Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for the week of 8.2.10.

Click here to download a printable version of the message notes and discussion questions for the weekend of 7.31.10.

The Book of Ephesians
Essentials for Personal Salvation
Lee Powell, Senior Pastor
July 31 & August 1, 2010

His Grace: S________ Us

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. EPHESIANS 2:8, 9

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is – free and undeserved. ROMANS 11:6

S_________________ Us

You know what I was like …I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it…God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace… GALATIANS 1:13-15

(Read also MATTHEW 20:1-16 parable of Vineyard workers)

S_______ Us

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him… LUKE 15:20

S____________ Us

…Remember, he has identified you as his own, (has put his seal on you) guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. EPHESIANS 4:30

S___________________ Empowers Us

By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. EPHESIANS 3:7

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. EPHESIANS 4:7 (NIV)

In his grace, God has given us different gifts… ROMANS 12:6

S_______________ Us

Together as one body…members of God’s family. Together, we are his house…carefully joined together in Him… EPHESIANS 2:19-21

S_____________ Us

…grace and peace. EPHESIANS 1:2

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:23

“my grace is all you need…” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

All scripture from New Living Translation unless otherwise noted. NIV = New International Version.

Living It Out – Discussion Questions
(Discuss these questions in your LifeGroup and/or with your family and friends.)

1. At CedarCreek, we talk about God’s grace all of the time! However, what can happen to our faith when we begin viewing God’s grace as commonplace rather than a life-giving essential element in our lives?

2. This weekend, Lee pointed out all of the things that grace does in the life of a Christ-follower. Review this weekend’s sermon notes and discuss the aspect of grace that you need to experience more of in your life.

3. Have you ever thought about the way that God’s grace injects an element of marvelous surprise into your life? Share about a time when certain events were unfolding in an unfortunate way, but God intervened in a manner that was unexpected – and undeserved.

4. One of the ideas Lee spoke about this week was that God’s grace sustains us in times of great stress or difficulty. There are times when God allows suffering to come into ourselves. It is during those times when we can make the choice to lean into God’s grace for comfort and strength. Discuss a time when you experienced God’s grace during a time of tremendous suffering.

One final thought…We cannot talk about God’s grace and not talk about our upcoming 15th anniversary celebration! CedarCreek Church exists as a reflection of God’s unmerited grace and mercy. There’s nothing that any of us could have done to deserve what God has done in this place as well as in each one of our hearts! Come and celebrate with us on Friday September 10th at the Huntington Arena in downtown Toledo!

Living It Out – Scripture Memory
(Memorize this verse for the month of August.)
May you experience the love of Christ, though
it is too great to understand fully. Then you will
be made complete with all the fullness of life
and power that comes from God.
EPHESIANS 3:19 (New Living Translation)

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.30.10.

FRIDAY — Growing in the Spirit of Wisdom
Today’s Big Point: God makes His wisdom available for anyone who chooses to pursue it.

     As you read through Ephesians during the Essentials Series, it will be easy to notice that both faith and love, on the part of the Ephesian believers, were the virtues that prompted the prayers of Paul on their behalf. Likewise, the virtues of faith and love are imperatives toward coming into a deeper experiential knowledge of God. This is the great subject of this passage: the knowledge of God. It is absolutely essential that believers grow more and more in their intimate experiences with God, that their knowledge will be “OF” God, and not simply “ABOUT” God.
     Something that is essential for a believer to grow in the knowledge of God is to have the Spirit of wisdom. As stated in the beginning of the week, that is a spirit that reaches out and hungers and thirsts after wisdom.
     Wisdom can best be understood by the single words “what” and “how.” Wisdom means knowing what something is, what is behind something, and what can be done. It is knowing how to use or relate to something. Therefore, spiritual wisdom means: knowing who God is and how to relate to Him; knowing the truth and how to use it; knowing what to do and how to do it; knowing how to live more and more fruitful lives for the glory of God and for the welfare of men.
     Wisdom differs from knowledge. Knowledge is the grasping of facts, but grasping facts is not enough. Much more is needed; a person must know how to use the facts. That is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom knows how to use the facts. The point is this: it is not enough to know the facts about God; a person must know God personally. He must know how to experience the facts about God. He must use the truthful facts of Scripture to develop a personal relationship with God–a growing relationship of increasing intimacy that takes one deeper into the very Person of God. This is the meaning of the word “knowledge” (epignosei)… it means a personal and intimate relationship with God; a personal experience with God. It is not an intellectual knowledge of God, but an experiential knowledge of God. With all of that said, we can easily see why the Spirit prompted Paul in his prayers to pray for a “spirit of wisdom” along with praying for a “spirit of revelation” on behalf of the believers.

