I’ve often told widows in high-tide grief, “It wouldn’t hurt so much if you hadn’t loved so much — or for so long. The greater and longer the love, the greater and longer the grief.”
Keller points out that Jesus, for all eternity, had never been separated from His Father. He endures all the pain of the crucifixion until He senses the separation from His Father, and then, for the first time, HE SCREAMS. Psalm 22 prophesies this moment, and Matthew and Mark show its fulfillment.
Why did He do it? To pay a debt He did not owe for us who have a debt we could not pay — and God’s eyes were too pure to look upon sin, so He turned away from His beloved Son.
Keller refers to the man who kept going down to rescue people after a plane crash on the Potomac River. He finally did not come up, and when the helicopter brought him up his body looked on the cross like he was crucified. Here is a photo of what I think is the scene of that rescue.
We will also look at Philippians 2:1-11 for a critical application. Then, next week, we will return to John 19. Click below and download to continue listening to Keller’s sermon while you read along with the text.
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/the-doctrine-of-salvation/
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week?
Monday: Part 2 of Keller’s sermon: What is the Solution to the Mystery?
Listen (because he is such a good preacher) and read simultaneously.
But what’s the solution of the mystery? Well, there’s only one solution I know. There’s only one way to account for this psalm. And that’s to believe what the apostle Peter said in Acts 2:31. He said, “Being a prophet, David foresaw and spoke of the Christ.” In other words, what Peter is saying is that David was suffering, and he was meditating and reflecting on his suffering., but as he did so, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he got prophetic insight into a Greater David, who was going to go through a greater suffering, a greater abandonment by God, a greater deliverance that would lead to an everlasting kingdom. In other words, when Jesus cried this out on the cross, he says, “There’s absolutely no possible way to make any sense of Psalm 22 unless you understand it’s about me, and you will only be able to make sense of me if you understand Psalm 22.”
So what does this great cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” tell us about what Jesus is all about? It tells us three things. The first thing it tells us is about the infinity of his sufferings. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” When he screamed it, you realized what a departure that was. Because up until that point, Jesus had been getting all kinds of things happening to him, and he hadn’t said a word. He had been flogged. He had been beaten. He had been mocked, of course. He’d had thorns driven into his skull. He actually had nails driven through his hands. And all during that time, he was quiet. He was silent. He had that kind of poise. He took it. In fact, the text says he was “like a lamb that is silent before his shearers.” So he never said a thing. All that suffering, all that pain, and he never said a thing. He could take it. Then suddenly, he screams, and that means something new is happening. Something … some kind of agony, some kind of pain beyond the physical, beyond the nails, beyond the thorns, beyond all that. Because he doesn’t cry, “My hands, my hands,” does he? He doesn’t cry, “My feet, my feet,” “My skull, my skull.” He cries, “My God, my God …” He is experiencing something infinitely beyond, worse than the physical suffering. It is separation from God. Do you understand that? Do we understand that? The Bible says, and we know, that we’re made for relationships. And as bad as it is to lose all your money, and as bad as it is to lose health, that’s nothing like losing love. It’s nothing like losing the love of a lifetime. Counselors will tell you, psychologists will tell you, that there is nothing more devastating than to lose a lifetime love. But look at Jesus. His relationship with the Father is not just a 30- or 40-year love relationship; they’ve loved one another from all eternity. This isn’t two parties whose bodies have been pressed together to express love, but they’ve been wrapped up in each other’s souls literally from all eternity. Here’s the Son who lived utterly for the Father, who lived wholly for the Father, and he’s lost him. And just as physical pain is infinitely less than the pain of a loss of love, so the pain of a loss of a human relationship is infinitely less than this. We know the agony of the loss of human love. What must this have been like? See, the Bible says, also, that we’re made for the presence of God. We need the presence of God, spiritually, the way a flower needs the sunlight or it fades. And, you know, if the sun were suddenly to go off, every living organism on this earth would immediately freeze, would immediately be destroyed. When Jesus Christ lost the Father’s presence, at that instant, Jesus was engulfed in absolute freezing, eternal darkness. His soul unraveled infinitely. He experienced absolute infinite spiritual disruption. He says, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And the first thing we learn from this cry is the infinity of his suffering. The second thing we learn from this cry is the infinity of his faithfulness. See, on the surface, when he says, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” it seems like he’s losing his grip, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t; it means exactly the opposite. Do you know what it means to say, “My God”? Do you know what it meant to Jesus? It’s the language of covenant faithfulness. When God got the people of Israel together at Sinai, he looked down from Mt. Sinai and he said, “I’m going to enter into an intimate personal relationship with you, an intimate covenant with you. You will be my people and I will be your God.” So when Jesus is calling him, “My God,” it’s the language of covenant loyalty; it’s the language of faithfulness; it’s the language of intimacy. I mean, if you overhear someone saying, “My Sally,” or “My Johnny,” you may not know who they are at all, but you know they must be their children, it must be their spouse, or something like that, because you don’t say, “My …” without it being the language of intimacy. Now do you know what this means? In the midst of his infinite suffering, Jesus is saying, “My God.” Captain Ahab, just before he died, said to Moby Dick, “From hell’s heart I stab at thee.” Well, get this. Here is Jesus Christ, somebody who was literally in hell’s heart. He was literally in hell’s heart. But do you know what he says from hell’s heart? He says from hell’s heart, “I still love you.” In hell’s heart, “I’m still faithful to you. You are still my God. I am still faithful to my covenant God.” He is still loving God in the midst of this infinite suffering. You know, the direction to the first Adam was, “Obey God and you will live.” But the direction of the second Adam (Jesus Christ) is, “Obey God and he’ll crush you to powder,” and he still did it … for us. So we see the infinity of his suffering in “… why hast thou forsaken me?” but we see the infinity of his faithfulness in the, “My God, my God …?” When you put it together, you see, with the infinity of his sufferings and the infinity of his faithfulness, we have an infinite redemption. Because here is someone living the faithful life we should have lived, and at the very same moment, dying the death that faithless people should die … for us, in our place. The most dramatic of all dramatic themes is the great substitution of the Rescuer. The great substitution of the Rescuer. What does a rescuer do? A rescuer is in safety. Someone is in danger. Rescuers give up their safety and go into danger so those in danger can have safety. And very often, the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate substitution, is the rescuers give up their lives so that those who are about to die get theirs back. Now this is the way it is in all the most moving stories, whether they’re true or not. There are the true stories.… I mean, I’ll never forget the, that man who kept diving back and back in to the icy Potomac River, and he brought back up, he saved one passenger after another passenger from that crashed airliner, until finally he went down and didn’t come up again. You know, when they finally lifted his lifeless body out of the water with a crane, what he looked like? He was on the cross. What did he do? He gave up his safety and went into danger. He gave up his life and went into death so those in danger could have safety, so those about to die could have life. And of course it’s true of all the stories, even the most ancient stories. Even the stories that aren’t true move us because of this. Tolkien once said this is the essence of the most moving stories: “… when things are in danger, someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.” When things are in danger, some people lose them (give them up) so others can keep them. Well, here’s the ultimate example of that, the ultimate substitute. You know that great George Herbert poem, “The Sacrifice,” where Jesus is speaking from the cross, he’s hanging on the tree, and there’s one stanza where he’s speaking to the people and he’s thinking about Adam and Eve, and he says: O all ye who pass by, behold and see; Man stole the fruit, but I must climb the tree; The tree of life to all, but only me: Was ever grief like mine? The cross is the tree of life for everyone because it was a tree of death for him. That’s the ultimate substitute and that’s what you have. The cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Infinite faithfulness and infinite suffering so that we would have an infinite redemption. When we take hold of that, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, God takes you into his family.
