The Daily Devotionals of The Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States for Saturday, 10 December 2016
Today, Please pray for:
-------
This Week's Lectionary
2nd Sunday of Advent – Purple or Blue, 4 December 2016
Scripture Texts: Isaiah 11:1 But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai,
a shoot will grow from his roots.
2 The Spirit of Adonai will rest on him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and power,
the Spirit of knowledge and fearing Adonai —
3 he will be inspired by fearing Adonai.
He will not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
4 but he will judge the impoverished justly;
he will decide fairly for the humble of the land.
He will strike the land with a rod from his mouth
and slay the wicked with a breath from his lips.
5 Justice will be the belt around his waist,
faithfulness the sash around his hips.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb;
the leopard lie down with the kid;
calf, young lion and fattened lamb together,
with a little child to lead them.
7 Cow and bear will feed together,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 An infant will play on a cobra’s hole,
a toddler put his hand in a viper’s nest.
9 They will not hurt or destroy
anywhere on my holy mountain,
for the earth will be as full
of the knowledge of Adonai
as water covering the sea.
10 On that day the root of Yishai,
which stands as a banner for the peoples —
the Goyim will seek him out,
and the place where he rests will be glorious.
Psalm 72:(0) By Shlomo:
(1) God, give the king your fairness in judgment,
endow this son of kings with your righteousness,
2 so that he can govern your people rightly
and your poor with justice.
3 May mountains and hills provide your people
with peace through righteousness.
4 May he defend the oppressed among the people,
save the needy and crush the oppressor.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun endures
and as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on mown grass,
like showers watering the land.
7 In his days, let the righteous flourish
and peace abound, till the moon is no more.
18 Blessed be Adonai, God,
the God of Isra’el,
who alone works wonders.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever,
and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
Romans 15:4 For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh we might patiently hold on to our hope. 5 And may God, the source of encouragement and patience, give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah Yeshua had, 6 so that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
7 So welcome each other, just as the Messiah has welcomed you into God’s glory. 8 For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God’s truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs, 9 and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God — as it is written in the Tanakh,
“Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles
and sing praise to your name.”[Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 18:50(49)]
10 And again it says,
“Gentiles, rejoice with his people.”[Romans 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43]
11 And again,
“Praise Adonai, all Gentiles!
Let all peoples praise him!”[Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1]
12 And again, Yesha‘yahu says,
“The root of Yishai will come,
he who arises to rule Gentiles;
Gentiles will put their hope in him.”[Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10]
13 May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.
Matthew 3:1 It was during those days that Yochanan the Immerser arrived in the desert of Y’hudah and began proclaiming the message, 2 “Turn from your sins to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” 3 This is the man Yesha‘yahu was talking about when he said,
“The voice of someone crying out:
‘In the desert prepare the way of Adonai!
Make straight paths for him!’”[Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3]
4 Yochanan wore clothes of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Yerushalayim, from all Y’hudah, and from the whole region around the Yarden. 6 Confessing their sins, they were immersed by him in the Yarden River.
7 But when Yochanan saw many of the P’rushim and Tz’dukim coming to be immersed by him, he said to them, “You snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming punishment? 8 If you have really turned from your sins to God, produce fruit that will prove it! 9 And don’t suppose you can comfort yourselves by saying, ‘Avraham is our father’! For I tell you that God can raise up for Avraham sons from these stones! 10 Already the axe is at the root of the trees, ready to strike; every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown in the fire! 11 It’s true that I am immersing you in water so that you might turn from sin to God; but the one coming after me is more powerful than I — I’m not worthy even to carry his sandals — and he will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh and in fire. 12 He has with him his winnowing fork; and he will clear out his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn but burning up the straw with unquenchable fire!”
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 11:1-10
Verse 1
[1] And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And — And having said that the Assyrian yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing, he now explains who that anointed person was.
The stem — Or, stump: for the word signifies properly a trunk cut off from the root. By which he clearly implies, that the Messiah should be born of the royal house of David, at that time when it was in a most forlorn condition, like a tree cut down, and whereof nothing is left but a stump or root under ground.
Of Jesse — He doth not say of David, but of Jesse, who was a private and mean person, to intimate, that at the time of Christ's birth the royal family should be reduced to its primitive obscurity.
Verse 2
[2] And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Wisdom — It is not needful, exactly to distinguish these two gifts; it is sufficient that they are necessary qualifications for a governor, and a teacher, and it is evident they signify perfect knowledge of all things necessary for his own and peoples good, and a sound judgment, to distinguish between things that differ.
Counsel — Of prudence, to give good counsel; and of might and courage, to execute it.
Knowledge — Of the perfect knowledge of the whole will and counsel of God, as also of all secret things, yea of the hearts of men.
Fear — A fear of reverence, a care to please him, and lothness to offend him.
Verse 3
[3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
In the fear — He shall not judge rashly and partially, but considerately and justly, as the fear of God obliges all judges to do.
Judge — Of persons or causes.
After the sight — According to outward appearance, as men do, because they cannot search mens hearts.
Reprove — Condemn or pass sentence against a person.
His ears — By uncertain rumours or suggestions.
Verse 4
[4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Judge — Defend and deliver them.
Reprove — Or condemn their malicious enemies.