THIS WEEK’S BIG POINT: The most important thing I learned during the Living It Out: Daily Bible Study this week was…

Weekend Reminders…
Leadership Summit — Go to www.cedarcreek.tv to register for the 2010 Leadership Summit. We’re excited about speakers like reality show star and Tom’s Shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie! By the way, CedarCreek has the chance to be one of the largest Summit Leadership Summit sites in the country. Come be a part of it!

DAILY BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 1
1 Corinthians 1:3 Paul planted the church at Corinth and in time, some of those believers began to question Paul’s apostleship. The letter to the church was written in order to maintain his apostolic character and authority. However, Paul didn’t write this letter out of pride but because he believed in his divine appointment.
1 Corinthians 1:7 The manifestation of gifts in the church confirmed that Christ was among them.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Paul takes on the divisions in the church head-on in this chapter. They quarreled about their ministers and Paul admonished them to put their energies toward Christ rather than advocating for one minister or another.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 This weekend’s message was about pursuing spiritual wisdom and in this section of scripture, Paul also discusses the importance of abandoning earthly wisdom in favor of grasping God’s wisdom.

HomePointe Family Activity Section
Coming this fall, we will kick off our all new CedarCreek family ministry called HomePointe. Families will be able to take part in opportunities and resources at CedarCreek that will assist them in their journey to intentionally grow a Godly family. The following family activity is just one of the many resources we will be offering.

Big Point for Parents: Children are dependent on their parents, for the most part, to learn Godly wisdom. Therefore, it is imperative for parents to be intentional about raising their child in the knowledge of God.

Big Point for Children: God wants to grow you up to be wise.

Lesson: Read the story of Solomon asking for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:6-15. Talk to the children about how wisdom is available to them just like Solomon.  

Activity: Spend time thumbing through Proverbs. Talk about how Proverbs is chock full of wisdom. Have the children choose a wisdom life verse and then have them write it out and decorate it so that it can be hung somewhere they will always see it.

Pray: God give us a spirit of wisdom, and a desire to pursue your knowledge.

Living It Out — July Memory Verse:
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for
will actually happen; it gives us assurance
about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Living It Out
It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses, are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.
Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message
Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the New Testament in a year
Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others
Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to barbr@cedarcreek.tv.

RESOURCES:
The Bible
Pastor James Drake on SermonCentral.com

This week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study written by:
Amber Distel
Chantele Henry
Brenda Hutmacher
Barb Roose

Old Testatment Reading: Nehemiah 7 – 9:15

New Testament Reading:

1 Corinthians 1 (NLT)

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.

2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Paul Gives Thanks to God

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”

13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) 17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

The Wisdom of God

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.29.10.

THURSDAY — The Wisdom of Silence
Today’s Big Point: Sometimes silence can be the wisest form of wisdom.

Silence… gentle silence. Why is it important to be silent? When we are silent we can hear from God, wait on him, be near to him, and listen. When we are silent we can get control of our emotions and gather our thoughts. The silence of restraint, a silence of wisdom, is knowing when to speak and when not to. Power withholding itself is far greater than power exerting itself. In Esther’s story, she never talked about her Jewish heritage… until the time was right. She never talked about how evil Haman was… until the time was right. She didn’t complain about her situation. She remained silent and waited for God. Her Godly behavior is what gained the respect of the king, so when the right time came for her to speak, he would listen. 

