Sunday 23 September 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 23 September 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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2 Kings 4:8-37

One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived,
who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would
stop there for a meal. 9She said to her husband, 'Look, I am sure that
this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. 10Let us
make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a
table, a chair, and a lamp, so that he can stay there whenever he comes
to us.' 
11 One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down
there. 12He said to his servant Gehazi, 'Call the Shunammite woman.'
When he had called her, she stood before him. 13He said to him, 'Say to
her, Since you have taken all this trouble for us, what may be done for
you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the
commander of the army?' She answered, 'I live among my own people.' 14He
said, 'What then may be done for her?' Gehazi answered, 'Well, she has
no son, and her husband is old.' 15He said, 'Call her.' When he had
called her, she stood at the door. 16He said, 'At this season, in due
time, you shall embrace a son.' She replied, 'No, my lord, O man of God;
do not deceive your servant.' 
17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season, in due time, as
Elisha had declared to her. 
18 When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the
reapers. 19He complained to his father, 'Oh, my head, my head!' The
father said to his servant, 'Carry him to his mother.' 20He carried him
and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and
he died. 21She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed
the door on him, and left. 22Then she called to her husband, and said,
'Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may
quickly go to the man of God and come back again.' 23He said, 'Why go to
him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.' She said, 'It will be
all right.' 24Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, 'Urge
the animal on; do not hold back for me unless I tell you.' 25So she set
out, and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant,
'Look, there is the Shunammite woman; 26run at once to meet her, and say
to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all
right?' She answered, 'It is all right.' 27When she came to the man of
God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to
push her away. But the man of God said, 'Let her alone, for she is in
bitter distress; the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.'
28Then she said, 'Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not
mislead me?' 29He said to Gehazi, 'Gird up your loins, and take my staff
in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, give no greeting, and if
anyone greets you, do not answer; and lay my staff on the face of the
child.' 30Then the mother of the child said, 'As the Lord lives, and as
you yourself live, I will not leave without you.' So he rose up and
followed her. 31Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of
the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. He came back to meet
him and told him, 'The child has not awakened.' 
32 When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his
bed. 33So he went in and closed the door on the two of them, and prayed
to the Lord. 34Then he got up on the bed* and lay upon the child,
putting his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands
upon his hands; and while he lay bent over him, the flesh of the child
became warm. 35He got down, walked once to and fro in the room, then got
up again and bent over him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child
opened his eyes. 36Elisha* summoned Gehazi and said, 'Call the
Shunammite woman.' So he called her. When she came to him, he said,
'Take your son.' 37She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground;
then she took her son and left.
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Acts 9:10-31

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him
in a vision, 'Ananias.' He answered, 'Here I am, Lord.' 11The Lord said
to him, 'Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house
of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is
praying, 12and he has seen in a vision* a man named Ananias come in and
lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' 13But Ananias
answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he
has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14and here he has authority from
the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.' 15But the Lord said
to him, 'Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name
before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16I myself
will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' 17So
Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul* and said,
'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has
sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy
Spirit.' 18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and
his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19and after
taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul Preaches in DamascusFor several days he was with the disciples in
Damascus, 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the
synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of God.' 21All who heard him were
amazed and said, 'Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among
those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of
bringing them bound before the chief priests?' 22Saul became
increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus
by proving that Jesus* was the Messiah.* 
Saul Escapes from the Jews23 After some time had passed, the Jews
plotted to kill him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. They were
watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; 25but his
disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the
wall,* lowering him in a basket. 
Saul in Jerusalem26 When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join
the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe
that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him, brought him to the
apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord,
who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the
name of Jesus. 28So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking
boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He spoke and argued with the
Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. 30When the believers*
learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to
Tarsus. 
31 Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace
and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of
the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. 
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Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, 'You brood
of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits
worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have
Abraham as our ancestor"; for I tell you, God is able from these stones
to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the axe is lying at the root
of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire.' 
10 And the crowds asked him, 'What then should we do?' 11In reply he
said to them, 'Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has
none; and whoever has food must do likewise.' 12Even tax-collectors came
to be baptized, and they asked him, 'Teacher, what should we do?' 13He
said to them, 'Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.'
14Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what should we do?' He said to them,
'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be
satisfied with your wages.' 
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning
in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,*
16John answered all of them by saying, 'I baptize you with water; but
one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the
thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and
fire. 17His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor
and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn
with unquenchable fire.' 
18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the
people.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 93, 96

Psalm 93

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
   the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved; 
2   your throne is established from of old;
   you are from everlasting. 


3The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
   the floods have lifted up their voice;
   the floods lift up their roaring. 
4More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
   more majestic than the waves* of the sea,
   majestic on high is the Lord! 


5Your decrees are very sure;
   holiness befits your house,
   O Lord, for evermore.



Psalm 96

O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth. 
2Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
   tell of his salvation from day to day. 
3Declare his glory among the nations,
   his marvellous works among all the peoples. 
4For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   he is to be revered above all gods. 
5For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   but the Lord made the heavens. 
6Honour and majesty are before him;
   strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 


7Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
8Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   bring an offering, and come into his courts. 
9Worship the Lord in holy splendour;
   tremble before him, all the earth. 


10Say among the nations, 'The Lord is king!
   The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
   He will judge the peoples with equity.' 
11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
   let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 
12   let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 
13   before the Lord; for he is coming,
   for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with his truth.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 34

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
   his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
2My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
   let the humble hear and be glad. 
3O magnify the Lord with me,
   and let us exalt his name together. 


4I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
   and delivered me from all my fears. 
5Look to him, and be radiant;
   so your* faces shall never be ashamed. 
6This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
   and was saved from every trouble. 
7The angel of the Lord encamps
   around those who fear him, and delivers them. 
8O taste and see that the Lord is good;
   happy are those who take refuge in him. 
9O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
   for those who fear him have no want. 
10The young lions suffer want and hunger,
   but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 


11Come, O children, listen to me;
   I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 
12Which of you desires life,
   and covets many days to enjoy good? 
13Keep your tongue from evil,
   and your lips from speaking deceit. 
14Depart from evil, and do good;
   seek peace, and pursue it. 


15The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
   and his ears are open to their cry. 
16The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
   to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 
17When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
   and rescues them from all their troubles. 
18The Lord is near to the broken-hearted,
   and saves the crushed in spirit. 


19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
   but the Lord rescues them from them all. 
20He keeps all their bones;
   not one of them will be broken. 
21Evil brings death to the wicked,
   and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 
22The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
   none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
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