Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                                17 July 2021

Jeremiah 23:1–6

         ₁“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ₂Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. ₃Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ₄I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

         ₅“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ₆In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”

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.

Ephesians 2:11–22

         ₁₁Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ₁₂remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ₁₃But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ₁₄For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ₁₅by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ₁₆and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ₁₇And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ₁₈For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ₁₉So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ₂₀built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ₂₁in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ₂₂In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Mark 6:30–44

         ₃₀The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ₃₁And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ₃₂And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. ₃₃Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ₃₄When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. ₃₅And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. ₃₆Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ₃₇But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ₃₈And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ₃₉Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. ₄₀So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. ₄₁And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. ₄₂And they all ate and were satisfied. ₄₃And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ₄₄And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.