The Aroma of Christ - Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus - Chapter 1

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ (the Anointed One) among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life." 2 Corinthian 2:14-16

Woman of Grace:

Are you the Aroma of Christ? As Jesus' followers, we spread the Aroma of Christ everywhere we go!

In Chapter 1 of "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus", the authors discuss the importance and the significance of Mary's action of anointing Jesus' feet with perfume. While the average response would be that she was showing love to Jesus by washing his feet in expensive perfume, the authors (Spangler & Tverberg) reveals through the understanding of the Jewish Culture that God was really preparing His son for his place in the royal lineage of the Israelites. In the Middle East, the majesty of a king was not only expressed by his wardrobe and jewelry, but also by his "aroma". God used Mary's willingness to serve Christ to deliver a powerful message to those who came in contact with him that they were in the presence of a King, even days later! The authors set the scene by discussing how amazing our God is when he allowed Judas and the guards to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and how they must have sniffed the air and wondered who was before them! What a Mighty God we serve!

Assignment: Read Luke 10:38-42 (Mary makes Jesus her priority) and 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (Paul discusses the Aroma of Christ).

Meditation: Are you the Aroma of Christ? Do you spread His Aroma everywhere you go? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this to you and show you how you can.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for your Son, who entered this world and bore my sins so that I may have eternal life and the ability to take my place in your family as your daughter. I praise You for Your Goodness and Mercy, no one or nothing can ever separate me from your love (Romans 8:38-39). I pray that you give me the grace and wisdom to spread the Aroma of Christ everywhere I go. In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!

-Stacey
Woman of Grace Member
Community Bible Church

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus - Introduction

Women of Grace:

As we explore the book, "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus", there are goals we identified as a group that we want to accomplish:

• Understanding what the Jewish Culture was like in the 1st Century when Jesus taught
• Deepening our knowledge of the bible through the Hebrew language and customs
• Discovering the "real" role women played during this time and their contribution to Christianity
• Getting a rare look at what it was like to be a disciple of Jesus
• Expanding our focus from "me" to "we" using love as the foundation for our actions
• Growing in our spiritual relationship with Christ through this study

Margaret Echols, Women of Grace Facilitator

 Sets the Tone for Chapter 1:

This week we plan to complete Chapter 1: Joining Mary at the Feet of Jesus. During your study, take the following approach for a fuller learning experience:

• Ask God to give you revelation as you read and study this book
• Highlight in the book or make notes about topics that make an impression on you
• Cross reference in your bible the scriptures outlined in the chapter as you move through the book 
• Use ancillary aids such as an amplified bible or commentary to give more context and information
• Meditate on any scripture references of interest and capture any observations
• Journal after each session for what you uncovered, noting any special thoughts or feelings

Come next week prepared to share your experience. For those who would like to share their journals on this blog, send an email to cbcwomensgroup@gmail.com, with your name, contact number, blog title, and the complete text of the article you want posted.

It is our prayer that this group exponentially benefits from this exciting study, and the Lord uses each of us as a vehicle to continually spread the Good News far beyond what any of us can think, ask, or imagine.

Have a Blessed Week!

-Stacey

Women of Grace Member

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus - New Bible Study Starting 9/8

Women of Grace:

One of the desires the Holy Spirit has given this group is to know Jesus more and one of the ways we will accomplish this is by studying the Jewish Culture so that our bible study is a more richer experience. The group has selected the book Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith, written by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg.

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus is a rare look at what it must have been like to be a disciple following Jesus. Not only does this book explore the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the Jews, the very first chapter titled "Joining Mary at the Feet of Jesus" delves into the role of women in the synagogue. The writing style is one that gives you a front row seat of what it must have been like to be a disciple following Jesus when he walked this earth, exploring his lifestyle and teachings as he fulfilled his Father's will for his life. There are many scripture references to use in your personal study, and one of the great features of this book are practical exercises at the end of each chapter to help you gain practical understanding of what you read. The authors have also provided an appendices that covers the prayers Jesus prayed, various feasts and customs, recommended resources, and a glossary of terms.

Over the next several months, we will incorporate the study of this book into a curriculum that will give  you a richer experience for learning, understanding, and ultimately applying in your life to help you become the victorious Christian.

The curriculum will include:

• Two Chapters of study per month, allowing everyone time to incorporate it into busy schedules:
• First Session: Chapter discussions from reading
• Second Session: Chapter assignment and user experience from individual study and journaling
• Individual journaling per chapter that can be shared via our online ministry (Blog, FaceBook)
• Guest Speaker who is a subject matter expert on the Jewish Culture - TBD
• Field Trip to a synagogue to experience a ceremony applying what we learned through study and to explore other questions and topics - TBD

This interesting study will culminate near Easter 2014 (April 20), giving you a deeper understanding and reason to celebrate and be grateful for the rich traditions that have been preserved and shared from generation to generation.

You can purchase the book at any bookstore but here is the link to Amazon for book and author info:

Join us for this exciting study! Email us at cbcwomensgroup@gmail.com if you have questions.

Stay Strong in Christ!

Stacey

Women of Grace Member