Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “Prayer as Discipline” for Monday, 2 June 2014Today’s Reflection:
PRAYER DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN. It is a matter of discipline. All the saints pray, regularly and deliberately, building prayer squarely and irrevocably into their daily schedules. [Henri] Nouwen loved to quote Dom John Chapman, who said, “The only way to pray is to pray; and the way to pray well is to pray much.”
No single regimen, no particular gimmick, can claim to be “the” way to God. Different disciplines work for different people, and what works at one stage of life may need to be discarded for another way at a later stage. But for all the saints, prayer is the most important part of any day. Prayer cannot be crowded out. It is the “one thing needful” (Luke 10:38-42, author’s paraphrase).(James C. Howell, Servants, Misfits, and Martyrs)From page 72 of Servants, Misfits, and Martyrs: Saints and Their Stories by James C. Howell. Copyright © 1999 by James C. Howell. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
What advice would you give others who are just learning to pray?
Today’s Scripture:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”(Acts 1:6, NRSV)
This Week: pray for those who are afraid.
-------
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers, call 1-800-251-2468.
-------
Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember:
Justin
Feastday: June 1
All the voices around Justin clamored that they had the truth he sought so desperately. He had listened to them all since he first came to Rome to get his education. They each shouted that they held the one and only answer but he felt no closer to the truth than when he had started his studies. He had left the Stoic master behind but the Stoics valued discipline as truth and thought discussion of God unnecessary. He had rejected the Peripatetic who seemed more interested in money than discussion. The Pythagorean had rejected him because he didn't know enough music and geometry -- the things that would lead him to truth. He had found some joy with the Platonists because the contemplation of ideas gave wings to his mind, but they had promised wisdom would let him see God and so, where was God?There was one place that Justin always escaped to in order to get away from these shouting, confusing voices and search out the quiet inner voice that led him to truth. This place was a lonely spot, a path that seemed made for him alone in a field by the sea. So sure was he of the isolation of his retreat that he was shocked one day to find an old man following him.
The old man was not searching for truth but for some of his family. Nonetheless they began a discussion in which Justin identified himself as a philologian, a lover of reason. The old man challenged him -- why was he not a lover of truth, a lover of deeds. Justin told him that reason led to truth, and philosophy led to happiness. This was certainly an interesting thing for Justin to say since he had not found the truth in the study of reason or happiness in his quest among the philosophers! Perhaps the old man sensed this for he asked for Justin's definition of philosophy and of happiness.
In the long discussion that followed, Justin spoke eloquently to the old man's searching questions but even Justin had to admit that philosophers may talk about God but had never seen him, may discuss the soul but didn't really know it. But if the philosophers whom Justin admired and followed couldn't, then nobody could, right?
The old man told him about the ancient prophets, the Hebrew prophets, who had talked not of ideas but of what they had seen and heard, what they knew and experienced. And this was God. The old man ended the conversation by telling Justin to pray that the gates of light be opened to him.
Inflamed by this conversation, Justin sought out the Scriptures and came to love them. Christ words "possess a terrible power in themselves, and are sufficient to inspire those who turn aside from the path of rectitude with awe; while the sweetest rest is afforded those who make a diligent practice of them."
Why hadn't Justin known about Christianity before with as much as he had studied? He had heard about it, the way other pagans of second century Rome had, by the rumors and accusations that surrounded the persecution of Christians. The fearlessness of their actions made him doubt the gossip, but he had nothing else to go by. Christians at that time kept their beliefs secret. They were so afraid that outsiders would trample on their sacred faith and descrate their mysteries that they wouldn't tell anyone about their beliefs -- even to counteract outright lies. To be honest, there was good reason for their fears -- many actors for example performed obscene parodies of Christian ritual for pagan audiences, for example.
But Justin believed differently. He had been one of those outsiders -- not someone looking for trouble, but someone earnestly searching for the truth. The truth had been hidden from him by this fear of theirs. And he believed there were many others like him. He exhorted them that Christians had an obligation to speak of their faith, to witness to others about their faith and their mysteries.
