Saturday, September 16, 2023

The Daily Lectionary for Saturday, September 16, 2023

 

The Daily Lectionary
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Psalm 114; Exodus 15:19-21; Matthew 6:7-15
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 114
Tremble O earth
In exitu Israel

Hallelujah!
    When Israel came out of Egypt, *
  the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech,


Judah became God’s sanctuary *
  and Israel his dominion.


The sea beheld it and fled; *
  Jordan turned and went back.


The mountains skipped like rams, *
  and the little hills like young sheep.


What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? *
  O Jordan, that you turned back?


You mountains, that you skipped like rams? *
  you little hills like young sheep?


Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, *
  at the presence of the God of Jacob,


Who turned the hard rock into a pool of water *
  and flint-stone into a flowing spring.


Great God and Savior, you want to lead us by the hand so that in communion with you we learn how to live a true life. We thank you for everything we have already received. Guide us still, we pray. Through your Spirit lead us in all areas of our life. Grant us the Spirit, who can illumine our hearts to help us find new courage and new strength and new recognition of the truth. All our praise belongs to you, for you alone can quicken us. You alone free us from the pain of death and from all burdens, so that in spite of toil and struggle we may always be lifted up to you, our God on high, to the glory of your name on earth. Be with us today and every day in Jesus Christ, Who taught us to pray:
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
Exodus 15:19-21
The song of Miriam

When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
    he has hurled into the sea.”
Matthew 6:7-15
Forgiving one another

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789).

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. 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
The Daily Lectionary for Saturday, September 16, 2023
Psalm 114; Exodus 15:19-21; Matthew 6:7-15

The Morning Prayer for Saturday, September 16, 2023

 

The Morning Prayer
Saturday, September 16, 2023

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
John 15:26–27 (NIV)


Great God and Savior, you want to lead us by the hand so that in communion with you we learn how to live a true life. We thank you for everything we have already received. Guide us still, we pray. Through your Spirit lead us in all areas of our life. Grant us the Spirit, who can illumine our hearts to help us find new courage and new strength and new recognition of the truth. All our praise belongs to you, for you alone can quicken us. You alone free us from the pain of death and from all burdens, so that in spite of toil and struggle we may always be lifted up to you, our God on high, to the glory of your name on earth. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Saturday, September 16, 2023

 

Verse of the Day
Saturday, September 16, 2023

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
Genuine wisdom is not esoteric knowledge that exalts someone above others; it is a posture that accepts the true God as king and judge and then lives in light of that reality (Pr 1:7). True wisdom, like true faith, shows itself through deeds done in humility (Jas 3:13). There is a worldly and demonic “wisdom” that is characterized by pride, envy, and selfish ambition. Such “wisdom” spills out of one’s life through disorderly and vile behavior (v. 16). True wisdom, on the other hand, produces visible fruits that reflect the holiness, mercy, love, kindness, impartiality, and peace of God. Wise people will strive for godly harmony with others and, as a result, will see a harvest of righteous behavior in their own lives and in the lives of those around them (cf. Mt 5:9).

That The World May Know, Volume 7 | Episode 5 | Don't Forget Us

 

That The World May Know
Don't Forget Us
Volume 7 | Episode 5

The ancient land of Israel is a testimony, an evidence if you will, of the greatness of what God did in that country, a testimony to the truth of the words that we find in the pages of the Bible.

Volume 7 of the "Faith Lessons" series Walk as Jesus Walked: As disciples of Jesus, we've discovered that following him demands a passion for the text and a complete devotion to Christian community. But there is more. A disciple is consumed with a passion to be like the Rabbi Jesus. Come and discover the passion of our early Christian brothers and sisters. Follow in their footprints as they loved the Messiah with all their heart, all their soul and all their might every moment of every day.

Episode 5 | Don't Forget Us: Feel the pain of brothers and sisters who live outside America's communities of faith, who speak other languages and live in other cultures and in other times.


Volume 7 | Episode 5 | Don't Forget Us