Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

God's Covenant with Abram

15 After this, Abram had a vision and heard the Lord say to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward.”

² But Abram answered, “Sovereign Lord, what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.^{[a] 3} You have given me no children, and one of my slaves will inherit my property.”

⁴ Then he heard the Lord speaking to him again: “This slave Eliezer will not inherit your property; your own son will be your heir.” ^5 (A)The Lord took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that.”

^6 (B)Abram put his trust in the Lord, and because of this the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him.

Faith

11 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. ^2 (A)It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval.

^3 (B)It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.

^8 (A)It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. ^9 (B)By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. ¹⁰ For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.

^11 (C)It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He^[a] trusted God to keep his promise. ^12 (D)Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore.

^13 (E)It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. ¹⁴ Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. ¹⁶ Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

Riches in Heaven^(A)

³² “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. ³³ Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy them. ³⁴ For your heart will always be where your riches are.

Watchful Servants

^35 (B)“Be ready for whatever comes, dressed for action and with your lamps lit, ^36 (C)like servants who are waiting for their master to come back from a wedding feast. When he comes and knocks, they will open the door for him at once. ³⁷ How happy are those servants whose master finds them awake and ready when he returns! I tell you, he will take off his coat, have them sit down, and will wait on them. ³⁸ How happy they are if he finds them ready, even if he should come at midnight or even later! ^39 (D)And you can be sure that if the owner of a house knew the time when the thief would come, he would not let the thief break into his house. ⁴⁰ And you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him.”