Category Archives: Reading Guide

Good News of Great Joy | December 1 — “The Dawn of Salvation”

Luke 1 sets the stage for the arrival of Jesus, showing God’s faithfulness to His promises. The angelic announcements and prophetic songs highlight God’s plan to bring salvation to His people through Christ. During Advent, we can join Mary and Zechariah in praising God for His mercy and preparing our hearts to receive the light of Christ.

"Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

In this Refresh & Restore Bible Study, we look at suffering, weakness, and hope through the lens of Scripture. Life is full of limitations, burdens, and afflictions, but for those who belong to Jesus, suffering is not the end of the story.Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us that there is a race set before us and that we run by laying aside every weight and looking to Jesus. Philippians 4:10–13 shows us that Christ strengthens us in abundance and need, not by making us self-sufficient but by teaching us to depend on Him. And 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 reminds us that we are jars of clay, weak and breakable, so that the surpassing power would be seen as belonging to God and not to us.Our afflictions may feel heavy now, but in Christ they are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory He has prepared for His people. Jesus is the joy set before us, the strength within us, and the One who keeps us from shattering.If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with Scripture references, you can find it here.
  1. "Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore)
  2. "Worthy is the Lion, the Slain Lamb Who Lives" from Revelation 5 (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)

Introduction and Angelic Announcements (1:1-25)[1]

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold (1:26-38)[2]

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth and the Magnificat (1:39-56)[3]

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist (1:57-80)[4]

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

[1] Luke begins his Gospel by explaining his purpose: to provide an orderly account so that readers may have certainty about Jesus (vv. 1-4). The narrative opens with the angel Gabriel announcing to Zechariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son, John (the Baptist). John will prepare the way for the Lord, turning hearts back to God and fulfilling prophecy (vv. 16-17). Zechariah’s doubt leads to his temporary muteness as a sign of God’s power (v. 20).

[2] Gabriel appears to Mary, a young virgin in Nazareth, announcing that she will conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. Gabriel declares that Jesus will reign forever on David’s throne (vv. 32-33). Mary humbly accepts her role in God’s plan, saying, “Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38).

[3] Mary visits Elizabeth, and the baby John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, blesses Mary for her faith. In response, Mary sings what is known as the Magnificat, praising God for His mercy, justice, and faithfulness to His promises (vv. 46-55) and echoing themes from Old Testament scriptures.

[4] John is born, and at his naming ceremony, Zechariah’s speech is restored. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah praises God in what is known as the Benedictus, proclaiming that John will prepare the way for the Messiah and shine light on those in darkness (vv. 76-79). Luke concludes the chapter by noting that John grew strong in spirit and lived in the wilderness until his public ministry began.

Good News of Great Joy: Advent Readings from the Gospel of Luke

I believe that Luke’s words to Theophilus in the beginning of his gospel sum up what we are trying to do with this resource – to present to you “a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word have delivered to us” (Luke 1:1-2). There are twenty-four chapters in Luke’s narrative, and between December 1st and 24th (Christmas Eve), we have time to look at the full account of Jesus’s life.

We want to give you the opportunity to look at the whole Story of Jesus – not just the divine swaddled baby in the manger, but the young boy who taught the teachers in the temple, the man who served rather than being served, and the Savior who died and rose again “in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Luke addressed his gospel to Theophilus, a name combining the words Theos (God) and philos (love) to mean “lover of God”. Some speculate whether or not Theophilus was an individual or just Luke’s name for those who love God, but it is my hope that whether or not you begin this journey through Luke’s gospel a lover of God, you will find yourself on Christmas day enamored and enraptured in love, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

Won’t you join us?

