Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                        17 February 2024

Genesis 22:1–18

         ₁After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." ₂He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." ₃So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ₄On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. ₅Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." ₆And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ₇And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" ₈Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.

         ₉When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ₁₀Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ₁₁But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." ₁₂He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." ₁₃And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ₁₄So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."

         ₁₅And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ₁₆and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ₁₇I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ₁₈and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."

Psalm 25:1–10

₁To you, | O Lord,*

         I lift | up my soul.

₂O my God, in you I trust;

         let me not be | put to shame;*

         let not my enemies exult | over me.

₃Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame;*

         they shall be ashamed who are wantonly | treacherous.

₄Make me to know your ways, | O Lord;*

         teach me | your paths.

₅Lead me in your truth and teach me,

         for you are the God of my sal- | vation;*

         for you I wait all the | day long.

₆Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your | steadfast love,*

         for they have been | from of old.

₇Remember not the sins of my youth or my trans- | gressions;*

         according to your steadfast love remember me,

         for the sake of your goodness, | O Lord!

₈Good and upright | is the Lord;*

         therefore he instructs sinners | in the way.

₉He leads the humble in | what is right,*

         and teaches the humble | his way.

₁₀All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and | faithfulness,*

         for those who keep his covenant and his testi- | monies.

James 1:12–18

         ₁₂Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. ₁₃Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ₁₄But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ₁₅Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

         ₁₆Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. ₁₇Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ₁₈Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Mark 1:9–15

         ₉In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ₁₀And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ₁₁And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

         ₁₂The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ₁₃And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

         ₁₄Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ₁₅and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."