of it all.

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:7‭-‬10)

His Spirit’s Presence

In that moment, when I felt more isolated and lost than I ever had, I pleaded with the Lord to grant me the peace that only comes with recognizing His Spirit within me (John 14:27, Philippians 4:7). While Dad was in the hospital, I had been reading a book about anxiety and been really impacted by a chapter on the Holy Spirit. In it, the author talked about how easily we envision God as our Father, encircling us with His loving arms, or Jesus as our Savior-Shepherd, gently leading us. But because we cannot easily personify the Spirit, we don’t often focus on the truth that, if we are in Christ, we are never separated from this third Person of the Trinity.

In truth, we can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:19). We can grow hearts that are calloused by sin and distracted by the world. We can focus on self to the extent that exalting God first is the last thing on our minds. But if we have accepted Christ’s work on the cross for us, we are His forevermore, and He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit. As we strive to be like Christ, we can continually open up our hearts and minds to the Spirit’s work in us.

And when we feel like we have nothing left—our strength, our hope, our ability to even take the next step forward has failed—we can cry out to His Spirit to carry us. We can ask the Lord the same thing that Paul asked on behalf of the Ephesian church:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.” (Ephesians 1:17‭-‬19, emphasis added)

Like the Psalmist, only with greater assurity because of Christ, we can rest in God’s presence always. Not only are we never alone, but like only God can, our Heavenly Father can increase our awareness of His presence. And when we are unable to focus on the hope we have, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit … will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance” Jesus’ words (John 14:26), the truths that will uphold us and sustain us when everything is falling apart.

His Light Shines

“If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139:11‭-‬12)

This we can depend upon: even in our darkest night, Jehovah Shammah, “The Lord is There,” is with us. He sees us. He sees the darkness, and He has overcome it (John 16:33). Jesus is, in fact, the Light of the World and shines His light into all our darkness—our sin, our pain, our unbelief—and it is not dark to Him, but bright as day. Even in our Sheol-like moments, He is there holding onto us and waiting to lead us on. Though we may forget to abide with Him, always, ever He abides with us.

“Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”
—Abide with me: fast falls the eventide, Verse Five, Henry Francis Lyte

Into what darkness in your life will you allow the Lord to shine His light?

Jesus as Messiah

January 21, 2022 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

My husband and I aren’t usually into documentaries, but we recently watched two separate films focusing on two very different mountaineers. One was about a Canadian man who was out in nature every chance he had and loved solo climbs with as little gear as possible (that means no ropes!). He also eschewed social media (and even cell phones at times) and self-promotion, considering climbing to be a spiritual endeavor.

The other documentary was about an ex-military Nepalese man who wanted to set new records and purposefully worked with sherpas (mountain guides) to bring attention to his country’s long history of paving the way for record-breaking men to reach the summit. He once posted a picture of a long line of people waiting to summit Mt. Everest, and it went viral around the globe.

It was so intriguing to see and learn about such differing personalities and approaches to mountaineering in these two men who shared an intense passion for the sport. I couldn’t help but think of Jesus—both the man the crowds wanted Him to be and the Man He actually was and is.

Who the Crowds Were

Before we look at who they thought Jesus was, we need to look at who the crowds were.

“Likely, they are peasants and farmers and fishermen—the poor, the lower classes of society, the ‘people of the land.’ But they are also tax collectors, … prostitutes, and those labeled ‘sinners’ by the religious powers that be. … They are mostly Israelites, Galileans, and Judeans, people who worship the God of Israel while under occupation by the Roman Empire. But some of them are Gentiles, non-Israelites. … Jesus seems to love the crowds of Galilee. For the most part, he avoids Jerusalem and the larger cities and spends his time near the sea, in the farms and smaller villages.”1

We know from the Gospels that Jesus had compassion “for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus healed their sick and raised their dead. He cast out demons and forgave sins. He spoke to them plainly and in parables.

We also know that the crowds didn’t always know quite what to make of Jesus:

“Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.’ Then he said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God.’” (Luke 9:18‭-‬20)

Who the Crowds Thought Jesus Was

The name Jesus was most often called by the apostles (besides “Jesus” perhaps) was the word “Christ” from the Greek or the word “Messiah” from Hebrew, both meaning “anointed one”. By the time of Jesus’ ministry, there had been much discussion and speculation among the Jews about the promised messiah (There were, in fact, many proposed messiahs before and after Jesus’ time.).

After the feeding of the five thousand, the crowd exclaimed, “‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’” (John 6:14) And Jesus’ response? “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (v. 15, emphasis added)

Jesus knew that it wasn’t time for such attention to be drawn to Him, for it was not yet His time to go to the cross. He saw their hearts and knew that they were like the Israelites in 1 Samuel 8 who, even after being warned by Samuel that they were rejecting God as their king said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19‭-‬20)

The masses were tired of being under Roman occupation and wanted a king who could overthrow the powers that be and restore Israel as a nation.