Below, you can find audio for each day’s reading as well as brief commentary if needed for understanding, or you can download a pdf of the entire reading guide here:

Good News of Great JoyDownload

"Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

In this Refresh & Restore Bible Study, we look at suffering, weakness, and hope through the lens of Scripture. Life is full of limitations, burdens, and afflictions, but for those who belong to Jesus, suffering is not the end of the story.Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us that there is a race set before us and that we run by laying aside every weight and looking to Jesus. Philippians 4:10–13 shows us that Christ strengthens us in abundance and need, not by making us self-sufficient but by teaching us to depend on Him. And 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 reminds us that we are jars of clay, weak and breakable, so that the surpassing power would be seen as belonging to God and not to us.Our afflictions may feel heavy now, but in Christ they are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory He has prepared for His people. Jesus is the joy set before us, the strength within us, and the One who keeps us from shattering.If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with Scripture references, you can find it here.
  1. "Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore)
  2. "Worthy is the Lion, the Slain Lamb Who Lives" from Revelation 5 (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)

WALK — Saturday, May 25, 2024

15 Look carefully then how  you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:15-21

We are heading back to our everyday lives – back home. Today’s passage helps us with that. All week long we have studied and meditated on what it means to walk with Jesus and to share Him with others. It is time for the rubber to meet the road, literally because we have a long ride ahead of us but also in the sense that it is time to do as an old pastor once told me, to put shoes on the gospel!

Walking with Christ does not mean we will be perfect. No, we will fail (sin). We will step off the path (trespass). But it does mean we will not be alone. Jesus has given us His Spirit. We can “look carefully” at our walk with Him and be guided toward what is “wise” and good instead of “unwise” (Ephesians 5:15). 

He has also given us His Church. We can have help in these evil days and be on mission together. When things get hard, we have our brothers and sisters with us as we walk with Jesus. Ephesians 5:19-21 describes how we can encourage one another, namely through worshiping God together. This can be through song as we see in Ephesians 5:19, by celebrating what God is doing in our lives as in Ephesians 5:20, or by caring for one another and lifting each other up as Jesus has done and is doing for us in Ephesians 5:21. So, whether you are reading this before the mad dash to pack up or sitting on the bus, look around at those God has placed in your life and be thankful. Do not let the end of a trip be the end of what is to be a beautiful and continual relationship.

Application:

Now, let’s go home and seek the “good works” God has prepared “beforehand” for us to walk in there – together (Ephesians 2:10)!

WALK — Friday, May 24, 2024

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, 
“Awake, O sleeper, 
and arise from the dead, 
and Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5:3-14

Today’s passage is heavy, and it builds on the idea of our walk with Jesus being a part of our real, everyday lives. It also makes it a bit tougher because we see that He made us to stand out rather than blend in.

When I was a kid, we were poor, and the marker of a school kid living below the poverty line was their shoes. Walmart shoes came in two colors: brown hiking shoes or brilliant white tennis shoes. I ended up with the latter. Those brilliant white shoes gleamed and stood out to all who were waiting to make fun of the poor kid and show off their new Nikes or whatever. It was like my shoes were glowing and putting a spotlight on me. 

You may not want to be in the light, but if you are saved, you are called to walk as a child of light – to visibly be a part of the “fruit of light”, “all that is good and right and true” (Ephesians 5:8-9). The world is dark. All the things that are cool or popular or, in the present day, considered to be normal in the eyes of the world are dark. But we are not to be a part of such. Just as Paul told the Ephesian church, the works of darkness are still “unfruitful” today. You see, dead plants do not bear fruit. If we have been made alive in Christ, He bears fruit in our lives. And that fruit makes us stand out.

Another analogy in today’s passage is the issue of inheritance. You can probably gather with the shoe story that an inheritance is not looming in my future. Those who walk in darkness and are still walking in the death due to their trespasses and sins will have “no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5). No, those who walk in darkness have no lot in the light. Darkness cannot exist in the light, and Jesus is the Light (John 8:12) and “in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). This is just the way things are. If one flips on a lightswitch, darkness has no choice but to leave. A single flame from a small match is enough to beat back the darkness around it. 

If you are saved, you are called to walk in the light – to live a life that is “pleasing to the Lord” not the world (Ephesians 5:10). You will not be perfect, but you will not participate in the darkness. You will stand out. When God saves you, He lights you up! So, this light that you have been shining this week on mission is not something that is easily put out. I urge you to live your life in such a way – let the light of Christ shine in you in such a way – that when people want to know what’s wrong with you, the only answer is Jesus!

Application: 

  • Think about the story of the brilliant white shoes and the call to walk as children of light in Ephesians 5:8-9. Why do you think you (or we) are so afraid to stand out for Jesus?
  • Consider the challenge of living a life pleasing to the Lord rather than conforming to the world (Ephesians 5:10). How does this reflect the transformative work of Jesus in our lives, and how does it impact the way we live our lives?

WALK — Thursday, May 23, 2024

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

It would have to be extremely hard not to have what Jesus did for us on our minds as we are constantly bombarded with images of Jesus’s death here at the Great Passion Play. There is a particular memory from last year’s trip that has stuck with me. 

We were sitting at the top of the seats for the play, and all were facing the set. It was quiet, and we were tired (which you are likely more than a little bit of this morning). The sun was setting but the beams of light coming through the trees were magnificent. Everything seemed so serene and peaceful, but there right at our eye level at the top of the set was the cross. We were taking requests for which songs to sing, and the song that became our song last year was requested: “What He’s Done”. Those words hit differently that evening:

See, on the hill of Calvary
My Savior bled for me
My Jesus set me free
And look at the wounds that give me life
Grace flowing from His side
No greater sacrifice!

As John drew our attention to the empty tomb part of the set, I found myself overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. Now, I know that it was just a set and not the real deal, but Jesus really died for me. The wrath of God due for my sin was really poured on Jesus. Thankfully, Jesus really rose from the dead! 

That is a lot of really, which leads to the point I really am making. If Jesus’s death and resurrection are real and He saves people, bringing them from death to life, shouldn’t this affect our real, everyday lives?

To a certain extent, it is easy to live out our faith publicly in another state on a mission trip and surrounded by our brothers and sisters in Christ. What happens when we get back home? If Jesus really has “good works” prepared for us to “walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10) like we have been studying about this week, doesn’t He have plans for us at home, too?

Think about the chorus of “What He’s Done”:

What He’s done! What He’s done!
All the glory and the honor to the Son!
My sins are forgiven, my future in Heaven!
I praise God for what He’s done!

What better way is there to praise Him than by walking with Him and our lives being a testimony to what He’s done?

Application:

  • Pray and ask God to help you see His plan for you to be on mission when you get back home.
  • Pray for two other students and two adult leaders by name and specifically ask God to show them His plan for them to be on mission when they get back home, too.
  • Think of someone back home who does not know Jesus that you are going to see regularly. Ask God to save them and to prepare you to get to show Him to them.

Check out today’s Refresh & Restore Bible Study — “Adorned with Thanksgiving to Jesus in All of Life”!

"Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

In this Refresh & Restore Bible Study, we look at suffering, weakness, and hope through the lens of Scripture. Life is full of limitations, burdens, and afflictions, but for those who belong to Jesus, suffering is not the end of the story.Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us that there is a race set before us and that we run by laying aside every weight and looking to Jesus. Philippians 4:10–13 shows us that Christ strengthens us in abundance and need, not by making us self-sufficient but by teaching us to depend on Him. And 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 reminds us that we are jars of clay, weak and breakable, so that the surpassing power would be seen as belonging to God and not to us.Our afflictions may feel heavy now, but in Christ they are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory He has prepared for His people. Jesus is the joy set before us, the strength within us, and the One who keeps us from shattering.If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with Scripture references, you can find it here.
  1. "Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore)
  2. "Worthy is the Lion, the Slain Lamb Who Lives" from Revelation 5 (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)
  4. " Lukewarm Yet Not Without Hope: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Laodicea" (The KING is Coming)
  5. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)

WALK — Wednesday, May 22, 2024

     17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

Ephesians 4:17-24

Today is our “fun” day, but hopefully, meditating on this passage can lead to some good gospel conversations along the way. Note that meditating here is not the criss-cross-applesauce-hummmmm sort of meditation you see on TV. It is a Bible term that means to think on or occupy one’s attention with something. This passage is good for us to occupy our attention with and think about.

