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What the Gospel Means for You Ponder this remarkable situation with me. If the Son of God came to help you stop sinning—to destroy the works of the devil—and if he also came to die so that when you do sin, there is a propitiation, a removal of God’s wrath, then what does this imply for living your life? Three things. And they are wonderful to have. I give them to you briefly as Christmas presents. Gift 1: A Clear Purpose for Living The first implication is that you have a clear purpose for living. Negatively, it is simply this: don’t sin—don’t do what dishonors God. “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin” (1 John 2:1). “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). If you ask, “Can you give us that positively, instead of negatively?” the answer is: “Yes, it’s all summed up in 1 John 3:23.” It’s a great summary of what John’s whole letter requires. Notice the singular “commandment”—“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” These two things are so closely connected for John that he calls them one commandment: believe Jesus and love others. That is your purpose. That is the sum of the Christian life. Trusting Jesus and loving people the way Jesus and his apostles taught us to love. Trust Jesus, love people. There’s the first gift, a purpose to live. Gift 2: Hope That Our Failures Will Be Forgiven The second implication of the twofold truth that Christ came to destroy our sinning and to forgive our sins is this: we make progress in overcoming our sin when we have hope that our failures will be forgiven. If you don’t have hope that God will forgive your failures, when you start fighting sin, you give up. Many of you are pondering some changes in the new year because you have fallen into sinful patterns and want out. You want some new patterns of eating. New patterns for entertainment. New patterns of giving. New patterns of relating to your spouse. New patterns of family devotions. New patterns of sleep and exercise. New patterns of courage in witness. But you are struggling, wondering whether it’s any use. Well, here’s your second Christmas present: Christ not only came to destroy the works of the devil, our sinning; he also came to be an advocate for us because of experiences of failure in our fight. So I plead with you, let the fact that failure will not have the last word give you the hope to fight. But beware! If you turn the grace of God into license, and say, “Well, if I can fail, and it doesn’t matter, then why bother fighting sin?”—if you say that, and mean it, and go on acting on it, you are probably not born again and should tremble. But that is not where most of you are. Most of you want to fight sinful patterns in your life. And what God is saying to you is this: let Christ’s covering of your failure give you hope to fight. “I write this to you that you might not sin, but if you sin you have an advocate, Jesus Christ.” Gift 3: Christ Will Help Us Finally, the third implication of the double truth that Christ came to destroy our sinning and to forgive our sins is this: Christ will really help us in our fight. He really will help you. He is on your side. He didn’t come to destroy sin because sin is fun. He came to destroy sin because sin is fatal. It is a deceptive work of the devil, and it will destroy us if we don’t fight it. He came to help us, not hurt us. So here’s your third Christmas present: Christ will help overcome sin in you. First John 4:4 says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus is alive, Jesus is almighty, Jesus lives in us by faith. And Jesus is for us, not against us. He will help you in your fight with sin in the new year. Trust him. The sum of the Christian life . . . [is] trusting Jesus and loving people the way Jesus and his apostles taught us to love. This article is adapted from Good News of Great Joy: 25 Devotional Readings for Advent by John Piper.

While the Bible doesn’t say anything about observing the tradition of Advent, this tradition has existed within the global Christian church for centuries. It is nearly as old as the church itself, with the earliest mentions of the tradition happening as early as 380 AD at the Council of Saragossa. While that council was responding to a belief and practice that had migrated from traditional Christianity, the longstanding tradition of observing a time of waiting for the celebration of the incarnation has remained a profoundly meaningful and beloved tradition that has endured throughout the centuries. What Is an Advent Celebration? So what does the celebration of Advent involve? Today, many evangelical churches celebrate the season in their Advent services by reading Scripture passages that relate to the incarnation (see below for the readings for 2022 from the Common Lectionary) and lighting candles that celebrate the traditional aspects of this period of waiting. These readings are typically part of Sunday services, so they begin 4 weeks before the Sunday of Christmas week. While it’s true that those in the congregation sometimes anxiously hold their breath as a family’s 5-year-old shakily holds the lighter to one of the five candles, the depth of meaning behind these profound readings and this quiet practice increases as the Advent season progresses. Each of the five candles has different meanings, and while different traditions use different colors, one traditional Advent candle color and order is as follows: • First Sunday candle: Purple. This is known as the “prophecy candle,” or the candle of HOPE. • Second Sunday candle: Purple. This is known as the “Bethlehem candle,” or the candle of PEACE. • Third Sunday candle: Pink. This is known as the “shepherd candle,” or the candle of JOY. • Fourth Sunday candle: Purple. This is known as the “angel candle,” or the candle of LOVE. • Christmas Eve candle: White. This is known as the “Christ candle,” and it symbolizes many things, including PURITY, LIGHT, RESTORATION, HOLINESS, and VICTORY. What is the Meaning of Advent? The word “Advent” means “coming.” As the days grow shorter every year (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and the darkness comes earlier, Christian families and churches look forward to the coming of the Light of the World—the celebration of the incarnation. In a certain sense, it may be comforting for many reading this to understand that this tradition has been practiced for centuries longer than the current (sometimes anxiety-inducing) “traditions” tied to the holiday’s materialistic pursuits and social obligations. The “great cloud of witnesses” that the writer of Hebrews talks about in chapter 12 followed a somber but hopeful tradition of observing this time of waiting in community—solidifying the bonds that tied the early church together and fostering unity and mutual identity in Christ. That’s what Advent does for Christians today as well. Of course, the tradition of waiting for the Messiah to arrive has been an integral part of the lives of God-followers for thousands of years. One of the main identifiers of the Jewish people since the time of Abraham (and even, arguably, from the time of Adam and Eve; see Genesis 3:15) has been the faith-defining hallmarks of patience and hopefulness as they wait for the promised Messiah to come. Many of the Old Testament’s most beloved verses detail the hopeful waiting that was at the center of Jewish faith and practice. These are the same verses that Christians throughout the world still read and ponder today as they wait every year for the celebration of the incarnation: • The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. Deuteronomy 18:15 • Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 • For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 • But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise—let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy—your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Isaiah 26:19 • “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2 • Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 • “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10 • “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Malachi 3:1 These and hundreds of other verses in the Old Testament point to the long-awaited Messiah—for whom many adherents of Judaism still wait. When Christians participate in Advent within their families and congregations, they join in that millennia-old tradition of waiting with expectant hope for the coming of the Savior of the world. Why Observe Advent? Teaching Speaking of families, Deuteronomy 6:6-7 gives us one critical answer to the question of why we should celebrate Advent: teaching our children to also wait with patient expectation for the coming of the Lord into the world as a baby. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 The story of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2 is endlessly fascinating, especially to young children. The shepherds resting quietly with their sheep in the fields; the angels appearing in a blinding and deafening display of celebration; the shepherds’ hopeful search for the baby Jesus the angels had described; the image of the baby in the stable with his parents huddling close—all of these images, taught to our children early, endure throughout their lives as the celebration of Christmas approaches every year. Indeed, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). When we observe the season and the service of Advent by lighting the five candles, whether within the context of a church service or of a family gathering, we also carry on the long tradition of allowing our children to ask questions about why we’re doing what we’re doing. The meaning behind the five candles of Advent provides those of us who are parents with wonderful opportunities for leading our children to come to know and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. And what better way could there possibly be for a parent to take their child’s mind off the hype of this materialistic season? The Scripture readings of Advent, as well as that mesmerizing candle lighting tradition, allows all who participate to slow down and consider what the waiting they’re doing is all about. Why Observe Advent? Personal Preparation for the Season of Christmas Teaching these things to our children and participating in the Advent season’s beautiful traditions also prepares mature Christians for the season of Christmas. How many beleaguered 21st-century Christians long for what the prophet Isaiah offered when he said, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 As we approach the holiday season every year, those of us who observe the Sundays of Advent find an opportunity to calm our hearts and minds and refocus on the true reason behind the season of Christmas: to celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world. This coming changes everything in the lives of believers, allowing hope to permeate our lives and our hearts, and hopefully become a part of our practice in the weeks leading up to the holiday—and beyond. Hearing the Scriptures repeated before the lighting of each candle brings those who have grown up with the tradition back to their roots. The communal experience of Advent allows individuals to be reminded of their core identity as those whom God loved so much that he sent his only Son into the world to save them (John 3:16). When that profound reminder of God’s intense and eternal love for us is reawakened in our minds, hearts, and imaginations, the season of Christmas takes on a much greater depth of meaning. It also allows those who participate in it to understand themselves in the context of the greater Christian church around the world. This centuries-old celebration connects individuals and congregations in myriad Christian traditions, centering billions of minds and hearts on the one thing that binds us all together: our identity as those who are loved by God and saved through faith in the sacrifice and resurrection of his Son. Why Observe Advent? Spiritual Preparation for Christ’s Return Finally, the observance of Advent (particularly represented in the liturgical color of the three purple candles, reminding us of Lent), helps us to look forward to the coming celebration of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The incarnation, as wonderful and heartwarming and festive as that celebration is, is always followed closely by the reality of the reason behind the incarnation: that baby in the manger would grow up to become the ultimate sacrifice for human sin. Knowing that this has happened and believing that Jesus’ sacrifice was for each one of us who believe, we now look forward to that amazing day when we will see Jesus come again on the clouds of heaven. The angels who appeared at Jesus’ ascension made this promise to those who watched Jesus leave: “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 The apostle John reiterated this promise when he wrote: “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. Revelation 1:7 This is why the writer of James wrote, Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7-8 This is perhaps the most important result of observing the season of Advent: “standing firm” for the day when we will meet Jesus, whether that happens on the day of his return or on the day of our passing into glory. What that means is different for each individual, but the apostle Paul instructs us as to what this surely will mean for all who desire to become more and more like Jesus in our daily living: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11 Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. By Mike Vander Klipp, Senior Editor in the Zondervan Bible Group of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

When we become a child of God, we not only inherit God’s blessings but God’s enemies as well. The Lord’s foremost enemy is Satan, whose purpose is to destroy his work (John 8:44), but Jesus came in order to “destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8). Satan is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12– 15) and as such, is only a created being. He is in no way equal to God, the Creator. While Satan is superior in intellect and strength to mankind, he is inferior to God in every way. Believers have the power of the indwelling resurrected Christ over them and protecting them (1 John 4:4). Through Christ and his Holy Spirit, believers have been given the whole armor of God “take [their] stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). Each piece of the armor is to be “put on” to help believers overcome the temptations and attacks of the evil one. Seven Parts of the Full Armor of God 1. The Belt of Truth Buckled Around Your Waist (Ephesians 6:14) One of Satan’s most effective weapons is the lie. As he did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-12), Satan uses all kinds of influences to convince us that we’re “less than,” that we’re unworthy of God’s or other people’s love; or, conversely, that we can make it through this life and into the next on our own, and that we don’t need help from the Savior who longs to draw us to himself. When we listen to these lies, we become convinced that God is not a loving God—which stands in direct contrast to the teaching of Scripture: John 3:16; Romans 8:39; Ephesians 2:4; 1 John 3:1; 4:8. The waist or abdomen area was generally thought to be the seat of emotions. To gird this area with truth is to commit your emotions to believe the truth. Often a person knowingly allows themselves to believe a lie because of fear or self-pity. Believers must hold a commitment to truth regardless of the repercussions (John 8:32,36). The picture of God’s armor is of a Roman soldier’s tunic, pulled up and tucked into his belt, so that he could fight or work unhindered. Living a life of honesty and integrity enables the Christian to be one in purpose with Jesus Christ, who is the Truth, and to be unhindered in the battle against Satan, who is a deceiver and liar. Apply It: Be aware of how social media and other influences are making you feel. Are you looking at what others are posting and it’s making you feel “less than”? Or are you using posts to bolster the way you feel about yourself? Understanding who you are in God’s eyes—his beloved child, for whom he sent his Son to die—can help you understand the lies resident in what social and other media is telling you about yourself. Pray to God using Scriptures that help you understand who God is and what his power means for your life: Psalm 46:2-4,9-12; 63:1-8; 71:17-22; Isaiah 45:5-6. Hold on to these truths when your feelings are overwhelmed with the noise of this world. 2. The Breastplate of Righteousness in Place (Ephesians 6:14) The breast holds the heart, which is generally thought of as the place of the soul. The heart must be kept pure and righteous because sin in the heart gives a foothold to the enemy. Confession and forgiveness on the basis of the blood of Christ cleanses the heart (1 John 1:9). The breastplate covered the body from neck to thigh and was usually made of bronze. Believers do not need to seek protection or right standing with God through works of their own; they can confidently stand in what Christ has done in their behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Apply It: When we think of protecting our hearts, Jeremiah 17:9 comes to mind. That verse says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” As such, the heart needs to be wrapped in a righteousness that goes well beyond what our human efforts can possibly produce. When we understand that giving our hearts to Jesus allows us to claim his righteousness as our own, we can begin to live under the protection that this breastplate offers: Romans 5:19; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Job 11:13-19 tells us about the real, tangible benefits that this surrender produces: “Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.” 3. Your Feet Fitted with the Readiness that Comes from the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15) Proper shoes enable the feet to go from place to place. The believer is to be about their Father’s business, which is to spread the gospel of peace and reconciliation. An undaunted sense of this mission keeps the believer headed in the right direction (Matthew 28:19– 20). The soldier wore sandals with cleats made of sharp nails designed to give firm footing on even the most rugged terrain. “Readiness” may have the sense of preparation to share the gospel with others at a moment’s notice. “Readiness” may also refer to a prepared foundation that consists of the gospel of peace with God (Ephesians 2:17). Apply It: As Christians, we want to build our lives on the firm foundation of Jesus. The Bible is the source of that foundation—our guidebook for understanding who God is and how he supports us, for this life and the next: “God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’” (2 Timothy 2:19). We don’t want to be like one who builds a house on the shifting sands of culture and fad and philosophies that stand against God: “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure” (Isaiah 33:6). As you start your day each day, visualize your feet standing on the firm foundation of God’s Word. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be the one who helps you stand firm, no matter what your circumstances. And pray that he will also help you as you guide your family to stand firm on that same solid foundation: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2). 4. The Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16) The wicked one is “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10) and will send his fiery darts to instill doubt, fear, and guilt in each of our lives. Faith acts as an invisible shield that deflects such false accusations (Hebrews 11:6) and helps us understand who we truly are in God’s eyes. The long, oblong or oval shield was crafted from two layers of wood covered with linen or animal hides, bound together with iron. When fighting side by side, soldiers could hold these shields together to form a long wall. Soaked in water, they served as adequate defense against the enemy’s “flaming arrows”— arrows that had been dipped in pitch and ignited. The shield of faith offers God’s unlimited resources of power and wisdom (Ephesians 3:16–21) to resist the flaming arrows of distressing circumstances and temptation to evil (1 Corinthians 10:13). Apply It: Ask that God literally increase your faith (Mark 9:24). If you’re feeling like the darts of the evil one are finding their mark, understand that finding others to link arms with can be a great encouragement. Talk to your believing friends, or find a qualified Christian counselor to talk to about how to take up this shield and guard your life from the lies and accusations of Satan. And ask for the prayers of others so that your shields are joined together. Supportive Christian community can become a powerful defense in the face of spiritual attack. Realize that, even though you’re called to take up this shield yourself, the shield is given to you by God, and you hold it through the power he provides: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one” (Psalm 28:7-8, emphasis added). 5. The Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17) A helmet protects the head, that is, the brain and thoughts. Assurance of salvation is a mighty defense against doubt and insecurity and the kinds of works bred by them (1 John 5:11– 13). The soldier’s bronze helmet had leather attachments to hold it in place. Christians can experience protection from Satan’s attacks as they rest confidently in their position as members of God’s family (John 1:12– 13), set apart for his purposes (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Further, they can know God’s present work or sanctification in their lives, experiencing deliverance from sin (Galatians 5:16; Philippians 2:12– 13) and having the guarantee of future, eternal deliverance from every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Apply It: The mind is the place where spiritual battle takes place. Having the helmet of salvation securely fastened to protect our mind allows us to gain a perspective on our circumstances. When our salvation in Jesus is foremost in our minds, we are able to set our minds on God’s priorities, not our own (Colossians 3:2). Are you struggling to find God’s path forward in your life? Have your financial or family or emotional circumstances derailed you from what you believed was God’s plan for you? If so, Romans 12:2 offers guidance in this area: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Understand that the helmet of salvation, rightly secured, connects our minds—our wills, emotions, and actions—to the path that God wants us to take. Consider this Scripture: “Above all else, guard your heart [or your mind], for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:23-27 (brackets added). 6. The Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) The Word of God, the only offensive weapon in this armor, was used by the Lord Jesus against Satan (Luke 4:1– 13). The living Word is powerful, effective, and instructive (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16– 17). The short, two-edged sword enabled the heavily-armed soldier to attack deftly and defeat his enemy at close range. The believer’s sword may be understood to be either supplied by the Spirit or used by the Spirit. Paul further identified this sword as “the word of God” (see Hebrews 4:12). “Word” (Gk. rhema) most probably refers to specific sections of Scripture the Holy Spirit brings to mind to meet a particular need. Jesus’ use of specific sections of Deuteronomy in his encounter with Satan in the wilderness exemplified this (Matthew 4:4,7,10). Apply It: Using a weapon requires that we understand its two-edgedpotential. That can only be done in this case by reading the Word of God regularly. The Spirit equips us with this sword, and it is his joy and responsibility to help us understand how to use it: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). Pray that the Spirit will give you the instruction you need to use this sword when you need it. The Spirit will empower us as we take up this sword. As Jesus told his disciples, “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11). 7. Pray in the Spirit on All Occasions (Ephesians 6:18) Prayer opens the channels between us and God. In the midst of battle, we as believers must keep in constant communication with our Leader for directions and encouragement. Our prayers for one another are important and effectual (James 5:16). Prayer is not listed as a separate weapon of warfare but is rather given an all-encompassing status. Prayer is to be constant (1 Thessalonians 5:17) as the Christian prepares for battle, engages in it, and rests from it. All kinds of prayers are to be offered through the power of the Holy Spirit. Apply It: Make prayer your first response rather than your last resort. Learn how to focus as you come to God in prayer by following Jesus’ specific instructions: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). Bathe your life and your family in prayer before you do anything else: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Pray with confidence that God hears you—“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12)—and that he cares for you: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). As we’ve observed in this post, the spiritual realm is very real. While they may be invisible to us, we as Christians understand that there are powers at work trying to influence our hearts and minds every single day. This is exactly why Paul gave us these instructions for protecting ourselves with God’s armor. Through his Word and Spirit, God gives Christians the resources to fight and empowers us to follow his way. Pray that God will clearly guide and transform your thoughts and desires as you seek to walk closely with him. Adapted from the NIV Woman’s Study Bible.

