The Living Word

Bible study on the set readings widely used by various churches and chapels and a weekly storytelling video. Also at www.medium.com/the-living-word and https://thelivingword.substack.com

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Nov 20: Being Right with God is His Gift to Us in Jesus

November 20, 2022 by Ian Greig Leave a Comment

Light shines through a dark autumn evening churchyard scene
Light shines through a dark autumn evening churchyard scene

This is The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, November 20, 2022

Theme: Being right with God is His gift to us in Jesus

Based on these Bible readings which are set for Nov.20 in the Revised Common Lectionary, widely followed by churches and chapels:

Jeremiah 23:1-6 – This shepherd imparts righteousness to His own

Psalm 46

Luke 23:33-43 — Anyone can turn to Jesus the Saviour for salvation

Colossians 1:9-20 — Jesus who is foremost, is our freedom bringer


• See also this week’s linked article, video and podcast How God Offers Us the Gift of Being Made Right with Him.

• Please consider giving your email to subscribe to The Living Word on Substack
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Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

4-5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

6-7 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations He has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

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Jeremiah 23:1-6 – This shepherd imparts righteousness to His own

A corrupted lineage ends but a new branch of David’s root will appear

1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

“Woe to the shepherds” – at a time when deportations were occurring, a succession of kings were like irresponsible shepherds, not gathering and protecting but “scattering” the flock in stubborn pride.

• For further study, read Jer. 22.

2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend My people: “Because you have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD.

“Scattered My flock” – the Lord is saying that the people are His and He will “take care of” them, and also “take care of” or punish the negligent leaders.

3 “I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.

“I… will… gather the remnant” – the ultimate Good Shepherd, the Lord, Psalm 23:1, John 14:11,14 will bring back faithful survivors to their land, Judah, in resettlements.

4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

“Shepherds… who will tend them” – God says He will raise up righteous leaders (like Ezra, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah). 

5 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a king who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

“Raise up for David a righteous branch” – a descendant of new growth rather than the main stem, the same idea as a “shoot… from the stump of Jesse”, Isaiah 11:1. A significant passage about the Messiah. The current king, unrighteous Zedekiah, will be the last of the line.

6 In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Saviour.

“The name” – Yahweh Tsidqenu, the Lord our righteousness. A play on the king’s name, Tsidqiyyahu or Zedekiah, ‘righteous is the Lord’ or ‘the Lord my righteousness’. Zedekiah’s mockery of His name is to be reversed in a ruler, not only righteous but imparting righteousness to those who believe in Him.

• For further study: This is justification by faith in Christ, where by no action other than our faith, His righteousness becomes imparted to us, 2 Cor. 5:21, Romans 4:5-8.

Reflection

SUMMARY This OT prophecy points us directly to Jesus. Jeremiah saw in the Spirit how God turned the name of the wicked king or ‘shepherd’ Zedekiah, the Lord my righteousness, into a new prophetic promise of huge significance. The coming Good Shepherd would be the Lord OUR righteousness.

APPLICATION Jeremiah here foretells the coming of Jesus Christ, and gives us the basis of our redemption and freedom. It is not about our striving to be righteous, but what the “Lord our righteous Saviour” has done for us. The good that we ‘do’ is to believe Him and trust Him for who He is.

QUESTION Why is the Old Testament important? How does it help us understand the New?

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Luke 23:33-43 — Anyone can turn to Jesus the Saviour for salvation

A criminal dying on a cross turns and trusts in Jesus for eternal life

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals — one on his right, the other on his left.

“The Skull” — Golgotha (Aramaic), Calvaria (Latin), probably a hill by a main road just outside the city. Either named as a public execution site, or because the rocks resembled a skull — or both.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

“They do not know” — the soldiers had no idea that they were fulfilling the words of Psalm 22:18. The fruit of Christ’s pronouncement of forgiveness was seen in thousands of Jewish salvations beginning at Pentecost.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

“Rulers… sneered” — Luke’s quotation also looks back to Psalm 22:7-8: “All who see Me mock Me… ‘He trusts in the Lord… let the Lord rescue Him…’ “

36-37 The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

“Wine vinegar” — cheap, sour wine drunk to assuage thirst by labourers and soldiers: not a kind offering but one which would prolong the agony.

38 There was a written notice above Him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

“A written notice” — detailing the crime (crucifixion was a deterrent punishment) and Pilate’s way of mocking the Jewish leaders who had insisted on a death sentence.

