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Monday
The First
Lesson
2 Samuel 12:1-10, 13-15a
1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him,
and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich,
and the other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which
he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with
him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank
of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And
there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take
of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring
man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and
dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and
he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done
this thing shall surely die:
6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this
thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered
thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives
into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah;
and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given
unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to
do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with
the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain
him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house;
because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah
the Hittite to be thy wife.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin;
thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit,
because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies
of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee
shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
1st Lesson Questions -
It's always easier to see someone else's sins rather than one's own. Why is that? What in my life parallels the sin David did? In short, what's my "poor man's lamb"? (V. 4) How did David's sin give "great occasion" for blasphemy for the pagans? (V. 14) What sin of mine has done the same? Is a Christian's sin always such an occasion? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
2 Corinthians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy
our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with
all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the
Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able
to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith
we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For
as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation
also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings
which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your
consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers
of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble
which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,
above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should
not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver:
in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift
bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given
by many on our behalf.
12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom,
but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the
world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read
or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the
end;
14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your
rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before,
that ye might have a second benefit;
16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of
Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward
Judaea.
17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or
the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh,
that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you
by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and
nay, but in him was yea.
20 For
all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto
the glory of God by us.
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed
us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare
you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers
of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Does Christ's sufferings "abound in" me? (V. 5) If so, what are they? If not, why not? What does verse 20 mean? RESOLVE.