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. And so begins the book of Matthew. It’s easy to gloss over the names in the long list that follows in Matthew 1. But what is the significance of the names? Why does Matthew include them and what do they tell us? Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. Matthew 1:1-17 1. There are fourteen generations between the four major events Matthew lists—Abraham, David, exile and Jesus. Matthew isn’t saying that there were literally fourteen generations between each event. He is doing something more interesting. Three sets of fourteen generations is the same as six sets of seven generations. In the Bible, the number seven symbolizes wholeness or completion. Jesus, therefore, represents the beginning of the seventh set of seven generations, the fullest completion of what came before him. 2. Matthew uses creative wordplay to show how Jesus fulfills all of Scripture. Asaph (also translated as Asa) is a figure associated with many of the Psalms, like Psalms 73–83, and Amos (also translated as Amon) is one of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus’ birth fulfills the Biblical story, and his spiritual heritage includes not just kings, but prophets and poets too. 3. Matthew highlights Joseph’s royal lineage from Judah through David. No Jewish family ancestry could be more prominent than the Davidic royal line. Although both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies trace Jesus’ royal ancestry on Joseph’s side of the family through somewhat different paths, both emphasize that, many centuries earlier, Jesus’ line proceeded from King David (see Romans 1:3; Revelation 5:5). Even though Jesus was not Joseph’s biological son, in the ancient world, an adopted child had the same rights and privileges as a biological child. This means that Jesus was considered a descendant of David, making it possible for him to reign as King of the kingdom God promised. 4. Matthew summarizes the Old Testament with three main events leading up to Jesus. With Abraham, he recalls God’s promise to bless all nations. With David, he recalls God’s promise to establish an everlasting kingdom. With the exile, Matthew highlights the great act of judgment that questioned whether God would keep his promises. Matthew wants to introduce the story of Jesus by showing that he fulfills the Old Testament’s story. 5. Matthew includes five women in the genealogy of Jesus: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheeba and Mary. This would have been odd by ancient standards. It’s even more surprising that Tamar, Rahab and Ruth are not Jewish. Matthew is highlighting Jesus’ mixed heritage on purpose. It is striking because one of the purposes of ancient Jewish genealogies was often to often to highlight the purity of one’s Israelite (or Levite, etc.) ancestry. Jesus came not just to save the Jewish people, but the whole world, and his family lineage shows that God also makes non-Jewish people part of his special covenant family. 6. Jesus’s Ancestry Shows God’s Faithfulness. Some Jewish teachers have remarked that arranging all the marriages in people’s ancestry was a greater miracle than the parting of the sea in Moses’ day. Jewish recipients familiar with Scripture would hear the names of most of these ancestors with rich nuances of how God had guided His people’s history. Far from being foreign to their heritage, Jesus was its climax. Drawn from The NIV Telos Bible.

Conflict at Church Who isn’t discouraged by conflict at church? After all, church should be as close as we get to heaven on earth, right? Yet there are so many opportunities for disagreement at church. Conflict comes from differences of opinion, like whether church leaders were right to reduce support for the crisis pregnancy center you love. It comes from differences of conviction, like that church member whose social media feed promotes positions you find morally troubling. Sometimes it’s differences of culture or class that make you feel like an outsider in your own church. And sometimes it’s no deeper than people who rub you the wrong way. All those disagreements and differences can really drive us crazy. Sometimes that’s the result of sin and we need to repent. Or it’s a sign of an unhealthy church and we need to leave. But very often—perhaps more often than we think—all these differences and disagreements are not a sign that things have gone tragically wrong but instead, gloriously right. After all, a church should be centered on Christ alone, not on Christ and a bunch of secondary matters, like Christ and shared tastes in music, or Christ and shared convictions about children’s schooling options, by Christ and shared revulsion at so-and-so’s social media post. Christ alone. He is enough to keep us together despite all these differences. What’s more, uniting around him despite all these differences is part of how we show off the power of his gospel at work within us. That’s what we see in the churches of the New Testament. Take the churches in Rome, for example. If I were creating a church-planting plan for first century Rome, I’d encourage a church for Jews in one part of the city and a church for Gentiles in another, knowing how they feel about each other, praying that over time they’d increasingly cooperate. But God’s plan was for these churches to be Jew-Gentile from the very beginning, with all the miscommunication, mistrust, and misunderstandings that no doubt implied. Do you think they ever drove each other crazy? Yet this was how God was to get glory for himself. As Paul concludes a lengthy section in Romans 14 on how Jews and Gentiles should live together in the local church despite all their differences, he prays in Romans 15:5, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Remember God’s Goals, Mercy, and Choice Though unity in a diverse church isn’t easy—note that Paul prays to the God of endurance and encouragement—the differences that threaten to tear our churches apart are opportunities to demonstrate that being “in accord with Christ Jesus” is all we need to be in “harmony with one another.” That’s how “with one voice” we “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If your church is about Jesus and a certain stream of politics, you rob him of glory. If your church is about Jesus and a certain philosophy of parenting, you rob him of glory. Just as God gets greater glory through redemption than through creation alone, the glory he receives in your church’s unity is greater in disagreement and difference than if everyone were in the same place to begin with. So what do we do when the disagreements and differences at church are driving us crazy? Realistically, we often resort to our basic fight or flight instincts. We might fight, trying to take down the people we disagree with. Sometimes that’s a good decision, when the gospel’s at stake. Very often, though, all we accomplish are the “dissensions” and “divisions” Paul condemns as “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5. On the other hand, sometimes we give up on the idea of a church centered on Christ alone and avoid those difficult people—or flee to another church altogether. Sometimes that instinct is also good, when we need to leave if we’re to continue growing in Christ. But too often we’re merely exchanging the glory of Christ-centered difference for the Christ-optional comfort of similarity. And easy love rarely shows off gospel power. Instead, we should love. If we should love even our enemies, as Jesus commanded in Luke 6, how much more the people who are driving us crazy at church? So when they’re driving you crazy, remember three things so that you might love. First, remember God’s goals. That is, his goals for your time at church. The reason God has you at church isn’t rooted in the sense of belonging you get there, or comfortable friendships, or even most fundamentally in the missions and evangelism that your church does together. The reason God has you at church is so that through love you might, together, proclaim the excellence of who he is. As Jesus said in John 13, “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And love for those with whom you share little in common other than Christ is a particularly powerful statement. That’s one thing you need to remember when those differences are driving you crazy. Second, remember God’s mercy. That is, the mercy he’s shown to you. That’s, in fact, where Paul begins as he prepares these Jew-Gentile churches in Rome for the difficult task of being the church together. Romans 12:1: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” Present your bodies—plural—as a living sacrifice—singular. Not two sacrifices, one Jew and one Gentile. But one. How? By the mercies of God. This isn’t a kind of love you can have by white-knuckling it. After all, if you could, who would that glorify, Jesus . . . or you? Beyond that, the love that should characterize our churches, as Paul describes later in Romans 12, is genuine, zealous, and affectionate. That’s not a mind-over-matter kind of love. No, our love is powered by the immensity of the mercy we’ve received. Because forgiven sinners forgive. Loved sinners love. And the mercy we’ve received is divine power for us to show mercy. So when you’re struggling to love, look to the love of the one who loved you first. And third, remember God’s choice. That is, his choice to put you and those people who drive you crazy into the same church at the same time. As Paul in Romans 12:4 wrote, “as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” But Lord, you say, couldn’t they be indispensable to someone else’s church body? No. In God’s wisdom, he’s put them with you. As such, Paul’s description of the church as Christ’s body functions not so much as a command but an invitation. It offers hope that as you continue to seek Christ together as a church, you will discover how suited you really are for each other. You are, as Paul writes, “individually members of one another.” You belong together—like a blended family that forms when mom and dad marry after being widowed or divorced. What Paul calls you to isn’t what the siblings feel on day one, when “you belong to them” means “you ought to love them.” It’s more like what you feel in year ten, if things go well, where you want to love because you belong together as a family. That’s God’s invitation for you. So, have all the differences and disagreements with the other saints at your church caught you by surprise? Remember, that may simply be evidence that your church is not centered on Christ and some other secondary matter but on Christ alone. So remember God’s goal for your church—to be a demonstration that Christ can unite what the world divides. Remember God’s mercy, because it is divine power for you to love with joy, even where love is hard. And remember God’s choice—that he has designed your church body just as it is, and so you belong together. As much as unity amidst great difference is costly to us, it was infinitely more costly to our Savior, wasn’t it? It is only because his body hung on a cross that we can be members of his body. And that is wonderful news. Jesus’s sacrifice is costly enough to pay the price of unity and love, no matter our differences. Remember God’s goal for your church—to be a demonstration that Christ can unite what the world divides. Jamie Dunlop is the author of Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church.