READ…What does the Bible say?
Proverbs 16:16 (New Living Translation)
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!

Proverbs 25:11 (God’s word translation)
Like golden apples in silver settings, so is a word spoken at the right time.  

Proverbs 17:28 (New Living Translation)
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

James 1:5 (New International Version) 
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

THINK…Find the answers
Read Proverbs16:16 and Proverbs 25:11. What is so wise about knowing the appropriate timing for how and when we should speak?

According to James 1:5, what is one way we can receive wisdom? How does a person know that he or she lacks wisdom?

LIVE…What will you do now?
The ability to be silent at appropriate times is just one example of wise behavior. List wise behaviors you need to begin engaging in and don’t remember to currently practice (example: remembering your body is a temple and keeping it holy).
1.
2.

We all find ourselves in situations where it is tempting to unload a verbal lashing or stonewall in silence. Often, there are underlying beliefs or attitudes (like pride) that cause us to speak when we should remain silent.
1. What are common situations where you find yourself speaking at a time when silence would be wise? Instead of giving someone a “piece of your mind”, how could you demonstrate spiritual wisdom in that situation?

2. Can you identify some of the beliefs or attitudes that cause you to abandon God’s wisdom for your own? (For example: pride, desire to “fix”)

EXTRA CREDIT: Browse through the book of Proverbs. Find a verse that conveys wisdom. Write out that verse in the space below and why you chose that verse. (It would be great to find a verse that provides wisdom in an area where you are currently struggling!)

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know & do?
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you that all we have to do, Lord, is ask you for wisdom and you will give it to us. I pray in all of our lives, our jobs, our families, you would help us be silent when we need to be and speak the right word at the right time. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 24
Luke 24:1-2 All four gospels agree that women first discovered the empty tomb on Sunday morning and that the resurrected Jesus first appeared to women. Women were not considered reliable witnesses in first century Jerusalem; therefore, it is unlikely that the followers of Jesus would have created a story with women as the primary witnesses.
Luke 24:13-35 The Road to Emmaus account only appears in Luke.
Luke 24:31 Jesus’ disappearance confirms he received a unique and glorified resurrection body.
Luke 24:36-49 Jesus appears to the Emmaus disciples and the remaining eleven disciples.
Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and feet.” This is evidence that Jesus was nailed rather than tied to the cross. Additionally, Jesus’ resurrection is not his pre-crucifixion body being brought back to life. Rather, Jesus resurrected into a new and glorified body.

Old Testament Reading: Nehemiah 3 – 6

New Testament Reading:

Luke 24 (NLT)

1 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

The Walk to Emmaus

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

19 “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.28.10.

WEDNESDAY — God or Magic Genie?
Today’s Big Point: One way for God to meet many of our needs is to provide us with His knowledge so that we have the opportunity to act wisely.

     Sitting around the dinner table, three young college students and their parents engaged in a rare family dinner experience. As the middle child prayed she chose to thank God for giving her the wisdom she so desperately needed for this season of her life. As “amen” was muttered, the family looked up at each other, curious about her prayer. The middle child shared that when she was ten years old her Dad read to her the story of Solomon before bed. A piece of Solomon’s story stood out to her that particular evening that she believes impacted her life to this day. Solomon asked for wisdom from God. That night she chose to do the same.
     Over the years she began to understand that wisdom and intelligence were not the same (she would admit she hoped for both in her prayer). She didn’t become magically smarter. Her test scores didn’t all of a sudden reveal genius levels. What did happen was that the Holy Spirit placed a hunger in her heart to pursue the knowledge of God. Through this learning as well as many experiences, she realized God was helping her becoming wise. This wisdom has become priceless to her.

READ…What does the Bible say?
1 Kings 3:7-14 (New International Version)
7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies, but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

THINK…Find the answers
Out of all the things that Solomon could have asked for from God, he asked for wisdom. Why was asking for wisdom a better choice than asking for riches?

Since Solomon asked for wisdom, why do you think God was more willing to give him what he didn’t ask for — wealth and power?

LIVE…What will you do now?
How wise are you? Read on and see…

Just like an apple tree produces apples (fruit), so a good person will produce good “stuff” (fruit) because it is their nature. Our success and failures in life (fruits of our labor) can be proof of our wisdom or lack thereof. What fruit are you producing?
1.
2.
3.

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
God, give me a spirit of wisdom like Solomon. Help me to make wise choices for myself and the people that you have entrusted to me to care for during my life here on earth. I am currently not making wise choices is my life concerning ________________. I recognize that I have not been using your wisdom. Today, I will abandon my own limited knowledge and wisdom and instead, rely upon Your wisdom alone. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 23
Luke 23:1-2 The Jewish leaders were not able to issue capital punishment, so they took him before Pilate with trumped up political charges in order to get a death sentence.
Luke 23:3 “Are you the king of the Jews?” While “Christ” (Greek) or “Messiah” (Hebrew) would have been insignificant to Pilate, he would have considered Jesus’ claim to be a king as a threat.
Luke 23:4 While Jesus affirms Pilate’s question in verse 3, it seems Pilate decides Jesus is not a political threat.
Luke 23:9 “Jesus refused to answer.” Isaiah 53:7 predicts Jesus’ silence while he was being accused.
Luke 23:29 In ancient culture, childlessness was the cause of great shame, therefore Jesus’ words represented a shocking reversal. Jesus infers that the childless will not have to watch their children suffer before their eyes.
Luke 23:31 “For if men do these things when the tree is green…when it is dry” Dry wood burns more easily than fresh cut wood. This saying probably means that if the Romans would crucify an innocent man in peaceful times (green wood), how much worse will they do during revolutionary times (dry wood).
Luke 23:50-56 Jewish people sought to bury a crucified body before nightfall, especially if the Sabbath was beginning the next day. However, the Romans wanted crucified bodies to be displayed to invoke fear. So Jews were often denied the right to remove the body.

Old Testament Reading: Ezra 8:24 – Nehemiah 2

New Testament Reading:

Luke 23 (NLT)

1 Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. 2 They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”

3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

4 Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

5 Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”

6 “Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. 7 When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

8 Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. 9 He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. 10 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12 (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)

13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15 Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16 So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

The Crucifixion

26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ 31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

47 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

The Burial of Jesus

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.27.10.

TUESDAY — The “Know-How”
Today’s Big Point: Wisdom is not just knowledge, but “know-how.”

Wisdom cannot exist without a knowledge of all the facts pertinent to any purpose or plan. The God who is all-wise is also the God who is all-knowing.

     The twentieth century produced an information explosion unparalled in human history – instant access to volumes of knowledge at the click of a mouse. Yet with all we have learned and with all that’s been written, God’s wisdom is still important in order to answer life’s most basic questions like: How did we get here? Where do I go when I die? What is the meaning of life?
     God has given man the ability to study, analyze, categorize and develop the physical resources of this earth to benefit physical life. But, that’s where his wisdom ends. Here is a definition of God’s wisdom: “Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fullness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariably wise.” (information adapted from J. MacArthur, A.W. Tozer and J.I. Packer)

READ…What does the Bible say?
Ephesians 1:16-18 (New Living Translation)
16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Romans 11:33 (New Living Translation)
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

THINK…Find the answers
Today’s introduction unpacks a definition of God’s perfect wisdom. When you read Ephesians 1:16-18, how would you define spiritual wisdom that every believer should possess?

Compare the differences between “spiritual wisdom” and “earthly wisdom.”

