Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s Case Against His People
6 Listen now to what the Lord is saying!
Get up. Plead your case to the mountains.
Let the hills hear your voice.
2 Listen, you mountains, to the accusation from the Lord.
Pay attention, you enduring foundations of the earth,
because the Lord is presenting a case against his people,
and he is indicting Israel.
3 My people, what have I done to you,
and how have I made you weary? Answer me!
4 I was the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
I redeemed you from the place where you were slaves.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam ahead of you.
5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab planned,
and how Balaam son of Beor responded to him
when you were about to travel from Shittim to Gilgal,
so that you may acknowledge the Lord’s righteous acts.
Israel’s Response
6 With what am I to appear before the Lord?
How should I bow down to God on high?
Should I appear before him with burnt offerings,
with one-year-old calves?
7 Will the Lord be delighted with thousands of rams,
with tens of thousands of streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my rebellion,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, mankind, what is good.
What does the Lord require from you,
except to carry out justice and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God?
Psalm 15
Who May Dwell in Your Sanctuary?
Heading
A psalm by David.
The Question: Who May Dwell in Your Sanctuary?
1 Lord, who may be a guest in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
The Answer: The One Who Does What Is Righteous
2 One who walks with integrity,
who does what is righteous,
and who speaks the truth in his heart.
3 He has no slander on his tongue.
He does not harm his friend,
and he does not defame his neighbor.
4 He despises everyone whom God rejects,
but he honors those who fear the Lord.
When he promises something,
he does not break his word
even though it costs him a lot.
5 He does not lend his money to get interest,[a]
and he does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things will never be toppled.
God’s Way of Saving People Seems Foolish to Some
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 19 In fact, it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing.[a]
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Jewish law? Where is the probing thinker of the present age? Has God not shown that the wisdom of this world[b] is foolish? 21 Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in his wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message. 22 Yes, Jews ask for signs, Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified—which is offensive to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 We preach Christ crucified, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For example, consider your call, brothers. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view, not many were powerful, and not many were born with high status. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are strong, 28 and God chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things, and[c] the things that are not, to do away with the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before God. 30 But because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom from God, namely, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31 God did this so that, just as it is written, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]
The Sermon on the Mount
5 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up onto a mountain. When he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He opened his mouth and began to teach them. He said these things:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
because they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the gentle,
because they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
because they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
because they will receive mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
because they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
because they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. In fact, that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.