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Saturday
The First
Lesson
1 Maccabees 2:49-52, 61-70
49 Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he
said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength,
and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
50 Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give
your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
51 Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time;
so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.
52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness?
61 And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put
their trust in him shall be overcome.
62 Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall
be dung and worms.
63 To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be
found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought
is come to nothing.
64 Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men
in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.
65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel,
give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.
66 As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even
from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle
of the people.
67 Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge
ye the wrong of your people.
68 Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments
of the law.
69 So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.
70 And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons
buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all
Israel made great lamentation for him.
1st Lesson Questions -
If I died today, what would I be remembered for? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Acts 17:16-34
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred
in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and
with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that
met with him.
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics,
encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other
some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because
he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying,
May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would
know therefore what these things mean.
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some
new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men
of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an
altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore
ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that
he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made
with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed
any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all
things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell
on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before
appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain
also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not
to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,
graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge
the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath
raised him from the dead.
32 And
when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked:
and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So Paul departed from among them.
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris,
and others with them.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Why the two different responses to the resurrection of the dead? (V. 32) Why is it that some folk simply don't believe in the resurrection of the dead? Do I know any non-believers, mockers? RESOLVE.