Read the Bible in a Year
Each day, we'll post passages so that you can read the Bible in one year. This is part of The Colossians 13:16 Project, sponsored by Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia. You're invited to worship with us Sundays, at 11:00 a.m. or Saturdays, at 6:30 p.m. You may also want to consider joining one our adult Bible Studies: Thursdays at 12:00 noon and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. We also have a full range of programs for children. If you want more information about the church, check out the other blogs. And please feel free to leave any comments.
The Bible in a Year is a ministry of Cove Presbyterian Church. We need your support to keep posting. If you find it helpful, you can support this blog by your contributions. They may be sent to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, WV 26062. You can also use the PayPal link below:
Today our passages are 2 Chronicles 35:1–36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17; Psalm 27:1-6; and Proverbs 20:20-21. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.
2 Chronicles 35-36:23 (Contemporary English Version)
2 Chronicles 35
Passover Is Celebrated
(2 Kings 23.21-23)
1Josiah commanded that Passover be celebrated in Jerusalem to honor the LORD. So, on the fourteenth day of the first month, the lambs were killed for the Passover celebration. 2On that day, Josiah made sure the priests knew what duties they were to do in the temple.
3He called together the Levites who served the LORD and who taught the people his laws, and he said:
No longer will you have to carry the sacred chest from place to place. It will stay in the temple built by King Solomon son of David, where you will serve the LORD and his people Israel.
4Get ready to do the work that David and Solomon assigned to you, according to your clans.
5Divide yourselves into groups, then arrange yourselves throughout the temple so that each family of worshipers will be able to get help from one of you.
6When the people bring you their Passover lamb, you must kill it and prepare it to be sacrificed to the LORD. Make sure the people celebrate according to the instructions that the LORD gave Moses, and don't do anything to make yourselves unclean and unacceptable.
7Josiah donated thirty thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand bulls from his own flocks and herds for the people to offer as sacrifices.
8Josiah's officials also voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in charge of the temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred sheep and lambs and three hundred bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration.
9Conaniah, his two brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad were leaders of the Levites, and they gave the other Levites five thousand sheep and goats, and five hundred bulls to offer as sacrifices.
10When everything was ready to celebrate Passover, the priests and the Levites stood where Josiah had told them.
11Then the Levites killed and skinned the Passover lambs, and they handed some of the blood to the priests, who splattered it on the altar.
12The Levites set aside the parts of the animal that the worshipers needed for their sacrifices to please the LORD, just as the Law of Moses required. They also did the same thing with the bulls.
13They sacrificed the Passover animals on the altar and boiled the meat for the other offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. Then they quickly handed the meat to the people so they could eat it.
14All day long, the priests were busy offering sacrifices and burning the animals' fat on the altar. And when everyone had finished, the Levites prepared Passover animals for themselves and for the priests.
15During the celebration some of the Levites prepared Passover animals for the musicians and the guards, so that the Levite musicians would not have to leave their places, which had been assigned to them according to the instructions of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's prophet. Even the guards at the temple gates did not have to leave their posts.
16So on that day, Passover was celebrated to honor the LORD, and sacrifices were offered on the altar to him, just as Josiah had commanded.
17The worshipers then celebrated the Festival of Thin Bread for the next seven days.
18People from Jerusalem and from towns all over Judah and Israel were there. Passover had not been observed like this since the days of Samuel the prophet. In fact, this was the greatest Passover celebration in Israel's history!
19All these things happened in the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah.
Josiah Dies in Battle
(2 Kings 23.28-30)
20Some time later, King Neco of Egypt led his army to the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates River. And Josiah led his troops north to meet the Egyptians in battle. 21Neco sent the following message to Josiah:
I'm not attacking you, king of Judah! We're not even at war. But God has told me to quickly attack my enemy. God is on my side, so if you try to stop me, he will punish you.
22But Josiah ignored Neco's warning, even though it came from God! Instead, he disguised himself and marched into battle against Neco in the valley near Megiddo.
23During the battle an Egyptian soldier shot Josiah with an arrow. Josiah told his servants, "Get me out of here! I've been hit."
