Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                              25 April 2026

Acts 2:42–47

         ₄₂They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ₄₃And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ₄₄And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ₄₅And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ₄₆And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ₄₇praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

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.

Peter 2:19–25

         ₁₉This is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ₂₀For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ₂₁For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ₂₂He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ₂₃When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ₂₄He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ₂₅For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

John 10:1–10

         ₁[Jesus said:] "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. ₂But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ₃To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ₄When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ₅A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." ₆This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

         ₇So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ₈All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ₉I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ₁₀The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."