Lessons for March 25, 2007 – Annunciation of Our Lord

The first lesson

Isaiah 7:10-14
 
    Not long after this, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: [11] "Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want." 
    [12] But the king refused. "No," he said, "I wouldn't test the Lord like that." 
    [13] Then Isaiah said, "Listen well, you royal family of David! You aren't satisfied to exhaust my patience. You exhaust the patience of God as well! [14] All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel—'God is with us.'   (NLT)

Psalm 40:5-10
 
L.  O Lord my God, you have done many miracles for us.
C.  Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
L.  If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
C.  You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
L.  Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. 
C.  Then I said, "Look, I have come. And this has been written about me in your scroll: 
L.  I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written on my heart."
C.  I have told all your people about your justice.
L.  I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. 
C.  I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart;
L.  I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
C.  I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

The second lesson

Hebrews 10:4-10
 
    For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. [5] That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said,

    "You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings.
        But you have given me a body so that I may obey you. 
    [6] No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar
        or with other offerings for sin. 
    [7] Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
        just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.' "
 
[8] Christ said, "You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them" (though they are required by the law of Moses). [9] Then he added, "Look, I have come to do your will." He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. [10] And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.  (NLT)

The Gospel Lesson

John 12:1-8
 
    Six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. [2] A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him. [3] Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance. 
    [4] But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples—the one who would betray him—said, [5] "That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." [6] Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples' funds, and he often took some for his own use. 
    [7] Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. [8] You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer."  (NLT)