The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

SERMON TEXT:  Mark 6:7-13

Jesus called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their money belts. They were to put on sandals but not to wear two coats. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. Any place that will not receive you or listen to you, as you leave there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They also drove out many demons. They anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Bible Readings

FIRST LESSON:  Amos 7:10-17

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to endure all of his words. This is what Amos says: “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile away from its own soil.” Then Amaziah said to Amos, “You seer, get out of here! Flee to the land of Judah. You may eat food and prophesy there. But you must never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the sanctuary of the king and the national temple.” Then Amos responded to Amaziah: I was not a prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet. Rather, I was a sheep breeder and I took care of sycamore fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending flocks, and the LORD said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” But now, hear the word of the LORD, you who are saying, “Do not prophesy against Israel” and “Do not preach against the house of Isaac.” This is what the LORD says: “Your wife will be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be parceled out with a measuring line, and as for you, you will die upon unclean soil. And Israel will certainly go into exile far away from its own soil.”

SECOND LESSON:  1 Timothy 3:1-7

This saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to become an overseer, he desires a noble task. It is necessary, then, for the overseer to be above reproach, the husband of only one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not a violent man but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. It is necessary that he manage his own household well, with all dignity making sure that his children obey him. (If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the same condemnation as the Devil. In addition, he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.

VERSE OF THE DAY:  Deuteronomy 30:14

The Word is Very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

GOSPEL: Mark 6:7-13

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Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

1. In spite of the enemies who surround you
2. Because of the Spirit who empowers you

SERMON TEXT:  Ezekiel 2:1-3:4

He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.” The Spirit entered into me as he spoke to me and brought me up to my feet. Then I heard him speaking to me. He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to disloyal nations, who have been disloyal to me. They and their fathers have rebelled against me to this very day. These children of mine are brazen-faced and hard-hearted. I am sending you to them, and you are to tell them that this is what the LORD God says. Then, whether they listen or do not listen—for they are a rebellious house—then they will know that a prophet has been among them. But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words. Even though briers and thorns surround you and you are living with scorpions, do not be afraid of their words, and do not be intimidated by the look on their faces, for they are a rebellious house. You are to speak my words to them whether they listen or they do not, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out toward me, and in it there was a rolled-up scroll. He unrolled it in front of me, and there was writing on both sides. Written on it was: Laments, Groaning, and Woe. :Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat what you have received. Eat this scroll, and then go, speak to the house of Israel.” I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. Then he said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll that I am giving you.” I ate, and in my mouth it was sweet like honey. He then said to me, “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.”

Bible Readings

FIRST LESSON:  Ezekiel 2:1-3:4

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SECOND LESSON:  2 Timothy 3:10-4:5

But you have faithfully followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfast endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings—the kind that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the kind of persecutions I endured—and the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. As for you, continue in the things you have learned and about which you have become convinced. You know from whom you learned them and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, well equipped for every good work. :I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not. Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching. For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires. They will also turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. As for you, keep a clear head in every situation. Bear hardship. Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry.

VERSE OF THE DAY:  Luke 8:15

Happy are they who hear the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience

GOSPEL: Mark 6:1-6

Jesus left there and went to his hometown. His disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did this man learn these things? What is this wisdom that has been given to this man? How is it that miracles such as these are performed by his hands? Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own house.” He could not do any miracles there except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went around the villages teaching.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

SERMON TEXT:  1 Peter 2:9-17

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Bible Readings

FIRST LESSON:  Jeremiah 32:17-23

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egyptand have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty handand an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster on them.

SECOND LESSON:  1 Peter 2:9-17

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VERSE OF THE DAY:  Deuteronomy 26:9

The LORD brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey

GOSPEL: John 19:7-11

The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”