24They carried Josiah out of his chariot, then put him in the other chariot he had there and took him back to Jerusalem, where he soon died. He was buried beside his ancestors, and everyone in Judah and Jerusalem mourned his death.
25Jeremiah the prophet wrote a funeral song in honor of Josiah. And since then, anyone in Judah who mourns the death of Josiah sings that song. It is included in the collection of funeral songs.
26Everything else Josiah did while he was king, including how he faithfully obeyed the LORD,
27is written in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
2 Chronicles 36
King Jehoahaz of Judah
(2 Kings 23.30-35)
1After the death of Josiah, the people of Judah crowned his son Jehoahaz their new king. 2He was twenty-three years old at the time, and he ruled only three months from Jerusalem.
3King Neco of Egypt captured Jehoahaz and forced Judah to pay almost four tons of silver and seventy-five pounds of gold as taxes.
4Then Neco appointed Jehoahaz's brother Eliakim king of Judah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He led Jehoahaz away to Egypt as his prisoner.
King Jehoiakim of Judah
(2 Kings 23.36--24.7)
5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he was appointed king, and he ruled eleven years from Jerusalem. Jehoiakim disobeyed the LORD his God by doing evil. 6During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia invaded Judah. He arrested Jehoiakim and put him in chains, and he sent him to the capital city of Babylon.
7Nebuchadnezzar also carried off many of the valuable things in the LORD's temple, and he put them in his palace in Babylon.
8Everything else Jehoiakim did while he was king, including all the disgusting and evil things, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin then became king.
King Jehoiachin of Judah
(2 Kings 24.8-17)
9Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled only three months and ten days from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin also disobeyed the LORD by doing evil. 10In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia had Jehoiachin arrested and taken to Babylon, along with more of the valuable items in the temple. Then Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah king of Judah.
King Zedekiah of Judah
(2 Kings 24.18-20; Jeremiah 52.1-3)
11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he was appointed king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years. 12He disobeyed the LORD his God and refused to change his ways, even after a warning from Jeremiah, the LORD's prophet.
13King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia had forced Zedekiah to promise in God's name that he would be loyal. Zedekiah was stubborn and refused to turn back to the LORD God of Israel, so he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
14The people of Judah and even the priests who were their leaders became more unfaithful. They followed the disgusting example of the nations around them and made the LORD's holy temple unfit for worship.
15But the LORD God felt sorry for his people, and instead of destroying the temple, he sent prophets who warned the people over and over about their sins.
16But the people only laughed and insulted these prophets. They ignored what the LORD God was trying to tell them, until he finally became so angry that nothing could stop him from punishing Judah and Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Is Destroyed
(2 Kings 25.1-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)
17The LORD sent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia to attack Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar killed the young men who were in the temple, and he showed no mercy to anyone, whether man or woman, young or old. God let him kill everyone in the city. 18Nebuchadnezzar carried off everything that was left in the temple; he robbed the treasury and the personal storerooms of the king and his officials. He took everything back to Babylon.
19Nebuchadnezzar's troops burned down the temple and destroyed every important building in the city. Then they broke down the city wall.
20The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners, where they were slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.
21Judah was an empty desert, and it stayed that way for seventy years, to make up for all the years it was not allowed to rest. These things happened just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had said.
Cyrus Lets the Jews Return Home
(Ezra 1.1-4)
22In the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia, the LORD had Cyrus send a message to all parts of his kingdom. This happened just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had promised. 23The message said: I am King Cyrus of Persia.
The LORD God of heaven has made me the ruler of every nation on earth. He has also chosen me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. The LORD God will watch over any of his people who want to go back to Judah.
1 Corinthians 1:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Corinthians 1
1From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Sosthenes, who is also a follower. 2To God's church in Corinth. Christ Jesus chose you to be his very own people, and you worship in his name, as we and all others do who call him Lord.
