Al Winseman
Senior Consultant, Gallup Malcolm UMC Blue River District | 
Jeffrey Kelley
Milford UMC Blue River District |
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This Week's Lectionary
1st Sunday after Christmas Day – White or Gold
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Luke 1:47-55
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45
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1st Sunday after Christmas Day – White or Gold
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Luke 1:47-55
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45
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Lectionary Texts:
1 Samuel 2:18 But Sh’mu’el ministered in the presence of Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child. 19 Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 ‘Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Adonai give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to Adonai”; then they would go home.
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
Hebrews 10:5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,
“It has not been your will
to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;
rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Look!
In the scroll of the book
it is written about me.
I have come to do your will.’”[Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:7–9(6–8)]
8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
Hebrews 10:5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,
“It has not been your will
to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;
rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Look!
In the scroll of the book
it is written about me.
I have come to do your will.’”[Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:7–9(6–8)]
8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for
1 Samuel 2:18-20
Verse 18
[18] But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Ministered — That is, performed his ministration carefully and faithfully.
Before the Lord — In God's tabernacle.
Ephod — A garment used in God's service, and allowed not only to the inferior priests and Levites but also to eminent persons of the people, and therefore to Samuel, who, though no Levite, was a Nazarite, from his birth.
[18] But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Ministered — That is, performed his ministration carefully and faithfully.
Before the Lord — In God's tabernacle.
Ephod — A garment used in God's service, and allowed not only to the inferior priests and Levites but also to eminent persons of the people, and therefore to Samuel, who, though no Levite, was a Nazarite, from his birth.
26
Luke 1:47-55
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Verse 5
[5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
When he cometh into the world — In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice.
A body hast thou prepared for me — That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6,etc.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
In the volume of the book — In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will - By the sacrifice of myself.
Verse 8
[8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen — That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.
Verse 9
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Then said he — in that very instant he subjoined.
Lo, I come to do Thy will — To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.
Verse 10
[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
By which will — Of God, done and suffered by Christ.
We are sanctified — Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.
Luke 1:39-45
Verse 39
[39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
A city of Judah — Probably Hebron, which was situated in the hill country of Judea, and belonged to the house of Aaron.
Verse 41
[41] And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary — The discourse with which she saluted her, giving an account of what the angel had said, the joy of her soul so affected her body, that the very child in her womb was moved in an uncommon manner, as if it leaped for joy.
Verse 45
[45] And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Happy is she that believed — Probably she had in her mind the unbelief of Zacharias.
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The Upper Room Ministries
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Verse 5
[5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
When he cometh into the world — In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice.
A body hast thou prepared for me — That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6,etc.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
In the volume of the book — In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will - By the sacrifice of myself.
Verse 8
[8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen — That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.
Verse 9
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Then said he — in that very instant he subjoined.
Lo, I come to do Thy will — To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.
Verse 10
[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
By which will — Of God, done and suffered by Christ.
We are sanctified — Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.
Luke 1:39-45
Verse 39
[39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
A city of Judah — Probably Hebron, which was situated in the hill country of Judea, and belonged to the house of Aaron.
Verse 41
[41] And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary — The discourse with which she saluted her, giving an account of what the angel had said, the joy of her soul so affected her body, that the very child in her womb was moved in an uncommon manner, as if it leaped for joy.
Verse 45
[45] And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Happy is she that believed — Probably she had in her mind the unbelief of Zacharias.
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The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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Sermon Stories "Children in Ministry" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 27 December 2015 with Scripture Text 1 Samuel 2:18 But Sh’mu’el ministered in the presence of Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child. 19 Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 ‘Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Adonai give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to Adonai”; then they would go home.
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
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We have come to the time when Hannah released your son, Samuel, to the service of God after God gave her the promised son w\she so requested. Children in ministry for and to God with adults is unlike the child labor that we have had in the past and even today where the children are denied their rightful education, nourishment, love, and chance to grow as a child into adulthood the way God has create His people to do in emotional, physical, and spiritual ways. Here we have Samuel who was dedicated to God before he was even conceived by his parents serving in the Temple or Tablenacle under the guidance of Eli the Head Priest. Eli too care of Samuel's education, physical nourishment, and spiritual growth while his mother still took care of his emotional growth through providing for his clothing as he physically grew. Today, we become so scared about the child labor laws or the abuse of children that we do not understand that children are able to minister to God and others as children while they mature emotionally, physically, academincally, and spiritually. We see a little of this when Jesus was found listening to and questioning the religious leaders of His day when he was left in Jerusalem by his parents accidentally. We see that there are all children are able to inister with adults no matter what their abililties may be. I have seen children with down syndome minister with their ability to love unconditionally or even autistic children minister with their presence and ways to praise God or even children who are slow learners begin to allow others the ability to slow down and see who God really is. Where we seek God's ways to allow all children minister for the growth of God's KIngdom we come with them in taking the Body of Jesus and eating it and taking the Blood of Jesus and drinking it through the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come with our children to receive from God His blessings singing the Hymn "JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN" by C. Herbert Woolston (1856-1927)
1. Jesus calls the children dear,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
2. Jesus is the Shepherd true,
And He’ll always stand by you,
For He loves the little children of the world;
He’s a Savior great and strong,
And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
For He loves the little children of the world.
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
3. I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
And Your soldier I will be,
For You love the little children of the world;
And Your cross I’ll always bear,
And for You I’ll do and dare,
For You love the little children of the world.
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States
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The Upper Room Daily Devotion in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "The Power of a Whisper" for Sunday, 27 December 2015 - Scripture: Luke 10:38 On their way Yeshua and his talmidim came to a village where a woman named Marta welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Miryam who also sat at the Lord’s feet and heard what he had to say. 40 But Marta was busy with all the work to be done; so, going up to him, she said, “Sir, don’t you care that my sister has been leaving me to do all the work by myself?” 41 However, the Lord answered her, “Marta, Marta, you are fretting and worrying about so many things! 42 But there is only one thing that is essential. Miryam has chosen the right thing, and it won’t be taken away from her.”---------------------
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.[Psalm 46:10 (NIV)]
It was bedtime, and my daughters needed to go to sleep. Rather than settling down, they were winding up. An earlier game of hide and seek had escalated into a full-blown giggle-fest. They had worked their way into a frenzy, and now — to them — their mother and I were suddenly invisible and mute.
When my little girls are playing, I often must whisper to get their attention. Raising my voice doesn’t help; they just don’t hear it. But whispering causes them to quiet down and focus on what I am saying. Only then can they hear my advice or encouragement.
At times I too get sucked into the distraction of activity — cutting the lawn, driving the kids to soccer practice, date nights with my wife, exercise routines, or men’s prayer breakfasts. Many of my activities are in themselves commendable, until I notice that the Lord has been trying to get my attention.
Jesus often whispers for us to come and sit at his feet. When we take time to disconnect from our flurry of daily activities, we can hear God's voice much more clearly.
Read more from the author, here."Keep Your Eyes on the Road"
This post has been republished with permission from Tez' blog, Every Single Dad. Hear a radio interview about Tez' new book, The Single Dad Detour, here.
When I first found myself raising kids without a wife, it scared me. In survival mode I held on tight to the steering wheel and just drove. I didn't care where the road took me as long as I kept the car inside the lane markers. I understand how you might freak out. My friend, don't panic. Thousands of us dads have navigated this road before you. Single dads have traveled this path when all they had was a gravel road and a horse. We ride on their shoulders. Mistakes will be made; count on it. A glance from time to time at your dashboard might eliminate some problems if you can catch it quick enough. But it’s not the end of the world if you lose a belt. You just fix it and move on.
Still, sometimes we feel like mistakes are failures. We have this self-imposed pressure to appear invincible—refusing to admit (even to ourselves) we have weak areas in our lives. That can create some real problems for us super heroes.
For me, it’s not mistakes—stress is my nemesis. If something makes me angry I stuff it down and move forward. If something emotional or sad occurs, I try to be stoic. When my schedule is overbooked and I haven’t allowed enough cushion between major projects or deadlines, I keep going. After all, I can’t appear to be fragile. The problem is I begin to forget things, even mid-sentence. That's the first warning sign. If I continue neglecting myself, the stress shows up physically.
I used to get chest pain and run to the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack, only to have the doctors tell me my heart was very healthy and my issues were stress related. I finally understood when I exercised and the symptoms went away. I felt wonderful. Today, with the help of my attentive wife, I’ve learned to discern stress, and I’m able to change course before it overcomes me.
Keeping ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy in the midst of stressors helps us with clearer decision-making skills when it comes to raising our children. Most of all, a robust spiritual condition ensures the Holy Spirit is clearly heard over all the noise this world and Satan throw at us fathers. First Timothy 4:8 says, “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Parenting alone is distracting. Sometimes you’re going to veer off the road God has for you—but there is grace. Place both hands on the wheel; keep heaven on the horizon and a prayer on your lips.[Tez Brooks]
The Author: Tez Brooks (Florida, USA)
Thought for the Day: Slowing down helps us hear God’s voice.
Prayer: God of peace, help us to put you first in our lives. Teach us to slow down and allow your voice to nudge our hearts. Amen.
Prayer focus: PARENTS
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Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
____________________________
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
____________________________
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