I hope you enjoyed your first week of Bible study as much as I did. Last term, we studied the book of Daniel over a period of 12 weeks. Throughout the study, I kept telling the group, “This is the most intense Bible study I have ever done.” Indeed, because half of the book of Daniel consists of Bible prophecy, it was very intense from an intellectual standpoint.
However, when we started “When Godly People Do Ungodly Things”, it occurred to me that the subject matter of this study might be even more intense, but for very different reasons. Though I have never done this study before, the title alone draws out many different emotions in me. “When Godly People Do Ungodly Things” sounds like it could be a 60 Minutes episode. Without thinking very hard, I can come up with several recent examples in the news that would fit this title well. This title also serves as a painful reminder of the wounds that I (and other people that I love) have personally suffered at the hands of someone otherwise known to be “godly.” But perhaps the most intense aspect of this study will be its application to our own personal failures. If we are honest with ourselves, the title “When Godly People Do Ungodly Things” could probably serve as the title of many chapters in our own life stories.
In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus warned that we should remove the plank in our own eye before we attempt to remove a speck from our brother’s eye.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5, NIV
It is easy to think of the title of this study in the context of how other “godly” people have failed. But I cannot help but think of these verses in Matthew chapter 7 when I think of the title of our study. I certainly have done ungodly things in my past and continue to struggle with ungodly conduct in my present. My failures are represented in these verses as a plank in my eye that needs to be removed - ouch! Having a plank removed from my eye sounds really painful. But then again, living with a plank in my eye also sounds painful. Given the alternative, I want that plank removed for two reasons: 1) so my eye can heal and I can see clearly; and 2) so I can lovingly help my brother (or sister) to see clearly too.
Kristin (a member of our online facebook group) posed a great question this week. What brings each of us to Bible study? For me, I want to get to the heart of why I continue to fall into the same sin patterns and guard against falling into new ones. I want to know why Amy Hill continues to do ungodly things, and I want to learn how to guard against those things in the future. I also want to learn how to help other brothers and sisters in Christ avoid falling into webs of sin.
Beth set us up good this week with a lot of fascinating material. If you have made a personal commitment to make a post on our group page each week, please feel free to share something you learned from this past week’s homework.
This week, we’ll be watching video session one (click the link below). The corresponding viewer guide is on page 31 of your workbook.
http://www.lifeway.com/product/005094025/?cs=1
Finally, please feel free to post any other comments, questions, and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Your friend, Amy
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