See Jesus More Clearly (Mark 8:22-25; 10:46-52)

"He took the blind man... When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 'Do you see anything?' He looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.' Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly" (Mk 8:23-25). "'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him. The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.' 'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road." (Mk 10:51-52).  

From the last sermon (covering primarily the first half of Mark's Gospel), we considered whether or not we Christians are getting Jesus right today. The question was posed because even Jesus' own hand-picked disciples--who heard his teachings daily and saw the miraculous works that he did--got him wrong, even though Peter, representing the disciples, acknowledged correctly that that Jesus is the Messiah (Mk 8:29).

Healing in two stages?? After the disciples' most recent confounding lack of understanding, Jesus lamented about them having "eyes that fail to see and ears that fail to hear" (Mk 8:18), where their failure of perception would place them in the category of being "outsiders"--those on the outside who do not know the mystery of the kingdom of God (Mk 4:11-12). The next scene is a brief healing story (8:22-26) with a noteworthy peculiarity. Jesus heals a blind man, but the healing--unlike any other healing in the Gospels--proceeds in two stages (Mk 8:23-25).

Are the disciples "not seeing" clearly? There is a heavy emphasis placed on "not seeing" in the immediately preceding dialogue with the disciples in the boat (8:14-21). Thus, it would be rather myopic if readers fail to see the symbolic implications of this unique healing in two stages. Mark placed this odd healing episode immediately before the pivotal conversation at Caesarea Philippi (Mk 8:27) in order to show that the disciples are about to undergo the process of having their vision healed--but gradually, rather than all at once.

First stage of the healing: Peter blurts out, "You are the Messiah"  when Jesus asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" (Mk 8:29). Let's read carefully to see how Mark tells the story. The distinctive character of Mark's account of Peter's confession is often overlooked, because the Matthew's version of the story (Mt 16:13-20), where Peter is extolled as the rock on which Jesus would build his church (Mt 16:18). Mark, however, recounts the event quite differently. Rather than praising Peter for his divinely gifted insight (Mt 16:17), Jesus abruptly rebukes the disciples (Mk 8:30). Many translations soften the force of Mark's strong word: "warned them, sternly ordered them," while the verb in Greek is "rebuked," the same word used in Mk 3:12 where Jesus rebukes and silences the demons, who have shouted out, "You are the Son of God" (Mk 3:11). In both cases, why would Jesus sharply censure speakers who declare the truth about his identity as the Messiah, the Son of God?

Peter began to "see" Jesus, but imperfectly, like the man who saw "trees walking." In the first century context, the term "Messiah" evokes in the popular imagination the image of an anointed ruler who would overthrow Israel's enemies (the Romans) and restore the royal throne of David. With such fervent hopes in the background, Peter's designation of Jesus as "Messiah" comes with it a range of connotations that are strongly nationalistic and oriented to the exercise of power. Thus, Jesus' rebuke of the disciples, while not rejecting the title "Messiah," signals the beginning of a teaching project of massive proportions. Read Mark 8:31.

The meaning of "Messiah" must be redefined in terms of the suffering Son of Man (Mk 8:31). But Peter, not surprisingly, finds this hard teaching decidedly undesirable, even unacceptable. This triggers a mutual rebuking contest between Peter and Jesus (Mk 8:32-33). Characterizing Peter as Satan is purposeful (Mk 8:33), for Peter's apparently reasonable objection is in fact a suggestion that Jesus deny himself and his mission, thus capitulating to Satan. By uncompromisingly rejecting Peter's position, Jesus affirms that he is to be a suffering Messiah. That is what obedience to God require of him.

Being a Christian is to follow Jesus in the way of suffering, rejection and death. Though the disciples may have recognized that Jesus is the Messiah, they have yet to learn what that means. As with the blind man, their vision is only partially restored (Mk 8:24). They will not see all things clearly until much later--after the crucifixion. Only then will they see clearly that to be Jesus' disciple means to allow one's own identity to be stamped by the identity of the one who died forsaken on the cross. To accept Jesus as my Messiah--to be a Christian--is not simply a mental affirmation and acknowledgment about who Jesus is, but it is to choose my own identity as well, an identity that must be shaped by the cross.

Embracing Jesus as a man of power--whether supernatural or political--fail to see and understand him clearly. Jesus can be rightly understood only as the Son of Man who will surrender power in order to suffer and die. The cross becomes the controlling symbol for interpreting Jesus' identity. Only at the foot of the cross can any Christian correctly confess, "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mk 15:39). Thus, after Jesus' pivotal conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi (8:27-9:1), the mighty miraculous works very nearly cease with only one exorcism (9:14-29), one healing (10:46-52), and the withering of one fig tree (11:12-13, 20-21). The working of miracles seems to have become a distraction to his mission rather than an expression of it. The story now moves inexorably toward Golgotha.

The cross is also mysteriously necessary for the sake of others (Mk 10:45; 14:22-24). The tightly compressed saying of Mk 10:45 echoes the depiction of Isaiah's suffering servant figure (Isa 52:13-53:12), who was made an "offering for sin" and bore the iniquities of many. Mark's extended passion narrative is the story of a sacrificial action on Jesus' part, a giving up of his own life for the people of God.

Reference:

Hays, Richard B. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: community, cross, new creation: a contemporary introduction to New Testament ethics. Part One, 3. The Gospel of Mark: Taking Up the Cross. 1996. HarperCollins Publishers, NY.

Getting Jesus Right (Mark 1:1; 15:39)

"The beginning of the good news (gospel) about Jesus the Messiah (Christ), the Son of God" (Mk 1:1). "And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, 'Surely (Truly) this man was the Son of God'" (Mk 15:39). "But who do you say that I am?" (Mk 8:29).

What's the big deal about getting Jesus right? What's a downright scary verse in the Bible? Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!" (Mt 7:21-23).

What does it mean to follow Christ? To be a Christian? The title "Getting Jesus Right" suggests that we Christians today might not be getting him quite right. Why is that? Consider the fact that Jesus' own disciples who followed him daily in the flash and saw the miraculous things he did and heard his teachings daily got him quite wrong. You might even lament at them saying, "How could you be so stupid?" If that's the case with Jesus' own hand-picked disciples, are we so sure that we get Jesus right when we say "I believe in Jesus" and "I'm a Christian"? Isn't there also a general idea or impression that if you accept and believe in Jesus, your life will be okay and get better?

