Lessons for October 1, 2006 – Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

The first lesson

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
 
    Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt, and the people of Israel also began to complain. "Oh, for some meat!" they exclaimed. 5 "We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!"  10 Moses heard all the families standing in front of their tents weeping, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, "Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? 12 Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have told me to carry them in my arms—like a nurse carries a baby—to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep complaining and saying, 'Give us meat!' 14 I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 I'd rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!" 16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Summon before me seventy of the leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. 24 So Moses went out and reported the Lord's words to the people. Then he gathered the seventy leaders and stationed them around the Tabernacle. 25 And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. He took some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy leaders. They prophesied as the Spirit rested upon them, but that was the only time this happened. 26 Two men, Eldad and Medad, were still in the camp when the Spirit rested upon them. They were listed among the leaders but had not gone out to the Tabernacle, so they prophesied there in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!" 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' personal assistant since his youth, protested, "Moses, my master, make them stop!" 29 But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!"  (NLT)

Psalm 19:7-14
 
L.  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
C.  The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 
L.  The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
C.  The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life. 
L.  Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
C.  The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 
L.  They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
C.  They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 
L.  They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them.
C.  How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 
L.  Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me.
C.  Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.
L.  May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you,
C.  O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  (NLT)

The second lesson
 
James 5:13-20
 
    Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! 18 Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again. 19 My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, 20 you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.  (NLT)

The Gospel Lesson

Mark 9:38-50
 
    John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't one of our group." 39 "Don't stop him!" Jesus said. "No one who performs miracles in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I assure you, that person will be rewarded. 42 "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. 44 ‘where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out.’ 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. 46 ‘where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out.’ 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It is better to enter the Kingdom of God half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 'where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out.' 49 "For everyone will be purified with fire. 50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other."  (NLT)