Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily
words of wisdom and faith “Beyond Death” for Thursday, 1 May 2014
Today’s Reflection:
I KNOW I WILL SEE my
husband again on the final Day of Judgment at the end of time,” a widowed
friend said to me sadly. “But it may be eons, millions of years until then. In
the meantime, he is asleep in the grave. He is not aware of me and my love. It
seems so long to wait.
An extraordinary
number of Christians believe this. Many churches firmly teach that we wake from
death only at the Final Judgment. Many Christians in the early days of the
church believed this also, as did many Jewish teachers in Jesus’ time. It is
also true that passages in the Epistles as well as in John’s Revelation
indicate this doctrine (1 Cor. 15:52; Rev. 20:5, 12). But what did Jesus
believe? Did he teach immediate awakening after bodily death? Did he believe in
the Final Judgment? He believed in both!
Jesus believed in
immediate resurrection after death or he would not have promised the dying man
on the cross next to him that they would be in Paradise together that very day.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, he saw and spoke with both Moses and Elijah
(Mark 9:2-4). They obviously were alive and awake before any Judgment Day.
Jesus told Lazarus’s sister Martha that she did not need to wait form the final
Day to see her brother again: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who
believe in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).--Flora Slosson Wuellner, Beyond
Death
From pages 31-32 of
Beyond Death: What Jesus Revealed about Eternal Life by Flora Slosson Wuellner.
Copyright © 2014 by Flora Slosson Wuellner. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more
about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
What does your faith
lead you to believe about life after death?
Today’s Scripture:
You know that you were
ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with
perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ,
like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.--1 Peter 1:18-19, NRSV
This Week: pray for
those learning to pray.
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Saints, Inc.:
This week we
remember:
Catherine of Siena (April 29).
St. Catherine of Siena
was born in 1347 to a family that already had 23 children. Early on, she
identified herself as an activist, even cutting off her hair to show her
parents that she vehemently refused to marry. She developed a habit of
self-imposed solitude, only emerging for mass. When she was eighteen she joined
a group of women called the Mantellate, who served the poor and sick in the
community. Two years later she had a mystical experience that caused her to
devote her life solely to God.
Catherine became
widely sought after for her theological viewpoints and ability to interpret the
Bible, and even the Pope asked for her counsel. Her thoughts survive in her
work Dialogue, in which she sets up a theological debate with God. In it she
develops love and truth as the only ways to strive for the perfection of God.
Catherine always labored first out of love for God, and died after years of
fasting and penance when she was only thirty-three.
If St. Catherine had
taken the Spiritual Types Test, she would probably have been a lover. Read some
of Catherine's writings in A Life of Total Prayer: Selected Writings of
Catherine of Siena.
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Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 2: 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up
his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at
Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
36 “Let all the house of
Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard
this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter said to them,
“Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For
the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even
as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40 With many other words he
testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked
generation!”
41 Then those who gladly
received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand
souls.
Psalm 116:1 I love
Yahweh, because he listens to my voice,
and my cries for mercy.
2 Because he has turned
his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I
live.
3 The cords of death
surrounded me,
the pains of Sheol[a] got a hold of me.
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on
Yahweh’s name:
“Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 116:3 Sheol is
the place of the dead.
12 What will I give to
Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on Yahweh’s name.
14 I will pay my vows to
Yahweh,
yes, in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in Yahweh’s
sight is the death of his saints.
16 Yahweh, truly I am
your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your servant.
You have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer to you the
sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call on Yahweh’s name.
18 I will pay my vows to
Yahweh,
yes, in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of
Yahweh’s house,
in the middle of you, Jerusalem.
Praise Yah!
1 Peter 1:17 If you call
on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s
work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18
knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or
gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with
precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; 20 who
was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at
the end of times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who
raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might
be in God.
22 Seeing you have
purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in
sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through
the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
Luke 24:13 Behold, two
of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia[a]
from Jerusalem. 14 They talked with each other about all of these things which
had happened. 15 While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came
near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17
He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”
18 One of them, named
Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know
the things which have happened there in these days?”
19 He said to them,
“What things?”
They said to him, “The
things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and
word before God and all the people; 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping
that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now
the third day since these things happened. 22 Also, certain women of our
company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23 and when they didn’t
find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who
said that he was alive. 24 Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like
the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25 He said to them,
“Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have
spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his
glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 They came near to the
village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.
29 They urged him,
saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”
He went in to stay with
them. 30 When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and
gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. 31 Their eyes were opened, and they
recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to one
another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the
way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They rose up that very hour,
returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who
were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to
Simon!” 35 They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was
recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 24:13 60 stadia
= about 11 kilometers or about 7 miles.