“This is the King” — ironic: one who to appearances had lost a kingdom was just coming into a different one.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”

40-41 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”

“Jesus, remember me” — only Luke records the exchange with an insulting criminal, and the other who believed who He was and trusted Him. An important details, showing that our deeds do not save us, but our faith in Jesus Christ does, whoever we are.

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

“Paradise” — a Persian word meaning garden, used to represent both the Garden of Eden and heaven, the place of eternal bliss for God’s people.

• For further study, see 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2.7 and also Luke 16:22-23; 2 Cor. 5:8.

Reflection

SUMMARY Luke paints a vivid picture of what Jesus, the Righteous One has done, giving up life for us. We, like the criminal in the story, deserving to be put to death for our rebellion,. can choose to turn to Jesus and ask Him to receive us into His kingdom.

APPLICATION Can it be as simple as that? Can we really come to Jesus without any track record of our goodness or deservedness? The point is, the repentant criminal did just that and was assured of new and forgiven life. Rather than bringing Him our claim of merit, we need to humble ourselves before Jesus as those who have rebelled — and simply receive His forgiveness.

QUESTION  Why do many become Christians in prison, while those with well-ordered lives find it difficult?

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Colossians 1:9-20 — Jesus who is foremost, is our freedom bringer

The Son of God is the complete image, representation and fullness of God

9-10 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…

“Knowledge of His will” — the Holy Spirit gives the believer an innate sense of God’s will, the key to a fruitful and growing life.

“Live a life worthy of the Lord” — not by religious traditions of Judaism but living in a way pleasing to Jesus as Lord.

11 …being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience…

“Strengthened with all power” — the same power that raised Jesus from the dead empowers Christians to live for Jesus with patience and joy in the face of trials.

12 ...and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.

“Who has qualified you… to share…in the kingdom of light — a spiritual qualification; God counts us sufficient through Jesus Christ.

13-14 For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

“Dominion of darkness” — causes a spiritual blindness in the same way that nightfall hampers our ability to see physically; prevents unbelievers being aware of their spiritual condition.

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

“Image of the invisible God” — the Greek word, also in 2 Cor. 4:4, means exact representation. The two truths set out here are that God is invisible, John 1:18 but Christ the eternal Son of God reflects and reveals what the Father is like. 

• For further study:John 14:9, Hebrews 1:3. 

16 For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.

“Thrones or powers…” — false teachers in Colossae were deceiving with spiritual hierarchies and the worship of angelic beings alongside Christ, Col. 2:18. Paul asserts that Christ is the pre-eminent Creator, not created.

17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

“Before all things” — pre-existent, therefore eternal.

• For further study, see Micah 5:2; John 1:1, 2; 8:58; 1 John 1:1; Rev. 22:13.

18 And He is the Head of the body, the Church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.

“Head of the body” — Paul wrote about the unity of Christ and His church as His body, 1 Cor. 12:27; here he further emphasises Christ as the Head, the authority and source.

19-20 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross.

“Fullness of God” — the totality of God, His attributes and all His powers.

“Peace” — cessation of conflict in the sense that dark heavenly powers, v.16, are subjugated.

Reflection

SUMMARY This is a powerful and plain statement of Jesus-centred faith. Simple, fundamental faith? The truth is not complicated. Anyone can get it. The truth is that Jesus did reconcile all things to Himself, and in Him all things really do hold together.

APPLICATION As Isaiah said, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags”. There is only one thing we can do to truly please God, and that is to live a life worthy of Him by believing Him and choosing to make Him Lord. 

QUESTION  How much do we value the rescue, v.13,  Jesus offers? How much do we trust the rescuer?

PRAYER  Lord, Jesus, I praise You that in You all things hold together, and all man’s supposed powers and authorities have been created by You.

Forgive me for paying too much attention to the confusion of life without You.

 I look to You, Jesus, because You are the way and the truth and the life — and I pray for those exercising authority that they may find themselves moved by Your Spirit to trust You for guidance.

 You are Lord Jesus, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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Filed Under: Pentecost to Advent, Year C

Nov. 13: Persecution points the way to Jesus’ return

November 10, 2022 by Ian Greig Leave a Comment


Weobley village, NW Herefordshire, from a vantage point
Weobley village, NW Herefordshire, from a vantage point

This is The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, November 13, 2022 based on the set readings in the interdenominational Revised Standard Lectionary

Theme: Persecution points the way to Jesus’ return

Psalm 98

Isaiah 65:17-25 — A glimpse of the millennial kingdom to come

Luke 21:5-19 — Jesus prepares His disciples for times of trial

2 Thess. 3:6-13 — Don’t just wait for the Lord, prepare His way!


  • See also this week’s linked article
  • View or listen to the podcast ‘Seeing through the Pain into the Promise’ on video or podcast audio


Psalm 98

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvellous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.

