Last night was a great night!! There were so many friends there, good old times and new fellowshipping, I am so glad I got see everyone and spend time in the Word together! :)
In case you missed last night, this is the Bible study we went over together. I include links for each Bible passage that will help you keep up and understand what we learned and everything we went over.
James 1:19-27
Listening & Doing
First! Let's read from the words of Jesus out of the Book of Matthew:
The Parable of the Sower
Throughout His ministry on Earth, Jesus spoke and taught the people that followed Him through something called a parable. For those who don't know what a parable is: it is a short story spoken in order to explain a virtue or give insight to something really important. Jesus spoke in parables so that He could explain bits and pieces of the Kingdom of Heaven to us in a way that we could understand. People of His time, especially, did not have literary education, therefore stories were
huge in explaining a significant point or detail! Without parables to teach, people would not understand half of what they knew. It would be a lot like sitting in on a seminar explaining the affect of psychiatric disorders on neuroplasticity - they could just say that experience changes people. But they don't. So rather than Jesus saying something like, "You need to be rely on me for everything and admit to me that you're a sinner," (which wasn't something they really understood why, back then), Jesus made His followers think about why it was the prodigal son was welcomed back, why the rich man should have forgiven his servant, and so on. It all makes sense when you put things into laymen's terms, and so much easier to remember when you put those terms into a story.
Just so we are all on the same page: a sower is someone who plants seeds (like a farmer, etc.) but is not the gardener. The gardener clears the land for the sower to plant seeds, and then goes behind the sower to water the ground where the seeds were thrown and push the seeds further into the dirt so they can take root in the soil. The sower only casts the seeds on the ground ready to be grown into plants.
Start by reading
Matthew 13:1-13 and answer the following based on your reading:
*Where are the four places that the seeds fell?
There are four places that the seeds were cast to in order to begin growing. Each place, keep in mind is significant since it is being told in a parable. Think about the ruffage of each of these places. Keep this in mind for later on...
The four places that the seeds fell were:
Along the path
Rocky places
Among thorns
Good soil
*Now, according to where each fell, over time what happened to each seed?
Because of where each seed fell, there were consequences given to them because the sower did not take care enough to cast them all in a good place at once, or even in handfuls.
The consequences for each seed were:
The birds came and ate all the seeds
Srang up quickly, but withered in the sun because it had no root
The thorns grew up and choked the plants
Produced a crop
Obviously, you are noticing that the last set of seeds seem to be getting all the good stuff... wait for it ;)
Let's talk about these for a minute so that we are all on the same page:
Think about a path; it is hard and sandy from being tread on regularly. The ground on a path is not soft and does not allow anything to grow from it or into it. When the seeds were thrown onto the path, they couldn't find a way into the ground to get water and grow; therefore, they dried up in the heat of the sun and the birds came and ate them.
It is possible to see plants grow up through rocks and cracks and crevices can sometimes be created from plants trying to break the surface. But when a young plant is trying to grow through something hard without first taking good root into the soil, the plant cannot get the water and nutrients it needs to continue growing, and therefore dries out in the sun.
Thorns and vines are decomposing plants - whatever they grow around, they surround and slowly tighten grip until their target is choked, gets weak, dies, and goes back into the ground. The seeds thrown into the vines might have started to grow and probably had somewhat of a root, but just as quickly as they had started, the vines saw a new victim to surround and choke and push it back into the ground.
When you throw seeds into good soil, they are able to sink into it because it is soft and fertile and has water and nutrients beneath its surface. Naturally, this leads to the seed growing and producing a plants whose seeds will also fall onto the good soil, grow, and do the same over and over and over again until there is an entire field of plants that spread and grow. Nothing bad is in good soil, and therefore nothing can come devour what grows from it because it has good strong roots beneath. Maybe the plant can be eaten and nibbled on above the surface, but it will never stop growing since its roots are so deep.
Understanding this way that seeds and the ground works, think about what Jesus could be getting at. Why would Jesus be telling this parable, and what meaning does it have? What do each of these things means?
The people Jesus was teaching left Him and disciples when Jesus was done with His parable. Look at what the disciples ask: "Why do you talk to the people in parables?" Jesus answered them saying that the people who have heard them are going to respond to the Word He gives differently from the next. But because they do not ask for the guidance from the parable, they don't truly understand the nugget of heavenly information He had given them. Since the disciples asked for the explanation, Jesus told them exactly what he meant by each seed and each consequence.
Similarly, there are times in life when we just don;t understand what we are supposed to do, or we are confused by God's instruction. It's always a question of "WHY!?" that follows, and when we ask, we are shown plainly in sight why. Even if it takes time.
On the verse 18...
Jesus explains to the disciples what the parable of the sower means to us:
*Who does the seed on the path describe?
When anyone hears the message of the Kingdom, but does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart. What does this mean? It a regular thing that someone hears the Word of God. But a lot of times, people just don't understand it and don;t venture into figuring it out. Because they didn't even begin to take root, Satan in the world sees an easy opportunity to grab a hold of you in whatever way you will be most tempted.
*Who does the seed in the rocks describe?
This is the person who receives the Word of God with joy! He or she takes it and runs with it at first out of excitement for something new in their lives! But when what they claim to believe conflicts with what is socially accepted, they back down from what God has to say because they "don't want to offend anyone," or think "what a person does with their body is their choice, so I'm fine with it," and things similar. Because of this, the misrepresentation of Christ, nothing for God grows from it and eventually falls away from God altogether.
*Who does the seed in the thorns describe?
This is the person who hears the Word and accepts it, and everything it says about trusting the Lord, but lets the worries of life and the distraction of possessions surround and choke them on a daily basis. Eventually, these people know the Word is still there, but they do absolutely nothing with it because they were choked of it by everything else in the world.
