Wichita, Kansas, United
States - Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church Daily
Devotional for Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Today please be in
prayer for:
1. Blair Thompson
Frontenac UMC
Parsons District
2. Jane Voelkel
Halstead
Hutchinson District
3. Sally Ruggia-Haden
Cheney UMC
Palmyra UMC
Blue River District
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This Week's Lectionary:
Easter Day - White or
Gold
Acts 10: 34 Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive
that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35 but in every nation he who fears him and
works righteousness is acceptable to him. 36 The word which he sent to the
children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of
all— 37 you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all
Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 even
Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power,
who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for
God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country
of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also[a] killed, hanging him on a tree.
40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed, 41 not to all
the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and
drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the
people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of
the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him, that through
his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”
Footnotes:
a. Acts 10:39 TR omits
“also”
Psalm 118:1 Give thanks
to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say
that his loving kindness endures forever.
14 Yah is my strength
and song.
He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of
rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.
“The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.
16 The right hand of
Yahweh is exalted!
The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”
17 I will not die, but
live,
and declare Yah’s works.
18 Yah has punished me
severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates
of righteousness.
I will enter into them.
I will give thanks to Yah.
20 This is the gate of
Yahweh;
the righteous will enter into it.
21 I will give thanks to
you, for you have answered me,
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the
builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23 This is Yahweh’s
doing.
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that
Yahweh has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Colossians 3:1 If then
you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where
Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that
are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 3 For you died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then
you will also be revealed with him in glory.
John 20:1 Now on the
first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to
the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. 2 Therefore she ran and
came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to
them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where
they have laid him!”
3 Therefore Peter and
the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran
together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. 5
Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the
linen cloths lying, 7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with
the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So then the other
disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9
For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10
So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
11 But Mary was standing
outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the
feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 They told her, “Woman, why are you
weeping?”
She said to them,
“Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid
him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and
didn’t know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her,
“Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
She, supposing him to be
the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where
you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus said to her,
“Mary.”
She turned and said to
him, “Rabboni!”[a] which is to say, “Teacher!”[b]
17 Jesus said to her,
“Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers,
and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your
God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene came
and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these
things to her.
Footnotes:
a. John 20:16 Rabboni is
a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “great teacher.”
b. John 20:16 or, Master
or
Matthew 28:1 Now after
the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 Behold, there was a great
earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and
rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like
lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him, the guards shook,
and became like dead men. 5 The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for
I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for he
has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying. 7
Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he
goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told
you.”
8 They departed quickly
from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. 9
As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!”
They came and took hold
of his feet, and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus said to
them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers[a] that they should go into
Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 28:10 The
word for “brothers” here may be also correctly translated “brothers and
sisters” or “siblings.”
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John Wesley’s
Commentary-Notes for:
Acts 10:34-43
Verse 34
[34] Then Peter opened
his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
I perceive of a truth —
More clearly than ever, from such a concurrence of circumstances.
That God is not a
respecter of persons — Is not partial in his love. The words mean, in a
particular sense, that he does not confine his love to one nation; in a
general, that he is loving to every man, and willeth all men should be saved.
Verse 35
[35] But in every nation
he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
But in every nation he
that feareth God and worketh righteousness — He that, first, reverences God, as
great, wise, good, the cause, end, and governor of all things; and secondly,
from this awful regard to him, not only avoids all known evil, but endeavours,
according to the best light he has, to do all things well; is accepted of him -
Through Christ, though he knows him not. The assertion is express, and admits
of no exception. He is in the favour of God, whether enjoying his written word
and ordinances or not. Nevertheless the addition of these is an unspeakable
blessing to those who were before in some measure accepted. Otherwise God would
never have sent an angel from heaven to direct Cornelius to St. Peter.
Verse 36
[36] The word which God
sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord
of all:)
This is the word which
God sent — When he sent his Son into the world, preaching - Proclaiming by
him-peace between God and man, whether Jew or Gentile, by the God-man. He is
Lord of both; yea, Lord of and over all.
Verse 37
[37] That word, I say,
ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee,
after the baptism which John preached;
Ye know the word which
was published — You know the facts in general, the meaning of which I shall now
more particularly explain and confirm to you.
The baptism which John
preached — To which he invited them by his preaching, in token of their
repentance. This began in Galilee, which is near Cesarea.
Verse 38
[38] How God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing
good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
How God anointed Jesus —
Particularly at his baptism, thereby inaugurating him to his office: with the
Holy Ghost and with power - It is worthy our remark, that frequently when the
Holy Ghost is mentioned there is added a word particularly adapted to the
present circumstance. So the deacons were to be full of the Holy Ghost and
wisdom, Acts 6:3. Barnabas was full of the Holy Ghost and faith, Acts 11:24.
The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, Acts 13:52. And
here, where his mighty works are mentioned, Christ himself is said to be
anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. For God was with him-He speaks
sparingly here of the majesty of Christ, as considering the state of his
hearers.
Verse 41
[41] Not to all the
people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and
drink with him after he rose from the dead.
Not now to all the
people — As before his death; to us who did eat and drink with him - That is,
conversed familiarly and continually with him, in the time of his ministry.
Verse 42
[42] And he commanded us
to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of
God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
It is he who is ordained
by God the Judge of the living and the dead — Of all men, whether they are
alive at his coming, or had died before it. This was declaring to them, in the
strongest terms, how entirely their happiness depended on a timely and humble
subjection to him who was to be their final Judge.
Verse 43
[43] To him give all the
prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins.
To him give all the
prophets witness — Speaking to heathens he does not quote any in particular;
that every one who believeth in him - Whether he be Jew or Gentile; receiveth
remission of sins - Though he had not before either feared God, or worked
righteousness.
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
Verse 14
[14] The LORD is my
strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Salvation — My Saviour.
Verse 15
[15] The voice of
rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand
of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Doth valiantly — These
are the words of that song of praise now mentioned.
Verse 16
[16] The right hand of
the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Exalted — Hath appeared
evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.
Verse 19
[19] Open to me the
gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Open — O ye porters,
appointed by God for this work.
The gates — Of the
Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness was kept and taught, and the
sacrifices of righteousness were offered.
Verse 20
[20] This gate of the
LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
The righteous — As David
was a type of Christ and the temple of heaven, so this place hath a farther
prospect than David, and relates to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening
the gates of that blessed temple, both for himself and for all believers.
Verse 22
[22] The stone which the
builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The builders — The
commonwealth of Israel and the church of God are here and elsewhere compared to
a building, wherein, as the people are the stones, so the princes and rulers
are the builders. And as these master-builders rejected David, so their
successors rejected Christ.
Head stone — The chief
stone in the whole building, by which the several parts of the building are
upheld and firmly united together. Thus David united all the tribes and
families of Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together. And
therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ, Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11;
Romans 9:32; Ephesians 2:20. And to him the words agree more properly than to
David.
Verse 24
[24] This is the day
which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Made — Or sanctified as
a season never to be forgotten.
Colossians 3:1-4
Verse 1
[1] If ye then be risen
with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
If ye are risen, seek
the things above — As Christ being risen, immediately went to heaven.
Verse 3
[3] For ye are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God.
For ye are dead — To the
things on earth. And your real, spiritual life is hid from the world, and laid
up in God, with Christ - Who hath merited, promised, prepared it for us, and
gives us the earnest and foretaste of it in our hearts.
Verse 4
[4] When Christ, who is
our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
When Christ — The
abruptness of the sentence surrounds us with sudden light.
Our life — The fountain
of holiness and glory.
Shall appear — In the
clouds of heaven.
John 20:1-18
Verse 3
[3] Peter therefore went
forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
Peter went out — Of the
city.
Verse 6
[6] Then cometh Simon
Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes
lie,
Peter seeth the linen
clothes lie — and the napkin folded up - The angels who ministered to him when
he rose, undoubtedly folded up the napkin and linen clothes.
Verse 8
[8] Then went in also
that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and
believed.
He saw — That the body
was not there, and believed - That they had taken it away as Mary said.
Verse 9
[9] For as yet they knew
not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
For as yet — They had no
thought of his rising again.
Verse 10
[10] Then the disciples
went away again unto their own home.
They went home — Not
seeing what they could do farther.
Verse 11
[11] But Mary stood
without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked
into the sepulchre,
But Mary stood — With
more constancy. Mark 16:9.
Verse 16
[16] Jesus saith unto
her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say,
Master.
Jesus saith to her, Mary
— With his usual voice and accent.
Verse 17
[17] Jesus saith unto
her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to
my God, and your God.
Touch me not — Or
rather, Do not cling to me (for she held him by the feet,) Matthew 28:9. Detain
me not now. You will have other opportunities of conversing with me. For I am
not ascended to my Father - I have not yet left the world. But go immediately
to my brethren - Thus does he intimate in the strongest manner the forgiveness
of their fault, even without ever mentioning it. These exquisite touches, which
every where abound in the evangelical writings, show how perfectly Christ knew
our frame.
I ascend — He anticipates
it in his thoughts, and so speaks of it as a thing already present. To my
Father and your Father, to my God and your God - This uncommon expression shows
that the only - begotten Son has all kind of fellowship with God. And a
fellowship with God the Father, some way resembling his own, he bestows upon
his brethren. Yet he does not say, Our God: for no creature can be raised to an
equality with him: but my God and your God: intimating that the Father is his
in a singular and incommunicable manner; and ours through him, in such a kind
as a creature is capable of.
or
Matthew 28:1-10
Verse 2
[2] And, behold, there
was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and
came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
An angel of the Lord had
rolled away the stone and sat upon it — St. Luke and St. John speak of two
angels that appeared: but it seems as if only one of them had appeared sitting
on the stone without the sepulchre, and then going into it, was seen with another
angel, sitting, one where the head, the other where the feet of the body had
lain.
Verse 6
[6] He is not here: for
he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Come, see the place
where the Lord lay — Probably in speaking he rose up, and going before the
women into the sepulchre, said, Come, see the place. This clearly reconciles
what St. John relates, John 20:12, this being one of the two angels there
mentioned.
Verse 7
[7] And go quickly, and
tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before
you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
There shall ye see him —
In his solemn appearance to them all together. But their gracious Lord would
not be absent so long: he appeared to them several times before then.
Lo, I have told you — A
solemn confirmation of what he had said.
Verse 9
[9] And as they went to
tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and
held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Hail — The word in its
primary sense means, "Rejoice:" in its secondary and more usual
meaning, "Happiness attend you."
Verse 10
[10] Then said Jesus
unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and
there shall they see me.
Go tell my brethren — I
still own them as such, though they so lately disowned and forsook me.
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Today’s Scripture:
1 John 1: 5 This is the message which we have heard from him
and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If
we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and
don’t tell the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son,
cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and
his word is not in us.
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Contact Information
Great Plains Episcopal
Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
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