2 The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations.

3 He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4-6 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn — shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it

8-9 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

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Isaiah 65:17-25 — A glimpse of the millennial kingdom to come

The pain of “former things” will be transformed into a new and joyful order

17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

“Former things” – the old order of things with pain and sorrow will give way to righteousness in “new heavens and a new earth”, 2 Peter 3:13, Rev. 21:4.

18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

“I will create” – new, not a new version of the old city, Isaiah 62:7. 

19 “I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in My people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

“Rejoice over Jerusalem” – as God’s original intention, “the joy of the whole earth” Psalm 48:1, is fulfilled.

20 “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

“Dies at a hundred” – this verse supports a view of a temporal kingdom, with long but limited life, which precedes the eternal kingdom.

21-22 “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of My people; My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.

“As the days of a tree” – trees are long-lived, unlike grass which withers, Isa. 40:7-8.

23 “They will not labour in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.

“Labour in vain… doomed to misfortune” – reversing the curse of sin and independence from God, Genesis 3:16-19, Deut. 28:30.

24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

“Before they call” – living so close to the Lord that they pray for what He wants and He anticipates the prayer.

25 “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

“Wolf and lamb… together” – regenerated creation in the new order where animals relate without predatory instincts.

Reflection

SUMMARY For those who revere the name of the Lord, the pain behind the weeping and crying isn’t the end. It heralds God’s new order.

APPLICATION The day will come when all will be re-created to be the Lord’s delight and joy in this new place of blessing and peace. The details and the timing still require our faith and imagination , but it will happen – and it will be good.

QUESTION What is the difference between not remembering “the former things”, v.17 and the honouring pledge of “we will remember them”?

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Luke 21:5-19 — Jesus prepares His disciples for times of trial

They will face betrayal and hatred while knowing ultimate security

5 Some of His disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said…

“The temple was adorned” – Herod the Great’s temple precinct occupied one sixth of the city and was a mile to walk around. Decorated opulently with a golden vine and huge grape clusters, its massive marble blocks shone brilliantly.

6 …“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Thrown down” – in the revolt of AD 70 the Roman army toppled the huge stones over the edge of the mount.

7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

“When” – prophecy events often spoke of more than one situation and time.

8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.

“Many will come… claiming” – Jewish historian Josephus reports”false prophets” trying to emulate Moses or Joshua and claiming messianic status, after Jesus’ resurrection and before the destruction of Jerusalem.

9 “When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

“The end… not right away” – the events listed happen throughout the age, not just at the very end.

10-11 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“Kingdom against kingdom” — increasing unrest, political and ecological, will herald the last times

12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of My name.

“Persecute you” – persecution of Christians is higher now than ever.

“Hand you over to synagogues” – which doubled as community centres; punishments could be meted out there.

13 “And so you will bear testimony to Me.

“And so” – opposition highlights testimony; the early church thrived under persecution.

14-15 “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

“I will give you words” – Jesus promises the Holy Spirit’s imparted wisdom in giving testimony. Stephen was a shining example: “But [the Jews] could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke,” Acts 6:10.

16 “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.

“You will be betrayed” – betrayal by those assumed to be close is the hardest form of rejection. Jesus experienced this.

• For further study, read Luke 18:29-30, 22:1-6 and 47-62.

17 “Everyone will hate you because of Me.

“Because of Me” — where believers are free to practise their faith, ill-treatment comes in every age from defenders of the religious establishment.

18 “But not a hair of your head will perish.

“Not a hair” – protected spiritually and eternally, although persecution will come, v.12, for some, resulting in death, v.16.

19 “Stand firm, and you will win life.

“Win life” – most of the first disciples were martyred, but believers in Jesus are saved for eternal life.

Reflection

SUMMARY The temple of Jesus’ time had only been finished a few years when the Romans, in regaining control of the rebellious province, sacked the city and destroyed the landmark feature that rivalled any of the wonders of the ancient world. 

APPLICATION Jesus’ words about the temple came to pass within a generation. We have lived in the insecurity of the end times ever since, but there is a security to be found within it. It is the peace and joy of knowing Jesus, truly knowing Him through personal decision. That enables us to stand firm – and to win the life that endures.

