“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters–that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

Jeremiah wrote to a group of Jews who had been carried away as captives to Babylon. I would imagine they were disillusioned, uncertain, and apprehensive about the reality of living in a land that did not appreciate their religious position. Jeremiah had a message for them: relax and settle down. He told them go ahead and “do life.” This included building houses, planting gardens, and raising families. The Jews had been planted in Babylon by God for a specific reason and season. Jeremiah encouraged captives to grow where God planted them. We must fight the urge to serve and do ministry somewhere else. We must fight the “greener grass” syndrome and settle into the unique situations of our lives. In His wisdom, God has allowed you to work, live, and shop in a very specific context, having considered t your talents, passions, and gifting. The place where placement and passion collide is your mission field. I am sure the Jews wanted to be back home in Jerusalem. He told them to be “all in” where God moved them. That is good advice for us today: be “all in” where you are.

Reflection Questions.

It seems at times we are rather impatient people with limited attention spans. Why do you think we look for greener grass?

We are told to grow where we are planted. In what area of your life would you like to see growth?

This is the final week of devotionals that deal with the purposes of Sunday School. The focus this week is serving people.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

As Jesus went about His daily activities, He observed people. Matthew records that on one occasion, a multitude (great number) of people grabbed the Savior’s attention. The people were lost, scattered, and without direction. Their condition moved Jesus to action. He compared their condition and destiny to that of a field ready for harvest, but lacking sufficient means to reap. What types of eyesight do we have when it comes to those in our fields of influence? Sometimes we have corporate eyes which ask the question, “What can they do for us?” Sometimes we have judicial eyes which ask the question, “What will they do to us?” Missionary eyes allow us to see people as Jesus did: helpless and hopeless. When we truly see them we will be moved to action on their behalf.

Reflection Questions.

Why do you think Jesus did not tell His disciples to go feed or minister to the multitude that day? Why do you believe Jesus commanded prayer first?

There are specific places you go on a regular basis. You likely see the same people. Have you taken the time to truly “see” them for who they are? Name two people that you see regularly in your fields that you will commit to lift to the Lord in prayer.

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

This is a portion of Paul’s discourse on love. Sandwiched between two chapters dealing with the description and employment of spiritual gift is the chapter which reminds us that the usage of our gifts in service must be guided by love. Without love, it does not matter how eloquent we speak; it is only noise. Without love, mountain-moving faith is hollow. Without love, all knowledge and revelation is self-serving. The old expression is certainly true that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. When we love others as Christ has loved us, we want the best for them. When we love others as Christ has loved us, we want to celebrate with them and cry alongside them. Love is central to everything we are as Christians. Love leads us to hands-on service. Love leads us to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. Love leads us to share the gospel with the lost. Sometimes people may seem unlovable. That is okay, love them anyway. I am certain that at times in the past we acted unlovable before God. Yet, He loved us anyway. Love is patient, kind, seeks the best interests of the other person first, and never demands anything in return. Allow love to guide everything you do.

Reflection Questions.

When you stop and think of the many ways that God has loved/loves you, what do you   appreciate the most?

Think about your neighbors, co-workers, and friends. How are you loving them? Think of a few ways you could demonstrate your love for them.

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:15-17)

Paul engaged the Ephesian Christians on many levels. He encouraged them in difficult times, preached the gospel powerfully before them, and lived a Christ-centered life among them. The fact that Paul told them he prayed for them continually speaks volumes to his care and concern for them. He told them how he prayed for them. This is important. We often say to the others, “I’m praying for you.” How much more encouraging would it be to share exactly how we are praying for them. Paul prayed they would know Christ more, thus becoming wiser and gaining more understanding of His will for them. A good habit for every Christian would be, when asked by another, “would you pray for me?” to respond, “How, exactly?”

Reflection Questions.

What do you believe is the biggest obstacle to effectively praying for others? How can you move beyond that obstacle?

Has someone recently asked you to pray for them? Reach out to that person and ask them how you can pray specifically for them.

“For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:10-13)

In Paul’s day, it was customary for the meat used as worship offerings in the pagan temples to find its way into the local marketplaces. Gentile Christians who had been saved out of paganism had an issue with the Jewish Christians who would eat this meat. Their freedom had become a stumbling block to the younger, less mature Christians. Thus, Paul told the Corinthian church that it may be necessary to curb their personal freedom to not offend. Paul said that just because you “can” do something does not always mean that you “should.” His lesson: proper love and care for others will lead you to consider how your actions affect them. To demonstrate his point, Paul said that he would not eat the offensive meat if it would cause a less mature Christian to stumble. We are taught by the secular world to assert our individual rights, placing ourselves as a priority. The Bible teaches us that love for others should be the priority. We do not live our lives in a spiritual vacuum. Our actions affect our families, the church, and the surrounding community. When it comes to the matter of personal freedom, the lack of a stop sign does not always means go.

Reflection Questions.

What are the areas/actions that most often create an offense to the less mature Christian?

Would you be willing to give up something the Bible does not prohibit because it may be   damaging to a less mature Christian?