2. What are three things you learn from the above?
3. Give thanks.
Tuesday: What It Means
Listen and Read:
Now what does this mean? What does this mean? What does this cry, what does Psalm 22, what does the cross mean for us, practically? Well gosh, this is a sermon on the cross, so obviously we could go on for years and years. But let’s not. Let’s go on just for a few more minutes, and let me just suggest three radical, profound, practical implications of what Jesus Christ said on the cross for us. Three ways … I want to look at how Jesus’ cry affects your personal transformation, your experience of suffering, and the feeling sometimes that God abandons us. Your personal transformation, the experience of suffering, and the feeling that God sometimes abandons us. First, this is the key to real change. I know it is for me. Because the cry on the cross forces me to see that the God of the Bible, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, is absolutely holy and absolutely loving at the same time. I can’t (though I’ll try) say it more emphatically, that your temperament, your psychology, your religious background, your church background … wherever you came from, and your culture, every culture, every temperament, every church tends to basically see God as more holy than loving or more loving than holy, but he is both. And only because he is both, only when he is both, only when you grasp it, only when it really comes together in your life and really smacks you in the face, will it really change you. You see, “… why hast thou forsaken me?” means he was so holy that Jesus had to die. But, “My God, my God …?” means that Jesus was so loving that he was willing to die. In other words, this cry shows me the absolute holiness and absolute love of God at the same time, and that’s the key to your transformation. How so? Well, follow and think with me for a minute. If you are of a conservative temperament or of a conservative ilk, you tend to think of God as basically holy and righteous. You think that if a person is saved, they are saved because they live a holy, moral, and righteous life. But then when you think of your relationship with God, it doesn’t move you, it doesn’t fill you with joy and tears, it doesn’t melt your heart, it doesn’t galvanize you, it doesn’t exhilarate you. You say, “Well, sure, yeah, of course, you know. I believe in God. I’m trying to live a good life.” On the other hand, what if you’re of a more liberal temperament? What if you’re of a more liberal ilk, and you tend to think of God as mainly loving? You say, “I believe in a God who just loves everyone and accepts everyone, no matter how they live.” You would say, therefore, that if a person is saved, they’re saved because God just loves them and forgives everyone no matter who they are. But if that’s the case, and you think of your relationship with God, it doesn’t move you, it doesn’t fill you with tears, it doesn’t shock you, it doesn’t galvanize you, it doesn’t exhilarate you. You say, “Well, sure, sure. I believe in God and I have a relationship with God. He loves me. He loves everybody.” It doesn’t move you; it doesn’t change you. I remember after worship service once, years ago, a woman came up to me afterwards and told me how narrow she thought my whole sermon was. (I’m not encouraging anybody, by the way. You know, if you think my sermon is very narrow, tell somebody next to you. Okay? And see what they say.). I said, “Why?” She said, “Well, because this whole idea that you have to believe Jesus died. I believe in a God of pure love who loves everybody no matter what. Just loves everyone.” I guess I was in a bad mood that day, because I said to her, “Let me ask you a question. What did it cost your god to love you?” She said, “I guess nothing.” And here you have it. A loving god who is not holy isn’t as loving as the biblical God. A holy god who isn’t loving isn’t actually as holy as the biblical God. You know why? You see, the moralistic god of some people who say, “You have to be good,” the biblical God, just trying your best isn’t enough. The relativistic god of people who say, “Oh, God just loves everyone.” But that’s not as loving as the God who because he was holy and loving gave us grace. You see, because he’s loving, there’s free, free, free, free grace for us. But because he’s holy, it was costly grace, infinitely costly grace. When I just hear, “Oh, God is holy and demanding,” that just … I might, out of fear, listen to him, but it doesn’t change me in my heart. And if I hear, “Oh, God is just very, very loving and he accepts everybody,” well, that’s nice and that inspires me, but that doesn’t change me in my heart. But when I know that I am the recipient of this kind of costly grace, when I know Jesus Christ went to hell’s heart for me and was loving and obedient for me … there. That’s what changes me. That’s tears. That’s amazement. That’s exhilaration. That’s galvanizing. You know why it changes? Because at the very same time, on the one hand, it humbles me out of my pride and self-centeredness and it affirms me out of my inferiority and self-pity at the same time. It makes me hate my sins because it led to his death. But it forbids me to hate myself because he did it for me, to make me free. I mean, there is nothing that changes you like an understanding of a God who is absolutely holy and absolutely loving at once. It will just pull you out of every psychological category there is. There are no inferiority complexes. There are no superiority complexes. You’re off the map. You’re off the scale. Understanding the cry of Jesus on the cross is the key to personal transformation. Secondly, understanding the cry of Jesus Christ on the cross gives us two terrific resources for suffering. Now I know this year we’ve talked a lot about suffering in the sermons, but this cry on the cross gives us two amazing resources for suffering. If you’re in trouble right now, if you’re in pain right now, take hold of these. The first is the cry of Jesus on the cross (Psalm 22) gives us the greatest possible companion for our suffering. Do you know the thing you mainly need in suffering is not answers? You can make it without answers. Now what do I mean by that? Well, I mean, when you suffer, you have questions. You say, “Why? Why is this happening to me? Why does this have to happen? Why at this time?” I mean, when you suffer, you have lots of questions. But, you know, you can make it without questions. But you can’t make it out, you can’t make it, without companionship. You can’t make it if you have to suffer alone. You can’t make it without friendship. You can’t make it without companionship. And Christianity is the only religion on the face of the earth that says God is your companion in suffering, that God has suffered, that God does suffer. David Watson, who was a Christian leader some years ago, was dying of cancer when he wrote this. He says, “Someone once said to me, ‘There cannot be a God of love, because if there was and he looked upon the world, his heart would break.’ But the gospel points to the cross and says, “It did break.” Someone once said to me, ‘It’s God who made the world, it’s he who should bear the load.’ The gospel points to the cross and says, “He did bear the load.” God weeps with those who weep. He feels our pain and enters into our sorrows with his compassionate love.” A man dying of cancer. So the first thing you get is the greatest possible companion in suffering. But the second thing you get is the greatest possible future. This cry gives us the greatest possible future for our suffering. The worst thing about being in darkness is to think that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. But when Jesus Christ cried out in the midst of his darkness, there was deliverance. The suffering of Jesus Christ means that our suffering has a future. What do I mean by that? Well, Michael Green wrote this. He says: “Jesus’ cry on the cross means, for Christians, there is a future for suffering. Suffering, ultimately, is not blind, wanton, and senseless. It has a purpose. Look what Jesus’ suffering produced. Look what benefits flowed from the awesome suffering gladly endured. It is the same with Jesus’ followers, mystery though it is. Much flows from it when it is gladly endured. Character is formed by it. Art and creativity is stimulated by it. Compassion and care is evoked by it. Royalty comes from it. Jesus was regal on the cross in his suffering. And in the end, the greatest mystery of all, 2 Corinthians 4:17 reads, ‘For this light momentary affliction [which is only for a moment] is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison …’ ” This is a simple fact, that there’s a future to your suffering. If you’re suffering, you don’t just stay in suffering. If you embrace Jesus Christ, his substitutionary dynamic and paradigm comes into your own life. One of the things I’ve noticed, for example, over the years (my wife and I were talking about this recently) is when you’re in the midst of pain, you always say, “Oh, my gosh!” I mean, you never want it back, and you don’t understand it, and it seems like it’s too much to bear. But whatever you lose shows up again somewhere else in a different way, and it’s redemptive. I’m sorry for being self-referential, but everything I’ve ever suffered personally, everything I’ve ever lost, has shown up again in my preaching and pastoring. It has made me a vastly better preacher and pastor than I ever would’ve been if I’d had all the easy places where I’d had hard places. There’s something about Jesus. You put him in the center of your life, and then as his suffering has a future, its redemption, your suffering will have a future, its redemption. Things will flow from it. I can personally vouch for it. Lastly, this cry also gives us some comfort and some resources when you feel God has abandoned you. See, here’s Jesus saying, “You have forsaken me.” Have you never felt that way? Of course you have! We’re constantly feeling like God has forsaken us, God has abandoned us. You know, Martin Luther said this about Psalm 22. He said, “Psalm 22 has helped me out of difficulties from which no king or ruler could have ever freed me.” I’m not totally sure what he meant by that, but I think I know, because I know Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a melancholic. He was a person who, because of his temperament, maybe because of his physiology, he had trouble holding on to radiant feelings. He had trouble holding on to positive emotions. He had trouble feeling God’s presence, and there are a lot of us who are like that. We have trouble feeling God’s presence. And very often, we’re always feeling he abandons us because of timing, you know? Abraham got Isaac, but not in his timing, in God’s timing. And God’s timing is almost never our timing. That’s another reason we feel abandoned. So we’re always feeling forsaken; we’re always feeling abandoned. But look, do you know what this tells us? Jesus Christ was truly deserted by God so that you are only ever apparently deserted by God. He got the abandonment we deserve; therefore, God will never truly abandon you at all. You feel abandoned because your feelings aren’t reliable. Because of your physiology, because of your sense of timing, you may feel abandoned but you’re not abandoned because Jesus was abandoned and got the abandonment you should have gotten. Jesus was truly deserted so you are only ever apparently so. And look. Jesus Christ, truly deserted, was loving you. So when you are only apparently feeling deserted by God, why can’t you just keep loving him? Why can’t you just hold on, obey, read your Bible, pray, come to church, help somebody else, and do the next thing? And he’ll be back, in your feelings, because he’s never left you, objectively. Jesus Christ was deserted really so that you would only be deserted apparently. His love in time past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink; By prayer, let me wrestle, then he will perform, With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.
