Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

2 Samuel 11:1-15

Verse 1. In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem. Verse 2. One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing— a very beautiful woman. Verse 3. So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Verse 4. Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home. Verse 5. And the woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” Verse 6. At this, David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. Verse 7. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going. Verse 8. Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. Verse 9. But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house. Verse 10. And David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey?” David asked Uriah. “Why didn’t you go home?” Verse 11. Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!” Verse 12. “Stay here one more day,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. Verse 13. Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and he got Uriah drunk. And in the evening Uriah went out to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home. Verse 14. The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. Verse 15. In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”

PSALM

Psalm 14

For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.

You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

2 Kings 4:42-44

Verse 42. Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha. Verse 43. But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” Verse 44. So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

PSALM

Psalm 145:10-18

All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD, and Your saints will bless You.

They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might,

to make known to men Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful in all His words and kind in all His actions.

The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.

The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.

SECOND READING

Ephesians 3:14-21

Verse 14. ... for this reason I bow my knees before the Father, Verse 15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Verse 16. I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, Verse 17. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, Verse 18. will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth Verse 19. of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Verse 20. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, Verse 21. to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

GOSPEL

John 6:1-21

Verse 1. After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee ( that is, the Sea of Tiberias ). Verse 2. A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick. Verse 3. Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples. Verse 4. Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near. Verse 5. When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” Verse 6. But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do. Verse 7. Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.” Verse 8. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, Verse 9. “Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?” Verse 10. “Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Verse 11. Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. Verse 12. And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” Verse 13. So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. Verse 14. When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Verse 15. Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself. Verse 16. When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, Verse 17. got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. Verse 18. A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated. Verse 19. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea — and they were terrified. Verse 20. But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” Verse 21. Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.