The Passages Journal at Emmaus Christian Fellowship
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
The purpose of the Passages Journal is to provide the people of Emmaus with guidelines for study, memorization, and conversation centered on God's Word. We want to be people who are "complete, equipped for every good work" and we trust that the way to accomplish this is to savor Jesus as we study the Scriptures together.
Currently the Passages Journal consists of four elements:
Daily Scripture Reading » The daily scripture reading plan is meant to guide you and spur you along in your devotional reading. Think of the possibilities for conversation and exhortation within the body of Christ if everyone is indeed reading the same text every day! I challenge you to ask a brother or sister at Emmaus "What did you think of the reading today?" It will be good for the church if we are regularly having conversations about scripture.
Scripture Memory » We encourage young and old to work on scripture memory! Our hope is that families will work on scripture memory together each week. The memory verse coincides with the topic covered in the doctrinal standards mentioned below.
Gospel Community Group Study Focus » We encourage all who attend Emmaus to commit to a Gospel Community Group where the emphasis is placed on relationships, prayer, gospel witness, and the study of God's Word. All GCG's should be discussing the same scripture text each week based upon the Passages Journal. Discussion questions are posted on the website and on The City each week as a guide for GCG leaders and participants.
Doctrinal Standards » We believe that it is important for parents to teach their children the truth of God's Word and we are also convinced that this will not happen (at least not in a quality way) unless we are intentional and systematic about this. The doctrinal standards are a series of questions and answers designed to be memorized and used as conversation starters in family devotions. The questions are mainly taken from a modernized version of the Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1647 as well as the Baptist Catechism of 1693. For more information on Emmaus' use of catechism, click here.
As you can see, our aim is to be a people who are immersed in God's Word. We want for the scriptures to permeate all that we do in our individual lives, in our marriages, in our families, and within the church. Please download the Passages Journal each week (until we produce a bound version) and join us on this journey as we seek to glorify and enjoy Christ together.
FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDELINES
This Week’s Catechism – 5/19
posted on Monday, May 20th by Phil
Doctrinal Standard #66-69
- Q. What is the reason for the fifth commandment?
- A. The reason for the fifth commandment is the promise of long life and prosperity, if these glorify God and are for the good of those who obey this commandment.
- Q. What is the sixth commandment?
- A. The sixth commandment is: You shall not murder.
- Q. What does the sixth commandment require?
- A. The sixth commandment requires making every lawful effort to preserve one’s own life and the lives of others.
- Q. What does the sixth commandment forbid?
- The sixth commandment forbids taking one’s own life or the lives of others unjustly or doing anything that leads to suicide or murder.
Memory Verses
- “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:1–2, ESV).
Scripture
- Study Passage: Matthew 5:21-26
- Support Passages: James 2:1-13, 4; Exodus 21:12-14; Joshua 20:1-6; Numbers 35:29-34; John 2:13-22; Psalm 144; Matthew 5:38-48
- Bible Story: Genesis 14:1-16
Thoughts
- If we are not careful, we can read the Ten Commandments and easily dismiss some of them as commandments that we have never nor will we ever break. We must remind ourselves that all of these commands deal not only with our actions but also with our heart. Matthew chapter five records Jesus talking about this very thing. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:21–28). God is not only concerned with our actions but also with our heart. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander”(Matthew 15:19). Therefore, when we read the Ten Commandments we must be careful to not dismiss some them too quickly as if we have never or will never transgress them.
- Catechism question sixty-six (What is the reason for the fifth commandment? The reason for the fifth commandment is the promise of long life and prosperity, if these glorify God and are for the good of those who obey this commandment) is combined in this lesson because it reminds of the benefits in honoring our father and mother. The teachings of our fathers and mothers are usually those that are concerned with love for one another and the love of God. Fathers and mothers teach their children character traits and skills that will make them successful and content in this life. If more children honored their father and mother we would see a drastic change in the types of crimes committed each and every day.
Discussion Questions
- What is the sixth commandment?
- Have you every sinned against this command?
- What is Jesus perspective on this command?
- Where does murder and every other sin come from?
- If Jesus is concerned not only with our actions but with our heart, how do we deal with our heart?
- What connection is their between honoring your parents and breaking the sixth commandment?
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