Digging Deeper: Here are some additional verses for you if you would like to study a bit more about what the Bible has to say about God’s wisdom. Psalm 147:5, Job 12:13, Job 36:5, James 3:17-18, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 55:8-9

Take a few moments and contemplate the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 11:33: “…how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!”

What are some of your thoughts about Paul’s words?

Great Metaphysical Questions
~Why is there something rather than nothing?
~Why is anything in motion rather than everything still?
~Why is there order rather than chaos?
~Why is there music?
-from The Truth Project

LIVE…What will you do now?
There are a lot of smart people in our world today. Frankly, with our access to information, we can all be smart. However, there are a lot of smart people out there who end up in dumb situations.

Reflect on your definition of spiritual wisdom. How are you using spiritual wisdom in the following areas of your life: your relationships, your personal integrity, your career/job, your life goals and dreams?

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
Dear God, I want to be wise. However, I cannot have true wisdom without fully submitting my life to you. You are the source of all riches, wisdom and knowledge. I pray that I would apply Your wisdom in every area of my life. Open my eyes to the areas where I am relying on my own wisdom. God, please send people into my life to challenge me to pursue Your highest, wisest ways. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 22
Luke 22:1 Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover were two festivals linked together and celebrated on the 15th of Nisan (March/April) in Jerusalem.
Luke 22:7 Passover began at sunset. Each family would roast one lamb and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The bitter herbs represented slavery in Egypt and the unleavened bread represented the haste in which the Israelites had to leave Egypt.
Luke 22:10 Normally women carried water jars, so the man would stand out. (Genesis 24:11; John 4:7)
Luke 22:17 Traditionally, Passover is celebrated with four different cups of wine: first with the opening prayer; second after the explanation of Passover; third following the meal of lamb, herbs and bread and fourth after singing the final portion of a song.
Luke 22:21 Sharing a meal indicates friendship and trust, so to be betrayed by Judas at the Passover meal is particularly shocking.
Luke 22:42 “Take this cup from me.” Drinking a cup was a common metaphor for experiencing a traumatic event.
Luke 22:44 “Sweat like drops of blood” is the source of debate. While there are medical conditions that support a human’s ability to sweat blood (hematidrosis), some scholars place emphasis on Luke’s usage of the words, “like blood.”

Click here to download a printable version of the Daily Bible Study for 7.26.10.

Series: Essentials
Spiritual Wisdom

Run for Cover!
     As crazy as our world is around us, we need every advantage that we can possibly get to help us in life. When times are tough, as they are now—our country at war, many people laid off from their jobs, an uncertainty about the future — we need hope for these difficult times. How can we make it through? How can we ride out the storm?

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy:
Am I or are the others crazy?”
- Albert Einstein

     For answers to these questions, we turn to the Bible. Take the book of Proverbs for example…the majority of the Proverbs come from King Solomon, the son of David. Solomon was the man who God granted the opportunity to ask for anything. Rather than riches, Solomon asked that God give him wisdom. Listen to what the Bible tells us about Solomon in 1 Kings 4:29-34: “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man… And his (Solomon’s) fame spread to all the surrounding nations… He described plant life… He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”
     Wisdom is a very powerful, and at times, elusive quality that few possess in great quantity. The word “wisdom” is obviously a main theme throughout the Proverbs, occurring 41 times throughout the book. Wisdom has been defined and described in many different ways. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “wisdom” as “understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; common sense; good judgment; learning.”
     Often, people confuse being smart with wisdom. Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt and the repairmen couldn’t find the problem. So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life–but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz. Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high. Steinmetz’s reply: For tinkering with the generators…$10. For knowing where to tinker…$9,990. Henry Ford paid the bill.
     No matter how smart you think you are, there is a difference between being smart and being spiritually wise—it is important for you to know the difference. This week’s study will focus on the topic of spiritual wisdom discussed in Ephesians 1 and how we can incorporate spiritual wisdom into our everyday life.