4. What are three things you learn from the above?
5. Give thanks.
Wednesday: Philippians 2:1-4
After memorizing Philippians 2:1-11 to share at my granddaughter’s wedding, it has seeped into my very bones. It is such a good passage to memorize. I remember Dr. Henry Brandt, who is considered the father of Christian counseling, telling his grandchildren that if they could say it perfectly whenever he arrived for a visit, they would get $5! We’re going to meditate on it this Lenten week for it is so rich — and such a New Testament corollary to Psalm 22.
6. Read Philippians 2:1
- How are you encouraged or consoled because you are united with Christ?
- How have you been comforted by His love? Share a specific instance, small or large, which you have not often shared before.
- How have you experienced fellowship in the Spirit with brothers and sisters that brought you deep joy or strength?
- How have you experienced tender mercies from the Lord? Be specific.
- Now thank Him.
7. Read Philippians 2:2-4
- What, therefore, does God ask of us, and how is this possible? (vs. 2)
- What warning is there in 3a?
- What is the antidote in 3b?
- Share a time when you were able to be likeminded with a spouse or friend because you both sought the mind of Christ.
Thursday: Philippians 2:5-8
8. Read Philippians 2:5-8. Describe the 3 things Christ did that showed His purity and love.
9. Praise Him.
Friday: Philippians 2:9-11
10. How did God respond to His Son’s obedience? Share everything you can find.
11. What similarities do you see with Psalm 22:27-31?
12. How does it encourage you that David and Paul, though living centuries apart, saw the same thing, one before it happened and one after it had been partially fulfilled?
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
117 comments
Sunday GH
Having spent this week in Psalm 22, I was astonished this morning that the meditation scripture at the begging of the service was….Psalm 22:1, 11-19. I felt my soul sit right up and with ears wide open, when the pastor delivered his message, oh my. I felt as the disciples did on the road to Emmaus, my heart burned within me. The pastor has been walking thru the book of Matthew for two years, and the scripture today “just happened” to be Matt. 20:17-19. T
And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
What a lovely Godwink, Cheryl. Our God is amazing and there are no coincidences.🙏
What a beautiful story!
Cheryl, I love those “just happened” moments!
He knows just what we need and exactly when we need it.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week?
—I would have to say everyday God’s Word serves to encourage my heart. I am in need of it daily and God graciously feeds my soul through it.
My husband and I have found sweet fellowship with God’s people here in Texas these last 3 months. They have been a great encouragement and blessing to our lives when there have been some discouraging times with family. This past week we spent time getting to know and enjoy two different couples better on two different evenings. The family of God is the very best and we were greatly encouraged by sharing together acknowledging what our gracious God and Father has done in our lives. Wonderful saints down here are now tuned in and praying for our son Chris that he will come back to God.
And God answered prayer for my precious friend Lynda who was in excruciating pain by providing a prescription for prednisone to help bring her relief. We live in a rural area and don’t have doctors readily available to us nor any urgent care facilities in our locale. Her own doctor was not available to her because of a family emergency. Several days ago she was able to connect with another local doctor who has been very helpful to take over her care and follow up with her current needs. It is a definite answer to prayer that we are praising God for.
Bev, I love the fellowship you speak of and the answer to prayer for Lynda. Praise the Lord.
Bev,
I love this! “The family of God is the very best…” Richard and I have experienced this in the last few weeks at our church, bringing so much gladness in our hearts.
Praying just now for your son, Bev. I know this is a heavy tug at a mother’s heart. I’m so glad you have found others to lift him up in prayer there in Texas.
Oh, Bev, I so agree that the family of God is so very precious. You have been truly blessed during your time in Texas. I love how our Father sent encouragement through new friends. I am so thankful for Lynda’s wonderful answer to prayer. I will pray for your dear Chris.
Bev, I am so glad to hear about Lynda. She has been on my heart/mind since you mentioned her stuggles with gout. A blessed answer to prayer!
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week?
Worries of life kept rearing its ugly head this last week. The tendency to ask myself, “What can I do?” would cross my mind as if it was up to me to take care of all concerns that worried me. Jesus came to my rescue again through His Word in Matthew 6:34 and a quote from Elisabeth Elliot:
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
From E. Elliot:
Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes that will not see clearly what is required of me now.
Love this! I struggle too and had to tell myself to stop and pray, giving my worries to God.
Oh, Bing! God knows I can use these very words myself!
From E. Elliot: Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes that will not see clearly what is required of me now. What a great reminder, thanks for posting this Bing.
Thank you Bing! So perfect for today! I need to read this daily. One day at a time. God has my tomorrows.
Cheryl,
God does surely speak to us at different times and with the same message to confirm His truths in our heart. What a beautiful thing!
Bing, It is beautiful to have confirmation, and I LOVE it when it happens unexpectedly. I appreciate your quoting Elisabeth Elliot in your post, I, too, am a worrier at times.
I was visiting in an upper class church today with my children, still trying to find a place where we can belong. The message was on Romans 5 and the comparison of the first Adam to the second Adam. The first Adam’s deed brought death to all mankind. The second Adam’s deed brings life to all who will receive Him. My heart leaped within me so many times during the sermon as he expounded on this great passage. There was an elderly African American gentleman sitting near the front of the church. Even though we sat in the balcony, you could hear him loudly bellow out, “Amen!” and “Preach it, brother” so many times. This is not the norm for this church at all, nor for my kids. They snickered and gasped every time he did this. When we got back into our car after the service, my young son said, “Mom, do you think he had mental problems?” I emphatically told him, “No. He seemed normal to me. In fact, every time he bellowed out, my heart was bellowing out too in admiration and utter thankfulness for the depth of meaning we were hearing.” I then expounded on it a bit more for my children. I pray God will open the eyes of their hearts to behold such wondrous things out of the Scriptures and to have a relationship with the Living Christ.
I love that you were able to share more with your kids in the car and I am a bit sad that you are having to search for a place you belong. At one time we switched churches to move closer to where we lived and did not realize the struggle we put our kids in. At the time, we had between 4-7 kids at this church and we homeschooled. This church was one that was primarily Christian school kids. Our kids were not accepted. Our oldest was third grade at the time and I remember she was celebrating by high school that she had finally been accepted. So sad that our Christian kids even struggle to accept one another. Praying for you, and your kids, to be greatly loved in a church home.
Love the description of this church! Praying you find a home.
I will be praying that God leads you and your family to the right place for all of you.
This church sounds wonderful! I will pray for a church that is a good fit for all of you. I love so many African American churches and the way they sing Gospel Praises to God. It is out of fashion for the young generations. This man sounds like a beautiful soul.
Missy, I love the Amen and the preach it brother! We should do this more often in our churches.
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week?
I have had a lot of unexplainable agitation inside myself this past week. I can’t pinpoint the issue. Today, a good friend, whom I’ve known a very long time texted me and said she prayed all day today for our family. So kind. We surely need it all the time.
Praying for the peace that passes understanding, Laura. I find for myself, often I want to fix what ever is wrong and find my mind swirling with ideas instead of praying. This causes me much unnecessary anxiety, until I stop and pray. I wish I was more quick to pray.
I have been and will continue praying for you and your family dear Laura. You are going through a hard valley right now with all that is on your plate. I so often need to go to the Psalms. Psalm 46 and 23.🙏🙏
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week? Oh, the Lord is good. So much in our lives to rejoice over. One thing this week, 19 year old son recently called off his engagement to his fiancé, until they can work through some concerns. They agreed to read through Tim Keller’s book on the Meaning of Marriage with us. We met the first time this past Tuesday and read through most of the first chapter. My son shared very well thought out reasons why he wanted to get married and his thoughts on Tim’s book so far. His fiancé was quiet and thoughtful throughout our time together. Their relationship seems less strained since we started. We are praying that if the Lord intends for them to marry, that he will guide them and lead us in counseling them. And if that door is supposed to close, then that would happen now and not down the road. Thank you Dee for this resource and thank you, Lord, for kids who are seeking you.
Sounds like wisdom on your son’s part and I agree with your prayer!
Oh wow, what a hard thing to do, but so wise.
Praise God that your kids are seeking. I join Dee in praying your prayer. Love that the four of you are doing this together. You are all in my prayers.
What a blessing to hear of this, Chris! Praying for your son and his fiance’ to sort through things by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Better now than later.
Interesting how different kids can be! I shared something from Tim’s book with my 17 year old daughter and her response was, “I need a mentor! I know nothing about marriage. But not anyone from my family, because that would be weird.” Haha. Glad she wants a mentor.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week? – I think I mentioned previously that my younger son, Justin and his family moved down to Tennessee and were staying with us until they sold their home in Indiana and could buy another one. Everyone seemed to like being down here and it seemed like it was going well, all considered. But out of the blue my daughter-in-law got so anxious and in an instant were moving back to Indiana, only after 3 weeks. I don’t know why because my son found a job right away and was working. Where I found God was in the strength he provided to me as they drove away. Jessica on Thursday night with the kids and the pups and Justin on Friday morning. My heart was broken, but God was there lifting me up and making me strong in a situation that was hard for me and Justin.
