Reflections on Next Week's Readings - Easter 5

Bible in Time 2016
Notes & Reflections for Next Week’s Readings
Book of Common Prayer - Daily Office Lectionary
Easter 5: April 24 - 30, 2016

Readings for the Week
Click to see readings from Biblegateway.com
Reflections ...
Psalms 24; 145; 61; 72; 71; 106:1-18; 75
Literary Types | Click here | Created by Barbara Klugh
Psalm 24 | Entrance Liturgy
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it; God’s house is holy; Who is the king of glory - the Lord of Hosts!
Psalm 145 | Hymn
I will praise the Lord each day; teach me to rule; the Lord is good to all; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Psalm 61 | Individual Lament
I plea to be in God’s Temple; let me abide in your tent forever; so I will sing praises to you all of my life.
Psalm 72 | Royal
Psalm of Solomon; prayer for the king and may prosperity come to the land; Long may he live; blessed be God forever.
Psalm 71 | Individual Lament
An elderly person’s plea for help; In you I take my refuge; save me; my mouth is full of your praise; do not forsake me, O Lord; my lips shall shout for joy.
Psalm 106 | Community Lament
A confession of sin and how God has forgiven it all; a walk through the history of this salvation; God delivered us.
Psalm 75 | New Year’s Liturgy
Community thanks to God for putting down the wicked; we praise you for your wondrous deeds.
First Readings
Leviticus 8; Ecclesiasticus 2; Leviticus 16, 19, 23
Background on Leviticus - Click here
Background on Ecclesiasticus - Click here

Leviticus 8 shows us the consecration of the priests and the beginning of their work.
Leviticus 16 moves toward the worship of the atonement of God and a goat taking on all of the sins of the people to be sacrificed. Chapter 19 provides various ethical and do’s and don’ts for life. Chapter 22 lists various calendar occasions.

Ecclesiasticus is also known as Sirah and is in the canons of the Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox religions. In Anglican circles, it is regarded as a devotional piece and not used for the doctrine of the Church. Our reading today talks about what it is to have the fear of the Lord which equals wisdom; kind of like proverbs with saying on the ethical life. My child, when you come to live the life of the Lord - prepare to be tested; wait for God’s mercy for God is compassionate.

Second Readings
Hebrews 12; Acts 12 & 13; 1 Thessalonians 5; 2 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3
Background on Hebrews - click here
Background on Acts - click here
Background on 1 Thessalonians - click here
Background on 2 Thessalonians - click here

Hebrews 12 outlines the discipline of the life in God.

Acts is the sending of Paul and Barnabas on another missionary tour.

1 Thessalonians 5 is practical advice on the life of Christ for the Church.

2 Thessalonians 1- 3 is a follow-up on 1 Thessalonians in more clarifying teachings on the living the way of Christ; the writer opens with prayer and thanksgiving; tells of the coming of Christ - which is imminent - and so live a good life in Christ; blessings of comfort, grace, and hope; Chapter 3 concludes with requests for prayer and a warning against unruly believers.

Gospel
Luke 4; Matthew 6 & 7

In Luke, coming to his hometown, Jesus goes to church and reads Isaiah and declares God's fulfill in their hearing; prophets are not in their homeland; they get mad and try to execute him but he slips away.

In Matthew, Jesus continues his ministry in Galilee and continues to deliver his sermon on the mountain; various teachings on giving, prayer, fasting, life and livelihood, judging others, and then a longer piece on the way of righteousness, two foundations.


Sources
Source | New Oxford Annotated Bible, 4th ed. | Notes in Psalms  by Richard J. Clifford | Oxford Press | © 2010
Source | Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, 2nd Ed. | John J. Collins | Fortress | © 2014
Source | Introducing the New Testament | Mark Allen Powell | Baker Books (Pure Michigan) | © 2009
Source | Holy Spirit through life-long study, prayer, reflection, worship, teaching, service and whimsy.

24  April 2016 a.d. - Cornelius, Oregon, USA

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