3My prayer is that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
4I never stop thanking my God for being kind enough to give you Christ Jesus, 5who helps you speak and understand so well. 6Now you are certain that everything we told you about our Lord Christ Jesus is true. 7You are not missing out on any blessings, as you wait for him to return. 8And until the day Christ does return, he will keep you completely innocent. 9God can be trusted, and he chose you to be partners with his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Taking Sides
10My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don't take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. 11Several people from Chloe's family have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. 12They have said that some of you claim to follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or Christ. 13Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name? 14I thank God that I didn't baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15Not one of you can say that you were baptized in my name. 16I did baptize the family of Stephanas, but I don't remember if I baptized anyone else. 17Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the good news without using big words that would make the cross of Christ lose its power.
Psalm 27:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 27
(By David.)
A Prayer of Praise
1You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me,
and I have no fears.
2Brutal people may attack
and try to kill me,
but they will stumble.
Fierce enemies may attack,
but they will fall.
3Armies may surround me,
but I won't be afraid;
war may break out,
but I will trust you.
4I ask only one thing, LORD:
Let me live in your house
every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
and to pray in your temple.
5In times of trouble,
you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe
on top of a mighty rock. 6You will let me defeat
all of my enemies.
Then I will celebrate,
as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices
and songs of praise.
Proverbs 20:20-21 (Contemporary English Version)
20Children who curse their parents
will go to the land of darkness
long before their time.
21Getting rich quick may turn out to be a curse.
Verse of the Day
“[The LORD Promises To Give the Land Back to His People]I was still being held prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guards when the LORD told me: I am the LORD, and I created the whole world. Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don't know and can't find out.” - Jeremiah 33:2-3
Thought for the Day
American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, Barack Obama wrote, “A declaration is not a government; a creed is not enough. The Founders recognized that there were seeds of anarchy in the idea of individual freedom, an intoxicating danger in the idea of equality, for if everybody is truly free, without the constraints of birth or rank or an inherited social order — if my notion of faith is no better or worse than yours, and my notions of truth and goodness and beauty are as true and good and beautiful as yours — then how can we ever hope to form a society that coheres? Enlightenment thinkers like Hobbes and Locke suggested that free men would form governments as a bargain to ensure that one man's freedom did not become another man's tyranny; that they would sacrifice individual license to better preserve their liberty.”
A Joke for Today
A man dies and goes to heaven when Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates. Peter says, “You need 1000 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all of the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item. When you reach 1000 points, you get in.”“Okay,” the man says, “I was happily married to the same woman for fifty years and never cheated on her, not even in my mind.”“That’s wonderful,” says Peter, “that’s worth two points!”“Two points?” he says. “Well, I attended church all my life and gave my ten percent tithe faithfully.”“Terrific!” says Peter. “That’s definitely worth a point.”“One point? My goodness! Well, what about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for the homeless?”“Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says.“TWO POINTS!” the man cries. “At this rate the only way I can get into heaven is by the grace of God!”
Today our passages are 2 Chronicles 35:1–36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17; Psalm 27:1-6; and Proverbs 20:20-21. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.
2 Chronicles 35-36:23 (Contemporary English Version)
2 Chronicles 35
Passover Is Celebrated
(2 Kings 23.21-23)
1Josiah
commanded that Passover be celebrated in Jerusalem to honor the LORD. So, on the
fourteenth day of the first month,
the lambs were killed for the Passover celebration.
2On that day, Josiah made sure
the priests knew what duties they were to do in the temple.
3He called together the Levites
who served the LORD and who taught the people his laws, and he said:
No longer will you have to carry the sacred chest from place to place. It
will stay in the temple built by King Solomon son of David, where you will serve
the LORD and his people Israel.
4Get ready to do the work that
David and Solomon assigned to you, according to your clans.
5Divide yourselves into groups,
then arrange yourselves throughout the temple so that each family of worshipers
will be able to get help from one of you.
6When the people bring you their
Passover lamb, you must kill it and prepare it to be sacrificed to the LORD.
Make sure the people celebrate according to the instructions that the LORD gave
Moses, and don't do anything to make yourselves unclean and unacceptable.
7Josiah donated thirty thousand
sheep and goats, and three thousand bulls from his own flocks and herds for the
people to offer as sacrifices.
