Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany	January 28, 2024
Prayer of the Day
O God, you know the perilous choices we are prone to make that fall short of your desire for human faithfulness and obedience. Without you, our fragile nature cannot survive. Support us with your Word of truth, that we may grow in faith in the midst of our trials. Grant this, we pray, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 
First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers — it is to him you shall listen — 16just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’”
Psalm 111 (LBW)
1Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with | my whole heart,*
	in the assembly of the upright, in the | congregation.
2Great are the deeds | of the Lord!*
	They are studied by all who de- | light in them.
3His work is full of majes- | ty and splendor,*
	and his righteousness en- | dures forever.
4He makes his marvelous works to | be remembered;*
	the Lord is gracious and full | of compassion.
5He gives food to | those who fear him;*
	he is ever mindful | of his covenant.
6He has shown his people the power | of his works*
	in giving them the lands | of the nations.
7The works of his hands are faithful- | ness and justice;*
	all his command- | ments are sure.
8They stand fast forev- | er and ever,*
	because they are done in | truth and equity.
9He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his cove- | nant forever;*
	holy and awesome | is his Name.
10The fear of the Lord is the begin- | ning of wisdom;*
	those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise en- | dures forever.

Psalm 111 (ELW)
1Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
    studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.
    Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever!
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
1Concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 4Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth — as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” — 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
21{Jesus, Simon, Andrew, James and John} went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath {Jesus} entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God.” 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Next Week’s Readings:
Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-11; 1 Corinthians 9:16-27; Mark 1:29-39