John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for
Acts 2:14, 36-41
Verse 14
[14] But Peter,
standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of
Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken
to my words:
Then Peter standing up
— All the gestures, all the words of Peter, show the utmost sobriety; lifted up
his voice - With cheerfulness and boldness; and said to them - This discourse
has three parts; each of which, Acts 2:14,22,29, begins with the same
appellation, men: only to the last part he prefixes with more familiarity the
additional word brethren.
Men of Judea — That
is, ye that are born in Judea. St. Peter spoke in Hebrew, which they all
understood.
Verse 36
[36] Therefore let all
the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye
have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Lord — Jesus, after
his exaltation, is constantly meant by this word in the New Testament, unless
sometimes where it occurs, in a text quoted from the Old Testament.
Verse 37
[37] Now when they
heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the
rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
They said to the
apostles, Brethren — They did not style them so before.
Verse 38
[38] Then Peter said
unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repent — And hereby
return to God: be baptized - Believing in the name of Jesus - And ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost - See the three-one God clearly proved. See
Acts 26:20. The gift of the Holy Ghost does not mean in this place the power of
speaking with tongues. For the promise of this was not given to all that were
afar off, in distant ages and nations. But rather the constant fruits of faith,
even righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Whomsoever the Lord
our God shall call — (Whether they are Jews or Gentiles) by his word and by his
Spirit: and who are not disobedient to the heavenly calling. But it is
observable St. Peter did not yet understand the very words he spoke.
Verse 40
[40] And with many
other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this
untoward generation.
And with many other
words did he testify and exhort — In such an accepted time we should add line
upon line, and not leave off, till the thing is done.
Save yourselves from
this perverse generation — Many of whom were probably mocking still.
Verse 41
[41] Then they that
gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto
them about three thousand souls.
And there were added —
To the hundred and twenty.
Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19
Verse 3
[3] The sorrows of
death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and
sorrow.
The sorrows —
Dangerous and deadly calamities.
Pains — Such agonies
and horrors, as dying persons use to feel.
1 Peter 1:17-23
Verse 17
[17] And if ye call on
the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's
work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Who judgeth according
to every man's work — According to the tenor of his life and conversation.
Pass the time of your
sojourning — Your short abode on earth. In humble, loving fear - The proper
companion and guard of hope.
Verse 18
[18] Forasmuch as ye
know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
Your vain conversation
— Your foolish, sinful way of life.
Verse 19
[19] But with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Without blemish — In
himself.
Without spot — From
the world.
Verse 21
[21] Who by him do
believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your
faith and hope might be in God.
Who through him
believe — For all our faith and hope proceed from the power of his
resurrection. In God that raised Jesus, and gave him glory - At his ascension.
Without Christ we should only dread God; whereas through him we believe, hope,
and love.
Luke 24:13-35
Verse 13
[13] And, behold, two
of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem
about threescore furlongs.
Mark 16:12.
Verse 21
[21] But we trusted
that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to
day is the third day since these things were done.
To-day is the third
day — The day he should have risen again, if at all.
Verse 25
[25] Then he said unto
them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
O foolish — Not
understanding the designs and works of God: And slow of heart - Unready to
believe what the prophets have so largely spoken.
Verse 26
[26] Ought not Christ
to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Ought not Christ — If
he would redeem man, and fulfil the prophecies concerning him, to have suffered
these things? - These very sufferings which occasion your doubts, are the
proofs of his being the Messiah.
And to enter into his
glory — Which could be done no other way.
Verse 28
[28] And they drew nigh
unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone
further.
He made as though he
would go farther — Walking forward, as if he was going on; and he would have
done it, had they not pressed him to stay.
Verse 29
[29] But they constrained
him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.
And he went in to tarry with them.
They constrained him —
By their importunate entreaties.
Verse 30
[30] And it came to
pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake,
and gave to them.
He took the bread, and
blessed, and brake — Just in the same manner as when ho instituted his last
supper.
Verse 31
[31] And their eyes
were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Their eyes were opened
— That is, the supernatural cloud was removed: And he vanished - Went away
insensibly.
Verse 32
[32] And they said one
to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the
way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Did not our heart burn
within us — Did not we feel an unusual warmth of love! Was not our heart
burning, etc.
Verse 33
[33] And they rose up
the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered
together, and them that were with them,
The same hour — Late
as it was.
Verse 34
[34] Saying, The Lord
is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
The Lord hath appeared
to Simon — Before he was seen of the twelve apostles, 1 Corinthians 15:5. He
had, in his wonderful condescension and grace, taken an opportunity on the
former part of that day (though where, or in what manner, is not recorded) to
show himself to Peter, that he might early relieve his distresses and fears, on
account of having so shamefully denied his Master.
Verse 35
[35] And they told
what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of
bread.
In the breaking of
bread — The Lord's Supper.
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Upper Room Daily
Reflections, a ministry of Global Board of Discipleship
PO Box 340004
Nashville, TN
37203-0004 United States
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