Wichita, Kansas, United States - Great
Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church Daily Devotional for Friday, 23
May 2014 & Saturday, 24 May 2014
Today please be in prayer for:
1. Kibum
Kim
District Superintendent
Parsons District
2. Nancy Modin
Roxbury
Hutchinson District
3. Duane Waddle
Amelia UMC
Chambers UMC
Elkhorn Valley District
4. Joshua Gooding
Pittsburg State University
Parsons District
5. Warren Hett
South Hutchinson
Hutchinson District
6. Richard Tiggelaar
Alder Grove UMC
Craig UMC
Elkhorn Valley District
-------
This Week's Lectionary:
5th Sunday of
Easter – White or Gold
Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 31:1-5,
15-16
1 Peter
2:2-10
John 14:1-14
Acts 7:55 But
filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and
Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 But they
covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58
Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses
laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were
stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt
down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
When he had said this, he died.[a]
Footnotes:
a. Acts 7:60
Gk fell asleep
Psalm 31:
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies
To the
leader. A Psalm of David.
1 In you, O
Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline
your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of
refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are
indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out
of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your
hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
15 My times
are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and
persecutors.
16 Let your
face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may
grow into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 Come to
him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in
God’s sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built[a] into a
spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am
laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever
believes in him[b] will not be put to shame.”
7 To you then
who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
“The stone
that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,”
8 and
“A stone that
makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble
because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are
a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[c] in order
that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light.
10 Once you
were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had
not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Peter
2:5 Or you yourselves are being built
b. 1 Peter
2:6 Or it
c. 1 Peter
2:9 Gk a people for his possession
John 14:
Jesus the Way to the Father
1 “Do not let
your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God, believe also in me. 2 In my
Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have
told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I
am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am
going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How
can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you
will know[d] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said
to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to
him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The
words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in
me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in
me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very
truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do
and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the
Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[e] for anything, I will do
it.
Footnotes:
a. John 14:1
Or You believe
b. John 14:2
Or If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for
you
c. John 14:4
Other ancient authorities read Where I am going you know, and the way you know
d. John 14:7
Other ancient authorities read If you had known me, you would have known
e. John 14:14
Other ancient authorities lack me
-------
John Wesley’s
Notes-Commentary for:
Acts 7:55-60
Verse 55
[55] But he,
being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the
glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
But he
looking steadfastly up to heaven, saw the glory of God — Doubtless he saw such
a glorious representation, God miraculously operating on his imagination, as on
Ezekiel's, when he sat in his house at Babylon, and saw Jerusalem, and seemed
to himself transported thither, Ezekiel 8:1-4. And probably other martyrs, when
called to suffer the last extremity, have had extraordinary assistance of some
similar kind.
Verse 56
[56] And
said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the
right hand of God.
I see the Son
of man standing — As if it were just ready to receive him. Otherwise he is said
to sit at the right hand of God.
Verse 57
[57] Then
they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with
one accord,
They rushed
upon him — Before any sentence passed.
Verse 58
[58] And cast
him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes
at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
The witnesses
laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul — O
Saul, couldst thou have believed, if one had told thee, that thou thyself
shouldst be stoned in the same cause? and shouldst triumph in committing thy
soul likewise to that Jesus whom thou art now blaspheming? His dying prayer
reached thee, as well as many others. And the martyr Stephen, and Saul the
persecutor, (afterward his brother both in faith and martyrdom,) are now joined
in everlasting friendship, and dwell together in the happy company of those who
have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
Verse 59
[59] And they
stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And they stoned
Stephen, invoking and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit — This is the
literal translation of the words, the name of God not being in the original.
Nevertheless such a solemn prayer to Christ, in which a departing soul is thus
committed into his hands, is such an act of worship, as no good man could have
paid to a mere creature; Stephen here worshipping Christ in the very same
manner in which Christ worshipped the Father on the cross.
Psalm 31:1-5,
15-16
Verse 1
[1] In thee,
O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy
righteousness.
Ashamed — Of
my confidence in thy promise.
Deliver me —
According to thy faithfulness and goodness.
Verse 5
[5] Into
thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
My spirit —
My soul or life; to preserve it from the malice of mine enemies.
For — Thou
hast delivered me formerly, and therefore I commit myself to thee for the
future.
O Lord, … —
Who hast shewed thyself so, in making good thy promise.
Verse 15
[15] My times
are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that
persecute me.
My times —
All the affairs and events of my life, are wholly in thy power.
1 Peter
2:2-10
Verse 2
[2] As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Desire —
Always, as earnestly as new born babes do, 1 Peter 1:3.
The milk of
the word — That word of God which nourishes the soul as milk does the body, and
which is sincere, pure from all guile, so that none are deceived who cleave to
it.
That you may
grow thereby — In faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ.
Verse 3
[3] If so be
ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Since ye have
tasted — Sweetly and experimentally known.
Verse 4
[4] To whom
coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God,
and precious,
To whom
coming — By faith.
As unto a
living stone — Living from eternity; alive from the dead. There is a wonderful
beauty and energy in these expressions, which describe Christ as a spiritual
foundation, solid, firm, durable; and believers as a building erected upon it,
in preference to that temple which the Jews accounted their highest glory. And
St. Peter speaking of him thus, shows he did not judge himself, but Christ, to
be the rock on which the church was built.
Rejected
indeed by men — Even at this day, not only by Jews, Turks, heathens, infidels;
but by all Christians, so called, who live in sin, or who hope to be saved by
their own works.
But chosen of
God — From all eternity, to be the foundation of his church.
And precious
— In himself, in the sight of God, and in the eyes of all believers.
Verse 5
[5] Ye also,
as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Ye —
Believers.
As living
stones — Alive to God through him.
Are built up
— In union with each other.
A spiritual
house — Being spiritual yourselves, and an habitation of God through the
Spirit.
An holy
priesthood — Consecrated to God, and "holy as he is holy." To offer
up - Your souls and bodies, with all your thoughts, words, and actions, as
spiritual sacrifices to God.
Verse 6
[6] Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner
stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
He that
believeth shall not be confounded — In time or in eternity. Isaiah 28:16.
Verse 7
[7] Unto you
therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the
stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
To them who
believe, he is become the head of the corner — The chief corner stone, on which
the whole building rests. Unbelievers too will at length find him such to their
sorrow, Matthew 21:44. Psalms 118:22.
Verse 8
[8] And a
stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Who stumble,
whereunto also they were appointed — They who believe not, stumble, and fall,
and perish for ever; God having appointed from all eternity, "he that
believeth not shall be damned."
Verse 9
[9] But ye
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light:
But ye — Who
believe in Christ Are - In a higher sense than ever the Jews were. A chosen or
elect race, a royal priesthood - "Kings and priests unto God,"
Revelation 1:6. As princes, ye have power with God, and victory over sin, the
world, and the devil: as priests, ye are consecrated to God, for offering
spiritual sacrifices. Ye Christians are as one holy nation, under Christ your
King.
A purchased
people — Who are his peculiar property.
That ye may
show forth — By your whole behaviour, to all mankind.
The virtues —
The excellent glory, the mercy, wisdom, and power of him, Christ, who hath
called you out of the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery.
Verse 10
[10] Which in
time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Who in time
past were not a people — Much less the people of God; but scattered individuals
of many nations. The former part of the verse particularly respects the
gentiles; the latter, the Jews.
John 14:1-14
Verse 2
[2] In my
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I
go to prepare a place for you.
In my
Father's house are many mansions — Enough to receive both the holy angels, and
your predecessors in the faith, and all that now believe, and a great
multitude, which no man can number.
Verse 4
[4] And
whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
The way — Of
faith, holiness, sufferings.
Verse 5
[5] Thomas
saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the
way?
Thomas saith
— Taking him in a gross sense.
Verse 6
[6] Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.
To the
question concerning the way, he answers, I am the way. To the question
concerning knowledge, he answers, I am the truth. To the question whither, I am
the life. The first is treated of in this verse; the second, John 14:7-17; the
third, 14:18, etc.
Verse 7
[7] If ye had
known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him,
and have seen him.
Ye have known
— Ye have begun to know him.
Verse 10
[10]
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in
me, he doeth the works.
I am in the
Father — The words that I speak, etc.-That is, I am one with the Father, in
essence, in speaking, and in acting.
Verse 11
[11] Believe
me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the
very works' sake.
Believe me —
On my own word, because I am God.
The works —
This respects not merely the miracles themselves, but his sovereign, Godlike
way of performing them.
Verse 12
[12] Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Greater works
than these shall he do — So one apostle wrought miracles merely by his shadow,
Acts 5:15; another by handkerchiefs carried from his body, Acts 19:12; and all
spake with various tongues. But the converting one sinner is a greater work
than all these.
Because I go
to my Father — To send you the Holy Ghost.
-------
Today’s
Scripture:
Isaiah 12:1 In that day you will say,
“I will give thanks to you, Yahweh; for though you were angry with me, your
anger has turned away and you comfort me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation. I will
trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he
has become my salvation.” 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the
wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on
his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is
exalted! 5 Sing to Yahweh, for he has done excellent things! Let this be known
in all the earth! 6 Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy
One of Israel is great among you!”
-------
Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant
that I will make with them:
‘After those days,’ says the Lord,
‘I will put my laws on their heart,
I will also write them on their mind;’”[a]
then he says,
17 “I will remember their sins and
their iniquities no more.”[b]
18 Now where remission of these is,
there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to
enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he
dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; 21 and having a great priest over God’s house, 22 let’s draw near with a
true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,
Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 10:16 Jeremiah 31:33
b. Hebrews 10:17 Jeremiah 31:34
-------
Contact Information
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment