Daily Devotion, October 7, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Acts 10:34-48.

The characters in Acts 10 are: Cornelius, an Angel, Simon Peter, Simon the Tanner, the three men sent from Cornelius to find Simon Peter, some believers from Joppa, relatives and close friends of Cornelius, the Holy Spirit, and the believers back in Jerusalem (from Acts 11) who were complaining about Peter’s being with Gentile people.  If this story were a theater production, which character would you be? This story definitely has an “insiders” group and an “outsiders” group. Where would you place yourself in the story?

Having been “in” the church since I was in the church’s nursery, I always placed myself in this story as an “insider”, the one with the message to be taken to the Gentile people. In my mid-twenties it dawned on me that if Simon Peter had never taken the message to the Gentile people, I might have never known Christ! If I had lived during the times of The Book of Acts, I would have been in the “outsiders” group! How would that have felt? No wonder Cornelius and his family and friends were rejoicing that God’s message in Christ included them, and that they were no longer on the outside of God’s grace!

Rev. Adam Hamilton says, “Luke devotes two chapters to this story, and for good reason. This is the hinge point not only of the Book of Acts, but of the entire Christian faith. Had this vision and Cornelius’s conversion not occurred, Christianity may have remained a small sect within Judaism.”

When one has been on the “inside” of the church for a long time, it’s easy to lose the vision of God’s love, welcome and offer of salvation for all the people of the earth. We can all give God thanks for Simon Peter’s words in Acts 10:34, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men (and women) from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Simon Peter continued to learn!

The Holy Spirit teaches Peter that he need not try to figure out who has a good relationship with God. God will take care of that. We are called to be witnesses to the “ends of the earth!” Personal Worship Option: Forgive us for stepping into your role as judge, O God. Let us humbly and simply remember that we too, like all the people of the earth, are the recipients of Your grace in Christ. Surprise us with a new understanding and vision of your welcome for all people. Empower us to give witness of your grace in words and in actions of love. Amen.

Daily Devotion, October 6, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Matthew 9:9-13.

Like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, Matthew responded immediately to Jesus’ call to follow him. Matthew left his responsibilities as a tax collector behind and became a disciple of Jesus. The people despised tax collectors because they often dishonestly charged more money than the regular tax rate. Jesus changed Matthew’s life. As a result, the former tax collector became a bridge between his former associates and Jesus. At some later point, Matthew held a large feast at his house. Jesus and his disciples were there and guess who else? A number of Matthew’s former associates, other tax collectors, were present. God used Matthew, a formerly despised man to further his kingdom. We shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to people who are living in sin. God can use you to become a bridge also. Personal Worship Option: When God calls you to do something for him, do you respond as quickly and enthusiastically as Matthew? Like Matthew, we too must decide to leave behind those things that keep us from following Christ.

Daily Devotion, October 5, 2020

 

Devotion: Read John 4:7-15.

The Jewish people of Jesus’ time thought they had good reason to not associate with Samaritans (see verse 9). Many years earlier when the Assyrians conquered the northern tribes and took the leaders and many of the people away into exile, they brought other conquered people into the vacated central land of Israel. Turning from their customs and teachings, the Jewish people remaining there intermarried with these foreigners. When the exiles returned home, they despised their brothers and sisters in Samaria who had not kept their race and customs pure. The refusal to associate with Samaritans was so strong that Jewish persons traveling north and south between Judea and Galilee would travel east, cross the Jordan River, go north or south, and then travel back west to their destination.

Not Jesus! Traveling on this occasion north from Judea to Galilee, Jesus went directly through Samaria; and in this story, he associated with a Samaritan woman with a no-good reputation! Jesus offered her the living water of the Good News of Christ. In a time when Jesus was not telling others that he was the Christ, he clearly announced it to this Samaritan woman. Who are the Samaritans we avoid whom Jesus would have us associate with today? Personal Worship Option: Please pray with me, “Lord, help me not to judge others. Help me to associate with all people in order to build relationships of trust and understanding, especially those people whom others judge. Give me the grace to live in such a way before them that they will listen when I share the Good News of your Son. Amen.”

Daily Devotion, October 4, 2020

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 18:21-35.

  It’s one of those stories that makes you shake your head in disbelief. Don’t miss the radical nature of it. The amount of money the first servant owes the king is an amount nobody could ever pay. (A “talent” was equal to fifteen years of wages and that is to be multiplied by the largest number you can imagine - which is the real meaning of the number 10,000 here.) So this guy has a debt which nobody could ever repay. He is doomed. He has no hope. Then everything changes. The king forgives the whole debt! He is debt-free, given new life. You would think that he would have a new approach to life; that he would want to be as generous and forgiving as what had been shown to him. Not this guy! He sees this guy who owes him about three months worth of wages (a significant amount, but a tiny drop in a huge bucket compared to what he owed the king); and he refuses to forgive this man of his debt.

  It just seems ridiculous to think that anybody anywhere would be that way. But wait! Through Jesus Christ, God forgave us of the debt we owed God that we could never pay. And sometimes, we find it hard, if not almost impossible to forgive others for things that might be of some significance, but do not compare to what we owed God. Maybe that story is not so ridiculous after all. Personal Worship Option:

Carol Owens wrote one of the songs in our hymnal, the chorus of which says this: 

“He said, ‘Freely, freely, you have received, freely, freely give.  

Go in my name, and because you believe, others will know that I live.”

That certainly applies with giving financial resources. But it also applies to love and forgiveness. Give thanks to God for the many ways you can give (including forgiveness) because of how God has given to you.

Daily Devotion, October 3, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Matthew 6:9-15.

  This month in worship, we will be looking at some parables Jesus told that only Matthew includes in his Gospel account of the life and ministry of Christ. The parable for tomorrow focuses on forgiveness. Of course, that parable is not the only place that this subject comes up in Jesus’ teaching. In our text for today, coming out of what is often referred to as the “Sermon on The Mount,” Jesus offers a model to the disciples on how to pray. Right in the middle of that prayer is a line that connects our being forgiven of our sins by God with our willingness to forgive others who sin against us. Even then, Jesus does not just leave it at that. Apparently, that was not sufficient in his mind (or at least the writer of Matthew). That particularly part of the prayer needed to be emphasized. (“In case you missed that part about forgiveness, let me be very clear about it.”) There is no receiving forgiveness from God without giving forgiveness to other people.

  Make no mistake about it, forgiveness is sometimes very difficult. There are some people and some situations that are extremely difficult to forgive. That is equally true for God. However, God does forgive, because God knows how necessary it is to forgive in order to live life fully. God has high expectations on this subject for you as well, because God wants you to be able to live life fully as well. So, receive the forgiveness of God, and give that same gift to others. Personal Worship Option: Before you pray the Lord’s Prayer again, is there someone you need to forgive?

Daily Devotion, October 2, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Colossians 3:12-14.

In these three verses Paul offers us a strategy to help us live for God each day. The first step is to remember who you are: you are chosen, holy and dearly loved. The second step is to embody compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. The third step is to bear with each other and forgive. The key to forgiving others is remembering how much God has forgiven you. Is it difficult for you to forgive someone who has wronged you a little when God has forgiven you so much? Realizing God’s infinite love and forgiveness can help you love and forgive others. In doing these three steps we reflect Christ in us to those around us. Personal Worship Option: Reflect on God’s goodness and love toward you. How can you reflect this same love and goodness to someone who needs your forgiveness? Decide to do something kind for someone who is difficult for you to love.

Daily Devotion, October 1, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Matthew 7:12.

“Do unto others what you would have them do unto you” is often referred to as “the golden rule”.   That's what it's called, but Jesus isn't as concerned that we know the "rule" as much as He is that we live the "golden life."  This idea of doing for others what we would want done for us summarizes Jesus' teaching to his disciples about how to live for and serve others. It also reminds us of the spirit of the Old Testament Law and the teaching of the prophets. Living to bless others is God's desire for us in all of our relationships. We are not here to live for ourselves, but to bless others in the name of Jesus. This kind of life is meaningful and fulfilling. God can use our lives in ways we would never anticipate to touch the lives of others.

Jesus calls us to think about how we would want to be treated, including being forgiven by others and then treat others that way. It is indeed a call to a loving and forgiving action which can be world-changing when implemented because we then begin to live lives of empathy, harmony, and love. This verse makes it clear that how you treat other people is important. Being a Christian is not just about our personal relationship with God and how he forgives us, but about the importance of our relationships with and forgiveness of other people as well. Personal Worship Option: Heavenly Father, I pray that all we say and do honors You. May our actions and attitudes please you as we try to live out our Christian lives. AMEN.