Jesus Is So Much More

About a century after Jesus’ death and resurrection, a man named Bar Kochba led troops in an uprising against Rome. As he won some early skirmishes, Jews started to believe that this man was the messiah and would be the deliverer they needed from their Roman oppressors.

“The fight began in earnest in 135 CE— and it was a disaster. Rome crushed the uprising and over half a million Jews were slain and hundreds of thousand more exiled.”2

Even when the Jews got the man they wanted, he wasn’t the Man they needed. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall but who we are before the Living God is what will last for eternity. It’s as if the majority of those listening to Jesus’ teaching were crying with the psalmist, “Rise up; come to our help!” (Psalm 44:26a) They were begging Jesus to heal them and feed them and relieve them from the very real struggles they were living in. Jesus saw those needs and was moved to relieve some of their suffering.

But more than rescue from political unrest, the Jews and Gentiles needed to realize their deepest, truest need:

“Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!” (Psalm 44:26b, emphasis added)

We could host a whole series on messianic prophecies, what they meant, and how they have been or will be fulfilled. Pages and pages could be filled detailing cultural context and what the Jews were looking for in a deliverer. The simple truth is that we are the crowds. We all have wanted Jesus to fit into our neat little box of what we think He should be for us. But Jesus is so, so much more.

The Servant King

Jesus came to this world humbly and left this world humbly, as well. The very powers that the people hoped He would overthrow were the ones who asked if He should be crucified or set free. And the crowds who had so recently hailed Him as king on His triumphant entry in Jerusalem were many of the same people who cried “Crucify Him!” He was the unexpected servant King—Son of David, Son of Man, and Son of God—the One who was born to die for the sins of all who would believe in Him.

One day, this Messiah, this Deliverer will return to rule and reign over all of creation “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10‭-‬11). But for now, He is slowly growing His kingdom on earth, and it starts with our hearts. Jesus deserves to be King of our hearts. How is He calling you to give Him greater reign in your life today?

The Gift of Redemption

December 17, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

The hardest thing about the Christmas season, to me, is December 26th—the day after Christmas. Partly, this is because I have young children and post-holiday meltdowns are a real thing; however, as an adult, I also struggle with a somewhat negative rush of feelings. After days and weeks of buildup, it’s suddenly all over, and all we have to look forward to are New Year’s Eve (which, if you have young children, isn’t the most thrilling evening on the calendar) and a drop in temperature.

It reminds me of the times our youth group would travel up to senior high camp at our local church camp. The van ride there was just the beginning of a week of bonding, learning, growing, and making memories and inside jokes. But the ride back was a bittersweet time, the magic of the unique togetherness we had breaking apart as we all contemplated going back to our respective homes, schools, and activities.

When we experience highs in life, whether they are spiritual or emotional, we often want the feeling of that moment to go on and on. But seeking those highs or letting them sustain us apart from God only leaves us empty and searching for the next mountaintop moment.

Our Hearts Seek the True Gift

On Tuesday, Jaime asked us to imagine opening a present to find we had been given the gift of strength. If you were to walk into a room elegantly but humbly decorated with a sense of the sacred, you might see a tree with gifts crowded underneath until the trunk is no longer visible. Upon further inspection, you see that all the gift tags are quite similar.

All are signed “Heavenly Father,” “Emmanuel,” “Lamb of God,” “Comforter,” … “Redeemer.” But they are all addressed to “Believers of every tribe, tongue, and nation.” When you lean in even closer, the light seems to shift, and every tag has your name on it. Some might have your first name or your middle name, others have the name your dad called you when you asked to ride on his shoulders or the nickname your best friend gave you in high school.

As you carefully tear the paper on each package, you realize that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights… (James 1:17a). Gifts like hope and strength. Yes, the Father gives good things (Matthew 7:11), and He even uses the evil of others for good (Genesis 50:20) because He is working all things to make His children more like Christ (Romans 8:29).

“But, wait!” you cry. “I don’t deserve all of this!”

Exactly.

And that’s when you open the final gift. The one that makes all of the other gifts make sense. Redemption. Because you can’t be perfect, you can’t be enough, you can’t earn all of the other gifts God wants to give you, you must first accept this one.

Redemption is Necessary

Left to our own devices, not just the day after Christmas but our whole lives are empty and devoid of meaning: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,” (1 Peter 1:18, NIV). Since the fall in the garden, all of Adam’s descendants have inherited a sinful nature, complete with futile thinking and darkened hearts (Romans 1:21).

