Daily Devotion – Great Plains Episcopal Area – Saturday, 28
December 2013
Pastor Patrick McLaughlin of Manhattan First UMC of the Flint
Hills District of the Kansas East Conference
Pastor Gordon McClure of Wichita Asbury UMC of the Wichita West
District of the Kansas West Conference
Pastor James Johnson of Omaha Maplewood UMC of the Missouri
River District of the Nebraska Conference
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This Week's Lectionary
4th Sunday of Advent – Purple or Blue
Isaiah 7: Isaiah Gives Ahaz the Sign of Immanuel
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask a sign of the
Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12 But Ahaz said, I
will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 13 Then Isaiah[a] said:
“Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that
you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Look, the young woman[b] is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him
Immanuel.[c] 15 He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse
the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how to refuse the
evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will
be deserted.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 7:13 Heb he
b. Isaiah 7:14 Gk the virgin
c. Isaiah 7:14 That is God is with us
Psalm 80: Prayer for Israel’s Restoration
To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph
like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before Ephraim and
Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be
angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears
to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn[a] of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh
among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 80:6 Syr: Heb strife
17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made
strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we
will call on your name.
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.
Romans 1: Salutation
1 Paul, a servant[a] of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his
prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was
descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God
with power according to the spirit[b] of holiness by resurrection from the
dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and
apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for
the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus
Christ,
7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 1:1 Gk slave
b. Romans 1:4 Or Spirit
Matthew 1: The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah[a] took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together,
she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph,
being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned
to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not
be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had
been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name
him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep,
he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but
had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son;[b] and he named
him Jesus.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 1:18 Or Jesus Christ
b. Matthew 1:25 Other ancient authorities read her firstborn son
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Today's Devotional:
Luke 24: The Walk to Emmaus
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village
called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each
other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and
discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were
kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing
with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.[b] 18
Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only
stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there
in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things
about Jesus of Nazareth,[c] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before
God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him
over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he
was the one to redeem Israel.[d] Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third
day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group
astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did
not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a
vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us
went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see
him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that
the Messiah[e] should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the
things about himself in all the scriptures.
28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he
walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying,
“Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So
he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took
bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were
opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said
to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[f] while he was talking
to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”
Footnotes:
a. Luke 24:13 Gk sixty stadia; other ancient authorities read a
hundred sixty stadia
b. Luke 24:17 Other ancient authorities read walk along, looking
sad?”
c. Luke 24:19 Other ancient authorities read Jesus the Nazorean
d. Luke 24:21 Or to set Israel free
e. Luke 24:26 Or the Christ
f. Luke 24:32 Other ancient authorities lack within us
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Great Churches. Great Leaders. Great Disciples. Transformed
World.
Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
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