Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                                16 July 2022

Genesis 18:1–14

          1 The Lord appeared to [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. ₂He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth ₃and said, "O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. ₄Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, ₅while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." ₆And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes." ₇And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. ₈Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

          ₉They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "She is in the tent." ₁₀The Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. ₁₁Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. ₁₂So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?" ₁₃The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' ₁₄Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son."

Psalm 27

₁The Lord is my light and my salvation;

          whom | shall I fear?*

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

          of whom shall I | be afraid?

₂When evildoers assail me

          to eat | up my flesh,*

my adversaries and foes,

          it is they who stum- | ble and fall.

₃Though an army encamp against me, 

          my heart | shall not fear;*

though war arise against me,

          yet I will be | confident.

₄One thing have I asked of the Lord,

          that will I seek | after:*

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

          all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

          and to inquire in his | temple.

₅For he will hide me in his shelter

          in the day of | trouble;*

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

          he will lift me high up- | on a rock.

₆And now my head shall be lifted up

          above my enemies all around me,

          and I will offer in his tent

          sacrifices with | shouts of joy;*

I will sing and make melody | to the Lord.

₇Hear, O Lord, when I | cry aloud;*

          be gracious to me and | answer me!

₈You have said, | "Seek my face."*

My heart says to you,

          "Your face, Lord, | do I seek."

          ₉Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in | anger,*

          O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

          O God of my sal- | vation!

₁₀For my father and my mother have for- | saken me,*

          but the Lord will | take me in.

₁₁Teach me your way, | O Lord,*

          and lead me on a level path

          because of my | enemies.

₁₂Give me not up to the will of my adver- | saries;*

          for false witnesses have risen against me,

          and they breathe out | violence.

₁₃I believe that I shall look upon the goodness | of the Lord*

          in the land of the | living!

₁₄Wait | for the Lord;*

          be strong, and let your heart take courage;

          wait | for the Lord!

Colossians 1:21–29

          ₂₁You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ₂₂he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ₂₃if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

          ₂₄Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ₂₅of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ₂₆the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ₂₇To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ₂₈Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. ₂₉For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Luke 10:38–42

          ₃₈Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ₃₉And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. ₄₀But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." ₄₁But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ₄₂but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."