Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord Appoints Jeremiah to Speak for Him
4 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,
5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you.
Before you were born I set you apart to serve me.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
6 “You are my Lord and King,” I said. “I don’t know how to speak. I’m too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I’m too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you to say. 8 Do not be afraid of the people I send you to. I am with you. I will save you,” announces the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand. He touched my mouth and spoke to me. He said, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I give you authority to pull them up by the roots and tear them down. I give you authority to destroy them and crush them. I give you authority to build them up and plant them.”
71 Lord, I have gone to you for safety.
Let me never be put to shame.
2 You do what is right, so save me and help me.
Pay attention to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of safety
that I can always go to.
Give the command to save me.
You are my rock and my fort.
4 My God, save me from the power of sinners.
Save me from the hands of those who are mean and evil.
5 You are the King and the Lord. You have always been my hope.
I have trusted in you ever since I was young.
6 From the time I was born I have depended on you.
You brought me out of my mother’s body.
I will praise you forever.
The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy
18 You haven’t come to a mountain that can be touched. You haven’t come to a mountain burning with fire. You haven’t come to darkness, gloom and storm. 19 You haven’t come to a blast from God’s trumpet. You haven’t come to a voice speaking to you. When people heard that voice long ago, they begged it not to say anything more to them. 20 What God commanded was too much for them. He said, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.” (Exodus 19:12,13) 21 The sight was terrifying. Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (Deuteronomy 9:19)
22 But you have come to Mount Zion. You have come to the city of the living God. This is the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to a joyful gathering of angels. There are thousands and thousands of them. 23 You have come to the church of God’s people. God’s first and only Son is over all things. God’s people share in what belongs to his Son. Their names are written in heaven. You have come to God, who is the Judge of all people. You have come to the spirits of godly people who have been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus. He is the go-between of a new covenant. You have come to the sprinkled blood. It promises better things than the blood of Abel.
25 Be sure that you don’t say no to the one who speaks. People did not escape when they said no to the one who warned them on earth. And what if we turn away from the one who warns us from heaven? How much less will we escape! 26 At that time his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once more I will shake the earth. I will also shake the heavens.” (Haggai 2:6) 27 The words “once more” point out that what can be shaken can be taken away. I’m talking about created things. Then what can’t be shaken will remain.
28 We are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken. So let us be thankful. Then we can worship God in a way that pleases him. Let us worship him with deep respect and wonder. 29 Our “God is like a fire that burns everything up.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
Jesus Heals a Disabled Woman on the Sabbath Day
10 Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on a Sabbath day. 11 A woman there had been disabled by an evil spirit for 18 years. She was bent over and could not stand up straight. 12 Jesus saw her. He asked her to come to him. He said to her, “Woman, you will no longer be disabled. I am about to set you free.” 13 Then he put his hands on her. Right away she stood up straight and praised God.
14 Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath day. This made the synagogue leader angry. He told the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days. But do not come on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord answered him, “You pretenders! Doesn’t each of you go to the barn and untie your ox or donkey on the Sabbath day? Then don’t you lead it out to give it water? 16 This woman is a member of Abraham’s family line. But Satan has kept her disabled for 18 long years. Shouldn’t she be set free on the Sabbath day from what was keeping her disabled?”
17 When Jesus said this, all those who opposed him were put to shame. But the people were delighted. They loved all the wonderful things he was doing.
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