Not only are we broken inside, but we can’t simply will ourselves to God or godliness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) This falling short is like the image of an archer drawing back his bow and taking aim; yet, the arrow not only misses the mark but doesn’t even come close to the intended target. The Bible is God’s story, inspired by the Holy Spirit, handed down through the ages to reveal His perfect character, purposes, and plan. But there is also a substory of the generations of man who thought, in their own wisdom and self-righteousness, they could work, will, or wish themselves to acceptance, whether from God, their peers, or themselves.

And each and every generation has, without fail experienced failure, sin, and death.

With the exception of one Man.

“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.” —Romans 3:23-24

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. —1 Peter 1:18‭-‬19, NIV

Because Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life; because He was and is not merely a good teacher or example but Son of God and Son of Man; because he was tempted in the same ways we are—experiencing hunger, thirst, mockery, and betrayal—and withstood the tests (Hebrews 4:15), He alone can be our Redeemer. He alone can “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He alone can stand in our place, taking our judgment, shame, and punishment, replacing it with righteousness, freedom, and eternal life.

Redemption is Costly

“No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—that they should live on forever and not see decay.” (Psalms 49:7-9)

Recently, my middle child was talking to a friend who was telling him all about a virtual reality headset he had received as a gift. My son asked, “If you were to combine what you spend on my birthday presents and my Christmas presents, would I be able to get one of those?” Laughing, I replied, “Honey, that would take you six years’ worth of birthdays and Christmases!”

This particular child would have to wait almost his whole lifetime over again to be able to earn this kind of extravagant gift; yet, God’s Word tells us that we could give every breath we might ever take on this earth, and it still wouldn’t be enough to ransom the life of another. Life is precious to God. We are the imageo Deo, the image of God; thus, unlike any of His other creatures, He requires “a reckoning”—a settlement of our account with him, which can only be satisfied one way:

“And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” —Genesis 9:5-6

It’s a gruesome and beautiful truth: my life is so precious to God that only the lifeblood of another can atone for it. In the New Testament, we see Jesus fulfilling the roles of all the Old Testament sacrifices meant to atone for the sins of the individual and of Israel.

“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” —Hebrews 2:17, NIV

In Hebrews 9, Christ is revealed to be our High Priest but also our perfect sacrifice. What He accomplished on the cross was:

once for all, never needing to be repeated, never running out.
by means of His own blood.
securing our eternal redemption.
purifying our consciences from dead works so we can serve the living God.
granting us an eternal inheritance.
redeeming us from our transgressions, forgiving our sins.

“…But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” —Hebrews 9:26b

Redemption is Free

Christmas can be full of so many expectations from us that we wonder how we can meet them all and still be Christlike. But Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Cease striving, dear brother or sister. Rest in the knowledge of the truth that He has done what was necessary to give you a gift that can never be taken from you. If you have trusted His work on the cross to save you from your sins and that “empty way of life,” then you are redeemed, and you are His.

Fulfilling His Purpose

October 17, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

Oftentimes, when we think of teachers who change lives, we are reminded of success stories where someone who is now considered accomplished or a star in their field was inspired by a specific person. Perhaps it is a teacher, a mentor, or a coach, but this person sees a potential in their protégé that was previously unseen or untapped and enables them to fulfill their life’s calling.

So, what does that mean for those of us who don’t have a rags-to-riches or overnight success story? Or what does it mean for the men and women who don’t hold the job title of teacher but are called by God to pour into the lives of others? As I thought about who in my life has most impacted me, I simply couldn’t point to one singular person. All through my life, I have had seasons where God has given me different brothers and sisters in Christ to learn from and grow under their teaching, leadership, and example. Together, God has used the fruit of their lives to enrich the soil of my heart for the growth He intended for my heart.

Starting a New Venture

I had heard about Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for a few years, but it wasn’t until I quit my job after our second child was born that it worked for me to be able to go and I was invited to try it out. Now, that baby is about to turn eight, all three of my children have graduated from the preschool program, and I am in my fifth year of leadership with BSF. These past eight years have been so instrumental in my walk with God. First, because it led me deeper into Scripture when I was a mom of littles and struggling to find consistent time in the Word. Second, I have witnessed firsthand what God can do in and through the lives of His people when they humble themselves to His will and trust in His character.

Time and again, I have seen modeled dependence on Jesus and His Holy Spirit to accomplish what His woefully inadequate servants cannot. My own walk has been enriched by the testimonies of faithful women who repeatedly give glory to God and point to His attributes. So, while there is no one person who stands out as more influential than the others, I couldn’t help but dig a little deeper and learn more about the “one willing servant” of the Lord who founded the study over sixty years ago that is still going strong today.