Oh Julie, I’m sorry this happened the way it did with so many unanswered questions. It must be hard for all concerned. I’ll be praying for all of you.
Oh, dear Julie. This is heart breaking. I am so thankful that you felt the Lord’s presence with you. I will pray for you all. May the Lord be very present with all of you and may peace and understanding in the days to come.
I’m sorry Julie. That’s hard for sure. I’m glad you felt God’s strength. Where will they be living back in Indiana? I will pray for you all.
Laura, they live in NW Indiana about 45 minutes south of Lake Michigan and will live with her parents even though their house has not sold. She doesn’t want to live in their home anymore. I’m not sure what she’s thinking anymore.
I will pray for clarity for the two of them.
Oh, Julie! That is sad. Praying for Justin and Jessica. May God’s grace continue to sustain you these days.
So hard, Julie. Father, please bring the best out of this hard situation. In Jesus Name I pray
I’m praying as well, Julie. So hard…
Monday: Part 2 of Keller’s sermon: What is the Solution to the Mystery?
2. What are three things you learn from the above? – The deep agony and pain Jesus felt when he suffered and was dying on the cross. The loss of His Father being close to him was more than the pain he endured before the cross. His relationship with the Father was severed. He was in spiritual darkness; Though Jesus cried out My Father, My Father…, he still was loyal to him, he still loved the father he was still faithful to God. From the grips of the enemy, he still honored God and worshipped Him; “The cross is the tree of life for everyone because it was a tree of death for him.” WOW. This really makes a much clearer picture of just how much love Jesus had for us. The tree of life had to be a tree of death in order for redemption to come into the world for all of us.
3. Give thanks – Oh, Lord Jesus. The love you have for me is unimaginable. It is so deep that it’s hard for me to comprehend the depth that it comes from. Your life for mine. Your blood in place of mine. You lost your relationship with God so I could have it. Thank you, Jesus, for all that you have done and for all I know you will continue to do for me, through your Holy Spirit. You thought of everything so I would lose nothing. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for You!
2. What are three things you learn from the above?
Psalms 22 is not about David, rather about Christ.
Jesus “loses” God at the cross, but is still faithful to Him.
Death for One on the cross means the tree of life for me.
3. Give thanks.
Thank You Lord for dying for me. Thank You for taking my place. I am grateful and don’t deserve that kind of love. In Your Holy Name. Amen.
1. How have you experienced the goodness of God through His Word, fellowship, answered prayer, or a sense of His presence last week? My son had his twin daughters (my first grandchildren) with a woman that he wasn’t married to. They spent a couple of years together, but things didn’t work out between them. The twins are now 11. Through the years they have done a great job co-parenting and maintaining stability in the girls’ and their siblings lives. This past Saturday was a reminder of that. One of my granddaughters was in a play, there was a group of 16 of us made up of people from their mom’s family, their stepdad, and people from my family. We all sat together and then went out to eat together. It was a a beautiful reminder that all good things come from God.
This is lovely, Dawn.
This is so wonderful to read, dear Dawn. It is pure joy when families can work things out and have good relationships, and love and respect for one another. I know that Jesus is smiling about this! Thank you for sharing.
Monday 2. What are three things you learn from the above?
Jesus’ infinite suffering: “His soul unraveled infinitely. He experienced absolute infinite spiritual disruption.” Up to this point Jesus had made no cry of pain or distress; he suffered in silence.
His infinite faithfulness: “I’m still faithful to you. You are still my God. I am still faithful to my covenant God.” He is still loving God in the midst of this infinite suffering. He does not cry out in anger blaming God for what is happening to Him.
Because of His infinite suffering and infinite faithfulness, we have an infinite redemption. “Because here is someone living the faithful life we should have lived, and at the very same moment, dying the death that faithless people should die … for us, in our place.”
3. Give thanks. Precious Lord Jesus, That You would empty yourself of glory to become the Son of Man for me, living and DYING for me is overwhelming. I cannot understand the depth of your love in such a sacrifice; a bloody, torturous ending to a beautiful life, and You went willingly into that suffering for ME. Thank you for providing me a way back to God, for my redemption. Thank you. My heart bows before you, please take my life and use me in return, Thank you, Jesus.
I love your prayer, Cheryl, and pray it will be the cry of my heart, too. He is so very precious.
Praising God and Thanking Jesus. Such a lovely prayer, Cheryl.
Monday: Part 2 of Keller’s sermon: What is the Solution to the Mystery?
2.. What are three things you learn from the above?
Infinite faithfulness, infinite suffering, infinite redemption.
3. Give thanks.
Thank you, Lord, for being so infinitely faithful to your promises. I saw that today as you answered our prayers for our friends far beyond what we could ask or imagine! We share in their joy and are being mindful that all good things come from you and made possible by the infinite suffering of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He gave us his safety so He can rescue each one of us and redeem us for eternity. And while we wait for the blessed hope of Heaven, you continue to be faithful. Help me remember all you have done for us- your “never-ending, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love.” (Sally Lloyd Jones)
2. What are three things you learn from the above? Jesus’ bond with the Father was closer than any bond that we can experience and he gave it up for us. Jesus knew that obedience to the Father was going to crush him and he did it willingly. Infinite faithfulness and infinite suffering so that we would have an infinite redemption.
3. Give thanks. Jesus no matter how many times and how many ways I hear the story of redemption, I can never fully comprehend it or give enough thanks and praise for it. Thank you for your perfect sacrifice for me.
I have Linda Strom (Discipleship Unlimited) here for the whole week. Praying she gets some badly needed rest. Wonderful fellowship.
Today she will come with me to a study on Ecclesiastes I’m facilitating and it’s on the injustice on earth, and corruption in the courts. She has witnessed so much of that — including executions in which the women were later found innocent. God’s timing for us for sure for her wisdom.
Dee, Praying for you today. And for Linda. So sweet you have this time together
thanks so much everyone — I’ll be a bit sparse as Linda is here. Thanks for grace.
I am praying for your time together and as you both minister to others. What a blessing you both will be at your study. I have been heart sick ever since I read what you wrote about how so many jeered at Karla Fay Tucker. The heartbreak in this world is sometimes so overwhelming. God bless you both for the ministries you have done and are doing.
What a precious time with your dear friend and ministering to others together-how wonderful. Praying for you both to enjoy sweet fellowship and receive rest as well as be led by the Spirit in ministry.
Prayers for you and Linda Dee.
2. What are three things you learn from the above?
The infinity of Jesus’s sufferings.
The infinity of Jesus’s faithfulness.
Jesus infinite redemption.
3. Give thanks.
Hallelujah What a Savior!
Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Guilty, helpless, lost were we;
blameless Lamb of God was he,
sacrificed to set us free:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
He was lifted up to die;
“It is finished” was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Love this, Bev.
Thanks, Bev, for this post.
Tuesday: What It Means
4. What are three things you learn from the above? – “the God of the Bible, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, is absolutely holy and absolutely loving at the same time.” I’m starting to see, as the world wakes up, that it definitely makes a difference how we view current events in our society to how we see Jesus, or how we think Jesus should act. We want Jesus to fit our mold and can’t understand when he doesn’t. But he can’t. Jesus is no respecter of person, he’s just and fair and holy and loving. He has to discipline when needed, he needs to correct wrongs and make us see the truth. That is just who he is and why he came to earth.
“Jesus Christ went to hell’s heart” this is a new term. I’ve never heard this before. But when I think about this I wonder if it’s meaning Christ gave up himself to the enemy so our hearts could be free to live among God in heaven.
“Jesus Christ was truly deserted by God so that you are only ever apparently deserted by God. He got the abandonment we deserve; therefore, God will never truly abandon you at all.” – Oh, my goodness, this hit hard. This right here shows how deep God’s love is for us. Jesus was with God for so much longer than we have been and yet, God gave him up, Jesus accepted his fate, and we can freely live. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself when it feels God is not hearing me, he is and always will. But he will act in His time, so I know just how powerful he really is.
5. Give thanks. – Oh, Jesus, you have done so much for me. You are love and yet, you gave up the love of your Father that you had for so long, just so I could have it. Nothing I do will ever compare to the love you show me every day. Please continue to open my heart to love even a little bit like you love. Help me to be a vessel you can use until my last breath. In your mighty name I pray, Jesus, amen.
