
Loading summary
Reader
A reading from the Book of Genesis. From there, Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, she is my sister. And Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife. Now, Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, she is my sister? And she herself said, he is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands, I have done this. Then God said to him in the dream, yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart. And it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours. So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things, and the men were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, what have you done to us, and how have I sinned against yout, that yout have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin. You have done to me things that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said to Abraham, what did you see that you did this thing? Abraham said, I did it because I thought there is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother. And she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander from my Father's house, I said to her, this is the kindness you must do to me at every place to which we come. Say of me, he is my brother. Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male servants and female servants and gave them to Abraham and returned Sarah, his wife, to him. And Abimelech said, behold, my land is before you, dwell where it pleases you. To Sarah he said, behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and and before every one you are vindicated Then Abraham prayed to God. And God healed Abimelech and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. The Lord visited Sarah as he had said. And the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh over me. And she said, who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age? And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had bore to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac. And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you. For through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also because he is your offspring. So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread in a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot. For she said, let me not look on the death of the child. And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy. And the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, what troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is up. Lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation. Then God opened her eyes. And she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy. And he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. At that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity. But as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned. And Abraham said, I will swear. When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized. And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this thing. You did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today. So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech. And the two men made a covenant. Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flocks apart. And Abimelech said to Abraham, what is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart? He said, these seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well. Therefore that place was called Beersheba because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there, on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines. A reading from the Book of Psalms. Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor. Let them be caught in the schemes.
Leader
That they have devised.
Reader
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul.
Leader
And the one greedy for gain curses.
Reader
And renounces the Lord in the pride of his face. The wicked does not seek him. All his thoughts are there is no God. His ways prosper at all times.
Leader
Your judgments are on high. Out of his sight.
Reader
As for all his foes, he puffs at them. He says in his heart, I shall not be moved. Throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity. His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit.
Leader
And Oppression under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. He sits in ambush in the villages, in hiding places. He murders the innocent.
Reader
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless.
Leader
He lurks in ambush, like a lion in his thicket.
Reader
He lurks that he may seize the poor. He seizes the poor.
Leader
When he draws him into his net, the hopeless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
Reader
He says in his heart, God has forgotten. He has hidden his face.
Leader
He will never see it. Arise, O Lord, O God, lift up your hand, forget not the afflicted.
Reader
Why does the wicked renounce God and say, in his heart, you will not call to account?
Leader
But you do see for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take.
Reader
It into your hands. To you the helpless commits himself.
Leader
You have been the helper of the fatherless.
Reader
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer. Call his wickedness to account till you find none. The Lord is king forever, and ever the nations perish from his land.
Leader
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted. You will strengthen their heart. You will incline your ear to do.
Reader
Justice to the fatherless and the oppressed.
Leader
So that man who is of the.
Reader
Earth may strike terror no more. A reading of the Gospel according to Matthew.
Leader
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. He said to them, have you not read what David did when he was hungry and those who were with him? How he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests. Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice. You would not have condemned the guiltless, for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. He went on from there and entered their synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him? He said to them, which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out of how much more value is a man than a sheep? So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Then he said to the man, stretch out your hand. And the man stretched it out, and it was restored healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there, and many followed him. And he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope. Then a demon oppressed man, who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man spoke and saw, and all the people were amazed and said, can this be the Son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, it is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons. Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods? Unless he first binds the strong man, then indeed he may plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Either in this age or in the age to come. Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad. For the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth Evil, I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. But he answered them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign. But no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, something greater than Solomon is here. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation. While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brother stood outside asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, who is my mother and who are my brothers? And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
Episode: January 10 (Genesis 20–21; Psalm 10; Matthew 12)
Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Crossway
In this episode, selections from Genesis 20–21, Psalm 10, and Matthew 12 are read aloud without commentary. The readings traverse critical moments in the life of Abraham, a lament against injustice from the Psalmist, and several powerful confrontations and teachings of Jesus. The episode stays true to the podcast’s format—simply presenting the Scriptures for immersive listening and reflection.
[00:01–08:01]
Abraham in Gerar & The Abimelech Incident
Fulfillment of God’s Promise: Isaac’s Birth
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away, God’s Provision
Covenant at Beersheba
[06:26–08:03]
Complaint and Description of Wickedness
Plea for God’s Intervention
[08:11–end]
Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath
Healing the Withered Hand & Conspiracy
Accusations of Casting Out Demons by Beelzebub
Seeking a Sign & The Sign of Jonah
Unclean Spirits & The “True Family” of Jesus
"God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh over me." — Sarah, recounting Isaac’s birth (Genesis 21:6, ~04:47)
"For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." — Jesus, claiming authority over religious law (Matthew 12:8, ~08:54)
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench..." — Prophecy about Jesus' gentle justice (Matthew 12:20, ~09:53)
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad. For the tree is known by its fruit." — Jesus, on integrity and spiritual authenticity (Matthew 12:33, ~11:06)
"Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." — Jesus expands the meaning of family to all followers (Matthew 12:50, ~12:52)
This episode offers a seamless experience of three pivotal scripture passages—the faithfulness of God to Abraham and Sarah, a Psalmist’s passionate cry for justice, and Christ’s authoritative teaching in the face of opposition. The tone is reverent and direct, shaped by the solemnity and drama of the biblical texts themselves.
Listeners are drawn into the narrative, reminded of God’s miraculous fulfillment of promises, his heart for the oppressed, and the radical claims and compassion of Jesus Christ.