The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church of Wichtia, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Friday, 08 April 2016

The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church of Wichtia, Kansas, United States Daily Devotional for Friday, 08 April 2016
Today please be in prayer for:

Amy Lippoldt Basehor UMC Kansas City District

Kara Eidson Bucyrus UMC Spring Hill UMC Kansas City District

”This Week's Lectionary
2nd Sunday of Easter – White or Gold
Sunday, 3 April 2016
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 150
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31
Scripture Text:

Acts 5:27 They conducted them to the Sanhedrin, where the cohen hagadol demanded of them, 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man’s death!”29 Kefa and the other emissaries answered, “We must obey God, not men. 30 The God of our fathers[Acts 5:30 Exodus 3:15] raised up Yeshua, whereas you men killed him by having him hanged on a stake.[Acts 5:30 Deuteronomy 21:22–23] 31 God has exalted this man at his right hand[Acts 5:31 Psalm 110:1] as Ruler and Savior, in order to enable Isra’el to do t’shuvah and have her sins forgiven. 32 We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom God has given to those who obey him.
Psalm 150:1 Halleluyah!

Praise God in his holy place!

Praise him in the heavenly dome of his power!

2 Praise him for his mighty deeds!

Praise him for his surpassing greatness!

3 Praise him with a blast on the shofar!

Praise him with lute and lyre!

4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing!

Praise him with flutes and strings!

5 Praise him with clanging cymbals!

Praise him with loud crashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise Adonai!

Halleluyah!

Revelation 1:4 From: Yochanan

To: The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia:

Grace and shalom to you from the One who is, who was and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings.

To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, 6 who has caused us to be a kingdom, that is, cohanim for God, his Father — to him be the glory and the rulership forever and ever. Amen.

7 Look! He is coming with the clouds![

Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13]

Every eye will see him,

including those who pierced him;

and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him.[Revelation 1:7 Zechariah 12:10–14]

Yes! Amen!

8 “I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’” says Adonai,

God of heaven’s armies,

the One who is, who was and who is coming.

John 20:19 In the evening that same day, the first day of the week, when the talmidim were gathered together behind locked doors out of fear of the Judeans, Yeshua came, stood in the middle and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” 20 Having greeted them, he showed them his hands and his side. The talmidim were overjoyed to see the Lord. 21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” 22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh! 23 If you forgive someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.”

24 Now T’oma (the name means “twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Yeshua came. 25 When the other talmidim told him, “We have seen the Lord,” he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into the place where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe it.”

26 A week later his talmidim were once more in the room, and this time T’oma was with them. Although the doors were locked, Yeshua came, stood among them and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” 27 Then he said to T’oma, “Put your finger here, look at my hands, take your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be lacking in trust, but have trust!” 28 T’oma answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Yeshua said to him, “Have you trusted because you have seen me? How blessed are those who do not see, but trust anyway!”

30 In the presence of the talmidim Yeshua performed many other miracles which have not been recorded in this book. 31 But these which have been recorded are here so that you may trust that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by this trust you may have life because of who he is.

John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for:

Acts 5:27-32

Verse 28

[28] Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Did not we strictly command you, not to teach? — See the poor cunning of the enemies of the Gospel. They make laws and interdicts at their pleasure, which those who obey God cannot but break; and then take occasion thereby to censure and punish the innocent, as guilty.

Ye would bring the blood of this man upon us — An artful and invidious word. The apostles did not desire to accuse any man. They simply declared the naked truth.

Verse 29

[29] Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Then Peter — In the name of all the apostles, said - He does not now give them the titles of honour, which he did before, Acts 4:8; but enters directly upon the subject, and justifies what he had done. This is, as it were, a continuation of that discourse, but with an increase of severity.

Verse 30

[30] The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Hath raised up Jesus — Of the seed of David, according to the promises made to our fathers.

Verse 31

[31] Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Him hath God exalted — From the grave to heaven; to give repentance - Whereby Jesus is received as a Prince; and forgiveness of sins - Whereby he is received as a Saviour. Hence some infer, that repentance and faith are as mere gifts as remission of sins. Not so: for man co-operates in the former, but not in the latter. God alone forgives sins.

Verse 32

[32] And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

And also the Holy Ghost — A much greater witness.

Psalm 150

Verse 1

[1] Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Sanctuary — In his temple.

The firmament — In heaven: there let the blessed angels praise him.

Verse 6

[6] Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Also — Every living creature in heaven and in earth.

Revelation 1:4-8

Verse 4

[4] Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

While it remained, did it not remain thine? — It is true, whosoever among the Christians (not one excepted) had houses or lands, sold them, and laid the price at the feet of the apostles. But it was in his own choice to be a Christian or not: and consequently either to sell his land, or keep it.

And when it was sold, was it not in thy power? — For it does not appear that he professed himself a Christian when he sold it.

Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? — So profanely to dissemble on so solemn an occasion? Thou hast not lied to men only, but to God also. Hence the Godhead of the Holy Ghost evidently appears: since lying to him, Acts 5:3, is lying to God.

Verse 5

[5] And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

And Ananias fell down and expired — And this severity was not only just, considering that complication of vain glory, covetousness, fraud, and impiety, which this action contained: but it was also wise and gracious, as it would effectually deter any others from following his example. It was likewise a convincing proof of the upright conduct of the apostles, in managing the sums with which they were intrusted; and in general of their Divine mission. For none can imagine that Peter would have had the assurance to pronounce, and much less the power to execute such a sentence, if he had been guilty himself of a fraud of the same kind; or had been belying the Holy Ghost in the whole of his pretensions to be under his immediate direction.

Verse 7

[7] And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

About the space of three hours — How precious a space! The woman had a longer time for repentance.

Verse 8

[8] And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

If ye sold the land for so much — Naming the sum.

John 20:19-31

Verse 19

[19] Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36.

Verse 21

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

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

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

Verse 22

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

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

Verse 23

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

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

Verse 26

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

After eight days — On the next Sunday.

Verse 28

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

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

Verse 30

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

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

Verse 31

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

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

Link to GBOD Devotional

Today's Devotional Scripture Test:
Matthew 20:1 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the workers on a wage of one denarius, [the standard daily wage,] he sent them off to his vineyard. 3 Then, on going out at about nine in the morning, he saw more men standing around in the market-square doing nothing, 4 and said to them, ‘You go to the vineyard too — I’ll pay you a fair wage.’ So they went. 5 At noon, and again around three in the afternoon, he did the same thing. 6 About an hour before sundown, he went out, found still others standing around, and asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day, doing nothing?” 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ ‘You too,’ he told them, ‘go to the vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and ending with the first.’ 9 The workers who came an hour before sunset each received a denarius, 10 so the workers who came first expected they would get more, but each of them also received just a denarius. 11 On receiving their wages, they began grumbling to the farmer, 12 ‘These latecomers have worked only one hour, while we have borne the brunt of the day’s work in the hot sun, yet you have put them on an equal footing with us!’ 13 But he answered one of them, ‘Look, friend, I’m not being unfair with you. Didn’t you agree to work today for a denarius? 14 Now take your pay and go! I choose to give the last worker as much as I’m giving you. 15 Haven’t I the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 Thus the last ones will be first and the first last.”
Contact Information

Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 East Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org

---------------------