2. What are three things you learn from the above?
The infinity of His faithfulness; The infinity of His suffering; The infinity of His substitution the Redemption of those He loved.
3. Give thanks.
Lord God Almighty, there are no words in any language that can communicate how my heart breaks for the many times I have disappointed You; I have turned back to my idols after You have given me grace, forgiveness and love. How I know I do not deserve this gift of eternal life, which is truly beyond my comprehension. How I pray that I will learn to be more selfless and give my entire self to You. I thank You dear Jesus for Your love beyond my imagining. I give my life to You dear Lord and I pray that You will direct me in a path of serving You more fully, loving You more dearly, and following more nearly. In the Name of Jesus I pray.
Wednesday:
I will not be able to finish this week’s lesson as today we are packing up to go back home to Nebraska. It is a two day 8 hour drive each day and when we get home we have had remodeling done on our house and it will be a big project putting the house back together. We gave some long days ahead. Hopefully I can jump back in next week but not sure about that either. This sermon by Keller has been a very real encouragement and so insightful to the meaning behind Psalm 22 and the opening lines “My God, My God, Why have You forsaken me?! I so appreciate how Keller brings a depth of understanding in the truths that God is holy and God is perfect love and those two truths meld together on the Cross. Jesus suffered under the holy justice of God for my sin. And God so loved me he gave His only Son over to that suffering, separation and death for me. And Jesus so loved me he submitted himself to that separation and suffering and saved me for a glorious eternity. Oh the wonderful Cross!!
Bev, I know what a big job it is to pack up and travel such a distance, as we do this every year to escape the winter cold. The difference being that our daughter is living in house at home, so it will be ready and waiting for us when we return. I pray you have safe travel and that everything goes smoothly for you. Lord bless and keep you during this transition.
Lord, I pray for Bev and her husband as they travel back home. Provide them with your traveling mercies and keep them safe from harm. Keep all around them focused and alert as they drive. I pray Lord that when they reach their home, it will not be a big project to get settled back in. Bring peace, comfort and strength in these days ahead. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Dear Bev, I will be praying for you and your family, as you travel home and put things back in order. May the Lord keep you in His tender care and give you safety and good health, as you travel. I agree that this lesson has been powerful and life changing. I pray that we all will grow closer to the Lord in this Resurrection Season.
Hello All,
I am wondering if anyone else is experiencing difficulty on the blog with disconnection from the website when entering a comment? I wondered if it’s just tech problems on my end? I will type a comment and then when I hit submit the screen just goes black, showing the website at the top, but no content. I hit back button and the site will not reload. I press re-load and nothing. I have to start over all together. I have tried switching from my WiFi to my data and no help. Very frustrating.
Thanks for any help.
Chris
Hi Chris, When I hit submit the entire page dims. After some seconds though it comes back clear.
I’ve not had any issues. Lord be with us as we study and learn your word. Keep the enemy away from this website and remove all issues. Your hand is upon this group and the enemy needs to go back to the pit of hell and leave it alone. In your mighty name I pray, amen.
Amen to Julie! Lord protect our blog and place a hedge of protection around our study group. Be with Dee and Linda, as they spend time together. We all love You and we love to be in Your Word together. In the Name of Jesus we pray.
Chris– have your tech problems cleared up? You’ve probably tried turning your device on and off or trying a different server such as Safari or Chrome.
4. What are three things you learn from the above?
Holy and loving at the same time. We receive grace because of this. It makes me hate my sins and love myself.
We don’t need answers in our suffering, rather a friend who see it through, with us. He is with me when I suffer. He knows my pain.
If you’re suffering, you don’t just stay in your suffering. There’s a future. Something will come of the suffering. Things will flow from it. Keller said he became a better pastor. This one eludes me…I’m not so sure about it. I can’t see this, necessarily, in my own life. I have not had the happy families of others. If I look over the last 61 yrs of my life, losing my dad young, my mom working herself to death, alone, my brother an alcoholic who doesn’t seem to care about his family anymore, my sister and I so far from each other. Then, the struggles of my own children and our family. There has been plenty of suffering to endure. I’m not seeing this light at the end of the tunnel, of which he speaks. Only sadness to life. It’s funny, I’ve never given up on things in my life. I have always been resilient and pressed forward. Lately, I just want to stop, to give up. It’s too hard. I’m tired now. Our situation seems un-fixable (not a word?). No one “wins” in the end. We look like the “bad guys” even though we are trying to do the right thing. Or, what we think is the right thing. And life just keeps cranking on behind the scenes; bills to pay, day to day work, problems to solve, dinners to cook, cleaning to do. Ugh, I sound so ungrateful. I don’t mean to. My suffering is nothing compared to Jesus’ suffering. I am thankful I have Him with me, yes. But, I don’t necessarily want a new family like Job got. I want my family back. The one that I had when my kids were little and we all cared. Hmm…we can’t go back in life. Sad. I move on. Sorry to be a “Debbie downer” today, but thanks for letting me get it off my chest! Feels good. The Bible verse of the day is Colossians 3:12. Tough stuff in my state of mind. I think I will focus on patience.
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
Colossians 3:12 NLT
5. Give thanks.
Thank You Jesus, for giving Yourself up for me. I know You haven’t abandoned me. You were totally abandoned so that I would only be apparently abandoned. I know I am not alone. Give me strength through the (continual) trials. I can’t wait to be held by You at the end. Then, I will know I am in the arms of my true Father. Amen.
Dear Laura, You are not a “Debbie Downer,” you are just being honest and sharing your heart. I’m thankful you feel this a safe pace to do that. Your life experience has brought tears to my eyes and an ached to my heart. You are so precious to the Lord, He loves you so dearly. I can tell you one thing that has come from your suffering, your tender heart and the example of our ongoing spirit and trust/faith in the Lord. What you shared is a true witness of what the Lord does with a life that is surrendered to Him. I shed tears for you but also rejoice that there is a future awaiting you, and all who put their faith and trust in the Lord. I pray your heart is filled with His peace, joy, and love today and in the days to come. Lord bless you, sweet Laura.
Laura, I don’t know your family dynamics, but what has helped me when struggling or feeling that those around me are against me, is that if they don’t know Jesus, if they don’t have a relationship with Him, they don’t really know just what they are doing. They don’t know how to love or see the truth that is around them. Like Jesus crying out on the cross, Lord forgive them for they know not what they are doing. I try to keep this in mind and have told others that when they struggle with their family members. We need to stay steadfast in His Word and live for the audience of One. Jesus sees you, he loves you and is walking with you. Our choices, good or bad, bring consequences that match. We need to be set apart from the world for the world to see Him. We are here for you Laura and love you. You cry out whenever the need comes. It helps us to know how to pray for you and your family. You are precious to me and to this group.
Laura, I understand your frustrations; dailies can be so “daily”, it is sometimes hard to press on or move forward. May the Lord give you daily grace and strength to obey Him moment by moment.
Oh, Laura. I pray that you will not be discouraged and give up. This blog is the place where you have friends who love to pray for one another and support one another. This is a very weird time in history, where families struggle with so many things that can cause division. You are an amazing teacher and mother, especially to your beautiful grandchildren. My prayers for you continue. The Lord knows ask about each of us. I pray that you will sense His Presence with you during all that is going on. HE IS GOD. You are loved !!!
My heart is broken for you. I have been in that place where I could see no light at the end of the tunnel. Hang on. The Lord is working in hearts behind the scene. We cannot see all that he does. When I have been in this place, I have turned to the story of Joseph who suffered for so long. In some respects, I am still in this place, but the Lord has graciously made things more bearable. Many prayers for the Lord to give you hope.
Laura — I agree with your sisters. You have had so much. Studying Ecclesiastes this winter and he bemoans the suffering we have under the sun, how the wheels of justice turn so slowly. Thanks for sharing openly so we can pray and love you, as we do!
Thank you everyone. I made it through trying to do the “next right thing” that our youth pastor preached on this past week. I think it’s a case of MBU, messy build up!
I didn’t really want to post all that info, but then I thought wait! I have learned that Christians suffer and things aren’t always good for us. It’s reality. Those who are not Christian might stumble on the blog and think we are all happy, joyful, people who have no troubles at all. We know this is not true however, others, who don’t understand Christianity don’t know this. And, we have leaders in the world who profess that if you are a Christian you will have no troubles. Again, not true. We don’t live a “Pollyanna” life. so, I could really relate to what Keller was saying about temporary suffering versus Jesus‘s permanent suffering for us. That’s where I was yesterday morning. Thank you again for reading and helping me through. I can always count on the sisters here to do that!
