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Made Fresh Daily {Memorizing Colossians 3:9-10}

June 5, 2017 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

Memorize This Week

Group A
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Group B
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

As you study our memory verses each week, does one word or phrase stand out to you each time?

Is there a word or phrase in this week’s verses that you want to dig deeper into?

“Renewed” is one word of interest. It’s the Greek word G341 anakainoo, meaning “to cause to grow up, or new strength and vigor given to one.”

It’s derived from two Greek words, G303 ana, meaning “into the midst, or again,” and G2537 kainos, meaning “new or recently made or fresh.”

“Renewed” is used only by Paul in the New Testament, found in Colossians 3:10 and also 2 Corinthians 4:16,

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
2 Corinthians 4:16

As you meditate on our verses this week, remember that you are being renovated, freshly strengthened each morning through the recognition of who you are as God’s heir.

“Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him.”
Colossians 3:10 (ERV)

Next Week

Group A will memorize Colossians 3:11 and Group B will stay with Colossians 3:12.

Your Word?

Is there a different word or phrase that stands out to you in Colossians 3:9-10 or Colossians 3:12? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Are you being freshly strengthened each morning? Memorize ‘renewed’ in #Colossians3. #HideHisWord

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New Testament Writers {Wrap-Up}

June 1, 2017 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Join us for a series on the men whom God inspired to write the words of the New Testament

We have spent this month looking a little more closely at the eight men from all walks of life who wrote down the Holy Spirit inspired words of the New Testament.

Matthew – Once a tax collector, Matthew wrote in great detail about Jesus’ life. He wrote the Gospel of Matthew.

Mark – Mark focused his writing on the facts and activities of Jesus while He was alive. Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark.

Luke – Luke was the only non-Jewish writer of the New Testament. He wrote the Gospel of Luke, as well as Acts.

John – John‘s love for Jesus stands out in all of his books. He wrote the Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation.

Paul – A prolific writer, Paul discussed complex theological questions from the perspective of a man who had personally experienced grace. He wrote 13 books of the New Testament: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

James – James’ practical style suited his message – your outward life should reflect your inward faith. He wrote just one book, the book of James.

Peter – Peter experienced a huge transformation because of the influence of Jesus Christ in His life. Peter wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

Jude – Jude wrote passionately to fellow believers to warn them about the dangers of believing untruth. He wrote the shortest book in the New Testament, the book of Jude.

You may have noticed we did not discuss the author Hebrews – this book’s authorship is unknown.

The writers of the New Testament were ordinary men who were transformed by the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. We hope you have discovered some new details about these men of the early Church through this series!

Ordinary men transformed by the power of Jesus. Learn about all eight #NewTestamentWriters

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Peter – A Man Transformed {New Testament Writers}

May 31, 2017 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Learn more about Peter, a man of passion whose life was transformed by Jesus Christ.

Peter was one of Jesus’ first followers during His earthly ministry. He was a passionate and impulsive man who struggled with his temper. But after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Scripture records a marked change in Peter. Here are just a few of the things we know about him:

Peter was from Bethsaida (John 1:44), a fishing village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
He was a fisherman and worked alongside Zebedee’s sons, James and John (Luke 5:10).
His brother was Andrew, another apostle (Matthew 4:18-20).
He was married (Luke 4:38-39).
Peter’s personality comes through strongly in the Gospels – he rebuked the Lord Himself (Matthew 16:22-23), tried to walk on water (Matthew 14:28-31), cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave (John 18:10-11), and under pressure denied that he even knew Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).
Shortly after Jesus’ resurrection, Peter spoke to a large crowd, and 3000 became believers in just one afternoon (Acts 2:41).
He was a major leader in the early Church (1 Peter 5:1-4).
Peter died a martyr (John 21:18-19).

Audience
Peter is known as the apostle to the Jews (contrasted with Paul, who was considered the apostle to the Gentiles). There are two letters from Peter that are in the New Testament. Both of Peter’s letters were written for believers outside of Israel who were being persecuted (1 Peter 1:1, 2 Peter 3:1).

Writing Style
It is worth noting that there is some disagreement among scholars as to whether 2 Peter was actually written by Peter himself (read more here). This is largely based on the difference in writing style—1 Peter was written in a more classical Greek style than 2 Peter.

Main Themes in Peter’s Writing
In his first letter, Peter encouraged believers who are suffering to fix their hope on Jesus, who also suffered (1 Peter 1:13-15). He counseled them in how to conduct themselves as Christians. In his second letter, Peter warned against false teachers. He emphasizes the importance of truth and knowledge (2 Peter 1:3-9). According to Chuck Swindoll, “…this concept was so important to him that the word knowledge appears—in one form or another—some fifteen times in the span of this short, three-chapter letter.”

Peter was a man who loved God passionately. He was also a man whose humanity was clear. The transformation of Peter from the day he was called out of his boat to the end of his long life of service is one that continues to encourage believers today.

Peter’s transformation is an encouragement to believers. #NewTestamentWriters

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Painting of Peter by Gerard Seghers (1591-1651)

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James – Man of Action {New Testament Writers}

May 26, 2017 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

James wrote just one letter that is part of the New Testament canon. At a relatively short five chapters, you can easily read the book of James in one sitting, thanks to James’ direct writing style. Here are a few things to know about him:

Scholars in different traditions disagree about the relationship of James to Jesus; some believe he was Jesus’ half-brother, others believe he was a cousin.
The James who wrote the New Testament book is not likely to have been James the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Mark 10:35). Scholars believe this partly because James the son of Zebedee was martyred very early, probably around 44AD (Acts 12:2).
James was not a believer during Jesus’ earthly ministry (John 7:5).
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to James (1 Corinthians 15:7).
James was a leader among the body of believers in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Paul referred to James as an apostle (Galatians 1:19).

Audience
James addressed his letter to “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (James 1:1). These were believing Jews who were lived outside of Palestine. The bulk of James’ original readers were probably poor.

Writing Style
James’ writing was very direct and practical. He did not mince words. His style suited his message – one of action. He wanted his readers to choose holiness in what they said and in what they did, as a reflection of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Main Themes in James’ Writing
James spent a lot of time discussing suffering (such as James 1:2-4). He emphasized that while faith is essential, works are the fruit of faith, and the lack of such fruit is evidence that faith is dead (James 2:14-26). Even our words bear external witness of our internal spiritual state; James repeatedly admonished believers to tame the tongue (James 3:1-12). He warned against worldliness (James 4:4).

“More than any other book in the New Testament, James places the spotlight on the necessity for believers to act in accordance with our faith. How well do your actions mirror the faith that you proclaim?” (Chuck Swindoll)

If you want to be inspired to action, James is the book to read!

Learn more about James, one of the eight #NewTestamentWriters

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James’ style suited his message – one of action. #NewTestamentWriters

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Painting of James by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

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Jude – Truth Teller {New Testament Writers}

May 24, 2017 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

The book of Jude, comprising twenty-five verses, is so short that it is not broken into chapters. As they have for many other writers of the Bible, scholars have pieced together a picture of who Jude probably was based on textual clues within his letter, as well as other Biblical and historical texts.

Most scholars believe that Jude was a half-brother of Jesus. He identifies himself as a brother of James (Jude 1). James would have been well known among the believers as the leader of the church in Jerusalem.
In Matthew 13:55, James and Judas are listed as brothers of Jesus. The Greek name in both Mathew 13:55 and Jude 1 is Ioudas; English translators shorten the name in the book to Jude, likely to avoid association or confusion with Judas of Iscariot.
It is unclear when Jude was written, probably some time in the period between 65 and 80 AD.
Similarities between Jude and 2 Peter 2 have led scholars to question whether one derived from the other. There is disagreement as to which would have been first.

Audience:
Jude was writing to fellow believers. In verse one he referred to them as “called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.” These are brothers and sisters who had once been fully convinced and knowledgeable about Jesus (Jude 5), but had begun to be swayed by false teachings.

Writing Style:
Jude wrote passionately, using references to Hebrew Scripture (the Israelites’ exile in Egypt, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Enoch, and more). He was a brother pleading for those whom he loved to pay attention before it is too late. He employed fearsome imagery to sway his readers: “eternal chains under gloomy darkness” (Jude 6), “wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame” (Jude 13), “wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 13)

Main Themes in Writing:
Jude was alarmed by the apostasy he was seeing in the Church. He condemned false teachers and warned fellow believers of the profound spiritual danger that following false teaching put them in.

“Against the corrupters and skeptics Jude writes with a vehemence that in the NT is without a parallel.” (William G. Moorehead)

Jude’s main goal was to save the souls of his brethren. Yet his final admonition is filled with the encouragement and hope that all believers need:

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 21-23)

Jude did not leave his readers with just a list of what to avoid. He gave them practical advice for what to do:

build up your faith
pray in the Spirit
keep yourself in God’s love
wait for Jesus’ mercy
have mercy on doubters
snatch sinners from the fire
show mercy with fear

Imagine how world changing it would be if all believers had as deep a passion for the truth as Jude had!

Learn more about #Jude, one of the eight #NewTestamentWriters

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Christians should be as passionate about the truth as Jude. #NewTestamentWriters

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Painting of Jude by Georges de La Tour (1593-1652)

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Remember Your Past {Memorizing Colossians 3:7-8}

May 22, 2017 by Lisa Burgess 2 Comments

Memorize This Week

Group A
7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Group B
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Read Colossians 3:7-8. More sobering words, yes?

