Readings for Revised Common Lectionary, Cycle C

Readings for Revised Common Lectionary, Cycle C

From Contemporary English Version © 1995, American Bible Society. Used with permission.

Prepared by Lutheran Bible Ministries (www. bibleministries. org)

July 10, 2016

Eight Sunday after Pentecost (L 15, Pr. 10)

NOTE: The semi-continuous First Lesson and Psalm follow after the other lessons.

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 30:9-14

Moses said to Israel:
9[The LORD your God] will bless you with many children, large herds and flocks, and abundant crops. The LORD will be happy to do good things for you, just as he did for your ancestors. 10But you must decide once and for all to worship him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in The Book of God's Law. 11You know God's laws, and it isn't impossible to obey them. 12His commands aren't in heaven, so you can't excuse yourselves by saying, "How can we obey the LORD'S commands? They are in heaven, and no one can go up to get them, then bring them down and explain them to us." 13And you can't say, "How can we obey the LORD'S commands? They are across the sea, and someone must go across, then bring them back and explain them to us." 14No, these commands are nearby and you know them by heart. All you have to do is obey! 

PSALMODY: Psalm 25:1-10

1I offer you my heart, LORD God, 2and I trust you.
Don't make me ashamed or let enemies defeat me. 3Don't disappoint any of your worshipers,
but disappoint all deceitful liars.
4Show me your paths and teach me to follow; 5guide me by your truth and instruct me. You keep me safe, and I always trust you.

6Please, LORD, remember, you have always been patient and kind. 7Forget each wrong I did when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are and remember me. 8You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners how to follow your path.
9You lead humble people to do what is right
and to stay on your path.
10In everything you do, you are kind and faithful to everyone who keeps our agreement with you.

SECOND READING: Colossians 1:1-14

From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is also a follower.
2To God's people who live in Colossae and are faithful followers of Christ.
I pray that God our Father will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

3Each time we pray for you, we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4We have heard of your faith in Christ and of your love for all of God's people, 5because what you hope for is kept safe for you in heaven. You first heard about this hope when you believed the true message, which is the good news.
6The good news is spreading all over the world with great success. It has spread in that same way among you, ever since the first day you learned the truth about God's wonderful kindness 7from our good friend Epaphras. He works together with us for Christ and is a faithful worker for you. 8He is also the one who told us about the love that God's Spirit has given you.
9We have not stopped praying for you since the first day we heard about you. In fact, we always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. 10Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better. 11His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything, and you will be truly happy.
12I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. 13God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, 14who forgives our sins and sets us free.

GOSPEL: Luke 10:25-37

25An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to have eternal life?"
26Jesus answered, "What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?"
27The man replied, "The Scriptures say, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.' They also say, 'Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself’.”
28Jesus said, "You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life."
29But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, "Who are my neighbors?"
30Jesus replied:

As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.
31A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. 32Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.
33A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him 34and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, "Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return."

36Then Jesus asked, "Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?"
37The teacher answered, "The one who showed pity."
Jesus said, "Go and do the same!"

SEMI-CONTINUOUS READINGS

FIRST READING: Amos 7:7-17

7The LORD showed me a vision of himself standing beside a wall and holding a string with a weight tied to the end of it. The string and weight had been used to measure the straightness of the wall. 8Then he asked, "Amos, what do you see?"
"A measuring line," I answered.
The LORD said, "I'm using this measuring line to show that my people Israel don't measure up, and I won't forgive them any more. 9Their sacred places will be destroyed, and I will send war against the nation of King Jeroboam."
10Amaziah the priest at Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel, "Amos is plotting against you in the very heart of Israel. Our nation cannot put up with his message for very long. 11Here is what he is saying:
'Jeroboam will be put to death,
and the people will be taken
to a foreign country.' "
12Then Amaziah told me, "Amos, take your visions and get out! Go back to Judah and earn your living there as a prophet. 13Don't do any more preaching at Bethel. The king worships here at our national temple."
14I answered:

I'm not a prophet! And I wasn't trained to be a prophet. I am a shepherd, and I take care of fig trees. 15But the LORD told me to leave my herds and preach to the people of Israel. 16And here you are, telling me not to preach! 17Now, listen to what the LORD says about you:

Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
your sons and daughters will be killed in war,
and your land will be divided among others.
You will die in a country of foreigners,
and the people of Israel will be dragged
from their homeland.

PSALMODY: Psalm 82

1When all of the other gods have come together,
the LORD God judges them and says:
2"How long will you keep judging unfairly and favoring evil people? 3Be fair to the poor and to orphans.
Defend the helpless and everyone in need. 4Rescue the weak and homeless
from the powerful hands of heartless people.
5"None of you know or understand a thing. You live in darkness,
while the foundations of the earth tremble.
6"I, the Most High God, say that all of you are gods and also my own children. 7But you will die, just like everyone else,
including powerful rulers."
8Do something, God! Judge the nations of the earth; they belong to you.