Luke 12:32-59; Genesis 22; Psalms 15

Luke 12:32-59

32 Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won't grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35 "Be ready for service and have your lamps lit.

36 You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open [the door] for him at once.

37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.

38 If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed.

39 But know this: if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

41 "Lord," Peter asked, "are You telling this parable to us or to everyone?"

42 The Lord said: "Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time?

43 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded.

44 I tell you the truth: he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45 But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

46 that slave's master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 And that slave who knew his master's will and didn't prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten.

48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

49 "I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze!

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how it consumes Me until it is finished!

51 Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. "

54 He also said to the crowds: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, 'A storm is coming,' and so it does.

55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, 'It's going to be a scorcher!' and it is.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don't you know how to interpret this time?

57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won't drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent."

Genesis 22

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he answered.

2 "Take your son," He said, "your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

3 So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about.

4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, "My father." And he replied, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

8 Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.

10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He replied, "Here I am."

12 Then He said, "Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me."

13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: "It will be provided on the Lord's mountain."

15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven

16 and said, "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son,

17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.

18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command."

19 Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.

20 Now after these things Abraham was told, "Milcah also has borne sons to your brother Nahor:

21 Uz his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel the father of Aram,

22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."

23 And Bethuel fathered Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Psalms 15

1 Lord, who can dwell in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain?

2 The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart-

3 who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor,

4 who despises the one rejected by the Lord, but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his word whatever the cost,

5 who does not lend his money at interest or take a bribe against the innocent- the one who does these things will never be moved.