Overall, what is the point of this parable?
There is a difference between 'understanding' and understanding what you hear from the Word of God.
Anyone can understand the Word of God by reading it and knowing what it says, even quoting it. But it isn't until we let God's Spirit speak to us that we truly understand what God's Word means for our lives - that is when we know how to apply it to our lives.
Onto James 1:19-27
I don't really need to ask this, but what are the first three things James encourages us to do?
- Be quick to listen
- Be slow to speak
- Be slow to become angry
When it means to be quick to listen, we understand what it means to listen quickly.
*But what does it mean to be quick to listen?
- When there is an issue, do you seek out the best advice, or do you seek out just what you want to hear?
- When there is a struggle or debate, are you more focused on the situation at hand and the other parties side, or are you only interested in having your side heard?
- What about in your daily walk with God? When you pray, do you ramble constantly about everything, or do you wait to see if God will speak to you in that moment?
By speaking slowly, we know the literal translation of it. But what does it mean to be slow to speak? (and I am not referring to speak with a long southern drawl, or anything like like...)
- Similarly to listening, do you watch what you are saying in response to someone, or do you let whatever spurts out of your mouth first be the words you choose?
- Do you jump to conclusions quickly? Or have you ever taken what someone has said out of context to prove your own point?
An example of people who do this are Pharisees. An example of how to be, is Jesus.
In this passage, what was the deal? Who was Matthew? What did the Pharisees think about Matthew? How did Jesus react to what they had to say?
As for tax collectors back in the day, they were seen as the scum of society. They were thieves and outright nasty people. The Pharisees were legalists - if your house starts on fire on the Sabbath, you let it burn. You do not put forth labor to put the fire out. Jesus said to them that sinners who admit to be sinners are the ones He came for - not self-righteous sinners who think that their laws will save them from the wrath of God.
Another example:
What were the intentions of the Pharisees in this passage? Did they, or did they not, try to take Jesus out of context to capture Him? Why? How did Jesus reply to their question (with swag)? Did what He say get Him in trouble? How did the Pharisees and their disciples respond to Him? How many times have we ever actually stopped to think about what we are saying and how it will affect the situation? How many times have times have we been the Pharisees, trying to justify ourselves and make ourselves right?
How will following these guidelines give God a more powerful presence in the time we spend with others? Not only will we be more respected, but God has a chance to use your selflessness to reach someone who needs Him. What does it mean to be the salt in conversation, or the salt of the earth?
Now, here is the TOUGH one: how can we be slow to become angry?
- Look at the next verse: "...for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life God desires."
- Now I know everyone always remembers the time Jesus flipped out in the temple, but understand that
that was the only time we ever see Him flip like that. Leading up to that day in the temple, Jesus was
getting more and more fed up with everything - the Pharisees trying to trap Him, constantly seeing
suffering caused by everyone, everything in His three years of ministry. He got to the point that week
(which is the week He was captured and crucified) that He could not take the disrespect for God
everyone around Him had. He destroyed all that man had set up to bring glory to themselves.
- In this passage, however, Jesus shows His anger in a different way. He gets so aggravated with the
Pharisees trying to trap Him again while putting someone's life in their own hands, and in all His fury,
He bends down and... starts drawing in the sand... They keep questioning Him, and after several
minutes of drawing in the sand, He stands up and dares the perfect sin-less person to throw the first
stone. Then stoops back down and draws in the sand. Some rage, right? What if He had
immediately spoken and said something that could have gotten the woman killed, Him killed, and His
ministry destroyed?
1:21
Get rid of what in your life?
Think about what you should get rid of in your life in order for you to accept God's Word like a seed in good soil. How do you respond in times of struggle between God's Word and society? What needs to be filtered out of your world view that allows God to be strong in you?
A song I have shared with my brother recently really made me think about what it means to be weak and vulnerable, admitting to God that I am a sinner, and relying on Him to be strong in me when I come against the world. I encourage you to listen and give thought to what that means to you. :)
1:22-27
Focus on the last line: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: ...to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
*First off, the controversial question: what is religion?
Religion is the liturgy to which you commit to following based on what you believe. However, it is NOT what you believe, but a by-product of what you commit to follow. And as Christians, we are not called to following religion, we are called to life. We are called to following Christ in His steps, not what man has set up to organize His walk. Yes, there is organized religion within Christianity, and depending on where you go, it will be different. But we are not called to follow suit with the religion man has built around our faith. We are called to living daily in the presence of God and denying all that against Him so that we can show others who He really is - not a boxed Pharisee-like deity that demands we follow the religion of our faith in Him, but rather a God that moves in us to change us from the inside out.
*Second: what is the pollution of the world? What does that mean?
Challenging question: how do we keep from being polluted by the world?
Jesus encourages us against being lukewarm; to give into being okay with the social issues of the day (like the seed who fell on rocky ground) tells God that we believe in Him, but we really don't like everything that He is, just some things that don't offend the world. Because heaven knows that offending the world is far worse than offending God in the long run, right?
In order for God to be the Gardener over all who have had seeds planted in them, in order for Him to churn the dirt we've been placed in, He has to be able to reach through the garbage in our lives (no matter where He finds us; path, thorns, rocks, or good soil) weed out what doesn't need to be there, and soften our souls by bringing us to and through trials. We are filled to be emptied again; the seed we've received we must sow. This is what we are called to. Leave the world behind.
Also, for anyone who wants to, we'll have a worship service this Sunday night at St. Luke UMC. Everyone is welcome regardless of doctrine and denomination ;)
