Week 10 - Genesis 1:27

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 10 - March 7th, 2021

Genesis 1:27

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Context: The creation narrative of Genesis 1 builds in grandeur and excitement, capping off with this poem describing the creation of humans. Humanity is presented as the pinnacle of God’s creation. Humans are later commissioned as vice regents to rule over creation on God’s behalf in accordance with His wisdom.

Meaning: This verse is incredibly significant for understanding what the Bible teaches about humanity. We are told that humans are created in God’s tselem, or image. This word is used to describe the physical representation of a god in a temple and implies high importance and value. The Hebrew phrasing makes it clear that all humans share in this value. Both males and females are equal participants in this designation. 

Life Application: This verse forms the bedrock of our doctrine of the Imago Dei, the belief that all humans are created in God’s image and thus have inherent value. When we mistreat or abuse other humans, it is as if we are mistreating and abusing God because we are abusing His image. From conception to death, all lives have inherent value, regardless of race, class, gender, belief, mental ability, or any other distinguishing trait. For this reason we oppose everything that defaces this image, from abortion, to racism, to euthanasia.

For Further Study: Genesis 5:3 tells us that Adam’s son, Seth, is made in his own image. He bears the image of God, but as a copy. His son will bear his image as a copy of a copy, and so on down the generations. While humans do not lose their value, they become corrupted by all this copying. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that when we come to Jesus, we are transformed back into the original image of God. What does this mean for your daily walk with Jesus? How can this idea of renewal help you live your life?

Week 9 - Genesis 1:1

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 9 - February 28th, 2021

Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Context: This verse makes up the opening line of the Bible, serving as an introduction to the creation narrative of Genesis 1. There are several accepted views for the method and timeline of creation, but all believers agree with these words of Scripture—God is the Creator of everyone and everything.

Meaning: These words make the worldview of the Bible crystal clear. The universe and its inhabitants are not the product of random chance, nor have they perpetually existed. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, connotes a powerful spiritual being. In Genesis 2, we find out the name of this God—YHWH. This language is meant to present a direct contrast to the Egyptian, Canaanite, and Babylonian creation myths. The world is not created by a pantheon of gods. It does not emerge out of great struggle between competing powers. It is not created by a disinterested deity. The God that created the universe is the same God who revealed Himself to Israel. This God wants a relationship with His creation.

Life Application: Genesis 1 shows us God ordering the universe, both forming and filling all creation according to His own designs. God is a god of order and not chaos. Take comfort in this truth, knowing that God seeks to bring the chaos of your life into order. And He will. The Creator of the universe is attentive to your daily needs.

For Further Study: The story of creation is retold in several parallel accounts throughout Scripture, each with a different point of focus. Read and compare the creation narratives of Psalm 104, Proverbs 8, and Isaiah 40. How do these narratives help us understand the full picture of creation?

Week 8 - Isaiah 49:14-16

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 8 - February 21st, 2021

Isaiah 49:14-16

14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;

    my Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should    

    have no compassion on the son of her womb?  

    Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

    your walls are continually before me."

Context: The Lord has promised to send His servant who will restore Israel. Through this servant the LORD will redeem the land, free the prisoners, care for the poor, and bring comfort to His people. The chapter closes with a long promise that those who oppressed Israel will be overthrown.

Meaning:This passage finds its fullest fulfillment in Jesus, the true and better Servant of the LORD. In this passage the LORD invokes the imagery of a nursing woman to describe His love for His people. Just as a woman will not abandon her baby, even more will God remember His people and the promises He has made.

Life Application: How comforting these words must have been when Israel felt abandoned by their God. We, too, can receive the same comfort, knowing that God has not forgotten us, nor has He forgotten the promises He made to us through His Servant Jesus!

For Further Study: Although God has clearly revealed Himself through male identity and imagery, the Bible is not afraid to use feminine and especially maternal language to describe God. Consider the words of Isaiah 42:14 and Hosea 11:3-4. How does the feminine imagery used in these passages help us understand God’s care and concern for His people?

Week 7 - Psalm 115:3

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 7 - February 14th, 2021

Psalm 115:3

3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Context: Psalm 115 is a hymn urging God’s people to worship the LORD alone as God. The author compares the God of Israel to the idols of surrounding nations, noting that idolaters become as useless as their idols. In contrast, the LORD is the God of Israel and He makes His people great and prosperous. He is their strength and supply.

Meaning: The meaning of this verse is found by comparing it to vv. 4-11. Unlike the gods of the Canaanite nations who merely inhabit a temple with a statue, the God of Israel is enthroned in the very heavens. While the Canaanite gods are mute, blind, deaf, and powerless, the LORD God does all that He pleases! The Psalmist urges his readers to “Trust in the LORD” because He is the only God who can be trusted.

Life Application: When our world seems to be careening out of control, our God is seated in the heavens. When we find ourselves in the lap of prosperity, our God is seated in the heavens. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before, our God is seated in the heavens and He does all that He pleases. Let this be a source of comfort and security. The God in the heavens is firmly in control and He will not do what does not please Him.

For Further Study: This same language, that God is sovereign and does whatever He pleases, is taken up by foreign nations in the face of God’s judgement. Compare the responses of the Assyrian King in Jonah 1:14 and Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:35 with the call of Psalm 115. What connections do you find between the responses of these foreign kings and the response the Psalmist calls for?

Week 6 - Psalm 103:12-13

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 6 - February 7th, 2021

Psalm 103:12-13

12 As far as the east is from the west,

    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father shows compassion to his children,

    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Context: David writes this Psalm reflecting on the character of God with thoughts that echo truths recorded in Exodus 34:6-7. He highlights God’s merciful love, noting His faithful acts throughout the history of His people, and compares the infinite God with finite humanity. He bookends his Psalm with the command: “Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

Meaning: Using a pair of analogies, David argues that God’s love is most fully known when we experience His forgiveness. First, he invites us to wrap our minds around the impossible distance between east and west, and then drops the hammer- that is how far God’s forgiveness goes! Second, he invites us to consider the tender compassion of a Father for his children and tells us that is how God’s compassion extends toward our weak humanity.

Life Application: Do you feel burdened by the weight of your sin? Cast it onto Christ! There is great freedom found in Him. His tender mercies extend far beyond what you could imagine! There is no sin too great, no shame too deep, that His love is not deeper still! Bless the LORD for His forgiveness! Praise Him for His faithful love! Exalt His name, you who He has forgiven!

For Further Study: Psalm 103:2-5 tell us not to forget the benefits that come from the love of God. What benefits have you found in your life as a result of God’s faithfulness? Make some time this week to meditate on the love of God. As Him to wash over you and help you feel the love that He has for you. Let Him satisfy you with good.

Week 5 - Exodus 34:6-7

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 5 - January 31st, 2021

Exodus 34:6-7

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Context: After the debacle of the Golden Calf, The Lord renews His covenant with Israel. He brings Moses to Mount Sinai and there shows him His glory. In this passage, The Lord God, YHWH, reveals his character and nature to His people.

Meaning: The glory of the Lord is revealed through His name, YHWH, literally, “I AM.” Our God is full of steadfast love, that extends even to His idolatrous people. He is also a God of justice who will punish the guilty, purging His world of all darkness. The phrase “to the third and fourth generation” is a Hebrew idiom meaning “to each and to every,” thus, YHWH will keep His covenant with every generation that will serve Him.

Life Application: We should be eager to respond to the faithful, covenant love that the LORD has shown us. Let us keep His statutes and perform His deeds always! For believers, the divine love and justice of God meet together in the man Jesus. In His death on the cross, Jesus suffers the penalty that His people deserve. Through His Resurrection, He fills us with life that we did not deserve.

For Further Study: This is the most quoted verse in the Old Testament, including Psalm 103 and Daniel 9. Compare how these authors reflect on the character of God. What do these passages stir in your heart?

Week 4 - Deuteronomy 6:6-7

That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 4 - January 24th, 2021

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Context: In Moses’ final words to the people of Israel, he tells the story of the nation’s history and summarizes the laws given by God. Moses summarizes the Ten Commandments, capping his summary with the words “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might.” This instruction will go on to be the capstone of the Jewish faith, memorialized as the Greatest Commandment.

Meaning: The command “on the heart” implies a love for the LORD that is deeper than mere obedience, but one that is fully integrated to all of life and affection. The command pairs of sit/walk and lie/rise imply every place, time, and activity should be saturated in the Word of God.

Life Application: This Scripture ought to inform how we govern our lives and families. We should seek to be Scripture-centered people, guiding our lives by the instructions of the Word and seeking to grow in an understanding of its message. We should create time, moments, milestones, and modeling focused on training ourselves and our families in what scripture says and what it means for our lives. At MCA, we call this Family Worship.

For Further Study: The image of the law on the heart is a poignant one in the story of redemption, appearing again in Jeremiah 31. Why is this such a big development in the story of Scripture? What does this promise mean for us today?

Week 3 - Joshua 1:8-9

That You May Believe Study Guide

Week 3 - January 17th, 2021

Joshua 1:8-9

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Context: After Moses has died and Joshua has been installed as his successor, the Lord comes to him with a message of encouragement as he begins his ministry as the leader of Israel. The Lord promises to be with Joshua just as he was with Moses and instructs him to “Be strong and courageous.”

Meaning: Moses is the most imposing figure in Israel’s national history. No other man has ever walked with YHWH the way he has and certainly no one has heard from God at his level. And yet, the promise of the Lord is to this effect- the Word of the Lord did not depart with Moses; it has been preserved in the Book of the Law. YHWH meets with His people when they meditate on His Word.

Life Application: This passage reminds us of the incredible resource that we have in God’s Word! As we properly interpret and meditate on its contents, it is just as though we see God speaking with us face to face! How encouraging to know that God is with us always in His Word! We can hear the voice of God and receive His direction for our lives when we dwell in the Scriptures!

For Further Study: Meditating on Scripture is a powerful tool for getting God’s Word inside of us. Psalm 119 serves an excellent guide to gear our hearts toward the Word of God. Make some space this week to read this Psalm out loud to yourself slowly, taking time to consider all that it has to say about the power of God’s Word.

Week 2 - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

That You May Believe Study Guide

Week 2 - January 10th, 2021

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Context: Paul writes these words to Timothy, a young pastor in the wealthy, multicultural metropolis of Ephesus. This letter makes up a last will and testament from Paul to his son in the faith. In the immediate context of this passage, Paul encourages his young charge to live distinct from his sinful culture, clinging to the sacred writings which will make him “wise for salvation.”

Meaning: In the middle of the bustling Ephesian metroplex, the Scriptures, made up at the time of the Old Testament Law and a few apostolic writings, are not the imposing cultural icons of modern society, yet they still provide truth that the believer can stand on. This is because they are theopneustos, filled with God’s breath. Just as Timothy cannot breathe without air, neither can a Christian live without the Scriptures.

Life Application: This passage forms the bedrock of the doctrine of inspiration- the belief that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God and the rule of faith. In this specific instance, Scripture is described as a tool for reaching maturity. We become complete in our faith and become more like Christ by studying His Word, accepting it's truths, and applying it's teachings. If you do not already, make sure you have a regular habit of studying the Bible. You will be amazed what fruit it will bring!

For Further Study: We often use the phrase “Word of God” to describe the Bible, but there is an additional way Scripture uses the term. In John 1, Jesus Himself is called the Word of God. Contemplate what this tells us about Jesus, Scripture, and their relationship.

Week 1 - Psalm 1:1-2

That You May Believe Study Guide

Week 1 - January 3rd, 2021

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Context: These are the opening lines of the book of Psalms, a collection of hymns sung by God’s people for millennia. These words serve to describe how this book will function. The Book of Psalms is also the first commentary on the Bible, stemming from the meditations of their authors on YHWH, His work, and His words.

Meaning: The “blessed” man is a man whose life is set apart from the life of the wicked in thought (counsel), word (scoffers), and deed (sinners). Instead of a focus on self, His focus and delight is fulfilled in meditating on the words of YHWH, seeking to align His life ever-closer to the Law of God.

Life Application: The opening stanza of Psalms has informed Christians and Jews alike for generations. These words tell us that the whole Bible shares on meta-genre: It is written as meditation literature. We are to read the words of scripture regularly, and with dedication to their meaning and bearing on our lives. If we read scripture properly we will read it both slowly and obediently. The more we read, the more we understand; the more we understand, the more we will obey. 

For Further Study: The Greek equivalent of the word “blessed” appears famously and frequently in Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). What connections can you find between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of this Psalm?