Monday, March 3, 2025

Daily Lectionary Readings for March 03, 2025

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Daily Lectionary Readings
(Two-Year Cycle)

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Daily Lectionary Readings for March 03, 2025

By Daily Lectionary Readings, Monday, March 3, 2025 12:00 AM

Morning Psalm 5

1   Give ear to my words, O LORD;
          give heed to my sighing.
2   Listen to the sound of my cry,
          my King and my God,
          for to you I pray.
3   O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
          in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.


4   For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
          evil will not sojourn with you.
5   The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
          you hate all evildoers.
6   You destroy those who speak lies;
          the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.


7   But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
          will enter your house,
     I will bow down toward your holy temple
          in awe of you.
8   Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
          because of my enemies;
          make your way straight before me.


9   For there is no truth in their mouths;
          their hearts are destruction;
     their throats are open graves;
          they flatter with their tongues.
10  Make them bear their guilt, O God;
          let them fall by their own counsels;
     because of their many transgressions cast them out,
          for they have rebelled against you.


11  But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
          let them ever sing for joy.
     Spread your protection over them,
          so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12  For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
          you cover them with favor as with a shield.

Morning Psalm 145

1   I will extol you, my God and King,
          and bless your name forever and ever.
2   Every day I will bless you,
          and praise your name forever and ever.
3   Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
          his greatness is unsearchable.


4   One generation shall laud your works to another,
          and shall declare your mighty acts.
5   On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
          and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6   The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
          and I will declare your greatness.
7   They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
          and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.


8   The Lord is gracious and merciful,
          slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9   The Lord is good to all,
          and his compassion is over all that he has made.


10  All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
          and all your faithful shall bless you.
11  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
          and tell of your power,
12  to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
          and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
          and your dominion endures throughout all generations.


     The Lord is faithful in all his words,
          and gracious in all his deeds.
14  The Lord upholds all who are falling,
          and raises up all who are bowed down.
15  The eyes of all look to you,
          and you give them their food in due season.
16  You open your hand,
          satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17  The Lord is just in all his ways,
          and kind in all his doings.
18  The Lord is near to all who call on him,
          to all who call on him in truth.
19  He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
          he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20  The Lord watches over all who love him,
          but all the wicked he will destroy.


21  My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
          and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

First Reading Deuteronomy 6:1-15

1Now this is the commandment — the statutes and the ordinances — that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, 2so that you and your children and your children’s children, may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

4Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, 9and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

10When the LORD your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you — a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant — and when you have eaten your fill, 12take care that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13The LORD your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. 14Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, 15because the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the LORD your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.

Second Reading Hebrews 1:1-14

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
     “You are my Son;
          today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
     “I will be his Father,
          and he will be my Son”?
6And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
     “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7Of the angels he says,
     “He makes his angels winds,
          and his servants flames of fire.”
8But of the Son he says,
     “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
          and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
9   You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
     therefore God, your God, has anointed you
          with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
10And,
     “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
          and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11  they will perish, but you remain;
          they will all wear out like clothing;
12  like a cloak you will roll them up,
          and like clothing they will be changed.
     But you are the same,
          and your years will never end.”
13But to which of the angels has he ever said,
     “Sit at my right hand
          until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Gospel Reading John 1:1-18

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

Evening Psalm 82

1   God has taken his place in the divine council;
          in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2   “How long will you judge unjustly
          and show partiality to the wicked?

3   Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
          maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4   Rescue the weak and the needy;
          deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

5   They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
          they walk around in darkness;
          all the foundations of the earth are shaken.


6   I say, “You are gods,
          children of the Most High, all of you;
7   nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
          and fall like any prince.”


8   Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
          for all the nations belong to you!

Evening Psalm 29

1   Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
          ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2   Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
          worship the LORD in holy splendor.


3   The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
          the God of glory thunders,
          the LORD, over mighty waters.
4   The voice of the LORD is powerful;
          the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.


5   The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
          the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6   He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
          and Sirion like a young wild ox.


7   The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8   The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
          the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.


9   The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,
          and strips the forest bare;
          and in his temple all say, “Glory!”


10  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
          the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11  May the LORD give strength to his people!
          May the LORD bless his people with peace!

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Bible Readings for March 3, 2025

 

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Leviticus 27:14–Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-25; Psalm 46:1-11; and Proverbs 10:23. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. 


Leviticus 27:14 - Numbers 1:54 (Contemporary English Version)


14If you promise a house to me, a priest will set the price, whatever the condition of the house. 15But if you decide to buy it back, you must pay an additional twenty percent.
    16If you promise part of your family's land to me, its value must be determined by the bushels of seed needed to plant the land, and the rate will be ten pieces of silver for every bushel of seed. 17If this promise is made in the Year of Celebration, a<="" value="[a]" >[] the land will be valued at the full price. 18But any time after that, the price will be figured according to the number of years before the next Year of Celebration. 19If you decide to buy back the land, you must pay the price plus an additional twenty percent, 20but you cannot buy it back once someone else has bought it. 21When the Year of Celebration comes, the land becomes holy because it belongs to me, and it will be given to the priests. 22If you promise me a field that you have bought, 23its value will be decided by a priest, according to the number of years before the next Year of Celebration, and the money you pay will be mine. 24However, on the next Year of Celebration, the land will go back to the family of its original owner. 25Every price will be set by the official standards.
    

Various Offerings
The LORD said:

 26All first-born animals of your flocks and herds are already mine, and so you cannot promise any of them to me. 27If you promise me a donkey, [b<="">] you may buy it back by adding an additional twenty percent to its value. If you don't buy it back, it can be sold to someone else for whatever a priest has said it is worth. 28Anything that you completely dedicate to me must be completely destroyed. [c<="">] It cannot be bought back or sold. Every person, animal, and piece of property that you dedicate completely is only for me. 29In fact, any humans who have been promised to me in this way must be put to death. 30Ten percent of everything you harvest is holy and belongs to me, whether it grows in your fields or on your fruit trees. 31If you want to buy back this part of your harvest, you may do so by paying what it is worth plus an additional twenty percent.     32When you count your flocks and herds, one out of ten of every newborn animal [d<="">] is holy and belongs to me, 33no matter how good or bad it is. If you substitute one animal for another, both of them become holy, and neither can be bought back. 34Moses was on Mount Sinai when the LORD gave him these laws for the people of Israel.


Numbers 1

The People of Israel Are Counted

 1The people of Israel had left Egypt and were living in the Sinai Desert. Then on the first day of the second month [e<="">] of the second year, Moses was in the sacred tent when the LORD said: 2-3I want you and Aaron to find out how many people are in each of Israel's clans and families. And make a list of all the men twenty years and older who are able to fight in battle. 4-15The following twelve family leaders, one from each tribe, will help you:    Elizur son of Shedeur
   from Reuben,
   Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
   from Simeon,
   Nahshon son of Amminadab
   from Judah,
   Nethanel son of Zuar
   from Issachar,
   Eliab son of Helon
   from Zebulun,
   Elishama son of Ammihud
   from Ephraim,
   Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
   from Manasseh,
   Abidan son of Gideoni
   from Benjamin,
   Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
   from Dan,
   Pagiel son of Ochran
   from Asher,
   Eliasaph son of Deuel
   from Gad,
   and Ahira son of Enan
   from Naphtali.
    16-17Moses and Aaron, together with these twelve tribal leaders, 18called together the people that same day. They were counted according to their clans and families. Then Moses and the others listed the names of the men twenty years and older, 19just as the LORD had commanded. 20-46The number of men from each tribe who were at least twenty years old and strong enough to fight in Israel's army was as follows:
   46,500 from Reuben,
   the oldest son of Jacob, [f<="">] 59,300 from Simeon,
   45,650 from Gad,
   74,600 from Judah,
   54,400 from Issachar,
   57,400 from Zebulun,
   40,500 from Ephraim,
   32,200 from Manasseh,
   35,400 from Benjamin,
   62,700 from Dan,
   41,500 from Asher,
   53,400 from Naphtali.
   The total number of men registered by Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders was 603,550.
    47But those from the Levi tribe were not included 48because the LORD had said to Moses:
    49When you count the Israelites, do not include those from the Levi tribe. 50-51Instead, give them the job of caring for the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the objects used for worship. They will camp around the tent, and whenever you move, they will take it down, carry it to the new camp, and set it up again. Anyone else who tries to go near it must be put to death.
    52The rest of the Israelites will camp in their own groups and under their own banners. 53But the Levites will camp around the sacred tent to make sure that no one goes near it and makes me furious with the Israelites.
    54The people of Israel did everything the LORD had commanded.
    
Footnotes:
  1. Leviticus 27:17 Year of Celebration: See 25.8-34.
  2. Leviticus 27:27 donkey: See the note at verse 11.
  3. Leviticus 27:28 completely dedicate. . . completely destroyed: In order to show that something belonged completely to the LORD and could not be used by anyone else, it was destroyed. This law most often applied to towns and people captured in war (see Joshua 6.16,17).
  4. Leviticus 27:32 one out of ten of every newborn animal: Or " one out of every ten animals."
  5. Numbers 1:1 second month: Ziv, the second month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-April to mid-May.
  6. Numbers 1:20 Jacob: The Hebrew text has " Israel," Jacob's name after God renamed him.


