Open Word

FIRST READING

Judges 6:36-40

Verse 36. Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said, Verse 37. then behold, I will place a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” Verse 38. And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew — a bowlful of water. Verse 39. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.” Verse 40. And that night God did so. Only the fleece was dry, and dew covered the ground.

PSALM

Psalm 114

When Israel departed from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,

Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel His dominion.

The sea observed and fled; the Jordan turned back;

the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,

O mountains, that you skipped like rams, O hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

who turned the rock into a pool, the flint into a fountain of water!

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Verse 12. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Verse 13. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. Verse 14. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. Verse 15. In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. Verse 16. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. Verse 17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Verse 18. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. Verse 19. If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. Verse 20. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.