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Tuesday, 3 October 2017
Acts 1:4 At one of these gatherings, he instructed them not to leave Yerushalayim but to wait for “what the Father promised, which you heard about from me. 5 For Yochanan used to immerse people in water; but in a few days, you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh!”
6 When they were together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore self-rule to Isra’el?” 7 He answered, “You don’t need to know the dates or the times; the Father has kept these under his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y’hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!”, 8:4 However, those who were scattered announced the Good News of the Word wherever they went.
5 Now Philip went down to a city in Shomron and was proclaiming the Messiah to them; 6 and the crowds were paying close attention to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was doing. 7 For many people were having unclean spirits driven out of them, shrieking; also many paralytics and crippled persons were being healed; 8 so that there was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a man named Shim‘on in the city who for some time had been practicing magic and astonishing the nation of Shomron, claiming to be somebody great. 10 Everyone gave heed to him, from the lowest to the highest, saying, “This man is the power of God called ‘The Great Power’.” 11 They followed him because for a considerable time he had amazed them with his magic.
12 But when they came to believe Philip, as he announced the Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua the Messiah, they were immersed, both men and women. 13 Moreover, Shim‘on himself came to believe; and after being immersed, he attached himself closely to Philip; and he was amazed as he saw the miraculous signs and great works of power that kept taking place.
14 When the emissaries in Yerushalayim heard that Shomron had received the Word of God, they sent them Kefa and Yochanan, 15 who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Ruach HaKodesh. 16 For until then he had not come upon any of them; they had only been immersed into the name of the Lord Yeshua. 17 Then, as Kefa and Yochanan placed their hands on them, they received the Ruach HaKodesh.
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The “Samaritans” in Jesus’ time lived in territory between Israelite Judea (in the south) and Galilee (in the north). The rivalry and hatred between the two peoples went back through generations for centuries (cf. 2 Kings 17:24, 29-41, Ezra 4:1-5). That history made it remarkable to see the early Christians matter-of-factly following Jesus' mandate to preach in Samaria. Something major (and wonderful) was happening as they welcomed these former enemies into the faith.
• Jesus set the stage for what happened in Acts 8—he always related to Samaritans with respect and compassion (see, for example, Luke 17:11-19). How do you think his example helped prepare the apostles to interact in redemptive ways with Samaritans? In what ways, and with whom, are you modeling inclusiveness for your family, your friends, and your business associates?
• The spread of the early Christian faith didn’t happen because the disciples were unusually broad-minded on their own. The Holy Spirit’s activity showed the apostles that God freely accepted the Samaritans, so they’d better find a way to join in what God was doing. Are you willing to accept and welcome anyone the Holy Spirit moves to attend your church? To reach out to anyone the Holy Spirit places in your path?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I read about your life, it seems that you hardly even knew the word “enemy.” Keep shaping my thoughts and actions to see people through your eyes of love and compassion. Amen.
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Denise Mersmann
Denise serves as the Early Childhood Coordinating Assistant at Church of the Resurrection.
Simon was known for practicing sorcery and trickery to baffle the people of Samaria. In doing so, he convinced them that he was a great person and they gave him their undivided attention.
It’s very easy to read this and think “How could these people be so clueless? How could they devote themselves and give their undivided attention to something that has no value?” In the midst of judging, however, I hear the small voice that says, “Aren’t there things that you devote yourself to and even give your undivided attention, perhaps even going so far as to distract you from a deeper relationship with Christ?” Well, in my defense, I rarely devote large blocks of time to trickery or sorcery, but I do have a tendency to get caught up in Netflix or social media and find myself devoting those aforementioned large blocks of time.
My free time activities in and of themselves may not be bad, nor do they necessarily prevent me from continuing toward a deeper relationship with Christ. The problem comes when I fail to set limits on my time, and more importantly, on the content I engage with. I am well aware of how social media works and know how to avoid sites that are inappropriate. The slippery slope seems to be how I handle borderline jokes that find their way onto my Facebook page, a retweet from a friend that conflicts with my values or an Instagram that falls a little outside what I would want my kids to see me looking at.
My relationship with Christ isn’t hampered simply by my use of social media, but in how I represent myself and what I accept while I am using social media. With all the great things that can happen on social media, trickery lurks there as well. When we allow jokes that make fun of people based on ethnicity, gender or abilities, a small wedge is driven in our relationship with Christ. When we retweet comments that denigrate people and make fun of others, we tacitly support those mindsets. A simple “like” on an article that disparages a person or group of people tells the world that I support that sentiment.
It’s much easier for me to be a “Simon” than I care to admit but, through God’s grace and the many great tools available to me, I know it can be managed if I put my mind to it!
Denise MersmannDenise serves as the Early Childhood Coordinating Assistant at Church of the Resurrection.
Simon was known for practicing sorcery and trickery to baffle the people of Samaria. In doing so, he convinced them that he was a great person and they gave him their undivided attention.
