Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go ^[a]down at once, for your people, whom ^(A)you brought up from the land of Egypt, have ^(B)corrupted themselves. ⁸ They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. ^(C)They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and ^(D)have sacrificed to it and said, ‘^[b](E)This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” ^9 (F)The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are ^[c](G)an obstinate people. ¹⁰ Now then ^(H)let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and ^(I)I will make of you a great nation.”

Moses’ Entreaty

¹¹ Then ^(J)Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹² Why should ^(K)the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You ^(L)swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will ^(M)multiply your ^[d]descendants as the stars of the heavens, and ^(N)all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your ^[e]descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” ^14 (O)So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when ^[a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

¹² I thank ^(A)Christ Jesus our Lord, who has ^(B)strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, ^(C)putting me into service, ¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a ^(D)persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was ^(E)shown mercy because ^(F)I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴ and the ^(G)grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the ^(H)faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ^15 (I)It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that ^(J)Christ Jesus came into the world to ^(K)save sinners, among whom ^(L)I am foremost of all. ¹⁶ Yet for this reason I ^(M)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might ^(N)demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those ^[a]who would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the ^(O)King ^[b]eternal, ^(P)immortal, ^(Q)invisible, the ^(R)only God, ^(S)be honor and glory ^[c]forever and ever. Amen.

The Lost Sheep

15 Now all the ^(A)tax collectors and the ^[a]sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ² Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and ^(B)eats with them.”

³ So He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “^(C)What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the ^[b]open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman, if she has ten ^[c]silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy ^(D)in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”