Daily Bible Readings - April 17,2013

S1ST READING   Luke tells us that the Jewish persecution of the Christians was a bitter one. The people saw the issues at hand as matters of life and death. This was not just a passing fad that they were dealing with, but a serious potential rival to the Jewish faith. From a Christian point of view, it is the credibility of the Gospel as something worth dying for that is at stake. Stephen and the thousands of martyrs that will follow him over the coming decades witness to how seriously the Christians took their faith in Christ.   Acts 8:1-8 1 There broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him. 3 Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment. 4 Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. 6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. 8 There was great joy in that city.   P S A L M   Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7 R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. 1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, 2 sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. 3 Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!” (R) 4 “Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” 5 Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. (R) 6 He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot; therefore let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules by his might forever. (R)   GOSPEL   Jesus puts His ministry in perspective when He tells us that it is His Father’s will that is the all-governing force behind His drive to proclaim the Good News of salvation. We need to learn and embrace this perspective for our own ministries as well because it is the only basis that ultimately makes sense. If it is not the will of God that moves us to do what we do, then what is driving us? We must do all that we can to ensure we are not led astray by the various fads and fancies of modern secular society.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord. LJohn 6:35-40 35 Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. 36 But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” think:  If it is not the will of God that moves us to do what we do, then what is driving us?   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 Leviticus 16-18