 

Why is this happening to me, a good Christian? There is a faithful Christian who devoted the last 40 years of his life working full time, being a faithful husband and a good father, and serving and supporting his church as his life's priority. As he was about to retire in his late 60s, he suddenly fell ill and his sickness may be incurable. Understandably he was saddened, shaken and shocked as to why he became ill without warning when he has been healthy all of his life with no bad lifestyle habits and with no prescribed medications for any health issues whatsoever. And also, he lived as a devoted faithful Christian. But now it is uncertain if he will live beyond a year. A confounding question may be, "Why would God allow such a thing to happen to such a faithful Christian man? Why do bad things happen to good Christians? What if this happened to me?" Does this question suggest that he may not have gotten Jesus entirely right?

As we consider this question of getting Jesus right, let's examine how Mark portrays Christ the Messiah in his Gospel, and what Christians should expect by following Christ.

What is the central question in Mark's Gospel? At the hinge point of Mark's story Jesus himself asks, "But who do you say that I am?" (Mk 8:29).

How do you see Jesus? Right off the bat Mark's Gospel begins with a succinct explicit statement: "The beginning of the good news (gospel) about Jesus the Messiah (Christ), the Son of God" (Mk 1:1). Mark wants his readers to know the identity of Jesus from the first line. But none of the characters in the story knows it--except the demons! In this way Mark sets up an awful tension between the reader's knowledge and the ignorance of the actors. The reader's knowledge is further confirmed by a voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism (Mk 1:11) and again by a voice from the cloud at the transfiguration (Mk 9:7). Only toward the end of the story does a human character rightly utter the confession; the outsider Gentile centurion, witnessing Jesus' horrible death on a cross, speaks the truth: "Surely (Truly) this man was the Son of God" (Mk 15:39). Only here at the climax of the story we find the goal toward which Mark's narrative presses: Jesus can be known as "Son of God" only when we see him as the crucified one.

Who is Jesus in the first half of Mark's Gospel (1:1-8:26)? Jesus bursts on the scene proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of God and doing mighty works, casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, calming the sea and wind, walking on water, and twice multiplying food to feed large crowds. In the first half of the story (where we might expect a different ending), Jesus is like a wonder-worker or magician or superhero who exercises the power of God to subdue the forces of evil.

How do the disciples comprehend Jesus' identify? Though the disciples witnessed all the marvels recounted in the first half of the Gospel, they remain stupidly uncomprehending. Jesus declares that it has been given to them to know the secret of the kingdom of God (Mk 4:11), yet they do not understand Jesus' parables (Mk 4:13; 7:17-18), they are afraid and have "no faith" during a storm (Mk 4:40), and they fail to understand the meaning of the multiplication of the loaves (Mk 6:52) twice (Mk 8:4)!

Why are the disciples portrayed in such a negative light? The narrative is constructed to elicit the reader's identification with the disciples through vicariously experiencing their failure (eg. Peter's denial of Jesus). Christian readers find themselves exhorted to receive forgiveness as to live more faithfully.

Why is there such a disconnect between Jesus' doing great works of God and the disciples stupidity and dullness? A related question would be, "How do you view the power of God?" The juxtaposition of Jesus' mighty works with the disciples incomprehension invites us to recognize that power is not self-attesting. Great power and great miraculous works may not help a Christian to truly know God. Those who know Jesus primarily as a wonder worker and as doing great works of God do not understand him at all, for the secret of the kingdom of God is that Jesus must die as the crucified Messiah. The tension between Jesus' miraculous acts of self-disclosure and the disciples utter inability to comprehend provokes a crisis of understanding--a crisis that starts to come to a head in the second half of Mark 8.

Eyes that fail to see, ears that fail to hear (Mk 8:17-18; 4:11-12). Jesus lamented after another display of his disciples misunderstanding him. Sounding almost exasperated and impatient with his seemingly unlearning disciples, he said, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?" (Mk 8:17-18). His rhetorical questions echo the words he had earlier explained to the disciples the mysterious purpose of his teaching in parables: "The secret (mystery) of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside (the outsiders) everything is said in parables so that, 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'" (Mk 4:11-12).

Reference:

1. Hays, Richard B. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: community, cross, new creation: a contemporary introduction to New Testament ethics. Part One, 3. The Gospel of Mark: Taking Up the Cross. 1996. HarperCollins Publishers, NY.

Be Kind and Gentle (2008 - 2018)

"I am kind and gentle in heart" (Matthew 11:29).

West Loop Church (WL) began in Jan 2008. 2018 began with our 10 year anniversary. These are some of my extemporaneous random reflections over the years.

1. Be kind and gentle (Mt 11:28). Jesus said, "I am kind and gentle in heart."  Mother Theresa said, "I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness." I realize that when I feel attacked, oppressed, imposed upon, criticized, slandered, gossiped about and experience injustice, I am reactive, angry, loud, defensive and offensive. I am anything but gentle and humble in heart, even if I try to control my outward expressions. For the rest of my life, I pray to learn my Lord who is "kind and gentle in heart," though it will surely be with many failures.
2. Criticism is rarely welcomed. I want to change the world, or at least change my church for the better. But I learned that criticism and pointing out what is wrong is often met with anger and resentment. Whenever you point out any problem, YOU are the problem. Jordan Peterson's statement comes to mind: "If you can't even clean up your own room, who the hell are you to give advice to the world?" Yes, I pray to clean up my own act first, rather than be critical with what's wrong in the world.
3. Preaching with awe, fear and trembling (Phil 2:12-13) and with humility and tears (Ac 20:19). I began preaching 30-40 times a year at WL in my late 50s about a half dozen years ago by default, since I was the least busy among our elders who all work full time. Ever since doing so, it has been the greatest joy of my life to be able to read and study countless "boring" Bible commentaries on many books of the Bible in preparation virtually daily all year round. Each and every Sunday my heart is in awe, having been given the utmost privilege to preach. It is a tremendous responsibility that I cherish with fear and trembling and with the utmost of gratitude to all those who come with willing hearts to listen and learn. This is nothing but God's grace to me. I realize that it is also a great challenge when my wife once told me, "If you behave like this at home (I don't remember what I did!), I can never listen to you preach on Sunday." That was a thunderbolt and a tsunami! In God's time and by God's choosing, I pray to pass the baton on to younger preachers and pastors who are called to preach and lead the next generation.
4. Enjoy chaos and do scary things. As one who has basically lived a charmed life all of my life, scary things to me are certain books of the Bible that I thought that I would never ever preach on. They are Revelation, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekial. By God's grace, I barely skimmed the surface of those books and preached on them over several years. It was overwhelming, scary, challenging, unpredictable and fun.
5. Blessed weddings. Over the last 10 years, Rhoel and I have officiated and blessed the weddings of Al and Kelsey, Mike and Gail, Iron Man and Jen, Adam and May, Niamzu and Donna, Defi and Jaime and next week in Jan 2019 Daniel and Maria. John Yoon and I also blessed the wedding of Sam and Heather in the Philippines. It has been our utmost joy to bless them and see to God's hand of grace upon their lives.
6. The best job I ever had. As a physician I have done countless jobs as an internist over the last 38 years in the US. But over the last 3-4 years I began practicing telemedicine where I do phone and video consults online. I regard this as my best job ever because I no longer have to go somewhere else to work, but I can work from home or from anywhere else as long as there is a quiet room.
7. Fall in love with God was our theme in 2018. St. Augustine said, "To fall in love with God is the greatest romance, to seek him the greatest adventure, and to find him the greatest human achievement." Personally, I desire by God's help to be a person who is deeply and madly in love with God and my wife all the days of my life.
8. Themes in 2019 that I am considering are:
1. Be perfect and merciful (Mt 5:48; 9:13).
   
