Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                              13 April 2024

Acts 3:11–21

         ₁₁While [the lame man who was now healed] clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, astounded. ₁₂And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? ₁₃The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. ₁₄But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ₁₅and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ₁₆And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

         ₁₇"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ₁₈But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. ₁₉Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, ₂₀that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ₂₁whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago."

Psalm 4

₁Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

         You have given me relief when I was | in distress.*

         Be gracious to me and | hear my prayer!

₂O men, how long shall my honor be turned | into shame?*

         How long will you love vain words and seek | after lies?

₃But know that the Lord has set apart the godly | for himself;*

         the Lord hears when I | call to him.

₄Be angry, and | do not sin;*

         ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be | silent.

₅Offer right sacri- | fices,*

         and put your trust | in the Lord.

₆There are many who say, "Who will show | us some good?*

         Lift up the light of your face upon us, | O Lord!"

₇You have put more joy | in my heart*

         than they have when their grain and | wine abound.

₈In peace I will both lie | down and sleep;*

         for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in | safety.

1 John 3:1–7

         ₁See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ₂Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ₃And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

         ₄Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. ₅You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. ₆No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. ₇Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

Luke 24:36–49

         ₃₆As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" ₃₇But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ₃₈And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ₃₉See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." ₄₀And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ₄₁And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" ₄₂They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ₄₃and he took it and ate before them.

         ₄₄Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." ₄₅Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ₄₆and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ₄₇and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ₄₈You are witnesses of these things. ₄₉And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."