Thy rod — With his word, which is his scepter, and the rod of his power, Psalms 110:2, which is sharper than a sword, Hebrews 4:12, by the preaching whereof he subdued the world to himself, and will destroy his enemies, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. This he adds farther, to declare the nature of Christ's kingdom, that it is not of this world.
Verse 5
[5] And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The girdle — It shall adorn him, and be the glory of his government, as a girdle was used for an ornament, Isaiah 3:24, and as an ensign of power, Job 12:18, and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his administrations, as a girdle cleaveth to a man's loins.
Verse 6
[6] The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
The wolf — The creatures shall be restored to that state of innocency in which they were before the fall of man. Men of fierce, and cruel dispositions, shall be so transformed by the grace of Christ, that they shall become gentle, and tractable.
A child — They will submit their rebellious wills to the conduct of the meanest persons that speak to them in Christ's name.
Verse 7
[7] And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Feed — Together, without any danger or fear.
Straw — The grass of the earth, as they did at first, and shall not devour other living creatures.
Verse 9
[9] They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
My holy mountain — In Zion, in my church.
The sea — The channel of the sea.
Verse 10
[10] And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
A root — A branch growing upon the root.
Ensign — Shall grow up into a great tree, shall become an eminent ensign.
The people — Which not only the Jews, but all nations, may discern, and to which they shall resort.
Rest — His resting-place, his temple or church, the place of his presence and abode.
Glorious — Shall be filled with greater glory than the Jewish tabernacle and temple were; only this glory shall be spiritual, consisting in the plentiful effusions of the gifts, and graces, of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Verse 1
[1] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Judgments — He saith judgments in the plural number, because though the office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and branches, of it; in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God would have him to do.
Verse 2
[2] He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
Thy afflicted ones — For such are thine in a special manner, thou art their judge and patron.
Verse 3
[3] The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
The mountains — Which are so dangerous to passengers, in regard of robbers and wild beasts. Hereby it is implied, that other places should do so too, and that it should be common and universal.
Verse 4
[4] He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
Judge — Vindicate them from their oppressors.
Verse 5
[5] They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Thee — Thee, O God, this shall be another blessed fruit of this righteous government, that together with peace, true religion shall be established, and that throughout all generations, which was begun in Solomon's days, but not fully accomplished 'till Christ came.
Verse 6
[6] He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come — Christ did come down from heaven, and brought or sent down from heaven his doctrine, (which is often compared to rain) and the sweet and powerful influences of his spirit.
Romans 15:4-13
Verse 4
[4] For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Aforetime — In the Old Testament.
That we through patience and consolation of the scriptures may have hope — That through the consolation which God gives us by these, we may have patience and a joyful hope.
Verse 5
[5] Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
According to the power of Christ Jesus.
Verse 6
[6] That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That ye — Both Jews and gentiles, believing with one mind, and confessing with one mouth.
Verse 7
[7] Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Receive ye one another — Weak and strong, with mutual love.
Verse 8
[8] Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
Now I say — The apostle here shows how Christ received us. Christ Jesus-Jesus is the name, Christ the surname. The latter was first known to the Jews; the former, to the gentiles. Therefore he is styled Jesus Christ, when the words stand in the common, natural order. When the order is inverted, as here, the office of Christ is more solemnly considered.
Was a servant — Of his Father.
Of the circumcision — For the salvation of the circumcised, the Jews.
For the truth of God — To manifest the truth and fidelity of God.
Verse 9
[9] And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
As it is written — In the eighteenth psalm, here the gentiles and Jews are spoken of as joining in the worship of the God of Israel. Psalms 18:49
Verse 10
[10] And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
Deuteronomy 32:43.
Verse 11
[11] And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
Psalms 117:1.
Verse 12
[12] And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
There shall be the root of Jesse — That kings and the Messiah should spring from his house, was promised to Jesse before it was to David.
In him shall the gentiles hope — Who before had been "without hope," Ephesians 2:12. Isaiah 11:10
Verse 13
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Now the God of hope — A glorious title of God, but till now unknown to the heathens; for their goddess Hope, like their other idols, was nothing; whose temple at Rome was burned by lightning. It was, indeed, built again not long after, but was again burned to the ground.
Matthew 3:1-12
Verse 2
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God, are but two phrases for the same thing. They mean, not barely a future happy state, in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth: the proper disposition for the glory of heaven, rather than the possession of it.
Is at hand — As if he had said, God is about to erect that kingdom, spoken of by Daniel Daniel 2:44; 7:13,14; the kingdom of the God of heaven. It properly signifies here, the Gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first on earth, and afterward with God in glory. In some places of Scripture, the phrase more particularly denotes the state of it on earth: in ,others, it signifies only the state of glory: but it generally includes both. The Jews understood it of a temporal kingdom, the seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem; and the expected sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to call the Son of man. Both John the Baptist and Christ took up that phrase, the kingdom of heaven, as they found it, and gradually taught the Jews (though greatly unwilling to learn) to understand it right. The very demand of repentance, as previous to it, showed it was a spiritual kingdom, and that no wicked man, how politic, brave, or learned soever, could possibly be a subject of it.
Verse 3
[3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The way of the Lord — Of Christ.
Make his paths straight — By removing every thing which might prove a hinderance to his gracious appearance. Isaiah 40:3.
Verse 4
[4] And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
John had his raiment of camels' hair — Coarse and rough, suiting his character and doctrine.
A leathern girdle — Like Elijah, in whose spirit and power he came.
His food was locusts and wild honey — Locusts are ranked among clean meats, Leviticus 11:22. But these were not always to be had. So in default of those, he fed on wild honey.
Verse 6
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Confessing their sins — Of their own accord; freely and openly. Such prodigious numbers could hardly be baptized by immerging their whole bodies under water: nor can we think they were provided with change of raiment for it, which was scarcely practicable for such vast multitudes. And yet they could not be immerged naked with modesty, nor in their wearing apparel with safety. It seems, therefore, that they stood in ranks on the edge of the river, and that John, passing along before them, cast water on their heads or faces, by which means he might baptize many thousands in a day. And this way most naturally signified Christ's baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, which John spoke of, as prefigured by his baptizing with water, and which was eminently fulfilled, when the Holy Ghost sat upon the disciples in the appearance of tongues, or flames of fire.
Verse 7
[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews. They took their name from a Hebrew word, which signifies to separate, because they separated themselves from all other men. They were outwardly strict observers of the law, fasted often, made long prayers, rigorously kept the Sabbath, and paid all tithe, even of mint, anise, and cummin. Hence they were in high esteem among the people. But inwardly, they were full of pride and hypocrisy. The Sadducees were another sect among the Jews, only not so considerable as the Pharisees. They denied the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul, and by consequence the resurrection of the dead.
Ye brood of vipers — In like manner, the crafty Herod is styled a fox, and persons of insidious, ravenous, profane, or sensual dispositions, are named respectively by him who saw their hearts, serpents, dogs, wolves, and swine; terms which are not the random language of passion, but a judicious designation of the persons meant by them. For it was fitting such men should be marked out, either for a caution to others, or a warning to themselves.
Verse 8
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Repentance is of two sorts; that which is termed legal, and that which is styled evangelical repentance. The former (which is the same that is spoken of here) is a thorough conviction of sin. The latter is a change of heart (and consequently of life) from all sin to all holiness.
Verse 9
[9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And say not confidently — The word in the original, vulgarly rendered, Think not, seems here, and in many places, not to diminish, but rather add to the force of the word with which it is joined.
We have Abraham to our father — It is almost incredible, how great the presumption of the Jews was on this their relation to Abraham. One of their famous sayings was, "Abraham sits near the gates of hell, and suffers no Israelite to go down into it." I say unto you - This preface always denotes the importance of what follows.
Of these stones — Probably pointing to those which lay before them.
Verse 10
[10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
But the axe also already lieth — That is, there is no room for such idle pretences. Speedy execution is determined against all that do not repent. The comparison seems to be taken from a woodman that has laid down his axe to put off his coat, and then immediately goes to work to cut down the tree. This refers to the wrath to come in verse 7, Matthew 3:7.
Is hewn down — Instantly, without farther delay.
Verse 11
[11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire — He shall fill you with the Holy Ghost, inflaming your hearts with that fire of love, which many waters cannot quench. And this was done, even with a visible appearance as of fire, on the day of pentecost.
Verse 12
[12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Whose fan — That is, the word of the Gospel.
His floor — That is, his Church, which is now covered with a mixture of wheat and chaff.
He will gather the wheat into the garner — Will lay up those who are truly good in heaven.
Today's Scripture:
Hebrews 10:19 So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh. 21 We also have a great cohen over God’s household. 22 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.[Hebrews 10:22 Ezekiel 36:25] 23 Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.
And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching.
-------
Today, Please pray for:
|
Beagle UMC
Fontana UMC
Parker UMC
Five Rivers District
| 
Pleasanton KS UMC
Prescott UMC
Five Rivers District
|
This Week's Lectionary
2nd Sunday of Advent – Purple or Blue, 4 December 2016
Scripture Texts: Isaiah 11:1 But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai,
a shoot will grow from his roots.
2 The Spirit of Adonai will rest on him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and power,
the Spirit of knowledge and fearing Adonai —
3 he will be inspired by fearing Adonai.
He will not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
4 but he will judge the impoverished justly;
he will decide fairly for the humble of the land.
He will strike the land with a rod from his mouth
and slay the wicked with a breath from his lips.
5 Justice will be the belt around his waist,
faithfulness the sash around his hips.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb;
the leopard lie down with the kid;
calf, young lion and fattened lamb together,
with a little child to lead them.
7 Cow and bear will feed together,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 An infant will play on a cobra’s hole,
a toddler put his hand in a viper’s nest.
9 They will not hurt or destroy
anywhere on my holy mountain,
for the earth will be as full
of the knowledge of Adonai
as water covering the sea.
10 On that day the root of Yishai,
which stands as a banner for the peoples —
the Goyim will seek him out,
and the place where he rests will be glorious.
Psalm 72:(0) By Shlomo:
(1) God, give the king your fairness in judgment,
endow this son of kings with your righteousness,
2 so that he can govern your people rightly
and your poor with justice.
3 May mountains and hills provide your people
with peace through righteousness.
4 May he defend the oppressed among the people,
save the needy and crush the oppressor.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun endures
and as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on mown grass,
like showers watering the land.
7 In his days, let the righteous flourish
and peace abound, till the moon is no more.
