The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, May 28, 2020

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, May 28, 2020

Psalm 33:12-22; Exodus 19:1-9a; Acts 2:1-11

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 33:12-22

Our help and our shield

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
     the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
     and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
     all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
     who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
     no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
     despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
     on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
     and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
     he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
     for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
     even as we put our hope in you.

Exodus 19:1-9a

The covenant at Sinai

19:1 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

9a The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”

Acts 2:1-11

The giving of the Spirit

2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

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 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Daily Lectionary is a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. 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 what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, May 28, 2020
Psalm 33:12-22; Exodus 19:1-9a; Acts 2:1-11

The Daily Prayer for THURSDAY, May 28, 2020

The Daily Prayer

THURSDAY, May 28, 2020

Irenaeus of Lyon, a second-century bishop, wrote, “The church has been planted as a paradise in this world.”

Lord, enable us today to see our neighbor in those whom the world rejects—the guilt-ridden, the foreigner, the unprotected, and the refugee. Open our eyes and make us present to these neighbors both in our various expressions of community and in the wider world. Amen.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, May 28, 2020

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Read all of Romans 12

Listen to Romans 12

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Jueves 28 de mayo de 2020

Semana de celebración: La fidelidad

El gran amor del Señor nunca se acaba, y su compasiónjamás se agota. Cada mañana se renuevan sus bondades; ¡muy grande es su fidelidad!

— Lamentaciones 3:22-23 (NVI)

Solo podría basar mis enseñanzas bajo este título de hoy: «La fidelidad de Dios para con mi vida».

Dios ha sido más que fiel. Ha tenido paciencia conmigo y me ha demostrado que aunque le he fallado miles de veces, Él siempre tiene amor hacia mí. Aunque me ha disciplinado, y en ocasiones he sentido su fuerte reprensión, hoy entiendo que lo hizo por amor a mí.

Ten presente que esta semana celebramos muchas cosas. Así que, como ejercicio, estamos recordando los miles de momentos en los que Dios nunca nos ha fallado:

Recuerda cuando quizá te quedaras sin trabajo y pasaron meses, pero que jamás te faltó nada.

Recuerda cuando tal vez no tuvieras tus documentos legales para vivir en Estados Unidos, manejabas sin licencia o trabajabas con un documento prestado. O a lo mejor estuviste ilegal por años sin tener problemas y, aun así, tuviste casa, auto y alimentos para tu familia. Esa, mi amigo, es la «fidelidad de Dios».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
La fidelidad de Dios para con mi vida.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Thursday, May 28, 2020

STRATEGIC LEVEL SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Then he [angel] continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

— Daniel 10:12-13 (NIV)

There is considerable interest and teaching today about “territorial spirits,” that is, spiritual warfare waged against high-ranking principalities and powers assigned to a locale. The Scripture passage here indicates that a particular evil spirit was assigned to Daniel’s human government or territory. But what we lack biblically is any example of or injunction to engage these spirits directly or by name. Daniel only prayed to his God who sovereignly directs angels to war against the territorial rulers. The Apostle Paul taught that demonic emissaries who attack the church and hinder its mission can be overcome only through reliance on the power of God.

That same power of God is much needed in the world today. For example, witchcraft is being used as a strategic weapon by traditional Indian authorities in western Colombia in an attempt to weaken and even stamp out the faith of indigenous Christians. Sorcerers or witchdoctors, called te walas by the indigenous peoples, have started sending messengers to sit in the back during church services, rather than going directly themselves. When the pastors invite listeners to receive Christ, these messengers say, “No, we have just come to listen.” But while Christians are praying, the te walas sprinkle the cursed waters around the church.

If their incantations bring no results, the te walas themselves come to the church, surrounding it with occult rites to cause the believers to lose their desire to pray and read the Bible. In some recent night-time visits by these traditional “healers,” the witchdoctors made pacts with animal blood as well as sprinkled their cursed waters on the church.

A seventeen-year-old girl in one church was induced to participate in these practices, despite having Christian parents. She actually made a pact of witchcraft, her pastor said, to give over one of her relatives to Satan. Discouraged, her parents cannot understand how this could happen in their home, where she learned to know and love God. Church leaders and the pastor have united with this family to intercede for urgently for this young girl’s deliverance. The pastor admitted that he feared that more such cases are happening that have yet to be discovered. They need our prayers.

RESPONSE: Today I’ll not underestimate the power of God to defeat all that Satan throws against me.

