Sunday 9 March 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 9 March 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Exodus 3:16-4:12

Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, "The Lord, the
God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has
appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been
done to you in Egypt. 17I declare that I will bring you up out of the
misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the
Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing
with milk and honey." 18They will listen to your voice; and you and the
elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, "The
Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three
days' journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord
our God." 19I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go
unless compelled by a mighty hand.* 20So I will stretch out my hand and
strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that
he will let you go. 21I will bring this people into such favour with the
Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed; 22each woman
shall ask her neighbour and any woman living in the neighbour's house
for jewellery of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put
them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the
Egyptians.' 
Moses' Miraculous Power4Then Moses answered, 'But suppose they do not
believe me or listen to me, but say, "The Lord did not appear to you." '
2The Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' He said, 'A staff.'
3And he said, 'Throw it on the ground.' So he threw the staff on the
ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. 4Then the
Lord said to Moses, 'Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail'-so
he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his
hand- 5'so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their
ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
has appeared to you.' 
6 Again, the Lord said to him, 'Put your hand inside your cloak.' He put
his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous,*
as white as snow. 7Then God said, 'Put your hand back into your
cloak'-so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out,
it was restored like the rest of his body- 8'If they will not believe
you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. 9If they
will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some
water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that
you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.' 
10 But Moses said to the Lord, 'O my Lord, I have never been eloquent,
neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant;
but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.' 11Then the Lord said to
him, 'Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing
or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12Now go, and I will be with your mouth
and teach you what you are to speak.'
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Romans 12:1-21

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters,* by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to
God, which is your spiritual* worship. 2Do not be conformed to this
world,* but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you
may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and
perfect.* 
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think
of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober
judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have
the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and
individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ
according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;
7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in
exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the
compassionate, in cheerfulness. 
Marks of the True Christian9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil,
hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection;
outdo one another in showing honour. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in
spirit, serve the Lord.* 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering,
persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend
hospitality to strangers. 
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice
with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with
one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;* do not
claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but
take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible,
so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never
avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;* for it is
written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' 20No, 'if
your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them
something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on
their heads.' 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
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John 8:46-59

Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not
believe me? 47Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you
do not hear them is that you are not from God.' 
48 The Jews answered him, 'Are we not right in saying that you are a
Samaritan and have a demon?' 49Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon;
but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. 50Yet I do not seek my own
glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 51Very truly, I
tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.' 52The Jews said
to him, 'Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the
prophets; yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never taste death."
53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also
died. Who do you claim to be?' 54Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself,
my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you
say, "He is our God", 55though you do not know him. But I know him; if I
were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do
know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he
would see my day; he saw it and was glad.' 57Then the Jews said to him,
'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?'* 58Jesus
said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.' 59So
they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went
out of the temple.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 118

Psalm 118

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
   his steadfast love endures for ever! 


2Let Israel say,
   'His steadfast love endures for ever.' 
3Let the house of Aaron say,
   'His steadfast love endures for ever.' 
4Let those who fear the Lord say,
   'His steadfast love endures for ever.' 


5Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
   the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. 
6With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
   What can mortals do to me? 
7The Lord is on my side to help me;
   I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 
8It is better to take refuge in the Lord
   than to put confidence in mortals. 
9It is better to take refuge in the Lord
   than to put confidence in princes. 


10All nations surrounded me;
   in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 
11They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
   in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 
12They surrounded me like bees;
   they blazed* like a fire of thorns;
   in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 
13I was pushed hard,* so that I was falling,
   but the Lord helped me. 
14The Lord is my strength and my might;
   he has become my salvation. 


15There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
'The right hand of the Lord does valiantly; 
16   the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
   the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.' 
17I shall not die, but I shall live,
   and recount the deeds of the Lord. 
18The Lord has punished me severely,
   but he did not give me over to death. 


19Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the Lord. 


20This is the gate of the Lord;
   the righteous shall enter through it. 


21I thank you that you have answered me
   and have become my salvation. 
22The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the chief cornerstone. 
23This is the Lord's doing;
   it is marvellous in our eyes. 
24This is the day that the Lord has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it.* 
25Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
   O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! 


26Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.*
   We bless you from the house of the Lord. 
27The Lord is God,
   and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
   up to the horns of the altar.* 


28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
   you are my God, I will extol you. 


29O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 145

Psalm 145

I will extol you, my God and King,
   and bless your name for ever and ever. 
2Every day I will bless you,
   and praise your name for ever and ever. 
3Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   his greatness is unsearchable. 


4One generation shall laud your works to another,
   and shall declare your mighty acts. 
5On the glorious splendour of your majesty,
   and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 
6The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
   and I will declare your greatness. 
7They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
   and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 


8The Lord is gracious and merciful,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
9The Lord is good to all,
   and his compassion is over all that he has made. 


10All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
   and all your faithful shall bless you. 
11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
   and tell of your power, 
12to make known to all people your* mighty deeds,
   and the glorious splendour of your* kingdom. 
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
   and your dominion endures throughout all generations. 


The Lord is faithful in all his words,
   and gracious in all his deeds.* 
14The Lord upholds all who are falling,
   and raises up all who are bowed down. 
15The eyes of all look to you,
   and you give them their food in due season. 
16You open your hand,
   satisfying the desire of every living thing. 
17The Lord is just in all his ways,
   and kind in all his doings. 
18The Lord is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth. 
19He fulfils the desire of all who fear him;
   he also hears their cry, and saves them. 
20The Lord watches over all who love him,
   but all the wicked he will destroy. 


21My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
   and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever.
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