#1Corinthians15 - No More Sting

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 15:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

I once heard a story about a young boy who was allergic to bee stings, and he knew it. One day he was riding in the back of the car with his dad driving. As they were driving a bee flew in the window and was buzzing around the car. The boy became almost hysterical in fear, but suddenly the dad grabbed the bee out of the air and held onto it. He winced in pain as the bee stung him, and he let the bee go. The boy was still frightful until the dad explained that even though the bee is still alive, the stinger was gone - and he showed the boy his hand where the stinger was still embedded. "So you see, son," he said, "You don't have to be afraid of the bee anymore. It can't hurt you." That's the best example I've ever heard of this passage in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. Death is still a part of life, but as believers we don't have to be afraid of death. The reason people are afraid of death is because they either don't know what happens next, or they know that we will be judged guilty and have not trusted in Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. Death no longer has any sting or power because through faith in Jesus, our sin is paid for and removed from us. He took the stinger for us. Now we can simply enjoy life to the fullest.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In verses 9-11, Paul humbly acknowledges that he does not even deserve to be called an apostle because of the life he used to live, but because of God's grace he was still chosen to believe and carry out the work of God. That is the very definition of God's grace - that even though we don't deserve it, God still chooses to bless us by giving us the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus, and furthermore he still chooses to use us to advance the gospel and His Kingdom. Paul shares something similar in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. He explains this same concept, even calling himself the worst of sinners. I don't believe he is being smug or sarcastic. I think he just truly feels the depth of God's love and grace.

3. What does this mean for my life?

If I had to choose one word to describe how this passage impacts me and my life, I would choose the word "hope." Paul talks about how if Jesus hasn't been raised from the dead, then none of us will be raised from the dead, and we have no hope but what we can muster up in this life. Yet he goes on to say that in fact, Jesus has been raised from the dead - according to the Scriptures which foretold it's coming and to many eyewitnesses who saw him. Because there is really not much hope to be found in this life, ALL of our hope lies in Jesus. This is good news, because we can count on God to fulfill his promises. So now I am able to life this life to the fullest without fear, and full of hope in the life to come. This is incredibly freeing and allows me to love others, serve others, give generously, and follow God to wherever, knowing who holds my future.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

This isn't a logical question, but rather a curious wondering. What will our heavenly bodies be like? Will I finally be able to dunk a basketball? Will my joints no longer crack and creak? Will I be able to eat whatever I want? I'm not sure any of this will even matter at all in heaven, but I just wonder what it will be like...

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#John20 #John21 - Believe it or not...

Click here to read John 20-21:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

The ending of these two chapters are like little "asides" from the actual story of Jesus. The end of chapter 21 reveals that what we see as recorded in John is not the whole picture. It is an accurate account from an eyewitness, but it does not contain the complete works of Jesus Christ. We know some of the other things, because different eyewitnesses (as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke) contain some of the same stories but also some different ones. I love how he says, "If every one of [Jesus' works] were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25). I also really like at the end of chapter 20 that John even tells us the purpose for writing his gospel account, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John wasn't writing for fame, he wasn't writing for profit; he was writing so everyone who read it would believe in Jesus and receive salvation.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

When I read the story about the miraculous catch of fish, I think back to the beginning of Jesus' ministry when he called the disciples to be fishers of people. It's funny that it begins and wraps up with fish. I don't know that it is incredibly profound, but just interesting.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I really relate to Peter. Just a couple chapters ago, Peter denied Jesus three times after pledging his lifelong support for Jesus. Here in chapter 21, we see Jesus ask Peter three times if he loves him. Jesus knows that Peter loves him, so I think that this exchange is actually more for Peter to be assured that Jesus has forgiven him and restores him to his kingdom work. I know that in my life, I blow it sometimes. There are days, even in the midst of doing ministry, that I feel unworthy to have God use me to change people's lives. But I know that Jesus does forgive sins, and he does claim us as his brothers and sisters and colaborers in the work of God's kingdom. So even though I mess up, Jesus qualifies me to keep on moving forward.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

As I read these chapters, which include multiple descriptions of Jesus appearing to the disciples after his resurrection, my silly question is, "What did Jesus look like after he was raised from the dead?" He must have been in human form, because he still had hands, feet, a recognizable voice, etc. But Mary didn't recognize him at first, the disciples on the road to Emmaus didn't recognize him, the disciples gathered behind locked doors seemed to need some extra convincing, and the disciples at the beach didn't dare ask who he was. There must have been something that was unrecognizable to his face or figure, because it seemed to take people a little while.

