Category Archives: Lectionary and sermon

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
  • Psalm 9:9-20
  or
  • 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16
  • Psalm 133
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Job 38:1-11
  • Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32
• Second reading
  • 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
• Gospel
  • Mark 4:35-41

The gospel reading from Mark:

Mark 4:35-41
On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.

A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.

He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and the sea obey him?”

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Sermon
Pastor Stevensen told about a certain German writer, after mid-life introduction to Christianity and reading the New Testament, wrote that Mark is not a history or biography, but more like a classic tragedy, until Jesus is resurrected. Today we read that Jesus was asleep and when awakened he rebuked the wind. In the Old Testament Jonah is also asleep and in Job there are the forces of nature created by God. But in today’s gospel lesson it is Jesus who ceases the storm. The miracles of Jesus have opened eyes. Mark’s gospel may be short and unpolished but it must be taken seriously.

Third Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • 1 Samuel 15:34 – 16:13
  • Psalm 20
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Ezekiel 17:22-24
  • Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15
• Second reading
  • 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17
• Gospel
  • Mark 4:26-34

Gospel reading from Mark:
Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come. “He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

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Second Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15)
  • Psalm 138
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 3:8-15
  • Psalm 130
• Second reading
  • 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
• Gospel
  • Mark 3:20-35

Mark 3:20-35
The crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”

And Jesus called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”– for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!

Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Trinity Sunday

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Isaiah 6:1-8
  • Psalm 29
• Second reading
  • Romans 8:12-17
• Gospel
  • John 3:1-17

Gospel reading from John
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

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Day of Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14
• Psalm
  • Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
• Second reading
  • Romans 8:22-27 or Acts 2:1-21
• Gospel
  • John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

The Gospel from John:
Jesus said “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me, about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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Seventh Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
• Psalm
  • Psalm 1
• Second reading
  • 1 John 5:9-13
• Gospel
  • John 17:6-19

OR IF ASCENSION IS OBSERVED:

• First reading
  • Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
• Psalm
  • Psalm 1
• Second reading
  • 1 John 5:9-13
• Gospel
  • John 17:6-19

Gospel Reading from John

Sixth Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 10:44-48
• Psalm
  • Psalm 98
• Second reading
  • 1 John 5:1-6
• Gospel
  • John 15:9-17

The gospel reading from John:
Jesus said “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 8:26-40
• Psalm
  • Psalm 22:25-31
• Second reading
  • 1 John 4:7-21
• Gospel
  • John 15:1-8

Jesus said “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 4:5-12
• Psalm
  • Psalm 23
• Second reading
  • 1 John 3:16-24
• Gospel
  • John 10:11-18

The gospel reading from John:
Jesus said “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away–and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Sermon
Pastor Stevenson tells us that today is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. There are two natural themes, namely, the questions: What does Jesus do? and Who is He? There is a third possible theme, that being Why does He do it? He does it for His sheep and He is willing to die for them. And why sheep, which are smelly dumb creatures, for which He gives His life. Explanations differ, but one idea exists throughout Christianity. It points to Good Friday. How has it helped for these 2000 years? The Romans brutally crucified many and it did not help. The answer is in the identity of the shepherd. There was a special relationship between Jesus and God. God had special instructions for Jesus – to lay down His life. Now the Gospel moves toward Jesus saying “I am the Father of life.” The lectionaries will point to another answer to the question How does it help? God is in His Son and the Son is God, and God will raise His Son from the dead. This means everything. Jesus promises and delivers. He points to his later statement “I am the way, the truth and the life.” That God is in Jesus means everything to us. For the next few weeks of Pentecost we will consider the Holy Spirit and the Trinity. What it is all about is that God cares for us.

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Third Sunday of Easter

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Acts 3:12-19
• Psalm
  • Psalm 4
• Second reading
  • 1 John 3:1-7
• Gospel
  • Luke 24:36b-48

Gospel reading from Luke
While the disciples were talking, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you. “They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you–that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.”

Sermon
Pastor Stevenson once taught a course on the speeches to be found in the Bible. He himself is now taking a course on Greek language grammar. In Greek, he tells us, there is no concept of quotation marks in text, making the study of speeches a bit difficult. The book of Acts is a good source of speeches. Martin Luther referred to them in his writings. There have not been been many speech writers since Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg address. This speech contains much in not many words. The disciple Peter wrote that God gave his Son, but Jesus gave his life. His people acted in ignorance. His killing was the worst crime in history. So then God raised Jesus from the dead, so that those who repent may have eternal life.

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