18 Blessed be Adonai, God,
the God of Isra’el,
who alone works wonders.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever,
and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
Romans 15:4 For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh we might patiently hold on to our hope. 5 And may God, the source of encouragement and patience, give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah Yeshua had, 6 so that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
7 So welcome each other, just as the Messiah has welcomed you into God’s glory. 8 For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God’s truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs, 9 and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God — as it is written in the Tanakh,
“Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles
and sing praise to your name.”[Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 18:50(49)]
10 And again it says,
“Gentiles, rejoice with his people.”[Romans 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43]
11 And again,
“Praise Adonai, all Gentiles!
Let all peoples praise him!”[Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1]
12 And again, Yesha‘yahu says,
“The root of Yishai will come,
he who arises to rule Gentiles;
Gentiles will put their hope in him.”[Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10]
13 May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.
Matthew 3:1 It was during those days that Yochanan the Immerser arrived in the desert of Y’hudah and began proclaiming the message, 2 “Turn from your sins to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” 3 This is the man Yesha‘yahu was talking about when he said,
“The voice of someone crying out:
‘In the desert prepare the way of Adonai!
Make straight paths for him!’”[Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3]
4 Yochanan wore clothes of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Yerushalayim, from all Y’hudah, and from the whole region around the Yarden. 6 Confessing their sins, they were immersed by him in the Yarden River.
7 But when Yochanan saw many of the P’rushim and Tz’dukim coming to be immersed by him, he said to them, “You snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming punishment? 8 If you have really turned from your sins to God, produce fruit that will prove it! 9 And don’t suppose you can comfort yourselves by saying, ‘Avraham is our father’! For I tell you that God can raise up for Avraham sons from these stones! 10 Already the axe is at the root of the trees, ready to strike; every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown in the fire! 11 It’s true that I am immersing you in water so that you might turn from sin to God; but the one coming after me is more powerful than I — I’m not worthy even to carry his sandals — and he will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh and in fire. 12 He has with him his winnowing fork; and he will clear out his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn but burning up the straw with unquenchable fire!”
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 11:1-10
Verse 1
[1] And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And — And having said that the Assyrian yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing, he now explains who that anointed person was.
The stem — Or, stump: for the word signifies properly a trunk cut off from the root. By which he clearly implies, that the Messiah should be born of the royal house of David, at that time when it was in a most forlorn condition, like a tree cut down, and whereof nothing is left but a stump or root under ground.
Of Jesse — He doth not say of David, but of Jesse, who was a private and mean person, to intimate, that at the time of Christ's birth the royal family should be reduced to its primitive obscurity.
Verse 2
[2] And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Wisdom — It is not needful, exactly to distinguish these two gifts; it is sufficient that they are necessary qualifications for a governor, and a teacher, and it is evident they signify perfect knowledge of all things necessary for his own and peoples good, and a sound judgment, to distinguish between things that differ.
Counsel — Of prudence, to give good counsel; and of might and courage, to execute it.
Knowledge — Of the perfect knowledge of the whole will and counsel of God, as also of all secret things, yea of the hearts of men.
Fear — A fear of reverence, a care to please him, and lothness to offend him.
Verse 3
[3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
In the fear — He shall not judge rashly and partially, but considerately and justly, as the fear of God obliges all judges to do.
Judge — Of persons or causes.
After the sight — According to outward appearance, as men do, because they cannot search mens hearts.
Reprove — Condemn or pass sentence against a person.
His ears — By uncertain rumours or suggestions.
Verse 4
[4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Judge — Defend and deliver them.
Reprove — Or condemn their malicious enemies.
Thy rod — With his word, which is his scepter, and the rod of his power, Psalms 110:2, which is sharper than a sword, Hebrews 4:12, by the preaching whereof he subdued the world to himself, and will destroy his enemies, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. This he adds farther, to declare the nature of Christ's kingdom, that it is not of this world.
Verse 5
[5] And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The girdle — It shall adorn him, and be the glory of his government, as a girdle was used for an ornament, Isaiah 3:24, and as an ensign of power, Job 12:18, and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his administrations, as a girdle cleaveth to a man's loins.
Verse 6
[6] The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
The wolf — The creatures shall be restored to that state of innocency in which they were before the fall of man. Men of fierce, and cruel dispositions, shall be so transformed by the grace of Christ, that they shall become gentle, and tractable.
A child — They will submit their rebellious wills to the conduct of the meanest persons that speak to them in Christ's name.
Verse 7
[7] And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Feed — Together, without any danger or fear.
Straw — The grass of the earth, as they did at first, and shall not devour other living creatures.
Verse 9
[9] They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
My holy mountain — In Zion, in my church.
The sea — The channel of the sea.
Verse 10
[10] And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
A root — A branch growing upon the root.
Ensign — Shall grow up into a great tree, shall become an eminent ensign.
The people — Which not only the Jews, but all nations, may discern, and to which they shall resort.
Rest — His resting-place, his temple or church, the place of his presence and abode.
Glorious — Shall be filled with greater glory than the Jewish tabernacle and temple were; only this glory shall be spiritual, consisting in the plentiful effusions of the gifts, and graces, of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Verse 1
[1] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Judgments — He saith judgments in the plural number, because though the office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and branches, of it; in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God would have him to do.
Verse 2
[2] He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
Thy afflicted ones — For such are thine in a special manner, thou art their judge and patron.
Verse 3
[3] The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
The mountains — Which are so dangerous to passengers, in regard of robbers and wild beasts. Hereby it is implied, that other places should do so too, and that it should be common and universal.