2. See Jesus more clearly (Mk 8:22-25; 10:46-52).
   
3. Walk the gospel line (Gal 2:14).
   
4. Have faith in Jesus' faithfulness (Gal 2:16-17).
   
5. See coincidences as providence (Rom 8:28).
   
• Or the above may just be the first 5 sermons that I preach in 2019!
9. Be kind and gentle (as in #1 above). A close friend told me last week that after almost 2 decades of being "shepherded," she did not know how to listen to God directly for herself outside of the voice of her human church leader. Sorry to say that included me. From her I learn how NOT to be a leader, shepherd and pastor in the church. "Be kind and gentle" is not an end in itself. Rather, it is to not impose myself on others, even if I know that I am right and others are wrong and lacking in wisdom. "Be kind and gentle" is to lead others personally to seek to know the God who loves them, outside of human voices and church voices, as well intentioned as they may be.

Clean Your Room - Jordan Peterson

"If you can't even clean up your own room, who the hell are you to give advice to the world?"

Walk the Gospel Line (Galatians 2:1-14)

"I saw that they were not walking (acting) in line with (not following, not straightforward about, not obeying, deviating from) the truth of the gospel..." (Gal 2:14, various translations). "We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you" (Gal 2:5).

What is the gospel? What is "the truth of the gospel"? What does it mean to "walk in line with the truth of the gospel"? How do we "walk in line with the truth of the gospel" today?

Most Christians know that the "gospel" means "good news" or "good tidings." When Christ was born, an angel announced to shepherds in the fields that he brought "good news of great joy" to them, for this child was the long awaited Savior, the Messiah, Christ the Lord (Lk 2:10-11). Ultimately, the gospel, the good news is that salvation has come to all mankind. This good news, this gospel of our salvation would culminate in Jesus' death for our sins and his resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15:3-4).

Regarding this gospel of good news, Galatians 2:1-14 speaks of several incidents.

1. Jewish Christians compelling Gentile (non Jewish) Christians to be circumcised in order to be regarded as truly Christian (2:1-5). Paul regarded this as enslaving a Christian who should be free in the gospel (Gal 2:4). In 2014, I shared a blog entitled Galatians Set Me Free from Legalism.
2. Paul's comment regarding his respect for the church leaders, while declaring and maintaining his own independence (2:6-10).
3. Paul, the newest "junior" apostle, publicly rebuking and chastising Peter, the top "senior" apostle, because Peter failed to "walk in line with the truth of the gospel" (2:11-14). This made Paul quite upset, to put it mildly.
   

Why was Paul so angry? Galatians is Paul's most angry and polemic letter. All Christians say that faith in Jesus and the gospel is all we need for life and salvation. But practically some Christians and churches communicate–explicitly or implicitly–that faith in Christ is not quite enough. In Paul's day, Jewish Christians (the so-called Judaizers) taught the Gentile Christians that in addition to believing in Christ they must keep Jewish traditions–circumcision, Sabbath, dietary laws, special days–in order to become "fully Christian" (2:1-5). This so outraged Paul that he did not express any pleasantries or thanksgiving after his introduction (1:1-5), as he did in his other 11 epistles. Instead he immediately launched into them (Gal 1:6ff) by directly confronting and accusing them of deserting Christ and distorting, changing and perverting the gospel (Gal 1:6b-7). To those who taught that additions to the gospel were needed (which is no gospel at all), Paul cursed them with God's curse…twice in two verses (Gal 1:8-9). Boy was he mad!

Why was Paul so angry with Peter? Compared to Peter, Paul was a "junior" apostle. Yet, in that orderly structured hierarchical Jewish culture, Paul rebuked Peter publicly (not privately). Then he openly shared and circulated this embarrassing and shameful account in a letter to be read in all the churches (Gal 2:11-14). Today it is like sending out a mass email to everyone in the church about how wrong and bad you are! Imagine Peter, the rock of the church (Mt 16:18), committing such a basic sin and getting publicly rebuked by a junior! Peter's sin was that he failed to "walk in line with the truth of the gospel"; he was "deviating from the truth of the gospel" (Gal 2:14). How? When he withdrew from eating together with Gentile Christians. By his behavior he was saying that Jewish Christians were better than Gentile Christians because they kept the tradition of Jewish dietary laws. By making this distinction Peter communicated that the gospel of God's grace was insufficient for salvation and good standing as a Christian. He was stating by his action that justification was not just by faith alone, but also by the works of the law (Gal 2:16).

Some reflections on freedom based on Galatians:

1. Freedom from the Fear of Man (Gal 1:10; 2:6).
2. Freedom from Racism, Nationalism, Tribalism (Gal 2:15).
3. Freedom from Stressing Human Effort (Gal 3:3).
4. Freedom from Conceit, Provoking and Envying Others (Gal 5:26).
   
5. Freedom from Comparing Ourselves with Others (Gal 6:4).
   

Joseph's Coat, George Herbert

Sorrow ... such is his will

Who changes all things, as he pleases best.

For well he knows, if but one grief and snart (pain)

Among my many had his full career,

Sure it would carry with it even my heart.

And both would run until they found a bier.

