Friday, June 11, 2021

The Daily Bible Readings for Saturday, June 12, 2021

 

The Daily Bible Readings
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Psalm 20; 1 Samuel 13:1-15a; Mark 4:1-20 (NIV)
with commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible


Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
Life Lessons:
Go outside on a clear night and stare up into the sky for several minutes. Soak in the grandeur, majesty, and vastness of the starry host—and then think, My God made all this.

Today’s Lectionary Readings:
From the Psalter
Psalm 20
Victory for the Anointed One


1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
     may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
     and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
     and accept your burnt offerings.
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
     and make all your plans succeed.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
     and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

  May the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now this I know:
     The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
  He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
     with the victorious power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
     but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
     but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
     Answer us when we call!


Commentary
Horse-drawn chariots were one of the primary weapons of warfare in the ancient Near East. Yet David knew that the determining factor of victory was not military might, but rather the name of God (Ps 20:7). Having God on his side meant that the Israelites could “lift up [their] banners,” signifying triumph over their enemies (v. 5). This is the kind of confidence David had in God’s commitment to save “his anointed” (v. 6). Similarly, Jesus trusted in his Father to bring victory over sin and death by giving “his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). Consider Jesus’ admonishment of the disciples as they drew their swords to prevent his arrest: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Mt 26:53). Jesus showed perfect confidence in his Father’s power when he forewarned his disciples of his death while encouraging them that “on the third day he [would] be raised to life” (Mt 20:19). Scripture teaches that God is able and willing to save (Zep 3:17). It is the reason why so much of his Word reminds his people that they need not fear, for the battle belongs to the Lord (Dt 31:6; Isa 41:10; Ro 8:15; Heb 13:5–6).


From the Historical books of the Old Testament
1 Samuel 13:1-15a
Saul Disobeys God


13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.

2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.
8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,
12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

15a Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him.

Commentary
Verses 1-7 — Saul reigned one year, and nothing particular happened; but in his second year the events recorded in this chapter took place. For above a year he gave the Philistine time to prepare for war, and to weaken and to disarm the Israelites. When men are lifted up in self-sufficiency, they are often led into folly. The chief advantages of the enemies of the church are derived from the misconduct of its professed friends. When Saul at length sounded an alarm, the people, dissatisfied with his management, or terrified by the power of the enemy, did not come to him, or speedily deserted him.

Verses 8-15 — Saul broke the order expressly given by Samuel, see ch. 1 Samuel 10:8, as to what should be done in cases of extremity. Saul offered sacrifice without Samuel, and did it himself, though he was neither priest nor prophet. When charged with disobedience, he justified himself in what he had done, and gave no sign of repentance for it. He would have this act of disobedience pass for an instance of his prudence, and as a proof of his piety. Men destitute of inward piety, often lay great stress on the outward performances of religion. Samuel charges Saul with being an enemy to himself. Those that disobey the commandments of God, do foolishly for themselves. Sin is folly, and the greatest sinners are the greatest fools. Our disposition to obey or disobey God, will often be proved by our behavior in things which appear small. Men see nothing but Saul's outward act, which seems small; but God saw that he did this with unbelief and distrust of his providence, with contempt of his authority and justice, and with rebellion against the light of his own conscience. Blessed Savior, may we never, like Saul, bring our poor offerings, or fancied peace-offerings, without looking to thy precious, thy all-sufficient sacrifice! Thou only, O Lord, canst make, or hast made, our peace in the blood of the cross.


From the Gospel of Mark
Mark 4:1-20
The Parable of the Sower


4:1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
    and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Commentary
This parable contained instruction so important, that all capable of hearing were bound to attend to it. There are many things we are concerned to know; and if we understand not the plain truths of the gospel, how shall we learn those more difficult! It will help us to value the privileges we enjoy as disciples of Christ, if we seriously consider the deplorable state of all who have not such privileges. In the great field of the church, the word of God is dispensed to all. Of the many that hear the word of the gospel, but few receive it, so as to bring forth fruit. Many are much affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit. The word does not leave abiding impressions upon the minds of men, because their hearts are not duly disposed to receive it. The devil is very busy about careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground. Many continue in a barren, false profession, and go down to hell. Impressions that are not deep, will not last. Many do not mind heart-work, without which religion is nothing. Others are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by abundance of the world. And those who have but little of the world, may yet be ruined by indulging the body. God expects and requires fruit from those who enjoy the gospel, a temper of mind and Christian graces daily exercised, Christian duties duly performed. Let us look to the Lord, that by his new-creating grace our hearts may become good ground, and that the good seed of the word may produce in our lives those good words and works which are through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God the Father.



Today’s Lectionary Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2021, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2020 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org. The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Morning Prayer for Saturday, June 12, 2021

 

The Morning Prayer
Saturday, June 12, 2021


And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin and about what is right and about God's judgment. They are wrong about sin, because they do not believe in me; they are wrong about what is right, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me any more; and they are wrong about judgment, because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
John 16:8–11 (GNT)

Lord our God, we thank you that throughout our lives you continually renew your Spirit in us. We thank you that your Spirit enables us to understand Jesus Christ and to follow him all our days on earth. Bless us, and let the revelation of your Spirit come to the world, to the people of all nations, a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in each heart. But there must still be punishment for sin. For the sake of justice the world has to suffer punishment through judgment. For you, Almighty God, are Lord, and not even Satan, the prince of this world, can act against your will. You will carry out your will through the Holy Spirit. Our task is simply to follow Jesus all our days. This shall be our joy, this priceless gift of following the Lord Jesus. Praise to your name that we have him and his witness in the gospel every day. Praise to your name that every day, even through great distress, we can joyfully follow him in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Saturday, June 12, 2021

 

Verse of the Day
Saturday, June 12, 2021


Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
Life Lessons:
Go outside on a clear night and stare up into the sky for several minutes. Soak in the grandeur, majesty, and vastness of the starry host—and then think, My God made all this.

Read all of Psalm 19

Listen to Psalm 19


Scripture from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Life Lessons from Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes.