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Wednesday
The First
Lesson
Ecclesiasticus 24:1-9,18-22
1 Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of
her people.
2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth,
and triumph before his power.
3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth
as a cloud.
4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.
5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the
bottom of the deep.
6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every
people and nation, I got a possession.
7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall
I abide?
8 So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he
that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy
dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.
9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall
never fail.
18 I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and
holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children
which are named of him.
19 Come
unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with
my fruits.
20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance
than the honeycomb.
21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink
me shall yet be thirsty.
22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that
work by me shall not do amiss.
1st Lesson Questions -
Who else said words similar to the ones in verses 19-22? Compare these two passages: Matthew 11:28-30; Ecclesiasticus 24:19-22. RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Matthew 5:27-37
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 And
if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into
hell.
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let
him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife,
saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery:
and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old
time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto
the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for
it is God's throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem;
for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not
make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever
is more than these cometh of evil.
2nd Lesson Questions -
If I "cut off" or "plucked out" the things which cause me to sin, what would I lose? (V. 29, 30) What would I gain? Will I attempt to do so this week? RESOLVE.