It’s very easy to read this and think “How could these people be so clueless? How could they devote themselves and give their undivided attention to something that has no value?” In the midst of judging, however, I hear the small voice that says, “Aren’t there things that you devote yourself to and even give your undivided attention, perhaps even going so far as to distract you from a deeper relationship with Christ?” Well, in my defense, I rarely devote large blocks of time to trickery or sorcery, but I do have a tendency to get caught up in Netflix or social media and find myself devoting those aforementioned large blocks of time.
My free time activities in and of themselves may not be bad, nor do they necessarily prevent me from continuing toward a deeper relationship with Christ. The problem comes when I fail to set limits on my time, and more importantly, on the content I engage with. I am well aware of how social media works and know how to avoid sites that are inappropriate. The slippery slope seems to be how I handle borderline jokes that find their way onto my Facebook page, a retweet from a friend that conflicts with my values or an Instagram that falls a little outside what I would want my kids to see me looking at.
My relationship with Christ isn’t hampered simply by my use of social media, but in how I represent myself and what I accept while I am using social media. With all the great things that can happen on social media, trickery lurks there as well. When we allow jokes that make fun of people based on ethnicity, gender or abilities, a small wedge is driven in our relationship with Christ. When we retweet comments that denigrate people and make fun of others, we tacitly support those mindsets. A simple “like” on an article that disparages a person or group of people tells the world that I support that sentiment.
It’s much easier for me to be a “Simon” than I care to admit but, through God’s grace and the many great tools available to me, I know it can be managed if I put my mind to it!
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“'It’s a matter of equality'—wiping out economic barriers by giving"
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was — for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty. 10 As I say, in regard to this matter I am only giving an opinion. A year ago you were not only the first to take action but the first to want to do so. Now it would be to your advantage 11 to finish what you started, so that your eagerness in wanting to commence the project may be matched by your eagerness to complete it, as you contribute from what you have. 12 For if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift will be measured by what you have, not by what you don’t have. 13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”[2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18]
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Even the Hebrew sacrificial law made provision for poor Israelites for whom a lamb to sacrifice was too expensive, a law that helped Jesus’ parents (cf. Leviticus 12:8, Luke 2:22-24). Jesus’ followers went further to bridge economic divides. In churches where people were prospering, Paul took up a collection to help Christians suffering from poverty in Jerusalem. He laid out his ideal for the church: not “class warfare,” but deep-seated mutual concern and burden-sharing.
• “Your plenty will supply what they need,” Paul wrote. Do you see yourself more as a person who has plenty, or as someone in need? How does the truth that we’re one human family under God speak to issues of plenty or of need? At the end of this passage, Paul made an intriguing reference to Exodus 16:18, which said every Israelite gathered only as much manna (food) as he needed. Does that idea teach us something today, or is the goal of equality out of date, even destructive, in the 21st century?
• Paul gathered money from Gentile Christians in Greece to take to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, who faced economic need. He took pains to handle things so no one could even suspect him of “skimming” any of the money (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:18-21). What makes it important for Christ’s servants today to avoid even the potential appearance of financial fraud or deceit?
Prayer: O Jesus, sometimes I’m thankful for what I have, but other times I really wish I had as much as someone else. Teach me how to not allow either wealth or poverty to be a barrier between me and other people. Amen.
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“There’s no distinction…all are treated as righteous freely”
Thursday, 5 October 2017
Romans 3:21 But now, quite apart from Torah, God’s way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear — although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well — 22 and it is a righteousness that comes from God, through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, 23 since all have sinned and come short of earning God’s praise. 24 By God’s grace, without earning it, all are granted the status of being considered righteous before him, through the act redeeming us from our enslavement to sin that was accomplished by the Messiah Yeshua. 25 God put Yeshua forward as the kapparah for sin through his faithfulness in respect to his bloody sacrificial death. This vindicated God’s righteousness; because, in his forbearance, he had passed over [with neither punishment nor remission] the sins people had committed in the past; 26 and it vindicates his righteousness in the present age by showing that he is righteous himself and is also the one who makes people righteous on the ground of Yeshua’s faithfulness.
27 So what room is left for boasting? None at all! What kind of Torah excludes it? One that has to do with legalistic observance of rules? No, rather, a Torah that has to do with trusting. 28 Therefore, we hold the view that a person comes to be considered righteous by God on the ground of trusting, which has nothing to do with legalistic observance of Torah commands.
29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is indeed the God of the Gentiles; 30 because, as you will admit, God is one.[Romans 3:30 Deuteronomy 6:4] Therefore, he will consider righteous the circumcised on the ground of trusting and the uncircumcised through that same trusting.
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“All have sinned” and “all are treated as righteous freely by his grace” have a familiar, “Bible talk” ring to them. But for Paul, “all” meant “all,” not just some. One major message in these pivotal verses was that God accepts Jews and Gentiles (or any people of different ethnicity or background) on exactly the same basis.
• There’s no room for bragging, Paul said, once we realize that we are sinners accepted by God through Christ’s grace. Have you ever seen, or felt in yourself, a (quietly) boastful sense of superiority due to race, education, religious affiliation or any of dozens of other separators create division between people? How can you (and God) adjust your attitude to eliminate those divisions?
• “Is God the God of Jews only?” Paul asked (clearly implying that the answer is “no”). “Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also?” Practice plugging other labels (e.g. Americans/Mexicans, United Methodists/__________—choose a denomination, etc.) into those questions, and monitor your inner responses. Ask God to help you get rid of any feelings of proud elitism this exercise shows you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, if anyone had an excuse for walking around felling and acting superior, it would have been you. Yet common people (like me) loved you. Fill me with your spirit of caring and welcome toward others. Amen.
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“We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body”
Friday, 6 October 2017
1 Corinthians 12:
3 Therefore, I want to make it clear to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says, “Yeshua is cursed!” and no one can say, “Yeshua is Lord,” except by the Ruach HaKodesh.
4 Now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 Also there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served. 6 And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone. 7 Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. 8 To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom; to another, a word of knowledge, in accordance with the same Spirit; 9 to another, faith, by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing, by the one Spirit; 10 to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to judge between spirits; to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues; and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses. 12 For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body; so it is with the Messiah. 13 For it was by one Spirit that we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
, 26 Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.
, 26 Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.
27 Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it.
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We’re different from one another in many ways. Paul told the Corinthians that our diversity was God’s plan. The members of God’s family of believers are not interchangeable, identical parts, but like the parts of our physical body are different but work together. He was sure that what unites us is far greater than any difference that might divide us. We all follow one Lord, we’re all led by one Spirit, and so, with all our different backgrounds and gifts, we all form one body—the Body of Christ.
• It is fact, not opinion, that people from many different ethnic backgrounds all love and serve the same Lord—Jesus Christ. It is also fact, not opinion, that those who love and serve the same God do so in many varying, different ways. How can you subdue forces in yourself that work to make the differences into walls of separation and mistrust? How can focusing on the One we serve, rather than the differences, break down those walls?
• In your church, your family, your workplace and your community, do you notice the ways that the differences between people bring depth, richness and strength? How can valuing, honoring and celebrating the strength that grows from our differences help to keep us from building impenetrable walls of separation?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, make me willing to suffer when other members of your body suffer, and to celebrate when others get the glory. Make me willing to be part of “us,” and not just “me.” Amen.
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“You are all God’s children”
Saturday, 7 October 2017
Galatians 3:26 For in union with the Messiah, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness; 27 because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom 28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one. 29 Also, if you belong to the Messiah, you are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise.
4:1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate; 2 rather, he is subject to guardians and caretakers until the time previously set by his father. 3 So it is with us — when we were “children” we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe; 4 but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm, 5 so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God’s sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.
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Some Jewish Christians who followed Paul to Galatia claimed the Bible required Gentile men to be circumcised, to in effect become ethnic Jews, to join God’s family (cf. Genesis 17:10-14). But Paul was emphatic: God accepts all people, of all backgrounds, based on their trust, not because of outward identifying signs. “Faith working through love,” not ritual purity, was what mattered. The early Christian communities stood out in their world: “Only a minority of groups even claimed to surmount ethnic and class divisions; the churches who brought diverse peoples and classes together were thus distinctive. Early Christians…proved distinctive in challenging class (slave versus free) and often gender prejudices.” * That willingness to challenge prejudices needs to remain a distinctive trait of genuine Christianity.
• The kind of Christianity the “Judaizers” wanted inevitably had strong cultural and ethnic overtones. But Paul, born in that ethnic group and culture, said, “Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” Do you ever struggle to accept believers in Jesus who come from some ethnic, cultural or denominational background different than yours? More broadly, how about neighbors, fellow students or coworkers from an ethnic or cultural background different than yours? What helps you to view all people as beloved children of God?
Prayer: Creator God, your creation includes many kinds of flowers and trees, an amazing variety of animal life—and lots of different kinds of human beings. Plant in my heart your obvious delight in diversity. Amen.
* HarperCollins Christian Publishing. NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, eBook: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture (Kindle Locations 266575-266578). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Family Activity: The Bible tells many stories of missionaries. Create your own family “missionary” story. Gather your family for a local “missionary” drive. Before you leave, select a few places you would like to stop and share God’s love in some way. Would you like to take treats to firefighters or police officers and thank them for their service? How about praying for local store owners as you shop? Could you offer to do some yard work for a neighbor? Maybe you could visit those in the nursing home or a lonely neighbor. You might also want to walk through your neighborhood praying for your school and places of worship. Pray and ask God to help your family be missionaries, sharing God’s love wherever you go.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• John Salberg and family on the death of his wife Verda Salberg, 9/23
•Bruce Durkee and family on the death of his father William R. “Bill” Durkee, 9/23
•Ed Phillips and family on the death of his mother Margaret Phillips, 9/22
• Lisa Swarts and family on the death of her father James Craig, 9/21
•Family and friends of Linda Lambright on her death, 9/21
•Stephen Franano and family on the death of his mother Carmen Franano, 9/20
•Chuck Lyman and family on the death of his uncle Charles Watkins, 9/19
•Cherri Fuchs and family on the death of her mother Sharon Harmon, 9/15
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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