Verse 4
[4] He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
Judge — Vindicate them from their oppressors.
Verse 5
[5] They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Thee — Thee, O God, this shall be another blessed fruit of this righteous government, that together with peace, true religion shall be established, and that throughout all generations, which was begun in Solomon's days, but not fully accomplished 'till Christ came.
Verse 6
[6] He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
He shall come — Christ did come down from heaven, and brought or sent down from heaven his doctrine, (which is often compared to rain) and the sweet and powerful influences of his spirit.
Romans 15:4-13
Verse 4
[4] For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Aforetime — In the Old Testament.
That we through patience and consolation of the scriptures may have hope — That through the consolation which God gives us by these, we may have patience and a joyful hope.
Verse 5
[5] Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
According to the power of Christ Jesus.
Verse 6
[6] That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That ye — Both Jews and gentiles, believing with one mind, and confessing with one mouth.
Verse 7
[7] Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Receive ye one another — Weak and strong, with mutual love.
Verse 8
[8] Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
Now I say — The apostle here shows how Christ received us. Christ Jesus-Jesus is the name, Christ the surname. The latter was first known to the Jews; the former, to the gentiles. Therefore he is styled Jesus Christ, when the words stand in the common, natural order. When the order is inverted, as here, the office of Christ is more solemnly considered.
Was a servant — Of his Father.
Of the circumcision — For the salvation of the circumcised, the Jews.
For the truth of God — To manifest the truth and fidelity of God.
Verse 9
[9] And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
As it is written — In the eighteenth psalm, here the gentiles and Jews are spoken of as joining in the worship of the God of Israel. Psalms 18:49
Verse 10
[10] And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
Deuteronomy 32:43.
Verse 11
[11] And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
Psalms 117:1.
Verse 12
[12] And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
There shall be the root of Jesse — That kings and the Messiah should spring from his house, was promised to Jesse before it was to David.
In him shall the gentiles hope — Who before had been "without hope," Ephesians 2:12. Isaiah 11:10
Verse 13
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Now the God of hope — A glorious title of God, but till now unknown to the heathens; for their goddess Hope, like their other idols, was nothing; whose temple at Rome was burned by lightning. It was, indeed, built again not long after, but was again burned to the ground.
Matthew 3:1-12
Verse 2
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God, are but two phrases for the same thing. They mean, not barely a future happy state, in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth: the proper disposition for the glory of heaven, rather than the possession of it.
Is at hand — As if he had said, God is about to erect that kingdom, spoken of by Daniel Daniel 2:44; 7:13,14; the kingdom of the God of heaven. It properly signifies here, the Gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first on earth, and afterward with God in glory. In some places of Scripture, the phrase more particularly denotes the state of it on earth: in ,others, it signifies only the state of glory: but it generally includes both. The Jews understood it of a temporal kingdom, the seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem; and the expected sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to call the Son of man. Both John the Baptist and Christ took up that phrase, the kingdom of heaven, as they found it, and gradually taught the Jews (though greatly unwilling to learn) to understand it right. The very demand of repentance, as previous to it, showed it was a spiritual kingdom, and that no wicked man, how politic, brave, or learned soever, could possibly be a subject of it.
Verse 3
[3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The way of the Lord — Of Christ.
Make his paths straight — By removing every thing which might prove a hinderance to his gracious appearance. Isaiah 40:3.
Verse 4
[4] And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
John had his raiment of camels' hair — Coarse and rough, suiting his character and doctrine.
A leathern girdle — Like Elijah, in whose spirit and power he came.
His food was locusts and wild honey — Locusts are ranked among clean meats, Leviticus 11:22. But these were not always to be had. So in default of those, he fed on wild honey.
Verse 6
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Confessing their sins — Of their own accord; freely and openly. Such prodigious numbers could hardly be baptized by immerging their whole bodies under water: nor can we think they were provided with change of raiment for it, which was scarcely practicable for such vast multitudes. And yet they could not be immerged naked with modesty, nor in their wearing apparel with safety. It seems, therefore, that they stood in ranks on the edge of the river, and that John, passing along before them, cast water on their heads or faces, by which means he might baptize many thousands in a day. And this way most naturally signified Christ's baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, which John spoke of, as prefigured by his baptizing with water, and which was eminently fulfilled, when the Holy Ghost sat upon the disciples in the appearance of tongues, or flames of fire.
Verse 7
[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews. They took their name from a Hebrew word, which signifies to separate, because they separated themselves from all other men. They were outwardly strict observers of the law, fasted often, made long prayers, rigorously kept the Sabbath, and paid all tithe, even of mint, anise, and cummin. Hence they were in high esteem among the people. But inwardly, they were full of pride and hypocrisy. The Sadducees were another sect among the Jews, only not so considerable as the Pharisees. They denied the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul, and by consequence the resurrection of the dead.
Ye brood of vipers — In like manner, the crafty Herod is styled a fox, and persons of insidious, ravenous, profane, or sensual dispositions, are named respectively by him who saw their hearts, serpents, dogs, wolves, and swine; terms which are not the random language of passion, but a judicious designation of the persons meant by them. For it was fitting such men should be marked out, either for a caution to others, or a warning to themselves.
Verse 8
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Repentance is of two sorts; that which is termed legal, and that which is styled evangelical repentance. The former (which is the same that is spoken of here) is a thorough conviction of sin. The latter is a change of heart (and consequently of life) from all sin to all holiness.