A Life in Service

Audrey Whetherell Johnson, known to everyone as Whetherell or “Miss Johnson,” had a heart for unreached people in China. While serving as a missionary there, China was at war with Japan, and she and other missionaries were arrested by the Japanese. She lived in a prison camp for three years. After being released, she returned a few years later, but after only a few months, the Bible seminary with which she was working was forced to close due to the increasing pressures of the communist movement. Rather than going back home to England, she instead traveled to California to speak with a prayer group that had been supporting the mission work in China.

In San Bernardino in 1952, Whetherell spoke at a church. Afterwards, five women, well-versed in the Bible, asked her if she would lead them in a Bible study on Colossians. After a time of prayer and reflection, the ladies returned for her answer; her response was, “I won’t spoon-feed you.” What started with five women, grew to thirty, then seventy women. Soon, smaller discussion groups began, and Miss Johnson’s group took on her fourfold approach to Bible study:

Daily study the Word and answer questions with only the Holy Spirit’s help–without consulting commentaries or outside sources.
Participate in a discussion group to share and hear what each has learned from the passage.
Listen to teaching on the passage.
Explore Biblical commentary

By 1970, there were over 100 BSF classes with twenty thousand people in attendance. Today, more than 400,000 class members are enrolled in BSF in more than 120 different countries.

“That’s what happened when those five ladies in San Bernardino asked Wetherell Johnson to teach them Colossians. She obeyed. And just as Jesus did when He took and blessed the young boy’s meager lunch of loaves and fish, the Lord took the willingness to do ‘a small thing’ and multiplied it to feed multitudes of people who were hungry to better understand His Word.”

A Lasting Impact

I write all of this not to extol the virtues of BSF or to say that I even knew who Whetherell Johnson was a decade ago. But as I have been impacted by these leaders, first as a class member and now as a co-leader, I can see the trickle-down effect that her passion for the Word and her willingness to say “Yes” to God has had. Just like in Hebrews 11, BSF has its own “Hall of Faith” where you can see how the hand of God has worked in the lives of people who were committed to the cause of getting people into a deeper study of the Word.

As I think about each of the dear ladies who have challenged me and spurred me on to deeper knowledge, fellowship, and trust in Christ, I know it is only possible because of the women who went before them and the women who went before them … and so on.

A Purpose for us All

So, what about you? Looking back, can you see how God has placed people in your life to mature you into His likeness? Have you gone back to those men or women to ask who played a key role in their lives to make them who they are today? God is gracious in continuing His work in our lives that He has planned before the beginning of time. In His wisdom, He orchestrates His people to fulfill their purposes in each others’ lives for His glory.

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” –Psalm 138:8

Lewis, Gregg and Deborah Shaw. True to His Word: The Story of Bible Study of Fellowship. Biblica Publishing, 2010.

Love for the Lost: Samuel & Amy Zwemer

September 16, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

“The Cross of CHRIST is the searchlight of GOD.
It reveals GOD’s love and man’s sin;
GOD’s power and man’s helplessness,
GOD’s holiness and man’s pollution.”
–Samuel M. Zwemer, The Glory of the Cross

Having many Muslim family members and knowing how difficult it can be at times to share the Gospel with people of the Islamic faith, I was intrigued by the idea of learning more about the American missionary long designated as “the Apostle to Islam.” As I dug deeper into this man’s history–rich in theology and an unswerving commitment to an enormous percentage of the world’s population largely ignored and considered “unreachable” at the time–I also learned what an impact his wife made on their ministry and that, together, they showed the unfailing love of Jesus to the lost.

Consecrated to God

Samuel Marinus Zwemer was born in Michigan in 1867. Like his Old Testament namesake, Samuel was consecrated to service to the Lord from infancy (a fact Zwemer did not learn until years later). When he was almost 17 years of age, Samuel put his faith in Jesus Christ. Soon after, he became active in campus missions. While at seminary, he met with other students and an Old Testament professor who had been a missionary in Egypt. Their meetings began with planning a mission to Muslims, which ultimately led them to focus on Arabia–one of the most difficult regions to send and support Christian missions.

Because Muslims were viewed as extremely hostile toward Christians, Zwemer and his comrades could not find any American mission agencies to sponsor them (like our friend, David Brainerd). So, when Samuel was 21, they formed their own agency: the Arabian Mission. He was often quoted as saying, “If God calls you and no board will send you, bore a hole through the board and go anyway.” Two years later, after his ordination, Samuel sailed to the Middle East to study the Arabic language, eventually settling in Basrah for six years.

God Sends a Helper

When an Australian mission sent two young women missionaries to Basrah, Zwemer was the one to teach them Arabic. Soon he and one of the women, Amy Wilkes, a trained nurse, fell in love and married. (The story goes that the Australian mission insisted that Samuel reimburse them for Amy’s travel expenses, since she would no longer be working for them, and from then on, Samuel would joke that he followed the Arabian custom of purchasing a bride!). Samuel was a prolific writer, but Amy herself authored three children’s books about the customs and life of Arab people.

