SFJ Bible Reading Plan

Ephesians 3

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is¹ that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in² God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family³ in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

[1] 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4

[2] 3:9 Or by

[3] 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

(ESV)

Ephesians 2

By Grace Through Faith

2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body¹ and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.² 4 But³ God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,⁴ but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by⁵ the Spirit.

Footnotes

[1] 2:3 Greek flesh

[2] 2:3 Greek like the rest

[3] 2:4 Or And

[4] 2:19 Or sojourners

[5] 2:22 Or in

(ESV)

Genesis 27:30-42

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?¹ For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:

  “Behold, away from² the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,
    and away from³ the dew of heaven on high.
40   By your sword you shall live,
    and you shall serve your brother;
  but when you grow restless
    you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.

Footnotes

[1] 27:36 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats

[2] 27:39 Or Behold, of

[3] 27:39 Or and of

(ESV)

& 28:6-9

Ephesians 1

Greeting

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful¹ in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us² for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known³ to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee⁴ of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,⁵ to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love⁶ toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Footnotes

[1] 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)

[2] 1:5 Or before him in love, 5having predestined us

[3] 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known . . .

[4] 1:14 Or down payment

[5] 1:14 Or until God redeems his possession

[6] 1:15 Some manuscripts omit your love

(ESV)

Going Deeper

The Ministry of Truth and Tears (1-10-15)

Grab your Bible, and let’s go deeper into Galatians 6.

Read: Galatians 6:1-5

Right out the door we see Paul is speaking to Christians who are or have been: 

Ephesians 1:1

Greeting

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful¹ in Christ Jesus:

Footnotes

[1] 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)

(ESV)

– falling into sin,

Ephesians 1:2

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(ESV)

– working through suffering and troubles and

Ephesians 1:3-5

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us¹ for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Footnotes

[1] 1:5 Or before him in love, 5having predestined us

(ESV)

– struggling with jealousy and comparisons.  What Paul is doing here is building on chapter five’s teaching on “those who walk in the Spirit will have the fruit of the spirit.”  He is now saying to those Spirit filled Christians, “Here are some practical responses of how the Spirit through you cares for people who are struggling in these matters.”

Let’s break it down:   Who is Paul saying we should help? 

Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression…”

We should help a brother or sister in Christ!  As a general rule, Christians are not to confront non-Christians about sinful behavior because what they need to change is not accountability. They need the power to change, which only comes in Christ.  They need Jesus…. not reprimand.

Accountability and exhortation is for the redeemed family of God. A non-believer cannot understand the ways of Godly living because their entire solar system is out of whack.  To become a Christian is to gain a completely new center to your solar system. It is only through Christ that Godly living is understandable and doable.

Accountability is for a brother or sister in Christ who is caught in any transgression, or “caught in sin.”  This is sin that is repeated or being practiced unrepentantly. Or sin that is clearly evident.  “Caught” means the person is in a state of blindness or denial as they somehow persist in believing they are not out of step with the Gospel.  They need to be woken from their drunken stupor of sin. Side note:  If a person brings up their own sin they are not caught, they are seeking repentance and help.  This is different.  The person you catch in sin must be woken up.  This typically means a more direct and serious consequence.

First of all, who should do this restoring? You who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  You who are spiritual.

This is not saying the spiritually elite, the robe wearers, those who have “tenure” in their faith.  This is not left only to the Chaplains or the Presidents.  No, “you who are spiritual” is anyone who is walking in Holy Spirit.  Anyone who is walking in the Holy Spirit can and should do this.  Why?  Because the Spirit will lead and not your pride!  It is someone who is “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18), “walking by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16, 25), “bearing the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22, 23).

He is saying, “If you are walking by the Spirit and as a result the fruit of the Spirit is coming out of you, there is work to be done.

An assignment has been given to you.   Brothers and sisters in Christ who need your humble, kind, patient service to come along side them.”   This is how God has set the table for us to be able to thrive in the midst of a bloody and hard battle.

What is Paul saying we, “who are Spiritual”, should do?    Answer:  The Ministry of Truth and the Ministry of Tears.  As the fruit of the spirit moves through us it is beneficial to our bothers and sisters in Christ and propels us into two ministries or responses to sin or struggle in the family.   One is when we are direct in love with truth and the other is when we are empathetic in love with tears.

The Ministry of Truth

In John 11- Mary and Martha are found mourning Lazarus death.  Upon Jesus’ arrival, Martha says to Jesus, “If you had been here my brother would not have died.”  Jesus says, “He will live.”  She says, “Yes, on resurrection day.”   Jesus looks at her and says, “I am the Resurrection!”  He sets her straight.  This is the Ministry of TRUTH.  Sometimes we just need the truth, plain and simple.  Because God is Truth! The Church is called to admonish each other in the TRUTH of God.  This is the foundation of what we, the body of Christ, are to do.

Colossians 1:28  “And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.”

The Ministry of Truth is:  you who are spiritual should “restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” Restore (in Greek, ka-tart-izo) = to return to former condition,  to set a dislocated bone back into place.  Now we don’t run up to each other every time we see what looks like a sin or struggle and look to set them straight in God’s truth.  Only when they are caught or the sin is evident.  1 Cor 13 says, “love gives the benefit of the doubt.”   Many of us need to work on this.  

Warning:   as we approach our brothers and sisters in Christ to correct and admonish and restore. Our flesh can wrongfully motivate us to do this pride fully.  Paul warms of this:  Galatians 6:3-5 “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.”  This is not a warning against correcting and admonishing and restoring a person; it is a warning against doing it arrogantly.  He says, “Since we all struggle with pride, make every effort to humble yourself when you point out someone else’s sin.”  The way to avoid pride as you confront a brother about his sin is to act only in the power of the Spirit.  Remember you are a basket case of sin apart from God’s gracious Spirit.

On Monday we read in Galatians 2 about Paul admonishing Peter for being out of step with the Gospel. He was loving him enough to set the bone straight. To return him to truth. This is the ministry of Truth.  But some of you are thinking, that is just not me. I just am not comfortable telling someone else they are out of place or out of line.   This is very common!  And this brings up the question:

Why should we admonish one another?

1. Because we are command to.

• Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.”
• Luke 17:3-4: “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him…”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15: “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. ¹⁴ If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”

Whether it’s a formal process in response to some egregious error or misstep, or the informal everyday exhortations that are to happen in the life of Christian community, all biblical correction aims at repentance of sin and restoration unto God honoring righteousness!  Let me give a big example of each:

An example of Formal Admonishment, Rebuke, and Reproof can be found in: Matthew 18:15–17

An example of Daily Admonishment, Rebuke, and Reproof  can be found in:  Hebrews 3:12–13 

2. Because It is loving and kind to do so! Any righteous rebuke is a kindness.  Psalm 141:5  “Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it”.  What he is saying is:  it is kindness to be admonished.  WHY? Because, it is not loving to leave people in their mess.  One of the most loving things you can do for someone is tell them when they’re wrong.

Now, back to Galatians and let’s look at the other ministry we are to practice.

The Ministry of Tears

Mary also comes up to Jesus at Lazarus death and says, “If you had only been here”, Jesus’ response to Mary is different than his response to Martha.   What does he say?  Nothing!   He Weeps with her.  John 11:35: “Jesus Wept”.   With this we see the Ministry of Tears.  Sometimes what our brother or sister needs is for us to help them carry the burden they are feeling by empathetically understanding their pain and struggle.

Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens.” 

First of all, burdens are different than the transgressions we find in

Ephesians 1:1

Greeting

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful¹ in Christ Jesus:

Footnotes

[1] 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)

(ESV)

.  Burdens are not sin, they are the basic hardships that come with life. “Bear one another’s burdens,” means:  if a Christian brother or sister is weighed down or menaced by some burden or threat, we must be alert to quickly do something to help. Don’t let them be crushed.   Don’t let them be destroyed.    Don’t be like the Scribes and Pharisees to them.  Jesus warned us of their ways when he said in Matthew 23:4: “They bind heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.”

To help bear the burden means you help carry it.  You join them in the struggle.  Examples of this in this club are :  help with paying bills,  sitting at the hospital,  helping with projects, loaning a car or bike, taking someone into your home, giving someone something you have that they need more, praying with them and more.

Wouldn’t it be great to belong to a family of believers who loved each other so much that they simply could not look the other way while a brother or sister hardens into a habit of sin or is overwhelmed by life!  Let’s be that family!  If we are not, we will not fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2:  “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Now, a critical question is:  How can we do this for each other?  Without it overwhelming us?  The reason we can bear each other’s burdens is because of Jesus.  Jesus was crushed for our iniquities, our transgressions.  Psalm 34:18-19:  “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Jesus was crushed for our iniquities, our transgressions, so that we could fulfill the law of Christ, which is to practice other-centered love.

What exactly is the LAW of Christ?  The Law of Christ is the principle of LOVE!   Jesus said, in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”  So, in Christ, we fulfill the law of Christ, which is:   sacrificial love!  Love that causes us to practice the Ministry of Truth and the Ministry of Tears.

Galatians 6:10: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

He was crushed for our iniquities and transgressions so that we could bear each other’s burdens in his power and not our own.  With him getting the credit and not ourselves.   With his Glory in mind, and not our own.  It is Christ’s Victory in us.  Iit is his work that restores us so that we can in his power help restore others!

There is no other Gospel! There is nor no other GOOD NEWS! There is no other lasting JOY.  There is no other way to gain transformation from addiction and slavery and death. There is no other way to truly change from the inside out and grow the fruit of the Spirit.  There is nothing you can add to Jesus to make this life better. It’s Jesus.   And Jesus alone!   AMEN?

This is who we boast in. I have done nothing!  You have done nothing to earn ANY of it. We have nothing to boast in but Jesus!

Galatians 6:14: “May it never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This means, no boasting. No exulting. No rejoicing. No thanksgiving in anything except in the cross. Why? Because every dream dreamed for the future of this club and every plan formed, and every patch put on and every run we make, and every disciple raised up and every soul saved by God  is blood-bought mercy for us redeemed sinners because apart from the cross all we deserve is condemnation.  Therefore, every exultation, every thanksgiving, every boast, every joy is in Jesus!

Boasting in the cross happens when you are on the cross.

Galatians 6:14: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

In other words, the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world. Why?

The best verse in all of Galatians. 

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Paul was ravished by the love of Christ.  He was utterly mastered, held captive, by one great scene in history: a cross on Golgotha, and on it the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us.

May it be this way for us also!   For Soldier Nation!  That we live out a Ministry of Truth and Tears.

I conclude with what Paul concludes with in Galatians:

Galatians 6:18: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.”

By His grace and for His glory,

-Shepherd / Soldiers for Jesus MC / Bakersfield CA