No Longer Slaves We are no longer under Old Testament law; but as believers, we are still marked by our obedience to Christ. We are no longer enslaved to the law, but set free to honor the Lord with our lives. Be encouraged by reading the following Scriptures with commentary from the ESV Study Bible. 1. Deuteronomy 6:4–9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Read More Hear, O Israel. This verse is called the Shema from the Hebrew word for “Hear.” The Lord our God, the Lord is one. The Lord alone is Israel’s God, “the only one.” It is a statement of exclusivity, not of the internal unity of God. This point arises from the argument of chapter 4 and the first commandment. While Deuteronomy does not argue theoretically for monotheism, it requires Israel to observe a practical monotheism (cf. Deut. 4:35). This stands in sharp contrast to the polytheistic Canaanites. all. That the Lord alone is Israel’s God leads to the demand for Israel’s exclusive and total devotion to him. heart. . . soul. . . might. All Israelites in their total being are to love the Lord; “this is the great and first commandment” (Matt. 22:38). In Matt. 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27, Jesus also includes “mind.” In early Hebrew, “heart” included what we call the “mind”. “Might” indicates energy and ability. on your heart. is the demand is for a heart that totally loves the Lord. Deuteronomy anticipates the new covenant, when God’s words will be truly and effectively written on the heart (Jer. 31:31–34; also Deut. 5:6–8).The two pairs of opposites (sit/walk, lie down/rise*) suggest any and every time, place, and activity. bind them. . . write them.** Many Jews have fulfilled these commands literally with phylacteries (Deut. 6:8) and mezuzot (Deut. 6:9), i.e., boxes bound on the arm and forehead or attached to doorposts containing Deut.6:4–5 and other Scripture verses. 2. Psalm 1:1–2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Read More Blessed. The truly happy person is happy because God showers him with favor. Jesus uses the Greek equivalent in Matthew 5:3–11; cf. also James 1:12. The Latin translation, beatus, is the source of the word beatitude. the man. A specific, godly individual (Hb. ha’ish, “the man”)—is held up as an example for others to imitate. Such teaching by use of a concrete example is common in Old Testament wisdom literature. wicked. . . sinners. . . scoffers are people, even within Israel, who refuse to live by the covenant; the godly person refuses to follow the moral orientation of such people’s lifestyle. Some have seen an increasing level of sinfulness in the terms “wicked-sinners-scoffers,” together with an increasing loyalty in the metaphors “walk-stand-sit”; however, it is likely that the terms “wicked” and “sinner” here are equivalent, while a “scoffer” is certainly more committed to evil. the law of the Lord. This could be taken as God’s instruction (Hb. Torah, which often designates the Law of Moses), particularly as he speaks in his covenant. For this reason no one should ever think that such a person receives his blessedness by deserving it, since the covenant is founded on God’s grace. Meditates describes an active pondering, perhaps even muttering to oneself in pursuit of insight. Some suppose *day and night speaks of the work of professional scholars who spend all their time pondering the words of the law, but in view of the similar instruction in Josh. 1:8, readers should see this as setting the ideal of facing every situation, be it ever so mundane, with a view to pleasing the Lord by knowing and following his word. 3. James 1:22–25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Read More Hearing the word without action is self-deceptive, while hearing that results in doing the word is a blessing. Being doers of the word, and not hearers only is the only proper response to the word of God (not only the gospel but the entirety of Scripture), allowing it to take root in one’s life (James1:21). Looking intently at his natural face in a mirror and then forgetting what he was like demonstrates the folly of examining oneself in God’s “mirror” of the “implanted word” (James 1:21) and then doing nothing about it (James 1:22). When one sees imperfections (as when looking in a mirror), common sense says something should be done about it. 4. Matthew 7:24–27 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. Read More hears these words of mine and does them. A parable brings the Sermon on the Mount to a close as Jesus calls for his audience to decide between himself and the religious establishment, drawing a dividing line between himself and any other foundation for life. The evidence of whether one is truly a believer is in whether one does the words of Jesus (cf. James 1:22–23 and 2:20–22 and notes on these verses). wise man. Disciples who build their lives on the bedrock of Jesus and his message of the kingdom of heaven are truly wise, regardless of the shifting cultural or religious fashions. 5. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Read More Children. A family relationship illustrating submission to proper authority (Eph. 6:21) is that of children and parents. The Mosaic law prescribed death for the child who struck or cursed a parent (Ex. 21:15, 17; Lev. 20:9), and Paul lists such disobedience as one of many grave sins (Rom. 1:30; 2 Tim. 3:2). However, Paul urges in Ephesians 6:1–3 the positive duty of children to obey their parents. Obedience is due to both parents; the mother’s submission to her husband does not remove her parental dignity but rather increases it. In the Lord modifies the verb “obey.” right. What makes such obedience “right” or “just” is that it conforms to God’s holy commandment, quoted in Ephesians 6:2–3. Honor. Children obeying their parents (Eph. 6:1) is in part how they honor them; see also Proverbs 31:28, which describes children rising to bless a wise and godly mother. promise. There were earlier commands of God with promises (e.g., Gen. 17:1–2), but this is the first and only of the Ten Commandments to contain a promise (see also Ex. 20:12). In the new covenant the promise of the land is not physical land on earth but eternal life, which begins when one is regenerated here and now and comes to full reality in the age to come. Paul is not teaching salvation on the basis of works. The obedience of children is evidence that they know God, and it results in receiving blessings from God. 6. John 15:10–14 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. Read More Obedience is not to be equated with drudgery; it is all about joy. The Old Testament prophets envisioned a period of great end-time rejoicing (e.g., Isa. 25:9; Isa. 35:10; Isa. 51:3; Isa. 61:10; Isa. 66:10; Zeph. 3:14–17; Zech. 9:9). God threatened judgment if his people would not serve him “with joyfulness and gladness of heart” (Deut. 28:47–48). that my joy may be in you. Just as Jesus had great joy in obeying his Father even in the midst of opposition, so Christians will have joy in obedience. You are my friends implies a stunning level of comfortable personal interaction with one who is also the eternal, omnipotent Creator of the universe (see John 1:1–3, 10). In the Old Testament, only Abraham (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) and by implication Moses (Ex. 33:11) are called “friends of God.” Here Jesus extends this privilege to all obedient believers. 7. Romans 2:6–11 He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. Read More Paul establishes the principle that judgment is according to . . . works. The structure of the passage is clear. Romans 2: 6 enunciates the principle. Romans 2:7–10 work it out more specifically with an ABBA pattern (a chiasm). Romans 2:11 then explains why God judges according to works (because he is impartial). When Paul speaks of those who are rewarded for doing good works (Rom.2:7, 10), is he speaking hypothetically or of real obedience? The hypothetical view fits with the theme of the section as a whole (Rom.1:18–3:20), where all are condemned for sin, and righteousness does not come by works of law. It seems more likely, however, that Paul is speaking here of real obedience that is rewarded on the last day—such obedience being the result of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, as Paul explains at the conclusion of the chapter (Rom. 2:26–29). Impartiality in judgment (Rom.2:11) is a regular requirement in the Old Testament (see Deut. 1:17; 16:18–20), reflecting the righteousness of God’s judgment (Deut. 10:17). 8. Genesis 22:17–18 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. Read More The divine oath recorded in these verses should not be overlooked, for it brings to a climax a process that started with the conditional promises made by God to Abraham in Gen. 12:1–3. By myself I have sworn. The fact that God swears by himself gives to these words a unique authority, assuring Abraham that they will indeed be fulfilled (see Heb. 6:13–18). The oath falls into two parts: whereas the first half focuses on Abraham’s many descendants, the second part concentrates on a single descendant who will overcome his enemies (Gen. 22:17) and mediate blessing to all the nations of the earth (Gen.22:18). Although the second half of the oath is often taken to refer to all of Abraham’s descendants, Genesis as a whole is interested in tracing a single unique line of offspring that will eventually bring forth a special King who will rule over the Gentiles, and the reference to “his enemies” points in this direction. This is why Paul (Gal. 3:16) can insist on one offspring, who is “Christ” (i.e., the Messiah; cf. Gen. 3:15; 24:60 for “offspring” as a particular descendant). And this explains why Isaac is clearly set apart from Ishmael as Abraham’s heir. From the perspective of the whole Bible, this oath to Abraham comes to fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Acts 3:25–26; Gal. 3:16). The central focus of God’s words to Abraham is on the way in which Abraham’s actions are a vindication of his faith (see Rom. 4:3, 22–23; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23). Many also see an allusion in Romans 8:32 to this verse. 9. Joshua 1:7–8 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Read More Three times the Lord charges Joshua to be strong and courageous, words reminiscent of Joshua’s earlier commissioning under Moses (see Deut. 31:6–8, 23). Joshua will need strength and courage to accept his task (you shall cause this people to inherit the land; Josh. 1:6); to obey the Torah (Book of the Law [Josh.1:8]; most likely this would have included at least the book of Deuteronomy or portions thereof [see Deut. 31:26, “this law”]); and to resist being terrified (do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed; Josh.1:9). Most difficult of all will be the middle responsibility—namely, to make the Lord’s instructions (Hb. Torah) integral to who he is and what he does (Josh.1:8a), meditating on them constantly so as to do them (Josh.1:8b). Thus the middle exhortation is made emphatic by the addition of two small words: “only be strong and very courageous.” Given Joshua’s leadership responsibilities, this charge to be strong and courageous would be daunting were it not for the framing promises: I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you (Josh.1:5); and the LORD your God is with you wherever you go (Josh.1:9). Fortified by these assurances of the Lord’s abiding presence, Joshua is empowered to receive his commission with courage. The Hebrew terminology used in these assurances has nothing to do with worldly wealth or worldly success, but has everything to do with accomplishing one’s mission and acting with keen insight in any circumstance that presents itself. Only when one fails to “ask counsel from the LORD” (Josh. 9:14) is such insight lacking. 10. Romans 5:18–19 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Read More Paul contrasts the consequences of the work of Adam and of Christ, showing their decisive roles as covenantal heads of the people they represent. Paul clearly teaches “original sin,” the fact that all people inherit a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin. Paul probably is also teaching that all people are in fact guilty before God because of Adam’s sin. Many (i.e., all human beings excluding Christ) died through Adam’s one sin. Death begins with spiritual separation from God and culminates in physical death. By contrast Paul emphasizes the lavishness of Christ’s grace bestowed on the many that belong to him. The one trespass of Adam, as the covenantal head of the human race, brought condemnation and guilt to all people. In a similar way, Christ’s one act of righteousness (either his death as such or his whole life of perfect obedience, including his death) grants righteousness and life to all who belong to him. for all men. Some interpreters have advocated universalism (the view that all will be saved) based on these verses. But Paul makes it plain in this context that only those who “receive” (Rom. 5:17) God’s gift belong to Christ (see also Rom. 1:16–5:11, which indicates that only those who have faith will be justified). The wording as … so shows that Paul’s focus is not on the number in each group but on the method of either sin or righteousness being passed from the representative. The first “all men” refers to all who are in Adam (every human being), while the second “all men” refers to all believers, to all who are “in Christ.” Because of Adam’s disobedience, all people were made (Gk. kathistēmi, “cause[d] to be”) sinners. Thus, when Adam as mankind’s representative sinned, God regarded the whole human race as guilty sinners, thereby imputing Adam’s guilt to everyone. In other words, God regarded Adam’s guilt as belonging to the whole human race, while also declaring that Adam’s guilt does in fact belong to all. All are therefore sinners, and are born with a sinful nature that is set in the mold of Adam’s transgression. This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series.

