NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the MasterWork curriculum.
Bible Passages: Matthew 6:10
Discussion Questions:
- How can circumstances, social barriers and past failures become excuses for not being used in God’s kingdom?
- What would need to change in your life for you to be viewed as an example of hope?
Food for thought:
When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, she saw herself as less than. She was a Samaritan, looked down on by most Jews. It was the middle of the day, pointing to her being an outcast in some way. She eventually admitted to being divorced five times and now living with a sixth man. No wonder she diverted the conversation toward the right place to worship.
She had accepted the idea that she was disqualified. Our current circumstances, perceived barriers or past failures can cause us to believe we are hopeless, that we are no longer qualified or capable of making a positive contribution to God’s kingdom.
Derwin Gray reminds us that when we pray Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” that we are asking to participate in the kingdom story so we can become like the King of the story. In Gray’s book, “God, Do You Hear Me? Discover the Prayer God Always Answers,” he illustrated this point with stories about a high school student with cancer, a female immigrant and a woman who got pregnant in college. All three found hope and a place to serve in Abba’s kingdom.
Our growth as a follower of Jesus is tied to our participation in His work. As we participate, doing the actions designed for us by God, we gain a deeper understanding of God’s character and of the identity given to us as royal priests. We exercise our trust, seeing Him shine through the circumstances, barriers and past. We take a step closer to being the royalty God invites us to carry. Our prayer connects us to God’s heart for us, with us becoming the royal priests we were designed to be.
The circumstances, barriers, and past get swallowed up in God’s grace, giving us hope that those things need not define us. Instead, followers of Jesus are to live in light of how our Abba in heaven defines us as royal priests.
Masterwork
MasterWork is an ongoing Bible study curriculum based on works from a variety of renowned authors and offers pertinent, practical messages that adults will find uplifting and enriching. The list of authors and their books to be studied in upcoming months can be found at Lifeway.com/masterwork.