Blameless, Just, Fears God, Avoids Evil (Job 1)

"Job...was blameless and just, one who feared God and avoided evil" (Job 1:1b). "...a man blameless and just, who feared God and avoided evil" (Job 1:8). "Does Job fear God for nothing?" ("Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it?") Satan replied (Job 1:9).

What is the relationship between perfect character and perfect life (Job 1:1, 8)? Are the two inevitably related? This question is at the heart of the book of Job.

Job 1 directly and indirectly poses all kinds of theological questions:

• the relationship between human conduct and divine reciprocity (blessing).
• the seeming arbitrariness that is a part of divine freedom (God does whatever pleases himself - Ps 115:3; 135:6).
• the vulnerability of humanity in the face of tragedy.
• the possibility of God's disinterest in our suffering.

Job's description by the narrator (Job 1:1) and by God (Job 1:8):

• A pair of adjectives (blameless, just) and a pair of phrases (fears God, avoids evil).
• "Blameless and just" are synonyms that occur together in Ps 37:37 in portraying a wholesome person, "a man of shalom."
• "Fears God and shuns evil" are used to characterize the wise (fears God) and moral (avoids evil).
• Job is beyond reproach in every way:
• personally (blameless). Integrity.
• socially (just). Justice.
• religiously (fears God). Spiritual.
• morally (avoids evil). Moral.
• This fourfold affirmation suggests completeness, even perfection. He is "an impossible example" of human excellence (Brenner 1989).
• "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and all people" (Lk 2:52, NLT). Being healthy intellectually (wisdom), physically (stature), spiritually (in favor with God), socially (in favor with people).
  
• "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Mic 6:8). God's desire is for justice, mercy and humility.
  

Satan cleverly challenges Job's motivation and God's assessment of Job.

The narrator and God (Job 1:1, 8) mentions four things, but Satan focuses on only one thing: Job's fear of God. Satan is devilishly clever. He concedes the claims about Job's character--the things that are evident in Job's public appearance and conduct. But why is Job living such a good life? What is his human motivation for being good? Is it because God has protected him and blessed him? Does Job love God for God or for what God's blessing?

Job's reaction to overwhelming personal loss and tragedy (Job 1:21) is:

• not to blame natural events or human enemies (the Lord has taken away),
• not to forget God's blessing (the Lord gave),
• not to close his eyes to reality (has taken away), but ...
• to praise the Lord for both good and evil.

The first 2 chapters of Job constitute its prologue. They introduce the principle characters and key issues.

1. Scene 1: Job's perfect life (1:1-5).
2. Scene 2: An assembly in heaven (1:6-12).
3. Scene 3: A test of Job (1:13-22).
4. Scene 4: An assembly in heaven (2:1-6).
5. Scene 5: A test of Job (2:7-10).
6. Scene 6: An assembly on earth (2:11-13).

What you do in the Lord is not in vain. N.T. Wright

"What you do in the Lord is not in vain. You are not oiling the wheels of a machine that's about to roll over a cliff. You are not restoring a great painting that's shortly going to be thrown on the fire. You are not planting roses in a garden that's about to be dug up for a building site. You are--strange though it may seem, almost as hard to believe as the resurrection itself--accomplishing something that will be come in due course part of God's new world. Every act of love, gratitude, and kindness; every work of art of music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of creation; every minute spent teaching a severely handicapped child to read of to walk; every act of care and nurture, of comfort and support, for one's fellow human beings and for that matter one's fellow nonhuman creatures; and of course every prayer, all Spirit-led teaching, every deed that spreads the gospel, builds up the church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, and makes the name of Jesus honored in the world – all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation that God will one day make. That is the logic of the mission of God. God's recreation of his wonderful world, which began with the resurrection of Jesus and continues mysteriously as God's people live in the risen Christ and in the power of his Spirit, means that what we do in Christ and by the Spirit in the present is not wasted. It will last all the way into God's new world. In fact, it will be enhanced there." N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, pp. 219-220 . Your work is not in vain -- because of resurrection.

What to Do with Your Pain - ABCDE

Pain Makes You a Philosopher (Sermon at West Loop on Sep 9, 2018).

1. Accept it, not avoid it.
2. Bear with it, behold it, not blur it or bury it.
3. Confront it, not complain about it.
4. Deal with it, not deny it.
5. Embrace it, not erase it.

Pain Makes You a Philosopher

Pain: The Problem, the Solution, the Big Picture.

1. Think about pain.
   
2. Is pain any good?
   
3. What can you learn about your pain?
   

What does Mr. Google say? Pain makes you…

• stronger
• feel alive
• beautiful
• grow
• human

Some lessons learned:

• You need a coach/mentor/helper (Prov 27:17).
  
• You need to train yourself to improve (1 Tim 4:8).
  
• Face your weakness, or you'll remain weak.
  
• Misc: victim, discouragement, perseverance, sin.
  
• Your attitude determines your altitude of life (Col 3:1-2; Dt 4:29; Jer 29:13).
  
• Relativity: if you're with a lovely person hours seem like seconds, but if you're with an unpleasant person seconds feel like hours.
  

Life Lessons Learned

1. The Problem--pain. Pain is good (Heb 13:7, 11; Jas 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5). It exposes/reveals the real me—who I truly am at my core. Don't waste your pain!
2. The Solution. Meditating, contemplating God's word (Ps 1:2; 119:97) is the immediate/efficacious solution.
3. The Big Picture. God is my shepherd all my life to this day (Gen 48:15).

The Kind of Man Paul Was (Acts 20:17-38)

In Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders, Paul expresses himself and reveals the kind of man he is.

1. Transparency (Ac 20:18): You know how I live.
2. Humility (Ac 20:19). I serve God with great humility.
3. Vulnerability (Ac 20:19). I serve God with tears.
4. Tenacity (Ac 20:20, 22-23, 25). I have not hesitated to preach, despite hardships.
5. Clarity (Ac 20:21). People must turn to God.
6. Priority (Ac 20:24). Testify to the gospel of God's grace.
7. Integrity (Ac 20:26, 33). I am innocent.
8. Totality (Ac 20:27). I proclaim the whole counsel of God.
9. Responsibility (Ac 20:28, 32). Oversee and shepherd others.
10. Melancholy (Ac 20:29-31). I never stopped warning you with tears.
11. Industry (Ac 20:34-35). I showed you hard work.

Whoever Dwells in God's Shelter (Psalm 91)

"For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go" "For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11, NLT, HCSB).

