Skip to main content

What I learned studying Matthew with BSF 2021-2022

I want to live a “resurrection” life.  This moment.  Right now.  Today.  Not waiting until I arrive in heaven and Jesus completes that resurrection in me!

The resurrection life is love.  But not my brand of love that I only give to those I want to love.  Resurrection love is Jesus’ love flowing through me to those who may be difficult to love on my own.

The resurrection life is compassion.  This is a completely foreign concept to my human nature.  But, in Christ, my heart for others grows so large it bursts the tiny box I’ve placed it in for protection.  Just like the Grinch.

The resurrection life is freedom.  Freedom from the world’s ways and opinions.  Freedom to see how high and wide and deep the love of God really is.  And freedom to give up my wants as an example to someone else.

The resurrection life is power.  Like when the Holy Spirit nudges me out of my comfort zone and prompts me to a new area of service.  Or when He stands with me while I am paralyzed with fear of the unknown.  And when He gives me love for someone or comfort for someone or encouragement for someone or when He shares the Gospel through me – especially when I don’t realize He’s doing it.  Or when He enables me to exercise self-control in ANY area.

The resurrection life is mind-blowing.  Like when God shows me something new in a Scripture passage I’ve read dozens of times.  Or when He does anything in me.  Or when He uses me FOR ANYTHING!

I want that resurrection life.  But…for there to be a “resurrection,” there must first be a death.  In body?  Ultimately.  But to live a resurrection life right now, I must die to myself.  I must step out in my “have to”s and let Jesus turn them into “get to”s.  I must trust Him with my fear, my wounds, my pride, my boundaries, my time, my heart, my soul, my mind, my strength, my life.

How much do I want that resurrection life?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see what I choose each moment of each day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Homiletics Training: Content

Homiletics .   By definition, “homiletic” is the art of preaching or writing sermons.   I think we would all agree that our pastors study the Bible thoroughly to deliver sermons every Sunday to their congregations.   The beautiful news is that every child of God can use this discipline to study the Bible for themselves. As a member of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Leadership, part of my required preparation each week is to prepare homiletics for the passage we are studying.   BSF offers an engaging seminar on how to use this method to study the Scriptures.   I’ve taken the seminar several times under two different leaders and I’ve learned something new every time I’ve attended.   I’ve also been doing the process of homiletics for over ten years and I can say that there is no better teacher than the Holy Spirit in this process!   So keep practicing.   Keep sharing and discussing.   I’ve been posting my homiletics on this blog for quite a...

Homiletics: John 12

Contents ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture, fit on one line ): 1 1-3 6d b4 Pass J2Beth dinr Marth servd, Laz@tbl; Mary $$$$ perf J ft, wipe w/hair, hs filld frag 2 4-6 Judas, l8r betray obj: why wasn’t perf sold, wrth 1y wages, didn’t care abt poor, thief 3 7-9 Lv alone, she sv perf 4my burial, u alwys hv poor; MW lg crwd came bec of J & 2C Laz 4 10-13 CP md plans kill Laz-on acct o hm mny bel; Nxt dy grt crwd: Hos! Blest=He cm in nom o L 5 14-16 J fnd dnky, sat, as writn: Dtr Zion, c ur king cming seatd on dnky colt; @ 1 st Disc undrstd 6 17-19 crwd w/Him whn Laz raisd spread wd; Mny went 2 Him; Phar: lk how wrld gone aftr Him 7 20-23 Som Gks to Phil: we like 2CJ; Phil 2 Andrw, Phil&Andrw told J: hr cm 4 SoM be glrfd 8 24 VTITY unle...

Homiletics: John 10

Contents ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture ): 1 1-2 VT ITY Phar, any1 enter shp pn by gate=thief/robbr; 1 enters by gate=shepherd 2 3-4 Gatekpr opns gate 4 hm/shp listn/he calls shp by name/leads out/shp follo bec kno voce 3 5-6 They nvr follo stranger, run away bec recog voce; J used fig o spch, Phar understd 4 7-8 Thrfr J: VT ITY I gate 4 shp; all who cm b4 me=thievs/robbrs, shp listn them 5 9-10a I gate, whoevr entr thru me savd/they cm/go/find pasture; thief cm only steal/kill/destry 6 10b-12 I gd shepd, lay dn life 4 shp; Hird hd shepd/own shp, see wolf/abandn shp/wlf attck/scattr 7 13-15a Man run bec care nthg 4 sheep; I gd shep; kno sheep/sheep kno me as Fr kno me/I kno Fr 8 15b-16 I lay dn life 4 sheep; have othr sheep of this pen...