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)behaved corruptly. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. (C)They have made for themselves a cast metal calf, and have worshiped it and (D)have sacrificed to it and said, ‘[b](E)This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9 (F)Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are [c](G)an obstinate people. 10 So now (H)leave 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’ Plea
11 Then (J)Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said, “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 talk, saying, ‘With evil motives He brought them out, to kill them on the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and relent of 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 relented of the harm which He said He would do to His people.
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
For the music director. A Psalm of David, when [a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 (A)Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of (B)Your compassion, (C)wipe out my wrongdoings.
2 (D)Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And (E)cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I (F)know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
4 (G)Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is (H)evil in Your sight,
So that (I)You [b]are justified [c]when You speak
And [d]blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was (J)brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire (K)truth in the [e]innermost being,
And in secret You will (L)make wisdom known to me.
7 [f]Purify me (M)with hyssop, and I will be clean;
[g]Cleanse me, and I will be (N)whiter than snow.
8 [h]Let me hear (O)joy and gladness,
Let the (P)bones You have broken rejoice.
9 (Q)Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.
Paul’s Testimony
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 previously 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. 16 Yet for this reason I (M)found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner 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 [a]sinners were coming near [b]Jesus to listen to Him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This Man receives sinners and (B)eats with them.”
3 And 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 other ninety-nine in the [c]open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he puts 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, because I have found my sheep that 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 people who have no need of repentance.
The Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten [d]silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because 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.”
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