Ephesians 4:17-24 builds on our first passage, Ephesians 2:1-10. We know what it means to be made alive in Christ after being dead in our trespasses and sins, but it is important that we know what it means to live the life that Jesus gave us.

First, it means that we are different than the world – not just outside differences that can be seen or sometimes faked, really different from the inside out. We do not get to do whatever we want to do in ignorance anymore. We are no longer alienated (or separated from God) like we were before and given up practicing whatever kind of sin we enjoy and get away with it willy-nilly. If that is our life, we are dead. Paul makes it clear: “that is not the way you learned Christ! – assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:20-21).

That leads us to the second part. We must take off the old, dead self and put on “the new self” that Jesus is making us into being (Ephesians 4:24). We are not strong enough to just stop sinning and be like Jesus. We are strong enough to sin – enough to earn us death. Only Jesus is strong enough to give us strength for the “good works” He has prepared for us (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ephesians 2:10). When He makes us alive in Him, the old, dead life does not satisfy. Little by little, as the “spirit of [our] minds” get “renewed” (Ephesians 4:23), we become more like Jesus. More and more the “once walked” (Ephesians 2:2, 4:17) becomes less still struggling. 

How does this happen? Jesus works through His Word and His Spirit, like He is doing right now during this quiet time. That’s good news!

Application:

  • Meditate on what it means to be different from the world as in Ephesians 4:17-24. How does being made alive in Christ produce a change in us that goes beyond what can be seen to change us from the inside out?
  • Think about the illustration Paul gives about taking off the old self and putting on the new (see also Colossians 3:5-17). What does this mean, and how do we do it?
  • Reflect on the significance of having our mind renewed by the Holy Spirit. What does this mean? How does our mind being renewed contribute to our being transformed to be more like Jesus?

WALK — Tuesday, May 21, 2024

     1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3

Summer youth trips are always exhausting. You drive hours and hours away from home. Sleep less than you know you should after staying up late laughing, talking, and playing. You get tired and, let’s face it, a little bit grumpy. If we are not careful, we can let our grumpiness or our hangry-ness to affect things or those qualities in others to affect us. There’s a lesson in that.

We looked yesterday at the difference between death and life, namely walking in our sin and whatever our heart devises and walking according to what Jesus has for us. This part of Ephesians builds on that. Today, we see Paul – who is in prison because he participated in the “good works” God had “prepared beforehand” for him to do (Ephesians 2:10) – urge the folks in the church at Ephesus to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they had] been called” (Ephesians 4:1). We are going to look briefly at what that means and what that means for us.

To walk “worthy” of one’s calling in Christ is a simple idea. If one has been saved, Jesus has made them alive, like when Jesus stood at His friend Lazarus’s tomb and called him out of death by his name (John 11:43-44). We looked yesterday at how part of His saving us is Him having a plan for our lives and having work for us to do. The idea of walking – or living a life – worthy of that calling is for our walk to be impacted by what He has done for us. This does not mean perfection; it means pursuit. If a husband is living a life worthy of his wife or vice versa, it means that the relationship impacts the way that life is lived. For us, that means that Jesus saving us – making us alive and putting His Spirit within us – impacts the way we choose to live our life. This is something we must do actively, not something that just happens to us.