8Josiah's officials also
voluntarily gave some of their animals to the people, the priests, and the
Levites as sacrifices. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, who were the officials in
charge of the temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred sheep and lambs and
three hundred bulls to sacrifice during the Passover celebration.
9Conaniah, his two brothers
Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad were leaders of
the Levites, and they gave the other Levites five thousand sheep and goats, and
five hundred bulls to offer as sacrifices.
10When everything was ready to
celebrate Passover, the priests and the Levites stood where Josiah had told
them.
11Then the Levites killed and
skinned the Passover lambs, and they handed some of the blood to the priests,
who splattered it on the altar.
12The Levites set aside the
parts of the animal that the worshipers needed for their sacrifices to please
the LORD,
just as the Law of Moses required. They also did the same thing with the bulls.
13They sacrificed the Passover
animals on the altar and boiled the meat for the other offerings in pots,
kettles, and pans. Then they quickly handed the meat to the people so they could
eat it.
14All day long, the priests were
busy offering sacrifices and burning the animals' fat on the altar. And when
everyone had finished, the Levites prepared Passover animals for themselves and
for the priests.
15During the celebration some of
the Levites prepared Passover animals for the musicians and the guards, so that
the Levite musicians would not have to leave their places, which had been
assigned to them according to the instructions of David, Asaph, Heman, and
Jeduthun the king's prophet. Even the guards at the temple gates did not have to
leave their posts.
16So on that day, Passover was
celebrated to honor the LORD, and sacrifices were offered on the altar to him,
just as Josiah had commanded.
17The worshipers then celebrated
the Festival of Thin Bread for the next seven days.
18People from Jerusalem and from
towns all over Judah and Israel were there. Passover had not been observed like
this since the days of Samuel the prophet. In fact, this was the greatest
Passover celebration in Israel's history!
19All these things happened in
the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah.
Josiah Dies in Battle
(2 Kings 23.28-30)
20Some
time later, King Neco of Egypt led his army to the city of Carchemish on the
Euphrates River. And Josiah led his troops north to meet the Egyptians in
battle.
21Neco sent the following
message to Josiah:
I'm not attacking you, king of Judah! We're not even at war. But God has
told me to quickly attack my enemy. God is on my side, so if you try to stop me,
he will punish you.
22But Josiah ignored Neco's
warning, even though it came from God! Instead, he disguised himself and marched
into battle against Neco in the valley near Megiddo.
23During the battle an Egyptian
soldier shot Josiah with an arrow. Josiah told his servants, "Get me out of
here! I've been hit."
24They carried Josiah out of his
chariot, then put him in the other chariot he had there and took him back to
Jerusalem, where he soon died. He was buried beside his ancestors, and everyone
in Judah and Jerusalem mourned his death.
25Jeremiah the prophet wrote a
funeral song in honor of Josiah. And since then, anyone in Judah who mourns the
death of Josiah sings that song. It is included in the collection of funeral
songs.
26Everything else Josiah did
while he was king, including how he faithfully obeyed the LORD,
27is written in The History of
the Kings of Israel and Judah.
2 Chronicles 36
King Jehoahaz of Judah
(2 Kings 23.30-35)
1After the
death of Josiah, the people of Judah crowned his son Jehoahaz their new king.
2He was twenty-three years old
at the time, and he ruled only three months from Jerusalem.
3King Neco of Egypt captured
Jehoahaz and forced Judah to pay almost four tons of silver and seventy-five
pounds of gold as taxes.
4Then Neco appointed Jehoahaz's
brother Eliakim king of Judah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He led Jehoahaz
away to Egypt as his prisoner.
King Jehoiakim of Judah
(2 Kings 23.36--24.7)
5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he was appointed
king, and he ruled eleven years from Jerusalem. Jehoiakim disobeyed the LORD his
God by doing evil.
6During Jehoiakim's rule, King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia invaded Judah. He arrested Jehoiakim and put him in
chains, and he sent him to the capital city of Babylon.
7Nebuchadnezzar also carried off
many of the valuable things in the LORD's temple, and he put them in his palace
in Babylon.
8Everything else Jehoiakim did
while he was king, including all the disgusting and evil things, is written in
The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin then became
king.
King Jehoiachin of Judah
(2 Kings 24.8-17)
9Jehoiachin
was eighteen
years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled only three months and ten
days from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin also disobeyed the LORD by doing evil.
10In the spring of the year,
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia had Jehoiachin arrested and taken to Babylon,
along with more of the valuable items in the temple. Then Nebuchadnezzar
appointed Zedekiah king of Judah.
King Zedekiah of Judah
(2 Kings 24.18-20; Jeremiah 52.1-3)
11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he was appointed
king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years.
12He disobeyed the LORD his God
and refused to change his ways, even after a warning from Jeremiah, the LORD's
prophet.
13King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylonia had forced Zedekiah to promise in God's name that he would be loyal.
Zedekiah was stubborn and refused to turn back to the LORD God of Israel, so he
rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
14The people of Judah and even
the priests who were their leaders became more unfaithful. They followed the
disgusting example of the nations around them and made the LORD's holy temple
unfit for worship.
15But the LORD God felt sorry
for his people, and instead of destroying the temple, he sent prophets who
warned the people over and over about their sins.
16But the people only laughed
and insulted these prophets. They ignored what the LORD God was trying to tell
them, until he finally became so angry that nothing could stop him from
punishing Judah and Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Is Destroyed
(2 Kings 25.1-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)
17The LORD sent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia to attack
Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar killed the young men who were in the temple, and he
showed no mercy to anyone, whether man or woman, young or old. God let him kill
everyone in the city.
18Nebuchadnezzar carried off
everything that was left in the temple; he robbed the treasury and the personal
storerooms of the king and his officials. He took everything back to Babylon.
19Nebuchadnezzar's troops burned
down the temple and destroyed every important building in the city. Then they
broke down the city wall.
20The survivors were taken to
Babylonia as prisoners, where they were slaves of the king and his sons, until
Persia became a powerful nation.
21Judah was an empty desert, and
it stayed that way for seventy years, to make up for all the years it was not
allowed to rest.
These things happened just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had said.
Cyrus Lets the Jews Return Home
(Ezra 1.1-4)
22In the first
year that Cyrus was king of Persia,
the LORD had Cyrus send a message to all parts of his kingdom. This happened
just as Jeremiah the LORD's prophet had promised.
23The message said: I am King
Cyrus of Persia.
The LORD God of heaven has made me the ruler of every nation on earth. He
has also chosen me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
The LORD God will watch over any of his people who want to go back to Judah.
1 Corinthians 1:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Corinthians 1
1From Paul,
chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Sosthenes, who is also
a follower.
2To God's church in Corinth.
Christ Jesus chose you to be his very own people, and you worship in his name,
as we and all others do who call him Lord.
3My prayer is that God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with
peace!
4I never stop thanking my God
for being kind enough to give you Christ Jesus, 5who helps you speak and understand so well. 6Now you are certain that everything we
told you about our Lord Christ Jesus is true. 7You are not missing out on any blessings, as you wait for
him to return. 8And until the day
Christ does return, he will keep you completely innocent. 9God can be trusted, and he chose you to be partners with
his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Taking Sides
10My dear
friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with
each other. Don't take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. 11Several people from Chloe's family
have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. 12They have said that some of you claim to
follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or
Christ. 13Has Christ been divided up?
Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name? 14I thank God
that I didn't baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15Not one of you can say that you were baptized in my name.
16I did baptize the family of
Stephanas, but I don't remember if I baptized anyone else. 17Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the
good news without using big words that would make the cross of Christ lose its
power.
Psalm 27:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 27
(By David.)
A Prayer of Praise
1You,
LORD, are the light
that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me,
and I have no fears.
2Brutal people may attack
and try to kill me,
but they will stumble.
Fierce enemies may attack,
but they will fall.
3Armies may surround me,
but I won't be afraid;
war may break out,
but I will trust you.
4I ask only one thing, LORD:
Let me live in your house
every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
and to pray in your temple.
5In times of trouble,
you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe
on top of a mighty rock.
6You will let me defeat
all of my enemies.
Then I will celebrate,
as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices
and songs of praise.
Proverbs 20:20-21 (Contemporary English Version)
20Children who curse their parents
will go to the land of darkness
long before their time.
21Getting rich quick
may turn out to be a curse.
Verse of the Day
“[The LORD Promises To Give the Land Back to His People]I was still being
held prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guards when the LORD told me: I am
the LORD, and I created the whole world. Ask me, and I will tell you things that
you don't know and can't find out.” - Jeremiah
33:2-3
Thought for the Day
American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, Barack Obama wrote, “A declaration is not a government; a creed is not enough. The Founders recognized that there were seeds of anarchy in the idea of individual freedom, an intoxicating danger in the idea of equality, for if everybody is truly free, without the constraints of birth or rank or an inherited social order — if my notion of faith is no better or worse than yours, and my notions of truth and goodness and beauty are as true and good and beautiful as yours — then how can we ever hope to form a society that coheres? Enlightenment thinkers like Hobbes and Locke suggested that free men would form governments as a bargain to ensure that one man's freedom did not become another man's tyranny; that they would sacrifice individual license to better preserve their liberty.”
A man dies and goes to heaven when Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates. Peter says, “You need 1000 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all of the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item. When you reach 1000 points, you get in.”“Okay,” the man says, “I was happily married to the same woman for fifty years and never cheated on her, not even in my mind.”“That’s wonderful,” says Peter, “that’s worth two points!”“Two points?” he says. “Well, I attended church all my life and gave my ten percent tithe faithfully.”“Terrific!” says Peter. “That’s definitely worth a point.”“One point? My goodness! Well, what about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for the homeless?”“Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says.“TWO POINTS!” the man cries. “At this rate the only way I can get into heaven is by the grace of God!”
Today our passages are
Genesis 42:18–43:34; Matthew 13:47–14:12; Psalm 18:16-36; and
Proverbs 4:7-10. The readings are the Contemporary English
Version. If you find these readings helpful, please
consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main
Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.
Genesis 42:18-43:34
(Contemporary English Version)
18before
saying to them:
Since I respect God, I'll give you a chance to
save your lives. 19If you are honest
men, one of you must stay here in jail, and the rest of you can take the grain
back to your starving families. 20But
you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then I'll know that you are telling
the truth, and you won't be put to death.
Joseph's brothers agreed 21and said to one another, "We're being punished because of
Joseph. We saw the trouble he was in, but we refused to help him when he begged
us. That's why these terrible things are happening."
22Reuben
spoke up, "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen, and
now we have to pay the price for killing him."
23They
did not know that Joseph could understand them, since he was speaking through an
interpreter. 24Joseph turned away from
them and cried, but soon he turned back and spoke to them again. Then he had
Simeon tied up and taken away while they watched.
Joseph's Brothers Return to
Canaan
25Joseph gave orders for his brothers' grain sacks to be
filled with grain and for their money to
be put in their sacks. He also gave orders for them to be given food for their
journey home. After this was done, 26they each loaded the grain on their donkeys and left.
27When they stopped for the night, one
of them opened his sack to get some grain for his donkey, and right away he saw
his moneybag. 28"Here's my money!" he
told his brothers. "Right here in my sack."
They were trembling with fear as they stared at
one another and asked themselves, "What has God done to us?"
29When
they returned to the land of Canaan, they told their father Jacob everything
that had happened to them:
30The
governor of Egypt was rude and treated us like spies. 31But we told him, "We're honest men, not spies. 32We come from a family of twelve brothers.
The youngest is still with our father in Canaan, and the other is dead."
33Then
the governor of Egypt told us, "I'll find out if you really are honest. Leave
one of your brothers here with me, while you take the grain to your starving
families. 34But bring your youngest
brother to me, so I can be certain that you are honest men and not spies. After
that, I'll let your other brother go free, and you can stay here and trade."
35When
the brothers started emptying their sacks of grain, they found their moneybags
in them. They were frightened, and so was their father Jacob, 36who said, "You have already taken my sons
Joseph and Simeon from me. And now you want to take away Benjamin! Everything is
against me."
37Reuben
spoke up, "Father, if I don't bring Benjamin back, you can kill both of my sons.
Trust me with him, and I will bring him back."
38But
Jacob said, "I won't let my son Benjamin go down to Egypt with the rest of you.
His brother is already dead, and he is the only son I have left. I
am an old man, and if anything happens to him on the way, I'll die from sorrow,
and all of you will be to blame."
Genesis 43
Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt with
Benjamin
1The famine in Canaan got worse, 2until finally, Jacob's family had eaten all the grain they
had bought in Egypt. So Jacob said to his sons, "Go back and buy some more
grain."
3-5Judah
replied, "The governor strictly warned us that we would not be allowed to see
him unless we brought our youngest brother with us. If you let us take Benjamin
along, we will go and buy grain. But we won't go without him!"
6Jacob
asked, "Why did you cause me so much trouble by telling the governor you had
another brother?"
7They
answered, "He asked a lot of questions about us and our family. He wanted to
know if you were still alive and if we had any more brothers. All we could do
was answer his questions. How could we know he would tell us to bring along our
brother?"
8Then
Judah said to his father, "Let Benjamin go with me, and we will leave right
away, so that none of us will starve to death. 9I promise to bring him back safely, and if I don't, you
can blame me as long as I live. 10If we
had not wasted all this time, we could already have been there and back twice."
11Their
father said:
If Benjamin must go with you, take the governor a
gift of some of the best things from our own country, such as perfume, honey,
spices, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12Also take along twice the amount of money
for the grain, because there must have been some mistake when the money was put
back in your sacks. 13Take Benjamin
with you and leave right away. 14When
you go in to see the governor, I pray that God All-Powerful will be good to you
and that the governor will let your other brother and Benjamin come back home
with you. If I must lose my children, I suppose I must.
15The
brothers took the gifts, twice the amount of money, and Benjamin. Then they
hurried off to Egypt. When they stood in front of Joseph, 16he saw Benjamin and told the servant in charge of his
house, "Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and cook it, so they can
eat with me at noon."
17The
servant did as he was told and took the brothers to Joseph's house. 18But on the way they got worried and
started thinking, "We are being taken there because of the money that was put
back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us, make us his slaves, and take our
donkeys."
19So
when they arrived at Joseph's house, they said to the servant in charge, 20"Sir, we came to Egypt once before to buy
grain. 21But when we stopped for the
night, we each found in our grain sacks the exact amount we had paid. We have
brought that money back, 22together
with enough money to buy more grain. We don't know who put the money in our
sacks."
23"It's
all right," the servant replied. "Don't worry. The God you and your father
worship must have put the money there, because I received your payment in full."
Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24The
servant took them into Joseph's house and gave them water to wash their feet. He
also tended their donkeys. 25The
brothers got their gifts ready to give to Joseph at noon, since they had heard
they were going to eat there.
26When
Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought, and they bowed down
to him. 27After Joseph had asked how
they were, he said, "What about your elderly father? Is he still alive?"
28They
answered, "Your servant our father is still alive and well." And again they
bowed down to Joseph.
29When
Joseph looked around and saw his brother Benjamin, he said, "This must be your
youngest brother, the one you told me about. God bless you, my son."
30Right
away he rushed off to his room and cried because of his love for Benjamin. 31After washing his face and returning, he
was able to control himself and said, "Serve the meal!"
32Joseph
was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at another. The
Egyptians sat at yet another table, because Egyptians felt it was disgusting to
eat with Hebrews. 33To the surprise of
Joseph's brothers, they were seated in front of him according to their ages,
from the oldest to the youngest. 34They
were served food from Joseph's table, and Benjamin was given five times as much
as each of the others. So Joseph's brothers drank with him and had a good time.
Matthew 13:47-14:12
(Contemporary English Version)
A Fish Net
47The kingdom of
heaven is like what happens when a net is thrown into a lake and catches all
kinds of fish. 48When the net is full,
it is dragged to the shore, and the fishermen sit down to separate the fish.
They keep the good ones, but throw the bad ones away. 49That's how it will be at the end of time. Angels will
come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right. 50Then those evil people will be thrown
into a flaming furnace, where they will cry and grit their teeth in pain.
New and Old Treasures
51Jesus asked
his disciples if they understood all these things. They said, "Yes, we do."
52So he
told them, "Every student of the Scriptures who becomes a disciple in the
kingdom of heaven is like someone who brings out new and old treasures from the
storeroom."
The People of Nazareth Turn against
Jesus
(Mark 6.1-6; Luke 4.16-30)
53When Jesus had
finished telling these stories, he left 54and went to his hometown. He taught in their meeting
place, and the people were so amazed that they asked, "Where does he get all
this wisdom and the power to work these miracles? 55Isn't he the son of the carpenter? Isn't Mary his mother,
and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56Don't his sisters still live here in our town? How can he
do all this?" 57So the people were
very unhappy because of what he was doing.
But Jesus said, "Prophets are honored by
everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family." 58And because the people did not have any
faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.
Matthew 14
The Death of John the Baptist
(Mark 6.14-29; Luke 9.7-9)
1About this time
Herod the ruler
heard the news about Jesus 2and told
his officials, "This is John the Baptist! He has come back from death, and
that's why he has the power to work these miracles." 3-4Herod had earlier arrested John and had him chained and
put in prison. He did this because John had told him, "It isn't right for you to
take Herodias, the wife of your brother Philip." 5Herod wanted to kill John. But the people thought John was
a prophet, and Herod was afraid of what they might do.
6When
Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests. She
pleased Herod 7so much that he swore
to give her whatever she wanted. 8But
the girl's mother told her to say, "Here on a platter I want the head of John
the Baptist!"
9The
king was sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he
had made in front of his guests. So he ordered a guard 10to go to the prison and cut off John's head. 11It was taken on a platter to the girl,
and she gave it to her mother. 12John's followers took his body and buried it. Then they
told Jesus what had happened.
Psalm 18:16-36 (Contemporary
English Version)
16You
reached down from heaven,
and you lifted me
from deep in the ocean.
17You
rescued me from enemies,
who were hateful
and too powerful for me.
18On
the day disaster struck,
they came and attacked,
but you defended me.
19When
I was fenced in,
you freed and rescued me
because you love me.
20You
are good to me, LORD,
because I do right,
and you reward me
because I am innocent.
21I do
what you want
and never turn to do evil.
22I
keep your laws in mind
and never look away
from your teachings.
23I
obey you completely
and guard against sin.
24You
have been good to me
because I do right;
you have rewarded me
for being innocent
by your standards.
25You
are always loyal
to your loyal people,
and you are faithful
to the faithful.
26With
all who are sincere,
you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful
as their deeds deserve.
27You
rescue the humble,
but you put down all
who are proud.
28You,
the LORD God,
keep my lamp burning
and turn darkness to light.
29You
help me defeat armies
and capture cities.
30Your
way is perfect, LORD,
and your word is correct.
You are a shield for those
who run to you for help.
31You
alone are God!
Only you are a mighty rock. 32You give me strength
and guide me right.
33You
make my feet run as fast
as those of a deer,
and you help me stand
on the mountains.
34You
teach my hands to fight
and my arms to use
a bow of bronze.
35You
alone are my shield.
Your right hand supports me,
and by coming to help me,
you have made me famous.
36You
clear the way for me,
and now I won't stumble.
Proverbs 4:7-10 (Contemporary
English Version)
7The
best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.
8If you
value Wisdom
and hold tightly to her,
great honors will be yours.
9It
will be like wearing
a glorious crown
of beautiful flowers.
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10My child, if
you listen
and obey my teachings,
you will live a long time.
Verse of the
Day
“You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of
yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires,
you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest
eternal life.” - Galatians 6:7-8
Thought
for the Day
American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States
from 2009 to 2017, Barack Obama wrote, “No
single law — no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every
senseless act of violence in our society. But that can’t be an excuse for
inaction.”
A Joke for Today