Just before the turn of the century, Amy began the first girl’s school in Manama, by which she was able to reach into the homes of women in the community. Only three years later, the school went from a homeschool to meeting in a building; what began as an all-girls school expanded to boys, and the American Mission School still exists today.

Because of Amy’s medical training, the Zwemers also opened a mission hospital in 1903, but loss and suffering came on the heels of triumph. The following year, their two daughters, Katharina (seven) and Ruth (four), contracted malaria and died within a week of each other. Close to the school their family had founded and which they had attended, the girls were buried. On their tombstones were etched the words, “Worthy is the Lamb to receive riches.”

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” –Revelation 5:12, KJV

An Unflagging Spirit

Through setback, heartbreak, and few victories in the way of converts, the Zwemers never faltered in the desire to see Jesus glorified through the salvation of the people of Islam. “What motivated the Zwemers was that they never stopped marveling at what Christ had done for them on the cross, and they wanted Muslims to experience the same” (Roger Greenway). In his lifetime, Samuel spoke in Egypt and numerous countries across North Africa, South Africa, Indonesia, and China, as well as across the United States.

As I studied Samuel’s life, what impressed me most was not his zeal, but the focus of his passion. Through all his days, he continued to tell other Christians that “to be a missionary to Muslims required a strong Christology and an overpowering emphasis on the unique work of Christ in the atonement and the resurrection” (Greenway).

“The Cross is the centre of the universe and of history. It will yet witness the reconciliation of all things upon the earth or things in the heavens through His blood.” –Samuel M. Zwemer, The Glory of the Cross

Because the Zwemers camped at the foot of the cross, they continually saw their need for and the glory of the Savior. I think it was this humble, worshipful posture that sustained them through decades of ministry. Heaven was not just their home, it was a place to which they wanted to ensure they would continue to acquire neighbors. How fitting that when Samuel Zwemer died just before his 85th birthday, he was laid to rest in the only piece of land he ever owned on this earth: his burial plot. Just like Abraham. “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10)

Greenway, Roger S. “Brief Biography of Samuel Zwemer.” https://www.zwemercenter.com/brief-biography-of-samuel-zwemer/

Larson, Dr. Warren. “A Lasting Legacy of Samuel and Amy Zwemer in Bahrain.” https://www.zwemercenter.com/a-lasting-legacy-of-samuel-and-amy-zwemer-in-bahrain/

The Hope of Heaven

August 17, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

Today, we continue to turn our #HeartsTowardHeaven as we look at how the hope of heaven can lead us to be secure in Christ.

When I was 16, my dad, stepmom, and 3-year-old sister moved from the Midwest to Florida. No longer were we just a half-day’s car ride apart; we were now half a continent apart. It was a confusing time for me. As a child who grew up in two households always missing one parent, I felt like my dad was no longer the safety net I needed, too far away to come and rescue me from the major squabbles in my mom’s house or the mild teenage drama I would sometimes succumb to.

Around this same time period, God was also starting to take hold of my heart. I had grown up hearing so many mixed messages about Him, from Muslim perspectives to watered-down Christianity. By His grace, I had accepted His gift of salvation years back, and He was calling me into a deeper relationship with Him. But every time He called me to something higher and better than where I was currently residing, I would slip back down into the same old rut of confusion.

You see, I didn’t have a clear memory of receiving Christ as my Savior. No one had ever written the date down in my Bible, I didn’t have a “spiritual birthday” like friends at church, and at times I simply didn’t “feel saved.” As long as I questioned my own salvation, my spiritual growth was practically impossible. At one point, I was praying every night that if I hadn’t truly meant the prayer from the night before God would surely recognize my sincerity that night in hopes that I would feel the transformation from lost to found.

Am I Saved?

One evening, when I was visiting my dad in Florida that first summer, I was reading my Bible. I had no church to go to down there, no youth group to attend, no Christian friends to talk with or mentors to ask questions. I was so tired of carrying this burdening question of, “Am I saved?” Then, God led me to this passage:

Somehow, this was the verse that God used to speak to my heart. The passage goes on to say that we don’t even know our own thoughts completely, only the Spirit does, and it is He who helps us understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). When I wrestled with these truths in my flesh, I fell on my face again and again. But when I allowed the Spirit to speak to my heart, I understood that, on my own, spiritual truths are too great for me to grasp and ultimately rest securely in. “…No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined…”

I could spend all of the rest of my days here on earth trying to wrap my mind around the wonders of heaven and not even come close. It is too glorious and infinite a thing to be contained by my finite and fallen mind. Praise God! I would not want to place my hope in a thing of my own making. The eternal life with God in heaven that I look forward to is a place of beauty and truth, with the glory of God Himself as its light (Revelation 21:23). I will never tire of it; it will never become dull or commonplace or a chore to be in God’s presence forever.