Wednesday: Philippians 2:1-4
After memorizing Philippians 2:1-11 to share at my granddaughter’s wedding, it has seeped into my very bones. It is such a good passage to memorize. I remember Dr. Henry Brandt, who is considered the father of Christian counseling, telling his grandchildren that if they could say it perfectly whenever he arrived for a visit, they would get $5! We’re going to meditate on it this Lenten week for it is so rich — and such a New Testament corollary to Psalm 22.
6. Read Philippians 2:1
How are you encouraged or consoled because you are united with Christ? – It is so comforting to know that there is one Person, one God that loves me enough, in spite of all the wrong I’ve done and do. He will be with me always.
How have you been comforted by His love? Share a specific instance, small or large, which you have not often shared before. – I knew about God my whole life, but it wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I really got to know who he truly was and how much he loved me. He has changed how I think, how I look at things or people and continues to walk with me as I grow closer to Him.
How have you experienced fellowship in the Spirit with brothers and sisters that brought you deep joy or strength? – What a blessing it is to be all in one accord. God has brought so many wonderful, powerful prayer warriors into my life. They sense when I need a hug, or prayer. I am getting to know one lady at church, Susan and she brought me a gift about a month ago. It was a prayer journal and red pen. I looked at her surprised and asked what this is for. She said she wanted to encourage to me write my prayers out and when answered, put in red how and when it did. She said its so encouraging to go back and flip through the pages to see God in red. What a blessing that was to me.
How have you experienced tender mercies from the Lord? Be specific. – Oh, my yes! When I am struggling inside, I can feel his arms around me. His unexplainable peace is like a warm blanket on a cold day. I can just sense that he is with me, that he has seen my tears or heard my cries. It is just what I need from him to get through the struggles. Recently, when I had an unsettling conversation with Kyle, I was so upset but at church that week, all the songs played were a comfort to me. A devotional I read, said to step back, step aside and let God do His work. He is real and he hears us, we to never forget that.
Now thank Him. – Lord, you are not a myth, but a very real person in my life. You are always listening, always seeing just what I need and know exactly when I need your peace and comfort. Thank you, for all you have done and continue to do for me. I know without a doubt that I will be ok here on earth.
7. Read Philippians 2:2-4
What, therefore, does God ask of us, and how is this possible? (vs. 2) – He wants us to think the same way as Him so his joy will be complete.
What warning is there in 3a? – We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit.
What is the antidote in 3b? – We need to do things with humility, not expecting anything in return, but to do it all for love.
Share a time when you were able to be likeminded with a spouse or friend because you both sought the mind of Christ. – We were on our very first mission trip in Greece and we were helping an organization that provided clothing, some food staples and taught the group who Jesus was. This program was for Afghan refugees, which at the time was very hard for me because Kyle was in Afghanistan fighting and ended up injured, while he was in the army. But everyone around me helped me put aside my feelings and see these people not for who my son was fighting against, but for those who wanted and needed help and wanted to know about Jesus. They didn’t want that war any more than we did, they wanted freedom to love Jesus like we can and we were all able to give that to them.
Such a story with your son and you simultaneously helping the refugees!
Julie, your entire post is inspiring. Love the stories about Kyle; when you needed comfort from a conversation and when you were helping the refugees from the country where he was serving. I love the sweet prayer journal and red pen. What a great way to track answers to prayers. Our God is in all the details of our lives. He is Awesome!!
Wednesday: Philippians 2:1-4
After memorizing Philippians 2:1-11 to share at my granddaughter’s wedding, it has seeped into my very bones. It is such a good passage to memorize. I remember Dr. Henry Brandt, who is considered the father of Christian counseling, telling his grandchildren that if they could say it perfectly whenever he arrived for a visit, they would get $5! We’re going to meditate on it this Lenten week for it is so rich — and such a New Testament corollary to Psalm 22.
6. Read Philippians 2:1
How are you encouraged or consoled because you are united with Christ?
I need not be afraid that He will leave me or forsake me. I am attached to Him!
How have you been comforted by His love? Share a specific instance, small or large, which you have not often shared before.
I received an unexpected monetary gift with specific instructions to spend it for myself and not to use it for others. It wasn’t much the nature of the gift as much as the timing. It is as if God is telling me that His love is demonstrated in various ways, and he can use people to show me His love.
How have you experienced fellowship in the Spirit with brothers and sisters that brought you deep joy or strength?
The last few weeks have been a testament to the body of Christ at work to help a young family in our church. It strengthened my resolve to pursue what I feel God is leading Richard and me to do as we contemplate the future. And joy inexplainable that can only come from the sweet fellowship we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
How have you experienced tender mercies from the Lord? Be specific.
I went to a workshop sponsored by the association my daughter Ruth is a member of with three other friends. Ruth knew we were attending, but I got the impression that she would not be there. But when we got there, who did I see coming toward me! Ruth. I could almost cry. She thought she texted me that she was planning to come. But I was sure she did not. But never mind. Having not seen her for a while made me miss her so much, so it was a tender mercy from God to have seen her and to hug her.
Now thank Him.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
7. Read Philippians 2:2-4
What, therefore, does God ask of us, and how is this possible? (vs. 2)
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
What warning is there in 3a?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition nor vain conceit
What is the antidote in 3b?
Humility
Share a time when you were able to be like-minded with a spouse or friend because you both sought the mind of Christ.
There are significant changes that will be brought to the table at our church council meeting next week. Richard and I have talked about these things for a while now and have agreed to pray for as a pastor and wife. We agree for our hearts’ desires to be fulfilled but, far above that, for God’s will and purposes to prevail. God has given us peace that passes all understanding that is guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Sweet story with Ruth — the Lord has brought such healing.
Wednesday Phil 2:1-4
Wednesday
6. Read Philippians 2:1
How are you encouraged or consoled because you are united with Christ?
My identity is Christ in me, the hope of glory. It elevates and humbles me at the same time. Union with Jesus means that I have the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead, guide, comfort, and support me at all times in all circumstances. As part of His Body I have an eternal bond with other believers and there is no distinction between us; not wealth, position, appearance, culture, talent, etc.
How have you been comforted by His love? Share a specific instance, small or large, which you have not often shared before.
This is something maybe two or three people know. When I was about 35 I worked as a parent aide. One of our trainings involved watching a video about sexual abuse, a fictional story. There was nothing graphic, at one point the father was in his daughter’s bdrm sitting on her bed. My heart started racing and I kept thinking, he’s going to hurt her. I shared my reaction with my sister (a year younger than me), and she told me that I had probably blocked the memories of HER abuse at the hands of our older brother. I was aghast, as I certainly did NOT remember that. I asked her, where was I when this happened. Cheryl, you were right there, but he did not touch you. We hugged and cried. My sister is a believer and had Christian counseling to deal with this, but I was shocked and at a loss. I carried this sadness for years afterwards but buried it deep in my heart. It was maybe 10 years later at a ladies conference with Kathy Troccoli that the sadness and thoughts emerged. Why can’t I remember, Lord? What happened to me? What happened to the little girl I was? I don’t remember what Kathy was singing, but I wen forward to knell and pray, and cry for that little girl. It was the Lord that held me in His loving arms as I cried ,and He dried my tears.
How have you experienced fellowship in the Spirit with brothers and sisters that brought you deep joy or strength?
Fellowship in the Spirt as we study/discuss God’s Word gives me great joy. Strength comes from sharing and praying for each other. I have learned that it’s not only in person but also happens online in this community of loving sisters. That was an unexpected blessing for me.
D. How have you experienced tender mercies from the Lord? Be specific.
The Lord’s mercy and compassion for me when I was grieving my daughter’s death. I could not pray. I felt ancient, barely able to walk, so there I sat, in my grief. Looking back I can see his compassion and tender care. His Spirit spoke to me, even though I could not speak to Him. He provided the people to take care of me and my family when I could do nothing.
Now thank Him.
Dear Lord Jesus, You have taken such loving care of me, thank you. Without you I would still be like that little lost girl of my childhood, or buried in the grief of Mary’s death. You have taken care of me every step of the way, even when I did not acknowledge Your presence, thank you. You have given me confidence, strength, and great joy through my union with You and unity with my brothers and sisters, thank you. You are the embodiment of hesed, Lord, thank you. Help me to show that same compassion and love to others. May my life be lived to glorify You, Jesus.
7. Read Philippians 2:2-4
What, therefore, does God ask of us, and how is this possible? (vs. 2)
That we have a mind like Christ’s: encourage, love, tender mercy, fellowship with believers. It’s possible through the unity of the Holy Spirit: united with Christ, united with each other.
What warning is there in 3a?
Warning that nothing be done with arguing/strife or for personal gain (vainglory).
What is the antidote in 3b?
Be humble and put others first before your own desires.
Share a time when you were able to be likeminded with a spouse or friend because you both sought the mind of Christ.
