Daily Devotion – Great Plains United Methodist – Friday, 24 January
2014 – Monday, 27 January 2014
Today please be in prayer for:
1. Berniece Ludlum
Beeler
Dighton
Dodge City District
2. James McGuire
Kansas City: Living Water UMC
Kansas City District
3. Mary Scott
Aurora UMC
Bradshaw UMC
Prairie Rivers District
4. Lance Carrithers
Dodge City First
Dodge City District
5. Susan Barham
Kansas City: Living Water UMC
Kansas City District
6. Tamara Holtz
Beaver Crossing UMC
Ebenezer UMC
Utica UMC
Prairie Rivers District
7. Tania Montero
Dodge City First
Dodge City District
8. Cynthia Smart
Kansas City: Mason Memorial UMC
Kansas City District
9. Dan Albers
Bladen UMC
Blue Hill UMC
Prairie Rivers District
10. Dennis Reimer
Elkhart
Dodge City District
11. Cruz Guerra
Kansas City: Metropolitan Avenue UMC
Kansas City District
12. Melanie Adams
Boelus Grace UMC
Cairo UMC
Prairie Rivers District
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This Week's Lectionary
Third Sunday after Epiphany – Green
Isaiah 9: The Righteous Reign of the Coming King
1 [a] But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of
Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the
land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 [b] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great
light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has
shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its
joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the
harvest,
as people exult when
dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across
their shoulders,
the rod of their
oppressor,
you have broken as on
the day of Midian.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 9:1 Ch 8.23 in Heb
b. Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9.1 in Heb (New Revised Standard Version
Catholic Edition)
Yeshayah 9:1 (23) Nevertheless there will be no gloom in her in
anguish. In Et HaRishon (the former time) He brought into contempt Artzah
Zevulun and Artzah Naphtali, but acharon (afterward, in the future) did bring
to honor Derech HaYam (Way to the Sea, land between Sea of Galilee and the
Mediterranean), beyond Yarden, in the Galil HaGoyim.
2 (1) The people that walked in choshech have seen an Ohr gadol;
they that dwell in the eretz tzalmavet, upon them hath the Ohr dawned.
3 (2) Thou shalt multiply the Goy (Nation), and increase its
simchah; they joy before Thee according to the simchat baKatzir, and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 (3) For Thou hast broken the ol (yoke) of his burden, and the
mateh (staff) of his shoulder, the shevet hanogesh (rod of the task master) of
him, as in the yom of Midyan [See Judges 7:25). (Orthodox Jewish Bible)
Psalm 27: Triumphant Song of Confidence
Of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
of whom shall I be
afraid?
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
4 One thing I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek
after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my
life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his
temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on
a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all
around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts
of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and
answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your
face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger,
you who have been my
help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
(New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)
Tehillim 27:1 (Of Dovid) Hashem is my ohr and Yishi (my
Salvation); whom shall I fear? Hashem is the ma’oz (stronghold) of my life; of
whom shall I be afraid?
4 One thing have I asked of Hashem, that will I seek after: that
I may dwell in the Bais Hashem all the days of my life, to behold the
gracefulness of Hashem, and to inquire in His Heikhal.
5 For in the Yom Ra’ah (day of evil) He shall keep me safe in
His Sukkah; in the shelter of His Ohel shall He conceal me; He shall set me up
upon a Tzur (rock).
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies around
about me; therefore will I offer in His Ohel sacrifices with shouts of joy; I
will sing, yea, I will make music unto Hashem.
7 Shema, Hashem, when I call with my voice; chaneini also upon
me, and answer me.
8 When my lev said of Thee, Seek ye My face, my lev said unto
Thee, Thy face, Hashem, will I seek.
9 Hide not Thy face far from me; turn not Thy eved away in
anger; Thou hast been my ezer; leave me not, neither forsake me, Elohei Yishi
(G-d of my Salvation). (Orthodox Jewish Bible)
1 Corinthians 1: Divisions in the Church
10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same
purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are
quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.[b] 12 What I mean is that each of
you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to
Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God[c]
that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say
that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of
Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For
Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with
eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who
are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Gk brothers
b. 1 Corinthians 1:11 Gk my brothers
c. 1 Corinthians 1:14 Other ancient authorities read I am
thankful (New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)
Kehillah in Corinth I 1:10 Now I exhort you, Achim b’Moshiach,
b’Shem Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, that you all speak the same
thing and that there not be among you machlokot (divisions of dissension
11:18), but that you may have achdus (unity) in the same mind and in the same
way of thinking.
11 For it was made clear to me about you, Achim b’Moshiach of
mine, by the ones of Chloe, that there is merivah (strife) among you.
