Lessons for September 10, 2006 – Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The first lesson

Isaiah 35:4-7a
 
    Say to those who are afraid, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the desert. 7 The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.  (NLT)

Psalm 146
 
L.  Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, I tell myself. 
C.  I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
L.  I will sing praises to my God even with my dying breath.
C.  Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. 
L.  When their breathing stops, they return to the earth,
C.  and in a moment all their plans come to an end. 
L.  But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
C.  whose hope is in the Lord their God. 
L.  He is the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
C.  He is the one who keeps every promise forever, 
L.  who gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry.
C.  The Lord frees the prisoners. 
L.  The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
C.  The Lord lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads.
L.  The Lord loves the righteous. 
C.  The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
L.  He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
C.  The Lord will reign forever.
L.  O Jerusalem, your God is King in every generation!
C.  Praise the Lord!  (NLT)

The second lesson

James 2:1-17
 
    My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others?  2 For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"—well, 4 doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives? 5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the kingdom God promised to those who love him? 6 And yet, you insult the poor man! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? 8 Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord's royal command found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 9 But if you pay special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you are guilty of breaking that law. 10 And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. 11 For the same God who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." So if you murder someone, you have broken the entire law, even if you do not commit adultery. 12 So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free. 13 For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you. 14 Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, 16 and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?  17 So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless.  (NLT)

The Gospel Lesson

Mark 7:24-37
 
    Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He tried to keep it secret that he was there, but he couldn't. As usual, the news of his arrival spread fast. 25 Right away a woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by an evil spirit. She had heard about Jesus, and now she came and fell at his feet. 26 She begged him to release her child from the demon's control. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, "First I should help my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs."  28 She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the children's plates."  29 "Good answer!" he said. "And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter." 30 And when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone. 31 Jesus left Tyre and went to Sidon, then back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. 33 Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man's ears. Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue with the spittle. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, "Be opened!" 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly! 36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news, 37 for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even heals those who are deaf and mute."  (NLT)