Troubles abound in life. No one's life is ever trouble free. No one's life is ever always a bed of roses. We may not think so, but even Bill Gates' life is hard. Life gets better, then it gets worse. Uncertainty in life is a certainty. Unpredictability should be predicted. Unexpected events should be expected. Life is like that.

How do we deal with such a life? Psalm 91 deals with such a life head on. Simple trust will bring us into a place of strong defense (Ps 91:2), the personal warmth of divine care, pledged defense (Ps 91:4) and a host of heavenly guardians every step of the way (Ps 91:11). Psalm 91 wants us to know that those who truly trust God are a protected species.

Psalm 91 is one of the most beautiful of psalms. This more than most Scriptures, brings great hope and promise to those who believe. The key word to describe Psalm 91 is security. Psalm 91 is a highly artistic way of expressing a fundamentally important fact: we are always totally secure, because God always has our back. It describes God's ongoing sovereign protection of His people from the ever-present dangers and terrors, which surround humanity. The original setting may be that of an army about to go to battle. Most of the terrors mentioned in this psalm are left undefined, no doubt intentionally, so that no kind of danger is omitted from application. Believers in every age can read Psalm 91 to learn that nothing can harm a child of God unless the Lord permits it.

1. God's protection (1-13).
• The confidence: God is my refuge (1-2). Theme stated: Sure protection. Affirmation of protection.
• The dangers: life's threats (3-8). He will save you (Ps 91:3) and cover you (Ps 91:4).
• The journey (9-13). He will command his angels concerning you (Ps 91:11).
2. God's pledge (14-16). Theme confirmed: Divine protection.

[ When life is hard. The people of God are always totally secure. A psalm for every believer every day. God's protection. God's affirmation of man's testimony. The protected species. Divine wings and guardian angels. An offer you can't refuse. Find refuge in God. Safer in a war zone than in a suburban house.]

(91:1-4) God protects us in two ways. 2 contrasting metaphors are used for God's protection: a fortress filled with shields and ramparts; and a mother bird gathering her brood underneath her wings. The fortress has walls of impregnable strength. Spears and arrows make not a dent. The mother bird, howevr, shelters with wings that are essentially fragile. She shelters her young from burning heat or rain and cold only by bearing them herself. These 2 metaphors point to the cross where the absolute righteous power and the tender, sacrificial love of God combine and shine forth brilliantly, both equally fulfilled.

God's majesty and meekness are fully manifest in Christ. "Let us wonder! Grace and justice join and point to mercy's store; When through grace in Christ our trust is, justice smiles and asks no more; He Who washed us with His blood has secured our way to God." John Newton, Let us love and sing and wonder.

(91:5-13) What can hurt and harm you? God seems to promise that nothing bad will ever happen to believers. Satan suggests as much when he quotes Ps 91:11 to Jesus in the desert wilderness (Lk 4:9-12). The devil wants us to think that God's promises have failed if he lets us suffer. But God saves us "in trouble" (Ps 91:15) not from it. Paradoxically, Jesus says that under God's care "not a hair of your head will perish" and yet "they will put some of you to death" (Lk 21:16-18). The only things faithful people can lose in suffering are things that are finally expendable. The real you, the one God is creating (Phil 1:6; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:16-17) cannot be harmed.

Do I value worldly things over grace, love and holiness? Do I value money, nice houses or condos, gourmet food, investing money, personal success, etc more than my Lord or my relationships? If I do then I will be easily discouraged by trials and troubles. My false may be harmed. My false self is based and built on my appearance, my social status, human approval and my standing in the church and community. These wax and wane and can be affected by a myriad of forces, the economy, aging, declining health, criticism and slander, etc. But they can never harm my true identity as a child of God. They in fact only make me stronger. When I lost a lot of money, God's unending everlasting love (Jer 31:3) became real to me. When some in the church viewed me as a negative person and a bad influence, it was God's mysterious way of helping me find my true freedom in Christ (2 Cor 3:17; Gal 5:1; Jn 8:32). Lord, teach me how to grow into your likeness in my afflictions.

(91:14-16) In these 3 verses there are 7 promises and 3 conditions. The 3 conditions:

1. Loving God.
2. Acknowledging God.
3. Calling on God.

If we are in Christ, God promises to (the first 4 are practical, the last 3 take us to a horizon beyond our sight:

1. rescue us
2. protect us
3. answer our prayers
4. be by our side in trouble
5. give us honor (glory)
6. give us endless eternal life
7. give us a salvation of body and soul (Rom 8:11, 23-25)

How much do we toss in bed at snubs, at being ignored, disrespected? Criticism always feels like death. How much do we crave for applause, approval, praise, respect and recognition from others? These are addicting and enslaving--as much or maybe even more than porn, alcohol and drugs. The esteem and worth we strive so hard to achieve and to get from others God bestows on us (Ps 91:15b).

1. What happens to those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High (1; Mt 11:28)? What does "dwell" mean? What type of a believer is this?
2. What is the key to God taking care of us (2)? Do you feel absolutely secure in the knowledge that God is protecting you? What will God do for those who trust him (3-4)?
3. What are the four parts of a Hebrew day (5-6)? How should a true believer feel 24/7?
4. How secure are you when you see calamities all around you (7-8)? [The flood. The plagues. The crimes. The terrorism.]
5. What can never happen to you if you make God your habitation (9-10)? Why (11)? What will they do, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone (12)? How does Satan misquote verse 11 (Lk 4:9-12)? Does this mean that nothing bad will ever happen to believers (Lk 21:16-18)? In what way can believers never be harmed (Phil 1:6; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:16-17)?
6. What 7 promises does God make in 91:14-16? On what 3 conditions do these promises rest?
• How do you rate on the 3 conditions? How can you improve?
  
• Do you expect God to fulfill the 7 promises of 91:14-16 in your life? Why or why not?
  
• The phrase "I will protect him" in 91:14 literally means "I will set him inaccessibly high" or "raise him to a high, secure place". What does this literal meaning add to your understanding of God's protection?
  
• Count how many times the word "will" is used in Psalm 91 in the NIV. How does the continual use of this word emphasize the message of Psalm 91?
7. How can you deliberately take refuge in God? How can you avail yourself of God's protection? Think about/answer the following:
• Make a list of fears and troubles for which you want to trust God for deliverance and protection.
• How will you go about doing what you need to do?

When Life Disappoints (Psalm 90)

Psalm 90 is about time – God's time and our time. It speaks about the shortness and preciousness of life. The truth is that Times Flies and Life is Short! How can you invest your life rather than just spend it? Each of us needs to evaluate how we use the precious gift of time. We need to regard each day as a valuable gift from God. We need to make the most of what little time we have during our lives--which is very very short in light of eternity (Ps 90:2)! How would you like to live your life?

My favorite metaphor of life is that of an eagle flying in the sky (Isa 40:31; Ps 103:5). An eagle looks beautiful and majestic. When it is flying, cruising or soaring in the sky it looks like a symbol of freedom. It appears able to fly in any direction--north, south, east, west, while ascending or descending--at any speed--fast or slow or mid-range speed--according to it's own choice and decision. This is the picture of a life of freedom as a Christ-follower, always led by the spirit (2 Cor 3:17) and never enslaved by anything or anyone (Gal 5:1), yet always consciously obedient and surrendered to God and freely in love with Him (Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37).

Psalm 90 is distinctive for two reasons: (1) it is the oldest Psalm in the Bible and (2) it is the only Psalm authored by Moses. Psalm 90 is a prayer written by Moses while he was leading the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Because of their disobedience and lack of faith, they were disciplined by God. God would not let Israel enter the Promised Land until everyone over twenty years old had died. (Read the story in Numbers 13 & 14.)

Did you ever think how many Israelites died in those 40 years? Bible scholars estimate that over a million adults had to die – about half of the population. If you do the math (a million deaths in 40 years), it means that the children of Israel were experiencing seventy to eighty funerals a day! Added to their wandering and waiting was death and dying. It was the stuff of their everyday life. Death was knocking at their door – literally! Even though our present-day experience differs from that of Moses and the children of Israel, Psalm 90 still has plenty to say to us today. Psalm 90 is a Song of Wisdom; it teaches us how to live life and relate to God.

Psalm 90 is realistic, facing troublesome realities squarely and without flinching. At the same time, it is moving and beautiful in facing our insecurities and offering a remedy and a hope.

What do you do when your prayers are not answer and your hopes and dreams do not come true? Psalm 90 explores the question of how to react when bright expectations fail. It is  is realistic, facing troublesome realities squarely and without flinching. At the same time, it is moving and beautiful in facing our insecurities and offering a remedy and a hope.

Is life too short? Life is going by fast, especially as we get older and know that our remaining time is shorter than when we were young. Life frightens you unless you remember eternity. We are as rootless as tumbleweeds and will be blown about all our lives unless God is your dwelling place (Ps 90:1), your home. What you have in God you can never loose and will have forever. There is no greater comfort in all of life than this.

Is time moving too slowly for you? Ps 90:4 is one of the most widely quoted verses in the psalms because it confronts us when we are frustrated with God's timing. Time moves slowly for us, as we crawl from moment to moment, God, who inhabits eternity (Ps 90:2), sees all of history in a single moment. God's timetable is unlikely to match our own. Moses, the author, seems to look at life from the vantage point of old age, from where we can finally see, as God does, that our time here is short. This psalm should make you wise before your time (Ps 90:12) by not wasting your life on trifles. Soon it will be too late.

Are you ready to die tomorrow? Are you doing the profound soul work necessary to be ready to die? It is painful to be reminded that our lives are exercises in disintegration. We are wearing down and wearing out until we are dust again (Ps 90:3; Gen 2:7). 90:7-11 reminds us that death is not the natural order of things; it is the effect of our turning from God and the curse on all creation (Genesis 3). Without this robust doctrine of sin, we will not be wise (Ps 90:12). We will be constantly shocked by what others (and myself) are capable of, by how life swiftly takes away everything we love. We will trust in our own abilities too much and seek satisfaction in things that we will inevitably lose. You either face sin and death, or be out of touch with reality.

Living with Mortality (A prayer to God Eternal in response to the brevity of life)

1. Permanency. Generations past: our home (1-2). Affirming the eternality of God. A fixed address in time and eternity.
2. Perishing and preservation. Present experience: transience and wrath (3-12). Acknowledging man's mortality and need for wisdom. The endangered species.
3. Prayer. Generations to come: contentment and security (13-17). Asking for God's favor and blessing. Preserving the endangered species.

The Alliteration of Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Love (1 Corinthians 13) for God, each other and others:

1. The preeminence of love (1-3).
2. The practice of love (4-7).
3. The perfection of love (8-10).
4. The progression of love (11-12).
5. The permanence of love (13).

Love must always be present, predominant and persistent.

May our love for God, each other and others be:

1. Preeminent (1-3).
2. Patient (4-7).
3. "Perfect" (8-10).
4. Progressive (11-12).
5. Permanent (13).

Grace, Enthusiasm and Power (Romans 1:1-17)

"As it says in the Bible, 'the just shall live by faith'" (Rom 1:17b, The Kingdom New Testament, N. T. Wright). " "The righteous by faith will live" (NET Bible).  "The people God accepts because of their faith will live" (CEV).

Romans 1:16-17 is the gospel, the theme and the thesis statement of Romans in summary form and the essence of Christianity. It summarizes Paul's theology as a whole.

"The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power, but that it is (present tense = continually) power, and God's (omnipotent) power at that." Leon Morris.

Ø  Do you have a gospel/good news story to share (Rom 1:5)?

Ø  How eager are you to share the good news (Rom 1:15)?

Ø  How have you experienced the power of God (Rom 1:16-17)?

"I greatly longed to understand Paul's epistle to the Romans, and nothing stood in the way but that one expression 'the justice of God,' because I took it to mean that justice whereby God is just and deals justly in punishing the unjust. My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage him.

Therefore, I did not love a just and angry God, but rather hated and murmured against him. […] Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that, 'the just shall live by his faith.' Then I grasped that … through gift and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. When I saw that Law meant one thing and Gospel another, I broke through." Martin Luther.

Romans 1-3

1. Gospel of God's Grace (1:1-6): We received grace.
2. Gospel Enthusiasm (1:7-15): Eager to preach the gospel.
3. Gospel Power (1:16-17): The gospel is the power of God.
4. Gospel Suppression (1:18-2:5): Wickedness suppresses the gospel.
5. Gospel Impartiality (2:6-29): God does not show favoritism.
6. Gospel Accusation (3:1-20): No one is righteous.
7. Gospel Righteousness (3:21-26): Righteousness is through faith.

In Rom 1:1-6, John Stott explains the gospel as follows:

1. The origin of the gospel is ________ (1:1).
2. The attestation/preparation of the gospel is ___ (1:2).
3. The substance or center of the gospel is _____ (1:3-4).
4. The scope of the gospel is ________________ (1:5-6).
5. The purpose of the gospel is ________________ (1:5).
6. The effect of the gospel is __________________ (1:6).
7. The goal of the gospel is ___________________ (1:5).

 Questions:

1. What is the gospel? Explain compellingly what it is.
2. How striking is it being a "slave" and "apostle" (1:1a)?
3. What is the origin of the gospel (1:1b; Gal 1:11-12)? Why is this conviction important for authentic evangelism?
4. What attests to or prepares for the gospel (1:2; Jn 5:39, 46; Lk 24:27, 44)?
5. What is the substance/center of the gospel (1:3-4, 3:21-26; 1 Cor 15:3-4)?
6. What is the scope of the gospel (1:5-6)? What implications does this have for you? What is the role of "grace" (1:5; 12:3; 15:15; 1 Cor 15:10; Gal 1:15)?
7. What is the purpose of the gospel (1:5; 16:26)? How can you differentiate between the obedience of faith and the obedience of law? (In your own life?)
8. What is the effect of the gospel (1:6-7)? Do you know that you are loved (Jer 31:3)?
9. What is the goal of the gospel (1:5, 4b, 7b)? How does your Christian experience match up to this (1 Cor 10:31)?
• Extra: What do you know about the New Perspective of Paul?
10. Do you have a sense of debt/obligation (1:14)?
11. Why was Paul so eager to preach the gospel in Rome (1:1, 9a, 15; 15:15-16, 20; 1 Cor 9:16; Ac 14:21-22)?
• How eager/enthusiastic are you about preaching the gospel?
• As we get older do we lose our initial enthusiasm for Jesus?
• Does it seem that many Christians start out full of zeal, but over time lose their initial excitement?
• Do new converts seem to be most on fire for Christ?
• Are you jaded/cynical/bitter because of church experiences?
12. Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel (1:16a)?
• How might "liberals" (Gentiles), "conservatives" (Jews) and "intellectuals" (Greeks) find the gospel offensive?
13. How might "first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (1:16b) offend both Jew and Gentile?
14. What does the gospel reveal (1:17)? Explain the "righteousness of/from God" in three ways (3:21-26; Phil 3:9)?
15. Contrast "the righteous will live by faith" and "the righteous by faith will live."

Forgetting the Good Things God Has Done For You (Psalm 103)

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits" (Ps 103:2, HCSB). "... may I never forget the good things he does for me" (NLT).

• Read Psalm 103 slowly and thoughtfully in two translations. As you read and reread, mark any words or phrases that are meaningful to you and put a question mark by anything that you don't understand. Give Psalm 103 a title or write a short summary sentence that captures what you think is the essence of this Psalm.
  

As Christ followers and as people saved by grace, we have a major problem that affects us all: we are forgetful! We can remember all kinds of things, especially what others have done to us or said about us (or imagined said about us!), but we easily forget what God has done in our lives. We have a long memory when it comes to out hurts, sorrows, burdens and disappointments, but a very short memory when it comes to recalling just how good God has been to us! Apparently David, the man after God's own heart, also had this problem.

What did David do?  What can we do?

1. Speak to your own soul (1-2). How much of your fear, anger, anxiety and discouragement is entirely due to you forgetting God's benefits, forgetting all that God has given you and blessed you? Perhaps your mind knows, but does your heart forget that you're forgiven, that you're guaranteed a crown and a feast? How does this happen in your own heart and soul until it transforms you and your strength is renewed and you can soar like an eagle (Ps 103:5; Isa 40:31)? It happens through inward dialogue, speaking directly and forcefully to your own heart ("my soul") rather than just listening to it. Biblical meditation is not a relaxation technique for emptying the mind but rather one that fills it with truth, using thought and memory to set your heart on fire. Here David dwells on the truth that God forgives sin and eventually will remove all suffering and diseases. When we ask we receive instant forgiveness (Ps 32:5; 1 Sam 12:13; 1 Jn 1:8-9), but our suffering may not yet be removed now (2 Cor 12:8-9; 2 Sam 12:13-23). It is because while sin always blocks our relationship with God, suffering can deepen it (Heb 12:11).
2. Be slow to anger in order to abound in love (6-12). God's anger is different from ours. We are quick to anger. One way or another we make people--who have wronged or disappointed us--pay. We make sure they know that we are upset with them. Even after that we are still upset, nursing our grievances. But God is quite different. He is slow to anger (Ps 103:8). He provides for our forgiveness. Then he remembers our sins no more. David is quoting Exodus 34:6, which goes on to say that God "does not leave the guilty unpunished" (Ex 34:7). How can Moses say in Exodus that God will not let sin go unpunished and David say that God will not punish us as our sins deserve (Ps 103:10) and both be right? Only the cross would reveal what it cost God to punish sin without punishing us. Infinite distances (Ps 103:11-12) are used to convey such infinite love.
3. Remember God's everlasting love (13-18). An adult can see right into the heart of a child who lacks wisdom and who does not have the skills to hide selfishness and impatience. Parents know their children's besetting sins (Ps 103:14). Yet a good father loves his children anyway (Ps 103:13). So God knows us to the very bottom yet loves us to the skies--literally (Ps 103:11). God does not just pardon our sins. He adopts us into his family, giving us his love, access in prayer, a share in the inheritance of glory, and even his family resemblance--the Holy Spirit, which reproduces God's own character in us (Jn 1:12-13; Gal 4:7; 1 Jn 3:1-3).
4. Sing with all of nature (19-22). The psalmist calls on his own soul to praise God (Ps 103:1-2). Then he learns to rejoice inwardly in the unfathomable benefits of salvation. Now, at the end of the psalm, he realizes a oneness with creation that he never imagined possible, for he sees what all nature is doing--rejoicing in God! All "his works" on earth (Ps 103:22) and in heaven (Ps 103:20-21) are already singing to God and to one another, and he has taken up his unique part in the greatest chorus and symphony of all. Experiencing God's everlasting love (Ps 103:17) as a living reality enables you to hear and join in the music. Jonathan Edwards describes a common spirtual experience that when we are singing God's praises the most, we sense that the mountains and ocean and trees are "singing" as well (Ps 19:1-5; Is 55:12). When we are not right with God, we feel alone in the world. But when we praise God the most, we can hear your joy in the birds in the morning and the rain on the water and even the soggy snow on the ground. Be a part of the music of the universe and sing your part, which adds to and derives beauty from the whole.

