
This is The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, May 21. It’s based on the following Bible readings which are the ones set for this Sunday by the interdenominational scheme widely used by churches and chapels.
Theme: Living in the power of God as those who are His
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 — The power of God the Lord Almighty
John 17:1-11 — We are protected by the power of Jesus’ name
Acts 1:6-14 — Jesus promises the empowering of the Holy Spirit
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 — We resist the devil in God’s greater power
CROSS LINKS
Bible Study: Learning Prayerful Unity — Key to God’s Protective Power
Article post: May 21 Bible Study: Living in the power of God as those who are His
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Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 — The power of God the Lord Almighty
• Praise for God’s might in historic acts and His presence with us now
1 May God arise, may His enemies be scattered; may His foes flee before Him.
“May God arise” – the voice of the worshipping community praises God’s glory going before them, from Mount Sinai in the desert to Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
• For further study, the song of Deborah, Judges 5 and scattering of God’s enemies in Psalm 18.
2 May You blow them away like smoke — as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
“The righteous… rejoice” – God’s people.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him — His name is the LORD.
“His name is the Lord” – Yahweh. This psalm also uses five other names: elohim God (v.1), adonai Lord (v.11), shaddai Almighty (v.14), yah elohim Lord God (v.18) and Yahweh Adonai God the Lord (v.20).
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.
“A father to the fatherless” – God’s character is to defend the defenceless. Knowing God as Father is an emphasis of Jesus.
6 God sets the lonely in families, He leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
“Sun-scorched land” – barren and alienated.
7-9 When You, God, went out before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, God, You provided for the poor.
“Marched through the wilderness” – from the Red Sea to the Promised Land.
32-35 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to Him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. You, God, are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!
“You kingdoms of the earth” – appeals to all political powers to recognise God’s heavenly rule.
Reflection
SUMMARY Israel’s security from surrounding nations was in God’s presence giving power and strength to His people, v.35. God is a powerful presence — but also a caring provider.
APPLICATION This may have been composed by David when the Ark was established in its place of permanence. For us, it is the strength of having God established in our hearts.
QUESTION What in life’s journey are your milestones to praise God for?
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John 17:1-11 — We are protected by the power of Jesus’ name
• Our security is in what Jesus has done for us and knowing the Father
1 After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
“Jesus… looked toward heaven and prayed” – His longest recorded prayer.
2 “For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
“You granted… You have given” – this chapter emphasises God bestowing the path to salvation.
3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
“Eternal life” – which starts the moment we enter a personal relationship with the Father through believing, trusting and receiving Jesus Christ.
4 “I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do.
5 “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.
“The glory I had with You before” – which Jesus gave up to be born as man, Philippians 2:6-8. Part of the divine exchange in Jesus’ death and resurrection was shame turned to glory.
6 “I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word.
7 “Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.
8 “For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
“They accepted… they knew… they believed” – unlike most of the religious leaders who heard Jesus’ words without believing, the disciples had shown that they received Jesus’ teaching, understood His divine origin, and believed through a change of heart.
9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given Me, for they are Yours.
“They are Yours” – choosing to accept Jesus and His message is to be born again into the family of God.
• For further study, see John 1:12; 11:52; Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 4:5; Phil. 2:15; 1 John 3:1.
10 “All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Me through them.
11 “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.”
“Protect them… so that they may be one” – also vv. 21, 23 which emphasise being brought into unity, a work of the Holy Spirit. Essential to continuing the work and witness of Jesus, unity would come under spiritual attack, as today.
Reflection
SUMMARY Belonging to God in eternal life comes through believing in Jesus, who then reveals God to us. He intercedes for those who believe in Him to be protected.
APPLICATION The power of God comes through unity in our relationship with Jesus. Spiritual attack is aimed at disrupting that unity, which is why our prayer (with Jesus) is vital.
QUESTION When things seem to be going wrong, how quick are we to act on God’s promise to respond and protect?
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Acts 1:6-14 — Jesus promises the empowering of the Holy Spirit
• He reveals the truth about God and enables us to tell others
6 Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
“Restore the kingdom” – first-century Jews longed for the restoration of David’s kind of kingdom and expected his descendent, the Messiah to bring this. The kingdom Jesus spoke about was spiritual, His rule in the hearts and lives of believers. At Pentecost the misunderstanding would be corrected.
7-8 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
“You will receive power… you will be My witnesses” – a verse summarising the story of Acts, and a task of unimaginable extent to these men. Acts describes how proclaiming salvation in Jesus in the power of the Spirit moved out from Jerusalem to the known world.
9 After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
“A cloud hid Him” – indicating the drawing near of the presence of God, Exodus 40:34; Luke 9:34-36.
10-11 They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Hhim go into heaven.”
“Two men dressed in white” – angels, also indicating heaven drawing near, foretell Jesus’s return in clouds and glory and the same resurrection body, Matthew 24:30.
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
“Mount of Olives” – above Bethany and part of the “come back in the same way” statement.
• For further study, see Zechariah 14:1-15; Luke 9:26.
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
“Judas” – not Iscariot; he was also known as Thaddeus.
14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
“Joined together constantly in prayer” – the Holy Spirit preparing them, bringing them into alignment with Him and thereby unity with one another.
Reflection
SUMMARY This is Jesus’ commission concluding Luke’s gospel account with Jesus’ ascension to heaven, and introducing the follow-up. It explains how the disciples will be enabled to go out into the world with the good news and replicate disciples everywhere.
APPLICATION Prayer, unity and spiritual alignment is all of vital importance and it prepared the ground for a world-changing release of God’s spiritual presence.
QUESTION If where we are is our ‘Jerusalem’, where is our Judea and Samaria?
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1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 — We resist the devil in God’s greater power
• The enemy brings threats and tests but we praise God for His power
12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.
“Do not be surprised” – attempting to lead a Christ-centred life is a threat; hostility can be expected.
• For further study, see John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:17; Philippians 1:29.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.
“Under God’s mighty hand” – recalling God’s deliverance from Egypt in the Exodus, Exodus 3:19, 32:11, Deut. 4:34. Humility invites God’s affirmation for believers who submit to His deliverance and timing.
7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
“Your anxiety on Him” – actively trusting in God’s fatherly care.
8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
“Your enemy the devil” – the adversary and accuser of every Christian. Satan’s repeated strategy is to “roar” and plant fear in our minds. Faith that speaks out the victory Jesus won and the power of His shed blood is effective, Ephesians 6:12-18.
10-11 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
*”Suffered a little while” – what to us can seem a long while, is momentary in the context of eternity spent with God.
• For further study, see 1 Peter 1:6; Romans 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:16-18.
Reflection
SUMMARY Opposition, both spiritual and social, is part of the territory for believers and disciples of Jesus. Peter teaches that much of the battle happens in our minds with thoughts the devil plants there.
APPLICATION The remedy is to be spiritually alert and quick to say ‘no’ to a thought that doesn’t belong — which we can do in God’s power.
QUESTION How discerning are you about ‘your’ thoughts and where they come from?
PRAYER Lord God Almighty, I humble myself before You in Your might, majesty, dominion and power.
When things get difficult, I often start by pretending that I can handle them.
But when I step aside and trust You, I see Your power come through and the enemy silenced.
Be filling me with Your Holy Spirit, that I may be growing in You, and can be a channel of Your love and truth to others.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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The Living Word has four facets: a Bible study based on the Bible readings followed by churches and chapels that use the shared scheme and ideal for home group discussion as well as individuals; a written article telling the story that emerges from the readings, a video and a podcast. It’s a three-year cycle and it’s searchable on https://thelivingword.uk
All four are hosted together on https://thelivingword.substack.com.
The written posts are especially readable on https://medium.com/the-living-word
Videos are on the YouTube channel ‘The Living Word with Ian Greig’
The podcast can be found on Apple, Spotify and other podcast sites — search for ‘The Living Word podcast with Ian & Alison Greig’
Videos are also posted on facebook.com/TLWbible study
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This week’s video links are:
Substack: https://thelivingword.substack.com/p/learning-prayerful-unity-key-to-gods-a5b?sd=pf
YouTube wide: https://youtu.be/JbL1sighwMk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cse3zMfgJyj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Facebook wide: https://fb.watch/kFt4aIyYdN/
Facebook Tall: https://www.facebook.com/750131728/videos/3591602321128735/
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