QUESTION How do we live with reproach if we talk about Jesus as the Lord we know and love?

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2 Thess. 3:6-13 — Don’t just wait for the Lord, prepare His way!

Disciples should show themselves to be disciplined in the whole of life

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

“Keep away from… idle and disruptive” – in the New King James, “withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly”. The expression was used of one who deliberately did not keep in step in a marching column. Here it refers to disruptive believers who know how to live right, but choose not to.

7-8 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, labouring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

“Follow our example. We were not idle” – some in Thessalonica who professed to believe in Jesus, expected the church to meet their needs rather than supporting themselves, perhaps out of a distorted sense of expecting Jesus to return imminently. 

9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.

“A model for you to imitate” – Paul chose to support himself as a leather worker and tent maker.

• For further study, see 1 Cor. 9:3-14; Gal. 6:4; 1 Tim. 5:17, 18

10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

“Unwilling to work” – Greek/Roman culture disdained manual work (seeing it as the role of slaves) but in Jewish culture, to be industrious was evidence of good character.

11-12 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 

“Busy… busybodies” – the English phrase represents well the similar wordplay in Greek. This teaching, now commanding and urging, follows up the exhortation of the first letter “to mind your own business and work with your hands”, 1 Thess. 4:11-12.

13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

“Never tire of doing… good” – encouragement to church members to be caring in recognising genuine needs, less so for those (vv.7-8 above) awaiting the Lord rather than preparing for Him.

• For further study, help in the fellowship for situations of genuine need, Gal. 6:9-10; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:3-8; Titus 3:14.

Reflection

SUMMARY Jews had a work ethic, but Greeks leaned towards philosophy. Some would rather debate the return of Jesus, than get ready for it. It was good that needs were being met through the fellowship, but not good if it created a passive “me too” expectation. Paul and his companions set an example by supporting themselves, Paul engaging in his trade as a leather worker alongside teaching the kingdom of God and its eternal values.

APPLICATION A living faith will find the imminent return of Jesus motivating — this is Jesus who asked how many with faith He would find on the earth on His return, Luke 18:8. And church planter and cross-cultural missionary Paul made much use elsewhere of engagement phrases like “run the race”, “fight the good fight”, “contend for the faith” and “make every effort”. 

QUESTION How do we anticipate Jesus returning without warning at any time? Are we waiting for it to happen, or are we at work preparing for when it happens?

PRAYER Lord, we struggle to understand the political and financial turmoil, protests and bullying, with free speech and democracy on trial, and an unprovoked war.
Even the planet and its ecosystems are unsettled.
As we seek You, help us to reconcile what we see around us with what You said would come.
May we gain the mind of Christ and an eternal timescale, with rising faith to pray down Your coming kingdom.
For Jesus to rule and reign. Amen.

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Filed Under: Pentecost to Advent, Year C

Nov. 6: God’s word of truth stands against opposition in every age

November 5, 2022 by Ian Greig Leave a Comment

Colourful mushroom ring with autumn leaves around a tree trunk
A mushroom ring with autumn leaves

This is The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, November 6, 2022

Theme: God’s word of truth stands against opposition in every age

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Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21

Haggai 2:1-9 — God’s word speaks encouragement to the former exiles

Luke 20:27-38 — Sadducees take issue with Jesus about the afterlife

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 — How to guard against wrong teaching

• See also this week’s linked article and 15-min storytelling video God’s People with God’s Truth Can Counter Man’s Trouble

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Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21

1 I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your name for ever and ever.

2-3 Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.

4-5 One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendour of Your majesty — and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.

17-18 The Lord is righteous in all His ways and faithful in all He does. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

19-20 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever.

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Haggai 2:1-9 — God’s word speaks encouragement to the former exiles

The Lord’s purpose is restoring true faith and worship despite opposition

1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:

“The word of the Lord came” — in Haggai’s second message of encouragement to the governor and the high priest.

2-3 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?

“Former glory” — of Solomon’s temple, destroyed 66 years previously.

“Seem to you like nothing” — just the foundation, hardly a glorious sight.

4 ” ‘But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

“Be strong” — echoing what God said to Moses’ successor Joshua, and to Solomon building the first temple.

• For further study see Joshua 1:6-7,9,18; 1 Chron. 28:20.

5 ” ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

“What I covenanted” — lit. “the word I cut with you”, a phrase which links Haggai’s prophecy to God’s covenant.

