Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, August-18-2013 Proper 15

The Collect

Proper 15
Almighty God, who hast given thy only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life: Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavor ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Jeremiah 23:23-29
²³ "Am I a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a God afar off? ²⁴ Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD. ²⁵ I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, `I have dreamed, I have dreamed!' ²⁶ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, ²⁷ who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams which they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Ba'al? ²⁸ Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the LORD. ²⁹ Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?

Psalm

Psalm 82

Deus stetit
1God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
     he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2"How long will you judge unjustly, *
     and show favor to the wicked?
3Save the weak and the orphan; *
     defend the humble and needy;
4Rescue the weak and the poor; *
     deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5They do not know, neither do they understand;
     they go about in darkness; *
     all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6Now I say to you, 'You are gods, *
     and all of you children of the Most High;
7Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
     and fall like any prince.'"
8Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
     for you shall take all nations for your own.

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 12:1-7(8-10)11-14
¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. ⁴ In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons?-- "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. ⁶ For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." ⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (⁸ If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. )¹¹ For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. ¹⁴ Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Gospel Reading

Luke 12:49-56
⁴⁹ "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; ⁵² for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; ⁵³ they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." ⁵⁴ He also said to the multitudes, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, `A shower is coming'; and so it happens. <sup>55</sup> And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?