Preparing for the Fifteenth
Sunday after Pentecost
Year A

Daily Readings for Friday
September 8, 2023

Prayer

Holy God, 

you call us to righteousness and light. 

Teach us the undivided law of love, 

that we may love your children even as you do, 

love you with all our will and strength, 

and find our freedom in this blessed service, 

taught to us in word and deed 

by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Psalm 149

Sing praise in the congregation

 

Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in its Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.

Let them praise his name with dancing,

making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;

he adorns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory;

let them sing for joy on their couches.

Let the high praises of God be in their throats

and two-edged swords in their hands,

to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

to bind their kings with fetters

and their nobles with chains of iron,

to execute on them the judgment decreed.

This is glory for all his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

 

Exodus 10:21-29

Another plague: darkness

 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind. Even your children may go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must choose some of them for the worship of the Lord our God, and we will not know what to use to worship the Lord until we arrive there.” But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” Moses said, “Just as you say! I will never see your face again.”

 

Romans 10:15b-21

God reaches out to erring Israel

 

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

 

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for

 

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”

 

Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

 

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

 

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

 

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;

I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

 

But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

 

 

Prayer

God among us, 

we gather in the name of your Son 

to learn love for one another. 

Turn our feet from evil paths, 

our hands from shameful deeds, 

our minds to your wisdom, 

and our hearts to your grace. Amen.

 

Psalm 119:33-40

The path of your commandments

 

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,

and I will observe it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

Turn my heart to your decrees,

and not to selfish gain.

Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;

give me life in your ways.

Confirm to your servant your promise,

which is for those who fear you.

Turn away the disgrace that I dread,

for your ordinances are good.

See, I have longed for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life.

 

Ezekiel 24:15-27

God opens the prophet’s mouth

 

The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners. So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.

 

Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting this way?” Then I said to them: The word of the Lord came to me: Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and your heart’s desire; and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners. Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and groan to one another. Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; you shall do just as he has done. When this comes, then you shall know that I am the Lord God.

 

And you, mortal, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their heart’s affection, and also their sons and their daughters, on that day, one who has escaped will come to you to report to you the news. On that day your mouth shall be opened to the one who has escaped, and you shall speak and no longer be silent. So you shall be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

 

Romans 10:15b-21

God reaches out to erring Israel

 

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

 

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for

 

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”

 

Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

 

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

 

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

 

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;

I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

 

But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

 

 

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Prayer reprinted from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts. Reproduced by permission.

Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress. Reproduced by permission. No further reproduction allowed without the written permission of Augsburg Fortress.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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