Readings for Sunday, 11/12/23
The 24th Sunday after Pentecost
COLLECT
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of
the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having
this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with
power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious
kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the
heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before
God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond
the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond
the river and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many.
“Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put
away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve
the LORD. Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you
will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or
the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my
household, we will serve the LORD.
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to
serve other gods; for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up
from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in
our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples
through whom we passed; and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the
Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore, we also will serve the LORD, for he is our
God.”
But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He
is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake
the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume
you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will
serve the LORD!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against
yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are
witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and
incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua,
“The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a
covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at
Shechem.
THE PSALM: Psalm 78:1-7
Attendite, popule
1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, *
and the wonderful works he has done.
5 He gave his decrees to Jacob
and established a law for Israel, *
which he commanded them to teach their children;
6 That the generations to come might know,
and the children yet unborn; *
that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
7 So that they might put their trust in God, *
and not forget the deeds of God,
but keep his commandments
THE EPISTLE
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who
have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring
with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no
means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of
command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will
descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the
Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage
one another with these words
GOSPEL HYMN: Spirit of God
Spirit of God, un-seen as the wind, gentle as is the dove:
teach us the truth and help us believe, show us the Saviour’s love!
- You spoke to us long, long a-go, gave us the written word; we read it still,
needing its truth, through it God’s voice is heard - With-out your help we fail our Lord, we can-not live his way; we need your
power, we need your strength, following Christ each day
THE GOSPEL
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took
their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and
five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;
but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed,
all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look!
Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got
up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your
oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be
enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for
yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who
were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.
Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he
replied, ‘Truly I tell you; I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you
know neither the day nor the hour.”