The Upper Room Daily Reflections
– Saturday, 15 February 2014 “The Lord Is Our Shepherd”
Today’s
Reflection:
IF THE LORD is indeed our shepherd, then everything goes
topsy-turvy. Losing becomes finding and crying becomes laughing. The last
become first and the weak become strong. Instead of life being done in by death
in the end as we always supposed, death is done in finally by life in the end.
If the Lord is our host at the great feast, then the sky is the limit.--Frederick
Buechner-Hope: It’s More Than Wishful Thinking
From page 74 of Hope: It’s More Than Wishful Thinking Copyright
© 2010 by Fresh Air Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Fresh Air
Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
What has changed for you as a result of being a Christian?
Today’s Scripture:
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You
shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say
to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to
judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the
council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.”--Matthew
5:21-22, NRSV
This Week: pray for those who are hungry.
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Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember:
Valentine (February 14).
There are at least fifty Christian martyrs named Valentinus
(Valentine). The most likely candidate for the original saint was a priest
named Valentine who helped other Christians who were being persecuted by
Claudius II in third century Rome. Some say this Valentine was arrested because
he refused to follow a royal decree not to perform weddings for soldiers.
Whatever the actual reason Valentine was arrested, while he was imprisoned, he
performed a miracle to restore sight to the jailer's daughter. The jailer
converted to Christianity. Nevertheless, Valentine was beaten, and beheaded on
February 14, 269 A.D. Legend has it that before his execution, Valentine wrote
a note for the jailer's daughter signed, "from your Valentine." This
note may have contributed to our current Valentine's Day customs.
Around 270, Pope Julius I built a Roman church in this
Valentine's memory.
Valentine is the patron saint of lovers.
If Valentine had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably
would have been a Lover. Valentine is remembered on February 14.
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Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Deuteronomy 30: 15 See, I have set before you today life and
prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord
your God[a] that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God,
walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances,
then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you
in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away
and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve
them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long
in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call
heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life
and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants
may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him;
for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land
that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob.
Footnotes:
a. Deuteronomy 30:16 Gk: Heb lacks If you obey the commandments
of the Lord your God
Sirach 15: 15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments,
and to act faithfully
is a matter of your own choice.
16 He has placed before you fire and water;
stretch out your hand
for whichever you choose.
17 Before each person are life and death,
and whichever one
chooses will be given.
18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power
and sees everything;
19 his eyes are on those who fear him,
and he knows every
human action.
20 He has not commanded anyone to be wicked,
and he has not given
anyone permission to sin.
Psalm 119: The Glories of
God’s Law
1 Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of
the Lord.
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with
their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your
statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed
on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your
righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake
me.
1 Corinthians 3: On
Divisions in the Corinthian Church
1 And so, brothers and sisters,[a] I could not speak to you as
spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I
fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even
now you are still not ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For as long as
there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and
behaving according to human inclinations? 4 For when one says, “I belong to
Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you
came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the growth. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters
is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 The one who plants and the
one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to
the labor of each. 9 For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s
field, God’s building.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 3:1 Gk brothers
Matthew 5: Concerning
Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times,
‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22
But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,[a] you will be
liable to judgment; and if you insult[b] a brother or sister,[c] you will be
liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the
hell[d] of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you
remember that your brother or sister[e] has something against you, 24 leave
your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or
sister,[f] and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with
your accuser while you are on the way to court[g] with him, or your accuser may
hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown
into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid
the last penny.
Concerning Adultery
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 lust has
already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes
you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of
your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.[h] 30 And if your
right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for
you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.[i]
Concerning Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give
her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his
wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and
whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Concerning Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient
times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to
the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it
is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by
Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your
head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be ‘Yes,
Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.[j]
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 5:22 Gk a brother; other ancient authorities add
without cause
b. Matthew 5:22 Gk say Raca to (an obscure term of abuse)
c. Matthew 5:22 Gk a brother
d. Matthew 5:22 Gk Gehenna
e. Matthew 5:23 Gk your brother
f. Matthew 5:24 Gk your brother
g. Matthew 5:25 Gk lacks to court
h. Matthew 5:29 Gk Gehenna
i. Matthew 5:30 Gk Gehenna
j. Matthew 5:37 Or evil
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John Wesley’s Notes/Commentary for
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Verse 19. Chuse life - They shall have life that chuse it: they
that chuse the favour of God, and communion with him, shall have what they
chuse. They that come short of life and happiness, must thank themselves only.