“And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10)

Paul was a missionary, church planter, and powerful gospel communicator. I believe he does not get enough credit for being a strong encourager of the saints. He lets the Thessalonian church know that he has heard positive things about them through the region. The testimony of their faith was strong and he wanted them to be encouraged. This was especially important since they had received the gospel themselves, “in much affliction.” This lets us know that the Thessalonian Christians lived and ministered in a difficult setting. I believe that you cannot encourage a person enough. To let another person know how much they are appreciated, respected, and loved is critical in our care for one another. A positive word, delivered at just the right time, may mean the difference between someone giving up or moving forward. Our goal as Christians should be to see our fellow brothers and sisters move forward.

Reflection Questions.

Can you remember a time in your life where you benefited from a word of encouragement? How did that make you feel?

How many different ways can you think of to show encouragement to someone else?

A little over a month ago I completed my final DMin ministry project. Included in this project were 20 devotionals (five per week for four weeks) I wrote which  were distributed to the adult Sunday School classes. The devotionals served to reinforce the four purposes of Sunday School (reaching, teaching, caring, serving). This week’s the focus in on caring for people.

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:1-4)

Each one of us has a burden to bear. The word “bear” in verse two communicates the idea of giving a hand to someone carrying a heavy load. There are some burdens that can be shared: stress, finances, grief, etc. Some burdens are heavier than others. The word Paul uses for burden in verse five is different than in verse two. This word “bear” in verse five communicates a load impossible to share. It literally means, “a soldier’s pack.” A soldier’s pack must be borne by the soldier alone. Some burdens that can’t be shared include: suffering, death, sin, judgment. Caring for people means involving yourself in their lives. Burden bearing is simply love in action and it is the fulfillment of Christ’s command to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Reflection Questions

What do you believe to be the number one reason why Christians do not step in and help carry another’s burden(s)?

Do you know of someone who is struggling with a burden that you may be able help carry?

“I have declared my ways, and You answered me; Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So shall I meditate on Your wondrous works. My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.” (Psalm 119:26-29)

 The Psalmist begins by confessing his sins to God, believing God has heard and cleansed. He then goes on to ask God to teach him, using language such as, “teach me,” “make me understand,” and “strengthen me.” On display here is a teachable spirit. He wanted to know more about God’s ways and His statutes, understanding strength is found in them. However, there is a pre-requisite to a teachable spirit; a repentant spirit. Before any blessings from God’s teachings could be experienced, his sin needed to be reconciled. God is the foremost teacher. His Word is the primary source of our instruction. His children need to be taught by Him, led by Him, encouraged by Him, and strengthened by Him. Each one needs to seek Him through a teachable spirit and repentant heart.

Reflection Questions:

To be teachable means to have the capacity to receive instruction. Would you say that you are in the best position to receive instruction from God? If not, what is in the way?

Is there a time in your spiritual walk with the Lord that you know for a fact you missed the opportunity to be involved in something He wanted you to do? What did you learn? Are you more teachable as a result?

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.” (Acts 17:10-12)

Once Paul arrived in Berea, as was his custom, he made his way to the local synagogue and preached Jesus Christ to the Jews. Contrary to negative reception by the Jews in Thessalonica, the Bereans welcomed him and the Word. We are told that the Bereans received Paul’s instruction with “readiness.” They did not receive God’s Word with an implicit faith. They devoted themselves to reading and searching the writings of the Old Testament, to see whether the things which he preached concerning the Messiah, His incarnation, sufferings, death and resurrection from the dead were true. They were ready to reject his teachings if it did not align with what God had spoken. This they did continually day after day. Their example to us is a powerful one. Every Christian has the responsibility to search and study God’s Word to ensure what is being taught is aligned with God’s truth. In our day, we can never assume that simply because someone says, “The Bible says ________” that they are being truthful. Investigation is the key to combating false teaching. Personal study of the Bible is a tremendous luxury that has been afforded to us. Let’s not waste it.

Reflection Questions:

What does it mean to you to receive the Word, “with all readiness?”

Upon their investigation of the Scriptures, many people in Berea trusted Jesus Christ for their salvation. Imagine for a moment that every copy of the Bible you own has been taken away from you. Do you know enough without it to lead someone to Christ?

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Bible was written by men divinely inspired by God and is the revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It is profitable, meaning it is beneficial or useful. It comes from a root word that has the idea of heaping up or accumulating something that will give you a benefit or an advantage. The Bible provides everything necessary to make you the person God wants you to be. There is an accumulating benefit that comes from the regular study of God’s Word. It builds into your life day by day, things that are beneficial to becoming a mature person in Christ. That’s how education works. Take math for example. First you learn basic math, then algebra and trigonometry, and finally – calculus. It all accumulates to making you a competent mathematician. God’s Word functions the same way. Paul states that God’s Word is profitable in four areas of life: doctrine (what is right), reproof (what is not right), correction (how to get right with God), and instruction in righteousness (how to stay right with God). One piece builds upon the other, equipping you to be a well-rounded and faithful Christian. The more you study, the more profitable it will be.

Reflection Questions:

Do I have a plan as to how I am going to study God’s Word? (reading plan, morning, evening, etc.)

Do I have a period of time that I will spend in the study of God’s Word?

Do I have a person whom I have given permission to hold me accountable in my study of God’s Word? If no, why not?