Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15)

Verse 4. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. Verse 5. “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” Verse 6. But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. Verse 7. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king. Verse 8. Just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Verse 9. Now listen to their voice; but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.” Verse 10. So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. Verse 11. He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots. Verse 16. And he will take your menservants and maidservants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his own use. Verse 17. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. Verse 18. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.” Verse 19. Nevertheless , the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. Verse 20. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.”

PSALM

Psalm 138

Of David. I give You thanks with all my heart; before the gods I sing Your praises.

I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and Your faithfulness; You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else.

On the day I called, You answered me; You emboldened me and strengthened my soul.

All the kings of the earth will give You thanks, O LORD, when they hear the words of Your mouth.

They will sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.

Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.

If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.

The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me. O LORD, Your loving devotion endures forever — do not abandon the works of Your hands.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Genesis 3:8-15

Verse 8. Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Verse 9. But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?” Verse 10. “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” Verse 11. “Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Verse 12. And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Verse 13. Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.” Verse 14. So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. Verse 15. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ”

PSALM

Psalm 130

A song of ascents. Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD!

O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand?

But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared.

I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning— more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance.

And He will redeem Israel from all iniquity.

SECOND READING

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Text not available in the Berean Standard Bible.

GOSPEL

Mark 3:20-35

Verse 20. Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat. Verse 21. When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.” Verse 22. And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, ” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.” Verse 23. So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? Verse 24. If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. Verse 25. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. Verse 26. And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. Verse 27. Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Verse 28. Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. Verse 29. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” Verse 30. Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Verse 31. Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, Verse 32. and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.” Verse 33. But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Verse 34. Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Verse 35. For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”