Today’s Reflection:
CREATOR SPIRIT:
As the earth,
so beautiful, so warm,
receives and reflects the sunlight,
so may I receive and reflect your love. Amen![Sam Hamilton-Poore, Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation]
From page 102 of Earth Gospel by Sam Hamilton-Poore. Copyright © 2008 by the author. All rights reserved Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
Pray today’s prayer. CREATOR SPIRIT:
As the earth,
so beautiful, so warm,
receives and reflects the sunlight,
so may I receive and reflect your love. Amen!
Today’s Scripture:
I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.[Psalm 30:1, NRSV]
This Week: pray for those recovering from natural disastersDid You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center web site.
Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember: Pandita Ramabai (April 5).
Pandita Ramabai
April 05Pandita Ramabai (1856-1922) was born in India and raised Hindu. Pandita received a thorough education at a time when females were not encouraged to go to school. She traveled around India crusading for women's rights and published two books; High Caste Indian Women was a call to feminism for Indian women. Pandita married in 1880 but was soon a widow with a small child.
In 1878 Pandita began to read the Bible in Sanskrit. When she traveled to England, the way a group of Anglican nuns cared for unwed mothers inspired her and Pandita was baptized Christian in 1883. She returned to India and in 1889 founded Mukti Mission, a home for Indian widows of all castes. Mukti later expanded to include orphan boys and unwed mothers. She made a national name for herself as she continued to advocate for child widows and for the full emancipation of women.
Pandita Ramabai studied Hebrew and Greek so she could translate the Bible into Marathi. She began to preach in 1905. King George V conferred on her an award for distinguished public service in 1919, Pandita died on April 5, 1922.
If Pandita Ramabai had taken the Spiritual Types Test, she probably would have been a Sage. Pandita Ramabai is remembered on April 5.
Lectionary Readings:
Sunday, 10 April 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Sunday, 10 April 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
Psalm 118:14-29
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31
3 He was on the road and nearing Dammesek, when suddenly a light from heaven flashed all around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting me?” 5 “Sir, who are you?” he asked. “I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me. 6 But get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.”
7 The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 They helped Sha’ul get up off the ground; but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, leading him by the hand, they brought him into Dammesek. 9 For three days he remained unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
10 There was a talmid in Dammesek, Hananyah by name; and in a vision the Lord said to him, “Hananyah!” He said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street, to Y’hudah’s house; and ask for a man from Tarsus named Sha’ul; for he is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Hananyah coming in and placing his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 But Hananyah answered, “Lord, many have told me about this man, how much harm he has done to your people in Yerushalayim; 14 and here he has a warrant from the head cohanim to arrest everyone who calls on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the Goyim, even to their kings, and to the sons of Isra’el as well. 16 For I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer on account of my name.”
17 So Hananyah left and went into the house. Placing his hands on him, he said, “Brother Sha’ul, the Lord — Yeshua, the one who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here — has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh.” 18 In that moment, something like scales fell away from Sha’ul’s eyes; and he could see again. He got up and was immersed; 19 then he ate some food and regained his strength.
Sha’ul spent some days with the talmidim in Dammesek, 20 and immediately he began proclaiming in the synagogues that Yeshua is the Son of God.
Psalm 118:14 Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
15 The sound of rejoicing and victory
is heard in the tents of the righteous:
“Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!
16 Adonai’s right hand is raised in triumph!
Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!”
17 I will not die; no, I will live
and proclaim the great deeds of Yah!
18 Yah disciplined me severely,
but did not hand me over to death.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter them and thank Yah.
20 This is the gate of Adonai;
the righteous can enter it.
21 I am thanking you because you answered me;
you became my salvation.
22 The very rock that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone!
23 This has come from Adonai,
and in our eyes it is amazing.
24 This is the day Adonai has made,
a day for us to rejoice and be glad.
25 Please, Adonai! Save us!
Please, Adonai! Rescue us!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.
We bless you from the house of Adonai.
27 Adonai is God, and he gives us light.
Join in the pilgrim festival with branches
all the way to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I thank you.
You are my God; I exalt you.
29 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
Revelation 1:4 From: Yochanan
To: The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia:
Grace and shalom to you from the One who is, who was and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings.
To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, 6 who has caused us to be a kingdom, that is, cohanim for God, his Father — to him be the glory and the rulership forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds![Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13]
Every eye will see him,
including those who pierced him;
and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him.[Revelation 1:7 Zechariah 12:10–14]
Yes! Amen!
8 “I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’” says Adonai,
God of heaven’s armies,
the One who is, who was and who is coming.
John 20:19 In the evening that same day, the first day of the week, when the talmidim were gathered together behind locked doors out of fear of the Judeans, Yeshua came, stood in the middle and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” 20 Having greeted them, he showed them his hands and his side. The talmidim were overjoyed to see the Lord. 21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” 22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh! 23 If you forgive someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.”
24 Now T’oma (the name means “twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Yeshua came. 25 When the other talmidim told him, “We have seen the Lord,” he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into the place where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe it.”
26 A week later his talmidim were once more in the room, and this time T’oma was with them. Although the doors were locked, Yeshua came, stood among them and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” 27 Then he said to T’oma, “Put your finger here, look at my hands, take your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be lacking in trust, but have trust!” 28 T’oma answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Yeshua said to him, “Have you trusted because you have seen me? How blessed are those who do not see, but trust anyway!”
30 In the presence of the talmidim Yeshua performed many other miracles which have not been recorded in this book. 31 But these which have been recorded are here so that you may trust that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by this trust you may have life because of who he is.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for: Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
Verse 3
[3] And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And suddenly — When God suddenly and vehemently attacks a sinner, it is the highest act of mercy. So Saul, when his rage was come to the height, is taught not to breathe slaughter. And what was wanting in time to confirm him in his discipleship, is compensated by the inexpressible terror he sustained. By his also the suddenly constituted apostle was guarded against the grand snare into which novices are apt to fall.
Verse 4
[4] And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
He heard a voice — Severe, yet full of grace.
Verse 5
[5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
To kick against the goads — is a Syriac proverb, expressing an attempt that brings nothing but pain.
Verse 6
[6] And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
It shall be told thee — So God himself sends Saul to be taught by a man, as the angel does Cornelius, Acts 10:5. Admirable condescension! that the Lord deals with us by men, like ourselves.
Verse 7
[7] And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
The men — stood - Having risen before Saul; for they also fell to the ground, Acts 26:14. It is probable they all journeyed on foot.
Hearing the noise — But not an articulate voice. And seeing the light, but not Jesus himself, Acts 26:13, etc.
Verse 9
[9] And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
And he was three days — An important season! So long he seems to have been in the pangs of the new birth.
Without sight — By scales growing over his eyes, to intimate to him the blindness of the state he had been in, to impress him with a deeper sense of the almighty power of Christ, and to turn his thoughts inward, while he was less capable of conversing with outward objects. This was likewise a manifest token to others, of what had happened to him in his journey, and ought to have humbled and convinced those bigoted Jews, to whom he had been sent from the sanhedrim.
Verse 11
[11] And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Behold he is praying — He was shown thus to Ananias.
Verse 12
[12] And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
A man called Ananias — His name also was revealed to Saul.
Verse 13
[13] Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
But he answered — How natural it is to reason against God.
Verse 14
[14] And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
All that call on thy name — That is, all Christians.
Verse 15
[15] But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
He is a chosen vessel to bear my name — That is, to testify of me. It is undeniable, that some men are unconditionally chosen or elected, to do some works for God
Verse 16
[16] For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
For I — Do thou as thou art commanded. I will take care of the rest; will show him - In fact, through the whole course of his ministry.
How great things he must suffer — So far will he be now from persecuting others.
Verse 17
[17] And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
The Lord hath sent me — Ananias does not tell Saul all which Christ had said concerning him. It was not expedient that he should know yet to how great a dignity he was called.
Psalm 118:14-29
Verse 14
[14] The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Salvation — My Saviour.
Verse 15
[15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Doth valiantly — These are the words of that song of praise now mentioned.
