Month: March 2018

“After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.” Mark 16:9, NLT

Devotional from the Dancing in the Desert Devotional Bible

In a legal setting, the testimony of a woman was considered unreliable, subject to undue influences of the heart and imagination and therefore inadmissible. Men of the first century—Jewish, Greek, Roman, Arab—all held this view, albeit in varying degrees. They easily dismissed the words of a woman if those words didn’t fit their assumptions. The disciples rejected Mary Magdalene’s testimony of having seen Jesus (16:11), and they were later rebuked for that by Jesus himself (16:14). Yet of all the followers of Jesus—of all those whom the biblical text refers to as disciples, whether directly or by implication—Jesus appeared first to Mary and the women with her. Not only that, he sent her to tell the news to the men (Matthew 28:10).

Some biblical scholars consider this one of the clearest signs of the Gospel’s authenticity. No man of the first century would fabricate a story about a miracle and then undermine it by having women as the first witnesses to it. It had to be true. But Jesus held an unusual view of women, and Mary of Magdala seemed to be foremost among the women who followed him. She is listed first in every mention of female followers of Jesus, who apparently traveled with him throughout Galilee and, at least on this unusual occasion, to Jerusalem for Passover. We don’t know much about Mary other than the fact that she had been tormented by demons before she met Jesus and then followed him closely But we do know that no other rabbi at this point included women in his circle of followers. Jesus did, even though the sight of women traveling with men who weren’t their relatives surely unnerved a lot of people. And on this trip to Jerusalem, it was good they were there. Many women watched from a distance as Jesus hung dying (Matthew 27:55), long after most of the men had fled.

Mary probably thought she was only going to Jerusalem for Passover, never envisioning Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb. But when he was executed and her world shattered, she remained there. She came to the tomb with her companions, not to witness a resurrection, but to anoint a body. And Jesus put her world together again, better than before, and gave her a testimony for the ages.

As we reflect on Christ’s selfless sacrifice, we will use the The Christian Basics Bible to mediate on the significance of Jesus’ sayings from the cross. 

The Gospels record seven different sayings spoken by Jesus on the cross. Often used as a focus for reflection on Good Friday, they are traditionally seen as having been spoken in the following order:

Words of Forgiveness:

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Significance: Jesus fulfills his own teaching about loving one’s enemies and shows that the cross is the basis on which divine forgiveness can be given.

Words of Salvation:

“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Significance: Jesus shows that it is never too late to ask to be saved and find the assurance of eternal life.

Words of Relationship:

“Dear woman, here is your son. . . . Here is your mother.” ( John 19:26-27)

Significance: Jesus, still thinking of others even in his agony, remembers the fifth commandment—honor your parents.

Words of Abandonment:

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Significance: Quoting from Psalm 22, Jesus expresses his sense of complete desertion, even by his Father (because of the sin he was bearing).

Words of Distress:

“I am thirsty.” ( John 19:28)

Significance: His body weakened by pain, blood loss, and dehydration, Jesus shows his true humanity.

Words of Reunion:

“Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46)

Quoting from Psalm 31:5, Jesus entrusts himself to the Father, for what follows now lies entirely in his hands.

Words of Triumph:

“It is finished!” ( John 19:30)

Jesus proclaims victory at the moment of apparent defeat, declaring, “It is all accomplished!” or even “It is all paid for!”

Our friends at the Institute for Bible Reading shared how Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience is helping a congregation in Colorado grow as a community in God’s Word.

 by Paul Caminiti

Josh Ellis is Executive Pastor at Springs Community Church in Colorado Springs and helped lead their congregation through Immerse: Messiah this past fall. It was déjà vu for Josh, who helped launch a similar initiative at Woodmen Valley Chapel in 2014. In my interview with Josh, we talked about both experiences, and why he thinks Immerse isn’t simply a church program, but represents a “new Reformation” for how the church should operate in the future.

What were the big takeaways at Woodmen Valley and Springs Community Church?

In both settings, we underestimated people’s appetite for reading the Bible in this fresh way. At Springs Community Church this fall we sold-out of our inventory three weeks in a row.

At Woodmen Valley we had a group of about 1,000 people who we identified as regular attenders but with no interest in any other church activities. We’d tried everything to get them into the mainstream. Nothing worked. But when we invited the whole congregation to an 8-week, book club experience for the New Testament, over 800 of the 1,000 non-participants joined a group. We were shocked! It completely reoriented the way we thought about them. They weren’t lazy—they were more likely bored and under-challenged.

At Springs Community Church, we had a group of veteran Bible readers who were initially not excited about reading a new-fangled Bible without chapters and verses. But within a couple of weeks, reports filtered back to our staff—life-long Bible readers “surprised” and “wowed” by their reading. 95% of the congregation participated in Immerse, including many who had no history with the Bible. At the end the reluctant veterans confessed, “We were wrong.”

How has this front row seat to two pretty remarkable experiences impacted you?

In my heart of hearts, I’ve come to believe the church is poised for a new Reformation. I think of the emergence of jazz music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Musical styles hadn’t changed much for hundreds of years. Then jazz came along with more freedom, the band working together to create harmonies, without a single conductor. Immerse in its unadulterated form allows the story to flow more freely from the text. When the church comes together to read, there’s a partnership between the pulpit and the pew. Theology isn’t just academic work. Immerse is really giving the Bible back to the people.

What are the challenges once a church finishes an eight-week Immerse experience?

At Springs Community we have work to do to keep people from falling back into their old Bible reading habits. I suspect that’s true of other churches as well. So between our Immerse campaigns, I’ve piloted a Sunday morning group that follows the Immerse DNA. We read larger sections, ask open-ended questions, and always seek to understand context.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

In my mind I can imagine what might happen if this way of reading catches on. Think of what might happen in a city if churches came together to read this way. I don’t think a new Reformation is hyperbole.

Learn more about the Institute for Bible Reading.

Easter is a very special time of year where loved ones gather together to celebrate the risen Christ. This Easter, draw your daughter into the precious Word of God with a journaling Bible that includes over 400 line-art illustrations to color plus extra space in the lightly ruled wide margins for creative journaling. Inspire is currently available in two editions, the Inspire Bible and Inspire PRAISE Bible. An exciting new addition to the line, Inspire Bible for Girls, releases this August with devotionals and journaling prompts written just for girls ages 8 and up by author Carolyn Larsen.

We encourage you to take a moment to read through the Scripture below from Luke 24 and listen for a word from God as you read.

What stands out to you in this passage? What did you learn about God? How might God want you to respond to what you’ve read?

The Resurrection

But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Then they remembered that he had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

The Walk to Emmaus

That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

“What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Is God prompting you to invite anyone to church with you this Easter to hear the Good News?

Inspire Bible Contest Giveaway

We would love to hear your answer to any of the questions above. You’ll have a chance to win an Inspire Bible of your choice, including the soon-to-release Inspire Bible for Girls. See below for ways to enter.

Ten people will win an Inspire Bible of their choice, and one Grand Prize winner will receive two Inspire Bibles of their choice plus a $150 Amazon gift card to spend on Bible journaling goodies to fill an Easter basket. To check out the Inspire Bible line, please visit: https://www.tyndale.com/l/inspire-bible

Easter Journaling Bible Giveaway

Along with our friends at the Institute for Bible Reading we are so excited that the final volume of Immerse: The Reading Bible has been published. Here is a blog post from Alex from the Institute for Bible Reading on completing the project.

Immerse: The Reading Bible is Finished

by Alex Goodwin

This week our team is celebrating the completion of Immerse: The Reading Bible, a project we’ve been working on with our partners at Tyndale House Publishers for the past eighteen months. Immerse: Prophets arrived from the printer in late February and rounded out the six-volume set, which represents our best work yet in the “reader’s edition” Bible category.

Immerse: The Reading Bible contains several new innovations compared to our previous work with reader’s Bibles:

• We used scientific research on the length of the reading line, number of characters, margin size, and font size to find the optimal balance for the most comfortable reading experience.
• A fresh book order in the prophets, the order of Paul’s letters, and the order of the four gospel groups in the New Testament
• Custom watercolor cover artwork commissioned specifically for Immerse
• Brand new sections in the back of each volume explaining how each type of biblical literature works, and how the smaller stories of the Bible work together to create the grand narrative

The first two volumes, Messiah and Beginnings, have already found significant traction within churches across North America as part of the Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience church campaign.

Read more . . .

We know it’s only March, but we are so excited about the new release of Inspire for Girls coming August 2018.

Here’s a sneak peak:

Inspire Bible for Girls is a very special edition of the bestselling Inspire Bible that is jam-packed with features written just for girls by author Carolyn Larsen about key truths from the Bible and how to shine for Jesus as they learn to walk more closely with God. It’s a Bible girls are sure to treasure forever!

EXTRA-SPECIAL FEATURES

Beautiful two-color interior

500+ line-art illustrations to color—including over 75 all-new designs!

300+ devotional readings & prayers written just for girls

160+ journaling prompts paired with devotionals

64 key Scripture verse pages for coloring and memorization

64 fun facts lists highlight interesting facts for each book of the Bible