6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

“Once more shake” — looking back to Egypt’s judgment at the Red Sea, and forwards to the coming fall of Persia to Greece, then Greece to Rome and ultimately the judgment of the nations at Christ’s second coming. Hebrews 12:26-27. 

7 ” ‘I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.

“Fill… with glory” — can mean wealth, like King Darius’ contribution, Ezra 6:8, but more often God’s spiritual presence, evident as never before when Christ came to the temple, Mark 11:1-11,15-19; cf. John. 1:1-18; 2:19-22.

8 ” ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

9 ” ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

“The glory… greater”— the promise of “greater glory” and “peace” fulfilled through the prince of peace, Jesus, Zech 9:9-10; John 20:19-21; Col. 1:20. Jesus’ temple, now the church, includes people from all nations, Eph. 2:11–22.

Reflection

SUMMARY Governor Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua are heading up about 50,000 returning exiles in Jerusalem. New foundations have been laid to rebuild the ruined temple. Haggai’s prophetic word speaks God’s encouragement to rekindle the resolve to continue the work.

APPLICATION When God speaks to us it is often through Scripture, sometimes taking historic words and re-applying them to our situation with fresh meaning, as Haggai does in saying “Be strong”. We see here the partnership of Word and Spirit that we will meet again later.

QUESTION Today, what helps us discern what God may be saying in confusing conflicts that we face?

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Luke 20:27-38 — Sadducees take issue with Jesus about the afterlife

He reminds them that God speaks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as living

27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.

“Sadducees” — aristocratic controlling group of priesthood and Sanhedrin who did not believe the oral tradition or in an afterlife. This controversy arose in a long day of attacks on Jesus’ teaching.

28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

“Marry the widow” — this was to maintain the dead man’s name and property through children, Deut. 25:5-6; Ruth 4:1-12.

29-33 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

“Seven brothers” — a far-fetched example intended to ridicule the idea of resurrection. A similar story appears in the OT apocrypha.

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.

“Given in marriage” — for this earthly life, not for eternity as Jesus continues to teach.

35-36 “But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

“In the resurrection” — those appointed for eternal life receive a resurrected body that does not age, Acts 13:33-35, and does not need to give birth to continue the line.

37-38 “But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”

“Moses showed that the dead rise” — Jesus used the books of Moses, the only Scripture the Sadducees recognised, to show how resurrection was taught in Moses’ own words.

Reflection

SUMMARY It is the last week of Jesus’  life and He is spending it teaching in the temple courts – and meeting His greatest opposition. In this episode, members of the Sadducee party, who controlled the temple and the Sanhedrin, are remonstrating with Jesus from their position of not accepting Scripture’s authority apart from the first five books attributed to Moses, and not believing in the afterlife or resurrection. He refutes their argument using the clear words of Moses which they can hardly dismiss.

APPLICATION Discussion about what we believe or don’t believe, apart from the benchmark of respecting the truth of God’s word, are powerless philosophical debates. Jesus always takes us back to the Word and encourages us, as He did, to believe what it says and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us understand and apply what we are hearing.

QUESTION Do we lean to Scripture as our yardstick, or to our own opinions and the emphases of our tradition? What would Jesus say to us?

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2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 — How to guard against wrong teaching

Weak faith and holding Scripture lightly invites deception into the church

1-2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us — whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter — asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

“Teaching allegedly from us” — from its inception the young Christian church was undermined by teachers of uncertain faith who untruthfully claimed support for their deceptive ideas from the now-distant apostles.

3-4 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

“Don’t let anyone deceive you” — highlighting the real danger of deception: by definition, hearers are unaware that they are being deceived.

“The man doomed to destruction… will oppose” — not Satan but one used by him. An awareness of God’s word as truth is the safeguard and those who hold truth lightly are vulnerable (vv.9-10).

“In God’s temple” — an expression used elsewhere by Paul for the church or individual believer, warning of deception from within the worshipping community.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

13-14 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first-fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Saved through… Spirit and…belief in the truth” — The Spirit is mute without the Word, and the Word is not living or transformative without the Spirit.

“God chose you” — in a trinitarian involvement where the Son loves, God the Father elects, and the Spirit makes holy.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

“Stand firm and hold fast” — to the genuine apostolic teachings, believing the truth with the inner witness of the Spirit. The antidote to the deception warned against in v.3.

16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

“Encourage… and strengthen” — Paul’s prayer goes with Timothy’s visit, to strengthen the resolve of Thessalonian believers to hold on to what they know to be true, against false teaching within and persecution outside.