PRAYER: Lord, may Your mighty power overcome the evil united against Your church in Colombia.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Men's Devotional Bible - Thursday, May 28, 2020

Taking Sin Seriously

Leviticus 16:1–34

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 53:1–12; Romans 3:21–31; Hebrews 8:1—10:39

Once a year one person—the high priest—entered the Most Holy Place. The chosen day, the Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month of Israel’s lunar calendar (September–October).

The ritual of this day was complex and somber. The high priest took off his ornate robes and put on simple linen garments. He sacrificed a bull for his own sins and the sins of the other priests. Then he presented two goats to the Lord—one to sacrifice for the sins of the people and the other, known as the “scapegoat,” to take the weight of Israel’s sins outside of the camp.

As he entered the tabernacle the high priest burned incense, obscuring his vision from the atonement cover on top of the ark of the covenant. This prevented him from looking directly at God’s presence. The high priest carried the blood of the bull and the sacrificed goat into the Most Holy Place, using his finger to sprinkle the blood on the atonement cover. Leaving the tabernacle, he took more blood and placed it on the horns of the sacrificial altar.

At the culmination of the ritual, the high priest laid hands on the scapegoat, ritually transferring the sin of Israel to the animal. An assistant then released the scapegoat into the desert. Other actions concluded the ceremony.

The rituals of the Day of Atonement purged the sanctuary of the pollution of a year’s worth of Israel’s sins. Through the year, as Israelites sought forgiveness for their sins, they placed their hands on animals representing themselves. The blood of the sacrificed animals, now symbolically polluted with sin, was splashed, smeared and sprinkled on the altar. The Day of Atonement cleansed the tabernacle itself, as well as the Israelites who worshiped there, of a year’s worth of impurity.

While foreign to us, the Day of Atonement still demonstrates that God takes sin seriously. He requires blood sacrifice to facilitate the removal of sin from his presence. Our sin matches the seriousness of the Israelites’ sin. But we no longer observe these sacrificial rituals, because Jesus Christ serves as our high priest. And that high priest, representing our sins, went alone into God’s presence and offered his own blood as the sacrifice for our sin. His blood was shed once for all time to cover the darkness in our lives. And he himself acted as the scapegoat for us.

So the Day of Atonement is an Old Testament picture of Jesus’ New Testament sacrifice for our sins. Through him God sees us as pure and sin-free when we place our trust in Jesus for eternal life.

To Take Away

• Reflect on the complex, time-consuming and expensive nature of Old Testament sacrifices. What do you learn about God from this?
• Do you believe most people think of their sin as a serious issue? Why or why not?
• What’s your response to Christ’s sacrifice for your sin? Why not respond to God in prayer right now?

Once a year one person—the high priest—entered the Most Holy Place.

LHM Daily Devotions May 28, 2020 - "Longing for I-Don't-Know-What"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Longing for I-Don't-Know-What"

May 28, 2020

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

— John 7:37-39 (ESV)

Try to picture the scene: there's Jesus, clearly in a very public place—probably the temple or nearby, where all the people are gathering. It's the final, greatest day of the Feast of Booths. And He stands up and cries out so everyone can hear, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."

It is a strange thing to say, if you think about it. Jesus is obviously not talking about physical water. Everybody knew where the wells and cisterns were—they could find their own drinks. So it wasn't that kind of thirst He meant.

John says that Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit—but he adds, "as yet the Spirit had not been given." That means that the people listening to Jesus must have been a bit unclear on what He was offering! Clearly it was something good, something Jesus expected them to be thirsty for—whether they understood what they needed or not. And He invited them to come to Him to get it.

This invitation is still open today, to Christians and non-Christians alike. Are you thirsty? Do you have a feeling of "I don't know what I need but I really need it, whatever it is" in your life? If so, come to Jesus. He knows exactly what you need, and He can supply it—even when you yourself are confused and thirsty. If you ask Him, He will pour out His Spirit upon you, filling your deepest thirst and hunger. And it won't be a small measure, either—you will overflow to the point that others can drink from the abundance God provides through you.

THE PRAYER: Lord, You died and rose again for me. Give me the deepest need of my heart. Give me Your Spirit to live in and through me. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. What was the thirstiest time in your life?

2. Are you ever tempted to fill your need for God with something else? What?

3. Have you ever felt a need for I-don't-know-what? What happened when you talked to the Lord about it?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
What was the thirstiest time in your life?

