Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “God of Miracles” for Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “God of Miracles” for Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Today’s Reflection:

MERE WEEKS after the greatest failure of his life, a transformed Simon Peter assumes the stage in the middle of a bewildered Jerusalem crowd. Moments before, a man crippled from birth had leapt to his feet at a mere word from Peter: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6, NIV). A few simple words, and a beggar turns dancer. No wonder the crowd responds with amazement bordering on reverence toward Peter.

Peter wastes no time in setting the record straight He knows the healing had nothing to do with human words or abilities and everything to do with a crucified and resurrected Savior. Peter too had been crippled—with fear, pride, and ignorance, three flaws that led to three denials when Jesus needed him most.

But God is a God of miracles, for beggars crippled from birth and for prideful disciples. Peter’s Savior, raised from the grave, offered Peter forgiveness, restoration, and a second chance either to deny or proclaim the good news. In that moment, Peter’s prior failure becomes a platform for triumph as he testifies boldly to the truth of the one true healer—Jesus Christ.

--Disciplines 2012

From the reading for April 16 by Michele Cushatt, page 119 in The Upper Room Disciplines 2012: A Book of Daily Devotions. Copyright © 2011 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question:

Think of a time when you or someone you know has been transformed by Christ.

Today’s Scripture:

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.--Psalm: 116:1-2, NRSV

This Week: pray for those learning to pray.

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Saints, Inc.:

This week we remember: 

Catherine of Siena (April 29).

St. Catherine of Siena was born in 1347 to a family that already had 23 children. Early on, she identified herself as an activist, even cutting off her hair to show her parents that she vehemently refused to marry. She developed a habit of self-imposed solitude, only emerging for mass. When she was eighteen she joined a group of women called the Mantellate, who served the poor and sick in the community. Two years later she had a mystical experience that caused her to devote her life solely to God.

Catherine became widely sought after for her theological viewpoints and ability to interpret the Bible, and even the Pope asked for her counsel. Her thoughts survive in her work Dialogue, in which she sets up a theological debate with God. In it she develops love and truth as the only ways to strive for the perfection of God. Catherine always labored first out of love for God, and died after years of fasting and penance when she was only thirty-three.

If St. Catherine had taken the Spiritual Types Test, she would probably have been a lover. Read some of Catherine's writings in A Life of Total Prayer: Selected Writings of Catherine of Siena.

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Acts 2: 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

Psalm 116:1 I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice,

    and my cries for mercy.

2 Because he has turned his ear to me,

    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death surrounded me,

    the pains of Sheol[a] got a hold of me.

    I found trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on Yahweh’s name:

    “Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 116:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

12 What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?

13     I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.

14 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,

    yes, in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in Yahweh’s sight is the death of his saints.

16 Yahweh, truly I am your servant.

    I am your servant, the son of your servant.

    You have freed me from my chains.

17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

    and will call on Yahweh’s name.

18 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,

    yes, in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of Yahweh’s house,

    in the middle of you, Jerusalem.

Praise Yah!

1 Peter 1:17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; 20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

Luke 24:13 Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. 15 While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”

18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things which have happened there in these days?”

19 He said to them, “What things?”

They said to him, “The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”

25 He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 They came near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.

29 They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”

He went in to stay with them. 30 When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. 31 Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

Footnotes:

a. Luke 24:13 60 stadia = about 11 kilometers or about 7 miles.

John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for

Acts 2:14, 36-41

Verse 14

[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

Then Peter standing up — All the gestures, all the words of Peter, show the utmost sobriety; lifted up his voice - With cheerfulness and boldness; and said to them - This discourse has three parts; each of which, Acts 2:14,22,29, begins with the same appellation, men: only to the last part he prefixes with more familiarity the additional word brethren.

Men of Judea — That is, ye that are born in Judea. St. Peter spoke in Hebrew, which they all understood.

Verse 36

[36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Lord — Jesus, after his exaltation, is constantly meant by this word in the New Testament, unless sometimes where it occurs, in a text quoted from the Old Testament.

Verse 37

[37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

They said to the apostles, Brethren — They did not style them so before.

Verse 38

[38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Repent — And hereby return to God: be baptized - Believing in the name of Jesus - And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost - See the three-one God clearly proved. See Acts 26:20. The gift of the Holy Ghost does not mean in this place the power of speaking with tongues. For the promise of this was not given to all that were afar off, in distant ages and nations. But rather the constant fruits of faith, even righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Whomsoever the Lord our God shall call — (Whether they are Jews or Gentiles) by his word and by his Spirit: and who are not disobedient to the heavenly calling. But it is observable St. Peter did not yet understand the very words he spoke.

Verse 40

[40] And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort — In such an accepted time we should add line upon line, and not leave off, till the thing is done.

Save yourselves from this perverse generation — Many of whom were probably mocking still.

Verse 41

[41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And there were added — To the hundred and twenty.

Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19

Verse 3

[3] The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

The sorrows — Dangerous and deadly calamities.

Pains — Such agonies and horrors, as dying persons use to feel.

1 Peter 1:17-23

Verse 17

[17] And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Who judgeth according to every man's work — According to the tenor of his life and conversation.

Pass the time of your sojourning — Your short abode on earth. In humble, loving fear - The proper companion and guard of hope.

Verse 18

[18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

Your vain conversation — Your foolish, sinful way of life.

Verse 19

[19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Without blemish — In himself.

Without spot — From the world.

Verse 21

[21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Who through him believe — For all our faith and hope proceed from the power of his resurrection. In God that raised Jesus, and gave him glory - At his ascension. Without Christ we should only dread God; whereas through him we believe, hope, and love.

Luke 24:13-35

Verse 13

[13] And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

Mark 16:12.

Verse 21

[21] But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

To-day is the third day — The day he should have risen again, if at all.

Verse 25

[25] Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

O foolish — Not understanding the designs and works of God: And slow of heart - Unready to believe what the prophets have so largely spoken.

Verse 26

[26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Ought not Christ — If he would redeem man, and fulfil the prophecies concerning him, to have suffered these things? - These very sufferings which occasion your doubts, are the proofs of his being the Messiah.

And to enter into his glory — Which could be done no other way.

Verse 28

[28] And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

He made as though he would go farther — Walking forward, as if he was going on; and he would have done it, had they not pressed him to stay.

Verse 29

[29] But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

They constrained him — By their importunate entreaties.

Verse 30

[30] And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

He took the bread, and blessed, and brake — Just in the same manner as when ho instituted his last supper.

Verse 31

[31] And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Their eyes were opened — That is, the supernatural cloud was removed: And he vanished - Went away insensibly.

Verse 32

[32] And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Did not our heart burn within us — Did not we feel an unusual warmth of love! Was not our heart burning, etc.

Verse 33

[33] And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

The same hour — Late as it was.

Verse 34

[34] Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

The Lord hath appeared to Simon — Before he was seen of the twelve apostles, 1 Corinthians 15:5. He had, in his wonderful condescension and grace, taken an opportunity on the former part of that day (though where, or in what manner, is not recorded) to show himself to Peter, that he might early relieve his distresses and fears, on account of having so shamefully denied his Master.

Verse 35

[35] And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

In the breaking of bread — The Lord's Supper.

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