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#Easter2015 - Happy Easter from Dan's Daily Dig!

Happy Easter everyone! Hear these awesome words about the resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, and enjoy an awesome song from Matt Maher.

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christ,
Dan

#Luke24 - Jesus vs. Devil Showdown via the Matrix

Click here to read Luke 24:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Jesus was betrayed, deserted, denied, arrested, beaten, flogged, mocked, crucified and buried. It was horrible what people did to him. From an earthly perspective, it seemed as though the devil won. I think that from the devil's perspective, he probably thought he won too. Little did anyone know, that God had planned from the beginning that the chosen one, the Messiah/Christ, the Savior of the world would have to die to bring life. It seems ironic, but Jesus died to become the sacrifice that would atone (pay the penalty for) all of our sin. It HAD to be that way. So once again, God was able to work his will through the variety of righteous and evil actions of humans. One of the best movies that I've seen that captures this same redemptive plot line is the Matrix. In the third movie, Matrix Revolutions, Neo (which means New) is battling the ultimate enemy. Feel free to watch the quick clip to see why it corresponds, or watch all three movies for a great sci-fi action adventure.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

The ending of the chapter (which is the ending to the book of Luke) is slightly different wording, but the same events as the beginning of the book of Acts. If you were not previously aware of this, Luke is also the author of the book of Acts. It's like he set out to write a detailed scholarly account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but he couldn't stop there. He had to continue with the account of this rag-tag group of misfits who were transformed by Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit into preachers, teachers, healers, apostles, leaders, servants, church-planters, and more. I started this blogging journey in the book of Acts, otherwise I would love to just keep reading that like a continuous story line.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I think about the road to Emmaus story often. These two followers of Jesus were with the 12 disciples. They knew a lot about Jesus and were committed to him. But they still had questions, doubts, and confusion about what was actually going on. Jesus used this opportunity to set them straight. He explained to them from Scripture everything that had been written about himself. This walking Bible study session rekindled their fire and energy about following Jesus and they were transformed into passionate believers in Jesus and the resurrection. God's word has the power to seep into our souls, our minds, and our hearts to transform us and make us new. This is what drives me to keep doing this blog, even though it is almost never convenient. It always means less sleep and/or less free time, but I want so bad for God's word to weave into every fiber of my being so that I can experience the promise of Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I know in 1 Corinthians 15: 5-8 we read that Christ appeared to over 500 people after his resurrection. But that is still a very small amount. Why didn't Jesus show himself to the chief priests? To all of Jerusalem? To Pontius Pilate? To Herod? To Caesar? Wouldn't more people have believed in him right away? Wouldn't there have been almost universal acceptance and understanding of Jesus as the Messiah? I don't understand God's plan to just reveal himself to a few, but those few were obviously truthful in their account. If Jesus hadn't been resurrected, there's no way they would have been killed for a lie. Their very lives are a testimony. That doesn't mean I understand why God did it that way. It's a mystery to me.

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

#Luke8 - Brought to you by John Deere

Click here to read Luke 8:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Sorry if you swear by another major dealer. Although Jesus probably wasn't promoting any one future farm equipment brand over another, Jesus did use farming quite a bit to teach about the kingdom of God. Although the herd of pigs was more an unfortunate side effect of the miracle, between that and sewing seeds this chapter sure feels a lot like the Midwest. One of the neat things about the parable of the sower is that Jesus explains it. We don't see that with too many of the parables. Jesus explains how when the word of God is shared, there are different reactions depending largely on the heart conditions of the recipients. If we don't allow the word of God to sink in and transform us, there's a danger that any so-called change might just be temporary and shallow. This is another great heart-check passage. Is my heart "fertile soil" to receive God's word.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

There are a lot of connections, but since I started talking about farming, I thought of how Jesus compared the kingdom of God to farming in other places. In Matthew 13, another account of the Parable of the Sower, Jesus also tells the parable of the Weeds, which he also explained later in the chapter. In it he describes the end of the world as a harvest, and the angels as harvesters. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."

3. What does this mean for my life?

I already mentioned the heart-check question about being fertile soil to receive God's word, but there was another interesting dichotomy in this chapter that really grabbed my attention. After the storm was calmed by Jesus, his words to them were, "Where is your faith?" Those were the 12 who were with him day in and day out. They doubted and were afraid. But to the woman who was healed by Jesus, he said, "Daughter, your faith has healed you." Sadly, I would say that most of the time I feel more like the disciples, with faith to follow Jesus through anything, but still doubting certain things along the way. How I long for God to grow my faith to be like the bleeding woman to just come to him for everything in faith.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

This chapter reveals some crazy insights into demons and their interaction with Jesus. Mostly it just brings up questions in my mind. How does one get possessed by demons? Why don't we see it that much anymore, at least in our country? When the pigs died, where did the demons go? What is the Abyss and why didn't the demons want to go there?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#Luke7 - A Daunting Debt

Click here to read Luke 7:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

One of the things I noticed about this chapter is that it is bookended by two instances where Jesus commends and rewards people for their faith. To the centurion who recognized Jesus authority on earth, Jesus said that he hadn't seen anyone in all of Israel with such great faith! That is a bold, and probably a little offensive, statement. At the end of the chapter is this story where Jesus is dining at a Pharisee's house and a "sinful" woman comes up and anoints him. Jesus points out that it is her faith that has saved her. But just prior to that statement, Jesus teaches the Pharisee about the power and depth of forgiveness by sharing a brief parable describing a large and small debt. Both can be forgiven, but the one who is forgiven more will likely be more grateful and likely to pay it forward and express their thanks in worship. One of my spiritual breakthroughs was when God revealed to me that my debt of sin was much too large to ever think about repaying on my own. It really did create an attitude of gratitude and service. No matter what my testimony is, or how far astray I have gone, the debt accrued by our sin can only be fully paid by Jesus' death and resurrection!

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

Well, raising people from the dead wasn't an everyday occurrence. It happened with a prophet or two back in the day, but until Jesus came around it was quite out of the ordinary. There are two other instances of Jesus raising others from the dead. Lazarus in John 11, and Mark 5:21-43. All of them are fun to compare.

3. What does this mean for my life?

Hearing the centurion describe his own authority and then comparing it to Jesus was a great reminder to me that Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). I should not doubt that he is able to do anything. Nor should I doubt that he wants to hear us ask for things. Jesus CAN do it! I need to remember that.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I thought John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the Messiah for a long time. For one, he leaped in his mother's womb when Jesus (in utero) came by. Besides that, he was the one who baptized Jesus and saw the whole heavens being opened things. My question is, why did John feel like he had to ask if Jesus was the one?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#Mark12 - Tax Season For Jesus Too

Click here to read Mark 12:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Two different parts of this chapter deal specifically with money. The first is about paying taxes. The Jews hated the Romans and the oppression brought on by empire. Even though they enjoyed some religious freedoms, they still had hopes that the Messiah would come and rescue them from the Romans and their other enemies. So when the leaders ask this question about taxes, they are either hoping that Jesus will say, "Yes, you should pay taxes to Caesar," at which point he would lose favor with the people, or "Give your money to God instead of Caesar," at which point the Roman guards would arrest him and deal with him as an insurrectionist trying to rebel against the Emperor. The answer Jesus gives is not just a way to dodge a tough situation. Instead he addresses it very truthfully, biblically, and practically that nobody could argue.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

The parable of the tenants has always been striking to me ever since I understood the meaning of it all. The political leaders, religious leaders and teachers of the law are the tenants that God has placed on earth to "take care of the church." And the prophets are the messengers he has sent. But almost none of the prophets were taken seriously, and many were beaten, mocked, and or hanged. When that "didn't work" he sent his Son. But just like they mistreated the prophets, they mistreated the Son too. This reminds me of Hebrews 1:1-2, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..."

3. What does this mean for my life?

I am humbled when I read the story of the Widow's Offering. It is so special. I just picture Jesus hanging out, seeing what he saw, and jumping to get his disciples, "Look! Look! Come see this!" Jesus was not resentful or negative about all the other gifts, but he recognized that though the others were giving large sums of money, the woman's offering was the largest. I need to remember that I should be giving not just what is easily planned, but regular offerings with some of it being sacrificial in some way.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Does Jesus negate the possibility of recognizing loved ones in heaven? I don't think so, but he is definitely saying that things will be different and we won't have need for formal marriage relationships then.

Those are my thoughts. I'd love to hear yours. Until then, keep digging in.

In Christ,
Dan

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#Mark5 - "Who touched me?"

Click here to read Mark 5:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

This story has always been one of my favorites in the gospels. This sick woman, who has tried everything, spent everything, and basically given up on everything, has one hope left. She needs Jesus. She knows that if she can just touch him she can be healed. This is a bold move on her part because like someone with leprosy, she was "unclean" and was not really allowed to be in close company with others. So for her to push through the crowd to touch Jesus was a total act of faith and even desperation. Finally, I love when Jesus asks, "Who touched me?" As if there weren't hundreds of people touching him as he walked through the crowds. Yet he asks the question implying that not only had someone simply touched him physically, but someone had touched him with great faith for healing. So he doesn't even need to "heal" the woman. He just declares in a loving freeing way what had just happened. "Your faith has healed you. Go in peace..."

2. How does this passage remind me of any other Scripture I know?

In this story of the woman who touches Jesus, the gospel writer clarifies that Jesus realized that POWER had gone out of him. At first I think, well of course Jesus has "powers" because He is God. But I think the power Jesus had came not from his own divine nature, but from the Holy Spirit which was poured out on him in his baptism. It reminds me of what Jesus says in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes on you..." So the power they had to do ministry was simply through the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I know there are other stories in this chapter, but I'm still gonna focus on the bleeding woman story. I hope I have faith enough to turn to Jesus for healing (of body, mind, soul, and spirit) even way before I have spent everything and tried everything.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Why would Jesus let the Legion demons possess and kill the pigs? Obviously, that's a great improvement over the man, but why didn't Jesus just name it and banish it or something? Kind of wierd.

Those are my thoughts for the day. Feel free to join me and leave your comments on any and each question.

In Christ,
Dan

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#Matthew28 - Can't Keep a God Man Down

Click here to read Matthew 28:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Despite everything that had happened to Jesus in the previous two chapters, he still came through victorious. This is no Karate Kid or Battle of Bunker Hill story where Jesus was beaten down or greatly outnumbered but still came back to win. HE WAS DEAD. His greatest victory wasn't in any might or force. His victory was 100% total trust and submission to God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the promise and plan to raise him up again. In that trust and in that obedience, Jesus allowed himself to hang on the cross to bear upon himself the fullness of the sin from all humanity, thereby becoming the sacrifice that truly could take away the sin of the world. God then raised him from the dead, giving him victory over sin, victory over death, and victory over the devil and all the forces of evil. It just goes to show...you can't keep a God-Man down. :)

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

As I read this line for line, there were many other verses and scripture passages that flickered through my mind. Here are just a few:
Verse 3 - In Revelation 1:12-16, it describes Jesus as being white as wool and shining like the sun
Verse 4 - In Joshua 5, Revelation 22:8, and other places in Scripture, one of the most common reactions to seeing an angel is to fall down out of fear and reverence
Verse 5 - "Do not be afraid..." This seems to be the most common opening line for angels, as in Luke 2, as part of the Christmas story.
Verses 16-20 - There is a similar passage in the opening chapter of Acts, though worded differently

3. What does this mean for my life?

Well, the resurrection of Jesus probably has more implications and impact on my life than any other single event in all of human history. What comes to my mind first and foremost, however, is that because Jesus rose from the dead I know that death does not have the final word. All the promises of Scripture about living forever with God, about eternal life in his presence after we die on this earth, are now believable. In fact, they are not only believable, but they are certain. I can bank my life on it. My faith is in Christ to hold my eternity, and I can think of no better way to spend forever than living in his presence, in a home where the Bible says there will be no more pain, no more crying, no more death, no more darkness, and no more sin.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

What Jesus was like in this brief time after being resurrected? I know that he just "appeared" and "disappeared" with different people. He didn't seem to be limited any more to physical dimensions, but the disciples could still touch his hands and his side. I will have to wait and find that one out when I myself am resurrected into a new body. I might understand better then.

That's it for today. Tomorrow we'll start the gospel of Mark. God bless, and keep digging in.

In Christ,
Dan

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