Mark 11:1-25 (Contemporary English Version)


Mark 11

Jesus Enters Jerusalem
(Matthew 21.1-11; Luke 19.28-40; John 12.12-19)

 1Jesus and his disciples reached Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. When they were getting close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2He told them, "Go into the next village. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. 3If anyone asks why you are doing that, say, `The Lord a<="" value="[a]" >[] needs it and will soon bring it back.' "     4The disciples left and found the donkey tied near a door that faced the street. While they were untying it, 5some of the people standing there asked, "Why are you untying the donkey?" 6They told them what Jesus had said, and the people let them take it.
    7The disciples led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back, and Jesus got on. 8Many people spread clothes on the road, while others went to cut branches from the fields. [b<="">]
    9In front of Jesus and behind him, people went along shouting,
   "Hooray! [c<="">]
   God bless the one
   who comes
   in the name of the Lord!
    10God bless the coming kingdom
   of our ancestor David.
   Hooray for God
   in heaven above!"
    11After Jesus had gone to Jerusalem, he went into the temple and looked around at everything. But since it was already late in the day, he went back to Bethany with the twelve disciples.     

Jesus Puts a Curse on a Fig Tree
(Matthew 21.18,19)

 12When Jesus and his disciples left Bethany the next morning, he was hungry. 13From a distance Jesus saw a fig tree covered with leaves, and he went to see if there were any figs on the tree. But there were not any, because it wasn't the season for figs. 14So Jesus said to the tree, "Never again will anyone eat fruit from this tree!" The disciples heard him say this.     

Jesus in the Temple
(Matthew 21.12-17; Luke 19.45-48; John 2.13-22)

 15After Jesus and his disciples reached Jerusalem, he went into the temple and began chasing out everyone who was selling and buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those who were selling doves. 16Jesus would not let anyone carry things through the temple. 17Then he taught the people and said, "The Scriptures say, `My house should be called a place of worship for all nations.' But you have made it a place where robbers hide!"     18The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses heard what Jesus said, and they started looking for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him, because the crowds were completely amazed at his teaching.
    19That evening, Jesus and the disciples went outside the city.
    

A Lesson from the Fig Tree
(Matthew 21.20-22)

 20As the disciples walked past the fig tree the next morning, they noticed that it was completely dried up, roots and all. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree. Then Peter said, "Teacher, look! The tree you put a curse on has dried up."     22Jesus told his disciples:
   Have faith in God! 23If you have faith in God and don't doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. 24Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.
    25-26Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins. [d<="">]
    
Footnotes:
  1. Mark 11:3 The Lord: Or "The master of the donkey."
  2. Mark 11:8 spread. . . branches from the fields: This was one way that the Jewish people welcomed a famous person.
  3. Mark 11:9 Hooray: This translates a word that can mean "please save us." But it is most often used as a shout of praise to God.
  4. Mark 11:25 your sins: Some manuscripts add, "But if you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you."


Psalm 46:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)


Psalm 46

(A special song for the people of Korah and for the music leader.)
God Is Our Mighty Fortress

 1God is our mighty fortress,    always ready to help
   in times of trouble.
    2And so, we won't be afraid!
   Let the earth tremble
   and the mountains tumble
   into the deepest sea.
    3Let the ocean roar and foam,
   and its raging waves
   shake the mountains.
    4A river and its streams
   bring joy to the city,
   which is the sacred home
   of God Most High.
    5God is in that city,
   and it won't be shaken.
   He will help it at dawn.
    6Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
   But at the voice of God
   the earth itself melts.
    7The LORD All-Powerful
   is with us.
   The God of Jacob
   is our fortress.
    8Come! See the fearsome things
   the LORD has done on earth.
    9God brings wars to an end
   all over the world.
   He breaks the arrows,
   shatters the spears,
   and burns the shields. a<="" value="[a]" >[] 10Our God says, "Calm down,
   and learn that I am God!
   All nations on earth
   will honor me."
    11The LORD All-Powerful
   is with us.
   The God of Jacob
   is our fortress.
    
Footnotes:
  1. Psalm 46:9 shields: Or " chariots."


Proverbs 10:23 (Contemporary English Version)


23Fools enjoy doing wrong,
   but anyone with good sense
   enjoys acting wisely.


Thought for the Day

“The LORD says: 'My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.'” (Isaiah 55:8-9 - Contemporary English Version) Humility leads to an understanding of God. So long as we assume that we have the answers because we know the truth, we'll never appreciate the one whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours.


American artist and studio potter involved in the Dada movement in the United States; she founded and edited The Blind Man and Rongwrong magazines in New York City with French artist Marcel Duchamp and writer Henri-Pierre Roché in 1917, Beatrice Wood wrote, "And I have exposed myself to art so that my work has something beyond just the usual potter."

Joke for Today

Nine year old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned at Sunday school.

"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

"When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. "Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."

"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.

"Well, no. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"


A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That the Body of Christ claims a renewed sense of unity.

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