It seems I’m always referring to a conference or retreat, lol. Here’s another instance. Probably 25 years ago or so, a friend and I went to a conference, she was a mentor to me. We attended a workshop on women’s ministries. Afterwards we both had the same thought of starting a women’s bible study at our church. We partnered in prayer for many days seeking the Lord’ will/leading. My friend approached the pastor’s wife, who agreed to lead it, and so it began.
Wow — such a story concerning you and your sister and God’s healing.
Thanking God for your sister’s healing. My heart aches for those who have endured abuse.
Cheryl, what a story about you and your sister and how He brought healing to you and your sister. Only the love of Jesus can bring beauty to the ashes of our lives.
Cheryl, my heart goes out to you about your sister. Abuse has been discovered in my family and what a hard thing! There is so much of it in this world that I wonder at how many of the problems we see with mental health are truly the result of this terrible sin. There is much healing yet to be done in my own heart over the experience in my family and I am not even the one who experienced the abuse. Even being one who is close to those abused has such an impact. Praise Jesus for upholding us, or we would surely not survive these types of struggles. May the Lord bless you for sharing and continue to work in the ministry of your bible study.
Monday: Part 2 of Keller’s sermon: What is the Solution to the Mystery?2.. What are three things you learn from the above?Infinite faithfulness, infinite suffering, infinite redemption.3. Give thanks.
While being unable to post anything for a bit here, I have been listening to the sermon over and over to get it into my heart. Our brains don’t easily accept things that are contradictory at the same time, like how Jesus could experience suffering and do it BOTH out of faithfulness to God and out of love for us. How he can be both holy and loving is a mystery. I have a neighbor who said something to me recently which was disheartening to me. She said that she and her husband have decided not to believe in predestination. They are reformed and love the Lord, but this was something they came to recently, I am sure because it is one of those hard teachings where you need to see both God’s hand at work and the free will of man at the same time. My heart won’t let this go and now reading this sermon, I’m thinking it is because they are losing a piece of who God is. The Bible is explicit about predestination and I think it is a miraculous thing. I agreed with her in our conversation that it isn’t a salvation issue, but my heart is still working on a conversation to have with her in the future. At any rate, I give thanks to God for his work here on earth in Jesus Christ. And thanks to Him for his work in his messengers to us, like Tim. Praise God for continuing to work in our hearts, though we can’t begin to deserve it.
Chris, I love how you see God working through His messengers, like Tim. I have also listened to this message and a few others of his, over and over. Amen to this:Praise God for continuing to work in our hearts, though we can’t begin to deserve it. ‘I love that you mentioned in your response to Laura, how God is always working in hearts behind the scenes. He is very present, even when we don’t feel His presence. So grateful for the gift He has given, though we don’t deserve it.
Praying for all of our blog, as we all seem to have similar prayers of healing our families.
Patti and Chris, I agree with both of you. I believe that the openness and willingness for everybody to be vulnerable here has opened doors for healing for all of us. I don’t need to understand everything to trust God. Seeing the common threads of suffering, faithful perseverance, even honest rantings/complaints to God in honest “conversations” with one another help me deal with the nitty-gritty stuff of life with hope and confidence. I am not alone, you are not alone, and we are not alone. He is always with us through thick and thin.
Thursday: Philippians 2:5-8
8. Read Philippians 2:5-8. Describe the 3 things Christ did that showed His purity and love.
He laid aside His glory (equality with Father and Holy Spirit, complete and perfect relationship) and became as lowly as a servant. Taking on human flesh, Christ Jesus humbled Himself and was obedient to the Father’s Will. That perfect obedience led to death on the cross, and Jesus willingly endured the pain and suffering. “Not my will, but Thine be done.”
9. Praise Him.
Dear Lord. All praise, honor, and glory to Your name… Jesus. I praise You for who You are, the light of the world, my Lord and Savior. I praise You for what You did on the cross, precious Lamb of God, sacrificed for Me. I praise You for what You are doing, my advocate and shield against the evil one. My past, present, and future are in Your Hands, and I praise You with all my being. Lord Jesus, may I never outlive my love to You.
6.
How are you encouraged or consoled because you are united with Christ?
I have hope for the future.
How have you been comforted by His love? Share a specific instance, small or large, which you have not often shared before.
I have reflected lately on how good He has been to me my entire life. He has always taken care of me. He has made sure I am covered. I know this to be true. I have never “wanted” for anything.
How have you experienced fellowship in the Spirit with brothers and sisters that brought you deep joy or strength?
Right here!! Thank you all.
How have you experienced tender mercies from the Lord? Be specific.
I love when He unexpectantly solves a problem for me or my family. When He provides the exact amount of money that we need at the time, for example.
Now thank Him.
Thank You Lord, for always taking care of me. Thank You for giving me my husband who is such a good guy. Thank You for the blessings of a house, job, and food for my family. You are good and kind. Amen.
7. Read Philippians 2:2-4
What, therefore, does God ask of us, and how is this possible? (vs. 2)
We are to be agreeable, work together, and love one another.
What warning is there in 3a?
Don’t be selfish and try to impress others.
What is the antidote in 3b?
We are to be humble and think of others.
Share a time when you were able to be likeminded with a spouse or friend because you both sought the mind of Christ.
I try to remember that I need to listen to others and respect how they think even though I don’t believe as they do.
8. Read Philippians 2:5-8. Describe the 3 things Christ did that showed His purity and love.
He gave up His divine privileges. He could have stayed in heaven. He didn’t have to come to us.
He humbled Himself and became a slave. He travelled around on Earth to meet, live, and know humans. He helped them while He was here. Sometimes that was physically, sometimes it was spiritually, or even just to be kind.
He became a human by being born. Born of a human virgin, in a barn, with the blood and the mess. So human!
9. Praise Him.
Thank You Lord for Your humanness! Thank You for wanting to be with us, to live and learn and feel like a human. You didn’t have to do any of this. It shows how much You cared about us. To save us meant You had to suffer. I love You Lord. Amen.
Love Laura’s very “Laura” (fresh, genuine) response to question 8:
He gave up His divine privileges. He could have stayed in heaven. He didn’t have to come to us.He humbled Himself and became a slave. He travelled around on Earth to meet, live, and know humans. He helped them while He was here. Sometimes that was physically, sometimes it was spiritually, or even just to be kind.He became a human by being born. Born of a human virgin, in a barn, with the blood and the mess. So human!
Friday: Philippians 2:9-11
10. How did God respond to His Son’s obedience? Share everything you can find.
The Father exalted Jesus, raising Him from the grave to His ascension into heaven. (This same power is exercised towards US, Eph. 1:19,20) The name of Jesus is now the name above all names, He is seated in heaven above all things. One day all things in heaven (celestial beings), in earth (living mankind), and under the earth (dead mankind, Satan, fallen angels?) WILL bow before Jesus and declare Him to be LORD (Eph. 1:21,22).
11. What similarities do you see with Psalm 22:27-31?
Both passages speak of all things/world turning to the Lord and worshipping Him (bowing down). both mention living (in earth/nations) and dead (under earth, down to dust) bowing down before Him (He is LORD). All declaring that “he hath done this” “to the glory of God the Father.”
12. How does it encourage you that David and Paul, though living centuries apart, saw the same thing, one before it happened and one after it had been partially fulfilled?
It proves that the Bible is true and I can trust it, even when I don’t fully understand. David did not fully understand, but Paul (by inspiration) could explain the fulfillment of prophecy. Since the prophecy of Christ Jesus life, suffering on the cross, burial, and resurrection/ascension was fulfilled, I can believe and fully trust on the future prophecy of that glorious day when ALL will bow before Jesus declaring Him to be LORD.
I have hope whenever I get discouraged, or anxious about our crazy world, that God is in control working out His plan, and I am part of the plan. Whatever I face here on earth is only temporary, and He will be with me through it all.
I love your whole post Cheryl Ann. I’ve never seen the similarities between psalm 22 and the writings in Ephesians and Philippians. That reminder of God having a bigger plan in the great tapestry of life is so helpful. When I think of all that Corrie suffered in the concentration camps, how easy it must have been to forget about God’s sovereignty and just despair. But she and Betsy clung to their faith, and Corrie is still speaking of the wisdom she learned during that time, even now on Instagram! The Lord does use the hard things we face, if we let Him. Am I? Do I look for ways to share the gospel through my hardships? Do I look for others who are hurting and need to know God? Am I meeting all his expectations in my day? Lord, show me how to glorify you today.
I agree with Chris — great post, Cheryl!
Thursday: Philippians 2:5-8
8. Read Philippians 2:5-8. Describe the 3 things Christ did that showed His purity and love. – He emptied himself and became a servant; he humbled himself and was obedient to the Father’s plan; he died on the cross in my place.
9. Praise Him – Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord, Jesus. You had everything from before birth, and yet you freely, humbly and obediently gave it all up for me. You gave up your life with your Father, you took on my sins and washed them clean, so I could step in your place and be free to live with your Father. Your life for mine, I will never be able to repay you for that. I can and will try to always glorify your name. Thank you!
Julie, you have so clearly laid out all the Lord did for us. I feel compelled to ask myself, am I following his example? Have I emptied myself for Him? Have I become a servant to others? Am I humble and obedient to the Father’s plan? After what he has done for me, I should be asking these sobering questions of myself, each day. What comes to mind right now, is how much of my day is spent maintaining the THINGS I have. Keeping up the house and the laundry, etc. the more material things we have, the more material work we have. The one thing I learned in a study recently is to use what we have to leverage our life for Christ and share the gospel. We have a small farm and two years ago renovated an old barn for family gatherings. We host Sunday lunch for our kids 2x/month and have recently been hosting our small group from church 1x/week. I would love to use our farm more as a place to share the gospel (spiritual work) and bring more to Christ. Praying the Lord shows us how to do this, if it be his will. The fact that we are here is only his grace.
May the Lord put His perfect plan into your heart, Chris!
Friday: Philippians 2:9-11
10. How did God respond to His Son’s obedience? Share everything you can find. – he highly exalted and bestowed Jesus to the highest level of authority, Lord. He made his name known to all the world that all would know, honor and bow to his name.
11. What similarities do you see with Psalm 22:27-31? – All the world will know the Lord and will bow down and worship him. From generation to generation, all we have will be from him.
12. How does it encourage you that David and Paul, though living centuries apart, saw the same thing, one before it happened and one after it had been partially fulfilled? – It’s so hopeful to me. David, a man after God’s own heart even after all his failing ways; Paul one who didn’t even believe in Jesus and persecuted those who did, became a strong believer after his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Two men, who failed God/Jesus in many ways, had eyes that were opened and hearts that were willing to see the truth. This was in the devotional from Glorify for today and it’s about Paul…“It’s been said that the eyes in your head give you sight, but the eyes in your heart give you vision.” So much promise and hope for those of us who daily, try to live a life that others can see Christ in us. We are a fallen world, but Jesus is the victory we are given by God.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why? – The more I jump on and participate in the bible studies, the deeper my relationship with Jesus gets. Dee, you have given us so much insight in to just what Jesus did for us. To take my place on the cross, to be abandoned by God so I don’t have to feel like he’s abandoned me. For Jesus to be a humble, obedient, servant and follow the plan God had set before him, for me, is just amazing. It’s unthinkable, but Jesus did it all with us in mind. He never doubted the Father’s plan, he accepted it as his life’s journey.
Thanks, Julie!
Thursday: Philippians 2:5-8
8. Read Philippians 2:5-8. Describe the 3 things Christ did that showed His purity and love.
His Purity- Jesus is God, equal with Him, sinless
His Love Jesus made Himself nothing; took the nature of a servant in human likeness; obedient to death on the cross.
9. Praise Him.
Your very purity you gave up to take all our ugly blemishes of sin so we can have the same relationship as you do with the father! Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we might be called children of God through your death on the cross. I want to praise you with all my heart, mind, and soul! Thank you, Jesus!
Friday: Philippians 2:9-11
10. How did God respond to His Son’s obedience? Share everything you can find.
God exalted Jesus to the highest place
God gave Jesus the name above all names
Every knee will bow in heaven, and earth and under the earth at Jesus’ name
Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of God the Father.
11. What similarities do you see with Psalm 22:27-31?
Psalm 22 talks about all families of the nations will bow down before Jesus and all dominion and rule belong to Him as well. Everyone will kneel before Him, dead and alive on His return.
12. How does it encourage you that David and Paul, though living centuries apart, saw the same thing, one before it happened and one after it had been partially fulfilled?
The unity of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, Jesus fulfilling all prophecies about Him, his life, death and resurrection, thus I can confidently hope that everything will be fulfilled before Jesus comes again!
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
This is my takeaway: I really appreciate how Tim Keller used the words objectively and apparently in the quote below.
“Jesus was truly deserted so you are only ever apparently so. And look. Jesus Christ, truly deserted, was loving you. So when you are only apparently feeling deserted by God, why can’t you just keep loving him? Why can’t you just hold on, obey, read your Bible, pray, come to church, help somebody else, and do the next thing? And he’ll be back, in your feelings, because he’s never left you, objectively. Jesus Christ was deserted really so that you would only be deserted apparently. His love in time past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink; By prayer, let me wrestle, then he will perform, With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.”
So glad Bing reminded me of this great closing from Keller:
“Jesus was truly deserted so you are only ever apparently so. And look. Jesus Christ, truly deserted, was loving you. So when you are only apparently feeling deserted by God, why can’t you just keep loving him? Why can’t you just hold on, obey, read your Bible, pray, come to church, help somebody else, and do the next thing? And he’ll be back, in your feelings, because he’s never left you, objectively. Jesus Christ was deserted really so that you would only be deserted apparently. His love in time past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink; By prayer, let me wrestle, then he will perform, With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.”
Bing,
I had the very same take-away. I placed these words in my journal so that I can be reminded .
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
What stands out the most is Christ example to us on the cross. There is much in that final act of his life. Keller brings out the fact that in suffering, we can live without answers. The thing we cannot live without is a companion. Jesus is our greatest companion in suffering, because he suffered for us. He faced that abandonment of the Father, for us. When we FEEL abandoned by God in our suffering, we know only a taste of what Christ did for us. We need to hang on and thank Him for the suffering he endured, knowing he will work out something beautiful for our future even now, as he did then for our salvation. The work in our hearts, the spiritual changes, far outweigh the suffering we face. Our story is what he gives us to share the gospel with others. When we are suffering, we don’t understand it and when its over, we never want it back, but the softened hearts and strengthened relationships and ability to share the gospel because of our story, are far more important than living an easy life in place of the hard things we suffered.
The testimony of the Barrick family on YouTube and their ministry, Hope Out Loud, is a great example of living out this lesson. They went from suffering a car accident and nearly dying, to traveling the world sharing the gospel. Not all of us will travel the world, but we can impact our world with the gospel right where we live. I pray the Lord shows me better how to do this and not in my way, but his. Amen.
Will have to check that out — Hope Out Loud.
Chris,
Thank you for this reminder of Hope Outloud. You have mentioned them before. 🙂
10. How did God respond to His Son’s obedience? Share everything you can find.
He elevated Him to the highest place.
He received the highest name.
Everyone would bow to Him.
All would declare that He is Lord.
11. What similarities do you see with Psalm 22:27-31?
So similar!
The whole Earth will acknowledge and bow to Him. All will declare He is Lord! He rules the nations. Future generations will know who He is.
12. How does it encourage you that David and Paul, though living centuries apart, saw the same thing, one before it happened and one after it had been partially fulfilled?
It is truly amazing! I have not studied these two scriptures, together, like this (that I recall). It makes me know that the Bible is a real testimony of our Father. It makes my faith stronger!
From Laura:
It is truly amazing! I have not studied these two scriptures, together, like this (that I recall). It makes me know that the Bible is a real testimony of our Father. It makes my faith stronger!
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
Being a part of this wonderful group has made me so much closer to Jesus. I have learned so much here and am so grateful for you all.
I will not forget that David and Paul penned the same words at way different times! That amazes me. Jesus was and is truly real. He loves us and wants us to know Him. The only way that happens is to study and talk to Him regularly.
Saturday
I was thinking about all we learned this week and reading today’s comments, then turned to a daily devotion by Spurgeon.
Hebrews 5:8 Though he were s Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. “ Must Christ pass through seas of His own blood to win the crown while we walk to heaven dry-shod in silver slippers? No; our Master’s experience teaches us that suffering is necessary, and the true-born child of God must not, would not, escape it if he could. But there is one very comforting thought in the fact of Christ’s “being made perfect” through suffering (Heb. 5:9)—it is that He can have complete sympathy with us.”
All that we have gleaned from the scriptures this week, all that we have shared from personal experience/suffering, all our prayers/praise has left an indelible mark on my heart. The juxtaposition of Psalm 22 and Philippians 2, David and Paul, is like a sweet melody. From the depths of suffering to the glorious day ALL acknowledge the LORD Jesus, God’s plan cannot be stopped. We are part of that plan. Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
So sorry my post was late — crazy morning with no power, and we went back and forth on cancelling church, and Linda Strom was here with me this week — I completely spaced it off. You’ll get an e-mail tomorrow — but it is posted.