Reflection

SUMMARY Paul with Silas and Timothy is writing again to the church they founded in Thessalonica to encourage them at a time of external persecution and internal conflict, fuelled by false teachers who are untruthfully attributing their erroneous teaching to the apostles. This is a warning that deception will come, and everything needs to be tested against Scripture and the apostolic teaching they have received.

APPLICATION This is a fellowship of people who had found salvation and new life through an encounter with Jesus and who knew the encouragement and empowering of His Holy Spirit. Yet this Christian life was not easy for them. They experienced persecution on the outside, often from religiously inflexible Jews. But the greater danger was deception from cerebral teaching which was not rooted in Scripture or the careful instruction of the apostles who had lived with Jesus. Sincere, Jesus-trusting believers today can find themselves being ‘cancelled’ by religious-minded people of no great faith, and there is always danger from teaching which presumes to guide without the compass bearings of the eternal truth of the Word of God. This passage encourages us to stand firm, holding to what Scripture plainly says and testing every sermon against it.

QUESTION If Jesus is Lord of one church, why are there more than 40,000 denominations worldwide? Where do we find the unity which Jesus seeks, in the diverse streams of faith that we encounter?

PRAYER Lord, we reflect on how Your devoted people in every age — in Bible times, and in each century of the Christian church — have experienced discouragement and opposition. And we hear You speaking through these Scriptures about this strategy of the enemy of our souls.

Forgive us for being easily led astray through pride in our own opinions. Help us to humbly seek fresh wisdom and revelation of You in our hearts.

Give us a new hunger for Your Word and Your truth, and a thirst for Your Spirit to be encouraging us to apply it rightly and lovingly in our lives and our world. Through and in Jesus we pray. Amen.

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There’s a print edition that you can print out in a Bible-sized folder — download the PDF here. OK to copy this for your your church Bible study or home group.

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    • The need to be reborn from above
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Welcome to The Living Word

You get a lot more out of the Sunday service readings if they are already speaking to you. TLW is about reading and re-reading these Scriptures with some commentary to bring out what is hidden and make connections with cross references. This is different from liturgy because it is a Bible study, putting the Bible passages in sequence from OT, through the NT gospel era, and then through the lens of the post-resurrection, early church in the power of the Spirit. Enabling this progressive revelation points to a theme.  The translation used is the readable and widely-used 2011 edition of the New International Version (NIV) Bible. Commentary is drawn from a wide range of sources and is Bible-centric and theologically neutral. As we read and reflect and allow the Holy Spirit to help us hear God through His word during the week, we prepare ourselves to hear afresh and receive the Sunday sermon in church or chapel.

For convenience, use the ‘Subscribe’ box below to receive a short email with the Bible passage and notes for each weekday (and that’s all!).

Unsubscribing is just as easy.

A little about me and my vision for The Living Word

I live in the Marches, a green and beautiful expanse of hills between England and Wales where churches and chapels share duty to the Christian faithful in every valley, and churchgoing is still part of the community life. However, there are few Bibles to be seen in these buildings, and home-based groups for fellowship and Bible study are rare.

I want to encourage Sunday worshippers in churches and chapels to enjoy reading the Bible during the week, to get used to hearing God for themselves through His word, and to be  spiritually prepared for the message they will hear on Sunday from the lectionary readings they all share. It is no substitute for meeting and worshipping together, nor for Holy Spirit-inspired preaching. It supports both by encouraging the personal growth of church and chapel members of any denomination. It offers faith encouragement for those no longer able to, or no longer wanting to take part in, formal physical church.

My background is not in churches that use the lectionary and I bring a breadth of tradition and spiritual understanding to the writing.  I have pastored a number of churches and been involved in a variety of other missional initiatives with a ‘kingdom of God’ agenda.

As well as The Living Word and its weekly video I also post regularly on www.freshbread.today and www.thelivingword.substack.com with a podcast as well as video and written content. There is also a Facebook page at fb.com/TLWbiblestudy

Revd Ian Greig BD (Hons), DPS

SEE ALSO other Living Word Publications

Substack newsletter and podcast (free subscription) — audio podcast, video and written content all in one place

Fresh Bread Today — the freshest bake, with a bit of a tang, unpackaged and uncut. His word to live by, today.

Believe the Good News – finding the good news and encouragement all through the Bible

GLOW – God’s Love Over Weobley, encouraging prayer and spiritual fellowship. With a local flavour for this NW Herefordshire village.

 

 

 

 

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