We want to provide Bible studies for churches, home groups, youth classes and individual study that serve as a companion to Acappella's latest CD, Radiance.
Lesson One “To Whom Shall We Go?”:
Opting Out of Limits
:
TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?
Words & Music by Keith Lancaster
©2005 Anthony K. Music ASCAP
To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life
Which way shall we go? You are the Way to eternal life
We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God
You are the Way
You are the Truth
You are the Life
We trust in You
Scripture Source: John 6:68-69
Scripture is a multi-layered treasure mine of insight and information. To enter and gain access to that mine, we’ll look at the passage on which today’s song is based.
Level One: The Context
“Limits Versus Words of Eternal Life”
Context means the events and details that surround the specific passage we’re studying. Our context today is the 6th chapter of John. Throughout the lesson, one point will become evident. It is this: When people set or operate on limits, those limits have a source – a mind that is overly-dependent upon its own material environment. Read aloud John chapter 6. As you read, notice the emphasis that people put on the elements of their physical environment; or what they thought was “possible” or “reasonable.” In their thinking, they set limits, using their own experience, of what couldn’t – or shouldn’t happen.
Where did those limits come from? Out of their own experience. Because they’d seen situations in the past that were only “solveable” by natural or “typical” means, they assumed that those were the only ways such situations could be handled. Here’s how we know where those mental limits were for the people in John 6. Scripture says that “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew12:34.) So, let’s look -- What did people say about what they thought was “possible” in each of the following situations:
• How to feed thousands of people with little food
• How a human can walk on water
• How someone could get across a lake to the other side
• How can a person be “true bread”
• How is it possible to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus
Now that you’ve noted what they said, what does that reveal about their thinking about the power of those “limits” they talked about? Contrast Jesus’ actions and words in John 6 to the built-in limits of thinking that His listeners demonstrated. What do verses 60-66 tell you about what happens when someone reaches the limits of what they’re willing to think or to do? In verses 67-68, how does Peter show that he believes that Jesus’ words go beyond those limits that had caused others to leave?
Consider this statement: “His words can help us ‘go beyond’ the mental and physical limits we set.” Would you choose another phrase instead of “go beyond”? Be honest – do you have “limits” on what you think God can or will do, based on your own experience? Look at each of the bullet point events above. Do you know of any modern-day situations that are similar? Where do you put “limits” on these situations?
Level Two: Digging Deeper
The Two Advantages of Words of Eternal Life
For the rest of the study of To Whom Shall We Go? Click here.
Special thanks to Mike Strawn and Latayne Scott for writing these studies for us.
For deeper study, go to Representational Resources.
