Both start with a series of Beatitudes (Latin for blessing)
Luke
6:17 Sermon on the Plain
may
be Luke's account of the sermon that Matthew records in Matthew
5-7, or it may be that Jesus gave similar sermons on different
occasions.
called
the beatitudes from the Latin word blessing
describe what it means to be Christ's follower, give standards of
conduct and contrast Kingdom values with worldly values, showing
what followers can expect from the world and what God will give
them. In addition, they contrast fake piety with true humility.
Shortly after retiring, I discovered this blog and was immediately captivated. The author, Gail Burton Purath, has a talent for being brief and to the point while still imparting deep truths about God and scripture. I've continued to read her blog over years, often finding passages that spoke to my sould and answered my questions.
Gail
Burton Purath: who is a former missionary with a Master's
degree in Discipleship and Evangelism from Columbia Biblical
Seminary. Since 2011, she's been posting five Bible Love Notes each week, and periodically she posts a Bible study on her sister
site: Bite Size Bible Study. It's a short study "so
you don't bite off more than you can chew." Her first book
was published in 2023. It's called Wisdom for Life and
it features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs.
As a non-jew and outsider, we should
not be surprised that Luke writes to highlight those seen as outliers
and outcasts, those deemed misfits and unfit. Tim and time again,
Luke takes conventional thinking and just flips it on its head. He
takes the least of these, the unlovely, the impoverished, the
invisible, and he brings all of them to Jesus, who embraces them with
a deep, visceral, active compassion that changes their lives forever.
If you have ever struggled with feeling
like you aren't quite good enough or maybe you don't fit in, then
this beautiful book is for you! You're invited to run into the arms
of Jesus and experience the fullness of his gut-level compassion
unlike any other love you will ever know.
Each study guide comes with
individual streaming video access (instructions found on the
inside front cover). Each member of our group will have full access
to watch videos from their chosen device at any time - for missed
group meetings for rewatching, or for sharing teaching with others.
FAQ
Do I have to subscribe to
StudyGateway? NO, if you sign up for StudyGateway for the first
them using studygateway.com/redeem, you will not be prompted to
subscribe, then, or after.
Do I set up another account if
I do another study later? NO. The next time you do a
HarperChristian Resources study with FREE streaming access, all you
need to do is enter the new access code and the videos will be added
to your account library.
There is a short video available,
walking you through how to access your streaming videos. You can
choose to show the video at your first meeting or simply direct your
group to the HarperChristian Resources YouTube channel to watch it at
their convenience.
Winner of the 2024 ECPA Christian Book Award for Best Bible Study
Lean in and linger in Jesus' embrace.
Perfection is NOT required.
Many women believe that we aren't good
enough to meet other people's expectations. Maybe you can't wrap
words around why, but lurking beneath the surface of the carefully
curated public mask that you wear. The great news woven throughout
the Gospel according to Luke is that perfection is not a prerequisite
for a deep and personal relationship with Jesus. Join Lisa Harper in
this Bible study of a literary masterpiece that doesn't celebrate the
elite, but embraces the outliers, outcasts, and overlooked!
The Luke: Gut-Level Compassion
Study Guide plus Streaming Video includes:
The study guide itself-with
discussion and reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's
guide.
Personal study of Scripture and
context.
Scripture memory cards and
coloring pages.
An individual access code to
stream all eight video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a
DVD!)
Video Sessions and Run Times:
Outliers, Outcasts, and the
Outrageous Mercy of God (26:00)
Worship in the Waiting (25:00)
Uphill Glory (29:00)
Gut-Level Compassion (27:00)
The Tender Heart of Obedience
(32:00)
A Beautiful Unbending (31:00)
A Most Radical Restoration (31:00)
A Tale of Two Rooms (31:00)
Lisa Harper is a respected Bible
teacher and popular public speaker who addresses audiences at events
and churches all over the world with engaging anecdotes and comedic
wit. Her vocational resume is comprised of 30+ years of church and
para-church ministry leadership, . She formerly served as the
director of Focus on the Family’s Women’s Ministries and created
the Renewing the Heart women’s conferences, which were attended by
almost 200,000 women, as well as a decade of touring with "Women
of Faith," where she spoke to over a million women about the
unconditional love of God. Lisa holds a Masters of Theological
Studies from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis and recently completed
her doctoral studies at Denver Seminary. She has authored several
books.
A master storyteller and sought-after
Bible teacher and author known for her authenticity, Lisa Harper's
writing and speaking overflows with colorful pop culture references
that connect the dots between the Bible and modern life. She combines
sound scriptural exposition with relatable anecdotes and comedic wit.
Lisa is a mother to Missy, who she adopted from Haiti.
30 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations,2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes[a] and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you.8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today.9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors,10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
We had the best
discussion in our study of 1, 2, 3 John last week. Two phrases that
came up during our discussion, were, 'One Call That's All' and 'You
Can't Handle the Truth.'
The phrase 'One
Call That's All' is currently used on a commercial for a law group.
However it is also fitting for our life. We rely on so many other
outside sources in the world for comfort and peace, when all we
really need to do is call on God. Just One Call. God handles it all.
'You Can't Handle
the Truth' refers to a line from a famous movie starring Tom Cruise
and Jack Nicholson, but it speaks perfectly to the worldly people
here on earth. They can not handle THE TRUTH - God's truth. There is
no other truth, despite what so many people wish us to believe. There
is no truth for Jill and another truth for Sam. Saying that is just
the excuse people use to justify their sinful actions.
As soon as I got
home from Bible Study, I began looking for photos to illustrate those
two phrases as they pertain to our Christian life. Naturally, that
lead me down the proverbial rabbit trail. I began thinking of Bible
verses that mention being in the world but not of the world. The
search for those verses led me to the Bible Reasons website. I've
definitely bookmarked it to refer back to in the future!Bible Verses About Not of this World
https://biblereasons.com/not-of-this-world/
“Even though we are in this world
Christians are not of this world. Our true home is not in this sinful
world it is in Heaven. Yes there are bad things in this world and yes
there will be suffering, but believers can rest assured that there is
a glorious Kingdom that awaits us.
A place far greater than you could have
ever imagined. Do not love the things of the world and be conformed
to it. The things that unbelievers live for are temporary and it can
all be gone faster than a lighting strike. Live for Christ. Stop
trying to fit in. Don’t act how people of this world act, but
instead be an imitator of Christ and spread the gospel so others can
one day go to their heavenly home.”
I pray that you will spend some time to
read through these verses. What a strong reminder that this is not
our home, we are not of this world. Our home is heaven, and one day
we will be there, where we feel loved, where we fit in, and where we
feel at home. We need to be reminded daily that we are not of this
world, especially in these turbulent times. Don't just read the verses below, pray them. Pray that God makes them part of your being and the Holy Spirit fills you with the knowledge that are citizens of Heaven, not Earth.
John 17:14-16 I have given them your word and the
world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I
am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the
world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not
of the world, even as I am not of it.
John 8:22-24 So the Jews said, “Will he kill
himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of
this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in
your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your
sins.”
1 John 4:4-5 You, dear children, are from God and
have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the
one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak
from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you brothers and
sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper
worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and
perfect will.
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know
that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore,
anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love this world nor the things
it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love
of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for
physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our
achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are
from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything
that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live
forever.
John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of
this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest
by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And
we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
1 Peter 2:11-12 Dear friends, I warn you as
“temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly
desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live
properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse
you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they
will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Matthew 10:22 And all nations will hate you because
you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be
saved.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t let anyone deceive
you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Don’t be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what
do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can
light live with darkness? 15 And what harmony can there be
between Christ and the devil? How can a Christian be a partner with
one who doesn’t believe?
Proverbs 13:20-21 Spend time with the wise and you will
become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer. Trouble
always comes to sinners, but good people enjoy success.
John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
1 John 2:15- 17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life - It's not from the father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
How can we hold onto assurance of our faith? How can we discern the truth from a lie? How can we know God loves us?
In three short letters, the apostle John reminds an early church facing division, deception, and doubt to hold fast to what they know and to live like they believe it. And he reminds us, as well. In this 10-session Bible study on the letters of 1, 2, and 3, John, Jen Wilkin helps you see how two thousand years later, his words call to Christians in similar challenges to recall a great salvation and to abide in the truth.
Personal study to be completed between the 10 group sessions
Teaching videos
Study 1, 2, and 3 John verse by verse.
Find encouragement in the truth that God loves you.
A
word appears in verse 6 that will be familiar to anyone with a
Christian background—Abba. The term is an Aramaic word meaning
“father,” which is followed by Paul’s use of the Greek term for
father, pater.
Many have added a sentimental value to Abba
by
explaining its meaning as that of “papa” or “daddy,” but that
simply does not reflect accurately the meaning of the term.
Throughout history, it has been found in legal documents and was used
by adult children in the process of claiming an inheritance from
their departed father. It reflects less the idea of an infant
cuddling with a daddy as it does a child secure in his or her
intimacy with a father. Through faith in Christ and the indwelling
Holy Spirit, we can walk in confidence knowing that the eternal God
of the universe is our faithful Father to whom we can cry out because
He hears us. In other words, Abba
describes
the welcome access we have been given into the heart of God.
LIVE IT OUT
Pray: Praise God each day this week for
bringing you into His family. Ask Him to grow your understanding of
your identity as His child.
