Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                               19 June 2021

Job 38:1–11

         ₁Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

₂“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

₃Dress for action like a man;

I will question you,

and you make it known to me.

₄“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

₅Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

₆On what were its bases sunk,

or who laid its cornerstone,

₇when the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

₈“Or who shut in the sea with doors

when it burst out from the womb,

₉when I made clouds its garment

and thick darkness its swaddling band,

₁₀and prescribed limits for it

and set bars and doors,

₁₁and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?”

Psalm 124

₁If it had not been the Lord

who was on | our side—*

         let Israel | now say—

₂if it had not been the Lord

who was | on our side*

         when people rose up a- | gainst us,

₃then they would have swallowed

us | up alive,*

         when their anger was kindled

         a- | gainst us;

₄then the flood would have

swept | us away,*

         the torrent would have gone | over us;

₅then over us | would have gone*

         the raging | waters.

₆Blessèd | be the Lord,*

         who has not given us

         as prey | to their teeth!

₇We have escaped like a bird

from the snare of the | fowlers;*

         the snare is broken,

         and we | have escaped!

₈Our help is in the name | of the Lord,*

         who made | heaven and earth.

2 Corinthians 6:1–13

         ₁Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ₂For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you,

         and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ₃We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ₄but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, ₅beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ₆by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; ₇by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ₈through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ₉as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; ₁₀as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

         ₁₁We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. ₁₂You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. ₁₃In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

Mark 4:35–41

         ₃₅On that day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ₃₆And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ₃₇And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ₃₈But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ₃₉And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ₄₀He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” ₄₁And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”