Leave the Judging to God

April 26, 2013

Opening Hymns:
73 Oh worship the king http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh073.sht

Scripture Reading:
Acts 11:1-18

11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him ³ and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

⁴ Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. ⁷ Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
⁸ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
⁹ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
¹¹ “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. ¹² The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. ¹⁴ He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’
¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with^[a] water, but you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Message:
Who are we to judge others? This scripture is the prime example of that. The only one who was sinless among us was Jesus.  The only one who has the right to judge is God. Yet, we still seem to overlook that from time to time. If we see someone who is begging for money on the side of the road we may immediately think they are a drug addict. If a student is failing out of their class we may think they don’t care or they aren’t trying. We may think a certain religion is better or worse than ours without knowing anything about it. All of these are judgments.

Today’s scripture calls us to put aside our judgments of others and welcome all into the family of Christ. The person on the side of the street may have just lost his job and needs some new clothing so he can interview for a new one. The student struggling in school may be having a hard home life, and needs the extra care and support to get through the semester. When we let go of our judgments we are able to open new doors of acceptance and lend our assistance to those in need.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, as we go about our week help us focus our minds and our hearts on You. We are all Your children, let us treat others with the same love and acceptance that You have given to us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
561 Jesus, United by Thy Grace http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh561.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

Through Faith in Jesus Miracles Happen

Opening Hymns:

110 A Mighty Fortress is Our God http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh110.sht

Scripture Reading:
Acts 9:36-43

³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. ³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
³⁹ Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Message:
Throughout the New Testament we can see Peter’s faith growing. This is the disciple who stepped out on the water with Jesus (Matthew 14:28-33), and began to sink because he was afraid. He is the disciple who denied Jesus 3 times after Jesus had been captured (Matthew 26:69-75). Now here he is. Jesus had been crucified and had risen, and has told them to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Peter’s faith has grown and blossomed.
In today’s scripture we see how powerful faith is. Through Peter’s faith in the healing power of Jesus, Tabitha is raised from the dead. Time and time again the scriptures show us that with God all things are possible. If we have discernment that tells us what God is calling us to do, and the faith to answer that call, we too can see miracles happen through Jesus Christ our Savior.    

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, let us have faith in You as Peter did. Strengthen our faith, and help us clearly see that path You are calling us to travel upon. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
685 Now on Land and Sea Descending http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh685.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

The Road to Damascus

April 12, 2013

Opening Hymns:
662 Stand Up and Bless the Lord http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh662.sht

Scripture Reading:
Acts 9:1-20

Saul’s Conversion

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, 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 Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Message:
As I read the scripture lesson for this week I am reminded of stories of people whose lives were changed by Jesus. Thousands of people have given up their alcoholic lifestyle through Alcoholics Anonymous, a Christian organization/support group. Many others have given up their use of illicit drugs because they found a new life in Jesus. For many of these people I’m sure they can relate to Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus. Their lives have truly been transformed through knowing Jesus.

Where are you in your life? Do you feel the Lord calling for you to make a change in your plans? Perhaps, like Saul, you thought God’s call was different than it actually is. Maybe, like Ananias, you are called to recognize and reach out to those who have made a change in their life because of Jesus. Regardless, let this scripture remind you that with God all things are possible. Through Jesus lives are changed, wounds are healed, and sins are forgiven.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, lead us down Your path this day, and every day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
672 God Be with You Till We Meet Again http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh672.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

Doubt and Faith

April 5, 2013

Opening Hymns:
131 We Gather Together http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh131.sht

Scripture Reading:
John 20:19-29

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Message:
Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed! In the scripture for today he appears to the disciples. Thomas is left out the first time, and doesn’t believe the good news that Christ lives again. Scripture continually reminds us that Jesus’ disciples are human like we are. They sin, doubt, and make mistakes as we do. Peter denied Jesus (John 18:17), Judas betrays Jesus (John 18:3), and in today’s scripture reading Thomas doubts that Jesus has risen.

Doubt can sometimes be a good thing. We do need to pick and choose what we believe in and what we don’t believe in. As a young child it can be fun to believe that we can fly if we think happy thoughts… but acting on that belief can be dangerous unless there is a trained professional with a pulley system involved. Our rational minds cause us to doubt things that don’t make sense. It is no wonder that Thomas doubts that Jesus has risen from the dead. However we must remember Jesus’ words “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). Remember this as you go about your day. Anything is possible with God, because of that all our sins are forgiven and Jesus has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, though we may doubt earthly things, let us have faith and trust in You. Forgive us when we doubt that “all things are possible” for You, oh Lord. Thank You for sending Christ to save us from our sins, and for showing us Your wonders as Christ has risen. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
374 Standing on the Promises http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh374.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God