The eternal life with God in heaven that I look forward to is a place of beauty and truth, with the glory of God Himself as its light. I will never tire of it; it will never become dull or commonplace or a chore to be in God’s…

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The Epic Story

So, if heaven is beyond my comprehension, then, too, is salvation outside of the realm of my understanding. Yes, even a small child can come to Jesus in faith and become a son or a daughter of God. But the mercy and grace extended to me at the cross will always be a mind-blowing gift. The truth that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, died a horrible death on the cross for my sins and was raised again three days later so I could have new life in Him is a truth that is too great for me. It is an epic story that, when I slow down, sit, and meditate on, like I am doing right now, drives me to my knees in worship.

That night, I praised God for the redeeming work of His Son. I acknowledged all my doubts and said, “From this moment forward, I confess Jesus as my Savior. I recognize that His work on the cross was for me. When I actually crossed the threshold from death into life has no bearing. Today, I recognize the truth and accept that it is for me.”

“…Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2b).

All along, I had been trying so, so hard to walk by sight. I prayed harder and tried to squeeze more sincerity into everything I did. Little did I know, I was carrying a burden Jesus had already willingly accepted on my behalf (Matthew 11:29-30). Yes, following Jesus is not always easy (Matthew 16:24-25; 1 Peter 2:20-21), but striving to walk through life in my own strength and wisdom is infinitely harder. My eternal hope–my confident expectation–is in Christ Jesus, the sure and steady Anchor of my soul (Colossians 1:5; Hebrews 6:18-19). Be of good courage. Trust in the Good Shepherd. He has led us to the cross, and He will surely lead us home.

“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” –2 Corinthians 5:6-9

Paul, a Prisoner of the Lord (Greetings to Philemon)

July 15, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

All this month on the blog we’ll be studying the greetings in Paul’s letters to get an idea of what he thought and who he understood Jesus to be. In today’s post, we will look at Paul’s greetings to Philemon.

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are all considered the Prison Epistles because they were written during Paul’s imprisonment and subsequent house arrest in Rome. In them, we see Paul label himself an apostle and a servant of Christ Jesus, until, finally, in Philemon, he associates as a prisoner for Christ Jesus.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God …. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:1a,3)

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus …. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:1a,2)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother … Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” (Colossians 1:1,2b)

“Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother … Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philemon 1:1a,3)

In her introductory post, Jamie walks us through Paul’s backstory and conversion. “Once he understood that Jesus is the Messiah, the pieces of God’s redemptive plan, his character of mercy and the gift of grace clicked into place. From that point on Paul’s identity was not in anything he achieved but in knowing Jesus Christ.”

Paul to Philemon

Philemon is a short book in the Bible that gives us insight into both Paul and the slave-master relationship. Philemon himself is praised for his “love and faith … toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,” “the sharing of [his] faith,” and refreshing “the hearts of the saints,” which brought Paul “much joy and comfort” (v. 5-6). Paul writes to Philemon on behalf of the man’s runaway slave, Onesimus. Not only does Paul want Philemon to send Onesimus back to him to serve him during his “imprisonment for the gospel,” but he also asks for him to take the man’s new standing in Christ into account (v. 13). Once, he was just a slave, but now, under Paul’s tutelage, he has become slave and “beloved brother” (v.16).

In studying just his address to Philemon, we read not only the customary “grace to you and peace” greeting. We also see Philemon called out as Paul’s “beloved fellow worker” (v. 1). Apphia (perhaps Philemon’s wife) and Archippus (perhaps his son) are both mentioned as Believers serving for the sake of the gospel. Attention is also brought to the church meeting in Philemon’s house (praise God!).

Bound because of Jesus

Let’s camp on the phrase “prisoner for Christ Jesus” for a little while, shall we?

This word, desmios, simply means “bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner” (Strong’s). It is the same word Paul uses in verse nine when he says to Philemon, “Yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you–I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus.” In Ephesians chapter three, he refers to himself as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” (v. 1) and in chapter four “a prisoner for the Lord” (v. 1). We may rightly ask here, “So, what’s the difference?”

ToTheEndsOfTheEarthMovie.com *Paul and Silas continued to pray and sing praises to God.* November 2, 2018. *Paul and Silas in Prison.* https://www.freebibleimages.org/photos/bt-paul-prison/

Beginning with the latter, what we learn in the Book of Acts is that Paul’s imprisonment is directly caused by his allegiance to Christ. His proclamation of the Good News led to his confinement. This truth that Paul was living out while in chains was meant to compel the church in Ephesus to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). His status as a prisoner of Rome wasn’t something he lorded over the Ephesian church in a “Look at me! I am so righteous!” sort of way. No, we know Paul thought himself “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:7); rather, it was intended to compel these saints to press deeper into their calling in Christ Jesus.

