2020 Bible Vision

10.10.2020

Matthew 20-23

Summary:

Jesus is telling parables and teaching his disciples as he makes his way down from Galilee through Jericho, to the Mount of Olives and finally to Jerusalem. He’s greeted like a king (called Son of David) to shouts of ‘Hosanna’ (Save!). He immediately heads for the temple and drives out those who would profit off of the poor and create barriers instead of making God more accessible. The section ends with a fierce rebuke to the Pharisees.

Key Verse:

“And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Matthew 21:44

Vision of God

As Jesus approaches the week before his crucifixion, he faces many challenges and handles them all with divine intuition. People often project their own image onto Jesus, making him totally hardline or totally compassionate or totally concerned with social justice and on and on. But here, Jesus proves to be nimble. He responds to a myriad of issues in unique and unexpected ways. He shows patience and severity with James and John’s request. He displays compassion as he heals the blind men at Jericho. He allows himself to be worshipped coming into Jerusalem. He makes a whip and yells in the temple. He makes an example out of a fig tree. He traps the chief priests with their own words. He teaches in parables that remain timeless in their ability to pierce our hearts even today. He silences all of the religious factions that try to trap him and then he lets loose on the Pharisees. We have to be careful not to put God in a box but rather constantly expand our vision of who God is through the life of Jesus.

Vision of Self and Others

Jesus is always kind and compassionate with the humble. He is always direct and severe with the proud. So, for myself I want to fight for humility and keep reminding myself that what I don’t know is so much greater than what I know. As I approach others I need to be discerning. A prideful person doesn’t need compassion – they need the truth.

Go With God

I want to be better at seeing pride in myself and others and calling it out by pointing people unashamedly to Jesus.

Jesus

The key verse is an amazing statement from Jesus. Coming to Jesus is like falling onto a rock. It’s going to hurt and break some things (sins, bad habits, mindsets, relationships, etc…). This is better than the alternative which is the rock falling on you which results in being crushed.

Stephanie Whalen

10.9.2020

Matthew 16-19

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:

When the Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus proving that He’s the son of God, Jesus responds by saying that no sign will be given “except the sign of Jonah”, meaning that just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, Jesus was hinting at his own crucifixion, burial and resurrection over the course of three days. Like this, throughout these chapters (and the entirety of his time leading his disciples) Jesus is speaking in parables, and using concepts and analogies, and references from the Old Testament that were familiar to the people of that time to teach them. Jesus goes on to warn His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. No, he didn’t mean actual, physical yeast… but their false teachings and deviations from God’s Word. We’re called to not be tainted by the world and its teachings. This isn’t the first use of a warning against yeast, it’s referenced in many ways including during the Passover (Exodus 34:25), and to the action of boasting (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Right about now in the book of Matthew, Peter goes on a bit of a rollercoaster, jumping between being super on-point, and dropping the ball. Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah and receives his nickname (Peter), and the keys to the kingdom. That’s amazing! But, he tries to correct the Messiah as Jesus tells of how he will soon have to die. Jesus, who just called Peter “the rock” on which his church will be built, now tells him “Get behind me, Satan!” because of his doubt of their prophecy. Even though some of the things that Peter says and does makes me face-palm, it’s comforting because no matter what, he is faithful to Jesus, and because of that, Jesus does awesome things through him, including raising his church through Peter. I love that, because I can do some really dumb things sometimes, but that doesn’t stop Jesus from loving me and building me up.

What is one key verse?

Matthew 18:20 — “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them”

How does what you read change your vision of God?

It reminds me how loving and compassionate He is. Watching Peter and Jesus, and how patient Jesus is when Peter is way off on somethings really comforts me. Even though I can be way off sometimes, Jesus will stick with me (maybe even rebuke me a little bit when needed) but will never give up on me.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?

and

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)

In the craziness of the world today, especially with social distancing and all of us trying to get along while respecting varying comfort levels, I have to think of how patient Jesus was with Peter, his disciples, and the crowds that would follow him around everywhere. Jesus’ life was pretty crazy, considering all that he went through, and by comparison, my life is pretty mild. Still, I try to imitate Jesus’ patience and level-head in all situations that I find myself in nowadays. And on the frequent occasion that I fail to imitate Jesus, I can have faith that he’ll stick by me, and continue to build me up and teach me just as he did for Peter.

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)

Em… Everywhere. Just kidding, but for real. The patience and love he shows for everyone. The unwavering faith and steadfast hold to God’s Word in the face of the Pharisees. The healing of the sick and afflicted, and the casting out of demons. Every book of the Bible references Jesus in one way or another, but in Matthew, as well as Mark, Luke, and John, we get to read about how Jesus actually lived his life here on Earth.

