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First Reading: Song of Songs Chapter 7 and 8
Song of Solomon 7
7:1
How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are
like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands. 2 Your navel is a rounded goblet
that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.
3 Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. 4 Your neck is like an
ivory tower. Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus. 5 Your head
crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is
held captive by its tresses. 6 How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love,
with your delights! 7 Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts
like clusters of fruit. 8 I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take
hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine,
the fragrance of your breath like apples, 9 and your mouth like the best wine.
May the wine go straight to my lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth. 10
I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me. 11 Come, my lover, let us go
to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. 12 Let us go early
to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened,
and if the pomegranates are in bloom- there I will give you my love. 13 The
mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both
new and old, that I have stored up for you, my lover.
Song of Solomon 8
8:1
If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother's breasts!
Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother's house- she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. 3 His
left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me. 4 Daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
5 Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover?
Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she
who was in labor gave you birth. 6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like
a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding
as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters
cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the
wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
8 We have a young sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do
for our sister for the day she is spoken for? 9 If she is a wall, we will build
towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of
cedar.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment. 11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let
out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels
of silver. 12 But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are
for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
13 You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your
voice!
14 Come away, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden
mountains.
Galatians 6
6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore
him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks
he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test
his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself
to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with
his instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The
one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction;
the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap
a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us
do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you
to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted
for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law,
yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 14
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which
the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and
mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of
Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
WHO IS JESUS?
Part 1 of 8
Jesus is a unique individual. The Bible is very clear that Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. If you believe the Bible, you cannot believe that Jesus was just a good man. Follow these verses:
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