Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
8 When the child grew old enough to stop nursing, Abraham made a special supper on that day.
Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away
9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian make fun of Isaac. Abraham was the father of Hagar’s son. 10 So Sarah said to Abraham, “Put this woman servant and her son out of your home. The son of this woman servant will never get any of the riches of the family as will my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing brought much sorrow to Abraham because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be full of sorrow because of the boy and the woman who serves you. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you. For your children and all their children’s children after you will be given a name through Isaac. 13 But I will also make a nation of the son of the woman who serves you, because he is your son.”
14 So Abraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a leather bag of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. He gave her the boy, and sent her away. She left, and went from place to place in the desert in Beersheba. 15 When the water was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she sat down as far away from him as an arrow flies. For she said, “Do not let me see the boy die.” As she sat there, she cried a loud cry. 17 But God heard the voice of the boy. Then the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said, “Why are you so troubled, Hagar? Do not be afraid. For God has heard the cry of the boy. 18 Get up. Lift up the boy and hold him by the hand. For I will make a great nation of him.”
19 Then God opened Hagar’s eyes. And she saw a well of water. She went and filled the leather bag with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy and he grew. He lived in the desert, and became very good in using the bow. 21 While living in the desert of Paran, his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
A Prayer for Help
86 Hear, O Lord, and answer me. For I am suffering and in need. 2 Keep my life, for I am faithful to You. You are my God. Save Your servant who trusts in You. 3 Show me loving-kindness, O Lord. For I cry to You all day long. 4 Bring joy to Your servant. For I lift up my soul to You, O Lord. 5 For You are good and ready to forgive, O Lord. You are rich in loving-kindness to all who call to You. 6 Hear my prayer, O Lord. Listen to my cry for help. 7 I will call to You in the day of my trouble. For You will answer me. 8 There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord. And there are no works like Yours. 9 All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord. And they will bring honor to Your name. 10 For You are great and do great things. You alone are God.
16 Turn to me, and show me loving-kindness. Give Your strength to Your servant. And save the son of your woman servant. 17 Give me something special to see of Your favor. Then those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. Because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
6 What does this mean? Are we to keep on sinning so that God will give us more of His loving-favor? 2 No, not at all! We are dead to sin. How then can we keep on living in sin? 3 All of us were baptized to show we belong to Christ. We were baptized first of all to show His death. 4 We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried in death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the great power of God, so we will have new life also. 5 If we have become one with Christ in His death, we will be one with Him in being raised from the dead to new life.
6 We know that our old life, our old sinful self, was nailed to the cross with Christ. And so the power of sin that held us was destroyed. Sin is no longer our boss. 7 When a man is dead, he is free from the power of sin. 8 And if we have died with Christ, we believe we will live with Him also. 9 We know that Christ was raised from the dead. He will never die again. Death has no more power over Him. 10 He died once but now lives. He died to break the power of sin, and the life He now lives is for God. 11 You must do the same thing! Think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But now you have new life because of Jesus Christ our Lord. You are living this new life for God.
24 “A follower is not greater than his teacher. A servant who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. 25 A follower should be happy to be as his teacher, and a servant who is owned by someone should be happy to be as his owner. If they have called the head of the house Satan, how much more will they speak against those of the house. 26 Then do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered up that will not be brought out into the light. There is nothing hid that will not be made known. 27 You tell in the light what I tell you in the dark. You must speak with a loud voice from the roofs of houses what you have heard. 28 Do not be afraid of them who kill the body. They are not able to kill the soul. But fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two small birds sold for a very small piece of money? And yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it. 30 God knows how many hairs you have on your head. 31 So do not be afraid. You are more important than many small birds.
32 “Whoever makes Me known in front of men, I will make him known to My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever does not make Me known in front of men and acts as if he does not know Me, I will not make him known to My Father in heaven.
34 “Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I came to turn a man against his father. I came to turn a daughter against her mother. I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man will be hated by his own family.
Giving Up Things of This Earth (A)
37 “He who loves his father and mother more than Me is not good enough for Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not good enough for Me. 38 He who does not take his cross and follow Me is not good enough for Me. 39 He who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life because of Me will have it given back to him.
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