**IMPORTANT** – Thank you for your patience with the Daily Bible Readings. There will be two chapters to read on Monday and then, the readings will resume on schedule.

MONDAY — Christ: The Wisdom of God
Today’s Big Point: Christ is referred to as “The Wisdom of God” throughout the Bible. “In him lie all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)

God says that His foolishness is greater than the wisdom of man! And yet in Ephesians 3, Paul speaks of God’s purpose as God is presently working to display His wisdom through the church. Why would God choose to use such “foolish people” to display His wisdom? How does the church demonstrate His wisdom?

READ…What does the Bible say?
Ephesians 1:3 (New Living Translation)
3 “How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.”

1 John 5:20 (New Living Translation)
20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God…”

THINK…Find the answers
Since Christ is the Wisdom of God, it’s logical to assume that we must get to know Christ more intimately in order to tap into the Godly wisdom needed for daily life. Find other verses in the Bible, such as Philippians 3:10, that tell how to know Christ.
*What do Ephesians 1:3 and 1 John 5:20 have in common?

*Do the verses mention any prerequisites to knowing Christ?

*What are some of the benefits or rewards of knowing Christ?

Read Ephesians 1:3 again. Define the terms “spiritual blessing” and “heavenly realms”.

LIVE…What will you do now?
Do you want to have Godly wisdom in your personal life for every situation? If so, you will need to get to know the Wisdom of God (Christ). In what circumstances in your life today do you need Godly wisdom?

One commentary for Ephesians 1:3 states that “every spiritual blessing” means that we have all the benefits of knowing God. For example, we have the power to do God’s will and we have God’s forgiveness. Additionally, we have the blessing of Godly wisdom.

How will possessing these benefits give you confidence to apply Godly wisdom in that critical area identified in the last question?

PRAY…God, What do you want me to know & do?
Lord, thank you for sending Jesus who is the embodiment of your wisdom. I thank You for all the blessings and resources available to me through Him. I ask for wisdom in __________________. In James 1, it says that if I need wisdom then I should pray and ask for it. God, I am asking for the wisdom that only You can provide. I believe that You will give it to me. Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: Luke 20 & 21
Luke 20:1-8 This chapter features a series of conflicts between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem. These conflicts set up the plot to arrest Jesus.
Luke 20:3-4 “From heaven” means “from God,” a Jewish expression used to avoid using God’s divine name.
Luke 20:6 “The people will stone us.” Stoning was the Old Testament punishment for blasphemy and the religious leaders were concerned that if they rejected a prophet of God, then they might be at risk of that punishment.
Luke 20:9-19  Parable of the Talents – in this parable the owner is God, the tenants represent Israel’s corrupt religious leaders, the servants represent the prophets, the owner’s son represents Jesus.
Luke 20:17-18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces…” God’s kingdom is portrayed as a stone not made by human hands and endures forever. Jesus is considered the rejected stone who will triumph over all who rejected him.

Luke 21
Luke 21:1-4 The term “gazophylakion” is the Greek term referring to the trumpet-shaped chest or receptacle that people are throwing their offerings into.  The widow modeled generosity, even in her meager circumstances. In 2 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul discusses generosity at length. Challenge yourself to read that chapter and ask yourself the question: “What would it take for me to be generous?”
Luke 21:5 Herod the Great’s greatest building project was the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. The project began in 20BC and took over 45 years to construct the Temple. Rather than stone, the temple was constructed of imported white marble and some of the building stones weighed over 100 tons. The temple would be destroyed in 70 AD.
Luke 21:6-11 While it is natural for us to want to know about the timing and specific details of future events, it is more important for us to be focused on the things God has called us to do.
Luke 21:12-18 “Not a hair of your head will perish” is an idiom meaning complete protection. There’s a reference to martyrdom in verse 16, so this idiom is probably referring to spiritual rather than physical deliverance.