Lessons for March 19, 2006 – Third Sunday in Lent The first lesson Exodus 20:1-17 Then God instructed the people as follows: 2"I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. 3"Do not worship any other gods besides me. 4"Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. 5You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. 6But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations. 7"Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 8"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, 10but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 12"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you. 13"Do not murder. 14"Do not commit adultery. 15"Do not steal. 16"Do not testify falsely against your neighbor. 17"Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns." (NLT) Psalm 19 L. The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. C. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. L. They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is silent in the skies; C. yet their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to all the world. L. The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it. C. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. L. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. C. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. L. Nothing can hide from its heat. C. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. L. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. C. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. L. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life. C. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. L. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. C. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. L. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. C. They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them. L. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. C. Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. L. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. C. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, L. O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (NLT) The second lesson 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas." 20So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson John 2:13-22 It was time for the annual Passover celebration, and Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; and he saw money changers behind their counters. 15Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and oxen, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here. Don't turn my Father's house into a marketplace!" 17Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: "Passion for God's house burns within me." 18"What right do you have to do these things?" the Jewish leaders demanded. "If you have this authority from God, show us a miraculous sign to prove it." 19"All right," Jesus replied. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20"What!" they exclaimed. "It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can do it in three days?" 21But by "this temple," Jesus meant his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, the disciples remembered that he had said this. And they believed both Jesus and the Scriptures. (NLT)