Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING                                                                    Isaiah 56:1; 6-8 (ESV)

Thus says the Lord:  “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon My Salvation will come, and My Deliverance be revealed.  And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to Him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast My covenant--these I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”  The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to Him besides those already gathered.”

THE EPISTLE                                                                                Romans 11:1-2; 13-15; 28-32 (ESV)

I ask, then, has God rejected His people?  By no means!  For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.  God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.  Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?  Now I am speaking to you Gentiles.  Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.  For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?  As regards the Gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake.  But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all.

THE HOLY GOSPEL                                                                                      Matthew 15:21-28 (ESV)

Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”  But He did not answer her a word.  And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  But she came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, help me.”  And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”  Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith!  Be it done for you as you desire.”  And her daughter was healed instantly.

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING                                                                        Job 38:4-18 (ESV)

[The Lord said to Job:]  “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding.  Who determined its measurements--surely you know!  Or who stretched the line upon it?  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?  Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?  Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?  It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.  From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.  Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?  Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?  Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?  Declare, if you know all this.”

THE EPISTLE                                                                                                   Romans 10:5-17 (ESV)

Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.  But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say?  “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the Word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  But how are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News!”  But they have not all obeyed the Gospel.  For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.

THE HOLY GOSPEL                                                                                     Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV)

Immediately [Jesus] made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds.  And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.  And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.  But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid.”  And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  He said, “Come.”  So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”  Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of Him, saying to Him,  “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING                                                                    Isaiah 55:1-5 (ESV)

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, My steadfast, sure love for David.  Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.  Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.”

THE EPISTLE                                                                                                     Romans 9:1-5 (ESV)

I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit--that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.  They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises.  To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

THE HOLY GOSPEL                                                                                      Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV)

Now when Jesus heard [about the death of John], He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself.  But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns.  When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.  Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”  But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”  They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”  And He said, “Bring them here to Me.”  Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing.  Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING                                                            Deuteronomy 7:6-9 (ESV)

“You are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.  It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that He swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.”

THE EPISTLE                                                                                                      Romans 9:1-5 (ESV)

I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit--that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.  They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises.  To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

THE HOLY GOSPEL                                                                                     Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV)

Now when Jesus heard [about the death of John], He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself.  But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns.  When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.  Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”  But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”  They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”  And He said, “Bring them here to Me.”  Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing.  Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.