Pentecost • 13

reading for: Tuesday Night, 13 Aug

John 6:51-58

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    Scripture Reference: John 6:51-58

    51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

    52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

  • Commentary

    We have been reading John 6 as the Gospel reading for the past few weeks. John 6 starts with the feeding of the 5000 where Jesus multiplied 5 loaves and 2 fishes to feed the crowd of 5000 men. It then continued with the story of Jesus walking on the water. Following that, John 6 records a discourse between Jesus and the crowd on the true food and drink. Today, we look at verse 51 to 58 in the discourse.

    John 6:51-58 speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. We must ask the question when did Jesus give His flesh and blood? He does so most clearly on the cross. In other words, to eat of Jesus flesh and drink of His blood is to come to the one that died and rose again on the cross. One special act to commemorate this is the act of Eucharist (Holy Communion) in which we eat His flesh and drink His blood together with His body to celebrate His death and resurrection. In addition, we also come to Him by prayer, reading the word and by being immersed in His body. We recall last’s week reading that speaks of the one that comes to Him will never hunger nor thirst. (John 6:35) It is by coming to Jesus, who is the crucified and risen One, that we will live forever and never hunger nor thirst. Let us seek to continually come to Jesus who is always with us!

  • Reflect

    Are we coming to Jesus regularly? Are we immersed in His body, regularly breaking bread and drinking together?

  • Prayer

    My Father in Heaven, let us eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ. Let us continually come to Him who is always with us. We want to be immersed in His body. May we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ together as one body of Christ.

reading for: Wednesday Night, 14 aug

1 Kings 2:10-3:14

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    Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 2:10-3:14

    The Death of David

    10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

    Solomon's Reign Established

    13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

    19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.

    26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

    28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

    36 Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

    39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

    So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

    Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

    3 Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

    3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

    10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

  • Commentary

    In 1 Kings 2:10-3:14, King David has just passed away, and his son Solomon takes the throne. Solomon is young and feels the weight of responsibility as the new king of Israel. One night, God appears to Solomon in a dream and tells him to ask for anything he desires. Solomon, aware of his limitations, asks for wisdom to govern the people wisely. God is pleased with Solomon’s request and grants him not only wisdom but also riches and honour, making him one of the greatest kings in history.

    This passage teaches us about the importance of seeking God’s guidance, especially when we face challenges or feel uncertain about what to do. Solomon could have asked for wealth, power, or a long life, but he chose to ask for wisdom to lead his people well. His humility and desire to do what is right in God’s eyes is a powerful example for us.

    In our daily lives, we may not be kings or queens, but we all have decisions to make that affect not only ourselves but others around us. Like Solomon, we need God’s wisdom to guide us on the right path. When we ask God for guidance, He promises to provide the wisdom we need to live righteously and make choices that honour Him.

  • Reflect

    1.     What decisions are you facing today that require God’s wisdom?

    2.     How can you make seeking God’s guidance a regular part of your life?

  • Prayer

    God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

     Reinhold Niebuhr, Lutheran theologian (1892–1971)

reading for: THURSDAY Night, 15 AUG

TBA

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reading for: FRIDAY Night, 16 AUG

Psalm 111

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    Scripture reference: Psalm 111

    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

    Psalms 111:10

  • commentary

    Fear. What does it mean to fear the LORD?

    Is the fear “an unpleasant strong emotion caused by an awareness of impending danger”? Are we to fear the LORD like we fear a big nasty monster or authority figure?

    Psalm 111:10 tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. And all who practice this fear of God, have good understanding.

    Nehemiah 11:1 and Isaiah 11:3 tell us that there is actually a delight in fearing the Lord. Yes that’s right, a delight.

    And that’s what we see also in verse 2, that anyone who studies the works of the LORD, will soon delight in the splendor, majestic and righteousness of this God (v. 2-3).

    The LORD is gracious and merciful, providing food and everything necessary for all who fear Him (v.5). He remembers his promises and will never fail to fulfil them.

    And He reveals the power of his work to his people and gives them an inheritance (v. 6).

    Everything the LORD does is faithful and just, all that He says is trustworthy (v. 7).

    They are timeless truths and principles to life and brings redemption to his children (v. 8-9).

    This is why the fear of the LORD is beginning of wisdom. When we acknowledge, recognise and submit ourselves to the LORD as our God, as the King in our lives, as the Giver of Life, as the One who knows what’s best for life, we will begin to have and embody wisdom.

    When we practice the ways of the LORD, we will begin to have understanding in life.

    This is why fearing the LORD will bring wisdom and delight.

  • Reflect

    Do you look to the LORD for wisdom for everyday life? Are you willing to submit yourself to God’s ways?

  • Prayer

    Father in Heaven, You are good and perfect. You are full of steadfast love. Your love knows no bounds. You delight and are full of joy and you look at me.

    Father in Heaven, You alone are Good. You are gracious and merciful, You alone have the words to life. Help me to submit to You as the LORD and Giver of life, as the One who knows what is the best way to life. To fear You. So that I can begin to have wisdom for my life.

    In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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