Bound to Jesus

As mentioned before, Paul’s previous salutations lead with an authorative claim to his apostleship or the profession of his servanthood to the Messiah. Paul’s purpose in this Epistle is to appeal to Philemon to give his consent for Onesimus (whose name means “useful”) to be sent back to Paul to serve him on Philemon’s behalf. It seems Onesimus had become indespensible to and beloved by Paul, indeed, his “very heart” (v. 12). So, “Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus,” makes his plea to Philemon (v. 1).

“To be a prisoner simply is no comfort nor honour; but such as Paul was, for the faith and preaching of the gospel, this was true glory, and proper to move Philemon upon the request made to him by such a one. A petition from one suffering for Christ and his gospel would surely be tenderly regarded by a believer and minister of Christ, especially when strengthened too with the concurrence of Timothy ….” –Matthew Henry

Simply put, Paul’s argument was: “Obey me not because I can command you but because I have been without freedom, just as my beloved Onesimus has.” And isn’t that so very similar to Jesus’ plea to us? God has painted His majesty in the stars, He has asserted His authority through the Ten Commandments, and He has shown His mercy through Passover. He demonstrated His grace and individual care through His unmerited favor on Abraham and his descendants. But He exhibited the utmost humility when He was born of a virgin one holy night. When He walked among the poor and the powerful, the sick and the self-righteous, the devoted and the deserters.

But He exhibited the utmost humility when He was born of a virgin one holy night. When He walked among the poor and the powerful, the sick and the self-righteous, the devoted and the deserters. #whoareyouLord

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Jesus, too, is calling us to obey Him. Not only because He can calm the wind and the waves, turn water into wine, heal the lame, and raise the dead to life. He is calling us to obey because He performed the ultimate act of obedience when He submitted to the Father’s will and gave up His life for us on the cross. We are forever indebted to Him for the new life His blood has purchased for us, and, though He does not ask us to repay Him because it is freely given, we would do well to ask ourselves the question, “How does King Jesus’ submission change how I approach my obedience?” Share your thoughts here in the comments or in our Facebook community.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philemon 1:25)

NOTE: The Book of Philemon addresses the master-slave relationship between a Believer and a recent convert. As much as we long for Paul to cry out against the institution of slavery and label it as evil, he does not. For further reading on this topic, this article might be helpful: “Why doesn’t the Bible condemn slavery? (Ephesians 6:5-9).”

Cana of Galilee: Steps to Transformation

June 10, 2021 by Sabrina Gogerty Leave a Comment

Recently, my family and I made the seven-and-a-half hour trek to a town on Lake Michigan to attend the wedding of my husband’s niece. After almost two years of keeping it pretty local (#lockdown), this was our first big trip with our three children. We rented a van with built-in GPS, packed all of the road trip necessities–snacks, drinks, books, tablets, and coloring books–and hit the road. Leading up to the day of our departure, I had my misgivings. Could my kids handle it? Had they forgotten how to travel well and in such a way we would want to do it again any time soon?

I have to give them a lot of credit because they did a wonderful job! The 936-mile round trip went off without a hitch and gave me a lot of confidence in them for the next time we want to wander far from home.

Lumo Project. *The water turned to wine*. 2016. *Wedding at Cana.* https://freebibleimages.org/photos/wedding-cana/

Cheli informed us earlier that Jesus traveled over 3,000 miles during His three years of ministry and most of it on foot. The Bible tells us that very little of His time ministering was spent in His hometown of Nazareth.

“… A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household. And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:57-58)

Though Jesus did not do many mighty works in Nazareth, He did perform His first sign in the Book of John in nearby Cana.

Cana of Galilee

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.” (John 2:1‭-‬2)

Towns like Nazareth, Cana, and Capernaum were all in the province of Galilee and were separated from Judea (which housed the holy city of Jerusalem) by the non-Jewish territory of Samaria. Commentator R.T. France points out some notable differences between Galilee and Judea in the time of Jesus. Not only did they have a different racial and linguistic makeup (think Texan accent versus New England), but there were major political differences, as well.

“Galilee had been under separate administration from Judea during almost all its history since the tenth century B.C. (apart from a period of ‘reunification’ under the Maccabees), and in the time of Jesus it was under a (supposedly) native Herodian prince, while Judea and Samaria had since A.D. 6 been under the direct rule of a Roman prefect.”

While it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the Cana of Jesus’ day would be today, many have settled on the modern day Arab village of Kafr Cana (also written as Kafar Kanna). Its close proximity to Nazareth make the invitations of both Jesus and His mother to the wedding festivities logical. After the wedding, Jesus “went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.” (v. 12) So, it does seem likely that Cana would be between Nazareth and Capernaum.

George Philip & Son, Cartographer, and London Geographical Institute. *“Palestine in the time of Christ: illustrating the four Gospels.”* [New York: C.S. Hammond & Co. Publishers / ?, 1916] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2016586539/>

Village Life

It’s easy for 21st-century readers to make assumptions about what life was like during Jesus’ day; however, the only way to truly understand the context of what we are reading is to get some background information. For instance, Israel was under Roman occupation, allowed to follow the laws of the Torah but not existing as the theocracy it once had. Eric M. Myers paints a clearer picture for us in his article, Villages of Galilee:

“The overwhelming character of village life in Galilee in Roman Palestine was Jewish; people mainly spoke Aramaic and Hebrew…. Distinguishing features of Jewish villages from the late Hellenistic period onward include ritual baths (miqva’ot), stone vessels that are impervious to impurity, discus lamps, often with Jewish symbols such as seven-branched candelabra (menorot) on them, Torah shrines, and, from the Middle Roman period onward, synagogues. …Recent research has concluded that there were only about 130–150 rabbis in the land of Israel during the Roman period and that their influence was confined mainly to the urban centers where their academies were based.”

We know that the Jews in Jerusalem looked down on Galileans because of their decidedly mixed heritages and how they had allowed Hellenistic (Greek) influence to creep in, just as most Jews looked down on Samaritans for their mixed race and worship practices. Even Jesus’ disciple, Nathanael, asked, “‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’” (John 1:46); yet, Nathanael himself is noted in John 21:2 as hailing from “Cana in Galilee.” Perhaps within Galilee itself villages and cities had stereotypes and presuppositions about the lives of the citizens of other towns within the province. Or maybe an unassuming man like Nathanael couldn’t believe that a prominent teacher could come from a village near his own little one.

Either way, God the Father, in His infinite wisdom chose Nazareth as the place where Jesus would spend His formative years. And Jesus, in partnership with the Father and the Holy Spirit, spent much of His ministry in the region of Galilee.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

The Wedding at Cana

As mentioned before, it was in this little town in the less-than-glamorous province of Galilee that Jesus performed the first of the seven signs found in the Book of John.

“When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:3‭-‬11)

Jesus, His family, and His disciples would have spent about an hour and a half walking the four miles from Nazareth to Cana, then, at a later time, another six hours to Capernaum. Unlike our recent wedding experience, which consisted of an evening rehearsal and dinner, followed by the wedding ceremony and reception the next day, weddings in the time of Jesus were week-long events. This was no quiet ceremony but a celebration involving friends, neighbors, and relatives both near and far. There would be music, dancing, feasting, and much wine would flow. It was a time set aside to celebrate not only the bride and the bridegroom but God’s goodness and provision.

Water Into Wine

Lumo Project. *This was the first miracle performed in Galilee.* 2016. *Wedding at Cana.* https://freebibleimages.org/photos/wedding-cana/

Oftentimes, I would read this passage in John and wonder, “What’s so special about turning water into wine when you compare it to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?” First of all, we catch a glimpse of what was important to Jesus, and, therefore, to the Father: marriage, family, and celebrating God’s plan for His people. Second, just as we see with Mary and Martha, Jesus does not negate the holy work of hospitality. Jesus’ mother was rightly concerned when the wedding hosts ran out of wine for the guests. She was probably widowed at this point, so she turned to her firstborn and the One she knew to be the Son of God. Jesus did not rebuke her for it, but spoke to her endearingly, just as He did at the cross when He asked John to care for her as he would his own mother.

Perhaps most significantly, we see that none of our troubles are insignificant to the Lord. Just as we have been taught that sin is sin–there are no “big sins” and “little sins”–miracles are miracles. Be it water turned into wine, a heart of stone turned to a heart of flesh, the resurrection of Lazarus, or the resurrection of our Savior Himself, Jesus is in the business of making all things new. His transformative power was made evident, not before governors and kings but before the humble, hard working people of a Galilean hamlet. And so, Jesus’ disciples begin to see that He is not just Jesus the Teacher. Here, they caught a glimpse of His glory, and, in that glimpse they believed.

Be it water turned into wine, a heart of stone turned to a heart of flesh, the resurrection of Lazarus, or the resurrection of our Savior Himself, Jesus is in the business of making all things new. #WhereJesusWalked

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Walking in His Footsteps

Sometimes we can find ourselves in the midst of the ordinary longing for something extraordinary. When we look to Jesus’ example, we see Him not escaping the everyday moments of life but entering into them, being present, and being at work. As we walk into the lives of the people God has put in our path, may we also be present, at work, and waiting for His miraculous, transformative power.