Saturday 3 May 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 3 May 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Numbers 11:16-17,24-29

So the Lord said to Moses, 'Gather for me seventy of the elders of
Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over
them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place
there with you. I will come down and talk with you there; and I will
take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and they
shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not
bear it all by yourself.

 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he
gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the
tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took
some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and
when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do
so again.

 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named
Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered,
but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the
camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, 'Eldad and Medad are
prophesying in the camp.' And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses,
one of his chosen men,* said, 'My lord Moses, stop them!' But Moses said
to him, 'Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people
were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!'
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Ephesians 2:11-22

So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth,* called 'the
uncircumcision' by those who are called 'the circumcision'-a physical
circumcision made in the flesh by human hands- remember that you were at
that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without
God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have
been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his
flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing
wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with
its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one
new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile
both groups to God in one body* through the cross, thus putting to death
that hostility through it.* So he came and proclaimed peace to you who
were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of
us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also
members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.* In
him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple
in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually* into a
dwelling-place for God.
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Matthew 7:28-8:4

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were
astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes. 

When Jesus* had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him;
and there was a leper* who came to him and knelt before him, saying,
'Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.' He stretched out his hand
and touched him, saying, 'I do choose. Be made clean!' Immediately his
leprosy* was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, 'See that you say nothing
to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that
Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 87, 90

Psalm 87

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 
   the Lord loves the gates of Zion
   more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 
Glorious things are spoken of you,
   O city of God.
          Selah 


Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
   Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia*-
   'This one was born there,' they say. 


And of Zion it shall be said,
   'This one and that one were born in it';
   for the Most High himself will establish it. 
The Lord records, as he registers the peoples,
   'This one was born there.'
          Selah 


Singers and dancers alike say,
   'All my springs are in you.'


Psalm 90

Lord, you have been our dwelling-place*
   in all generations. 
Before the mountains were brought forth,
   or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 


You turn us* back to dust,
   and say, 'Turn back, you mortals.' 
For a thousand years in your sight
   are like yesterday when it is past,
   or like a watch in the night. 


You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
   like grass that is renewed in the morning; 
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
   in the evening it fades and withers. 


For we are consumed by your anger;
   by your wrath we are overwhelmed. 
You have set our iniquities before you,
   our secret sins in the light of your countenance. 


For all our days pass away under your wrath;
   our years come to an end* like a sigh. 
The days of our life are seventy years,
   or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span* is only toil and trouble;
   they are soon gone, and we fly away. 


Who considers the power of your anger?
   Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due to you. 
So teach us to count our days
   that we may gain a wise heart. 


Turn, O Lord! How long?
   Have compassion on your servants! 
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   and for as many years as we have seen evil. 
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
   and your glorious power to their children. 
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands-
   O prosper the work of our hands!
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 136

Psalm 136

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the God of gods,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who alone does great wonders,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who by understanding made the heavens,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who spread out the earth on the waters,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who made the great lights,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the sun to rule over the day,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and brought Israel out from among them,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who divided the Red Sea* in two,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,*
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who led his people through the wilderness,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who struck down great kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and killed famous kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and Og, king of Bashan,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and gave their land as a heritage,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
a heritage to his servant Israel,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and rescued us from our foes,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who gives food to all flesh,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


O give thanks to the God of heaven,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
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