Tuesday 15 April 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Tuesday 15 April 2008
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Exodus 32:21-34

Moses said to Aaron, 'What did this people do to you that you have
brought so great a sin upon them?' 22And Aaron said, 'Do not let the
anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on
evil. 23They said to me, "Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for
this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do
not know what has become of him." 24So I said to them, "Whoever has
gold, take it off "; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the
fire, and out came this calf!' 
25 When Moses saw that the people were running wild (for Aaron had let
them run wild, to the derision of their enemies), 26then Moses stood in
the gate of the camp, and said, 'Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me!'
And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27He said to them, 'Thus
says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Put your sword on your side, each of
you! Go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each
of you kill your brother, your friend, and your neighbour." ' 28The sons
of Levi did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand of the people
fell on that day. 29Moses said, 'Today you have ordained yourselves* for
the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of a son or a brother, and
so have brought a blessing on yourselves this day.' 
30 On the next day Moses said to the people, 'You have sinned a great
sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for
your sin.' 31So Moses returned to the Lord and said, 'Alas, this people
has sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold.
32But now, if you will only forgive their sin-but if not, blot me out of
the book that you have written.' 33But the Lord said to Moses, 'Whoever
has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34But now go, lead the
people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see, my angel
shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for
punishment, I will punish them for their sin.'
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1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ:
Grace to you and peace. 


The Thessalonians' Faith and Example2 We always give thanks to God for
all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3remembering
before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4For we know, brothers
and sisters* beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our
message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power
and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what
kind of people we proved to be among you for your sake. 6And you became
imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you
received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7so that you
became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For
the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known,
so that we have no need to speak about it. 9For the people of those
regions* report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how
you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10and to
wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who
rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
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Matthew 5:11-16

'Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all
kinds of evil against you falsely* on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted
the prophets who were before you. 
Salt and Light13 'You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost
its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for
anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 
14 'You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be
hidden. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 45

Psalm 45

My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
   I address my verses to the king;
   my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 


2You are the most handsome of men;
   grace is poured upon your lips;
   therefore God has blessed you for ever. 
3Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
   in your glory and majesty. 


4In your majesty ride on victoriously
   for the cause of truth and to defend* the right;
   let your right hand teach you dread deeds. 
5Your arrows are sharp
   in the heart of the king's enemies;
   the peoples fall under you. 


6Your throne, O God,* endures for ever and ever.
   Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity; 
7   you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 
8   your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
>From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 
9   daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;
   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 


10Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
   forget your people and your father's house, 
11   and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him; 
12   the people* of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
   the richest of the people 13with all kinds of wealth. 


The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;* 
14   in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;
   behind her the virgins, her companions, follow. 
15With joy and gladness they are led along
   as they enter the palace of the king. 


16In the place of ancestors you, O king,* shall have sons;
   you will make them princes in all the earth. 
17I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
   therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 47, 48

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all you peoples;
   shout to God with loud songs of joy. 
2For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
   a great king over all the earth. 
3He subdued peoples under us,
   and nations under our feet. 
4He chose our heritage for us,
   the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
          Selah 


5God has gone up with a shout,
   the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. 
6Sing praises to God, sing praises;
   sing praises to our King, sing praises. 
7For God is the king of all the earth;
   sing praises with a psalm.* 


8God is king over the nations;
   God sits on his holy throne. 
9The princes of the peoples gather
   as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
   he is highly exalted.


Psalm 48

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
   in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, 2beautiful in elevation,
   is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
   the city of the great King. 
3Within its citadels God
   has shown himself a sure defence. 


4Then the kings assembled,
   they came on together. 
5As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
   they were in panic, they took to flight; 
6trembling took hold of them there,
   pains as of a woman in labour, 
7as when an east wind shatters
   the ships of Tarshish. 
8As we have heard, so have we seen
   in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
   which God establishes for ever.
          Selah 


9We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
   in the midst of your temple. 
10Your name, O God, like your praise,
   reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory. 
11   Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns* of Judah rejoice
   because of your judgements. 


12Walk about Zion, go all around it,
   count its towers, 
13consider well its ramparts;
   go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation 
14   that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
   He will be our guide for ever.
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