Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “Forgiveness Has a Face” for Monday, 21 April 2014

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “Forgiveness Has a Face” for Monday, 21 April 2014

Today’s Reflection:

“I AM with you always. Breathe my breath. Lean your full heavy heart on my strength in this dark place. Let me pray in you, for you, and through you.”

Forgiveness is a person. Forgiveness has a face. Forgiveness itself is holding me now.

--Flora Slosson Wuellner, Forgiveness, the Passionate Journey

From page 155 of Forgiveness, the Passionate Journey by Flora Slosson Wuellner. Copyright © 2001 by Flora Slosson Wuellner. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question:

As you pray your prayer of confession, imagine Christ as the face of forgiveness.

Today’s Scripture:

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).--John 20:16, NRSV

This Week: pray to discover the joy of Christ.

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Saints, Inc.:

This week we remember: 

Mark the Evangelist (April 25).

It is widely accepted that this saint, the

writer of the first gospel, is John Mark, cousin of Barnabas, and companion of Paul and Barnabas in the book of Acts (Acts 12:12 and 25). Many scholars believe that Mark was also the "young man" who followed Jesus after his arrest:

"A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked." - Mark 14:15-16, NRSV

The gospel of Mark dates to about A.D. 70. Mark's is the shortest gospel, telling Jesus' story simply and directly. It begins with John the Baptist and ends with the women visiting Jesus' empty tomb.

If St. Mark had taken the Spiritual Types Test he probably would have been a Lover. Mark's feast day is April 25.

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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.

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,

‘I saw the Lord always before my face,

    For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.

    Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;

27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,[a]

    neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

28 You made known to me the ways of life.

    You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’[b]

29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades,[c] nor did his flesh see decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

Footnotes:

a. Acts 2:27 or, Hell

b. Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11

c. Acts 2:31 or, Hell

Psalm 16: A Poem by David.

1 Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.

2 My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.

    Apart from you I have no good thing.”

3 As for the saints who are in the earth,

    they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god.

    Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,

    nor take their names on my lips.

5 Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup.

    You made my lot secure.

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.

    Yes, I have a good inheritance.

7 I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel.

    Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

8 I have set Yahweh always before me.

    Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices.

    My body shall also dwell in safety.

10 For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,[a]

    neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

11 You will show me the path of life.

    In your presence is fullness of joy.

In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 16:10 Sheol is the place of the dead.

1 Peter 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory— 9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

John 20: 19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,[a] you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”

30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Footnotes:

a. John 20:29 TR adds “Thomas,”

John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

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 23

[23] Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God — The apostle here anticipates an objection, Why did God suffer such a person to be so treated? Did he not know what wicked men intended to do? And had he not power to prevent it? Yea. He knew all that those wicked men intended to do. And he had power to blast all their designs in a moment. But he did not exert that power, because he so loved the world! Because it was the determined counsel of his love, to redeem mankind from eternal death, by the death of his only-begotten Son.

Verse 24

[24] Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Having loosed the pains of death — The word properly means, the pains of a woman in travail.

As it was not possible that he should be held under it — Because the Scripture must needs be fulfilled.

Verse 25

[25] For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

Psalms 16:8.

Verse 27

[27] Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou wilt not leave my soul in hades — The invisible world. But it does not appear, that ever our Lord went into hell. His soul, when it was separated from the body, did not go thither, but to paradise, Luke 23:43. The meaning is, Thou wilt not leave my soul in its separate state, nor suffer my body to be corrupted.

Verse 28

[28] Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life — That is, Thou hast raised me from the dead.

Thou wilt fill me with joy by thy countenance — When I ascend to thy right hand.

Verse 29

[29] Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

The patriarch — A more honourable title than king.

Verse 30

[30] Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Psalms 89:4, etc.

Verse 32

[32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

He foreseeing this, spake of the resurrection Of Christ — St. Peter argues thus: It is plain, David did not speak this of himself. Therefore he spake of Christ's rising. But how does that promise of a kingdom imply his resurrection? Because he did not receive it before he died, and because his kingdom was to endure for ever, 2 Samuel 7:13.

Psalm 16

Verse 2

[2] O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

To thee — Thou dost not need me or my service, nor art capable of any advantage from it.

Verse 3

[3] But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

But — I bear a singular respect and love to all saints, for thy sake, whose friends and servants they are, and whose image they bear. This more properly agrees to David, than to Christ, whose goodness was principally designed for, and imparted to sinners.

Verse 4

[4] Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

Sorrows — Having shewed his affection to the servants of the true God, he now declares what an abhorrency he has for those that worship idols.

Offerings — In which the Gentiles used sometimes to drink part of the blood of their sacrifices.

Names — Of those other gods mentioned before.

Verse 5

[5] The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

The Lord — I rejoice in God as my portion, and desire no better, no other felicity.

Cup — The portion which is put into my cup, as the ancient manner was in feasts, where each had his portion of meat, and of wine allotted to him.

Lot — My inheritance divided to me by lot, as the custom then was.

Verse 6

[6] The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Lines — My portion, which was measured with lines.

Are fallen — In a land flowing with milk and honey, and above all, blessed with the presence and knowledge of God.

Verse 7

[7] I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

The Lord — Hath inspired that wisdom into me, by which I have chosen the Lord for my portion, and am so fully satisfied with him.

Reins — My inward thoughts and affections, being inspired and moved by the holy spirit.

Instruct — Direct me how to please God, and put my whole trust in him.

Night — Even when others are asleep, my mind is working upon God, and improving the silence and solitude of holy meditations.

Verse 8

[8] I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

I have set — I have always presented him to my mind, as my witness and judge, as my patron and protector. Hitherto David seems to have spoken with respect to himself, but now he is transported by the spirit of prophecy, and carried above himself, to speak as a type of Christ, in whom this and the following verses were truly accomplished. Christ as man did always set his father's will and glory before him.

Right-hand — To strengthen, protect, assist, and comfort me: as this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man.

Moved — Though the archers shoot grievously at me, and both men and devils seek my destruction, and God sets himself against me as an enemy, yet I am assured he will deliver me out of all my distresses.

Verse 9

[9] Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

My glory — My tongue, which is a man's glory and privilege, above all other living creatures.

Rejoiceth — Declares my inward joy. For this word signifies not so much eternal joy, as the outward demonstrations of it.

My flesh — My body shall quietly rest in the grave.

Shall rest — in confident assurance of its incorruption there, and of its resurrection to an immortal life: the flesh or body is in itself, but a dead lump of clay; yet hope is here ascribed to it figuratively, as it is to the brute creatures, Romans 8:19.

Verse 10

[10] For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Hell — In the state of the dead.

Holy one — Me thy holy son, whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the world. It is peculiar to Christ, to be called the holy one of God.

To see — To be corrupted or putrefied in the grave, as the bodies of others are.

Verse 11

[11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Life — Thou wilt raise me from the grave, and conduct me to the place and state of everlasting felicity.

Presence — In that heavenly paradise, where thou art gloriously present, where thou dost clearly and fully discover the light of thy countenance; whereas in this life thou hidest thy face and shewest us only thy back-parts.

Right-hand — Which he mentions as a place of the greatest honour, the place where the saints are placed at the last day, and where Christ himself is said to sit, Psalms 110:1.

Pleasures — All our joys are empty and defective: But in heaven there is fulness of joy. Our pleasures here are transient and momentary; but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. For they are the pleasures of immortal souls, in the enjoyment of an eternal God.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Verse 3

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ — His Father, with respect to his divine nature; his God, with respect to his human.

Who hath regenerated us to a living hope — An hope which implies true spiritual life, which revives the heart, and makes the soul lively and vigorous.

