Daily Reading Week 10

Sunday

Romans 3 

DISCOVER

  • What “law” does Paul refer to in verse 21?

  • Since the law could not justify, what purpose did it serve?

  • Did God give the law with the intent that it would be the means by which He would save men from sin?

  • If the law cannot justify, then how can we be righteous

  • How was this witnessed by the Law and Prophets?

RESPOND

  • In today’s chapter the Apostle Paul gives evidence of God’s faithfulness. We see throughout the New Testament that God was doing something new in history through Jesus. Even so, Paul tells us that the law and the prophets were witness to what was coming. God told us of the coming Savior in the Old Testament and was faithful to that promise in sending his Son. Seeing how God has revealed his plan and fulfilled it should give us assurance that he is trustworthy. Studying and medit​ating on God’s promises as revealed in Scripture will only serve to strengthen our trust in him.

monday

Deuteronomy 6

DISCOVER

  • ​​Verse 2 tells us to ‘fear the lord’ and verse 5 tells us to ‘love the Lord’. How are both fear and love important motivations for us?

  • In what areas of your life do you obey God’s law out of fear or obligation and in what areas do you obey out of love?

RESPOND

  • Today’s passage calls the people of God to devote themselves to the study of his Word and the things that God has revealed to us about himself. Many Christians shy away from theological study because they feel intimidated at the thought of academic pursuit, thinking this is the role of their pastor. Every Christian is a theologian, however, because every Christian thinks about the nature of God, salvation, faith, and the like even if it is done informally. The question then is not whether to be a theologian but whether we will be sound theologians.  As believers we should study scripture by looking at all of its teachings on any given subject to see how it fits together. We study individually and corporately, seeking to understand from other believers. There is certainly a place for people who are gifted in academic pursuit to dedicate themselves vocationally to theological study and teaching but every believer has a responsibility to study the Word diligently for their own growth as well as for the benefit of the church.

Tuesday

Matthew 10:26-42

DISCOVER

  • What assurance did Jesus give in 10:26, and how did this relate to the discussion of persecution? 

  • What did the disciples do with the message Jesus gave them – 10:27? What lesson should we learn?

  • Whom should we fear? Whom should we not fear – 10:28? What reason is given?

  • How did Jesus illustrate God’s care for His people – 10:29-31? How did this relate to the discussion of persecution?

RESPOND

  • Jesus understands that his followers at times will face persecution and that we may fear those times. In the 10th chapter of his gospel Matthew records the words our Lord gives us to ease those fears. Jesus tells us that we need not fear what men can do to us. Their power is limited to this world and this life. The promises of God to his faithful go beyond this life into eternity. We can be confident that though we may face persecution here, we know that in God’s time all will be set right. This should give us confidence to proclaim our faith boldly despite the challenges we may face.

WEDNESDAY

Provers 9

DISCOVER

  • ​​From what source can we get wisdom? Where else does Proverbs teach this?

  • What benefits can we receive if we participate in the feast wisdom offers? 

  • Who ultimately benefits if you participate in the feast wisdom offers – 9:12? 

  • If you scoff and reject wisdom, who ultimately suffers the consequences?

RESPOND

  • Verse 10 of Proverbs 9 tells us that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Given this, the surest way to become wise is to pursue a knowledge of God. As we learn more about him, we solidify our foundational wisdom and we grow in our ability to evaluate things in the light of what we have learned. The knowledge of God comes through the private reading of, and meditation on Scripture as well as through Godly preaching and teaching. Make sure your life is marked by both and you will be on the path to becoming wise.

Thursday

Romans 1

DISCOVER

  • What did ungodly, unrighteous men do – 1:18 (check various translations)? How might people be guilty of this?

  • What did the people know – 1:19? According to the verse, how did they know it? (Think: Consider ways God made this known. 

  • Why are men without an excuse if they do not know God – 1:20? How could they learn about God?

  • What attributes of God can be known in this way?

RESPOND

  • One of the most significant theologians of the first millennium was Augustine of Hippo. Some have said that most of Western theology is but a “series of footnotes to Augustine.” When it comes to the knowledge of God, Augustine had much to say, beginning with the understanding that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” He said that while empirical facts are important, we only get true knowledge as we reason through what our senses are telling us. Because the unconverted do not fear the Lord there is a limit to what they can know. We only begin to see the fullness of truth when we submit to God. Paul is showing us in Romans 1 that faith and reason work together. When we believe in God we see truth that was incomprehensible to us before. Reasoning through these things deepens our faith. Without faith we cannot make ultimate sense of the world that God created and that we live in. We should all strive to put God first in our thinking so that we can reason well.

Friday

Romans 2

DISCOVER

  • Chap. 1 discussed a group of people who were without excuse. Chap. 2 discusses a different group who are inexcusable. Why are these people without excuse – 2:1-3? 

  • What “things” does Paul here refer to?

  • How does God view those who do “such things”?

  • What reason does 2:4 give that might explain why some hope to escape judgment?

RESPOND

  • Martin Luther comments on the first part of today’s chapter saying “so great is the blindness of the sinner that he abuses to his own harm the things that were given to him for his own benefit.” Although Paul was speaking about the Jews in Romans 2:3-5, we all are inclined to mistake God’s patience as permissiveness. We do this at our peril. Paul is clear that God’s justice will be satisfied. If we do not embrace his mercy now we will face his wrath in eternity.

Saturday

Romans 3

DISCOVER

  • What does Paul ask in 3:1? Why would such a question be asked at this point?

  • What answer did he give – 3:2? In what ways would this be an advantage?

  • Does the unfaithfulness of man mean God is unfaithful – 3:3? 

  • Why would this question be asked?

RESPOND

  • Paul understood that the Jews in his day would be shocked by his teaching that keeping the Law of Moses cannot lead to justification. They were convinced that this is what Scripture taught. What Paul is teaching in Romans would require extraordinary proof and this is what he begins to offer in Chapter 4. Paul turns to Abraham, the physical father of the Jewish people to make his case. By citing Genesis 15:6 Paul shows his reader that Abraham’s justification was attributed to his faith, not his works. Abraham could not boast in achievement. All he did was to rest on the promises that God made to him. Putting our hope in good works is folly according to Paul and he will continue to make his case for justification by faith alone through the rest of Romans.