Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
20 The Lord will answer you in times of trouble.
The name of the God of Jacob will protect you.
2 He will send you help from his holy place
and support you from Zion.
3 He will remember all your grain offerings
and look with favor on your burnt offerings. Selah
4 He will give you your heart’s desire
and carry out all your plans.
5 We will joyfully sing about your victory.
We will wave our flags in the name of our God.
The Lord will fulfill all your requests.
6 Now I know that the Lord will give victory to his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty deeds of his powerful hand.
7 Some ⌞rely⌟ on chariots and others on horses,
but we will boast in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They will sink to their knees and fall,
but we will rise and stand firm.
9 Give victory to the king, O Lord.
Answer us when we call.
Jotham’s Story
7 When Jotham was told about this, he went to a high spot on Mount Gerizim. He shouted to them, “Listen to me, you citizens of Shechem, so that God might listen to you.
8 “The trees went to anoint someone to be king over them.
They said to the olive tree,
‘Be our king!’
9 But the olive tree responded,
‘Should I stop producing oil,
which people use to honor gods and humans,
in order to rule the trees?’
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and be our king!’
11 But the fig tree responded,
‘Should I stop producing my good, sweet fruit
in order to rule the trees?’
12 Then the trees said to the grapevine,
‘You come and be our king!’
13 But the grapevine responded,
‘Should I stop producing my wine,
which makes gods and humans happy,
in order to rule the trees?’
14 Then all the trees said to the thornbush,
‘You come and be our king!’
15 But the thornbush responded to the trees,
‘If you really want to anoint me to be your king,
then come and take shelter in my shade.
But if not, fire will come out of the thornbush
and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’
Live in Christ
18 Children, it’s the end of time. You’ve heard that an antichrist is coming. Certainly, many antichrists are already here. That’s how we know it’s the end of time. 19 They left us. However, they were never really part of us. If they had been, they would have stayed with us. But by leaving they made it clear that none of them were part of us.
20 The Holy One has anointed you, so all of you have knowledge. 21 I’m writing to you because you know the truth, not because you don’t know the truth. You know that no lie ever comes from the truth.
22 Who is a liar? Who else but the person who rejects Jesus as the Messiah? The person who rejects the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23 Everyone who rejects the Son doesn’t have the Father either. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. 24 Make sure that the message you heard from the beginning lives in you. If that message lives in you, you will also live in the Son and in the Father. 25 Christ has given us the promise of eternal life.
26 I’m writing to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 The anointing you received from Christ lives in you. You don’t need anyone to teach you something else. Instead, Christ’s anointing teaches you about everything. His anointing is true and contains no lie. So live in Christ as he taught you to do.
We Are God’s Children
28 Now, dear children, live in Christ. Then, when he appears we will have confidence, and when he comes we won’t turn from him in shame.
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