south ridge blog

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Leviticus 23:40 …gather branches from magnificent trees—palm fronds…and willows that grow by the streams. Then celebrate with joy before the LORD your God for seven days.

Yesterday provided a brief overview of some Old Testament passages regarding God as “living water” for His people. Today, we’re reviewing another event which will ultimately connect to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 

In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, God provided His people a number of festivals in which various sacrifices and/or celebrations were to occur. One of these was the Festival of Booths (other translations may read the Festival of Tabernacles, or the Festival of Shelters.) 

In Jesus’ day, the Festival of Booths was a major celebration. People from all over Israel would pilgrimage into Jerusalem for this event. On the final day of the festival, a priest would ‘pour’ an empty pitcher. He would then fill the pitcher in a spring and the people would all shout things like, “God save us! God bless us! God give us rain for another good harvest!” The crowd would then be completely silent, but as the priest poured out the water, the people would erupt in celebration.

READING & PRAYERS:

     LEVITICUS 23:33-43, JOHN 7:37-52 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: The Festival of Booths was a major celebration for which occurred after the completion of the year’s harvest. In all, God commanded His people to have at least 5 major celebrations each year. When is the last time you scheduled a day or event to really celebrate what God has done for you and within you? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess there are times when I worship you, but I find myself really celebrating a sports event, movie, or other activity in my life more than I celebrate You. Nevertheless, I really do desire to live a life that celebrates You often. May I begin to be more intentional in this regard, so that others can see the glory of You within me. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have done two evil things:They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisternsthat can hold no water at all!”

To more fully understand and appreciate Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem in Matthew 21, it’s necessary to connect some passages from the Old Testament and the Gospels to see an interesting progression take place. Today’s focus will be on some Old Testament passages identifying God as the source of “Living Water” for His people.

Anybody who has ever traveled to Israel will tell you that much of the landscape is barren. This dry and deserted land serves as an illustration for those seasons in our lives which seem dry, dull, and lifeless. In these seasons, God wills us to look to Him as the one and only source for life. He and He alone can be the “living water” that will bring life to our weary souls.

As you read through the passages today, consider the seasons in your life in which you have felt weary and lifeless. In what ways has God breathed life into you in these seasons? 

READING & PRAYERS:

     PSALM 63:1, JEREMIAH 2:13, ISAIAH 32:1-2, ISAIAH 58:10-11 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Consider the seasons in your life in which you have felt weary and lifeless. In what ways has God been “living water”, bringing life into you in these seasons?

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know that we live in a broken and fragile world, and I can easily acknowledge that it’s for this reason I experience weariness and lifelessness. At the same time, I recognize that you have breathed life into me, are now breathing life into me, and will continue to breathe life into me. May I continue to create a healthy rhythm in my life so I regularly feel and experience the life you are pouring into me. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

In what ways have you seen God at work within you this week? Within your family? Within others you may interact with? 

In what ways have you resisted God’s work within you this week? 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

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Matthew 19:30 “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Throughout the Scriptures there are two significant ideologies at war with one another. On the one hand, there is Empire. We read in the Old Testament about the Egyptian Empire, the Assyrian Empire, and the Babylonian Empire. We also read about significant Jewish influence during the reign of some kings of Israel. In the New Testament, it’s the Roman Empire. This ideology focuses on power. The more power, control, and influence a nation or a people has, the better.

The second ideology is Shalom. While it’s translated as peace in English, there’s a fuller meaning. Its focus is on shepherding and surrender. God was a shepherd for His people. He also longed for a shepherd to rule His people, and king David was that shepherd. Later on, Jesus became our Shepherd. 

These two ideologies continue to be on full display today. People often seek power, control, and influence. But to live like Jesus is to live steeped in humility. It’s to live as a shepherd. A servant. Not a life of power, but of true Shalom. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 19:23-30 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What are at least three ways in which you see the ideologies of Empire and Shalom on display in our world today? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much? Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I recognize that I see the ideologies of Empire and Shalom everywhere today. I see Empire in local, national, and international politics. I see it in my culture at work, my extended family, and worse, I see it in myself. Continue to prune away anything in my life that is not connected to You so that I may live a life of humility, shepherding, serving, and surrendering – a life of true Shalom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Matthew 19:23 “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

In the ancient Middle East, many believed that those who were wealthy were blessed by God. As such, Jesus’ disciples may have been dumbfounded to hear Him say that it is difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

In our culture today, we may not necessarily believe that those who are wealthy are blessed by God. However, the majority of people do believe it’s important to be successful in life. More unfortunately, everybody has their own definition as to what it means to be successful! 

Many years ago, a well-spoken monk and author named Thomas Merton was contacted by a man who was compiling a book on how to be successful. He asked Thomas to contribute something for his book. Merton responded by writing, “If I had a message to my contemporaries, I said, it was surely this: be anything you like, be madmen, drunks … of every shape and form, but at all costs avoid one thing: success.” Merton knew success was often a worldly ambition, not a godly one. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 19:23-30 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Write out your own definition of what you believe it means to be successful. Be honest in your answer. 

QUESTION: In Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, Peter Scazzero writes that “According to Jesus, success is becoming the person God calls you to become, and doing what God calls you to do—in his way, and according to his timetable.” How does this compare with your definition of success?

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I recognize that my culture screams one definition of success at me each and every day, but I know this definition is quite different of Your definition of success. Help me to be successful in Your eyes, not in the eyes of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Matthew 19:21 “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Reading the Bible requires reading it in context. The text was originally written for those who spoke a different language, had little of the technology we have today, and whose culture was quite different from ours. As such, reading the Scriptures often requires asking the who-what-when-where-why-how kinds of questions. 

For example, who is Jesus speaking to in this encounter? He’s speaking to a young, wealthy man who came to Jesus asking a question. Jesus isn’t speaking to a large crowd. He’s speaking to one specific person — “if you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor…” Jesus knew this man would struggle to give up his wealth. 

So yes, Jesus was speaking to a young, wealthy man. He may or may not be inviting you to give up all your possessions. However, Jesus is inviting you to surrender something in order to more fully follow Him. What may He be inviting you to surrender to Him today? 

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 19:16-22 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What is something deep beneath the surface in your life in which God may be inviting you to surrender to Him? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know there is probably a lot deep beneath the surface in my life I may not be aware of. I also know it may be painful to have all of it rooted out. Nevertheless, I know it is Your will to refine me, mold me, and shape me more into Your likeness. Today, I pray that You do what only You can do to root up anything in me which is offensive to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Matthew 19:16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

In this passage, we read about a young, wealthy man who approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to have eternal life. We can infer from the passage that this man is well-educated as he is wealthy and knows the Old Testament well.

What’s interesting is that despite the significant cultural differences between us, the question this young man asks Jesus is a fairly common question in our minds today. Is there life after death? If so, what must I do to have eternal life? 

The world tells us that we earn things by what we do. If you want good grades in school, you need to study and do your homework. If you want to be successful, you need to earn a certain level of income, drive the right kind of car, and live in the right kind of neighborhood. Whatever you want in life, you need to do something to earn it.

Christianity flips this completely on it’s head. Jesus says you don’t need to do anything specific except to surrender to His will and follow Him. It’s a gift that seems too good to be true.

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 19:16-22 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Be honest: Are you living life in such a way that you believe God will reward you for your good deeds and behaviors? What would it look like for you to begin living in freedom – resting in God’s unconditional and unwavering love for you? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the many times I seek your approval and affection through my good deeds. Today, may I simply rest in your love, knowing that it truly is unconditional and unwavering. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

In what ways have you seen God at work within you this week? Within your family? Within others you may interact with? 

In what ways have you resisted God’s work within you this week? 

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

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Matthew 18:27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

In the parable of the unforgiving debtor, we read about a man who owed the local king 10,000 talents. Translating this into today’s currency, this peasant owed the king over 6 billion dollars. It’s a massive debt, and was likely a higher sum than all of the money in ancient Palestine. 

But the point Jesus was making wasn’t about dollars and cents. It was to emphasize that, throughout our lifetime, there is no way we can pay the debt for our sins back to God. Jesus came to release us from that debt. 

In Matthew 18:27, Jesus may very well use the word released quite intentionally. To forgive somebody of the sins they have committed against us is to release that burden. 

At South Ridge Church, we believe that experiencing healthy conflict and practicing forgiveness is essential for our emotional and spiritual growth. Living like Jesus requires that we release the burden of unforgiveness and receive the gift of freedom from that burden. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 18:21-35 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: When is the last time you experienced a real release of a significant burden you had been carrying? What was that experience like? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I think I am aware of what I may need to release, but I recognize there may be additional things deep beneath the surface in my life. Today, reveal to me anything else I may need to release, and help me take steps toward releasing these things over to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

In Jesus’ day, there was a common teaching among Rabbis. If somebody sins against you and later comes to you, acknowledges their wrongdoing, and asks for forgiveness, you should forgive them three times. But if their unhealthy behavior continues after three times, stop forgiving them. 

Jesus’ good friend Peter may have been trying to one up the religious leaders. “How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” It may have been Peter’s way of saying, Ah-ha! That’s more than twice as many as what those others have been teaching. C’mon Jesus. Tell the others how right I am!

But Jesus didn’t bite. Depending on how the Greek text is translated into English, Jesus responds by saying “No, seventy-seven times,” or, “No, seventy times seven.” Either way, the principle He was teaching was clear. You don’t need to keep count of how many times you forgive somebody. Just keep forgiving them. Again, and again, and again, and again.

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 18:21-35 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Are you currently struggling to forgive somebody who has sinned against you? What steps may you need to take to begin the process of truly forgiving them? 

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Are you doing too much?Practice slowing down and living life at the pace of your soul by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that the topic of forgiveness is a difficult one for me. Our culture says to “forgive and forget” but I know that I will never truly forget some of the wrongs I have experienced. Even though I may never forget these things, help me see how strong my need is to forgive those who have wronged me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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