The Daily Devotionals of The Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States for Friday, 20 January 2017
Today, Please pray for:
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Derby Woodlawn UMC
Wichita East District
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Derby Woodlawn UMC
Wichita East District
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District Superintendent
Wichita East District
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This Week's Lectionary
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany – Green
Sunday, 15 January 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany – Green
Sunday, 15 January 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
Scripture Texts: Isaiah 49:1 Coastlands, listen to me;
listen, you peoples far away:
Adonai called me from the womb;
before I was born, he had spoken my name.
2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword
while hiding me in the shadow of his hand;
he has made me like a sharpened arrow
while concealing me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant,
Isra’el, through whom I will show my glory.”
4 But I said, “I have toiled in vain,
spent my strength for nothing, futility.”
Yet my cause is with Adonai,
my reward is with my God.
5 So now Adonai says —
he formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Ya‘akov back to him,
to have Isra’el gathered to him,
so that I will be honored in the sight of Adonai,
my God having become my strength —
6 he has said, “It is not enough
that you are merely my servant
to raise up the tribes of Ya‘akov
and restore the offspring of Isra’el.
I will also make you a light to the nations,
so my salvation can spread to the ends of the earth.”
7 Here is what Adonai,
the Redeemer of Isra’el,
his Holy One, says to the one despised,
whom the nations detest, to the servant of tyrants:
“When kings see you, they will stand up;
princes too will prostrate themselves,
because of Adonai, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Isra’el, who has chosen you.”
Psalm 40:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) I waited patiently for Adonai,
till he turned toward me and heard my cry.
3 (2) He brought me up from the roaring pit,
up from the muddy ooze,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my footing firm.
4 (3) He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will look on in awe
and put their trust in Adonai.
5 (4) How blessed the man who trusts in Adonai
and does not look to the arrogant
or to those who rely on things that are false.
6 (5) How much you have done, Adonai my God!
Your wonders and your thoughts toward us —
none can compare with you!
I would proclaim them, I would speak about them;
but there’s too much to tell!
7 (6) Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want;
burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand.
Instead, you have given me open ears;
8 (7) so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming!
In the scroll of a book it is written about me.
9 (8) Doing your will, my God, is my joy;
your Torah is in my inmost being.
10 (9) I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, Adonai, as you know.
11 (10) I did not hide your righteousness in my heart
but declared your faithfulness and salvation;
I did not conceal your grace and truth
from the great assembly.”
1 Corinthians 1:1 From: Sha’ul, called by God’s will to be an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua; and from brother Sosthenes
2 To: God’s Messianic community in Corinth, consisting of those who have been set apart by Yeshua the Messiah and called to be God’s holy people — along with everyone everywhere who calls on the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, their Lord as well as ours:
3 Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
4 I thank my God always for you because of God’s love and kindness given to you through the Messiah Yeshua, 5 in that you have been enriched by him in so many ways, particularly in power of speech and depth of knowledge. 6 Indeed, the testimony about the Messiah has become firmly established in you; 7 so that you are not lacking any spiritual gift and are eagerly awaiting the revealing of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 8 He will enable you to hold out until the end and thus be blameless on the Day of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah — 9 God is trustworthy: it was he who called you into fellowship with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord.
John 1:29 The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, “Look! God’s lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world! 30 This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming someone who has come to rank above me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I myself did not know who he was, but the reason I came immersing with water was so that he might be made known to Isra’el.” 32 Then Yochanan gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and remaining on him. 33 I myself did not know who he was, but the one who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the one who immerses in the Ruach HaKodesh.’ 34 And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day, Yochanan was again standing with two of his talmidim. 36 On seeing Yeshua walking by, he said, “Look! God’s lamb!” 37 His two talmidim heard him speaking, and they followed Yeshua. 38 Yeshua turned and saw them following him, and he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi!” (which means “Teacher!”) “Where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and remained with him the rest of the day — it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who had heard Yochanan and had followed Yeshua was Andrew the brother of Shim‘on Kefa.