So Justin took his newfound faith to the people. This layman became the first great apologist for Christianity and opened the gates of light for so many others. He explained baptism and Eucharist. He explained to the pagans why they didn't worship idols and why that didn't make them atheists. He explained to the Jews how Christians could worship the same God but not follow Jewish laws. He explained to the Greeks and the philosophers how philosophy did not take into account the dignity of humankind. He wrote long arguments known as apologies and traveled to other lands in order to debate publicly. His long education in philosophy and rhetoric gave him the skills he needed to match his oponents and the Holy Spirit gave him the rest.
It is not surprising that Justin was arrested during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius. Along with four others (Chariton, Charites, Paeon, and Liberianus) he was brought before the Roman prefect, Rusticus, to be accused under the law that required sacrificing to idols. When Rusticus demanded that they "Obey the gods at once, and submit to the kings," Justin responded, "To obey the commandments of our Saviour Jesus Christ is worthy neither of blame nor of condemnation."
When Rusticus asked what doctrines he believed, Justin told him that he had learned all the doctrines available during his quest but finally submitted to the true doctrines of the Christians, even though they didn't please others. (An understatement when he was under danger of death!)
When Rusticus asked where the Christians gathered, Justin gave a response that gives us insight into Christian community and worship of the time: "Where each one chooses and can: for do you fancy that we all meet in the very same place? Not so; because the God of the Christians is not circumscribed by place; but being invisible, fills heaven and earth, and everywhere is worshipped and glorified by the faithful."
When Rusticus asked each of them if they were a Christian, they all responded the same way: "Yes, I am a Christian." When Rusticus tried to put responsibility for this on Justin, they responded that God had made them Christians.
Just before Rusticus sentenced them he asked Justin, "If you are killed do you suppose you will go to heaven?" Justin said, "I do not suppose it, but I know and am fully persuaded of it."
Justin and his fellow martyrs were beheaded in the year 165 and went to be with the Truth Justin had longed for all his life. He is often known as Justin Martyr and his works are still available.
In His Footsteps:
To download some of Justin's works and the complete story of his martyrdom see the writings of the Early Church Fathers
Today speak to at least one person about an aspect of the Catholic faith. If you don't feel comfortable discussing Catholic doctrine, read some of the Catechism of the Catholic Church or other competent resource.
Prayer:
Saint Justin Martyr, pray that in our search for the Truth, God will open the gates of light for us the way God did for you and give us the wisdom no human being can give. Amen
-------
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Lectionary Scriptures:
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
John 20:19-23
Acts 2:1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
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. 15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.[a] 16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days,
I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the sky above,
and signs on the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood,
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[b]
Footnotes:
a. Acts 2:15 about 9:00 AM
b. Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32
Psalm 104: 24 Yahweh, how many are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
25 There is the sea, great and wide,
in which are innumerable living things,
both small and large animals.
26 There the ships go,
and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
27 These all wait for you,
that you may give them their food in due season.
28 You give to them; they gather.
You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
29 You hide your face: they are troubled;
you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust.
30 You send out your Spirit and they are created.
You renew the face of the ground.
31 Let Yahweh’s glory endure forever.
Let Yahweh rejoice in his works.
32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles.
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34 Let your meditation be sweet to him.
I will rejoice in Yahweh.
35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.
Let the wicked be no more.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
Praise Yah!
1 Corinthians 12: 3 Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11 But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.
12 For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
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.”
-------
Acts 2:1-21
Verse 2
[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven — So will the Son of man come to judgment.
And it filled all the house — That is, all that part of the temple where they were sitting.
Verse 3
[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And there appeared distinct tongues, as of fire — That is, small flames of fire. This is all which the phrase, tongues of fire, means in the language of the seventy. Yet it might intimate God's touching their tongues as it were (together with their hearts) with Divine fire: his giving them such words as were active and penetrating, even as flaming fire.
Verse 4
[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And they began to speak with other tongues — The miracle was not in the ears of the hearers, (as some have unaccountably supposed,) but in the mouth of the speakers. And this family praising God together, with the tongues of all the world, was an earnest that the whole world should in due time praise God in their various tongues.