As we memorize them this week, let’s take time to remember our past so we can do better in our future.

Occasionally looking back to where we were, can help us appreciate where we are now.

Let’s not forget where we come from.
Let’s not forget what we’re still capable of.
Let’s not consider ourselves more holy, more righteous, or better than others.

Whatever your past sins, be grateful for the price Jesus paid for them. Thank God for forgiving them.

And move forward this week in recognition of how far you’ve come, and what you’ve put away.

Next Week

BREAK

We will not be learning new verses next week (May 29-June 4). Use the break to catch up or to review what you’ve already learned.

We’ll return to Colossians 3:9-10 (Group A) or Colossians 3:12 (Group B) on June 5.

Please share your thoughts here.

Timothy – A Young Man for God

May 18, 2017 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Even the youngest child can have a deep and abiding faith. It is unfortunate when adults dismiss the sincerity of a young people’s faith, or their passionate ideas for serving God, simply because of their age. Thankfully Paul did not succumb to this error.

Timothy was a young believer when he became acquainted with Paul. Timothy’s name means “one who honors God,” and he spent his life trying to do just that.

We first meet Timothy in the Bible in Acts 16:1-3. We learn from this that his mother was a Christian but his father was not. Later, in 2 Timothy 1:5, we learn that Timothy’s mother’s name was Eunice, and that his grandmother Lois was also a believer.

Timothy was such a steady companion of Paul’s throughout the years that his name appears as co-author of six of the New Testament letters (2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, both letters to the Thessalonians, and Philemon).

Ultimately Timothy become a leader in the Church at Ephesus, and two of the books of the New Testament (1 Timothy and 2 Timothy) are letters Paul wrote to him.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul encouraged him: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, NIV)

It is important for children to know that God does not look at their size, or their age, or their hair color, or anything else external about them. He looks at their heart. God knew Timothy’s heart was with Him.

Simple Bible worksheet for children about Timothy

Use our simple printable worksheet to start a discussion with the children in your life about Timothy, and encourage them in their faith journey to set an example for those in their lives.

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John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

May 16, 2017 by Kelli LaFram Leave a Comment

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

Today in our series on the New Testament writers we focus on the Apostle John, the man who referred to himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” The truth is that anyone of the disciples could have said this about themselves. Jesus did (and does) love all of them, but I think this statement tells a little bit about John’s relationship with Jesus. John knew He was loved. And when we know we are loved by someone, doesn’t that make us want to love that person back?

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

John’s keen awareness of Christ’s love may have been the reason John stood by Him at the Cross. John was the only apostle, by the way, who did not run when Jesus was arrested. He was the only one standing at the foot of the cross when Jesus died. It really is no wonder that John wrote so extensively about the love of God in his epistles.

Not every detail we believe to be fact about John comes from the Bible. Yes, we do get clues from the writings of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but much of our general knowledge about John comes from church tradition. Here are some things worth remembering when you read books written by John’s.

He wrote:

The Gospel According to John
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Epistles of John
The Book of Revelation

Details & Events of John’s Life:

Not the same person as John the Baptist
Son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman, and Salome
- Salome may have been Mary’s sister, which would make John a cousin of Jesus
Only apostle who did not forsake or deny Jesus before He was crucified.
At the cross Jesus charged John with the care of His mother Mary (John 19:26-27).
John referred to himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, 19:26)
Pastored the church at Ephesus and had influence on other churches in the area
Was banished by the Romans to the Greek Island Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:9)
Believed to have been boiled in oil by Roman authorities, yet remained unharmed
Oldest living apostle and only one to die of old age (the rest died violent deaths)

Themes in His Writing

The Deity of Jesus – the “I Am” statements (John 6:35, 48; 8:12; 9:5; 10:7-14; 11:25; 14:6, 15:1)
Jesus is the Word who became flesh (John 1:1-5; 1 John 1:1-2)
Jesus is the Light (John 1:5-13, 12:42-50 1 John 1:1-2)
Abiding in Christ (John 8:31, 15:1-11)
Fellowship with the Father, the Son, and Other Believers (1 John 1:5-2:2)
Light and darkness cannot mix (1John 1:5-10)
Beware of false teachers (1 John 2:18-23, 3:24-4:6; 2 John 1:7-11)
God is Love (John 13:34-35, 15:12-17; 1 John 3)

John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. Read about this #NewTestamentWriters

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John knew He was loved. And when we know we are loved by someone… #NewTestamentWriters

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Put It Down {Memorizing Colossians 3:5-6}

May 15, 2017 by Lisa Burgess 2 Comments

Memorize This Week

Group A
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Group B
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

“Therefore”

We’ve been memorizing about looking up, about dying, and about living with Christ.

What’s next? Our memory verses this week give us guidelines on what to do with what we know.

And it’s not easy. Putting something to death can be hard. Especially when it’s something we want to keep alive.

How do we strip away the power of impurity and lust and doing whatever we want to do whenever we want to do it?

It will look different for each of us. Our strategies to kill sin, while all rooted in the power of Christ, are walked out in various forms.

But if these things bring on God’s wrath, let’s find a way to wear them down and kill them off.

Join in this prayer from Katie Orr’s book on Colossians 3, Everyday Obedience, as we align our lives with God’s truths.

“Help me to walk away from the sin that so easily entangles me. Show me what it looks like for me to lay it aside today. I am desperate for the change that only You can bring.”

Please share your thoughts here.

3 Myths about Your Good News – How Luke Overcame Them & You Can Too

May 11, 2017 by Lisa Burgess 12 Comments

Same Story, Different Verse

Let’s say a publisher wants a book about your mother. He asks for three versions.

Version 1
Author: You, her daughter
Audience: Your children and grandchildren
Version 2
Author: Your dad
Audience: His business co-workers
Version 3
Author: Her friend
Audience: The orphans she teaches in Guatemala

While each version may contain similar facts, the highlights and stories would be very different. Your mother’s life would be told from different perspectives and for different reasons.

In a similar way, God wants stories told about His Son.

Four writers gave narratives of Jesus’s life through the gospels (literally, “good news”). We know them as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

But now God wants to hear your words. We’re going to look at the New Testament writer Luke to explore this.

Immediately we make our excuses. We each have our own reasons for not sharing the good news.

Could Luke also have had reasons not to tell the story? Perhaps. Yet he told anyway. We can, too. Here’s how.

Debunking 3 Myths

• Myth 1 •
I don’t know enough

Sometimes we think we should be able to recite all 66 books of the Bible, have a working knowledge of each Old Testament prophet, and trace Paul’s missionary journeys before we can share why we believe in Jesus.

Not so.

Luke never even met Jesus in person, yet he wrote an entire gospel about Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke heard the stories from others. He traveled with the apostle Paul (who himself only met Jesus in a vision) on Paul’s missionary journeys. And likely talked with Mark (who wrote the Gospel of Mark) along the way.

Still, Luke’s gospel ended up being the longest of the four, and combined with the book of Acts, his writings account for over one-fourth of the New Testament.

• Truth 1 •
You do know enough

We’ll never know the complete story while we’re here. But if we’ve encountered Jesus at all, we can tell others about Him. Continue learning and growing, yes. But we don’t need a PhD in theology to share good news.

Tell what you do know.

• Myth 2 •
I’m not good enough

Do you still sin? We all do. We need Jesus every day. Our goodness is like filthy rags compared to His righteousness.

But Christ’s goodness is what counts. Not ours.

Luke could have said “not good enough” about himself as well. He was not even a Jew. Likely a Greek physician (Colossians 4:14), Luke was the only non-Jewish writer of the New Testament. He could have taken a pass on writing a history of the Jewish King Jesus. He had been educated in Greek scientific culture.

But Luke wrote about Jesus anyway, and talked little about himself.

• Truth 2 •
Tell of Christ’s goodness

What are your favorite things about Jesus? Those are things people need to hear anyway, not facts about our presumed holiness because we “grew up in the church.”

Luke wrote about Jesus: about His compassion for the poor, healing of the sick, freedom for the oppressed. We can tell specifics of how Christ has been good in our lives as well.

• Myth 3 •
I have no one to tell

You’re not a preacher with a podium? You don’t have a podcast fan base? You haven’t published a book?

Neither had Luke.

Luke dedicated both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts to one person: Theophilus. Scholars assume Theophilus was a real person (the Greek name means “lover of God”). See Luke 1:3, Acts 1.1 But Luke’s broader audience ended up being the larger Gentile world—Jesus came for all mankind.

• Truth 3 •
Talk to who you already know

If God wants you to have a big audience, He’ll provide it. But until then, we share our joy in Jesus with those we talk to normally. Our coworkers, our family members, our circle of friends. Ordinary people. People like us. People we love.

They are the ones who most hear our hearts and see our lives. Why not tell them as well about the most powerful Friend we also talk to?

Original Stories

Luke could have given many excuses for not sharing about Jesus. But thankfully he didn’t use them.

Without Luke, we wouldn’t have the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Lost Sheep, and the Prodigal Son (along with 18 other parables found only in his gospel). We wouldn’t know the story of the ten lepers or the stories about the beginning of the church in the book of Acts.

Just as you know stories about your mother that no one else knows, so you have stories about Jesus that only you know.

For example, your original stories include: