The Bible is a massively underrated collection of books.
I won’t go into what I mean by that statement too much other than to say that one of the things I note about some of those who make a claim to follow Jesus, is how little they know about Jesus based on the main text that talks about Him. They have little knowledge of what was said in preparation for His first time on earth. They have little knowledge of what He said and did at that time. They have little knowledge of what others taught inspired and led by Him after He ascended to heaven. They’re given barely enough to go by and rely on being told what is said by those who read the text.
Now there are legitimate reasons why some Christians are in that position – persecution and access to scriptures may be scarce; the level of literacy can make engaging in the text difficult. There are some, however, who do not have these excuses. They are surrounded with a smorgasbord of Christian text and video supports that rather than encourage them to get into the Word for themselves, becomes a crutch that they depend on with little will or desire to discern for themselves and get into learning what Jesus says and what He wants. It’s a sad state of affairs and I believe leads to a state of Christian illiteracy where there is more reference to what a Christian superstar says about Jesus than what Jesus actually said and what He meant.
One of the Bible teachers that inspired me over the years was David Pawson. Among other things, I admired his zeal to give believers the tools to engage in the Word for themselves. One of those crucial tools was having an interest in the Word itself. That’s not something you can force on someone, it’s something that has to be part of that person’s relationship with Jesus.
If they’re brought up with an understanding of the beauty of Jesus and see that reflected in His word then interest can be developed in getting into and understanding the word for themselves. That way there is certainly still an appetite to hear good teachings and sermons on the scripture, but there’s that commendable ethos that the saints in Berea were noted for namely going and checking the gospel claims for themselves.
It’s not my desire to make a big deal of what’s not happening in Christendom, I’m interested in seeing what I can contribute to the effort to engage in raising my own engagement with the word of God and encouraging others to do the same. That explains why the majority of the posts on this blog have to do with a scriptural study of some sort.
I recently shared a review on how the blog has looked at Old Testament books this year. There was more content looking at New Testament themes in 2021. Four series, in particular, were considered during the year – King Jesus Says, The Marks of a Christian, What The Spirit Says (looking at what Jesus says to the seven churches in the book of Revelation) and Seven Signs (exploring the seven signs of Jesus’ status as the Son of God recorded in John’s gospel account).
King Jesus Says: This series started in September 2020 and carried on well into the early part of 2021. The push for it was explained at the outset. There has been a big theme about Who Rules that’s influenced a lot of the writing on the blog over the last few years and this series was a vital part of that theme. Knowing what King Jesus says and following that, in essence, brings us under His rule and has massive implications for all aspects of life. That’s certainly seen in the post on seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Writing and studying about these brings into sharp focus just how radical the call of Jesus is and why it takes so much focus on Jesus to follow what He has to say.
The last entry in the series did not indicate the end of the series and I hope to return to finish it off at some point. Other themes came up to deal with at the time on the blog, but the whole issue of learning more about what King Jesus says is something that I hope will underpin everything about my life as well as those that also take the interest in what the King says.
The Marks: It was my privilege at the start of the year to connect with a few saints for times of prayer and studying and doing Kingdom business together. As we met and talked and shared, we came across what Paul says about the church in Romans 12. It’s a majestic scripture to read about church and there were some marks that he mentions in that chapter about Christianity. There was also a superb meditation on the scripture found on the Encountering Peace podcast that was instrumental in the running of the series.
It struck me that each element of what He said was worth considering carefully. That’s the aim of the series and was something that was explored initially in the group and led to what was shared in the series from February to May. It was great seeing how the marks touched on qualities and aspects that Jesus exhibited and related to practices and values that God instructed His people in the run-up to the revelation of His Son. Learning more about what it is to honour others, was a fascinating investigation. There is so much that is spiritual about being practical as was explored in meeting the needs of the saints. It’s something to see how they work together like threads that weave together with lives that reflect the peace of God in the harmonious community He always had in mind from the beginning.
It was such a deep and intensive series to explore. As ever, it was one of those studies that even as I finished it, I knew I’d have to keep coming back to it.
What The Spirit Says: Loving Jesus must come with loving His church. It is a must. Those who love Jesus but have a problem with His Bride have a problem with someone that He has inextricably committed Himself to. After all, He loves her so much that He’s coming back for her. So the church is really important to Jesus. So important, in fact, that He had to give a message that He wanted His whole Bride to hear. In the light of interesting cultural developments and their impact on the church, it was a good time to go back and explore in detail what He had to say to those seven churches and what that means for us. That was explored from August to October.
It’s one of those series that I’ve done a bit more detailed research into it. That approach is, similar to the Daniel study, an acknowledgement that I certainly don’t have all the answers and in as much as I like to read and make notes based on what I read, there is benefit in checking what others have said on these vital issues. It is worthwhile, though, just reading what is there and getting the idea of what Jesus wants His church to know. Looking at the seven messages, I was really intrigued with what Jesus had to say about Thyatira. What that said about what Jesus finds important and how we can stray from that is sobering. On the flip side of that, what He says to the church in Philadelphia is so encouraging, it’s worth meditating on and praying about.
The thing about the study is not just to read and cast a judgement. It’s to pay attention to what the Spirit says because we’re supposed to respond to that in a way that shows we’re prepared for Him to return and take us as His spotless Bride.
Seven Signs: The series that recently ended continued the theme of Jesus and John in considering those seven signs that affirmed the claim that Jesus made about His identity. It’s the tough thing that people have to deal with when it comes to Jesus. He did not just say something, He proved it as well. The ultimate proof came in His crucifixion, burial and resurrection which had a large number of witnesses to attest to it. It’s great to see John highlight how this was already prefaced in what Jesus did before the cross.
It’s something to consider again what Jesus does in these episodes. The one where Jesus heals the man at the pool of Bethesda is one that I cannot leave quickly at all. There’s always something to affirm or reaffirm and learn about Jesus and that was no less the case in this reading. There was also that epic sign of Jesus giving sight to the man born blind. It’s already incredible to see Jesus do that. The aftermath and the man’s conviction to the point of getting kicked out of the synagogue says a lot about what following Jesus should be about.
This year has been one full of challenging studies and reflections on Jesus, His church and what He desires in this time. My desire is to encourage us to go back to Jesus in his word. Hear Him, see Him and get an insight into what He desires for those who are called by His name. It’s my desire to be among those who are not mere readers of His Word, but doers with the passion that others will likewise love the written word for what it does in leading us to the Living Word.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 