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| William "Bobby" Robert Outten |
22 of 40 Lenten Journey
Today's readings: Acts 4 and page 58
in Terry Teykl's book: Acts 29
larryjameson.blogspot.com
Dear Prospect, Trinity,
and Asbury Church family,
Good morning dear ones!
Yesterday was so pretty.
Sue and I got to ride our bikes
just a bit. And I mowed.
Our little dogs don't like
tall grass. So big improvement.
On Thursday I was able to do
a pre-funeral interview with
Lynn & Jeff Outten
for the Bobby Outten funeral.
I am working with Chaplain
Mike Layton of the Harrington
Fire Company to lead the funeral
today. It is a private funeral
because of the COVID-19 crisis.
It has been an honor to be
Bobby Outten's pastor, even
if it was only for a year
and eight months. I have
admired this man and enjoyed
seeing him serve the
Kent County community that
he absolutely loved.
Tomorrow will be the second
Sunday that the doors of our
churches have been closed,
and we don't know how many
more Sundays that will continue.
But the Gospel hasn't stopped!
Our relationships with one
another will not dim or fade.
The power of the Holy Spirit
is moving us forward
and God's amazing love
is our source of renewal.
In Acts chapter 4 we have
been reading about how the
Sanhedrin tried to stop the
Gospel. They arrested Peter
and John and put them in jail
to try and slow them down.
Peter welcomed the opportunity
to preach the Gospel.
In the center of the
courtroom, Peter said:
"If we are on trial today
for a benefit done to a sick
man, as to how this man has
been made well, let it be known
to all of you, and to all the
people of Israel, that by the
name of Jesus Christ the
Nazarene, whom you crucified,
whom God raised from the dead,
- by this name this man stands
here before you in good health."
Such boldness! Such incredible
clarity and conciseness!
That is the hallmark of the
Holy Spirit working in the
church to empower God's people.
And the good news is
that same power for love
and confidence is at work
in every one of us RIGHT NOW
at Prospect, Trinity, and
Asbury. We may not feel
like powerful evangelists,
and that is OK. God's Holy
Spirit is the real evangelist.
God does what we cannot do.
God prepares the hearts and
minds of sceptics and brings
them to a place of personal
insight and repentance.
God did that in 33 A.D.
and he is still doing that
in 2020 A.D.
I am encouraged by the work
of our church members to
form Small Groups
for the purpose of mutual
friendship and support.
We really need each other!
And we all benefit when
we include our neighbors
in our groups. We really
need our neighbors!
The key to our success is
prayer. God will honor
every prayer we lift up
for our families, our
friends, our neighbors,
and our country.
Please pray for our
Small Group Leaders
and Coordinators!
Prospect UMC 5183 Vernon Rd
Harrington DE 19952
Lorraine Keller stubby1995@yahoo.com
Jeanne Camper jeannecamper@aol.com
Trinity UMC 63 Commerce Street
Harrington DE 19952
Caryl Warren cwarren528@aol.com
Jim Callaway cabboc@msn.com
Asbury UMC 200 Weiner Av
Harrington DE 19952
Franklin Hendricks fhendricks@comcast.net
Brenda Wyatt bln_256@hotmail.com
Prayer by Larry Jameson
Thank you dear God, for
the boldness that Peter
and John had when they stood
before the Sanhedrin.
Give us that same boldness
in our homes as we do our
best to care for one another.
In the name of Jesus Christ
we pray. Amen.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Acts 4 (NIV)
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
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