Daily Devotion – Great Plains United Methodist – Friday, 31 January 2014
Today please be in prayer for:
1. David Bell
Garden City First
Dodge City District
2. Larry Keller
Kansas City: Wyandotte UMC
Kansas City District
3. Mark Baldwin
Chester UMC
Hebron UMC
Prairie Rivers District
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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:
John 11: 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are
the Messiah,[a] the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
Jesus Weeps
28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister
Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29
And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not
yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
31 The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up
quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going
to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she
knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother
would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with
her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He
said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35
Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some
of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this
man from dying?”
Footnotes:
a. John 11:27 Or the Christ
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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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