Category Archives: Lectionary and sermon

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Exodus 16:2-15
  • Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Jonah 3:10-4:11
  • Psalm 145:1-8
• Second reading
  • Philippians 1:21-30
• Gospel
  • Matthew 20:1-16

Gospel reading from Matthew:
Jesus said “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same.

And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.

20:10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you.

Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57561

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Exodus 14:19-31
  • Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 50:15-21
  • Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13
• Second reading
  • Romans 14:1-12
• Gospel
  • Matthew 18:21-35

Gospel reading from Matthew
Then Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.

So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.

But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’

Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.

When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries, Vanderbilt University

Art by Maurice Harron, Hands Across the Divide. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57560

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Exodus 12:1-14
  • Psalm 149
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Ezekiel 33:7-11
  • Psalm 119:33-40
• Second reading
  • Romans 13:8-14
• Gospel
  • Matthew 18:15-20

Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus said “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Readings for The Coming Week

• First reading and Psalm
  • Exodus 3:1-15
  • Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Jeremiah 15:15-21
  • Psalm 26:1-8
• Second reading
  • Romans 12:9-21
• Gospel
  • Matthew 16:21-28

Exodus 3:1-15
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

Matthew 16:21-28
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you. “But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Sermon

This week Pastor spoke concerning the Old Testament lesson, Exodus 3:1-15. He reminded us of the bible stories we have learned about faithfulness. Is God working faithfully in our lives? Pastor saved some books from a previous pastor’s collection. One book by an Old Testament scholar writes of God’s appearance to Moses in the burning bush. God said to Moses “I am your God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I sent you to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.” When Moses said to God “They will ask your name,” God said “I am who I AM. Tell them I sent you.” God is there with help. “I AM” will be there. In our Gospel lesson, Matthew 16:21-28 this week we read He sent Jesus who knew he must be killed and raised. We too live in a world of despair. Pastor tells us that in John’s gospel we read because of love and faithfulness God sent Jesus. God abounds in love and faithfulness. His Son has freed us from sin and death.

Twelvth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THIS WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Exodus 1:8-2:10
  • Psalm 124
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Isaiah 51:1-6
  • Psalm 138
• Second reading
  • Romans 12:1-8
• Gospel
  • Matthew 16:13-20

Matthew 16:13-20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 45:1-15
  • Psalm 133
• Second reading
  • Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
• Gospel
  • Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Then Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.”

But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”

And her daughter was healed instantly.

> >< <

10th Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
  • Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • 1 Kings 19:9-18
  • Psalm 85:8-13
• Second reading
  • Romans 10:5-15
• Gospel
  • Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.

When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

• First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 32:22-31
  • Psalm 17:1-7, 15
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Isaiah 55:1-5
  • Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
• Second reading
  • Romans 9:1-5
• Gospel
  • Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:13-21
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 29:15-28
  • Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • 1 Kings 3:5-12
  • Psalm 119:129-136
• Second reading
  • Romans 8:26-39
• Gospel
  • Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Gospel reading
Jesus put before his disciples another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls;on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.

So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

> >< <

• Genesis 29:15-28 and Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128  • 
• 1 Kings 3:5-12 and Psalm 119:129-136  • 
• Romans 8:26-39  • 
• Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

• First reading and Psalm
  • Genesis 28:10-19a
  • Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24
• Alternate First reading and Psalm
  • Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 or Isaiah 44:6-8
  • Psalm 86:11-17
• Second reading
  • Romans 8:12-25
• Gospel
  • Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43