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Friday Features

Know The Story

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Jesus’ earliest disciples experienced a roller-coaster ride during the final weeks of His public ministry. First, Jesus’ death on the cross sent them into confusion and deep despair. Second, His resurrection lifted them back into the clouds of joy. Finally, His ascension ushered in the sobering reality that the disciples would continue carrying out Jesus’ mission without His physical presence and leadership.

Before Jesus returned to heaven, however, He gathered His remaining followers in order to summarize the mission for His disciples and deliver final instructions. Today we refer to Jesus’ final words as the Great Commission.

“16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

MATTHEW 28:16-20

What are your first reactions to these verses? Why?

In what ways has this commission been carried out in the centuries since Jesus sent His earliest disciples?

In what ways is Jesus’ commission still incomplete?

The Great Commission summarized Jesus’ mission not only for His earliest disciples, but for all of the disciples who have joined the ranks of His followers throughout history—including you. We’ll conclude this study by taking a close look at Jesus’ commission and command for those who choose to follow Him.

JESUS TELLS US WHERE TO GO

The first thing to highlight about Jesus’ statements in these verses is His claim to authority. Why is it important that “all authority has been given to [Jesus] in heaven and on earth”? Because His Great Commission is a series of commands. He is ordering us to obey Him. Therefore, He first wanted to state clearly that He carries the authority to do so.

What does it mean to recognize Jesus’ authority in our lives?

Next, the Great Commission has a geographical connection. Jesus commanded us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Notice that Jesus’ command is active rather than passive. He didn’t command His disciples to think about the world. He didn’t ask His followers to say nice things about different people groups. Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go.”

This doesn’t mean all Christians should abandon their jobs, leave their families, and serve as international missionaries. However, it does mean all Christians should take an active role in spreading the gospel throughout the world—and it certainly means we should be open to the possibility of physically traveling to other places to spread the gospel.

How would you describe your experiences with missions?

Notice also that Jesus’ command involves “all nations.” Jesus died for the sins of all people, which means the gospel has power for every tribe and nationality across the world. We cannot forget that Jesus has commanded us, His disciples, to proclaim the gospel message to all who need to hear it.

To ignore the spiritual needs of people outside our own country is to disobey the Great Commission and ignore what Christ has commanded.

Volume 1, Session 12 excerpt from Disciples Path: The Journey

Friday Features

Available and Obedient

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There’s a thread throughout the Gospels and the Book of Acts that accentuates the reality of God’s providence and planning. People find themselves suddenly prompted to hit the road, or they suddenly show up just in time to encounter Jesus or the apostles. Through these many surprise encounters, God built up His church. On one such occasion, recorded in Acts 8:26-29, a disciple of Jesus was sent to the middle of nowhere without any clue why.

26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.)
27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.

29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.”

Acts 8:26-29

When we think about sharing the gospel with a lost world, we often focus on the hostility and resistance Christians experience. That’s not without justification; often the world’s reaction to the gospel is visceral, violent, and harsh. But that’s not always the case. The story of the Ethiopian reminds us that many are seeking God.

In this case, the Ethiopian knew enough to come to Jerusalem to look for God, but in many cases, people will look wherever some semblance of hope and spirituality can be found. People rush to these transcendent promises because they’re hungry. They’re desperate, and they will cling to whatever hope they can find. If we’re attentive, we can see it happening all around us, and we just might be able to point them to something more deep, lasting, and meaningful in Jesus.

How have you witnessed people looking for God in all the wrong places?

Philip was sent by God for just such an encounter. Upon hearing the angel’s command, Philip obeyed, dropping what he was doing and heading out on the road. Just a few verses earlier, Philip was enjoying a thriving ministry in Samaria. (See 8:4-8.) One could imagine that a command like this might be met with some inner resistance. Any thriving work is hard to leave, and doing so takes a great deal of faith. Philip, of course, had such faith and hit the road, traveling through the wilderness until he encountered a single chariot bearing a single Ethiopian man.

There are many reasons for this encounter not to have happened. Philip had a good thing going in Samaria; he might have just stayed home and enjoyed the community he was already a part of. The Ethiopian might not have come to Jerusalem to seek to worship God; there was surely no shortage of religious opportunity in Africa at the time.

Likewise, Philip might not have overcome the social anxiety that would likely have accompanied this encounter. Not only was the Ethiopian ethnically different from Philip, a hurdle significant enough at any point in history, but he was also of a higher social status than Philip. Luke tells us that he was a high official of “Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.” Philip was an ordinary Jew living in Judea, a commoner; approaching someone of the Ethiopian’s higher station wouldn’t have been easy.

The Holy Spirit sent Philip in spite of all of these things, inviting him to overcome several layers of fear and resistance. His prompting ran against common sense expectations, reminding us that the kingdom of God advances in surprising and counterintuitive ways.

What are some ways you’ve been surprised by how God has led you, your church, or your friends to be on mission?

How can we cultivate a heart willing to respond obediently to the Spirit’s leading, no matter the risks?

This was an excerpt  from Mike Cosper, The Gospel Project: The Spirit Who Empowers © 2018 LifeWay Press®. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright 2018 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Friday Features

Mentoring Is About Transformation

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The goal of Christian mentoring is that the mentor lives like Jesus, the disciple becomes more and more like Jesus, and both continue to lead others to do the same. It’s hard to find a loftier goal than becoming like Jesus. Mentoring matters in an eternal way.

Later in this session (and in session 3 of this study) we’ll focus on some of the apostle Paul’s writing to Titus, one of Paul’s disciples among the early church leaders (see 2 Corinthians 8:16-17,23). Titus was to challenge people to invest their lives in other believers, just as Paul had invested his life in Timothy, Titus, and others. Paul expected believers to fulfill this calling because he knew God’s purpose for all believers:

Those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of

his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters

(Romans 8:29).

According to this verse, if you’re a follower of Jesus, God is in the process of making you more like His Son. The word conformed speaks of God’s changing us, remaking us so that our lives model Christ. Ultimately, God will completely change us in heaven, so we’ll be like His Son. While we’re here on earth, He moves us in that direction. We call this process sanctification, defined by one theologian as “a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.”2 Letting go of sin and living more like Jesus are two critical elements in this transformation.

We know for certain that God alone gives us victory as He makes us like Christ, but we cooperate with Him in this process. There’s footwork for us to do in daily turning away from sin, putting our faith in God, and putting on the character of His Son. These verses reveal the choices we need to make as God transforms us:

Put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator (Colossians 3:8-10).

Since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:21-22).

With your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

How does our responsibility to do our part in spiritual growth fit into the concept of mentoring? It applies to both the mentors, who are responsible for their own spiritual footwork, and the people being mentored, who need to be encouraged in their spiritual footwork. Titus had the responsibility of walking in faith as these Scriptures describe, but Paul, his mentor, helped him figure out how to do that. Their mentoring relationship probably encouraged both of them in this effort.

Paul urged his disciples to follow his example and thereby follow Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 11:1). He expected the people he mentored to mature in Christ, and he modeled Christianity in front of them and alongside them as they aimed for spiritual growth. The believers Paul mentored were becoming more and more like Jesus in the process. This is the key to mentoring.

Think about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, in which Jesus tells us to make disciples. To be like Jesus is to be willing to reproduce ourselves in other disciples, release them to do God’s work (whether as laypersons or pastors), and support them as they invest in others—just as Jesus did. This is a foundational truth: mentors who invest in others as Jesus did will produce other mentors, and lives will be transformed.

Whom do you know who’s growing to be more and more like Jesus?

2. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 746.

Excerpted from Chuck Lawless, Mentor Bible Study. © 2018 LifeWay Press. Used by permission. 

Friday Features

Jesus Heals

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What are some home remedies you rely on when you’re sick?

When it comes to pain and illness, many of us fall into one of three categories:

1. Call the doctor—immediately.
2. Try our own home remedies or over-the-counter solutions.
3. Ignore it and hope it goes away.

The Gospel of Mark records the story of a man who needed medical help for his daughter and he wisely went to Jesus. And we’ll see the incredible result of his faith.

Read Mark 5:22-24

Jairus was a big deal in the community. Beyond the temple in Jerusalem, the local synagogue was the center of community life. As one of the synagogue leaders, Jairus had responsibilities in leading worship and instruction. These men were the highest ranking leaders in the town, responsible for the total administration and operation of the most powerful establishment around.

In the Gospel of John, we read another account of a religious official who came to Jesus. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus under the cover of darkness, when people wouldn’t see him conversing with such a controversial, untrained rabbi (John 3:1-2). We see a sharp contrast, however, in the way Jairus came to Jesus. With a large crowd watching, Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet—and begged for His help.

In the first century, a Middle Eastern man in a high position carried himself with utmost dignity at all times. Such a man never would have fallen to his knees, much less laid prostrate on the ground, but Jairus did both, making himself a public spectacle. Jairus did not care that a large crowd had gathered around Jesus. Neither did he care that Jesus was unpopular with the religious elite. All he knew was this Jesus had the ability to heal people, and Jesus was his last shot.  Jairus knew where his hope lay. He understood what was important.

Jairus begged one thing: “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so that she can get well and live.” Jairus was facing something he absolutely could not control. His daughter’s life was entirely out of His hands, and it was tearing him apart.

But just because the situation was out of Jairus’s hands does not mean he had no hope. On the contrary, he knew precisely where he could place that hope: in the hands of the Healer. He did not ask Jesus to come and “try” to heal his daughter; his words were full of certainty. He said, “Lay your hands on her so that she can get well and live” (emphasis added). It was only by Jesus’ hands that healing could come—and it would come if Jesus wanted it to.

Many of us initially approach Christ in the same way: we come out of desperation, but only after we have tried all human possibilities for relief. We are desperate for healing, restoration, direction, purpose, identity, or freedom from the bondage of sin and addiction. Whatever the source of our desperation, we look to Jesus for help.

Thankfully, Jesus does not turn us away. He comes when we seek Him even as He did with Jairus. He didn’t turn Jairus away because of any past rebellion or disobedience; indeed, Jesus never even mentioned such things. Jesus looked on him with compassion and met him right where he was.

What are some common obstacles that keep us from turning to Jesus with our needs?

This article is an excerpt from Jesus Changes Everything, a six-session study in the Winter 2017–18 Bible Studies for Life. Learn more about this ongoing curriculum and preview one month for free at biblestudiesforlife.com.

Friday Features

Spiritual Shortcuts

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The following are a series of shortcuts used in text messages. See how many you can identify: LOL, ROFL, IDK, TTYL, BBIAS, AFAIK, IMO, IDC, NOYB.

The answers are as follows: Laughing out loud, Rolling on the floor laughing, I don’t know, Talk to you later, Be back in a second, As far as I know, In my opinion, I don’t care, None of your business.

We live in a world of shorthand and shortcuts. We like the quickest route, the most immediate results, and the fastest turnaround time. Rarely do we take the time to observe something within its proper context; rarely do we view a situation as a whole, for we prefer the quickest and easiest option. But the birth of Jesus demands a holistic approach to His ministry and purpose. Before we can appreciate the birth of our Savior, we first need to understand our need for Him. We need to know the doctrine of inherited sin before we can know the doctrine of grace.

Genesis 3 provides us with a snapshot of the doctrine of inherited sin. You can’t understand the incarnation of Christ until you understand the situation of sin. Genesis 3 is the first passage that points to Bethlehem. Because of our sin, we desperately need a Savior.

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 

—Genesis 3:1-7, CSB

The tree of life stood in the middle of the garden (see Gen. 2:8-9). God encouraged Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of life, because in eating it, they would live forever. God desired Adam and Eve to live forever in the state of perfection that He created. The Bible tells us that the tree of life is in heaven (see Rev. 22:2). His new creation will eat from it and enjoy life with Him for all eternity.

The second tree, the one from which God forbade Adam and Eve to eat, was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from this tree because if they ate from it, they would die (see Gen. 2:9,16-17).

Satan’s identity is on full display in Genesis 3:1: Satan is the accuser and distorter of God’s Word. Satan opened the door for Eve to sin by questioning God’s words—he got Eve to question what God really said (v. 1). Satan got Eve to focus on the one prohibition rather than on all the blessings God had given her. Sound familiar?

In verses 2-3, Eve added to God’s Word. Satan is not only the accuser, but he is also the confuser. Eve added to God’s word because she was confused. Satan wants to confuse you. Sometimes Christians add to God’s Word. But when you add, you are being as destructive with God’s Word as you are when taking it out. Eve bought into the lie that God was holding out on her: “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (vv. 5-6).

When Adam and Eve realized their nakedness—the exposure of their unholiness before a holy God—they hid and covered themselves with fig leaves. The fig leaves represent Adam and Eve’s attempt at making themselves right before God. The fig leaves were the beginning of religion, or man’s attempts at appeasing God through good works. Adam and Eve tried to make themselves clean by their own efforts. The fig leaves pointed to their need for someone to cover them.

Adam and Eve hid from God because they no longer understood the character of God. But God affirms His character to them in that, in Genesis 3:9,11, He pursued Adam and Eve. He cultivated a response of repentance from their hearts. He sought them out in their spiritual and physical nakedness, and as we see in Genesis 3:21, clothed them. We can praise God that Genesis 3 ends in hope.

This was an excerpt from Pat Hood’s small group study, Before Christmas Session 1. Series and study are available exclusively at smallgroup.com.

Friday Features

Practicing Faith

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First-century Jews found themselves mixed up in a lot of different superstitions. One of the more interesting ones is mentioned in John 5:1-15. The events described in this passage took place at a pool beside one of Jerusalem’s entrances, called the pool of Bethesda.

Here’s what the Jews believed about this pool. Every now and again, an angel would come and stir it up, making it bubble. When the pool started bubbling, the first person to touch the water would be healed from his or her affliction. For this reason a number of chronically sick and injured people would lie around the pool day after day and wait for the bubbles to come, in hopes they could be the first one to get in.

In Jesus’ day one man was well known in the company of those who sat around the pool. He was sick and couldn’t get around very well, but he was probably famous for one thing: he’d been lying there for 38 years, unable to get to the healing waters first.

We don’t know what the man’s actual sickness was. What we do know is that he lived a relatively simple life, especially compared to those who carried their everyday burdens in the outside world. He had to beg for money, sure, but his life was most likely a relatively comfortable one. Being healed would mean leaving that comfort behind.

One day this man was lying by the pool on the Sabbath and a Galilean rabbi singled him out amid all the blind, lame, paralyzed, and ill people waiting for the water to bubble up. He asked the man a strange question: “Do you want to get well?” (v. 6).

John 5:7 records the man’s answer:

“Sir,” the sick man answered, “I don’t have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”

John 5:7

While this man genuinely couldn’t have healed himself, he also showed no effort to get into the pool that many believed could heal him. And he didn’t reply, “Yes!” to Jesus’ question.

The sick man dodged the question, but that didn’t matter to Jesus. Jesus simply replied, “Get up, … pick up your mat and walk!” (v. 8).

It’s no accident that living a godly life is compared to a walk. Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden (see Gen. 3:8). Enoch walked with God and then was no more (see Gen. 5:24). Psalm 1 warns against walking in the path of the ungodly. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him (see Matt. 16:24).

Walking by faith requires leaving things behind, but it also requires putting your trust in the places where you put your feet. If Jesus is the One you’re following, it’s because you’ve heard His call to you: “Follow Me.”

It’s hard to leave the things behind that you’re used to, but Jesus was prepared for that. If there are things in your life you need to leave behind in order to follow Him, remember that He knew exactly what He was inviting you into when He gave that personal, radical charge: “Follow Me.”

This was an excerpt from Robby Gallaty’s Bible study, Knowing Jesus. © 2016 LifeWay Press. Used by permission. 

Friday Features

What Is The Church?

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There are moments in human history that change everything. These extraordinary events mark the beginning of a new era, a new future, and even a new people. God chose to create such a moment 2,000 years ago when He launched the church. After Jesus’ resurrection, He made this promise to His disciples:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

ACTS 1:8

The fulfillment of that promise began weeks later. While Jesus’ disciples were praying together, God’s Holy Spirit came to them and filled each person with spiritual power. Inspired by this power, Peter proclaimed the message of the gospel to the people of Jerusalem. More than 3,000 people responded by choosing to follow Christ.

This was a major event in the life of the early church. And how did this new community of believers relate to one another? Check it out:

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

ACTS 2:42-47

What do you find most interesting about these verses?

Identify the different ways the early church members engaged one another. Which of these excites you most? Why?

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

It’s common in today’s culture to associate the concept of “church” with a physical structure. When we think about church or about “going to church,” we often see images of brick buildings, steeples, sanctuaries, parking lots, and so on.

It’s also common for people to think of “church” as something that Christians do. We often make a connection between the church and the practices that are common in church buildings—sermons, worship songs, Sunday School, and more. Each of these associations is understandable, and each does point to the truth. Ultimately, the church involves much more.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “church”?

How would you describe your past experiences with church?

In reality, the church isn’t a building or a collection of physical structures. Instead, the church is a collection of people. It’s a community. In a similar way, the church isn’t what we do, but who we are as followers of Jesus.

Here’s a definition: the church is the community of people who follow Jesus Christ as Lord.

How do you respond to the above definition of church?

This was an excerpt from Disciples Path: The Journey, Volume 1 Session 5.

Friday Features

Battle Armor

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Jesus never promised the Christian life would be easy. Life by itself can be full of difficulties, but that difficulty is compounded by an enemy who is “prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). Therefore, Paul called us to “be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.” Our own strength is insufficient! This call to embrace the strength God gives echoes His words to Joshua: “Be strong and very courageous” (Josh. 1:7).

We, too, must embrace that same trust in God’s strength if we hope to live the Christian life victoriously. But we’re not in a battle to gain victory; we’re strengthened in the Lord and we engage in spiritual warfare from a position of victory. The victory over Satan was won on the cross. Still, though Christ has defeated our enemy (see Rev. 12:10-11), defeated enemies don’t always give up easily. When an enemy has nothing more to lose, he can even attack with greater intensity.

Paul reminded us why we need the Lord’s strength: we face a powerful adversary who attacks strategically. Paul referred to “the schemes of the devil.” Satan knows where, when, and how to target each of us. Our enemy is also organized; he works against us through his army: “the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.”

Yes, we have victory in Christ. But Paul still called the battle we face a “struggle.” The Greek word is actually tied to the sport of wrestling, which reminds us that we don’t battle the spiritual forces of evil from a distance. Our fight is a close, hand-to-hand type of struggle—only we’re not struggling in a physical context. Our fight is not ”against flesh and blood.” It’s supernatural.

So how do we take on these evil forces that seek to harm us? We stand. In a position of Christ-centered confidence, Paul told us to “take your stand.” We do that when we “take up the full armor of God.” By doing so, we become active participants, not passive observers, in dealing with spiritual attack.

God provides His armor for the battles we face in His name:

Belt of truth. The belt secured the rest of the soldier’s armor and held his weapons. Truth is the belt of preparation for the believer. Everything we do is held in place when we accept and trust in God’s Word.

Breastplate of righteousness. A soldier’s breastplate covered the chest and protected the vital organs from arrows. Paul wasn’t referring to our righteousness in Christ, which can never be taken away. Instead, he was referring to living in righteousness (see Eph. 4:24; 5:8-9)—our daily walk with Christ. The way we live protects us against spiritual attacks.

Feet sandaled with readiness. Roman soldiers were issued quality footwear: studded boots that allowed them to travel great distances and yet stand firmly in the heat of battle. We can stand firm or move forward because of His gospel of peace. Our standing is secure because of what Christ has done for us.

Shield of faith. A company of soldiers could interlock their shields and form a solid wall as they moved forward. Our shield is comprised of our faith—our trust in the promises and power of God. The enemy can fire his arrows of lies, doubts, accusations, and temptations at us, but our faith in God keeps us from falling prey to such attacks.

Helmet of salvation. A soldier protected his head with a heavy helmet of metal. Our helmet is our hope in Christ, which rests in the future we have in Him. Because of that hope, we refuse to succumb to the standards of this world.

Sword of the Spirit. The soldier’s sword was short, like a dagger, and used for close combat. Our sword is God’s Word; it’s our only weapon that is both offensive and defensive. We rest in its promises to defend us, and we apply Scripture to specific situations to resist the enemy’s attacks and send him running. (See Matt. 4:1-11.)

We have one more tool at our disposal as we engage in spiritual battle: prayer. God has supplied us with all we need to stand, but we never stand alone. We need constant communication with the One we serve.

Prayer is more than mere communication with God; it’s our communion with Him. Prayer is taking the promises of God and speaking them back to Him. It’s a continual dependence upon Christ. We are to do this “at all times.” Paul told the Thessalonians that Christians are to “pray constantly” (1 Thess. 5:17). Even as we’re working, playing, and going about our daily routine, we are to be praying.

Why should we pray continually? Because we’re in a battle. Soldiers know they can’t slack off; they must remain vigilant. Paul called us to “stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” We pray continually, ever alert to the attacks of the devil. But we don’t just pray for ourselves; we pray “for all the saints.” We pray for the strength of our fellow believers in this shared battle against evil. We also pray “in the Spirit with every prayer and request.” As we pray for others and ourselves, we include praise, worship, thanksgiving, and confession—in addition to the requests we lay before God.

Notice that Paul made prayer personal. He said, “Pray also for me.” Paul, the great apostle and evangelist, asked others to pray that he “might be bold enough to speak” the gospel. Paul knew any boldness he had came from God, and he was well aware of his need to remain dependent on Him.

We need boldness, too. Fortunately, the same Source that provided Paul’s boldness sustains us, as well. We can move forward in the boldness Christ freely offers. But make no mistake: we cannot be bold for God until we have been bold with God in prayer.

Excerpted from Jeremiah Johnson, Bible Studies for Life: The Dark Side © 2017 LifeWay Press®. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Friday Features

For the Sake of the Gospel

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Acts 15:22-24

Ephesus had become a second home for Paul, but now it was time to move on. From the port city of Miletus, about 30 miles from Ephesus, Paul sent for the Ephesian church leaders to gather for his parting address to them. He began by recounting past experiences with them. He emphasized ministering in the church with humility, passion, and boldness in the midst of conflict (Acts 20:19-20). He recalled how he had faithfully witnessed to unbelievers about their need for repentance and faith (v. 21). After reflecting on the past, Paul then turned his attention to what lay ahead.

In spite of the potential dangers, Paul decided to return to Jerusalem (vv. 22). He made the decision before he left Ephesus, and no one was going to change his mind. He reminded the Ephesian leaders that the Holy Spirit was pushing him to go to Jerusalem.

The apostle was unsure about what lay ahead for him. The only thing he knew about his future was that he would go to Jerusalem, that he would faithfully share the gospel, and that he would face opposition once in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had already told Paul that chains and afflictions were awaiting him once he arrived in Jerusalem. On multiple occasions while on this specific trip, Paul had received warnings about going to Jerusalem. Luke recorded two specific warnings—one in Type and the other in Caesarea (21:4,11-12). The Holy Spirit was preparing Paul for what he was about to endure for the sake of the gospel.

But Paul was all in. The warnings did not keep him from doing what he knew was required for the sake of the gospel. As Paul considered the cost of obedience, he realized that the greater cost would be found in failing to share the gospel. He had already been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20). He was ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of the Christ, calling his life of no value when compared to the gospel (Acts 20:24).

When writing to Timothy, Paul compared the Christian life to running a race (2 Tim. 4:7). In this passage as well, he compared his ministry to running a race (Acts 20:24). To win the race, the runner must stay the course and keep running. Runners endure the pain of the race not just to run, but also to finish and to do so well. Paul knew that only through finishing well would he find true satisfaction in this life.

Paul’s ministry was summarized as a testament to the gospel of God’s grace (v. 24). He spent his life telling others about God’s grace, found through faith in Jesus. It was the gospel of grace that made the potential adversity worth it.

How does understanding the value of the gospel give a person the strength to endure difficulties that result from the gospel?

This article was adapted from Session 10 in the Winter 2017-18 issue of Explore the Bible: Adults. Explore the Bible is a book-by-book group Bible study that encourages participants to let the Word dwell in them and challenges them to live it out in their own context. Preview one month free at lifeway.com/ExploreTheBible

Friday Features

Paul and His Team

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Most of us have found common ground with someone and have experienced how it brings down walls. Common ground can be found in the most mundane places—people who grew up in the same area or who went to the same high school that we did, people who live in our neighborhoods, people who like the same food that we do, or people who root for the same sports teams. We may know nothing else about a person, but if we have common ground in just one area, we are more open and friendly with them. Common ground counts for a lot.

Paul knew this. Part of his strategy for spreading the message of Christianity around the Mediterranean was to seek common ground with anyone who would listen. Paul and his team needed to find a receptive audience as often as possible. For example, they consistently visited Jewish synagogues first when they came to a new city, because they shared a cultural and religious heritage. They sought common ground in many other ways, but we’re going to focus on one key example: Paul’s speech in the city of Athens.

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, “What is this ignorant show-off trying to say?” Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities”—because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting? 20 Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. — Acts 17:16-21 (CSB)

In his speech, Paul affirmed the Athenians’ obvious desire to know and serve God—he met them on their place of common ground. But Paul also argued that it was wrong to think that God is something that we create, or that He lives in houses we build for Him. Paul was not demonizing the Athenians; he was suggesting that they misunderstood God’s nature.

What’s most notable about Paul’s speech is what he did not say. Paul did not quote Scripture. He did not mention the Messiah or the name of Jesus. That sort of thing would be a perfect strategy for a Jewish audience, who would be familiar with the Old Testament. But this was not the synagogue. This was an illustrious council of Athenian thinkers who were probably unfamiliar with the Jewish Scriptures. Paul knew this, so he sought common ground elsewhere.

Paul commented on their city’s religious climate. He leveraged their altar to an unknown god as a launching point. He quoted their own poets to back up his claims. Paul wanted to find whatever foothold he could to open up a dialogue with the Athenians. Paul likely did not view this speech as all he wanted to say, but his best opening statement in what he hoped would become an ongoing discussion.

We need to change our mentality toward nonbelievers. We often fall into the trap of an “us versus them” mentality when it comes to spiritual matters. We see people as either allies or enemies and quickly put them into one of those two columns based on superficial observations. Paul and his team would have been baffled by this. Paul looked at people who believed very different things from him and asked himself, “How can I build bridges to these people?”

Seeking common ground is a powerful tool in the hands of a Christian willing to wield it. It overcomes countless barriers to the gospel. When someone experiences common ground with you, they are more willing to hear what you have to say. They are more willing to consider your perspective. Simply put, they are more likely to like you. Common ground gives you a level of influence that you would not otherwise have, because most people are unwilling to be led by someone they don’t know or don’t like. We should view ourselves as the seekers and wielders of common ground with any people or communities that our ministries touch.

This was an excerpt from Ryan Lokkesmoe’s small group study, Paul and His Team. Session 1. Series and study are available exclusively at smallgroup.com.