Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Israel Exalted at Last^(A)

²² Thus says the Lord God: “I will take also one of the highest ^(B)branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs ^(C)a tender one, and will ^(D)plant it on a high and prominent mountain. ^23 (E)On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. ^(F)Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, ^(G)have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; ^(H)I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it.”

Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.

⁶ So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ⁷ For ^(A)we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, yes, ^(B)well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

⁹ Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ^10 (C)For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^(D)that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Knowing, therefore, ^(A)the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Be Reconciled to God

¹² For ^(B)we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity ^(C)to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For ^(D)if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that ^(A)if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, ^(B)that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

^16 (C)Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, ^(D)yet now we know Him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone ^(E)is in Christ, he is ^(F)a new creation; ^(G)old things have passed away; behold, all things have become ^(H)new.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ And He said, ^(A)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should ^[a]scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and ^(B)grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth ^(C)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately ^(D)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed^(E)

³⁰ Then He said, ^(F)“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; ³² but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Jesus’ Use of Parables

^33 (G)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, ^(H)He explained all things to His disciples.