Monday in Season after Pentecost

FIRST READING

Joel 2:18-29

Verse 18. Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people. Verse 19. And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and by them you will be satisfied. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. Verse 20. The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things. Verse 21. Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. Verse 22. Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best. Verse 23. Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. Verse 24. The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. Verse 25. I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts — the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust — My great army that I sent against you. Verse 26. You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame. Verse 27. Then you will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame. Verse 28. And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Verse 29. Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

PSALM

Psalm 48

A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.

Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King.

God is in her citadels; He has shown Himself to be a fortress.

For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together.

They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.

With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.

As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish her forever.

Within Your temple, O God, we contemplate Your loving devotion.

Your name, O God, like Your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.

Mount Zion is glad, the daughters of Judah rejoice, on account of Your judgments.

March around Zion, encircle her, count her towers,

consider her ramparts, tour her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.

For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 2:1-11

Verse 1. When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. Verse 2. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Verse 3. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. Verse 4. My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, Verse 5. so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. Verse 6. Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom — but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. Verse 7. No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. Verse 8. None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Verse 9. Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” Verse 10. But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. Verse 11. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.