[Sample]
Daily Devotional Materials
for the
Sixth Sunday after Trinity
– Saturday –
Devotion
Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient. – 1 Peter 3:18-20.
“Christ was put to death in the flesh.” As concerns His flesh, His human nature, His life on this earth, He was put to death. “But quickened by the Spirit.” As concerns His spirit, His divine nature, His life as it was controlled by this spirit, He was quickened. Hence the man Jesus, put to death, was quickened on the third day, so that now He is in divine glory. In this divine glory the Man Jesus Christ, put to death, but quickened, went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient. This prison is hell. There are the spirits of unbelievers, the disobedient. To them Jesus Christ preached, living in divine glory. What did He preach to them? His victory. To the devils, too, He preached this. “He spoiled principalities and powers; He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15.) Christ’s descension into hell was a triumphal procession, His preaching in hell a cry of victory. Hell must know that He has conquered, and that, on the contrary, it has lost. This was the first act of the Exalted. If there are spirits in hell to whom Jesus preached His victory, then there are also spirits in heaven who were informed of His victory. The former wailed, and the latter rejoiced. Let us here on earth rejoice over the victory and the exaltation of our Savior, that we may belong “to the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23), joining them in their songs of praise when our earthly pilgrimage will have been ended.
PRAYER. – Lord Jesus, exalted Savior, who does declare Thyself to the living and the dead, let us who are living in this time of grace receive Thy testimony in true faith, that when our last hour comes we may depart this life, not passing into howling unrest, but into jubilant peace. Hear me, O my blessed Lord, who was dead and will live in all eternity. Amen.
He whose path no records tell,
Who descended into hell,
Who the strong man armed hath bound,
Now in highest heaven is crowned: Hallelujah!
Hymn 225, 4. (ELHB)
Bible Readings
MORNING:
1 Corinithians 4:6-5:5
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
EVENING:
2 Samuel 6:1-23
6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah,accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
Additional Materials
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