The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for "Joseph: parenting his Savior" for Saturday, 10 December 2016
Matthew 1:20 But while he was thinking about this, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream and said, “Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach HaKodesh. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means ‘Adonai saves,’] because he will save his people from their sins.”
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.”
-------
We come back to Joseph, engaged to Mary, doubting her story that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and planning to break the engagement quietly. But in a dream, an angel told him to believe Mary, to proceed with the marriage plans. Joseph found himself in a story much bigger than just one wedding. The angel said to name the child “Jesus” (the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua,” which meant “Yahweh is salvation”). Many Hebrews wanted salvation from the occupying Roman army. But the angel didn’t talk about the Romans. This child, he said, would save people from humanity’s greatest enemy: sin. The angel’s announcement became central to how Christians from the earliest days expressed their faith.
* N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone: Part 1. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002, p. 8.
Family Activity: Joseph was present and supportive throughout Mary’s pregnancy, the birth of Jesus and in the early years of Jesus’ life. When someone in your family needs support and care, to whom do they turn? Think about grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, even close friends. How can you connect with them and grow spiritually and personally from their insights and experiences? Consider asking them about significant moments in their lives, then learning from their stories. Share a difficult experience of your own and ask for their help in working through it. If you live close, meet for a meal or dessert and share time together. If you live far apart, consider using Skype, talking on the phone, writing letters, or recording your voice on
tape. Praise God and pray for those who support and care for you.
-------
Insights from Lauren Huck
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.”
-------
We come back to Joseph, engaged to Mary, doubting her story that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and planning to break the engagement quietly. But in a dream, an angel told him to believe Mary, to proceed with the marriage plans. Joseph found himself in a story much bigger than just one wedding. The angel said to name the child “Jesus” (the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua,” which meant “Yahweh is salvation”). Many Hebrews wanted salvation from the occupying Roman army. But the angel didn’t talk about the Romans. This child, he said, would save people from humanity’s greatest enemy: sin. The angel’s announcement became central to how Christians from the earliest days expressed their faith.
- Scholar N. T. Wright wrote that “Matthew sees Jesus as the one who will now complete what the law of Moses pointed to but could not of itself produce. He will rescue his people, not from slavery in Egypt, but from the slavery of sin, the ‘exile’ they have suffered not just in Babylon but in their own hearts and lives.”* In what ways has missing God’s path led your heart and life into a kind of “exile”? What are the benefits of letting Jesus save you from that exile? How confident are you that Jesus can in fact save you from any life missteps, that he is the savior from sin that we all need?
* N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone: Part 1. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002, p. 8.
Family Activity: Joseph was present and supportive throughout Mary’s pregnancy, the birth of Jesus and in the early years of Jesus’ life. When someone in your family needs support and care, to whom do they turn? Think about grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, even close friends. How can you connect with them and grow spiritually and personally from their insights and experiences? Consider asking them about significant moments in their lives, then learning from their stories. Share a difficult experience of your own and ask for their help in working through it. If you live close, meet for a meal or dessert and share time together. If you live far apart, consider using Skype, talking on the phone, writing letters, or recording your voice on
tape. Praise God and pray for those who support and care for you.
-------
Insights from Lauren Huck
Lauren Huck is currently a sophomore at Blue Valley High School, and has been attending services with her family at the Church of the Resurrection for fifteen years. She was confirmed into the church two years ago.God is with us every step of our journey. He celebrates our victories and cries over our losses. His presence is always with us; however, it’s up to us whether or not we are aware of it.
I strayed from God’s path in the seventh grade, after my dad passed away from cancer. My depressed state of mind caused me to ignore the Lord, who was walking and weeping beside me. There were so many signs for me to accept God’s help, and return to the Sunday morning church services, but none of them made sense. How could God want me to walk his path after I had experienced such a significant loss?
It wasn’t until a year later that I attended another church service. Granted, it was because my grandparents were in town, but nonetheless, I acknowledged how far I had strayed from God’s light. After accepting my faith again, I began to live a new life where I wasn’t feeling alone.
At some point in all of our lives, we question whether or not God’s path is the right one.
I can relate this to Matthew 1:20-21 when the Lord says, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
I can’t imagine the confusion Joseph must’ve been feeling after hearing these words from his Lord. The child Mary is carrying is not his, but he asked him to name and raise him as if he were. Despite having his own doubts, Joseph had faith, and listened to God.
Following the path of Christ doesn’t mean a life free of pain or sorrow, but rather guidance through life’s challenges. -------
Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
- Clark Mohar and family on the death of his father Dave Mohar, 12/5
- Jan Jabara and family on the death of her father Jim Payton, 12/4
- Bernie Benson and family on the death of his wife Mary Ann Benson, 12/1
- Karen Jaqua and family on the death of her mother Mary Ann Benson, 12/1
- Irene Brown and family on the death of her father Glenn H Cota, 11/30
- Jimmie Marie Cosby and family on the death of her father James Edward Murray, 11/30
- Scott Currier and family on the death of his father Craig Currier, 11/27
- David Izzard and family on the death of his brother Jim Izzard, 11/22
-------
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment