Read
Psalm 68, Isaiah 61:1-2, Ephesians 4:4-13 (NLT)
Psalm 68
For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.
Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
Let those who hate God run for their lives.
Blow them away like smoke.
Melt them like wax in a fire.
Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
But let the godly rejoice.
Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy.
Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the Lord—
rejoice in his presence!
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude
the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
before you, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
You sent abundant rain, O God,
to refresh the weary land.
There your people finally settled,
and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
you provided for your needy people.
The Lord gives the word,
and a great army brings the good news.
Enemy kings and their armies flee,
while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
doves with wings of silver
and feathers of gold.
The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the Lord himself will live forever?
Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
When you ascended to the heights,
you led a crowd of captives.
You received gifts from the people,
even from those who rebelled against you.
Now the Lord God will live among us there.
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude
Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood,
and even your dogs will get their share!”
Your procession has come into view, O God—
the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
Singers are in front, musicians behind;
between them are young women playing tambourines.
Praise God, all you people of Israel;
praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Summon your might, O God.
Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
to your Temple in Jerusalem.
Rebuke these enemy nations—
these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.
Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals;
let Ethiopia bring tribute to God.
Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude
Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
Tell everyone about God’s power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.
God is awesome in his sanctuary.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
Isaiah 61:1-2
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
Ephesians 4:4-13
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Jesus Storybook Bible:
The Warrior Leader (p.108)
Meditate
God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. (Psalm 68:35)
Pray
Our great God, You are full of strength and majesty. It is only by Your grace that we have been delivered into Your Kingdom. Lord Jesus, thank you for rescuing us by your sacrifice and making us holy in God’s sight. Help us, Holy Spirit, to live as the royal priesthood and holy Temple you have made us. We pray for our church family. Enable us to take opportunities to encourage one another and build each other up so that the Gospel might be declared and demonstrated through our life together. Come Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.
Take a moment to pray for others.
Sing
New City Catechism
Question 23: Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
Answer: That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.
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