Application:

Paul is specific in what he urges the Ephesians to do, and that goes for us, too. To walk in a manner worthy of our calling – worthy of reflecting our relationship with Him, he gave us some qualities. Let us consider how we can live out these qualities today:

  • “humility” – Having a correct view of ourselves by putting others first (Philippians 2:3-4).
  • “gentleness” – Having self-control and kindness in how you treat others (Galatians 5:22-23).
  • “patience” – Having a long-fuse, meaning that you are not quick to anger (James 1:19-20).
  • “bearing with one another in love” – The love you have for a person means you treat them with love despite wrongs done to you (Colossians 3:13).
  • “eager to maintain unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace” – Jesus saves us and adopts us into His family, which is an unbreakable bond and worthy of seeking peace over strife. This peace is won by His love (Colossians 3:14, 1 John 4:19-20).

WALK — Monday, May 20, 2024

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:1-10

To walk with Jesus, we must first be saved. The Bible makes it clear that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and that because of our sin we were (or still are if not saved) “dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked” (Ephesians 2:1-2). Look at that language: dead. And what killed us? Sin. Trespasses. Living lives of disobedience. Living in pursuit of our passions and desires. Living out whatever sin our minds and hearts dream up. You cannot just do whatever you want to do and live however you want to live and expect no consequences. Our sin puts us on death row. 

There is a phrase that originated from the practice of escorting death row prisoners to execution: dead man walking. That is the way of sin. But God! If we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, He makes us alive “in Him” (Ephesians 2:4-5)! We no longer have to march toward our death because of the sentence of sin; we are freed to walk in Christ and with Christ! There is definitely a difference between death row and being freed from prison.

As we looked at above, before Christ we are dead men and women walking in our sin and whatever ugliness our hearts and minds can come up with. Jesus saves us – makes us alive – to have something different. He has a plan for our lives. And His plan is marked by His life. He has “good works” that He has “prepared” for us to do and participate in. We are supposed to no longer walk toward death (how we “once walked”) doing whatever we want but instead walk in life toward what He wants. Think about it this way: the God who saved you had planned for you to be on this mission trip before you were ever born or born again! Let that sink in and walk with Him and what He wants today.

Application:

  • Think about the imagery of being a “dead man walking” in the context of our sin and disobedience. How does this affect the way you understand the consequences of your sin?
  • Consider the difference between being “dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked” and being “made alive” in Christ. How does this transformation impact the way we walk or live our lives?
  • Think about the significance of God having a plan for your life and having “good works…prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” How does this fit in with your thoughts about being on this mission trip?
  • Pray for at least four of our youth and two adults on the trip and ask that God make the “good works” He has planned for you and them clear today.

WALK: A Quiet Time Guide for the 2024 CCC Youth Mission Trip

This year, our CCC kiddos and chaperones are going to be partnering with the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, AR again to help with work they need done, act as extras in the play, and to share the gospel with people who are visiting the Jesus statue and other attractions during the day.

This is a good opportunity for our kiddos and chaperones, not just to serve the Lord but to grow closer to Him as well. Each morning — just as we would if we were at camp, we will be walking through a specific study in our individual quiet times. We want to share that with our faith family back home as well. This allows for good conversations when we get back, but primarily, it gives people an opportunity to specifically pray for our kiddos, knowing what they are studying and praying about while on mission.

This mission trip is going to be a wonderful time of fellowshipping with one another, serving the Lord, and growing together in our individual walk with Christ. Let that last part sink in: growing together in our individual walk with Christ. Just like one of us could not pull this mission trip off by ourselves – and especially not without the Holy Spirit, we need each other. That sort of togetherness is called the Church!

This week, we are going to all be on the same page – not just united in our work but literally on the same page of the Bible together as we are studying the same passage each day for our quiet time. This will be time spent alone between each individual and God, essentially making time for Him and hearing from Him in His Word every day. This will bring us closer to Him and closer to one another! Our passage for each day, Monday-Saturday, will come from the book of Ephesians and teach us something about what it means to walk with Jesus (Colossians 2:6-7). You see, walking with Jesus comes out of believing in Him. It is active and daily. It is a term that means our lives reflect a relationship with Him and that we act increasingly like Him and continually progress in what we know about Him – how we know Him. Walking with Jesus is living in our relationship with Him. No relationship thrives without time spent together. Lord willing, by the time spent with Jesus in His Word and with His people, our walk with Christ – our relationship with Him – will become stronger.

Here are links to each day’s reading and devotion:

The Light of the World is Here! — a Christmas Reading from our Family to Yours

“The Light of the World is Here!”

For our Christmas Day reading, we wanted to look at the incarnation – the arrival of God in flesh, Emmanuel – through the eyes of a child. There is something wondrous that is lost as we grow older and become more and more jaded. Faith is easy for children because they are full of hope. Sometimes, we try and explain why hope is so hard to come by as adults, but, just as Paul reminds us in Romans 5, our God produces hope out of suffering “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

What better reminder could we have at Christmas than the hope that comes only from Jesus? Throughout our readings we have mentioned that Jesus is and is more than the reason for the season. We want you to see Him as the Bible presents Him. We do not want you to see a commercialized or sanitized Jesus. We want you to see God setting His affection on His people, laying aside His glory, and coming to Earth to seek and save them (Luke 19:10). We want you to see that there in the tumbledown stable in the manger is God – a God who loved us so much that He paid the price for our sin when He died on the cross, a God who loved us enough that even death could not keep Him from living for us. That’s good news!

Today’s reading is good for you whether you have children or not. Look in wonder and worship as you see the Christmas Story laid out simply. But, if you have children or grandchildren, consider how you can weave these readings into your Christmas tradition. It is split into two sections, so it can be read all at once or divided to be used twice throughout the day so as to keep Jesus central at His birthday celebration.

“He’s Here!”

Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last! God was coming to help His people, just as He promised in the beginning.

But how would He come? What would He be like? What would He do?

Mountains would have bowed down. Seas would have roared. Trees would have clapped their hands. But the earth held its breath. As silent as snow falling, He came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, He came.

There was a young girl who was engaged to a man named Joseph. (Joseph was the great-great-great-great-great grandson of King David.)

One morning, this girl was minding her own business when, suddenly, a great warrior of light appeared – right there, in her bedroom. He was Gabriel and he was an angel, a special messenger from heaven.

When she saw the tall shining man standing there, Mary was frightened.

“You don’t need to be scared,” Gabriel said. “God is very happy with you!”

Mary looked around to see if perhaps he was talking to someone else.

“Mary,” Gabriel said, and he laughed with such gladness that Mary’s eyes filled with sudden tears.

“Mary, you’re going to have a baby. A little boy. You will call Him Jesus. He is God’s own Son. He’s the One! He’s the Rescuer!”

The God who flung planets into space and kept them whirling around and around, the God who made the universe with just a word, the One who could do anything at all – was making Himself small. And coming down…as a baby.

Wait. God was sending a baby to rescue the world?

“But it’s too wonderful!” Mary said and felt her heart beating hard. “How can it be true?”

“Is anything too wonderful for God?” Gabriel asked.

So Mary trusted God more than what her eyes could see. And she believed. “I am God’s servant,” she said. “Whatever God says, I will do.”

Sure enough, it was just as the angel had said. Nine months later, Mary was almost ready to have her baby.

Now, Mary and Joseph had to take a trip to Bethlehem, the town King David was from. But when they reached the little town, they found every room was full. Every bed was taken.

“Go away!” the innkeepers told them. “There isn’t any place for you.”

Where would they stay? Soon Mary’s baby would come.

They couldn’t find anywhere except an old, tumbledown stable. So they stayed where the cows and the donkeys and the horses stayed.

And there, in a stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world His wonderful gift. The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son.

Mary and Joseph wrapped Him up to keep Him warm. They made a soft bed of straw and used the animals’ feeding trough as His cradle. And they gazed in wonder at God’s Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

Mary and Joseph named Him Jesus, “Emmanuel” – which means “God has come to live with us.”

