Readings for this coming Sunday

Get ready before you come to church this Sunday by reading the lessons ahead of time to prepare yourself to help understand what God is telling you.

July 28

Acts 12:1-5  

¹ About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.  ² He killed James the brother of John with the sword,  ³ and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.  ⁴ And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.  ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

2 Corinthians 4:7-15   

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.  ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. 

¹³ Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,  ¹⁴ knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.  ¹⁵ For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Matthew 20:20-28   

²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.  ²¹ And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."  ²² Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."  ²³ He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."  ²⁴ And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.  ²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,  ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."