This week’s readings: 2 Corinthians 8–13
Don’t forget to record your impressions and read the ideas outlined in the Come, Follow Me manuals on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
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Scripture Insight
This scriptural insight comes from Verse by Verse: Volume 2 by Andrew C. Skinner and D. Kelly Ogden.
Beating with rods was a Roman punishment. Paul could have claimed Roman citizenship and escaped the scourging but that would have meant excommunication and being cut off from the synagogues—and that is his missionary approach. He willingly submitted to the shameful punishment in order to continue teaching his own people.
Study Ideas
These ideas and topics are compiled from Come, Follow Me and have been adapted for specific situations. Check out the manuals online for more ideas, or come up with your own as you study!
For couples:
There is an invitation from Paul to examine your life and decide what can be eliminated to focus more on Christ. Whether you have children who are involved in a lot of extracurricular activities or it’s the two of you filling the calendar, perhaps you can counsel together about an activity or obligation in your life that you have the ability to eliminate or simplify to give you a greater ability to focus on the Savior. For instance, if making school lunches every night interferes with your family’s ability to do scripture study, perhaps you can make lunches for the week on Saturdays, or if you enjoy watching a favorite shared television series every night, perhaps you can limit your viewing to only one episode to allow you more time to study together. Choose something that works for you and apply it this week!
For singles:
Paul talks about a “thorn in the flesh” in this week’s readings. Perhaps as you study this week, you can make your own list of challenges and temptations. Then, as you read Paul’s teachings on weakness, you might make a second list of weaknesses that lead to these challenges you face. Then you can focus this week on asking for and recognizing God’s help in turning this weakness into a strength. For more on this topic, you could also read this excerpt from Weakness Is Not Sin by Wendy Ulrich.
For families with young children:
One of the big topics in the first two chapters of this week’s readings is about cheerfully giving to the needy. As you read these chapters as a family, perhaps you can put the scriptures into action by planning a small family service project (perhaps one where you can smile and interact with others, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen or visiting an ailing neighbor, etc.). You can use justserve.org to find a project in your neighborhood, then plan and carry out the activity as a family and talk about how your service relates to the scriptures you read.
For families with teens:
The Come, Follow Me manual points out that the Corinthian Saints were falling prey to false teachings. Perhaps you can focus your family’s study on this topic this week. You might ask your teenagers to list places that the get their knowledge from (friends, social media, etc.). Then you might list places where we can go to receive truth, particularly spiritual truth, such as general conference or the scriptures. If it is applicable and helpful to your family, you might even consider talking about how to identify if information you hear about the gospel is truth or a false teaching. This video series from Anthony Sweat on how to seek revelation and answer difficult gospel questions might be a good tool to help you discuss this.
Stay in the loop on Come, Follow Me discussions and insights throughout the week by following the Brightly Beams Instagram account, or check out this week's related Come, Follow Me FHE lesson: Simplicity in Christ.