Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Cutting of the Covenant
15 After these things the Lord’s message came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield[a] and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”[b]
2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord,[c] what will you give me since[d] I continue to be[e] childless, and my heir[f] is[g] Eliezer of Damascus?”[h] 3 Abram added,[i] “Since[j] you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”[k]
4 But look,[l] the Lord’s message came to him: “This man[m] will not be your heir, but instead[n] a son[o] who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5 The Lord[p] took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
6 Abram believed[q] the Lord, and the Lord[r] credited[s] it[t] as righteousness[u] to him.
12 How blessed[a] is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession.[b]
13 The Lord watches[c] from heaven;
he sees all people.[d]
14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
15 He is the one who forms every human heart,[e]
and takes note of all their actions.
16 No king is delivered by his vast army;
a warrior is not saved by his great might.
17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory;[f]
despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers,[g]
those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness[h]
19 by saving their lives from death[i]
and sustaining them during times of famine.[j]
20 We[k] wait for the Lord;
he is our deliverer[l] and shield.[m]
21 For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord,[n]
for[o] we wait for you.
People Commended for Their Faith
11 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. 2 For by it the people of old[a] received God’s commendation.[b] 3 By faith we understand that the worlds[c] were set in order at God’s command,[d] so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.[e]
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner[a] in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs[b] of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations,[c] whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old,[d] he received the ability to procreate,[e] because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. 12 So in fact children[f] were fathered by one man—and this one as good as dead—like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand[g] on the seashore.[h] 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised,[i] but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners[j] on the earth. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is,[k] they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased[a] to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions[b] and give to the poor.[c] Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out—a treasure in heaven[d] that never decreases,[e] where no thief approaches and no moth[f] destroys. 34 For where your treasure[g] is, there your heart will be also.
Call to Faithful Stewardship
35 “Get dressed for service[h] and keep your lamps burning;[i] 36 be like people[j] waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration,[k] so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 Blessed are those slaves[l] whom their master finds alert[m] when he returns! I tell you the truth,[n] he will dress himself to serve,[o] have them take their place at the table,[p] and will come[q] and wait on them![r] 38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night[s] and finds them alert,[t] blessed are those slaves![u] 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief[v] was coming, he would not have let[w] his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”[x]
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