12 Now I say this, because each of you says, "I am of
Sha’ul," or, "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Kefa," or
"I am of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach!"
13 Has Moshiach been divided? Surely Sha’ul was not for you the
one talui al HaEtz (“being hanged on the Tree” Dt 21:23)? Surely it was not in
the name of Sha’ul that the Moshiach’s tevilah in the mikveh mayim was given to
you?
14 Modeh Ani Hashem that to not one of you I gave Moshiach’s
tevilah except Crispus and Gaius (Ro16:23),
15 Lest anyone should say that in my name you were given the
Moshiach’s tevilah.
16 Now I gave Moshiach’s tevilah also to Stephanas’ household;
as to the rest, I do not know if I gave Moshiach’s tevilah to anyone else.
17 For Moshiach did not send me to give Moshiach’s tevilah in
the mikveh mayim, but to preach the Besuras HaGeulah, not by means of the
lomdes (cleverness, erudition) of the rhetoric of Bnei Adam, lest the gevurah
(power) of HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem (the Tree of the Curse of G-d—Dt 21:23) of
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach be buttel (cancelled out).
18 For the message of HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem (the Tree of the
Curse of G-d—Dt 21:23) is narrishkait to the ones perishing. But to us who are
being delivered in Yeshu’at Eloheinu, it is the gevurat Hashem (the power of
G-d). (Orthodox Jewish Bible)
Matthew 4: Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee
12 Now when Jesus[a] heard that John had been arrested, he
withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the
sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken
through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the
sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great
light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven has come near.”[b]
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the
sea—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will
make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed
him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee
and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their
nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father,
and followed him.
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People
23 Jesus[c] went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom and curing every disease and
every sickness among the people.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 4:12 Gk he
b. Matthew 4:17 Or is at hand
c. Matthew 4:23 Gk He
d. Matthew 4:23 Gk gospel (New Revised Standard Version Catholic
Edition)
Mattityahu 4:12 Now, having heard that Yochanan was arrested,
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach departed into the Galil.
13 And having left behind Natzeret, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach
headquartered in Kfar-Nachum by the sea, in the environs of Zvulun and Naftali.
14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Yeshayah HaNavi,
15 ARTZAH ZVULUN VARTZAH NAFTALI (To the land of Zvulun and to
the land of Naftali, Isa 8:23-9:1 [9:1-2]), the way to the sea beyond the
Yarden, Galil HaGoyim,
16 the people sitting in CHOSHECH RAU OHR GADOL (darkness saw a
great light), YOSHVEI V’ERETZ TZALMAVET (the ones living in the land of the
shadow of death), a light has dawned among them.
17 From then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach began to proclaim, saying,
LAlter LiTeshuvah (Immediate Repentance ), for the Malchut HaShomayim has come
near.
18 And walking beside Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Rebbe,
Melech HaMoshiach saw two achim, Shimon, the one being called Kefa (Petros),
and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea, for they were daiyagim
(fishermen).
19 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says, Come, follow me, and I
will make you daiyagei adam (fishers of men).
20 And immediately, leaving their nets, they followed Rebbe,
Melech HaMoshiach.
21 And having gone on from there, he saw two other achim, Yaakov
Ben Zavdai and Yochanan his brother, in the sirah (boat) with Zavdai their
father, repairing their nets, and he summoned them.
22 Immediately, leaving the sirah (boat) and their father, they
followed Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach [Mt 19:29].
23 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went about in all the Galil,
exercising the ministry of moreh (teacher) in their shuls and of darshan
(preacher) of the Besuroh Tovoh (Good Tiding of a Joyous Event), the Besuras
HaGeulah (the Good News of Redemption) of the Malchut Hashem, and Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach went about bringing refuah (healing) to every disease and every
illness of the people. (Orthodox Jewish Bible)
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This Week's Lectionary
3rd Sunday after the Epiphany - Green
Isaiah 9: The Righteous Reign of the Coming King
1 [a] But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of
Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the
land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 [b] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great
light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has
shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its
joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the
harvest,
as people exult when
dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across
their shoulders,
the rod of their
oppressor,
you have broken as on
the day of Midian.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 9:1 Ch 8.23 in Heb
b. Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9.1 in Heb
Psalm 27: Triumphant Song of Confidence
Of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
of whom shall I be
afraid?
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
Psalm 27:4 One thing I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek
after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my
life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his
temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on
a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all
around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts
of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and
answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, do I
seek.
9 Do not hide your
face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger,
you who have been my
help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
1 Corinthians 1: Divisions in the Church
10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same
purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are
quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.[b] 12 What I mean is that each of
you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to
Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God[c]
that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say
that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of
Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For
Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with
eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who
are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Gk brothers
b. 1 Corinthians 1:11 Gk my brothers
c. 1 Corinthians 1:14 Other ancient authorities read I am
thankful
Matthew 4: Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee
12 Now when Jesus[a] heard that John had been arrested, he
withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the
sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken
through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the
sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great
light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven has come near.”[b]
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the
sea—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will
make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed
him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee
and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their
nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father,
and followed him.
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People
23 Jesus[c] went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom and curing every disease and
every sickness among the people.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 4:12 Gk he
b. Matthew 4:17 Or is at hand
c. Matthew 4:23 Gk He
d. Matthew 4:23 Gk gospel
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John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary:
Isaiah 9:1-4
IX Joy in the midst of affliction, ver. 1-5. The birth, person,
office, and kingdom of Christ, ver. 6, 7. Judgments for their pride, ver. 8-12.
For their impenitency and hypocrisy, ver. 13-21.
Verse 1. Nevertheless - The calamity of this land and its
inhabitants shall be great, yet not such as that which was brought upon it by
the king of Assyria, who at first indeed dealt more gently with them, but
afterwards rooted them out. He - God. Zebulun - These parts are particularly
mentioned, because this storm fell most heavily upon them; but under them the
other parts of the land are understood. Afterward - By Shalmaneser, who took
Samaria, and carried Israel into captivity, 2 Kings xvii, 5, 6. Of which
calamity, though yet to come, he speaks as if it were past, as the manner of
the prophet is. The sea - In that part of the land which borders upon the sea,
the lake Genesareth, upon which the portions of Zebulun and Naphtali bordered.
Galilee - Or, Galilee of the Gentiles, namely, the upper Galilee, so called
because it bordered upon the Gentiles.
Verse 2. The people - Israel and Judah. Darkness - The
expression is general and so may well comprehend both calamity and ignorance,
idolatry and profaneness, in which those parts were eminently involved. Have
seen - Shall see at the coming of the Messiah.
Verse 3. Thou hast - Thou hast made good thy promise to Abraham
concerning the multiplication of his seed, by gathering in the Gentiles to the Jews.
Before thee - In thy presence, and in the place of thy worship.
Verse 4. The yoke - His burdensome yoke. The staff - The staff
or staves by which he was forced to carry burdens upon his shoulders. The rod -
Wherewith he beat him. Oppressor - Of all his oppressors, but especially of sin
and the devil. As - When God destroyed the Midianites in so admirable a manner
by three hundred men.
Psalm 27:1,4-9
PS 27 David declares his confidence in God, ver. 1-3. His desire
to be in the house of God, ver. 4-6. He prays for light and salvation, ver.
7-12. And exhorts others to wait upon God, ver. 13, 14. A psalm of David.
Verse 4. Dwell. &c. - Have opportunity of constant
attendance upon God. To behold - That there I may delight myself, in the
contemplation of thy amiable and glorious majesty, and of thy infinite wisdom,
holiness, justice, truth, and mercy.
Verse 5. The secret - In his tabernacle, into which mine enemies
cannot come. He alludes to the ancient custom of offenders, who used to flee to
the tabernacle or altar. Rock - A place high and inaccessible.
Verse 9. Away - From thy face or presence, or from the place of
thy worship.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Verse 10. Now I exhort you - Ye have faith and hope; secure love
also. By the endearing name of our Lord Jesus Christ - lnfinitely preferable to
all the human names in which ye glory. That ye all speak the same thing - They
now spoke different things, ver. 12 And that there be no schisms among you - No
alienation of affection from each other. Is this word ever taken in any other
sense in scripture? But that ye be joined in the same mind - Affections,
desires. And judgment - Touching all the grand truths of the gospel.
Verse 11. It hath been declared to me by them of the family of
Chloe - Whom some suppose to have been the wife of Stephanas, and the mother of
Fortunatus and Achaicus. By these three the Corinthians had sent their letter
to St. Paul, chap. xvi, 17. That there are contentions - A word equivalent with
schisms in the preceding verse.
Verse 12. Now this I say - That is, what I mean is this: there
are various parties among you, who set themselves, one against an other, in
behalf of the several teachers they admire. And I of Christ - They spoke well,
if they had not on this pretense despised their teachers, chap. iv, 8 Perhaps
they valued themselves on having heard Christ preach in his own person.
Verse 13. Is Christ divided - Are not all the members still
under one head? Was not he alone crucified for you all; and were ye not all
baptized in his name? The glory of Christ then is not to be divided between him
and his servants; neither is the unity of the body to be torn asunder, seeing
Christ is one still.
