Tuesday 25 March 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Tuesday 25 March 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Exodus 12:28-39

The Israelites went and did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and
Aaron.
 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of
Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the
firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn
of the livestock. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his officials
and all the Egyptians; and there was a loud cry in Egypt, for there was
not a house without someone dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron in
the night, and said, 'Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the
Israelites! Go, worship the Lord, as you said. Take your flocks and your
herds, as you said, and be gone. And bring a blessing on me too!'
 The Egyptians urged the people to hasten their departure from the land,
for they said, 'We shall all be dead.' So the people took their dough
before it was leavened, with their kneading-bowls wrapped up in their
cloaks on their shoulders. The Israelites had done as Moses told them;
they had asked the Egyptians for jewellery of silver and gold, and for
clothing, and the Lord had given the people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And so they
plundered the Egyptians.

 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred
thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed crowd also went up with
them, and livestock in great numbers, both flocks and herds. They baked
unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt; it was
not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait,
nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.
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1 Corinthians 15:12-28

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you
say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of
the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been
raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been
in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we
testified of God that he raised Christ-whom he did not raise if it is
true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then
Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is
futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died* in
Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we
are of all people most to be pitied.

 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have died.* For since death came through a human being, the
resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all
die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own
order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to
Christ. Then comes the end,* when he hands over the kingdom to God the
Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and
power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his
feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For 'God* has put all
things in subjection under his feet.' But when it says, 'All things are
put in subjection', it is plain that this does not include the one who
put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to
him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all
things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.
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Mark 16:9-20

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

 [[Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared
first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She
went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning
and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by
her, they would not believe it.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples

 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were
walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they
did not believe them.
Jesus Commissions the Disciples

 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the
table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness,
because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.* And
he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the good news* to
the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will
accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons;
they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their
hands,* and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they
will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.'
The Ascension of Jesus

 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and
proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.* ]]
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 103

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and do not forget all his benefits- 
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases, 
who redeems your life from the Pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 
who satisfies you with good as long as you live*
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 


The Lord works vindication
   and justice for all who are oppressed. 
He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel. 
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
He will not always accuse,
   nor will he keep his anger for ever. 
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities. 
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; 
as far as the east is from the west,
   so far he removes our transgressions from us. 
As a father has compassion for his children,
   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 
For he knows how we were made;
   he remembers that we are dust. 


As for mortals, their days are like grass;
   they flourish like a flower of the field; 
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more. 
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
   on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children's children, 
to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments. 


The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all. 
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   obedient to his spoken word. 
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
   his ministers that do his will. 
Bless the Lord, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 111, 114

Psalm 111

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 
Great are the works of the Lord,
   studied by all who delight in them. 
Full of honour and majesty is his work,
   and his righteousness endures for ever. 
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
   the Lord is gracious and merciful. 
He provides food for those who fear him;
   he is ever mindful of his covenant. 
He has shown his people the power of his works,
   in giving them the heritage of the nations. 
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
   all his precepts are trustworthy. 
They are established for ever and ever,
   to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 
He sent redemption to his people;
   he has commanded his covenant for ever.
   Holy and awesome is his name. 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
   all those who practise it* have a good understanding.
   His praise endures for ever.


Psalm 114

When Israel went out from Egypt,
   the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 
Judah became God's* sanctuary,
   Israel his dominion. 


The sea looked and fled;
   Jordan turned back. 
The mountains skipped like rams,
   the hills like lambs. 


Why is it, O sea, that you flee?
   O Jordan, that you turn back? 
O mountains, that you skip like rams?
   O hills, like lambs? 


Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
   at the presence of the God of Jacob, 
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
   the flint into a spring of water.
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