Verse 16
[16] The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Exalted — Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.
Verse 19
[19] Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Open — O ye porters, appointed by God for this work.
The gates — Of the Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness was kept and taught, and the sacrifices of righteousness were offered.
Verse 20
[20] This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
The righteous — As David was a type of Christ and the temple of heaven, so this place hath a farther prospect than David, and relates to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening the gates of that blessed temple, both for himself and for all believers.
Verse 22
[22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The builders — The commonwealth of Israel and the church of God are here and elsewhere compared to a building, wherein, as the people are the stones, so the princes and rulers are the builders. And as these master-builders rejected David, so their successors rejected Christ.
Head stone — The chief stone in the whole building, by which the several parts of the building are upheld and firmly united together. Thus David united all the tribes and families of Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together. And therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ, Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:32; Ephesians 2:20. And to him the words agree more properly than to David.
Verse 24
[24] This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Made — Or sanctified as a season never to be forgotten.
Verse 25
[25] Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
We — These seem to be the words of the Levites, to whom he spake verse 19.
Verse 26
[26] Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
Blessed — We pray that God would bless his person and government.
Cometh — To the throne; or from his Father into the world: who is known by the name of him that cometh or was to come, and of whom this very word is used, Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 35:4.
Name — By commission from him.
We — We who are the Lord's ministers attending upon him in his house, and appointed to bless in his name, Numbers 6:23; Deuteronomy 10:8. So these are the words of the priests.
Verse 27
[27] God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
The Lord — Or, The mighty God, as this name of God signifies, and as he shewed himself to be by this, his wonderful work.
Who — Who hath scattered our dark clouds, and put us into a state of peace, and safety, and happiness.
The horns — These are supposed to he made for this very use, that the beasts should be bound and killed there. These three last verses are David's words.
Revelation 1:4-8
Verse 4
[4] John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
John — The dedication of this book is contained in the fourth, fifth, and sixth verses; but the whole Revelation is a kind of letter.
To the seven churches which are in Asia — That part of the Lesser Asia which was then a Roman province. There had been several other churches planted here; but it seems these were now the most eminent; and it was among these that St. John had laboured most during his abode in Asia. In these cities there were many Jews. Such of them as believed in each were joined with the gentile believers in one church.
Grace be unto you, and peace — The favour of God, with all temporal and eternal blessings. From him who is, and who was, and who cometh, or, who is to come - A wonderful translation of the great name JEHOVAH: he was of old, he is now, he cometh; that is, will be for ever.
And from the seven spirits which are before his throne — Christ is he who "hath the seven spirits of God." "The seven lamps which burn before the throne are the seven spirits of God." " The lamb hath seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God." Seven was a sacred number in the Jewish church: but it did not always imply a precise number. It sometimes is to be taken figuratively, to denote completeness or perfection. By these seven spirits, not seven created angels, but the Holy Ghost is to be understood. The angels are never termed spirits in this book; and when all the angels stand up, while the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders worship him that sitteth on the throne, and the Lamb, the seven spirits neither stand up nor worship. To these "seven spirits of God," the seven churches, to whom the Spirit speaks so many things, are subordinate; as are also their angels, yea, and "the seven angels which stand before God." He is called the seven spirits, not with regard to his essence, which is one, but with regard to his manifold operations.
Verse 5
[5] And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth — Three glorious appellations are here given him, and in their proper order. He was the faithful witness of the whole will of God before his death, and in death, and remains such in glory. He rose from the dead, as "the first fruits of them that slept;" and now hath all power both in heaven and earth. He is here styled a prince: but by and by he hears his title of king; yea, King of kings, and Lord of lords." This phrase, the kings of the earth, signifies their power and multitude, and also the nature of their kingdom. It became the Divine Majesty to call them kings with a limitation; especially in this manifesto from his heavenly kingdom; for no creature, much less a sinful man, can bear the title of king in an absolute sense before the eyes of God.
Verse 6
[6] And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
To him that loveth us, and, out of that free, abundant love, hath washed us from the guilt and power of our sins with his own blood, and hath made us kings - Partakers of his present, and heirs of his eternal, kingdom.
And priests unto his God and Father — To whom we continually offer ourselves, an holy, living sacrifice.
To him be the glory — For his love and redemption.
And the might — Whereby he governs all things.
Verse 7
[7] Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Behold — In this and the next verse is the proposition, and the summary of the whole book.
He cometh — Jesus Christ. Throughout this book, whenever it is said, He cometh, it means his glorious coming. The preparation for this began at the destruction of Jerusalem, and more particularly at the time of writing this book; and goes on, without any interruption, till that grand event is accomplished. Therefore it is never said in this book, He will come; but, He cometh. And yet it is not said, He cometh again: for when he came before, it was not like himself, but in "the form of a servant." But his appearing in glory is properly his coming; namely, in a manner worthy of the Son of God.
And every eye — Of the Jews in particular.
Shall see him — But with what different emotions, according as they had received or rejected him.
And they who have pierced him — They, above all, who pierced his hands, or feet, or side. Thomas saw the print of these wounds even after his resurrection; and the same, undoubtedly, will be seen by all, when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.
And all the tribes of the earth — The word tribes, in the Revelation, always means the Israelites: but where another word, such as nations or people, is joined with it, it implies likewise (as here) all the rest of mankind.
Shall wail because of him — For terror and pain, if they did not wail before by true repentance.
Yea, Amen — This refers to, every eye shall see him. He that cometh saith, Yea; he that testifies it, Amen. The word translated yea is Greek; Amen is Hebrew: for what is here spoken respects both Jew and gentile.
Verse 8
[8] I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God — Alpha is the first, Omega, the last, letter in the Greek alphabet. Let his enemies boast and rage ever so much in the intermediate time, yet the Lord God is both the Alpha, or beginning, and the Omega, or end, of all things. God is the beginning, as he is the Author and Creator of all things, and as he proposes, declares, and promises so great things: he is the end, as he brings all the things which are here revealed to a complete and glorious conclusion. Again, the beginning and end of a thing is in scripture styled the whole thing. Therefore God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; that is, one who is all things, and always the same.
John 20:19-31
Verse 19
[19] Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36.
Verse 21
[21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Peace be unto you — This is the foundation of the mission of a true Gospel minister, peace in his own soul, 2 Corinthians 4:1.
As the Father hath sent me, so send I you — Christ was the apostle of the Father, Hebrews 3:1. Peter and the rest, the apostles of Christ.
Verse 22
[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
He breathed on them — New life and vigour, and saith, as ye receive this breath out of my mouth, so receive ye the Spirit out of my fulness: the Holy Ghost influencing you in a peculiar manner, to fit you for your great embassy. This was an earnest of pentecost.
Verse 23
[23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Whose soever sins ye remit — (According to the tenor of the Gospel, that is, supposing them to repent and believe) they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain (supposing them to remain impenitent) they are retained. So far is plain. But here arises a difficulty. Are not the sins of one who truly repents, and unfeignedly believes in Christ, remitted, without sacerdotal absolution? And are not the sins of one who does not repent or believe, retained even with it? What then does this commission imply? Can it imply any more than, 1. A power of declaring with authority the Christian terms of pardon; whose sins are remitted and whose retained? As in our daily form of absolution; and 2. A power of inflicting and remitting ecclesiastical censures? That is, of excluding from, and re-admitting into, a Christian congregation.
Verse 26
[26] And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
After eight days — On the next Sunday.
Verse 28
[28] And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
And Thomas said, My Lord and my God — The disciples had said, We have seen the Lord. Thomas now not only acknowledges him to be the Lord, as he had done before, and to be risen, as his fellow disciples had affirmed, but also confesses his Godhead, and that more explicitly than any other had yet done. And all this he did without putting his hand upon his side.
Verse 30
[30] And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
Jesus wrought many miracles, which are not written in this book — Of St. John, nor indeed of the other evangelists.
Verse 31
[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
But these things are written that ye may believe — That ye may be confirmed in believing. Faith cometh sometimes by reading; though ordinarily by hearing.
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