41 The first thing he did was to find his brother Shim‘on and tell him, “We’ve found the Mashiach!” (The word means “one who has been anointed.”) 42 He took him to Yeshua. Looking at him, Yeshua said, “You are Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan; you will be known as Kefa.” (The name means “rock.”)
The Upper Room Ministries
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listen, you peoples far away:
Adonai called me from the womb;
before I was born, he had spoken my name.
2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword
while hiding me in the shadow of his hand;
he has made me like a sharpened arrow
while concealing me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant,
Isra’el, through whom I will show my glory.”
4 But I said, “I have toiled in vain,
spent my strength for nothing, futility.”
Yet my cause is with Adonai,
my reward is with my God.
5 So now Adonai says —
he formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Ya‘akov back to him,
to have Isra’el gathered to him,
so that I will be honored in the sight of Adonai,
my God having become my strength —
6 he has said, “It is not enough
that you are merely my servant
to raise up the tribes of Ya‘akov
and restore the offspring of Isra’el.
I will also make you a light to the nations,
so my salvation can spread to the ends of the earth.”
7 Here is what Adonai,
the Redeemer of Isra’el,
his Holy One, says to the one despised,
whom the nations detest, to the servant of tyrants:
“When kings see you, they will stand up;
princes too will prostrate themselves,
because of Adonai, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Isra’el, who has chosen you.”
Psalm 40:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) I waited patiently for Adonai,
till he turned toward me and heard my cry.
3 (2) He brought me up from the roaring pit,
up from the muddy ooze,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my footing firm.
4 (3) He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will look on in awe
and put their trust in Adonai.
5 (4) How blessed the man who trusts in Adonai
and does not look to the arrogant
or to those who rely on things that are false.
6 (5) How much you have done, Adonai my God!
Your wonders and your thoughts toward us —
none can compare with you!
I would proclaim them, I would speak about them;
but there’s too much to tell!
7 (6) Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want;
burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand.
Instead, you have given me open ears;
8 (7) so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming!
In the scroll of a book it is written about me.
9 (8) Doing your will, my God, is my joy;
your Torah is in my inmost being.
10 (9) I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, Adonai, as you know.
11 (10) I did not hide your righteousness in my heart
but declared your faithfulness and salvation;
I did not conceal your grace and truth
from the great assembly.”
1 Corinthians 1:1 From: Sha’ul, called by God’s will to be an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua; and from brother Sosthenes
2 To: God’s Messianic community in Corinth, consisting of those who have been set apart by Yeshua the Messiah and called to be God’s holy people — along with everyone everywhere who calls on the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, their Lord as well as ours:
3 Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
4 I thank my God always for you because of God’s love and kindness given to you through the Messiah Yeshua, 5 in that you have been enriched by him in so many ways, particularly in power of speech and depth of knowledge. 6 Indeed, the testimony about the Messiah has become firmly established in you; 7 so that you are not lacking any spiritual gift and are eagerly awaiting the revealing of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 8 He will enable you to hold out until the end and thus be blameless on the Day of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah — 9 God is trustworthy: it was he who called you into fellowship with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord.
John 1:29 The next day, Yochanan saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, “Look! God’s lamb! The one who is taking away the sin of the world! 30 This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming someone who has come to rank above me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I myself did not know who he was, but the reason I came immersing with water was so that he might be made known to Isra’el.” 32 Then Yochanan gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and remaining on him. 33 I myself did not know who he was, but the one who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the one who immerses in the Ruach HaKodesh.’ 34 And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day, Yochanan was again standing with two of his talmidim. 36 On seeing Yeshua walking by, he said, “Look! God’s lamb!” 37 His two talmidim heard him speaking, and they followed Yeshua. 38 Yeshua turned and saw them following him, and he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi!” (which means “Teacher!”) “Where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and remained with him the rest of the day — it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who had heard Yochanan and had followed Yeshua was Andrew the brother of Shim‘on Kefa.
41 The first thing he did was to find his brother Shim‘on and tell him, “We’ve found the Mashiach!” (The word means “one who has been anointed.”) 42 He took him to Yeshua. Looking at him, Yeshua said, “You are Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan; you will be known as Kefa.” (The name means “rock.”)
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 49:1-7
(Read all of Isaiah 49)
Verse 1
[1] Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Listen — God turns his speech to the Gentiles, and invites them to hearken to those counsels and doctrines which the Jews would reject.
Me — Unto Christ: Isaiah speaks these words in the name of Christ.
Verse 2
[2] And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
A sword — As he made me the great teacher of his church, so he made my word, quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Hath he hid — He will protect me from all mine enemies.
Made me — Like an arrow, whose point is bright and polished; which therefore pierceth deeper.
Verse 3
[3] And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
O Israel — As the name of David is sometimes given to his successors, so here the name of Israel may not unfitly be given to Christ, not only because he descended from his loins; but also because he was the true and the great Israel, who, in a more eminent manner, prevailed with God, as that name signifies, of whom Jacob, who was first called Israel, was but a type.
Verse 4
[4] Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
Then said I — Lord, thou sayest thou wilt be glorified by my ministry; but I find it otherwise.
In vain — Without any considerable fruit of my word and works among the Israelites.
My judgment — My right, the reward which by his promise, and my purchase, is my right.
Verse 5
[5] And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
To bring — To convert the apostate Israelites to God.
Not gathered — Not brought home to God by my ministry.
Yet — God will not despise me for the unsuccessfulness of my labours, but will honour and glorify me.
My strength — To support and strengthen me under this and all other discouragements.
Verse 6
[6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
He — The Lord.
It is — This is but a small favour.
The tribes — That remnant of them which shall survive all their calamities.
My salvation — The great instrument and author of that eternal salvation which I will give to the Gentiles.
Verse 7
[7] Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
His Holy One — The Holy One of Israel.
To him — To Christ, to whom, in the days of his flesh, this description fully agrees: for men, both Jews and Gentiles among whom he lived, did despise him from their hearts; and the nation, of which he was a member, abhorred both his person and his doctrine; and he was so far from being a temporal monarch, that he came in the form of a servant, and was a servant of rulers, professing subjection and paying tribute unto Caesar.
Kings — Though for a time thou shalt be despised, yet after a while thou shalt be advanced to such glory, that kings shall look upon thee with reverence.
Arise — From their seats to worship thee.
Faithful — Because God shall make good his promises to thee.
Chuse thee — And although thou shalt be rejected by thine own people, yet God will manifest to the world, that thou, and thou only, art the person whom he hath chosen to be the Redeemer of mankind.
Psalm 40:1-11
(Read all of Psalm 40)
Verse 2
[2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Pit — Desperate dangers and calamities.
Rock — A place of strength and safety.
Established — Kept me from falling into mischief.
Verse 3
[3] And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
And fear — Shall stand in awe of that God, whom they see to have so great power, either to save or to destroy.
Verse 4
[4] Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
The proud — Or, the mighty, the great and proud potentates of the world, to whom most men are apt to look and trust.
Turn — From God, in whom alone they ought to trust.
To lies — To lying vanities, such as worldly power and wisdom, and riches, and all other earthly things, or persons, in which men are prone to trust: which are called lies, because they promise more than they perform.
Verse 5
[5] Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Many — This verse seems to be interposed as a wall of partition, between that which David speaks in his own person, and that which he speaks in the person of the Messiah, in the following verses.
Verse 6
[6] Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Sacrifice — These and the following words, may in an improper sense belong to the time of David; when God might be said, not to desire or require legal sacrifices comparatively. Thou didst desire obedience rather than sacrifices, but in a proper sense, they belong only to the person and times of the Messiah, and so the sense is, God did not desire or require them, for the satisfaction of his own justice, and the expiation of mens sins, which could not possibly be done by the blood of bulls or goats, but only by the blood of Christ, which was typified by them, and which Christ came into the world to shed, in pursuance of his father's will, as it here follows, verse 7,8. So here is a prediction concerning the cessation of the legal sacrifice, and the substitution of a better instead of them.
Opened — Heb. bored. I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as such, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears, according to the law and custom in that case, Exodus 21:5,6. The seventy Jewish interpreters, whom the apostle follows, Hebrews 10:5, translate these words, a body hast thou prepared me.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Them — These words literally and truly belong to Christ, and the sense is this; seeing thou requirest a better sacrifice than those of the law, lo, I offer myself to come, and I will in due time come, into the world, as this phrase is explained in divers places of scripture, and particularly Hebrews 10:5, where this place is expressly applied to Christ.
Volume — These two words, volume and book are used of any writing, and both express the same thing. Now this volume of the book is the law of Moses, which is commonly and emphatically called the book, and was made up in the form of a roll or volume, as the Hebrew books generally were. And so this place manifestly points to Christ, concerning whom much is said in the books of Moses.
Verse 8
[8] I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I delight — This is eminently true, of Christ, and is here observed as an act of heroic obedience, that he not only resolved to do, but delighted in doing the will of God, or what God had commanded him, which was to die, and that a most shameful, and painful, and cursed death.
My heart — I do not only understand it, but receive it with heartiest love, delighting both to meditate of it, and to yield obedience to it.
Verse 9
[9] I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Righteousness — Thy faithfulness.
Great congregation — In the most public and solemn assemblies: not only to the Jews, but also to all nations; to whom Christ preached by his apostles, as is observed Ephesians 2:17.
Not refrained — From preaching it, even to the face of mine enemies.
Verse 11
[11] Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
With-hold not — David, having been transported by the spirit of God to the commemoration of the great mystery of the Messiah, he now seems to be led back by the same spirit, to the consideration of his own case.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
(Read all of 1 Corinthians 1)
Verse 1
[1] Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
Paul, called to be an apostle — There is great propriety in every clause of the salutation, particularly in this, as there were some in the church of Corinth who called the authority of his mission in question.
Through the will of God — Called "the commandment of God," 1 Timothy 1:1 This was to the churches the ground of his authority; to Paul himself, of an humble and ready mind. By the mention of God, the authority of man is excluded, Galatians 1:1; by the mention of the will of God, the merit of Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:8, etc.
And Sosthenes — A Corinthian, St. Paul's companion in travel. It was both humility and prudence in the apostle, thus to join his name with his own, in an epistle wherein he was to reprove so many irregularities.
Sosthenes the brother — Probably this word is emphatical; as if he had said, Who, from a Jewish opposer of the gospel, became a faithful brother.
Verse 2
[2] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
To the church of God which is in Corinth — St. Paul, writing in a familiar manner to the Corinthians, as also to the Thessalonians and Galatians, uses this plain appellation. To the other churches he uses a more solemn address.
Sanctified through Jesus Christ — And so undoubtedly they were in general, notwithstanding some exceptions.
Called — Of Jesus Christ, Romans 1:6 And - As the fruit of that calling made holy.
With all that in every place — Nothing could better suit that catholic love which St. Paul labours to promote in this epistle, than such a declaration of his good wishes for every true Christian upon earth.
Call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — This plainly implies that all Christians pray to Christ, as well as to the Father through him.
Verse 4
[4] I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
Always — Whenever I mention you to God in prayer.
Verse 5
[5] That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
In all utterance and knowledge — Of divine things. These gifts the Corinthians particularly admired. Therefore this congratulation naturally tended to soften their spirits, and I make way for the reproofs which follow.
Verse 6
[6] Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
The testimony of Christ — The gospel.
Was confirmed among you — By these gifts attending it. They knew they had received these by the hand of Paul: and this consideration was highly proper, to revive in them their former reverence and affection for their spiritual father.
Verse 7
[7] So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Waiting — With earnest desire. For the glorious revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ - A sure mark of a true or false Christian, to long for, or dread, this revelation.
Verse 8
[8] Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who will also — if you faithfully apply to him.
Confirm you to the end. In the day of Christ — Now it is our day, wherein we are to work out our salvation; then it will be eminently the day of Christ, and of his glory in the saints.
Verse 9
[9] God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
God is faithful — To all his promises; and therefore "to him that hath shall be given." By whom ye are called - A pledge of his willingness to save you unto the uttermost.
