Lessons for June 17, 2007 – Third Sunday after Pentecost The first lesson 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. [27] When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was very displeased with what David had done. [12:1] So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. [2] The rich man owned many sheep and cattle. [3] The poor man owned nothing but a little lamb he had worked hard to buy. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. [4] One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing a lamb from his own flocks for food, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and served it to his guest." [5] David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! [6] He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity." [7] Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. [8] I gave you his house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. [9] Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. [10] From this time on, the sword will be a constant threat to your family, because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. [13] Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin. [14] But you have given the enemies of the Lord great opportunity to despise and blaspheme him, so your child will die." [15] After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord made Bathsheba's baby deathly ill. (NLT) Psalm 32 L. Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! C. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, L. whose lives are lived in complete honesty! C. When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. L. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. C. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. L. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. C. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." L. And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. C. Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time, L. that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. C. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. L. You surround me with songs of victory. C. The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. L. I will advise you and watch over you. C. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." L. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. C. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! L. Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! (NLT) The second lesson Galatians 2:15-21 You and I are Jews by birth, not 'sinners' like the Gentiles. [16] And yet we Jewish Christians know that we become right with God, not by doing what the law commands, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be accepted by God because of our faith in Christ—and not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be saved by obeying the law." [17] But what if we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then find out that we are still sinners? Has Christ led us into sin? Of course not! [18] Rather, I make myself guilty if I rebuild the old system I already tore down. [19] For when I tried to keep the law, I realized I could never earn God's approval. So I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. [20] I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [21] I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Luke 7:36-8:3 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come to his home for a meal, so Jesus accepted the invitation and sat down to eat. [37] A certain immoral woman heard he was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. [38] Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. [39] When the Pharisee who was the host saw what was happening and who the woman was, he said to himself, "This proves that Jesus is no prophet. If God had really sent him, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!" [40] Then Jesus spoke up and answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you." "All right, Teacher," Simon replied, "go ahead." [41] Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people—five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces to the other. [42] But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?" [43] Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt." "That's right," Jesus said. [44] Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You didn't give me a kiss of greeting, but she has kissed my feet again and again from the time I first came in. [46] You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. [47] I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love." [48] Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven." [49] The men at the table said among themselves, "Who does this man think he is, going around forgiving sins?" [50] And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." [8:1] Not long afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby cities and villages to announce the Good News concerning the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, [2] along with some women he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil spirits. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; [3] Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (NLT)