Life can be difficult. We make choices that produce unintended and difficult circumstances, and people make decisions that work against us and bring us pain. When we enter into these difficult times, the pain tends to draw our eyes downward, away from God and toward ourselves. Our pain, understandably, becomes large, and as a result our perspective is that God becomes small, ineffective, unable to save. While that’s certainly not true, our personal pain can overwhelm us to the point of believing that to be true. It is at times like these that certain stories in the Bible are especially helpful, and none more so than the story of creation. Although there are many controversies connected with Genesis 1, we can all agree that the theology of the passage teaches us critical and central truths about God. As we focus on his power and his loving nature, perhaps the pains of our lives can move into the background. Genesis 1—God the Creator Genesis 1:1–2 begins by affirming that God is the sole creator of everything. He stands above creation, is separate from creation, and is sovereign over all he has made. The stage is set. In the first three days, God takes what is chaotic and makes it inhabitable, and he does this merely by his spoken word. We need to stop and let that bounce around in our heads for a while. From Genesis 1 we understand that God creates and controls matter at the subatomic and molecular level, and even in the face of that knowledge, our temptation at times is to think that God cannot help us in our pain. Sounds almost silly when one puts it that way. God makes light without the sun and stars, in contrast to the pagan myths that saw the sun as the ultimate power. To God, the sun and stars are incidental in creation. He makes water that can exist in three states — liquid, solid, and gas — knowing that thousands of years later he will change the molecular structure of water to something else so that his Son can walk on it. (At least, that is one possibility.) Just stop and think about that: The God whom we love and worship, the God who pursues us, this all-powerful God merely speaks, and reality, time, atoms, and molecules come into existence. Since the beginning of creation, these have always been under his control so he can perform the miracles we read about in the Gospels: he turns water into wine, heals physical and mental illness, and merely speaks to give life to the dead. And remember, he is as loving as he is powerful. The second half of creation week is about inhabiting what is now inhabitable. He makes the stars and places them in the heavens, puts fish in the seas, releases birds into the skies, and creates animals and, finally, humans to fill the earth. The earth does not have the innate ability to produce life; it is a gift from God. What’s the point? There is only one God who creates all and is sovereign over all he has made; he will not share his glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). Let’s allow Genesis 1 to enlarge our vision of God so that we can begin to see the immensity of who he is. How big is our God? Have the pains of life become so large that they control our attention? Has the God of Genesis 1 become so unsatisfying that the gods of this world compete for our affection — pleasure, absence of pain, power, independence? Or is our God the God of Genesis 1, the One who speaks all things into existence? The One who is sovereign over absolutely everything? The One who is wise beyond anything we can understand? Is he the God who is worthy of being pursued with every ounce of passion in our body and spirit; the one to whom we cry out in our pain, to whom hang on in times of trouble, whom we serve, and whom we glorify in our obedience? That’s the question of life. Is pain teaching us the lessons we need to learn to grow up and be like Christ, or has it successfully averted our eyes and limited our ability to believe in God’s power? Finally, in the midst of all the pain, let us never forget that God is as loving as he is powerful. By Dr. Bill Mouncefounder and President of BiblicalTraining.org

What does the Bible say about evangelism? We take a look at six scriptures that provide direction and encouragement for reaching others about Jesus. Exponential Growth But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 “To the ends of the earth.” That’s a pretty ambitious goal. You’ll notice, though, that Jesus didn’t lead with that destination. He started with Jerusalem, the immediate vicinity for the disciples. That was their first assignment. Your immediate vicinity–your home, neighborhood, town, job—is your first witnessing assignment, too. Don’t underestimate its importance. You may be called to take the gospel to a distant land, but remember that you don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth to impact the people there. Spiritual growth is exponential. Ideally, the people you influence on a local level will influence others. Those people, in turn, will impact still others. And so on and so on . . . all the way to the ends of the earth. A Light to the World “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 What do non-Christians see when they look at your life? Do they see someone whose life and heart have been transformed? Do they see someone whose actions reflect the priorities they claim? Do they see a person who demonstrates the extraordinary love of Jesus to friends and enemies alike? Do they see a person who can be trusted to give godly advice when they need it? Do they see a light of God’s salvation in a dark world? That’s a lot to ask of anyone, but God asks it. What can you do to be a light of his love to the world? Sowing Seeds While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” Luke 8:4-8 When it comes to spreading the gospel, would you describe your method as sowing seed? Are you overly careful about who you tell about Jesus and the salvation he offers? Or do you faithfully spread the message, season after season? We can’t readily see hearts the way God does, and sometimes the most surprising person is the one where the seed takes root and grows vigorously. After sharing, think about the cultivation process. Seeds need soil, water and sun. So spend some time with people; get to know them. Find out what’s going on in their lives. Look for ways to share what Jesus offers so that it addresses specific needs in people’s lives. And then pray for a harvest. A Reasonable Act As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. Acts 17:2-4 “He reasoned with them.” That’s a key phrase for us to remember as we approach non-believers with the truth about Jesus. Many well-meaning Christians make the mistake of treating witnessing as a combative exercise. They approach it with a win-lose mentality. Their goal is to change minds and win converts. Anything less is viewed as a defeat. Paul’s approach makes much more sense. He engaged people at a level where they were comfortable. He used reasoning, not arguing, to get his points across. He trusted the Holy Spirit to bless and use his efforts to make a difference in people’s lives. Be Prepared But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 It’s one thing to revere Christ as Lord and follow him. It’s another to be able to explain why you do. Why do you live your life based on a book written thousands of years ago? Why is Christianity any better than another religion? How can anyone have hope with the troubled world situation today? If you’re serious about representing Christ, prepare yourself for answering some questions. The best way to prepare is to anticipate the questions. Think about the things that confused you before you became a Christian. Talk to mature believers about how to answer difficult questions. Read, listen, learn. Christ is the hope of the world. Be prepared to share why. Something About You This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” Zechariah 8:23 When was the last time someone asked if you were a Christian? Whether the question was phrased as an accusation, an exclamation of surprise or out of simple curiosity, how did you respond? Being thought of as “different” or being recognized as a Christian because someone has “heard that God is with you” is an honor. Pointing others to our great God is both our privilege and our responsibility. So, how often are you recognized as a Christian? If true godliness is a magnet that attracts other people, how strong is your magnetic appeal? What steps can you take to strengthen it? Questions for Growth: 1. How might you use your gifts and relationships to witness to others? 2. If God does not need us to witness to others, why does he command us to do so? 3. What can you do to gain a greater love and passion to “lead many to righteousness”? Drawn from Rooted: The NIV Bible for Men.

