The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, March 29, 2019

The Ministry of Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:11-15

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, March 29, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness
Of David. A Maskil.
1  Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
     whose sin is covered.
2  Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
     and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3  While I kept silence, my body wasted away
     through my groaning all day long.
4  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
     my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.    Selah

5  Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
     and I did not hide my iniquity;
   I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
     and you forgave the guilt of my sin.    Selah

6  Therefore let all who are faithful
     offer prayer to you;
   at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
     shall not reach them.
7  You are a hiding place for me;
     you preserve me from trouble;
     you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.    Selah

8  I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
     I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9  Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
     whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
     else it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the torments of the wicked,
     but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
     and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Joshua 4:14-24

4:14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.

15 The Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, 21 saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-15

5:6 So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died...