Devocional CPTLN del 28 de mayo de 2020 - Anhelo de no sé qué

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Anhelo de no sé qué

28 de Mayo de 2020

En el último y gran día de la fiesta, Jesús se puso en pie y en voz alta dijo: «Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba. Del interior del que cree en mí, correrán ríos de agua viva, como dice la Escritura.» Jesús se refería al Espíritu que recibirían los que creyeran en él. El Espíritu aún no había venido, porque Jesús aún no había sido glorificado.

— Juan 7:37-39 (RVC)

Trata de imaginar la escena: Jesús está en un lugar público, probablemente el templo o cerca de él, donde se reúne mucha gente, en el día final de la Fiesta de los Tabernáculos. Se pone de pie y grita para que todos puedan escuchar: "Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba".

Si lo pensamos bien, resulta extraño. Jesús obviamente no está hablando del agua física. Todos sabían dónde estaban los pozos de agua. Entonces no era de ese tipo de sed de la que estaba hablando.

Juan dice que Jesús estaba hablando sobre el Espíritu Santo, pero agrega: "El Espíritu aún no había venido". ¡Eso significa que quienes escuchaban a Jesús deben haberse sentido confundidos sobre lo que estaba ofreciendo! Claramente era algo bueno, algo de lo que Jesús esperaba que tuvieran sed, ya sea que entendieran que lo necesitaban o no. Y los invitó a ir a Él para obtenerlo.

Esta invitación todavía está abierta hoy, tanto para cristianos como para no cristianos. ¿Tienes sed? ¿Piensas: "no sé lo que necesito pero realmente lo necesito, sea lo que sea"? Si es así, ve a Jesús. Él sabe exactamente lo que necesitas y puede dártelo. Si le pides, Él derramará Su Espíritu sobre ti saciando tu sed y hambre más profundos. Y tampoco será una medida pequeña: se desbordará al punto que otros podrán beber de la abundancia que Dios proporcionará a través de ti.

ORACIÓN: Señor, que moriste y resucitaste por mí, satisface la necesidad más profunda de mi corazón haciendo que tu espíritu viva en mí y a través de mí. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Alguna vez has tenido la tentación de satisfacer tu necesidad de Dios con algo más? ¿Con qué?

* ¿Alguna vez ha sentido la necesidad de algo, pero no sé qué? ¿Qué pasó cuando le hablaste al Señor?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Alguna vez has tenido la tentación de satisfacer tu necesidad de Dios con algo más?

Хлеб наш насущный - Добрая мера

Добрая мера

Читать сейчас: Луки 6:32-38 | Библия за год: 2 Паралипоменон 4-6; Иоанна 10:24-42

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Давайте, и дастся вам. — Луки 6:38

Однажды на автозаправке Стейси встретила женщину, которая забыла дома свою банковскую карточку. С ребенком на руках она просила у проезжающих помощи. Стейси в то время сама была без работы, однако пожертвовала незнакомке пятнадцать долларов на бензин. А несколько дней спустя она нашла у себя на крыльце корзинку с детскими игрушками и другими подарками. Друзья незнакомки отблагодарили Стейси за доброту и обратили ее пятнадцатидолларовое благословение в памятное Рождество для всей ее семьи.

Эта светлая история служит иллюстрацией к словам Иисуса: «Давайте, и дастся вам: мерой доброй, утрясенной, нагнетенной и переполненной отсыплют вам в лоно ваше; ибо какой мерой мерите, такой же отмерится и вам» (Лк. 6:38).

У нас может возникнуть искушение думать только о воздаянии за свою доброту, но в таком случае мы забудем о главном. Перед этим утверждением Иисус сказал: «Любите врагов ваших, и благотворите, и взаймы давайте, не ожидая ничего; и будет вам награда великая, и будете сынами Всевышнего; ибо Он благ и к неблагодарным, и к злым» (ст. 35).

Мы даем не для того, чтобы что-то получить. Мы даем, потому что Богу нравится наша щедрость. Если мы любим других, то отражаем Его любовь к нам.

Как Бог проявил в вашей жизни Свою щедрость? Как вы можете дарить эту щедрость другим?

* * *

Посмотрите видео «Руки и ноги».

Милосердный Отец, помоги мне быть щедрым к людям, потому что Ты был очень щедр ко мне.

автор: Реми Ойеделе

© 2020 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Однажды на автозаправке Стейси встретила женщину, которая забыла дома свою банковскую карточку. С ребенком на руках она просила у проезжающих помощи.