Tony Whalen

10.07.2020

Matthew 12-15

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:

I read the parable of the hidden treasure and the parable of the pearl. In these parables I see a hope or a treasure that is of priceless value. I also see a joyful heart of sacrifice to attain that treasure. I see in these parables that the men who found these treasures understood their true value and eagerly did what they could to attain them.

What is one key verse?

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and  buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-45

How does what you read change your vision of God?

I think this passage it’s a convicting reminder that what we strive for through this life is undoubtedly worth it, but it also requires sacrifice to get there. The man who found the treasure in the field joyfully sold all he had, because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what he found was amazing. He gave up all he had to acquire this treasure.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others? How will you Go with God because of this reading?

I think too often I can look at my faith and relationship with God as an escape and means to find comfort. I don’t think that’s totally wrong but I also can’t ignore the reality of the sacrifice that is involved to deny myself and live for something more. It’s sobering to read this parable and see the joyful reaction to sacrifice. I know that usually isn’t my first instinct. I hope as I mature in Christ that I can grow in this.

Craig Roubus

10.7.2020

Matthew 8-11

Summary

These chapters pick up right after Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus travels throughout the region of Galilee teaching, preaching, and performing miracles (mostly healing people). He finishes assembling his twelve apostles and sends them out on their first mission to proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” When messengers are sent from John the Baptist to Jesus to see if he really is the one they were waiting for, Jesus assures them that his words and deeds confirm he is the Christ. He also warns about judgement against those who saw his works but did not repent.

Key Verses

Matthew 9:36-38

³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

How does what you read change your vision of God? 

I used to think that God was somewhat reluctant to save us, and that there will always be distance between us. These chapters, however, show me that God’s plan of salvation involves him being close to us. Jesus spends time with people in their homes, shares meals with them, gets to know people’s problems and helps them, takes time to explain things to his followers, he even heals a leper by touching him. Even though we were unclean in our sin, God did not keep his distance. God did not work out salvation from some far distant heavenly throne. Jesus came and walked among us and touched us. Jesus even invites us to be yoked together with him, tied together side-by-side.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?

Matthew 9:36 always convicts me. Jesus saw people as they are; he recognized that they were in a bad situation. I think it is easy to look at people who don’t have obvious outward hurts and believe that they are doing okay. In fact, looking only at outward prosperity and success can lead me to envy. However, seeing people the way Jesus did leads to compassion. The true need for every person everywhere is reconciliation with God. The external and material circumstances of a person’s life can be a distraction from their true need.

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)

An action step for me is what Jesus tells his disciples to do Matthew 9:38: pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)

These chapters are all about Jesus. Almost every verse mentions Jesus by name, refers to Jesus, or is Jesus speaking. This is Jesus in action. Really exciting to see after all the foreshadowing in the Old Testament!

I almost wrote that it’s impossible to not see Jesus in these chapters, but what Jesus says to the unrepentant cities in Matthew 11:20-24 reminds me that that’s not necessarily true. These people not only saw Jesus in the flesh but saw him perform mighty works, yet they did not change their lives. It would be easy to skim these chapters that are familiar to me and just read about Jesus rather than see Jesus.

10.6.2020

Matthew 5-7

Summary

These are arguably the three most important chapters in the whole bible. Just as Moses went up a mountain to receive and deliver the law, Jesus, continuing Matthew’s theme of Jesus being the new and perfect Israel, goes up a mount to deliver a fulfilled law for God’s people. Those who follow this law are the new Israel.

Key Verse:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:17

Vision of God

This message challenges the idea that many people have that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament. Jesus makes it clear that God is one but he is revealing himself more fully in Jesus.

Vision of Others

It’s amazing how personal God is. Every time I read the Sermon on the Mount something different hits me. It’s like Jesus is still speaking to me through those red letters.

Go With God

Every section makes me want to Go with God and challenges my worldview. I want to have beatitudes instead of bad attitudes. I want to be salt and light. I want to treat sin more radically and care less about my image. I want to stop worrying and keep building on the solid rock of Jesus.

Jesus

This is Jesus. This is what he taught, who he was and who he is!

Sara Warfield

10.5.2020

Matthew 1-4

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:

Matthew Chapters 1-4 takes us through the genealogy of Jesus, and the amazing beginning story of Jesus. We also see the story of an angel coming to visit Joseph in a dream telling about Mary and Jesus, to not fall into the trap of what society expects but to know that this Jesus’ birth is fulfillment of prophecy. We then see the journey and story of the Wise Men, their interaction with Herod, as well as the escape to Egypt to avoid Herod’s wrath. We also see John the Baptizer in chapter 3, seeing again how prophecy is being fulfilled, and John spreading this message and holding to the message, baptizing Jesus as well in an amazing moment. Chapter 4 leaves us with Jesus being tested in the desert and overcoming the temptation that Satan had placed before him, and continuing on his ministry to Galilee, calling his disciples and healing many! Wow so much in just four chapters!

What is one key verse?

One key verse that stuck out to me was 

Matthew 4:24 (TPT) 

His fame spread everywhere! Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing – epileptics, paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed!”

How does what you read change your vision of God?

What I read impacts my vision of God by seeing how loving and caring he is to all those who come to him.  No one is turned away.  So much occurred in these chapters, even before Jesus started his ministry. To read about how prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled, and knowing that there are going to be others that are fulfilled through Jesus is amazing to think about.  In this specific scripture, it is so humbling, and special to see in scripture, that it doesn’t matter what we are suffering with Jesus is our cure. Additionally, it is Jesus that sets us free. How powerful is that?! And what a great reminder of who our Jesus and God are!

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?

I think this changes my vision of myself and others, to see them as Jesus sees them.  God sent His son for the world, out of love. Going to my point above, it doesn’t matter what we are afflicted with, Jesus is there, wanting to heal not just me, but everyone.  This encourages me, as well as motivates me to share Jesus even more. 

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)

I will go with God in remembering that I am healed through him, and even if new ailments arise, He is the ultimate healer. 

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)

I see Jesus, how he can relate to us with persevering, and extending his love to those around him that he calls, and those that want to be healed. 

Steve Saindon

10.3.2020

Malachi

Franco Vosloo

10.2.2020

Zechariah 12-14

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:

The book of Zechariah ends with these chapters of prophecy. SO MUCH prophecy! Both for the immediate context of the people at the time and for all future generations as we see some of the most amazing prophecies about Jesus as the messiah highlighted in these chapters. 

What is one key verse?

Zechariah 13:9

“…I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

How does what you read change your vision of God?

Chapter 12 starts out with a prophecy wherein God is described as the One who “stretches out the heavens” and “lays the foundation of the earth”. And in the same breath is also described as having formed the human spirit within a person. God wants us to know these things about Him, before He even gets into the prophecy for His people: His greatness in orchestrating the macro on a huge scale beyond our scope of ability to understand AND the micro – that He created each individual human spirit within each person; that He is both great in His greatness and nearer to us than we are to ourselves. And I do really think that last part is true of us: God is nearer to us than we are ourselves. My heart is convicted to be more aware of my own spirit -because honestly most of the time we are caught up in what’s going on with other people’s spirits rather than focusing on our own, and I know I’m guilty of this. Whether in making hasty judgments about people, protecting my pride at the detriment of someone else’s or thinking less of others and elevating myself in my own eyes – it’s very easy to lose clarity of how my own spirit is doing when I fool myself into thinking I’m in a position to evaluate someone else’s human spirit in this fallen world. 

I’m not in that position, but God is. As I read through the rest of these chapters, I see how God works personally on behalf of His people, whose hearts (human spirit) are known by Him. He does not want US to seek revenge – that’s reserved for Him, He will repay evil with just judgment.  

Just take a look at this, how the wording of this scripture portrays the personal way in which God is at work on behalf of His people, to save His people who love Him and are called according to His name:

“I will strike every horse with panic…I will keep a watchful eye over Judah….The LORD will save…The LORD will shield…I will set out to destroy…And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him…On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity…on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem…The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD and his name the only name”

As I read this, I think about my pride being set aside to die and that it feels very much like me being thrown in the fire – that all of the (WRONG!) opinions floating around in the world that seem to be frenzied up into overdrive mode are just poised and ready for me to respond, fix and correct – but instead me being the fix for the world, I am commanded to step aside and allow God’s supremacy, that He will set all things right. That He is the fix. And it cost Him everything – that God gave His only Son, which my (and your) sin pierced on the cross and He became for us Living Water and the only Way to receive the grace of God. 

And our role, now, is to receive. And our role right now, for as long as there is breath in our lungs, is to be refined by the fires that God places us in (ie burn that pride away). The fires being the trials of life (which in 2020 has been literal fires among other things). So that we come to the end of ourselves and, having nothing left, call on His name. When we call, He answers. Every time. This is what it means to be the people of God, who are intimately known by Him, even down to our individual spirits in each individual person. 

Joel Nagel

10.1.2020

Zechariah 9-11

Summary:

In chapters 9 and 10 Zechariah shifts from apocalyptic (hidden) language, with its vivid symbolism, to a style more typical of Old Testament prophetic writing featuring Hebrew poetic parallelism. And then in chapter 11 he again uses an apocalyptic style to tell the story of Israel’s leaders’ covenant breaking ways and his just judgment which resulted in God’s favor and the union of his people being broken. Bad leadership is a consequence of their sin. The most significant aspect of these chapters are two major messianic prophecies about Jesus’ final days.

Key Verses:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! 

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! 

Behold, your king is coming to you; 

righteous and having salvation is he, 

humble and mounted on a donkey, 

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” – Zechariah 9:9

“Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.  – Zechariah 11:13

Vision of God

You can see in these chapters the tension between God’s justice and God’s grace. He is always letting his people know that the surrounding nations and his people Israel will face judgment if they sin and break the covenant. At the same time he is always offering glimpses of grace to come. Even in these two messianic prophecies you see the tension of judgment and grace. Judgment in the 30 pieces of silver that would betray the Lord and grace in his triumphal entry on the donkey. Jesus perfectly embodies and fulfills both the judgment and grace of God!

Vision of Self and Others

This tension between judgment and grace is not just a God thing or something that applies to nations. We all hold within us this same tension. We fear the judgment we often deserve from our own sin and we deeply desire grace that we do not deserve and cannot earn. When I look at people through the lens of judgment and grace it helps me to have compassion like Jesus did but it also gives me resolve to speak the truth like Jesus did.

How Will I Go With God?

I’m going to pray for people today with judgment and grace, truth and compassion mind. I’m going to spend time in prayer marvelling at the perfection of God that is embodied in Jesus.

Jesus!

As mentioned above these two passages are some of the greatest and clearest allusions to the savior in all of the bible. 

In Matthew 21:1-11, Jesus miraculously knows that there will be a donkey waiting for his disciples to pick up. Jesus, showing that his reign as king will be marked by humility, rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of Hosanna over palm branches spread on the road on the back of this lowly beast fulfilling Zechariah’s vision. 

Later in Matthew 27:1-10, we learn that Judas is filled with remorse over betraying Jesus and attempts to return the 30 pieces of silver he was paid by the chief priests and elders. He ends up just throwing it into the temple but since it is “blood money” it cannot be put into the treasury (how crazy and corrupt!). They then use it to buy a field for the burying of strangers and name it the field of blood. This actually fulfills two prophecies at the same time. It is the same field that Jeremiah was told to buy in Jeremiah 32:6-9 and it’s price is predicted by Zechariah.

Kaylie Niedzwiecki

9.30.2020

Zechariah 7-8

Summarize what you read in one paragraph:
In Chapter 7, God is calling out the hypocrisy within Israel in regards to their faith, specifically fasting and how it was used for self indulgence rather than sacrificing for God. In Chapter 8, God re-emphasizes the blessings that he is willing to bestow onto his people, and how marvelous their lives can be. He foreshadows in verses 19-22, how the good news will spread and how everyone will be wanting to go to seek the Lord Almighty and will be bringing along others to go. 

What is one key verse?

One key verse in these chapters is Chapter 8:14-17.

How does what you read change your vision of God? 

This changes my vision of God because it reminds me that when we are in sin and when we feel the craving of self-indulgence and the urge to have a pity-party, God is just waiting for us to repent and run back to Him where he can bless us and help us get back on the path to righteousness. He is jealous for us when we are away from him and the love he has for us cannot be compared.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?

 These chapters remind me that it wasn’t too late for the Isrealites to repent and it won’t be too late for us either. God will send us warnings, it will be obvious when we are living to serve ourselves rather than our God but He will also always provide a way to repent and try again. And He’s excited about it! You can hear his enthusiasm in chapter 8 as he describes what can and what will be.

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)

I will continue with God with eagerness. Reading these chapters has reminded me that I should constantly be looking at what I am doing and asking why I am doing them. Is it truly for God or is it secretly for myself? God’s way is filled with promises and blessing while my way is filled with hypocrisy and self-indulgence and sin. 

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)

In the key verse (Chapter 8:23), God speaks of the future when the people are in obedience and will gather from all nations just to see one Jew, to take a firm hold of one specific Jew and say that they will follow him. Another foreshadow of God sending his Son to save Israel.