Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A Prayer for Help
126 It was like a dream when the Lord brought back to Zion those who had been held in another land. 2 Then we laughed with our mouths, and we sang with our tongues. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad.
4 Bring back our people, O Lord, like the rivers in the South. 5 Those who plant with tears will gather fruit with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out crying as he carries his bag of seed will return with songs of joy as he brings much grain with him.
13 You went to save Your people, to save Your chosen ones. You crushed the leader of the land of the sinful and laid him open from thighs to neck. 14 With his own spear You cut through the head of his soldiers. They came like a storm to send us everywhere, finding joy as if they were destroying in secret those who had it very hard. 15 You stepped on the sea with Your horses, on the waves of many waters.
16 I heard and my body shook. My lips shook at the sound. My bones began to waste away and my legs shook. Yet I will be quiet and wait for the day of trouble to come upon the people who fight against us. 17 Even if the fig tree does not grow figs and there is no fruit on the vines, even if the olives do not grow and the fields give no food, even if there are no sheep within the fence and no cattle in the cattle-building, 18 yet I will have joy in the Lord. I will be glad in the God Who saves me. 19 The Lord God is my strength. He has made my feet like the feet of a deer, and He makes me walk on high places.
This is for the song leader, on my different kinds of harps.
The Picture-Story of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think about this? There was a man who had two sons. He came to the first son and said, ‘My son, go to my grape-field and work today.’ 29 He said, ‘I will go.’ But he did not go. 30 The father came to the second son and asked the same thing. The son said, ‘No, I will not go.’ Later he was sorry and went. 31 Which one of the two sons did what his father wanted?” They said to Jesus, “The second son.” Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you this: Tax-gatherers and women who sell the use of their bodies will get into the holy nation of heaven before you. 32 For John came to you preaching about being right with God. You did not believe him. But tax-gatherers and women who sell the use of their bodies did believe him. When you saw this, you were not sorry for your sins and did not turn from them and believe him.
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