Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                         10 October 2020

Isaiah 25:6–9

₆On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples

         a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,

         of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

₇And he will swallow up on this mountain

         the covering that is cast over all peoples,

         the veil that is spread over all nations.

         ₈He will swallow up death forever;

and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,

         and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,

         for the Lord has spoken.

₉It will be said on that day,

         “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.

         This is the Lord; we have waited for him;

         let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Psalm 23

₁The Lord is my | shepherd;*

         I | shall not want.

₂He makes me lie down in green | pastures.*

         He leads me beside still | waters.

₃He re- | stores my soul.*

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his | name’s sake.

₄Even though I walk through

the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are | with me;*

your rod and your staff, they | comfort me.

₅You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my | enemies;*

         you anoint my head with oil;

         my cup | overflows.

₆Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,*

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for- | ever.

Philippians 4:4–13

         ₄Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ₅Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ₆do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ₇And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

         ₈Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ₉What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

         ₁₀I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ₁₁Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ₁₂I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ₁₃I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Matthew 22:1–14

         ₁Again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, ₂“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, ₃and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ₄Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ ₅But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ₆while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ₇The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ₈Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ₉Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ₁₀And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

         ₁₁“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ₁₂And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ₁₃Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ₁₄For many are called, but few are chosen.”