The scriptures read are Proverbs 4-6, Psalm 11 and Ephesians 1.
Proverbs 4. More exhortation to get wisdom. Wisdom as a lady theme.
Proverbs 5. Keep away from promiscuous women. Stay faithful to your wife.
Proverbs 6. Don't procrastinate. Don't just sit there. The writer lists 7 things God hates: arrogance, lying, murder, scheming, being eager to do the wrong thing, perjury and a family member who is always stirring things up. Think of the consequences of adultery.
Psalm 11. A beautiful plain chant of the psalm done by a male choir: click here.
Ephesians 1. Ephesus was the most important Roman city in Asia Minor, now called Turkey. It was the greatest commercial city in the area. It was also the center of the worship of the many breasted goddess Artemis, and a major site for the worship of the Emperor. Paul went there on his first missionary journey and spent 2 years there on his third journey. You may remember that Paul was in Ephesus when he wrote to the Corinthians. Later he left Timothy in charge. The apostle John is said to have settled there and the book of Revelation addressed Ephesus and 6 nearby cities.
Paul opens with this very dense and sweeping look at God's plan to bring everything in his shattered creation back together in and through Jesus Christ. This plan and our part in it was conceived before the world was even created. It reaches its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Those who trust in him are saved and given the promised Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our down payment and the first installment of our inheritance from God. Which makes us Christ's body on earth.
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