1ST READING
It
is amazing that Paul and Silas could summon the energy, let alone the
motivation, to praise God after having been flogged. I wonder what sort
of man Paul really was. This happened to him a number of times and still
he perseveres in the work of the Gospel. Paul must really know the
power of the Gospel at work in his life.
Acts 16:22-34
22 The
crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the
magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. 24 When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake. 25
About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, 26 there was suddenly such
a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the
doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But
Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here!” 29 He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” 32 So they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
33 He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. 34 He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
P S A L M
Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8
R: Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I
called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 7 Your right hand saves me. 8 The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O Lord, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)
GOSPEL
One
of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us about the true nature
of sin. In the world today, particularly in the West, this is very
important. We have compromised the way we assess the choices people
make, such that it is sometimes difficult to know if people still
believe in sin. Everything seems to have become relativized. Skeptical
relativism is probably the greatest danger that faces the world today.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.
John 16:5-11
5 Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness, and condemnation: 9 sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
think: Skeptical relativism is probably the greatest danger that faces the world today.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
____________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_
_____________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Deuteronomy 15-18
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