Verse 14. I thank God - (A pious phrase for the common one,
"I rejoice,") that, in the course of his providence, I baptized none
of you, but Crispus, once the ruler of the synagogue, and Caius.
Verse 15. Lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name
- In order to attach them to myself.
Verse 16. I know not - That is, it does not at present occur to
my memory, that I baptized any other.
Verse 17. For God did not send me to baptize - That was not my
chief errand: those of inferior rank and abilities could do it: though all the
apostles were sent to baptize also, Matt. xxviii, 19 But to preach the gospel -
So the apostle slides into his general proposition: but not with wisdom of
speech - With the artificial ornaments of discourse, invented by human wisdom.
Lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect - The whole effect of
St. Paul's preaching was owing to the power of God accompanying the plain
declaration of that great truth, "Christ bore our sins upon the
cross." But this effect might have been imputed to another cause, had he
come with that wisdom of speech which they admired.
Verse 18. To them that perish - By obstinately rejecting the
only name whereby they can be saved. But to us who are saved - Now saved from
our sins, and in the way to everlasting salvation, it is the great instrument
of the power of God.
Matthew 4:12-23
Verse 12. He retired into Galilee - This journey was not
immediately after his temptation. He first went from Judea into Galilee, John
i, 43; ii, 1. Then into Judea again, and celebrated the passover at Jerusalem,
John ii, 13. He baptized in Judea while John was baptizing at Enon, John iii,
22, 23. All this time John was at liberty, John iii, 24. But the Pharisees
being offended, John iv, 1; and John put in prison, he then took this journey
into Galilee. Mark i, 14.
Verse 13. Leaving Nazareth - Namely, when they had wholly
rejected his word, and even attempted to kill him, Luke iv, 29.
Verse 15. Galilee of the Gentiles - That part of Galilee which
lay beyond Jordan was so called, because it was in a great measure inhabited by
Gentiles, that is, heathens. Isaiah ix, 1, 2.
Verse 16. Here is a beautiful gradation, first, they walked,
then they sat in darkness, and lastly, in the region of the shadow of death.
17. From that time Jesus began to preach - He had preached
before, both to Jews and Samaritans, John iv, 41, 45. But from this time begin
his solemn stated preaching. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand -
Although it is the peculiar business of Christ to establish the kingdom of
heaven in the hearts of men, yet it is observable, he begins his preaching in
the same words with John the Baptist: because the repentance which John taught
still was, and ever will be, the necessary preparation for that inward kingdom.
But that phrase is not only used with regard to individuals in whom it is to be
established, but also with regard to the Christian Church, the whole body of
believers. In the former sense it is opposed to repentance; in the latter the
Mosaic dispensation.
Verse 18. Mark i, 16; Luke v, 1.
23. The Gospel of the kingdom - The Gospel, that is, the joyous
message, is the proper name of our religion: as will be amply verified in all
who earnestly and perseveringly embrace it.
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Today's Devotional:
Exodus 3: Moses at the Burning Bush
3 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the
priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame
of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not
consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight,
and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned
aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said,
“Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your
feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said
further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at
God.
7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people
who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.
Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from
the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land,
a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the
Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry
of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians
oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the
Israelites, out of Egypt.”
Psalm 91: Assurance of God’s Protection
1 You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the
shadow of the Almighty,[a]
2 will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I
trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly
pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings
you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a
shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that
flies by day,
6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
or the destruction that
wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your
right hand,
but it will not come
near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the punishment
of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge,[b]
the Most High your
dwelling place,
10 no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near
your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all
your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not
dash your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the
serpent you will trample under foot.
14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those
who know my name.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in
trouble,
I will rescue them and
honor them.
16 With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my
salvation.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 91:1 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
b. Psalm 91:9 Cn: Heb Because you, Lord, are my refuge; you have
made
Matthew 13: The Purpose of the Parables
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to
them in parables?” 11 He answered, “To you it has been given to know the
secrets[a] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For
to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but
from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13 The
reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and
hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ 14 With them indeed is
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed
look, but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are
hard of hearing,
and they have shut
their eyes;
so that they might
not look with their eyes,
and listen with their
ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for
they hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to
see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not
hear it.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 13:11 Or mysteries
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is
like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the
smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs
and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its
branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like
yeast that a woman took and mixed in with[a] three measures of flour until all
of it was leavened.”
The Use of Parables
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a
parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken
through the prophet:[b]
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
I will proclaim what
has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”[c]
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 13:33 Gk hid in
b. Matthew 13:35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet
Isaiah
c. Matthew 13:35 Other ancient authorities lack of the world
1 John 1: 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and
just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we
say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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Great Churches. Great Leaders. Great Disciples. Transformed
World.
Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
(316)686-0600
(800)745-2350
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