By the resurrection of Christ — Which is not only a pledge of ours, but a part of the purchase-price. It has also a close connexion with our rising from spiritual death, that as he liveth, so shall we live with him. He was acknowledged to be the Christ, but usually called Jesus till his resurrection; then he was also called Christ.

Verse 4

[4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

To an inheritance — For if we are sons, then heirs.

Incorruptible — Not like earthly treasures.

Undefiled — Pure and holy, incapable of being itself defiled, or of being enjoyed by any polluted soul.

And that fadeth not away — That never decays in its value, sweetness, or beauty, like all the enjoyments of this world, like the garlands of leaves or flowers, with which the ancient conquerors were wont to be crowned.

Reserved in heaven for you — Who "by patient continuance in welldoing, seek for glory and honour and immortality."

Verse 5

[5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Who are kept — The inheritance is reserved; the heirs are kept for it.

By the power of God — Which worketh all in all, which guards us against all our enemies.

Through faith — Through which alone salvation is both received and retained.

Ready to be revealed — That revelation is made in the last day. It was more and more ready to be revealed, ever since Christ came.

Verse 6

[6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

Wherein — That is, in being so kept. Ye even now greatly rejoice, though now for a little while - Such is our whole life, compared to eternity.

If need be — For it is not always needful. If God sees it to be the best means for your spiritual profit.

Ye are in heaviness — Or sorrow; but not in darkness; for they still retained both faith, 1 Peter 1:5, hope, and love; yea, at this very time were rejoicing with joy unspeakable, 1 Peter 1:8.

Verse 7

[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

That the trial of your faith — That is, your faith which is tried.

Which is much more precious than gold — For gold, though it bear the fire, yet will perish with the world.

May be found — Though it doth not yet appear.

Unto praise — From God himself.

And honour — From men and angels.

And glory — Assigned by the great Judge.

Verse 8

[8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Having not seen — In the flesh.

Verse 9

[9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Receiving — Now already.

Salvation — From all sin into all holiness, which is the qualification for, the forerunner and pledge of, eternal salvation.

John 20:19-31

Verse 19

[19] Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36.

Verse 21

[21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Peace be unto you — This is the foundation of the mission of a true Gospel minister, peace in his own soul, 2 Corinthians 4:1.

As the Father hath sent me, so send I you — Christ was the apostle of the Father, Hebrews 3:1. Peter and the rest, the apostles of Christ.

Verse 22

[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

He breathed on them — New life and vigour, and saith, as ye receive this breath out of my mouth, so receive ye the Spirit out of my fulness: the Holy Ghost influencing you in a peculiar manner, to fit you for your great embassy. This was an earnest of pentecost.

Verse 23

[23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Whose soever sins ye remit — (According to the tenor of the Gospel, that is, supposing them to repent and believe) they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain (supposing them to remain impenitent) they are retained. So far is plain. But here arises a difficulty. Are not the sins of one who truly repents, and unfeignedly believes in Christ, remitted, without sacerdotal absolution? And are not the sins of one who does not repent or believe, retained even with it? What then does this commission imply? Can it imply any more than, 1. A power of declaring with authority the Christian terms of pardon; whose sins are remitted and whose retained? As in our daily form of absolution; and 2. A power of inflicting and remitting ecclesiastical censures? That is, of excluding from, and re-admitting into, a Christian congregation.

Verse 26

[26] And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

After eight days — On the next Sunday.

Verse 28

[28] And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

And Thomas said, My Lord and my God — The disciples had said, We have seen the Lord. Thomas now not only acknowledges him to be the Lord, as he had done before, and to be risen, as his fellow disciples had affirmed, but also confesses his Godhead, and that more explicitly than any other had yet done. And all this he did without putting his hand upon his side.

Verse 30

[30] And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Jesus wrought many miracles, which are not written in this book — Of St. John, nor indeed of the other evangelists.

Verse 31

[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

But these things are written that ye may believe — That ye may be confirmed in believing. Faith cometh sometimes by reading; though ordinarily by hearing.

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