They had had them, if they had chosen them, when they were put to their choice:
but they die, because they will die.
Verse 20. That thou mayest love the Lord thy God - Here he shews
them in short, what their duty is; To love God as the Lord, a being most
amiable, and as their God, a God in covenant with them: as an evidence of their
love, to obey his voice in every thing, and by constancy in this love and
obedience, to cleave to him all their days. And what encouragement had they to
do this? For he is thy life and the length of thy days - He gives life,
preserves life, restores life, and prolongs it, by his power, tho' it be a
frail life, and by his presence, tho' it be a forfeited life. He sweetens life
by his comforts, and compleats all in life everlasting.
Psalm 119:1-8
PS 119 Because this psalm was very large, and the matter of it
of the greatest importance, the psalmist thought fit to divide it into two and
twenty several parts, according to the number of the Hebrew letters, that he
might both prevent tediousness, and fix it in the memory. Each part consists of
eight verses. All the verses of the first part beginning with Aleph, all the
verses of the second with Beth, and so on. It is observable, that the word of
God is here called by the names of law, statutes, precepts or commandments,
judgments, ordinances, righteousness, testimonies, way and word. By which
variety, he designed to express the nature and perfection of God's word. It is
called his word, as revealed by him to us; his way, as prescribed by him for us
to walk in; his law, as binding us to obedience; his statutes, as declaring his
authority of giving us laws; his precepts as directing our duty; his
ordinances, as ordained by him; his righteousness, as exactly agreeable to
God's righteous nature and will; his judgments, as proceeding from the great
judge of the world, and being his judicial sentence to which all men must
submit; and his testimonies, as it contains the witness of God's will, and of
man's duty. And there is but one of these one hundred and seventy six verses,
in which one or other of these titles is not found. The general scope and
design of this psalm is, to magnify the law and make it honourable: to shew the
excellency and usefulness of divine Revelation, and recommend it to us, by the
psalmist's own example, who speaks by experience of the benefits of it, for
which he praises God, and earnestly prays for the continuance of God's grace,
to direct and quicken him in his way.
Verse 6. Respect - A due respect, which implies hearty
affection, diligent study, and constant practice. To all - So as not to allow
myself in any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty.
Verse 7. When - When by thy good spirit I shall he more fitly
instructed in the meaning of thy word.
Verse 8. Forsake me not - For then I shall fall into the foulest
sins.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Verse 1. And I, brethren - He spoke before, ver. 1, of his
entrance, now of his progress, among them. Could not speak to you as unto
spiritual - Adult, experienced Christians. But as unto men who were still in
great measure carnal, as unto babes in Christ - Still weak in grace, though
eminent in gifts, chap. i, 5.
Verse 2. I fed you, as babes, with milk - The first and plainest
truths of the gospel. So should every preacher suit his doctrine to his
hearers.
Verse 3. For while there is among you emulation in your hearts,
strife in your words, and actual divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk
according to men - As mere men; not as Christians, according to God.
Verse 4. I am of Apollos - St. Paul named himself and Apollos,
to show that he would condemn any division among them, even though it were in
favour of himself, or the dearest friend he had in the world. Are ye not carnal
- For the Spirit of God allows no party zeal.
Verse 5. Ministers - Or servants. By whom ye believed, as the
Lord, the Master of those servants, gave to every man.
Verse 7. God that giveth the increase - Is all in all: without
him neither planting nor watering avails.
Verse 8. But he that planteth and he that watereth are one -
Which is another argument against division. Though their labours are different.
they are all employed in one general work, - the saving souls. Hence he takes
occasion to speak of the reward of them that labour faithfully, and the awful
account to be given by all. Every man shall receive his own peculiar reward
according to his own peculiar labour - Not according to his success; but he who
labours much, though with small success, shall have a great reward. Has not all
this reasoning the same force still? The ministers are still surely instruments
in God's hand, and depend as entirely as ever on his blessing, to give the
increase to their labours. Without this, they are nothing: with it, their part
is so small, that they hardly deserve to be mentioned. May their hearts and
hands be more united; and, retaining a due sense of the honour God doeth them
in employing them, may they faithfully labour, not as for themselves, but for
the great Proprietor of all, till the day come when he will reward them in full
proportion to their fidelity and diligence!
Verse 9. For we are all fellowlabourers - God's labourers, and
fellowlabourers with each other. Ye are God's husbandry - This is the sum of
what went before: it is a comprehensive word, taking in both a field, a garden,
and a vineyard. Ye are God's building - This is the sum of what follows.
Matthew 5:21-37
Verse 21. Ye have heard - From the scribes reciting the law;
Thou shalt do no murder - And they interpreted this, as all the other
commandments, barely of the outward act. The judgement - The Jews had in every
city a court of twenty-three men, who could sentence a criminal to be
strangled. But the sanhedrim only (the great council which sat at Jerusalem,
consisting of seventy-two men, ) could sentence to the more terrible death of
stoning. That was called the judgment, this the council. Exod. xx, 13.
Verse 22. But I say unto you - Which of the prophets ever spake
thus? Their language is, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this
language, but the one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Whosoever
is angry with his brother - Some copies add, without a cause - But this is
utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lord's discourse. If he had
only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of
that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees
themselves said as much as this. Even they taught, men ought not to be angry
without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ
teaches, that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man
Raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the
sinner, but at his sins only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary
distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, practiced! Raca means, a silly
man, a trifler. Whosoever shall say, Thou fool - Shall revile, or seriously
reproach any man. Our Lord specified three degrees of murder, each liable to a
sorer punishment than the other: not indeed from men, but from God. Hell fire -
In the valley of Hinnom (whence the word in the original is taken) the children
were used to be burnt alive to Moloch. It was afterward made a receptacle for
the filth of the city, where continual fires were kept to consume it. And it is
probable, if any criminals were burnt alive, it was in this accursed and
horrible place. Therefore both as to its former and latter state, it was a fit
emblem of hell. It must here signify a degree of future punishment, as much
more dreadful than those incurred in the two former cases, as burning alive is
more dreadful than either strangling or stoning.
Verse 23. Thy brother hath aught against thee - On any of the
preceding accounts: for any unkind thought or word: any that did not spring
from love.
Verse 24. Leaving thy gift, go - For neither thy gift nor thy
prayer will atone for thy want of love: but this will make them both an
abomination before God.
Verse 25. Agree with thine adversary - With any against whom
thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot;
before you part. Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge - Lest he commit
his cause to God. Luke xii, 58.
Verse 26. Till thou hast paid the last farthing - That is, for
ever, since thou canst never do this. What has been hitherto said refers to
meekness: what follows, to purity of heart.
Verse 27. Thou shalt not commit adultery - And this, as well as
the sixth commandment, the scribes and Pharisees interpreted barely of the
outward act. Exod. xx, 14.
29, 30. If a person as dear as a right eye, or as useful as a
right hand, cause thee thus to offend, though but in heart. Perhaps here may be
an instance of a kind of transposition which is frequently found in the sacred
writings: so that the 29th verse may refer to 27, 28; and the 30th to ver. 21,
22. As if he had said, Part with any thing, however dear to you, or otherwise
useful, if you cannot avoid sin while you keep it. Even cut off your right
hand, if you are of so passionate a temper, that you cannot otherwise be
restrained from hurting your brother. Pull out your eyes, if you can no
otherwise be restrained from lusting after women. Chap. xviii, 8; Mark ix, 43.
Verse 31. Let him give her a writing of divorce - Which the
scribes and Pharisees allowed men to do on any trifling occasion. Deut. xxiv,
1; Matt. xix, 7; Mark x, 2; Luke xvi, 18.
Verse 32. Causeth her to commit adultery - If she marry again.
Verse 33. Our Lord here refers to the promise made to the pure
in heart of seeing God in all things, and points out a false doctrine of the
scribes, which arose from their not thus seeing God. What he forbids is, the
swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of
which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent. Exod. xx, 7.
Verse 36. For thou canst not make one hair white or black -
Whereby it appears, that this also is not thine but God's.
Verse 37. Let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay - That is,
in your common discourse, barely affirm or deny.
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