Lessons for July 8, 2007 – Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

The first lesson

Isaiah 66:10-14
 
    "Rejoice with Jerusalem! Be glad with her, all you who love her and mourn for her. [11] Delight in Jerusalem! Drink deeply of her glory even as an infant drinks at its mother's generous breasts. [12] Peace and prosperity will overflow Jerusalem like a river," says the Lord. "The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and treated with love. [13] I will comfort you there as a child is comforted by its mother."  [14] When you see these things, your heart will rejoice. Vigorous health will be yours! Everyone will see the good hand of the Lord on his people—and his anger against his enemies. (NLT)

Psalm 66:1-9
 
L.  Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!  Sing about the glory of his name!
C.  Tell the world how glorious he is. 
L.  Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
C.  Your enemies cringe before your mighty power. 
L.  Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs."
C.  Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he does for his people! 
L.  He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot.
C.  Come, let us rejoice in who he is. 
L.  For by his great power he rules forever.
C.  He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.
L.  Let the whole world bless our God and sing aloud his praises. 
C.  Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.  (NLT)

 The second lesson

Galatians 6:1-16
 
    (Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. [2] Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. [3] If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody.  [4] Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. [5] For we are each responsible for our own conduct.  [6] Those who are taught the word of God should help their teachers by paying them.)  [7] Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! [8] Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. [9] So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. [10] Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters. [11] Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting. [12] Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. [13] And even those who advocate circumcision don't really keep the whole law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples.  [14] As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead. [15] It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. [16] May God's mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God.  (NLT)

The Gospel Lesson

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
 
    The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them on ahead in pairs to all the towns and villages he planned to visit. [2] These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields. [3] Go now, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. [4] Don't take along any money, or a traveler's bag, or even an extra pair of sandals. And don't stop to greet anyone on the road.  [5] "Whenever you enter a home, give it your blessing. [6] If those who live there are worthy, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. [7] When you enter a town, don't move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide you. Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.  [8] "If a town welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you [9] and heal the sick. As you heal them, say, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.' [10] But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, [11] 'We wipe the dust of your town from our feet as a public announcement of your doom. And don't forget the Kingdom of God is near!'  [16] Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God who sent me."  [17] When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!"  [18] "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! [19] And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. [20] But don't rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven."  (NLT)