John 1:29-42
Verse 29
[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
He seeth Jesus coming and saith, Behold the Lamb — Innocent; to be offered up; prophesied of by Isaiah, Isaiah 53:7, typified by the paschal lamb, and by the daily sacrifice: The Lamb of God - Whom God gave, approves, accepts of; who taketh away - Atoneth for; the sin - That is, all the sins: of the world - Of all mankind. Sin and the world are of equal extent.
Verse 31
[31] And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
I knew him not — Till he came to be baptized. How surprising is this; considering how nearly they were related, and how remarkable the conception and birth of both had been. But there was a peculiar providence visible in our Saviour's living, from his infancy to his baptism, at Nazareth: John all the time living the life of a hermit in the deserts of Judea, Luke 1:80, ninety or more miles from Nazareth: hereby that acquaintance was prevented which might have made John's testimony of Christ suspected.
Verse 34
[34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
I saw it — That is, the Spirit so descending and abiding on him.
And testified — From that time.
Verse 37
[37] And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
They followed Jesus — They walked after him, but had not the courage to speak to him.
Verse 41
[41] He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
He first findeth his own brother Simon — Probably both of them sought him: Which is, being interpreted, the Christ - This the evangelist adds, as likewise those words in John 1:38, that is, being interpreted, Master.
Verse 42
[42] And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Jesus said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah — As none had told our Lord these names, this could not but strike Peter.
Cephas, which is Peter — Moaning the same in Syriac which Peter does in Greek, namely, a rock.
-------(Read all of Isaiah 49)
Verse 1
[1] Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Listen — God turns his speech to the Gentiles, and invites them to hearken to those counsels and doctrines which the Jews would reject.
Me — Unto Christ: Isaiah speaks these words in the name of Christ.
Verse 2
[2] And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
A sword — As he made me the great teacher of his church, so he made my word, quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Hath he hid — He will protect me from all mine enemies.
Made me — Like an arrow, whose point is bright and polished; which therefore pierceth deeper.
Verse 3
[3] And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
O Israel — As the name of David is sometimes given to his successors, so here the name of Israel may not unfitly be given to Christ, not only because he descended from his loins; but also because he was the true and the great Israel, who, in a more eminent manner, prevailed with God, as that name signifies, of whom Jacob, who was first called Israel, was but a type.
Verse 4
[4] Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
Then said I — Lord, thou sayest thou wilt be glorified by my ministry; but I find it otherwise.
In vain — Without any considerable fruit of my word and works among the Israelites.
My judgment — My right, the reward which by his promise, and my purchase, is my right.
Verse 5
[5] And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
To bring — To convert the apostate Israelites to God.
Not gathered — Not brought home to God by my ministry.
Yet — God will not despise me for the unsuccessfulness of my labours, but will honour and glorify me.
My strength — To support and strengthen me under this and all other discouragements.
Verse 6
[6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
He — The Lord.
It is — This is but a small favour.
The tribes — That remnant of them which shall survive all their calamities.
My salvation — The great instrument and author of that eternal salvation which I will give to the Gentiles.
Verse 7
[7] Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
His Holy One — The Holy One of Israel.
To him — To Christ, to whom, in the days of his flesh, this description fully agrees: for men, both Jews and Gentiles among whom he lived, did despise him from their hearts; and the nation, of which he was a member, abhorred both his person and his doctrine; and he was so far from being a temporal monarch, that he came in the form of a servant, and was a servant of rulers, professing subjection and paying tribute unto Caesar.
Kings — Though for a time thou shalt be despised, yet after a while thou shalt be advanced to such glory, that kings shall look upon thee with reverence.
Arise — From their seats to worship thee.
Faithful — Because God shall make good his promises to thee.
Chuse thee — And although thou shalt be rejected by thine own people, yet God will manifest to the world, that thou, and thou only, art the person whom he hath chosen to be the Redeemer of mankind.
Psalm 40:1-11
(Read all of Psalm 40)
Verse 2
[2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Pit — Desperate dangers and calamities.
Rock — A place of strength and safety.
Established — Kept me from falling into mischief.
Verse 3
[3] And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
And fear — Shall stand in awe of that God, whom they see to have so great power, either to save or to destroy.
Verse 4
[4] Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
The proud — Or, the mighty, the great and proud potentates of the world, to whom most men are apt to look and trust.
Turn — From God, in whom alone they ought to trust.
To lies — To lying vanities, such as worldly power and wisdom, and riches, and all other earthly things, or persons, in which men are prone to trust: which are called lies, because they promise more than they perform.
Verse 5
[5] Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Many — This verse seems to be interposed as a wall of partition, between that which David speaks in his own person, and that which he speaks in the person of the Messiah, in the following verses.
Verse 6
[6] Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Sacrifice — These and the following words, may in an improper sense belong to the time of David; when God might be said, not to desire or require legal sacrifices comparatively. Thou didst desire obedience rather than sacrifices, but in a proper sense, they belong only to the person and times of the Messiah, and so the sense is, God did not desire or require them, for the satisfaction of his own justice, and the expiation of mens sins, which could not possibly be done by the blood of bulls or goats, but only by the blood of Christ, which was typified by them, and which Christ came into the world to shed, in pursuance of his father's will, as it here follows, verse 7,8. So here is a prediction concerning the cessation of the legal sacrifice, and the substitution of a better instead of them.
Opened — Heb. bored. I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as such, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears, according to the law and custom in that case, Exodus 21:5,6. The seventy Jewish interpreters, whom the apostle follows, Hebrews 10:5, translate these words, a body hast thou prepared me.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Them — These words literally and truly belong to Christ, and the sense is this; seeing thou requirest a better sacrifice than those of the law, lo, I offer myself to come, and I will in due time come, into the world, as this phrase is explained in divers places of scripture, and particularly Hebrews 10:5, where this place is expressly applied to Christ.
Volume — These two words, volume and book are used of any writing, and both express the same thing. Now this volume of the book is the law of Moses, which is commonly and emphatically called the book, and was made up in the form of a roll or volume, as the Hebrew books generally were. And so this place manifestly points to Christ, concerning whom much is said in the books of Moses.
Verse 8
[8] I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I delight — This is eminently true, of Christ, and is here observed as an act of heroic obedience, that he not only resolved to do, but delighted in doing the will of God, or what God had commanded him, which was to die, and that a most shameful, and painful, and cursed death.
My heart — I do not only understand it, but receive it with heartiest love, delighting both to meditate of it, and to yield obedience to it.
Verse 9
[9] I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Righteousness — Thy faithfulness.
Great congregation — In the most public and solemn assemblies: not only to the Jews, but also to all nations; to whom Christ preached by his apostles, as is observed Ephesians 2:17.
Not refrained — From preaching it, even to the face of mine enemies.
Verse 11
[11] Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
With-hold not — David, having been transported by the spirit of God to the commemoration of the great mystery of the Messiah, he now seems to be led back by the same spirit, to the consideration of his own case.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
(Read all of 1 Corinthians 1)
Verse 1
[1] Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
Paul, called to be an apostle — There is great propriety in every clause of the salutation, particularly in this, as there were some in the church of Corinth who called the authority of his mission in question.
Through the will of God — Called "the commandment of God," 1 Timothy 1:1 This was to the churches the ground of his authority; to Paul himself, of an humble and ready mind. By the mention of God, the authority of man is excluded, Galatians 1:1; by the mention of the will of God, the merit of Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:8, etc.
And Sosthenes — A Corinthian, St. Paul's companion in travel. It was both humility and prudence in the apostle, thus to join his name with his own, in an epistle wherein he was to reprove so many irregularities.
Sosthenes the brother — Probably this word is emphatical; as if he had said, Who, from a Jewish opposer of the gospel, became a faithful brother.
Verse 2
[2] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
To the church of God which is in Corinth — St. Paul, writing in a familiar manner to the Corinthians, as also to the Thessalonians and Galatians, uses this plain appellation. To the other churches he uses a more solemn address.
Sanctified through Jesus Christ — And so undoubtedly they were in general, notwithstanding some exceptions.
Called — Of Jesus Christ, Romans 1:6 And - As the fruit of that calling made holy.
With all that in every place — Nothing could better suit that catholic love which St. Paul labours to promote in this epistle, than such a declaration of his good wishes for every true Christian upon earth.
Call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — This plainly implies that all Christians pray to Christ, as well as to the Father through him.
Verse 4
[4] I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
Always — Whenever I mention you to God in prayer.
Verse 5
[5] That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
In all utterance and knowledge — Of divine things. These gifts the Corinthians particularly admired. Therefore this congratulation naturally tended to soften their spirits, and I make way for the reproofs which follow.
Verse 6
[6] Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
The testimony of Christ — The gospel.
Was confirmed among you — By these gifts attending it. They knew they had received these by the hand of Paul: and this consideration was highly proper, to revive in them their former reverence and affection for their spiritual father.
Verse 7
[7] So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Waiting — With earnest desire. For the glorious revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ - A sure mark of a true or false Christian, to long for, or dread, this revelation.
Verse 8
[8] Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who will also — if you faithfully apply to him.
Confirm you to the end. In the day of Christ — Now it is our day, wherein we are to work out our salvation; then it will be eminently the day of Christ, and of his glory in the saints.
Verse 9
[9] God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
God is faithful — To all his promises; and therefore "to him that hath shall be given." By whom ye are called - A pledge of his willingness to save you unto the uttermost.
John 1:29-42
Verse 29
[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
He seeth Jesus coming and saith, Behold the Lamb — Innocent; to be offered up; prophesied of by Isaiah, Isaiah 53:7, typified by the paschal lamb, and by the daily sacrifice: The Lamb of God - Whom God gave, approves, accepts of; who taketh away - Atoneth for; the sin - That is, all the sins: of the world - Of all mankind. Sin and the world are of equal extent.
Verse 31
[31] And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
I knew him not — Till he came to be baptized. How surprising is this; considering how nearly they were related, and how remarkable the conception and birth of both had been. But there was a peculiar providence visible in our Saviour's living, from his infancy to his baptism, at Nazareth: John all the time living the life of a hermit in the deserts of Judea, Luke 1:80, ninety or more miles from Nazareth: hereby that acquaintance was prevented which might have made John's testimony of Christ suspected.
Verse 34
[34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
I saw it — That is, the Spirit so descending and abiding on him.
And testified — From that time.
Verse 37
[37] And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
They followed Jesus — They walked after him, but had not the courage to speak to him.
Verse 41
[41] He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
He first findeth his own brother Simon — Probably both of them sought him: Which is, being interpreted, the Christ - This the evangelist adds, as likewise those words in John 1:38, that is, being interpreted, Master.
Verse 42
[42] And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Jesus said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah — As none had told our Lord these names, this could not but strike Peter.
Cephas, which is Peter — Moaning the same in Syriac which Peter does in Greek, namely, a rock.
The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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Today's Scripture:
Ecclesiastes 7:13 Consider the work of God:
who can make straight what he has made crooked?
14 When things are going well, enjoy yourself;
but when things are going badly, consider
that God made the one alongside the other,
so that people would learn nothing of their futures.
15 In my pointless life, I’ve seen everything —
from the righteous person perishing in his uprightness
to the wicked one who lives a long life
and keeps on doing wrong.
16 So don’t be overly righteous or overly wise;
why should you disappoint yourself?
17 But don’t be overly wicked, and don’t be foolish;
why should you die before your time?
18 Don’t grasp just one of these rules;
take hold of the other as well;
for he who is in fear of God
will live by both of them.
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Today's Scripture:
Ecclesiastes 7:13 Consider the work of God:
who can make straight what he has made crooked?
14 When things are going well, enjoy yourself;
but when things are going badly, consider
that God made the one alongside the other,
so that people would learn nothing of their futures.
15 In my pointless life, I’ve seen everything —
from the righteous person perishing in his uprightness
to the wicked one who lives a long life
and keeps on doing wrong.
16 So don’t be overly righteous or overly wise;
why should you disappoint yourself?
17 But don’t be overly wicked, and don’t be foolish;
why should you die before your time?
18 Don’t grasp just one of these rules;
take hold of the other as well;
for he who is in fear of God
will live by both of them.
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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
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