Text: John 8:42-59 (EHV)

Jesus replied, “If God were yourFather, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. Indeed, Ihave not come on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand mymessage? It is because you are not able to listen to my word. 44 You belong toyour father, the Devil, and you want to do your father’s desires. He was amurderer from the beginning and did not remain standing in the truth, becausethere is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks from what is his, becausehe is a liar and the father of lying. 45 But because I tell the truth, you donot believe me. 46 Who of you can convict me ofsin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs toGod listens to what God says. The reason you do not listen is that you do notbelong to God.” 48 The Jews responded, “Are we not right in saying that you area Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. Onthe contrary, I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 I do not seek my ownglory. There is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Amen, Amen, I tellyou: If anyone holds on to my word, he will certainly never see death.” 52 Sothe Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and sodid the prophets. Yet you say, ‘If anyone holds on to my word, he willcertainly never taste death.’ 53 You are not greater than our father, Abraham,are you? He died. And the prophets died. Who do you think you are?” 54 Jesusanswered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father whoglorifies me, about whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 Yet you do not reallyknow him, but I do know him. If I said, ‘I do not know him,’ I would be a liarlike you. But I do know him, and I hold on to his word. 56 Your father Abrahamwas glad that he would see my day. He saw it and rejoiced.”57 The Jews replied,“You aren’t even fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?”58 Jesus said tothem, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Then theypicked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and left the templearea.

Text: John 6:1-15 (EHV)

John 6:1-15 After this, Jesus crossed over tothe other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Sea of Tiberias). 2A largecrowd followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he was performing onthose who were sick. 3Jesus went up on the hillside and sat downthere with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover festival was near. 5When Jesus looked upand saw a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where can we buybread for these people to eat?” 6But Jesus was saying this to testhim, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answeredhim, “Two hundred denarii worth of breadwould not be enough for each of them to have just a little.” 8One ofhis disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There’sa boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what is that for somany people?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There wasplenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. There were about five thousandmen. 11ThenJesus took the loaves and, after giving thanks, he distributed pieces to thosewho were seated. He also did the same with the fish—as much asthey wanted. 12When the people were full,he told his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over so thatnothing is wasted.” 13So they gathered them and filled twelvebaskets with pieces from the five barley loaves left over by those who hadeaten.

14Whenthe people saw the miraculous sign Jesus did, they said, “This really is theProphet who is coming into the world.” 15WhenJesus realized that they intended to come and take him by force to make himking, he withdrew again to the mountain byhimself.

Text: Luke 11:14-26 (EHV)

Jesus drove out a demon, which was mute.After the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowdswere amazed. 15But some of them said, “He drives out demons byBeelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16Otherswere testing him by demanding of him a sign from heaven. 17But heknew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself isdestroyed. And a house divided against itself falls. 18If Satan isdivided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? You say that I drive outdemons by Beelzebul. 19But if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, bywhom do your sons drive them out? So theywill be your judges. 20Yet if I drive out demons by the finger ofGod, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21“Whena strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22Butwhen someone stronger attacks him and defeats him, he takes away that man’sfull armor, in which he had trusted, and divides up his plunder.

23“The one who is not with me is against me.The one who does not gather with me scatters. 24Whenan unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places,seeking rest, but does not find any. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house,the one I left.’ 25When it returns, it finds the house swept and putin order. 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evilthan itself, and they go in and dwell there. The last condition of that manbecomes worse than the first.”