As the Spirit gave them utterance — Moses, the type of the law, was of a slow tongue; but the Gospel speaks with a fiery and flaming one.
Verse 5
[5] And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews — Gathered from all parts by the peculiar providence of God.
Verse 6
[6] Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
The multitude came together, and were confounded — The motions of their minds were swift and various.
Verse 9
[9] Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Judea — The dialect of which greatly differed from that of Galilee.
Asia — The country strictly so called.
Verse 10
[10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Roman sojourners — Born at Rome, but now living at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after those who are above mentioned. All of them were partly Jews by birth, and partly proselytes.
Verse 11
[11] Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Cretans — One island seems to be mentioned for all.
The wonderful works of God — Probably those which related to the miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, together with the effusion of his Spirit, as a fulfilment of his promises, and the glorious dispensations of Gospel grace.
Verse 12
[12] And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
They were all amazed — All the devout men.
Verse 13
[13] Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But others mocking — The world begins with mocking, thence proceeds to cavilling, Acts 4:7; to threats, 4:17; to imprisoning, Acts 5:18; blows, 5:40; to slaughter, Acts 7:58. These mockers appear to have been some of the natives of Judea, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, (who understood only the dialect of the country,) by the apostle's immediately directing his discourse to them in the next verse.
They are full of sweet wine — So the Greek word properly signifies. There was no new wine so early in the year as pentecost. Thus natural men are wont to ascribe supernatural things to mere natural causes; and many times as impudently and unskilfully as in the present case.
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 15
[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
It is but the third hour of the day — That is, nine in the morning. And on the solemn festivals the Jews rarely ate or drank any thing till noon.
Verse 16
[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet — But there is another and better way of accounting for this. Joel 2:28
Verse 17
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
The times of the Messiah are frequently called the last days, the Gospel being the last dispensation of Divine grace.
I will pour out of my Spirit — Not on the day of pentecost only, upon all flesh - On persons of every age, sex, and rank.
And your young men shall see visions — In young men the outward sense, are most vigorous, and the bodily strength is entire, whereby they are best qualified to sustain the shock which usually attends the visions of God. In old men the internal senses are most vigorous, suited to divine dreams. Not that the old are wholly excluded from the former, nor the young from the latter.
Verse 18
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
And upon my servants — On those who are literally in a state of servitude.
Verse 19
[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
And I will show prodigies in heaven above, and signs on earth beneath — Great revelations of grace are usually attended with great judgments on those who reject it.
In heaven — Treated of, Acts 2:20.
On earth — Described in this verse. Such signs were those mentioned, Acts 2:22, before the passion of Christ; which are so mentioned as to include also those at the very time of the passion and resurrection, at the destruction of Jerusalem, and at the end of the world. Terrible indeed were those prodigies in particular which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem: such as the flaming sword hanging over the city, and the fiery comet pointing down upon it for a year; the light that shone upon the temple and the altar in the night, as if it had been noon-day; the opening of the great and heavy gate of the temple without hands; the voice heard from the most holy place, Let us depart hence; the admonition of Jesus the son of Ananus, crying for seven years together, Wo, wo, wo; the vision of contending armies in the air, and of entrenchments thrown up against a city there represented; the terrible thunders and lightnings, and dreadful earthquakes, which every one considered as portending some great evil: all which, through the singular providence of God, are particularly recorded by Josephus.
Blood — War and slaughter.
Fire — Burnings of houses and towns, involving all in clouds of smoke.
Verse 20
[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
The moon shall be turned into blood — A bloody colour: before the day of the Lord - Eminently the last day; though not excluding any other day or season, wherein the Lord shall manifest his glory, in taking vengeance of his adversaries.
Verse 21
[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
But — whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord - This expression implies the whole of religion, and particularly prayer uttered in faith; shall be saved - From all those plagues; from sin and hell.
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Verse 25
[25] So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
Creeping — This word is common to all creatures that move without feet.
Verse 26
[26] There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
Leviathan — The whale.
Therein — Who being of such a vast strength and absolute dominion in the sea, tumbles in it with great security, and sports himself with other creatures.
Verse 20
[20] Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
Darkness — Which succeeds the light by virtue of thy decree.
Verse 29
[29] Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Hidest — Withdrawest the care of thy providence.
Verse 30
[30] Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
Spirit — That quickening power of God, by which he produces life in the creatures from time to time. For he speaks not here of the first creation, but of the continued production of living creatures.
Created — Other living creatures are produced; the word created being taken in its largest sense for the production of things by second causes.
Renewest — And thus by thy wise and wonderful providence thou preservest the succession of living creatures.
Verse 31
[31] The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
Rejoice — Thus God advances the glory of his wisdom and power and goodness, in upholding the works of his hands from generation to generation, and he takes pleasure in the preservation of his works, as also in his reflection upon these works of his providence.
Verse 32
[32] He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
He looketh — This is a farther illustration of God's powerful providence: as when he affords his favour to creatures, they live and thrive, so on the contrary, one angry look or touch of his upon the hills or earth, makes them tremble and smoke, as Sinai did when God appeared in it.
Verse 35
[35] Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
Praise ye the Lord — Heb. Hallelujah. This is the first time that this word occurs. And it comes in here on occasion of the destruction of the wicked. And the last time it occurs, Revelation 19:1; 3,4,6, it is on a like occasion, the destruction of Babylon.
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
Verse 3
[3] Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Therefore — Since the heathen idols cannot speak themselves, much less give spiritual gifts to others, these must necessarily be among Christians only.
As no one speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed — That is, as none who does this, (which all the Jews and heathens did,) speaketh by the Spirit of God - Is actuated by that Spirit, so as to speak with tongues, heal diseases, or cast out devils.
So no one can say, Jesus is the Lord — None can receive him as such; for, in the scripture language, to say, or to believe, implies an experimental assurance.
But by the Holy Ghost — The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but Christians: all Christians have this Spirit.
Verse 4
[4] Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit — Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. The apostle treats of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:7, etc.; of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12, etc.; of God, 1 Corinthians 12:28, etc.
Verse 5
[5] And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
Administrations — Offices. But the same Lord appoints them all.
Verse 6
[6] And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
Operations — Effects produced. This word is of a larger extent than either of the former. But it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all the persons concerned.
Verse 7
[7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
The manifestation — The gift whereby the Spirit manifests itself.
Is given to each — For the profit of the whole body.
Verse 8
[8] For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
The word of wisdom — A power of understanding and explaining the manifold wisdom of God in the grand scheme of gospel salvation.
The word of knowledge — Perhaps an extraordinary ability to understand and explain the Old Testament types and prophecies.
Verse 9
[9] To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
Faith may here mean an extraordinary trust in God under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances. The gift of healing need not be wholly confined to the healing diseases with a word or a touch. It may exert itself also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied; and it may often be this, not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. As, after the golden shields were lost, the king of Judah put brazen in their place, so, after the pure gifts were lost, the power of God exerts itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps; and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.
Verse 10
[10] To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
The working of other miracles. Prophecy — Foretelling things to come.
The discerning — Whether men be of an upright spirit or no; whether they have natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who profess to speak by inspiration speak from a divine, a natural, or a diabolical spirit.
Verse 11
[11] But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
As he willeth — The Greek word does not so much imply arbitrary pleasure, as a determination founded on wise counsel.
Verse 12
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
So is Christ — That is, the body of Christ, the church.
Verse 13
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For by that one Spirit, which we received in baptism, we are all united in one body.
Whether Jews or gentiles — Who are at the greatest distance from each other by nature.
Whether slaves or freemen — Who are at the greatest distance by law and custom.
We have all drank of one Spirit — In that cup, received by faith, we all imbibed one Spirit, who first inspired, and still preserves, the life of God in our souls.
John 20:19-23
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.
-------
Upper Room Daily Reflections, a ministry of Global Board of DiscipleshipPO Box 340004
Nashville, TN 37203-0004 United States
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment