Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                            2 January 2021

1 Kings 3:4–15

          4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ₅At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” ₆And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. ₇And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. ₈And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. ₉Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

          ₁₀It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ₁₁And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ₁₂behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. ₁₃I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ₁₄And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

          ₁₅And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Psalm 119:97-104

₉₇Oh how I | love your law!*

          It is my meditation | all the day.

₉₈Your commandment makes me wiser than my | enemies,*

          for it is ever | with me.

₉₉I have more understanding than all my | teachers,*

          for your testimonies are my medi- | tation.

₁₀₀I understand more than the | agèd,*

          for I keep your | precepts.

₁₀₁I hold back my feet from every | evil way,*

          in order to | keep your word.

₁₀₂I do not turn aside from your | just decrees,*

          for you have | taught me.

₁₀₃How sweet are your words | to my taste,*

          sweeter than honey | to my mouth!

₁₀₄Through your precepts I get under- | standing;*

          therefore I hate every | false way.

Ephesians 1:3–14

          ₃Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ₄even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ₅he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ₆to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ₇In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ₈which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ₉making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ₁₀as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

          ₁₁In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ₁₂so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ₁₃In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ₁₄who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Luke 2:40–52

          ₄₀The child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

          ₄₁Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ₄₂And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. ₄₃And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, ₄₄but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ₄₅and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ₄₆After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ₄₇And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ₄₈And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ₄₉And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ₅₀And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ₅₁And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

          ₅₂And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.