This is the Bible study guide for January 29 to February 4, 2012, containing questions for Ephesians 3, Zephaniah 3, and Luke 13:1-9.

Sunday morning's sermon will be from Ephesians 3, and Sunday evening's sermon will be from Luke 13:1-9. Zephaniah 3 will be a supplemental reading for Sunday morning's sermon.
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This devotional guide examines several different passages about repentance, from Joel to 2 Chronicles to the Gospels.
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This is the devotional guide for October 16-22, 2011. In it, I've focused on the theme of baptism. As you go through this week, you'll learn both why we are baptized and what happens when we are baptized.
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See this thread for the list of books I've read this year (I'm trying to read at least 52 books this year).

Money: God or Gift by Jamie Munson

This is a short book in the Re:Lit series. It was very inexpensive and well worth it. Munson teaches along 3 themes from Luke 12--giving, priorities and stewardship. Yet, the book is much more than just a study of Luke 12, as Munson hops along to many different scriptures that teach about money and stewardship. His third section on stewardship was worth the cost of the book alone, as he provided many different examples of how stewardship can be practiced at different phases of life. Perhaps the most challenging part of the book for me was in the first section where Munson challenged me on saving, specifically whether I save money as a steward or out of fear and anxiety about the future.
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Doing Your Duty 12/07/2010
 
When we're not focused on the right things, we can tend towards nitpicking other people and finding fault in them. People inevitably sin. Jesus knows this and acknowledges it by saying, "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to happen" (Luke 17:1). We don't need to be the sin-police, pointing out to everyone else their own sin and making it worse for them. This is why Jesus continues, "But woe to anyone through whom they come" (Luke 17:1). In other words, woe to you if you make it worse for people by causing them to stumble.

The solution to this is simple: "Watch yourselves" (Luke 17:3). When we keep our emphasis on ourselves, we will pay attention to our own lives, how we live, and what particular sins we commit. Then we will be able to seek the Lord and improve ourselves, not someone else.

Later in this same passage Jesus teaches a method of watching yourself--do your duty. He teaches this through a parable where he takes the example of a servant to point out that when that servant has completed a day of serving, he deserves no special honor; he has simply done his duty. This is an example to us to serve and to keep our emphasis on serving with humility. We do not serve to show ourselves better than others and we do not serve to gain a greater standing for ourselves; rather, we serve because, in Christ, we are servants.

By serving in this way--by doing our duty--we will not become a cause for sin for someone else because we will be too busy following the Lord in our own lives to criticize them and lead them astray. In fact, we will more likely become a source of grace for them and an example, leading them closer to the Lord.
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When Jesus says "Wisdom is justified by all her children" (Luke 7:35, ESV), he means that those who follow his way will be vindicated, even though some will disparage them as messengers. If some tried to discredit even John the Baptist and Jesus himself, things will be no different for us. But if we stick with it, we'll see it all come together in the end.
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Jesus teaches us to be watchful, alert, and attentive so that we can discern the subtle movement of the Holy Spirit within us.
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When we're told to "have faith" amidst our worry and anxiety, we're really being told to seek first the kingdom of God. Keeping godly priorities is the only way to assure ourselves victory over fear and worry.
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In contrast to the "expert" who sought to minimize the category of "neighbor," Jesus teaches us that our neighbors are anyone we encounter who needs mercy.
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Last Sunday I introduced the concept of four transformational relationships. My point was simple: if we will commit ourselves to growing in relationships with four "categories" of people--as defined clearly in and by scripture--we will be transformed.

The four categories (or areas) of relationship are: with God, with other believers, with neighbors, and with strangers. You can find more about these four transformational relationships, including my presentation outline and slides, by clicking the link. The actual presentation can be streamed or downloaded here.

Below the graphic I explain how to begin practicing, or living, these four transformative relationships.
Building off this outline, I recommend starting with your relationship with God. Because we are dealing with spiritual relationships (not merely social) our base point must begin with God. I suggest combining your regular worship attendance with a regular commitment to prayer and bible reading. You can begin simply: prayer can be either intercessory or thanksgiving, and your bible reading can be as little as one chapter each day. But begin. It's the beginning of this process and the time that you carve out for it that create the space for God to teach you and draw in to a deeper, growing relationship with him.

Next, I suggest that you focus on one of the other areas of relationship. Suppose you want to develop transformative relationships with other believers. The associated action for this area is mentoring relationships. One of the best ways to achieve this is to attend one of our bible classes on either Sunday morning or Wednesday evening. At the bible study you will be around other believers. You can then invite one or two of them to join you for coffee where you can discuss the lesson further or talk about your bible reading our spiritual growth. Look for others that you can share something with, but be careful to realize that this is a two-way street: you need to receive also, not just give.

You should be regularly participating in your relationship with God and in at least one other area. You balance this out with occasional work in the other two areas. For example, you can practice evangelism with your neighbors (biblically, your neighbors are anyone you encounter with a need) merely by being friends with and serving co-workers, family members, and even geographic neighbors.

In the bible (primarily the Old Testament), "strangers" refers to foreigners or those who pass through the land. Symbolically for us, "strangers" are those who pass through our lives. I recommend that we seek to serve them in order to leave the impression of God's love upon them. You can accomplish this by volunteering somewhere, walking your neighborhood and seeing what develops, or by some other way that puts you in contact with people that you will not see too often. Make it your goal to serve them in a gentle, humble, and loving way.

To grow spiritually, you need to take action. God calls us to action. Jesus told us to "go and do likewise (Luke 10:37). These four transformative relationships balance our spiritual growth and help us to grow and minister in the areas of relationship the bible instructs us in.

Please pray about how you should begin this journey...and then begin!
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