Understanding the Sacraments Many Christians today have a weak understanding of the sacraments (also often called ordinances) and what they accomplish in the lives of believers. We know they are important because Jesus commanded that we observe them, but we are largely unaware of their purpose and power. One specific point of confusion is whether baptism is a one-time event in the life of the believer and whether anyone—baptized or not—can take the Lord’s Supper. Even if certain Christians affirm that baptism can be received only once, they may not understand why, and they may not know whether the Lord’s Supper should be given to only those who have been baptized. Baptism First In order to understand the relation between baptism and the Lord’s Supper, we must first understand what baptism is. Christians debate what exactly happens when a person is baptized, and such debates will likely abound until Christ returns. Nevertheless, all Christians believe that baptism signifies (points to) something. Many Christians today think that baptism simply symbolizes personal faith in Jesus Christ. While baptism and faith are frequently connected in Scripture, functioning like two sides of the same coin, Scripture teaches that baptism represents far more than personal faith. Baptism transliterates the Greek noun baptisma, which means “immersion,” and the verb baptizō literally means “to put or go under water,” though it carries several other senses. Greek expert William Mounce shows that in the New Testament, baptizō is used to describe ceremonial washing, especially that which was practiced in the Israelite tradition for the purpose of purification. It is also used “to describe the use of water in a rite for the purpose of establishing or renewing a relationship with God,” and so it “became a technical term.” Throughout the New Testament, we read of persons being baptized when they come to faith in Jesus Christ, signifying that they have entered into a covenant relationship with the triune God. More specifically, the New Testament speaks of persons being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5). Baptism therefore represents our immersion into Jesus Christ. We now exist in him, and our very lives are determined by who he is. He is our Lord; we live under his authority, and we are being remade after his image. Because baptism represents our immersion into Christ, our whole existence now being enveloped into his, it also represents all the benefits we have received in him—for he is the fountain of our salvation. And so Scriptures teaches us that baptism signifies remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16), reconciliation to the Father and adoption (Gal. 3:26–27), new life in the Spirit (John 3:5; Titus 3:5), and incorporation into Christ’s body, the church (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27–28)—to name some of the chief blessings we receive in Christ. Baptism is the sacrament of the new existence we have in Jesus. And so it is a rite, a practice, an event that is concerned with identity—of who we are in Christ. Baptism into Christ can no more be repeated than one’s natural birth can be repeated, and so water baptism is the onetime sacrament of our immersion into Christ. Then Communion Whereas baptism is the sacrament of our incorporation into Christ, the Lord’s Supper is the sacrament of our ongoing participation in Christ. Put differently, while baptism signifies our union with Christ, which has a definite beginning, the Lord’s Supper signifies our communion with Christ, which is perpetual. A core part of taking the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is perpetually identifying with our crucified and risen Lord: allowing our life stories—our very identities—to be conformed to his. One reason this is true is because the Supper is analogous to the Passover, which was a meal whereby Israelites identified with the exodus generation and allowed their present stories and circumstances to be shaped by the past. So when we eat the bread and drink the cup of Communion, we identify with the living, active, and present Christ, with whom we have eternal fellowship. We acknowledge that he lives in us and we in him. This meal therefore ratifies and shapes in profound ways our identity as persons immersed into Christ. Just as the body is nourished and strengthened by food and drink, so the identity and new existence we have received as persons baptized into Christ are maintained and developed as we feast on his flesh and blood. This is one reason why countless Christians throughout the history of the church have insisted that only those who have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are admitted to the Lord’s Table. This may seem arbitrary or even legalistic to many modern-day Christians, but there are solid biblical and theological reasons for such a practice. The most significant reason why baptism must precede Communion is Christological. At his baptism in the Jordan river, Jesus was declared to be the beloved Son of the Father and was empowered by the Holy Spirit for his messianic ministry (Matt. 3:16–17; Luke 3:21–22). The messianic task and identity that Jesus received in his baptism at the Jordan was fulfilled in his crucifixion and death, his baptism at Golgotha (see Mark 10:38; Luke 12:50). In his baptism into death, Jesus as the faithful and obedient Spirit-filled Son of the Father gave himself “so that those whom he would baptize in the Spirit, his Father’s Spirit of Sonship, could enter into communion with his Father.” The sequence of Jesus’s water baptism, death, and resurrection are therefore theologically significant. Jesus had to be baptized with water and the Spirit first in order to be commissioned and empowered for his public ministry, yes, as well as for his death and resurrection. And as persons baptized into Christ, united to him, our life pattern conforms to his. “As Jesus’s baptism finds its end, its fulfillment in his death and resurrection where he comes fully into his Spirit-filled communion with his Father,” Thomas Weinandy explains, “so the baptism of the faithful finds its end, its fulfillment, within the Eucharistic Liturgy wherein they come into full communion with the Father.” Our union with Christ (exhibited in baptism) is what makes possible our communion with Christ (exhibited in the Supper) and therefore our communion with the Father by the power of the Spirit. Only those who are bound to Christ in life-giving union are able to commune with him. And as we commune with him, we are strengthened by him to become more of who we are made and called to be in baptism. When we are baptized into Christ, we are born again, and our very selves are reconfigured. We are not given new life in some generic sense or a burst of energy to foster who we already are but are given an entirely new existence and therefore a radically different identity in the Son. And in the Lord’s Supper, that identity is maintained and developed as we commune with the Lord—as we identify with him, are continually transformed by him, and await the fullness of our salvation. Just as bread and wine sustain and enhance the body, so Christ’s body and blood sustain and enhance our existence and identity as persons in Christ. And so in taking the Lord’s Supper, we become more of who we are made and called to be in baptism. Just as bread and wine sustain and enhance the body, so Christ’s body and blood sustain and enhance our existence and identity as persons in Christ. Kevin P. Emmert is the author of The Water and the Blood: How the Sacraments Shape Christian Identity.

All commentary sections adapted from the ESV Study Bible. 1. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. This is the core maxim of the book: the quest for wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (cf. Ps. 9:10 and Ps. 111:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”). “Knowledge” and “wisdom” are closely tied together in Proverbs: “knowledge” tends to focus on correct understanding of the world and oneself as creatures of the magnificent and loving God, while “wisdom” is the acquired skill of applying that knowledge rightly, or “skill in the art of godly living”. On the fear of the Lord, see notes on Acts 5:5; 9:31; Rom. 3:18; Phil. 2:12–13; 1 Pet. 1:17; 1 John 4:18. The reason that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom is that the moral life begins with reverence and humility before the Maker and Redeemer. The idea of a quest for knowledge sets biblical wisdom in the broad context of the ancient Near Eastern quest for truth, and this verse also validates such a quest as legitimate and good. Thus it affirms a kind of “creational revelation,” the idea that one can find moral and theological truth through observing the world. At the same time, it distinguishes the biblical pursuit of knowledge and wisdom from those of the surrounding cultures, for it asserts that submission to the Lord is foundational to the attainment of real understanding (cf. Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10). By using the covenant name “the LORD” in preference to the more generic “God,” this verse makes the point that truth is found through Israel’s God. In addition, the verse asserts that fools despise wisdom and instruction, thus setting up the alternative between the two ways of wisdom and folly. This contrast dominates the entire book, as the way of wisdom, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord is set against the way of folly, evil, and scoffing. 2. Proverbs 3:5–6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Subordinating one’s own understanding to the Lord is in keeping with the major thesis of Proverbs, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Trust in the LORD is necessary for fulfilling any of the wise ways of life taught in Proverbs; trusting the Lord is closely connected to “fearing” him (cf. Prov. 1:7; 2:5; Prov. 9:10; Prov. 15:33; Prov. 19:23; etc.). “With all your heart” indicates that trust goes beyond intellectual assent to a deep reliance on the Lord, a settled confidence in his care and his faithfulness to his word. “Do not lean on your own understanding” further explains trusting in the Lord. One’s “understanding” in Proverbs is his perception of the right course of action. The wise will govern themselves by what the Lord himself declares, and will not set their own finite and often-mistaken understanding against his. To make straight a person’s paths means to make the course of the person’s life one that continually progresses toward a goal. In Proverbs, the emphasis is on the moral quality of one’s life path (here, its moral “straightness”). 3. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Believers are to have an undivided faith, asking for wisdom from their ever-wise and all-generous God. James addresses the believer who lacks wisdom in handling trials. Wisdom, as in the Old Testament, is a God-given and God-centered discernment regarding the practical issues in life. Wisdom comes from prayer for God’s help. God gives generously (with “single-minded” liberality) and without reproach (he does not want anyone to hesitate to come to him). 4. Ephesians 5:6–10 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Paul is not telling Christians to avoid all contact with nonbelievers but to avoid joining with them in their sin. The Bible gives general principles for life, but followers of Christ must use wisdom to discern how to apply those principles to the concrete issues of their lives. The book of Proverbs is of great help in this regard. Such wisdom may be defined as “the skill of godly living,” which one must thoughtfully discern, apply, and practice in order to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. 5. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Christian faith is not spiritual gullibility. The unseen spiritual influences that guide people’s speech and actions can be “tested” by observing their doctrine and conduct as well as by the gift of spiritual discernment (cf. 1 Cor. 12:10; 14:29). False prophets are people who claim to speak for God but are actually speaking by demonic influence (1 John 4:3–4). In today’s age of “tolerance,” discriminating discernment can be viewed as being judgmental (cf. “Judge not,” Matt. 7:1). Yet Jesus also taught, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). 6. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The present evil age still threatens those who belong to Christ, so they must resist its pressure. Their lives are changed as their minds are made new (contrast Rom. 1:28), so that they are able to “discern” God’s will. By testing you may discern translates Greek dokimazō, which often has the sense of finding out the worth of something by putting it to use or testing it in actual practice (cf. Luke 14:19; 1 Cor. 3:13; 2 Cor. 8:22; 1 Tim. 3:10). 7. James 3:13–18 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. These verses could be called “the tale of two cities”—the realm of wisdom (framing the passage in James 3:13, 17) contrasted with that of selfish ambition. The one “from above” leads to “peace,” while the “earthly” one leads to “disorder.” Wisdom for James is not merely intellectual but also behavioral. Meekness (Gk. prautēs, translated “gentleness” in Gal. 5:23) was considered weakness by the Greeks, but Jesus elevated it to a primary Christian virtue (Matt. 5:5; 11:29). Meekness comes not from cowardice or passivity but rather from trusting God and therefore being set free from anxious self-promotion. 8. Matthew 7:24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. A parable brings the Sermon on the Mount to a close as Jesus calls for his audience to decide between himself and the religious establishment, drawing a dividing line between himself and any other foundation for life. The evidence of whether one is truly a believer is in whether one does the words of Jesus (cf. James 1:22–23 and James 2:20–22). Disciples who build their lives on the bedrock of Jesus and his message of the kingdom of heaven are truly wise, regardless of the shifting cultural or religious fashions. 9. Philippians 1:9–10 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. The first petition in Paul’s prayer is that God would cause the cardinal Christian virtue of love to abound more and more, and that it would be accompanied by knowledge and all discernment, so that the Philippians’ love would find expression in wise actions that would truly benefit others and glorify God. As Christians grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, they will increasingly be able to affirm and practice what is excellent. Such joyful obedience to God will give them the confidence of being found pure and blameless when Jesus returns. This does not imply instantaneous spiritual perfection but rather an increasing likeness to Christ. But fruit of righteousness is not produced in the believer’s own power. Because that fruit comes through Jesus Christ, it will result in the glory and praise of God. 10. Romans 11:33–35 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” the As he concludes his setting forth of God’s great plan in the history of salvation (Rom. 1–11), Paul breaks forth into praise. God’s wisdom and ways are far beyond the understanding of human beings, and hence he deserves all the glory. The words of Isaiah 40:13 teach that no human being knows the mind of the Lord apart from revelation, and no one can serve as God’s adviser. Likewise the majestic words of Job 41:11 are a reminder that no one ultimately gives anything to God. Instead, everything humans have is a gift from God (1 Cor. 4:7). Since all things are from God, and through God, and for God, it follows that he deserves all the glory forever. God’s saving plan brings him great honor, praise, and glory forever and ever. This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series by: Crossway

This beautiful, brief psalm is one of the most often memorized and recited texts in the entire Bible. It sits at the beginning of a book that is widely recognized as having been the hymnbook for the ancient people of Israel. It has also given deep comfort to many who find themselves in difficult circumstances, as it is often used in the context of funeral services. In short, billions of people around the world have found comfort and the reassurance of God’s provision and protection in the words of David, whose long experience as a shepherd—first of actual sheep, and then of the people of Israel—uniquely qualified him to write this picturesque song. A Deeper Look at Psalm 23 The different phrases of this psalm lead us to a greater understanding of the Lord’s great love and care for us, his followers: “The LORD is my shepherd.” When David proclaimed that God was his shepherd, he described to us the wonder of God reaching out to the individual. Indeed, this is the only place in the Bible where the author describes God as his personal shepherd. Though God’s flock numbers in the billions, he still cares for each one of us (1 Peter 5:7). Also in claiming God as his personal shepherd, David recognized God’s authority over his life. And because God is gracious and cares for each one of us, we also submit to his authority and care. God knows what is best for all of us; he sees the end from the beginning, and his will for us is an outgrowth of his shepherding care and sovereignty over our lives. “I lack nothing.” In a society where food and water was scarce, the shepherd’s main job was to find fresh grass for the sheep to eat and safe water for them to drink. Sheep, as is commonly known, are not very bright. They can get themselves into trouble very quickly, and quite often do. So the shepherd had to lead them to the right supplies, always with an eye toward keeping them safe and healthy. This was what David had to do as a young man out in the wilderness, so he knew firsthand what God’s gracious provision looked like. This short phrase points to David’s contentedness with God’s care. Whatever he doesn’t have outside of God’s provision, he doesn’t need. He’s perfectly supplied with the things that God wants to give him—no more, no less. That same contented attitude is encouraged in the New Testament as the apostle Paul reflects on his own circumstances (Philippians 4:12). “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” As the shepherds watched over their flocks, they sometimes literally made their sheep lie down to get them to rest so that the flock would settle and so that they could digest what they had eaten. How often do we experience this in our own lives? God stops our plans for our lives and makes us sit on the sidelines. In the midst of a busy season at work, we have to have an emergency surgery and sit still and recover; the offer we made on the house we wanted isn’t accepted, so we start looking at other neighborhoods (which incidentally shows God’s direction for our families’ associations and our kids’ friends); a global pandemic changes our lives dramatically for a full two and half years, and we sit and wait. Yes, sometimes God “makes us lie down.” When he does, we need to realize that the pastures we lie in are still green, and still a part of his provision. And we can then focus on what he wants to teach us in our season of waiting. “He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Sheep tend to be timid creatures. A rushing stream will intimidate a sheep, and one who falls into such water will find itself struggling to get back to safe ground because of the weight of the water soaking into its wool. Not only was it important for the shepherd to find fresh water for the sheep to drink, it was also important that this water be still. David, as a shepherd in ancient Israel, looked for calm, safe waters for his sheep to drink. He knew that a sheep refreshed by these waters would be content in the shepherd’s care and less prone to wander. Are you drinking from a fire hose in your life today? Remember that God offers times of refreshing for his people in the form of worship at one’s local church or online congregation. Pastors all over the world offer this kind of peaceful reflection and reassurance to God’s flock at regular intervals. Be sure you take advantage of these times to bring your family into a quiet place to drink from the well of God’s Word. It is truly soul-refreshing and rejuvenating. The writer of Hebrews said it well: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” The role of the shepherd guiding the sheep in right paths seems obvious, but how is God’s name involved in this? David was careful to exalt the name of the Lord as he wrote this psalm. This phrase speaks to God’s appeal to his people to follow in his ways and in so doing honor who he is. While he was imperfect in doing so, scripture tells us that David’s daily motivation was to do exactly that. God’s directives are not meant to keep people from “doing what they want to do” and so somehow restrict their lives and keep them closed in. Rather, “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant” (Psalm 25:10); “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does” (Psalm 145:17). When we follow the loving directives that we find in the Bible, we honor God’s very name and expand his kingdom. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Most people remember this as describing the “valley of the shadow of death” (which in fact the NIV footnote indicates). For sheep in the ancient world, dangers lurked all around. The rod was a club that David carried on his belt; it was used as a weapon against predators and sometimes thieves; the staff was a walking implement that David used to guide and direct the sheep to follow the right path, but it could also be used as a weapon. The image here is one of the shepherd’s caring protection. Like sheep, we walk through “the valley of the shadow” every single day. There are a million ways that we can be tripped up, diverted, distracted, and taken away from the path that we should be on. That shadow takes many forms: greed, addiction, chronic illness, danger from human predators (both online and in real life), poor financial decisions and many other things…the list is virtually endless. In all this, God is our protector. He provides guidance and relief in miraculous ways through the work of his Spirit in the world, and he uses human hands and feet to protect us in all kinds of different ways. Like sheep, we have no idea of the dangers that lurk in and around us during the course of our days. But God knows, and he sees all. Only in heaven will we know the extent to which God has protected us from our own foolish choices and from others who sought to do us harm. As David wrote in this verse, the knowledge of God’s protective oversight should give us comfort each day as we try to follow God’s will and his way. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” This is a very poignant image. First of all, imagine the shepherd preparing a safe, secure place for the sheep to live in the visible presence of predators and thieves. Only the shepherd’s calm and care can reassure the sheep that they are safe and can rest. Second, David’s identity as a warrior makes this phrase take on a very different tone. For David, being in the presence of his enemies was a harrowing position—one he experienced time and time again. Yet here he declares that God has set a peaceful space for him to exist and be fed and refreshed even though his enemies are literally in view. When he wrote this, was David thinking of a specific time in which this actually happened? How about when he faced a giant on the field of battle (1 Samuel 17)? Or when he was being tracked by King Saul, who was out to kill him (1 Samuel 23:7—24:22)? How about when he had to flee to the Philistines and take sides against Israel (1 Samuel 27)? Or possibly when he had to run when his son Absalom tried to take the kingdom away from him? (2 Samuel 15-19)? Understand that this image was very real to David, the warrior King. He had been in peril of his own life too many times to know that rescue didn’t come from his own hand. He knew that he was in God’s hands the whole time—safe and secure and provided for. How wonderful is this same assurance for us today? “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Anointing with oil in ancient times held significance for many reasons. It was used in indicating God’s chosen rulers in ancient Israel (1 Samuel 16); was used as a salve to heal wounds (Luke 10:25-37); and it was used as a sign of favor for guests in situations where hospitality was required (Luke 7:36-50), among other things. Shepherds used oil to rub into the wounds and scrapes and cuts of their sheep. They well knew that an infection among some sheep would slow down the entire flock, so they were vigilant to make sure that each sheep was inspected on a regular basis. The oil brought comfort and healing to the sheep; even though they may not have liked the process of being inspected and treated, ultimately the shepherd knew what was best for their overall health and happiness. God does the same for us. He has the foresight to understand where our wounds—physical, mental, emotional—cut us the most. While we can’t understand the depths of his healing treatment and care for us, he provides for us when and where we need it most: through technological advances in medicine, through skilled doctors and nurses, and through trained and sympathetic counselors and advisors. Indeed, the Spirit himself is the one who brings comfort and healing to us when we need it most (Acts 10:38). In that way, our cup truly does overflow (John 7:38-39). “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” David pointed to God’s pervasive goodness and love even in the midst of a tumultuous life. As a husband, father, king, and warrior, he was able to take a look at his life in the context of all of its complexity and thank God for his sure and secure love and goodness. Whether he found himself laying in green pastures or facing the shadows of life’s valleys, David found solace in knowing that the Lord was and always would be his shepherd, filling every need he could possibly imagine. As was David, we can be similarly confident of God’s love in our own circumstances. When we rest in that reassurance, we truly know what it is to “dwell in the house of the LORD”—both now and in the future. Perhaps this phrase sums it up best: “Psalm 23 essentially says that the best thing about having the Lord as shepherd is having the Lord as shepherd.” Jesus, Our Shepherd Jesus, the creator of the world, the author of our salvation, and the one who inspired David’s words, says this of himself in the Gospel of John: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:11-18 With these words, we can find the same comfort and encouragement as David found in the midst of his tumultuous life. Have you given your life to Jesus? Do you know him as your Savior? Do you also know him as your loving shepherd, the One who teaches and guides you every day along the way? Your good Shepherd is eager to bring you into the fold and care for you. Talk to him today and surrender your life and your future into his hands. It’s the very best path you can possibly follow to honor God with the life that he’s given you. Written by Mike Vander Klipp, a senior editor with the Zondervan Bible Group, where he’s been privileged to work for the past three decades.

It’s Hard to Make Friends Every now and then, I’ll be talking with a newer member at Trinity Church, and they’ll express disappointment that they’ve been attending for several months but have only a few friendships developing. I want to respond, “That’s a great start. It will take about a decade.” Why? Because we have so many factors working against our ability to cultivate deep relationships at church. In brief, (1) we are isolated from the relationships we most need; (2) we are lonelier than we realize; (3) and as a result, we feel busy, overwhelmed, and disconnected; (4) and it’s harder than it should be to form meaningful friendships and non-superficial relationships. Friends, you have a lot working against you. You’re not crazy. There’s not something wrong with you. It’s hard to make and keep friends in a society like this—even in the church. But the answer is not to lower your expectations and prepare for heartbreak. The answer is to move toward the challenge, reject the isolation and division of our times, and embrace authentic, vulnerable, face-to-face relationships together. We can do this. Consider these seven tips for cultivating deeper relationships at church. 1. Embrace your need for others. All human beings are creatures of need. While we might use the phrase “needy people” as a slight, the truth is that we are all needy people. We have biological needs: air, food, water, and sleep. We have emotional needs: affirmation, a place to belong. And of course, we have relational needs: friendships, family, and spiritual community. As relational beings made in the image of the triune God, we need one another. And to be spiritually healthy and whole, we need friends that share our love for God and our convictions around faith and church. Quite simply, we need church friends. Our need for others is not something to be ashamed of, and it’s not a result of sin. When Adam was alone with God in the garden, he still lacked genuine human companionship. The world’s first problem was loneliness. So God gave Eve to him, and he celebrated. Of course, our greatest need is to know and be known by God. But to be human is to also need friendship and community. 2. Discover God’s heart for your belonging. Belonging has deep roots in the biblical story and Christian theology. There are three expressions of belonging in the Scriptures: (1) We belong to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; (2) we no longer belong to ourselves or the world; and (3) we belong to one another in the church. Belonging is much deeper than fitting in and it’s much more satisfying than merely having other people around. To belong is one of our deepest human needs. Apart from belonging to God and one another, we’ll continually be tempted to seek our identity in our performance, popularity, and social status. But putting our identity in such earthly things has tragic effects. As Tim Keller has said, “Anything except Jesus will desert you in the end and disappoint you along the way.” What is true belonging? True belonging is being fully known and fully loved—by God and by your community. Indeed, only belonging to God—and through him, to one another in the church—can offer this secure position. When we are secure in Christ, we will be established and rooted in how he has made us, and we will belong to him and each other in the church. Given the challenges in relationship-building in the church, we must remember God’s heart for our belonging. 3. Remember your community needs you (to have friends). But we also need church friends to become kinder, more selfless people. Harvard researcher Robert Putnam, author of the landmark book Bowling Alone, has studied why religious people are kinder and better neighbors in their communities than non-religious people. After sorting through a number of factors that don’t relate to more selfless behavior, including denominational tradition and intensity of beliefs, Putnam settled on one factor—friendships within the church. His research shows that people with the strongest relationships within their own faith community are the kindest, most selfless people toward those outside their faith community. Putnam writes that of all relationships that correlate with well-being and selfless behavior toward others, “church friends seem super-charged. . . . The power of church friends, our data show, is more than the sum of being religious and having friends.” While many social groups these days are identified by what they’re against, healthy Christian communities share a connection around what we’re here for. We exist to glorify and enjoy God, to be formed in the image of Christ, and to grow in Christ through the presence of others. Without church friends, we’ll languish in our Christlikeness and struggle to love those outside the church. 4. Reorient your schedule for relationships. Our entire society draws us away from biblical community and toward social isolation, radical individualism, and self-centeredness. To push back on this constant force, we’re going to have to live remarkably different lives from our non-Christian peers and neighbors. We must reorient our lives around community. To cultivate deep relationships at church, we will have to slow down and resist the culture of hurry around us. We may not be able to work late into the evening or on weekends. We need to plan to make time for friends, to participate in a weekly small group or Bible study, or serve with others in the community. A deep, connected life with others requires a new set of a priorities and a new set of life rhythms. But it is so worth it. In fact, that’s exactly what Jesus did in his earthly life and ministry. His life demonstrates a radical orientation around relationships. He was absolutely devoted to his closest friends, his disciples. He went to weddings, funerals, and cultural events. He spent his time around dinner tables with friends, seekers, and skeptics. He intentionally pursued the most isolated and disconnected community members. He engaged people of other cultures with generosity and patience. If this is how the Son of God ordered his life on this earth, what would it look like for us to follow in his ways? To not only play the host, but join people where they are? To pursue those outside the fold? To attend gatherings and events with intentionality and a sense of mission? 5. Create space for those on the outside. I’ve heard countless people over my years of ministry say that they don’t feel connected or that people haven’t reached out to them. I always begin by lamenting that and grieving with them. But I also remind them that those with the deepest connections are typically those who take the initiative and create space for others. It’s perhaps counter-intuitive, but if you take initiative and create space for others, over time, your relationships will be overflowing. Hospitality is the distinctively Christian practice of creating space for others. It is not just opening our homes; it’s the Christ-like pattern of opening our hearts and lives as well. Hospitality, in a biblical sense, includes creating space in our homes for our brothers and sisters in Christ, creating space in our schedules and hearts for those who don’t know the Lord, creating space in our groups for our neighbors and co-workers, and creating space in our lives for the poor and marginalized. Just as Christ came to us and welcomed us who were once outsiders, so the church can open its heart and doors to welcome those who don’t know him (Rom. 15:7). In Paul’s instructions for the church to embrace self-giving love for each other, he includes a strong exhortation to “show hospitality” (Rom. 12:13). Although this is a timeless practice for every generation of believers, hospitality is uniquely important in an isolated society. Every one of us has been the recipient of the hospitality of others, and now we extend that same hospitable spirit to the next generation of church visitors—and to our own neighbors, co-workers, and friends. This vision of hospitality is more than mere entertaining of course. Entertaining includes setting out our best food, showing off our home, and inviting our most attractive guests; it puts the focus on us. Hospitality, on the other hand, puts the focus on the other. Our role as Christians is to create space for those on the outside, demonstrating the welcoming embrace of Jesus himself. 6. Pray together. This may seem simple, even assumed, but to cultivate true Christian community, we will be wise to prioritize prayer together. If we are to be a truly spiritual community, and not just another social club or friend clique, we must pursue and enjoy God’s presence together. In the past two decades, nearly every Christian book on community I’ve read has used the phrase “do life together.” And I’m one of them. I’ve said this countless times. “It’s not enough to just go to church and community group; we can and should be doing life together.” And I do believe that. But I also believe that doing life together is not enough. Anyone can do life together and be unchanged by it—still just as impatient, unfriendly, greedy, or angry as before. Our goal as Christians is to glorify God through our conformity to Christ, to be gradually formed toward his character, love for others, and way of life. Thus, our relationships can and should do spiritual life together. As a result, praying together is an essential habit of Christlike relationships. If you want to grow closer to another believer, pray with them. Pray together in formal settings (a prayer meeting or small group) or in informal times. It might seem odd at first to be talking to a friend and stop and say, “Can I actually just pray with you right now?” But I can guarantee you that very rarely will they say no, and very rarely will you regret taking a few minutes to slow down and pray with a friend. 7. Stay, even when it’s hard. One of the sneaky challenges in our current age is the transience of our work culture. I’m not against an upward mobility that elevates individuals and families out of poverty, but when we commit ourselves to upward mobility, no matter the cost, something significant is lost again and again. If we are moving cities and communities every two to four years, it will be almost impossible to develop and maintain deep relationships. Similarly, if we are remaining in the same city but changing church communities every few years, the same loss may be felt. Early church scholar Joseph Hellerman puts it well in When the Church Was a Family: Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. People who remain connected with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding. . . . Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay grow. Indeed, I have found this observation to be remarkably true: Those who stay grow. Sure, it will be harder and require seasons of patience and struggle. It may involve working through conflict with friends and others in your community. It might even mean passing up a promotion or raise. But it will be worth it in the long run. Stability is one of the most important elements in a growing, thriving spiritual life. Resisting Isolation As a pastor, I attend and officiate funerals on a semi-regular basis. Although every memorial service is a time of deep sadness, they also serve as rare moments of clarity. They remind us of what’s really important in life. I’ve been to memorial services where there were no more than eight people, and few had anything significant to say about the deceased person. It was brief and awkward. It was tragic. And I’ve been to memorial services with hundreds, even thousands, of people. I’ve seen person after person stand up and say, “This person was my best friend. She loved God and she loved me.” These funerals are incredible. The grief of the loss is joined by the celebration of a life well lived—with others, in powerful relationships. The memorial service of a Christian man or woman with hundreds of friends is a remarkable testimony to the power of the gospel in a lonely age. We don’t have to give in to the isolation and loneliness of our world. Another kind of life is available. Christ has welcomed us to himself, and he now invites us to welcome one another into deep, meaningful, non-superficial relationships. These relationships are possible, but they will take time and intentional effort. One day we’ll be able to look back on our life and see a vast family of people who know us and love us—and who feel known and loved by us. In Christ, true belonging is available. Through intentional pursuit and prayer, deep relationship is possible. Of course, our greatest need is to know and be known by God. But to be human is to also need friendship and community. Jeremy Linneman is the author of Why Do We Feel Lonely at Church?