Because, of course, He had.

“The Light of the Whole World”

That same night, in amongst the other stars, suddenly a bright new star appeared. Of all the stars in the dark vaulted heavens, this one shone clearer. It blazed in the night and made the other stars look pale beside it.

God put it there when His baby Son was born – to be like a spotlight. Shining on Him. Lighting up the darkness. Showing people the way to Him.

You see, God was like a new daddy – He couldn’t keep the good news to Himself. He’d been waiting all these long years for this moment, and now He wanted to tell everyone.

So He pulled out all the stops. Hed’ sent an angel to tell Mary the good news. He’d put a special star in the sky to show where His boy was. And now He was going to send a big choir of angels to sing His happy song to the world: He’s here! He’s come! Go and see Him. My Son!

Now where would you send your splendid choir? To a big concert hall maybe? Or a palace perhaps? God sent His to a little hillside, outside a little town, in the middle of the night. He sent all those angels to sing for a raggedy old bunch of shepherds watching their sheep outside Bethlehem.

In those days, remember, people used to laugh at shepherds and say they were smelly and call them other rude names (which I can’t possibly mention here). You see, people thought shepherds were nobodies, just scruffy old riff-raff.

But God must have thought shepherds were very important indeed, because they’re the ones He chose to tell the good news to first.

That night some shepherds were out in the open fields, warming themselves by a campfire, when suddenly the sheep darted. They were frightened by something. The olive trees rustled. What was that…?

They turned around. Standing in front of them was a huge warrior of light, blazing in the darkness. “Don’t be afraid of me!” the bright shining man said. “I haven’t come to hurt you. I’ve come to bring you happy news for everyone everywhere. Today, in David’s town, Bethlehem, God’s Son has been born! You can go and see Him. He is sleeping in a manger.”

Behind the angel they saw a strange glowing cloud – except it wasn’t a cloud, it was angels…troops and troops of angels, armed with light! And they were singing a beautiful song: “Glory to God! To God be Fame and Honor and all of our Hoorays!”

Then as quickly as they appeared, the angels left.

The shepherds stamped out their fire, left their sheep, raced down the grassy hill, through the gates of Bethlehem, down the narrow cobble streets, through a courtyard, down some step, step, steps, past an inn, round a corner, through a hedge, until, at last, they reached…a tumbledown stable.

They caught their breath. Then quietly, they tiptoed inside.

They knelt on the dirt floor. They had heard about this Promised Child and now He was here. Heaven’s Son. The Maker of the Stars. A baby sleeping in His mother’s arms.

This baby would be like that bright star shining in the sky that night. A Light to light up the whole world. Chasing away darkness. Helping people to see.

And the darker the night gets, the brighter Jesus – the Light of the world – shines.

"Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

In this Refresh & Restore Bible Study, we look at suffering, weakness, and hope through the lens of Scripture. Life is full of limitations, burdens, and afflictions, but for those who belong to Jesus, suffering is not the end of the story.Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us that there is a race set before us and that we run by laying aside every weight and looking to Jesus. Philippians 4:10–13 shows us that Christ strengthens us in abundance and need, not by making us self-sufficient but by teaching us to depend on Him. And 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 reminds us that we are jars of clay, weak and breakable, so that the surpassing power would be seen as belonging to God and not to us.Our afflictions may feel heavy now, but in Christ they are light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory He has prepared for His people. Jesus is the joy set before us, the strength within us, and the One who keeps us from shattering.If you would like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with Scripture references, you can find it here.
  1. "Light Momentary Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory" (Refresh & Restore)
  2. "Worthy is the Lion, the Slain Lamb Who Lives" from Revelation 5 (The KING is Coming)
  3. "Before the Throne of God Above" from Revelation 4 (The KING is Coming)
  4. " Lukewarm Yet Not Without Hope: Jesus’s Letter to the Church at Laodicea" (The KING is Coming)
  5. "Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming)