Rescued

Col 1:12-14

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

• What images come to mind when you compare the domain of darkness to the kingdom of Jesus?
  
• What were you delivered or rescued from?
  
• How were you a captive in the domain of darkness?
  
• How has your transfer into Jesus' kingdom changed your life?
  
• Where must we be in order to have forgiveness of sins?
  
• If you have been rescued from the domain of darkness, why do you sometimes slip back into captivity?
  
• What should be your response to realizing you have been rescued?

Harold's Musings
When I read this passage images from The Lord of the Rings come to mind. The contrast between a kingdom of light and a domain of darkness was vividly shown in the movie. In today's imagery, I see a SEAL team sneaking into an enemy camp to rescue a captured soldier and the group being airlifted out to safety. Why do we not see the domain of darkness as we walk through life? Why do we sometimes give ourselves over to go back into the enemy's camp?

Husbands

1 Pe 3:7

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you [1] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Footnotes
[1] 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs

• What does it mean to live in an "understanding way"?
  
• How do women think differently from men?
  
• How are women emotionally different from men?
  
• Why is neither man's nor woman's view automatically the right view?
  
• What can a husband do to understand his wife's differences?
  
• How might a husband suffer if he "lives in an understanding way"?
  
• For Christian spouses, how does being "fellow heirs" change the marital relationship?
  
• When is any Christian permitted to
  - treat someone wrongly
  - have a selfish attitude towards someone
  - have an arrogant, bossy attitude towards some
  
• Why does being fellow heirs of the grace of life require better behavior?
  
• How might your behavior and attitude towards your wife hinder your prayers?
  

You have been ransomed

1 Pe 1:17-21

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

• How does being holy lead to a discussion about your conduct on earth?
  
• How does knowing that God judges impartially make you feel?
  
• Why should you conduct yourself in fear while on earth?
  - How effective is fear as a motivator?
  - How does fear relate to being ransomed by Christ's blood?
  
• What was your futile way of life?
  - What does concept of ransom mean to you?
  - What was the Jewish concept of ransom / redemption?
  - What does ransomed by Christ's blood mean to you?
  
• Why did Christ appear on earth?
  - How are you a believe in God through Christ?
  - Where is your faith and hope?
  
• How holy has your life been this week?
  
• How often did you go back to your futile way of life?
  
• How would your behavior change if you realized God's presence and holiness?

Harold's Musings:
We have all probably seen a TV show or movie in which someone is kidnapped and a ransom is required to get them back. Most shows have the parent or spouse willing to pay any ransom price for their loved one. Redemption is one of those words that has grown to be a Bible word. I like how the ESV uses ransom. We were kidnapped by our futile lives and Christ paid the ransom price to free us. I can get that. The ransom price was impossibly high, but he was willing to do anything to pay the ransom price.

Results of knowing about your inheritance

1 Pe. 1:13-16

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, [1] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Footnotes
[1] 1:13 Greek girding up the loins of your mind

• What does the "therefore" connect to? [Consider previous days passages]
  
• What is involved with girding your minds for action?
  - What action is expected?
  
• What is involved in keeping sober in spirit?
  
• How completely is your hope fixed on the grace to come?
  - When will you receive this grace?
  - What other things compete as anchors for your hope?
  
• How does obedience relate to not conforming to lusts?
  - Why does Peter call them "former lusts"?
  - What is involved in dealing with or getting rid of lusts?
  
• What is contrasted with being conformed to lusts?
  - What is holy behavior?
  - How often do you consider yourself holy?
  - Why is being holy sometimes seem impossible?
  - Why are you to be holy?
  - What are the implications of your not being holy?
  - How often is your goal to be holy?
  - How often is your goal to fit in with your friends and neighbors?

Harold's Musings:
I suppose this one of the hardest concepts to grasp in a meaningful way. Both the Jews and the Greeks understood the concept of holy. To be holy is to be devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity. They had temples and objects that were physical, visible, and recognizable. The culture around them recognized that "this" or "that" is devoted to "the god". While the gods that were being recognized were most often not gods at all, the concept of holy was present. In our culture, we struggle with the concept as God wants it. God is not concerned about a holy building anymore. He is not concerned about holy lampstands, basins, or even arks and altars. God is concerned about his holy people and his holy dwelling, which are the same thing. Oh, that I could completely recognize my call to holiness throughout my day!

Spiritual inheritance

1 Pe 1:3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• How did God's mercy cause you to be born again?
  - What was the result of your being born again?
  - What is living hope?
  - Through what means or mechanism were you born again?
  
• What is the object of your living hope?
  - How does Peter describe the permanence of your inheritance?
  - Where is your inheritance now?
  - How does this inheritance reinforce your being alien in this world?
  
• What protects you?
  - What is the goal or outcome of this protection?
  - What role does faith play in this protection?
  - When will you receive your salvation?
  
• How do the following influence your daily life?
  - living hope
  - reserved inheritance in heaven
  - God-powered protection
  - waiting salvation

Harold's Musings:
While I was growing up, I don't think I ever thought of what I would inherit from my parents when they went Home. As they get older, they bring up things that they have left in their will for me or for my sister. Some of the things have only sentimental value. Some have financial value. Others are of undetermined value. Regardless they will be mine or my sister's because our parents have chosen to give them to us. God has planned an inheritance for his children that is of matchless value. It is waiting in heaven just for you as His child. The object of your hope should be waiting in heaven. The inheritance is there, but is that where your hope is anchored?

Is anger really ok?

Col. 3:8

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Gal. 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• What does God want you to do with anger?
• What expressions of anger are stated in the lists?
• What secondary effects of anger are in the lists?
• What is a "fit of anger" and what does it look like?
• What is the difference between feeling angry and expressing anger?
• What is the difference between a momentary feeling of anger and a crock pot of anger?

Harold's Musings:
Everyone will occasionally have feelings of anger, but some of us are just angry people. Angry people are like mine fields. There are triggers everywhere and only the foolish approach without caution. The concern is not so much that they will get angry but what will they do when they are angry. Some just blow up, do their damage, and expect there to be no fallout. Others just add the new wrong to the cauldron of simmering anger and wait for the right opportunity. In James 1:19-20, it talks about being slow to anger. I see the problem with anger with three facets: tendency to become angry, speed of anger, and expressing anger. Consider yourself. Are you a minefield or a nice meadow with a few bees flying around?

Work Hard for the Lord

Col. 3:22-25

22 Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

• How fearful are you about your job?
  
• What would mere eye-service look like where you work?
• What would working for the Lord, not men, look like at your job?
• How often are you aware that you are working for Jesus and not your employer?
• What reward do you expect from your employer? How long will it last?
• What reward do you expect from Jesus? How long will it last?
• Why is the passage about doing wrong follow working for the Lord?

Harold's Musings:
Most of my worries are work related. I'm not really afraid of losing my job or anything like that. I'm afraid of not doing a good job or at least the best I can. Too often I think I work for myself, not Jesus. I am more concerned about how I think I did on a project than how Jesus thinks I did. Perhaps I am the "people" I am trying to please. It is so easy to lose sight of the presence of Jesus in my day-to-day stuff. Michael said in his comment yesterday: Worry is easy, prayer is hard. I don't find prayer so hard when I remember the presence of God. I do find that to be harder than it should be. Maybe that is why He says we are to seek Him.

Full Assurance of Hope

Heb. 6:10-12
10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

• When have you felt that no one notices your good works and love?
• What does showing love for God's name look like?
  
• Why does it take earnestness to hope to the end?
• What is full assurance of hope? How would you describe it?
  
• How might a Christian be sluggish in God's view?
• What is needed to inherit the promises waiting for you?

Harold's Musings:
I read a quote yesterday by Evan Esar: "Hope is tomorrow's veneer over today's disappointment." While I was at first indignant, I started to see that for many that is all hope is. Veneer is actually deception. There is a lower quality piece of wood being covered by a very thin layer of expensive wood. While it has the appearance of the real thing, it is not. If we do not have full assurance that what we hope for is in fact real, we too are just covering our disappointments. It does not take very long to get tired of enduring patiently if we do not really believe with full assurance that what is coming is sooooooooooo much better that what we have now. Fill up with assurance today.

Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• How does the resurrection of Jesus give you hope?
• What is the difference between a living hope and some other hope?
• What is the difference between the hope in God's Word and wishful hope of our society?
  
• What does this passage state we can/should be hoping for?
• What protects you and how?
• At the functional level, what do you put your hope in? What are you most seriously hoping for?