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Lectionary Theme: The Lord who mercifully Awaits
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Exodus 14:10-22 First Lesson
10. As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord.
11. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt?
12. Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
13. But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again.
14. Then the Lord said to Moses:
15. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.
16. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground.
17. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.
18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”
19. The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.
20. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
21. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided.
22. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
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2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Second Lesson
1. It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.
3. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—
4. was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
5. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
6. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,
7. even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
8. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,
9. but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Church
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Acts 27:9-25 Epistle
9. Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them,
10. saying, “Sirs, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”
11. But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
12. Since the harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest. The Storm at Sea
13. When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore.
14. But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete.
15. Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven.
16. By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control.
17. After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven.
18. We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard,
19. and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard.
20. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21. Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss.
22. I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23. For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,
24. and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’
25. So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.
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Luke 13:6-9 Gospel
6. Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
7. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’
8. He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.
9. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman
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