Questions

1. Praise characterizes this psalm. No requests are made to the Lord. Do your prayers usually include more requests than praise? What adjustments, if any, should you make to your prayers?
2. What practical advantages in old age does a believer have that an un-believer lacks? What do you most admire about elderly believers?  © Warren W. Wiersbe.

• Psalm 103:10 says that God does not give us what we deserve. On paper or just in your memory, think of some low points in your life where you have rebelled and committed a sin. Don't stay there very long. Next, take that list and read out loud Psalm 103:9-12 and let the word pictures of these verses be done to your mistakes.
  

1. (103:1-5) This Psalm begins and ends with the phrase, "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Why would David tell himself to praise God? Do we need to do this too? Who benefits from the act of praising God? How? What is your favorite way to praise God? Why? What do you think it means to praise God with your whole heart or all your inmost being? Is it possible to praise God half-heartedly and unenthusiastically? Explain your answer. ♥ When was a time that you were so overwhelmed with gratitude, thanksgiving and joy that you wanted to summon all that was deepest within you to praise God? 
• For some believers, that language seems antiquated or unfamiliar. How does that phrase affect you?  Kind of confused – How does a sinner bless God?  You bet – I bless the Lord right out loud!  I don't feel that way today – It would be hypocritical for me to say that at this moment.  It's personal – In my prayer time, I bless God.  Other ________________________________________ 
  
2. What is another instruction David gives himself (2b)? Why do you think it is necessary for David to remind himself of this? 
• List the five actions of God that make up God's Benefit Package for us (3-5). Underline the key verb in each statement. Which of the Lord's benefits that are listed impress you the most? Why is that one near and dear to you?
• Consider the five actions of God: God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, and satisfies. Do "actions speak louder than words"? What conclusions can you come to about God's person and character based on his actions?  Do your conclusions about God match your experience of God? Why or why not?
  
• What "pit" (4) has God redeemed you from? What is an appropriate response for what He has done? ♥ What images come to mind when you think of the word "crowned"(4)? What does the word "crowned" reveal about God's view of you?
  
• In the Bible, eagles are often "word pictures" symbolizing renewed strength given by God just when we need it. This is because eagles allow themselves to be carried on the wind currents for miles with little or no effort on their part (Isa 40:30-31). In 103:5, why would God satisfying our desires with good things cause our youth to be renewed like the eagles? What do you think is the connection between these two things?
  
3. (103:6-18) Verses 7 & 8 refer to Moses' encounter with God in person (Exo 33:18-34:1-8). Why do you think Moses pleaded with God to allow him to see him? What did Moses witness on the mountain that is echoed in this psalm?
4. Buried in the middle of this Psalm are two references to the Fatherhood of God (13&17). Some of us have not known healthy role models of Fatherhood. What are some ways that you could cast off those old memories of broken parenting and put on new beliefs of God as the compassionate and loving father? What ways can you show God's character that you saw in Psalm 103 to your children or grandchildren?
   
5. What is the measurement of God's steadfast love towards those who revere him (17-18)? How do you experience God's love in your day-to-day life? Who, more than any other person, have you received God's love through the most? In the 21st century, how are others to know and experience God's limitless love?
6. How do you think God's love differs from what our culture would define as love?
7. (103:19-22) Who is being commanded to "Bless the Lord" in these verses? What do you think it means to obey "the voice of his word" (20)? If your group was told to declare God's greatness tonight before you dismiss, what would that look like?
8. After discussing all of this we find ourselves back at the encouragement to "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Has your understanding or appreciation of that phrase changed? If so, how has it changed?

Forgetting the Good Things God Has Done for You (Psalm 103)

·         Read and give Psalm 103 a title or write a short summary sentence that captures what you think is the essence of this Psalm.

 

·         What directive or instruction is repeated (1, 2, 20-22)? For some believers, that language seems antiquated or unfamiliar. How does that phrase affect you?

o    * Kind of confused – How does a sinner bless God?

o    * You bet – I bless the Lord right out loud!

o    * I don't feel that way today – It would be hypocritical for me to say that at this moment.

o    * It's personal – In my prayer time, I bless God.

o    * Other ________________________________________ 

 

·         Why would David tell himself to praise God (1-2a)? Do we need to do this? Who benefits from praising God? How? What is your favorite way to praise God? Why? What do you think it means to praise God with your whole heart or all your inmost being?

 

o    Is it possible to praise God half-heartedly and unenthusiastically? Explain.

 

o    ♥ When was a time that you were so overwhelmed with gratitude, thanksgiving and joy that you wanted to summon all that was deepest within you to praise God?

 

·         What is another instruction David gives himself (2b)? Why do you think it is necessary for David to remind himself of this?

 

·         List 5 actions of God that make up God's Benefit Package for us (3-5). Underline the key verb in each statement.

 

o    Consider the five actions of God: God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, and satisfies. Do "actions speak louder than words"? What can you learn about God's person and character based on his actions.

 

o    Do your conclusions about God match your experience of God? Why or why not?

 

·         What "pit" (4a) has God redeemed you from? What is an appropriate response for what He has done? ♥ What images come to mind when you think of the word "crowned" (4b)? What does this reveal about God's view of you?

 

·         In the Bible, eagles are often "word pictures" symbolizing renewed strength given by God just when we need it. This is because eagles allow themselves to be carried on the wind currents for miles with little or no effort on their part (Isa 40:30-31). Why would God satisfying our desires with good things cause our youth to be renewed like the eagles (5)? What do you think is the connection between these two things?

 

·         In 103:8-10, David shifts his focus to who God is rather than what he does for us. Read these verses in at least two translations of Scripture and put into your own words the 8 characteristics of God mentioned by David.

 

o    Does David's description of God match your own concept of God? If not, how might you to see and experience God this way? ♥ How do we deserve to be treated by God? Why doesn't God treat us like that? What implications does God's treatment of us have for our treatment of others? Whom do you treat as he or she deserves?

 

·         What are the two powerful word pictures to help us understand the depth of God's love and forgiveness (11-12)?

 

·         Does your experience with your earthly father help or hinder this word picture (13)?

 

·         What two facts does God keep in mind about us (14-16)?

 

·         Who is in charge of the universe (19)?