Verse 9
[9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And say not confidently — The word in the original, vulgarly rendered, Think not, seems here, and in many places, not to diminish, but rather add to the force of the word with which it is joined.
We have Abraham to our father — It is almost incredible, how great the presumption of the Jews was on this their relation to Abraham. One of their famous sayings was, "Abraham sits near the gates of hell, and suffers no Israelite to go down into it." I say unto you - This preface always denotes the importance of what follows.
Of these stones — Probably pointing to those which lay before them.
Verse 10
[10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
But the axe also already lieth — That is, there is no room for such idle pretences. Speedy execution is determined against all that do not repent. The comparison seems to be taken from a woodman that has laid down his axe to put off his coat, and then immediately goes to work to cut down the tree. This refers to the wrath to come in verse 7, Matthew 3:7.
Is hewn down — Instantly, without farther delay.
Verse 11
[11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire — He shall fill you with the Holy Ghost, inflaming your hearts with that fire of love, which many waters cannot quench. And this was done, even with a visible appearance as of fire, on the day of pentecost.
Verse 12
[12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Whose fan — That is, the word of the Gospel.
His floor — That is, his Church, which is now covered with a mixture of wheat and chaff.
He will gather the wheat into the garner — Will lay up those who are truly good in heaven.
-------
The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
-------PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
Today's Scripture:
Hebrews 10:19 So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh. 21 We also have a great cohen over God’s household. 22 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.[Hebrews 10:22 Ezekiel 36:25] 23 Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.
And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching.
-------
The Daily Devotionals of The Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 11 December 2016
Today, Please pray for:
-------
Link to GBOD DevotionalToday, Please pray for:
Plum Creek UMC
Five Rivers District
| 
Pomona UMC
Vassar UMC
Five Rivers District
|
The Daily Devotionals of The Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States for Monday, 12 December 2016
Today, Please pray for:
-------
Today, Please pray for:
Princeton UMC
Richmond UMC
Five Rivers District
| 
Fort Scott Hammond UMC
Fort Scott St John UMC
Fort Scott West Liberty UMC
Five Rivers District
|
This Week's Lectionary
3rd Sunday of Advent – Purple, Blue or Pink, 11 December 2016
Today's Scripture: Isaiah 35:1 The desert and the dry land will be glad;
the ‘Aravah will rejoice and blossom like the lily.
2 It will burst into flower,
will rejoice with joy and singing,
will be given the glory of the L’vanon,
the splendor of Karmel and the Sharon.
They will see the glory of Adonai,
the splendor of our God.
3 Strengthen your drooping arms,
and steady your tottering knees.
4 Say to the fainthearted, “Be strong and unafraid!
Here is your God; he will come with vengeance;
with God’s retribution he will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped;
6 then the lame man will leap like a deer,
and the mute person’s tongue will sing.
For in the desert, springs will burst forth,
streams of water in the ‘Aravah;
7 the sandy mirage will become a pool,
the thirsty ground springs of water.
The haunts where jackals lie down will become
a marsh filled with reeds and papyrus.
8 A highway will be there, a way,
called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not pass over it,
but it will be for those whom he guides —
fools will not stray along it.
9 No lion or other beast of prey
will be there, traveling on it.
They will not be found there,
but the redeemed will go there.
10 Those ransomed by Adonai will return
and come with singing to Tziyon,
on their heads will be everlasting joy.
They will acquire gladness and joy,
while sorrow and sighing will flee.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
James 5:7 So, brothers, be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious “fruit of the earth” — he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains.[James 5:7 Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23] 8 You too, be patient; keep up your courage; for the Lord’s return is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won’t come under condemnation — look! the Judge is standing at the door! 10 As an example of suffering mistreatment and being patient, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of Adonai.
Matthew 11:2 Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim, 3 asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” 4 Yeshua answered, “Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing — 5 the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara’at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing,[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 35:5–6] the dead are being raised,[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 26:19] the Good News is being told to the poor[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 61:1] — 6 and how blessed is anyone not offended by me!”
7 As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: “What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze? 8 No? then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? Well-dressed people live in kings’ palaces. 9 Nu, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he’s much more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom the Tanakh says,
‘See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’[Matthew 11:10 Malachi 3:1]
11 Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he!
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 35:1-10
Verse 1
[1] The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
The solitary place — Emmanuel's land, or the seat of God's church and people, which formerly was despised like a wilderness, and which the rage of their enemies had brought to desolation, shall flourish exceedingly.
Verse 2
[2] It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
The excellency — The wilderness shall be as pleasant and fruitful as Lebanon, and Carmel, and Sharon.
They — The inhabitants of the wilderness aforesaid.
The glory — The glorious discoveries of God's power and goodness.
Verse 3
[3] Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Strengthen — Ye ministers of God, comfort and encourage God's people, who are now ready to faint.
Verse 4
[4] Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Your God — Tho' he seems to be departed, he will come to you, and abide with you. He will shortly come in the flesh, to execute vengeance upon the enemies of God.
Verse 5
[5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then — The poor Gentiles, who before were blind and deaf, shall now have the eyes and ears of their minds opened to see God's works, and to hear and receive his word.
Verse 7
[7] And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Streams — The most dry and barren places shall be made moist and fruitful; which is principally meant of the plentiful effusion of God's grace upon such persons and nations, as had been wholly destitute of it.
Rushes — Those dry and parched deserts, in which dragons have their abode, shall yield abundance of grass, and reeds, and rushes, which grow only in moist ground.
Verse 8
[8] And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
A way — The high-way and the way are not to be taken for two different ways, but for one and the same way, even a causey, which is raised ground, and a way.
Holiness — The people (walking in it) shall be all righteous.
For those — But this way shall be appropriated to those persons above-mentioned; the weak, and blind, and lame, whom God will lead and save.
Though fools — The way shall be so plain and strait, that even the most foolish travellers cannot easily mistake it.
Luke 1:47-55
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
James 5:7-10
Verse 7
[7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit — Which will recompense his labour and patience.
Till he receives the former rain — Immediately after sowing.
And the latter — Before the harvest.
Verse 8
[8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Stablish your hearts — In faith and patience.
For the coming of the Lord — To destroy Jerusalem.
Is nigh — And so is his last coming to the eye of a believer.
Verse 9
[9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Murmur not one against another — Have patience also with each other.
The judge standeth before the door — Hearing every word, marking every thought.
Verse 10
[10] Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Take the prophets for an example — Once persecuted like you, even for speaking in the name of the Lord. The very men that gloried in having prophets yet could not bear their message: nor did either their holiness or their high commission screen them from suffering.
Matthew 11:2-11
Verse 2
[2] Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
He sent two of his disciples — Not because he doubted himself; but to confirm their faith. Luke 7:18.
Verse 3
[3] And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
He that is to come — The Messiah.
Verse 4
[4] Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Go and tell John the things that ye hear and see — Which are a stronger proof of my being the Messiah, than any bare assertion can be.
Verse 5
[5] The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
The poor have the Gospel preached to them — The greatest mercy of all. Isaiah 29:18; 35:5.
Verse 6
[6] And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Happy is he who shall not be offended at me — Notwithstanding all these proofs that I am the Messiah.
Verse 7
[7] And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
As they departed, he said concerning John — Of whom probably he would not have said so much when they were present.
A reed shaken by the wind? — No; nothing could ever shake John in the testimony he gave to the truth. The expression is proverbial.
Verse 8
[8] But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
A man clothed in soft, delicate raiment — An effeminate courtier, accustomed to fawning and flattery? You may expect to find persons of such a character in palaces; not in a wilderness.
Verse 9
[9] But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
More than a prophet — For the prophets only pointed me out afar off; but John was my immediate forerunner.
Verse 10
[10] For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Malachi 3:1.
Verse 11
[11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
But he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he — Which an ancient author explains thus:-"One perfect in the law, as John was, is inferior to one who is baptized into the death of Christ. For this is the kingdom of heaven, even to be buried with Christ, and to be raised up together with him. John was greater than all who had been then born of women, but he was cut off before the kingdom of heaven was given." [He seems to mean, that righteousness, peace, and joy, which constitute the present inward kingdom of heaven.] "He was blameless as to that righteousness which is by the law; but he fell short of those who are perfected by the spirit of life which is in Christ. Whosoever, therefore, is least in the kingdom of heaven, by Christian regeneration, is greater than any who has attained only the righteousness of the law, because the law maketh nothing perfect." It may farther mean, the least true Christian believer has a more perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ, of his redemption and kingdom, than John the Baptist had, who died before the full manifestation of the Gospel.
Today's Scripture:
3rd Sunday of Advent – Purple, Blue or Pink, 11 December 2016
Today's Scripture: Isaiah 35:1 The desert and the dry land will be glad;
the ‘Aravah will rejoice and blossom like the lily.
2 It will burst into flower,
will rejoice with joy and singing,
will be given the glory of the L’vanon,
the splendor of Karmel and the Sharon.
They will see the glory of Adonai,
the splendor of our God.
3 Strengthen your drooping arms,
and steady your tottering knees.
4 Say to the fainthearted, “Be strong and unafraid!
Here is your God; he will come with vengeance;
with God’s retribution he will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped;
6 then the lame man will leap like a deer,
and the mute person’s tongue will sing.
For in the desert, springs will burst forth,
streams of water in the ‘Aravah;
7 the sandy mirage will become a pool,
the thirsty ground springs of water.
The haunts where jackals lie down will become
a marsh filled with reeds and papyrus.
8 A highway will be there, a way,
called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not pass over it,
but it will be for those whom he guides —
fools will not stray along it.
9 No lion or other beast of prey
will be there, traveling on it.
They will not be found there,
but the redeemed will go there.
10 Those ransomed by Adonai will return
and come with singing to Tziyon,
on their heads will be everlasting joy.
They will acquire gladness and joy,
while sorrow and sighing will flee.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
James 5:7 So, brothers, be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious “fruit of the earth” — he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains.[James 5:7 Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23] 8 You too, be patient; keep up your courage; for the Lord’s return is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won’t come under condemnation — look! the Judge is standing at the door! 10 As an example of suffering mistreatment and being patient, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of Adonai.
Matthew 11:2 Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim, 3 asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” 4 Yeshua answered, “Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing — 5 the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara’at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing,[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 35:5–6] the dead are being raised,[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 26:19] the Good News is being told to the poor[Matthew 11:5 Isaiah 61:1] — 6 and how blessed is anyone not offended by me!”
7 As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: “What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze? 8 No? then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? Well-dressed people live in kings’ palaces. 9 Nu, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he’s much more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom the Tanakh says,
‘See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’[Matthew 11:10 Malachi 3:1]
11 Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he!
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 35:1-10
Verse 1
[1] The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
The solitary place — Emmanuel's land, or the seat of God's church and people, which formerly was despised like a wilderness, and which the rage of their enemies had brought to desolation, shall flourish exceedingly.
Verse 2
[2] It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
The excellency — The wilderness shall be as pleasant and fruitful as Lebanon, and Carmel, and Sharon.
They — The inhabitants of the wilderness aforesaid.
The glory — The glorious discoveries of God's power and goodness.
Verse 3
[3] Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Strengthen — Ye ministers of God, comfort and encourage God's people, who are now ready to faint.
Verse 4
[4] Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Your God — Tho' he seems to be departed, he will come to you, and abide with you. He will shortly come in the flesh, to execute vengeance upon the enemies of God.
Verse 5
[5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then — The poor Gentiles, who before were blind and deaf, shall now have the eyes and ears of their minds opened to see God's works, and to hear and receive his word.
Verse 7
[7] And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Streams — The most dry and barren places shall be made moist and fruitful; which is principally meant of the plentiful effusion of God's grace upon such persons and nations, as had been wholly destitute of it.
Rushes — Those dry and parched deserts, in which dragons have their abode, shall yield abundance of grass, and reeds, and rushes, which grow only in moist ground.
Verse 8
[8] And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
A way — The high-way and the way are not to be taken for two different ways, but for one and the same way, even a causey, which is raised ground, and a way.
Holiness — The people (walking in it) shall be all righteous.
For those — But this way shall be appropriated to those persons above-mentioned; the weak, and blind, and lame, whom God will lead and save.
Though fools — The way shall be so plain and strait, that even the most foolish travellers cannot easily mistake it.
Luke 1:47-55
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
James 5:7-10
Verse 7
[7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit — Which will recompense his labour and patience.
Till he receives the former rain — Immediately after sowing.
And the latter — Before the harvest.
Verse 8
[8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Stablish your hearts — In faith and patience.
For the coming of the Lord — To destroy Jerusalem.
Is nigh — And so is his last coming to the eye of a believer.
Verse 9
[9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Murmur not one against another — Have patience also with each other.
The judge standeth before the door — Hearing every word, marking every thought.
Verse 10
[10] Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Take the prophets for an example — Once persecuted like you, even for speaking in the name of the Lord. The very men that gloried in having prophets yet could not bear their message: nor did either their holiness or their high commission screen them from suffering.
Matthew 11:2-11
Verse 2
[2] Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
He sent two of his disciples — Not because he doubted himself; but to confirm their faith. Luke 7:18.
Verse 3
[3] And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
He that is to come — The Messiah.
Verse 4
[4] Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Go and tell John the things that ye hear and see — Which are a stronger proof of my being the Messiah, than any bare assertion can be.
Verse 5
[5] The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
The poor have the Gospel preached to them — The greatest mercy of all. Isaiah 29:18; 35:5.
Verse 6
[6] And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Happy is he who shall not be offended at me — Notwithstanding all these proofs that I am the Messiah.
Verse 7
[7] And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
As they departed, he said concerning John — Of whom probably he would not have said so much when they were present.
A reed shaken by the wind? — No; nothing could ever shake John in the testimony he gave to the truth. The expression is proverbial.
Verse 8
[8] But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
A man clothed in soft, delicate raiment — An effeminate courtier, accustomed to fawning and flattery? You may expect to find persons of such a character in palaces; not in a wilderness.
Verse 9
[9] But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
More than a prophet — For the prophets only pointed me out afar off; but John was my immediate forerunner.
Verse 10
[10] For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Malachi 3:1.
Verse 11
[11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
But he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he — Which an ancient author explains thus:-"One perfect in the law, as John was, is inferior to one who is baptized into the death of Christ. For this is the kingdom of heaven, even to be buried with Christ, and to be raised up together with him. John was greater than all who had been then born of women, but he was cut off before the kingdom of heaven was given." [He seems to mean, that righteousness, peace, and joy, which constitute the present inward kingdom of heaven.] "He was blameless as to that righteousness which is by the law; but he fell short of those who are perfected by the spirit of life which is in Christ. Whosoever, therefore, is least in the kingdom of heaven, by Christian regeneration, is greater than any who has attained only the righteousness of the law, because the law maketh nothing perfect." It may farther mean, the least true Christian believer has a more perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ, of his redemption and kingdom, than John the Baptist had, who died before the full manifestation of the Gospel.
-------
The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
-------PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
Today's Scripture:
-------
Luke 2:25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai. 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, 28 Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said,
29 “Now, Adonai, according to your word,
your servant is at peace as you let him go;
30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu‘ah,
31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples —
32 a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim
and glory to your people Isra’el.”
-------
Romans 12:6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.
-------
Luke 2:25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai. 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, 28 Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said,
29 “Now, Adonai, according to your word,
your servant is at peace as you let him go;
30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu‘ah,
31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples —
32 a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim
and glory to your people Isra’el.”
-------
Romans 12:6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.
-------
Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 East Boston, Suite 160
Wichita Kansas 67207, United States
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
info@greatplainsumc.org
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment