Sunday 16 September 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

Sun Sep 16 02:00:00 EDT 2007

Sunday 16 September 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Kings 19:8-21

He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food
for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. 9At that
place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'What are you doing here,
Elijah?' 10He answered, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God
of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down
your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left,
and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 
Elijah Meets God at Horeb11 He said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain
before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Now there was a
great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks
in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after
the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12and
after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after
the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped
his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the
cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, 'What are you doing
here, Elijah?' 14He answered, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord,
the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown
down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am
left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.' 15Then the Lord
said to him, 'Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when
you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16Also you shall
anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint
Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18Yet I will leave
seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and
every mouth that has not kissed him.' 
Elisha Becomes Elijah's Disciple19 So he set out from there, and found
Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen
ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and
threw his mantle over him. 20He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and
said, 'Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.'
Then Elijah* said to him, 'Go back again; for what have I done to you?'
21He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered
them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave
it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and
became his servant.
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Acts 5:34-42

But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law,
respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put
outside for a short time. 35Then he said to them, 'Fellow-Israelites,*
consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36For some time
ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about
four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him
were dispersed and disappeared. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up
at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also
perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present
case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because
if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; 39but
if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them-in that case you
may even be found fighting against God!'
They were convinced by him, 40and when they had called in the apostles,
they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name
of Jesus, and let them go. 41As they left the council, they rejoiced
that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the
name. 42And every day in the temple and at home* they did not cease to
teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.* 
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John 11:45-47

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what
Jesus did, believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and
told them what he had done. 47So the chief priests and the Pharisees
called a meeting of the council, and said, 'What are we to do? This man
is performing many signs.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 24, 29

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
   the world, and those who live in it; 
2for he has founded it on the seas,
   and established it on the rivers. 

3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
   And who shall stand in his holy place? 
4Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully. 
5They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of their salvation. 
6Such is the company of those who seek him,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob.*
          Selah 

7Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
8Who is the King of glory?
   The Lord, strong and mighty,
   the Lord, mighty in battle. 
9Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
10Who is this King of glory?
   The Lord of hosts,
   he is the King of glory.
          Selah

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,*
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
2Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendour. 

3The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord, over mighty waters. 
4The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 

5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
   the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 
6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
   and Sirion like a young wild ox. 

7The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 
8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
   the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 

9The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,*
   and strips the forest bare;
   and in his temple all say, 'Glory!' 

10The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
   the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever. 
11May the Lord give strength to his people!
   May the Lord bless his people with peace!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 8, 84

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

You have set your glory above the heavens. 
2   Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
   to silence the enemy and the avenger. 

3When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars that you have established; 
4what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   mortals* that you care for them? 

5Yet you have made them a little lower than God,*
   and crowned them with glory and honour. 
6You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under their feet, 
7all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field, 
8the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 

9O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O Lord of hosts! 
2My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God. 

3Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God. 
4Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise.
          Selah 

5Happy are those whose strength is in you,
   in whose heart are the highways to Zion.* 
6As they go through the valley of Baca
   they make it a place of springs;
   the early rain also covers it with pools. 
7They go from strength to strength;
   the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 

8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
   give ear, O God of Jacob!
          Selah 
9Behold our shield, O God;
   look on the face of your anointed. 

10For a day in your courts is better
   than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
   than live in the tents of wickedness. 
11For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
   he bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
   from those who walk uprightly. 
12O Lord of hosts,
   happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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