Monday 24 December 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Monday 24 December 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
   shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
   O daughter Jerusalem! 
15The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
   he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
   you shall fear disaster no more. 
16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
   do not let your hands grow weak. 
17The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
   a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
   he will renew you* in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing 
18   as on a day of festival.*
I will remove disaster from you,*
   so that you will not bear reproach for it. 
19I will deal with all your oppressors
   at that time.
And I will save the lame
   and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
   and renown in all the earth. 
20At that time I will bring you home,
   at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
   among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
   before your eyes, says the Lord.
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Titus 1:1-16

Paul, a servant* of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of
the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in
accordance with godliness, 2in the hope of eternal life that God, who
never lies, promised before the ages began- 3in due time he revealed his
word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the
command of God our Saviour, 
4 To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share:
Grace* and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. 


Titus in Crete5 I left you behind in Crete for this reason, that you
should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders
in every town, as I directed you: 6someone who is blameless, married
only once,* whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and
not rebellious. 7For a bishop,* as God's steward, must be blameless; he
must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or
greedy for gain; 8but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness,
prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 9He must have a firm
grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching,
so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute
those who contradict it. 
10 There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers,
especially those of the circumcision; 11they must be silenced, since
they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is
not right to teach. 12It was one of them, their very own prophet, who
said,
'Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.' 
13That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that
they may become sound in the faith, 14not paying attention to Jewish
myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15To the pure
all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure.
Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16They profess to know
God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable,
disobedient, unfit for any good work. 
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Luke 1:1-25

Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events
that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed on to us by
those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
3I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very
first,* to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you
have been instructed. 


The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold5 In the days of King Herod of
Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly
order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was
Elizabeth. 6Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly
according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7But they
had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on
in years. 
8 Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on
duty, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood,
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. 10Now at the time
of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying
outside. 11Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at
the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was
terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. 13But the angel said to him, 'Do
not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife
Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14You will
have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will
be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong
drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
16He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
17With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the
hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'
18Zechariah said to the angel, 'How will I know that this is so? For I
am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.' 19The angel replied,
'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to
speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20But now, because you did
not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will
become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.' 
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his
delay in the sanctuary. 22When he did come out, he could not speak to
them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He
kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23When his time of
service was ended, he went to his home. 
24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months
she remained in seclusion. She said, 25'This is what the Lord has done
for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have
endured among my people.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 61, 62

Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God;
   listen to my prayer. 
2From the end of the earth I call to you,
   when my heart is faint. 


Lead me to the rock
   that is higher than I; 
3for you are my refuge,
   a strong tower against the enemy. 


4Let me abide in your tent for ever,
   find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
          Selah 
5For you, O God, have heard my vows;
   you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 


6Prolong the life of the king;
   may his years endure to all generations! 
7May he be enthroned for ever before God;
   appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him! 


8So I will always sing praises to your name,
   as I pay my vows day after day.


Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
   from him comes my salvation. 
2He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 


3How long will you assail a person,
   will you batter your victim, all of you,
   as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 
4Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
   They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
   but inwardly they curse.
          Selah 


5For God alone my soul waits in silence,
   for my hope is from him. 
6He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 
7On God rests my deliverance and my honour;
   my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 


8Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your heart before him;
   God is a refuge for us.
          Selah 


9Those of low estate are but a breath,
   those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
   they are together lighter than a breath. 
10Put no confidence in extortion,
   and set no vain hopes on robbery;
   if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 


11Once God has spoken;
   twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, 
12   and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
   according to their work.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 112, 115

Psalm 112

Praise the Lord!
   Happy are those who fear the Lord,
   who greatly delight in his commandments. 
2Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
   the generation of the upright will be blessed. 
3Wealth and riches are in their houses,
   and their righteousness endures for ever. 
4They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
   they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. 
5It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
   who conduct their affairs with justice. 
6For the righteous will never be moved;
   they will be remembered for ever. 
7They are not afraid of evil tidings;
   their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. 
8Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;
   in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 
9They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;
   their righteousness endures for ever;
   their horn is exalted in honour. 
10The wicked see it and are angry;
   they gnash their teeth and melt away;
   the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.


Psalm 115

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
   for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 
2Why should the nations say,
   'Where is their God?' 


3Our God is in the heavens;
   he does whatever he pleases. 
4Their idols are silver and gold,
   the work of human hands. 
5They have mouths, but do not speak;
   eyes, but do not see. 
6They have ears, but do not hear;
   noses, but do not smell. 
7They have hands, but do not feel;
   feet, but do not walk;
   they make no sound in their throats. 
8Those who make them are like them;
   so are all who trust in them. 


9O Israel, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 
10O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 
11You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
   He is their help and their shield. 


12The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
   he will bless the house of Israel;
   he will bless the house of Aaron; 
13he will bless those who fear the Lord,
   both small and great. 


14May the Lord give you increase,
   both you and your children. 
15May you be blessed by the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth. 


16The heavens are the Lord's heavens,
   but the earth he has given to human beings. 
17The dead do not praise the Lord,
   nor do any that go down into silence. 
18But we will bless the Lord
   from this time on and for evermore.
Praise the Lord!
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