Confess: Confess your sins to God this
week. Consider telling a trusted Christian friend about your sin
struggles as well. Pray for practical ways to repent and the strength
to see it through.
Let Go: Pick one “god” in your life
that you need to let go (money, a relationship, food, media,
appearance, etc.). Choose one practical step of repentance and try it
this week.
Reflect: Think back over all God’s
taught you through this series so far. Write down the areas of your
life where you aren’t walking in the freedom of the gospel. Pray
that God would continue to work in your heart through the rest of the
study.
Encourage: Talk to a friend or family
member who knows someone who has wandered from the faith. Use what
was discussed in this session to encourage that person and spend time
praying for the lost friend.
I have two books to recommend for you today. First let me share about my love for reading. I loved books from the moment I first learned to read. I read everything I could get my hands on, even Mom's old 1929 encyclopedias!! Lol
My favorite days were when Mom would drive me into town to go to the library. Mom soon decided I needed more, so she signed up to get books in the mail. My love affair with books never waned. I read 4-5 books a week... Seriously. So, when a serious book lover tells you a book is awesome, you need to read it! 😉
The first one is Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin.
The historical fiction is set during the civil war. The protagonist is a southern woman who abhors slavery. Her friendship with her family's slaves is deep and oh so endearing. The faith of one slave in particular was so profound for a slave who wasn't allowed to learn to read and write. He shared it freely with those he came in contact with.
While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin
Another historical fiction, this book is set during World War Two. This is such a rich story, again faith plays an integral part of the lives of the characters, Christian and Jewish. The friendships forged during this time of war are precious and aid the characters in weathering the storms that the war has brought into their lives. A Jewish man's lack of faith is restored as he helps two young children who's father is away in the military. The interweaving of Jewish and Christian faiths is expertly crafted in this story.
Pray:Ask
God to teach you what it means to be free in Him this week. If you
encounter legalism in your life, present it to God in prayer.
Study:
Learn
more about Abraham’s journey of faith in Genesis 12, 15–16,
21–22. Follow up your study by reading Hebrews 11:8–19.
Create:Make
something to remind yourself of your freedom in Christ. Display your
creation in a place you’ll notice often.
Memorize:Commit
Galatians 3:26–28 to memory this week to remember how Jesus unifies
all believers as children of God.
List:Make a list of the ways you’ve experienced freedom
in Christ since becoming a Christian. Spend time thanking God for
setting you free.
Go Deeper
Learn more about justification of
Abraham from the following passages: Gen. 12:1–9; 15:1–6;
17:1–14, 22–27; 22:1–19
What did God promise to Abraham in
Genesis 12:2–3? (To make him a great nation that would be a
blessing to the whole world)
Was Abraham counted righteous before or
after his circumcision? Before or after the near sacrifice of Isaac?
(In both cases, before)
What does this tell us about Abraham’s
righteousness? How does it further Paul’s argument in Galatians 3?
Abraham was counted righteous, not
because of his obedience, but because he believed in the promise of
God. The promise of worldwide blessing through the lineage of Abraham
made it a big deal to be a Jew, but Paul is pointing out that Abraham
did not receive this promise by any merit of his own. Rather, he
believed by faith and those who believe by faith today are blessed
like Abraham.
Tell
one person about how the gospel has affected your life. Explain how
knowing Jesus has changed you.
This
session introduced the idea of legalism. Spend time this week taking
a personal inventory—do you believe your works save you or appease
God? Has legalism cropped up in your life? Pray through your answers
and tell another mature believer what you learned.
Pick
a worship song that relays the full gospel and listen to it
throughout the week. Play it in the car, while you’re getting
ready, or during dinnertime to remind yourself of the simple, pure
gospel.
In session 11 we discussed the fact that the Bible’s original manuscripts did not
include chapters and verses. These were later additions meant to help
readers navigate our way through the Bible more efficiently.
Visit biblehub.com and read Romans 1–2
using your preferred Bible translation. Before you begin, click on
the gear/cogwheel icon and deselect all page options included in that
list. Doing so will enable you to read the text with no chapters,
verses, or section headings. As you read, pay attention to your
reading experience. Now, using three different translations (CSB,
ESV, NIV, for instance), read Romans 1–2 again, this time with
verse numbers and headings selected. Again, pay attention to your
reading experience. Did you notice any differences in your
experience? If so, what were they? Which did you prefer? Why?
While the chapters and verses in our
modern Bibles are not inspired aspects of the text, they are
nonetheless helpful for us. Take a moment to give thanks for people
like Stephen Langton and Robert Estienne, whom God has used to
preserve his Word for us. And, if you’re up for a new challenge,
try reading a version of the Bible that doesn’t have numbered
verses. Most major English translations now have “Reader’s
Bibles” in which numbered verses have been removed. Give it a try
and see what you think.
