Bible Readings for Sunday, 12 March 2006
God Commands Abraham to offer Isaac
Some time later God tested Abraham; he called to him, "Abraham!" And Abraham answered, "Yes, here I am!"
"Take your son," God said, "your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. There on a mountain that I will show you, offer him as a sacrifice to me."
When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he picked up the knife to kill him. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!"
He answered, "Yes, here I am."
"Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him."
Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time, "I make a vow by my own name -- the Lord is speaking -- that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants -- all because you obeyed my command."
-GENESIS 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
I kept on believing, even when I said, "I am completely crushed."
How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies! I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did. You have saved me from death. I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you. In the assembly of all your people, in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem, I will give you what I have promised.
-PSALMS 116:10, 15-19
God's Love in Christ Jesus
In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son -- will he not also freely give us all things? Who will accuse God's chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty! Who then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us!
-ROMANS 8:31-34
The Transfiguration
Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain, where they were alone. As they looked on, a change came over Jesus, and his clothes became shining white -- whiter than anyone in the world could wash them. Then the three disciples saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, "Teacher, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He and the others were so frightened that he did not know what to say.
Then a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow, and a voice came over the cloud, "This is my own dear Son -- listen to him!" They took a quick look around but did not see anyone else; only Jesus was with them.
As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has risen from death."
They obeyed his order, but among themselves they started discussing the matter, "What does this 'rising from death mean?"
-MARK 9:2-10
Some time later God tested Abraham; he called to him, "Abraham!" And Abraham answered, "Yes, here I am!"
"Take your son," God said, "your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. There on a mountain that I will show you, offer him as a sacrifice to me."
When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he picked up the knife to kill him. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!"
He answered, "Yes, here I am."
"Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him."
Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time, "I make a vow by my own name -- the Lord is speaking -- that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants -- all because you obeyed my command."
-GENESIS 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
I kept on believing, even when I said, "I am completely crushed."
How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies! I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did. You have saved me from death. I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you. In the assembly of all your people, in the sanctuary of your Temple in Jerusalem, I will give you what I have promised.
-PSALMS 116:10, 15-19
God's Love in Christ Jesus
In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son -- will he not also freely give us all things? Who will accuse God's chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty! Who then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us!
-ROMANS 8:31-34
The Transfiguration
Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain, where they were alone. As they looked on, a change came over Jesus, and his clothes became shining white -- whiter than anyone in the world could wash them. Then the three disciples saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, "Teacher, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He and the others were so frightened that he did not know what to say.
Then a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow, and a voice came over the cloud, "This is my own dear Son -- listen to him!" They took a quick look around but did not see anyone else; only Jesus was with them.
As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has risen from death."
They obeyed his order, but among themselves they started discussing the matter, "What does this 'rising from death mean?"
-MARK 9:2-10
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