The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, August 14, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, August 14, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 11

Song of Trust in God
To the leader. Of David.
1  In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
     “Flee like a bird to the mountains;
2  for look, the wicked bend the bow,
     they have fitted their arrow to the string,
     to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
3  If the foundations are destroyed,
     what can the righteous do?”

4  The Lord is in his holy temple;
     the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
     His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
5  The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
     and his soul hates the lover of violence.
6  On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
     a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7  For the Lord is righteous;
   he loves righteous deeds;
     the upright shall behold his face.

Isaiah 24:14-23

24:14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;
     they shout from the west over the majesty of the Lord.
15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;
     in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the Lord,
    the God of Israel.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
     of glory to the Righteous One.
   But I say, I pine away,
     I pine away. Woe is me!
   For the treacherous deal treacherously,
     the treacherous deal very treacherously.

17 Terror, and the pit, and the snare
     are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
18 Whoever flees at the sound of the terror
     shall fall into the pit;
   and whoever climbs out of the pit
     shall be caught in the snare.
   For the windows of heaven are opened,
     and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is utterly broken,
     the earth is torn asunder,
     the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth staggers like a drunkard,
     it sways like a hut;
   its transgression lies heavy upon it,
     and it falls, and will not rise again.

21 On that day the Lord will punish
     the host of heaven in heaven,
     and on earth the kings of the earth.
22 They will be gathered together
     like prisoners in a pit;
   they will be shut up in a prison,
     and after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed,
     and the sun ashamed;
   for the Lord of hosts will reign
     on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
   and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

Luke 12:41-48

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave
12:41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

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
Parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful Slave, is told by Jesus to illustrate the seriousness of being ready for Jesus' return by truly acting like a Christian.