The Sunday Bible readings in the Revised Common Lectionary

These links are to Year A, Year B and Year C will take you to the PowerPoint lesson for the Bible readings for each Sunday in the three-year lectionary cycle. Lick on the link Year A B or C, then locate the lesson. The PowerPoint decks are numbered and titled with Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost and the Proper also known as Ordinary time. These are linked to a OneDrive Cloud location and may be viewed online or downloaded.  

USE

These may be used to facilitate an adult education group discussion for an Episcopal Church. On the other hand, you may use these as a personal study about the readings for each Sunday. Each power point deck deals with the designated scripture readings for that Sunday, the collect from the BCP for that Sunday, and related artwork chosen for readings or the Collect.

Why these were Created

These were developed for a Sunday morning discussion group that meets for about one hour. The slides can be projected on a screen or shown on a television set placed so that the entire group can easily see the slides. The leader should have a general knowledge of theology and scriptures. The leader may be a member of the clergy or a layman who is qualified by for example completion of the four-year EFM (Education for Ministry) program or an equivalent. 

Sources

The scripture commentary is taken largely from the introductions, footnotes, and reference materials in the New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical Books, from the New Revised Standard Version, Edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Roland E. Murphy, 1989 Edition, Oxford University Press. The collects are drawn from the Book of Common Prayer 1979 using the modern language. There are other sources used which are indicated in the materials. The Notes page feature of the PowerPoint decks will often have more information than the slide. The group leader will need minimal skills with PowerPoint as each deck is complete with maps and animations. 

Scope and Time Available

A presenter can download and edit the decks as needed for the circumstances. The decks are long as they cover the readings and alternative readings and the collect. If there is limited time, then a class might cover only some of the readings. A facilitator may wish to cover only the Collect and one of the reading selections such as the day’s Gospel. 

Discussion

The class works best as a group discussion using the PowerPoint for the basic information about the reading. Some members may want to participate by reading the scripture aloud to the others and exchanging comments. Others may not want to speak at all but may wish only to listen or read the PowerPoint slides. Very often one of the readings on a given Sunday may spark a spirited discussion that uses up class time. When this happens let the discussion go and if needed skip to the end. When this happens that’s a good day. Even when there is ample time for formation a lively discussion will make the time seem short.

Questions

If you have questions about the use of these PowerPoint decks or glitches you can contact me by email at jbcross@cei.net.

The Lessons Appointed for Use Proper 27 Sunday closest to November 9 Year C RCL Haggai 1:15b-2:9
Psalm 145:1-5, 18-21 or Psalm 98
or
Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-9
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38 The Collect Proper 27 O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. THE COLLECT Proper 27 The collect starts with an observation and then makes two petitions. The observation is that Jesus “came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life:..” Both petitions relate to this observation The first is that “we may purify ourselves as he is pure” and the second for salvation “when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom.” While the readings for this week do not closely relate, the timing is appropriate. The year is ending, and advent is fast approaching. The collect’s emphasis on the role of Jesus in the universe, starts to bring our attention to advent. Haggai 1:15b-2:9 In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now?  Haggai 1:15b-2:9Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;  Haggai 1:15b-2:9 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts. Haggai When Cyrus in 538 B.C. allowed the Jews to return to Palestine, he encouraged them to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem . By 520 B.C. no significant progress was evident. A successful effort was then begun, and the new temple was completed in the spring of 515 B.C.  The man principally responsible for this was the prophet Haggai.  In five addresses of Haggai to the governor and high priest to take the lead in the reconstructing the temple, Haggai saw this as necessary preparation for the messianic age when God would bless this people with fruitfulness and prosperity. The Messianic Argument of Haggai Because the people neglected the temple, God punished them.  Zerubbabel, the grandson of Jehoiachin, was a royal descendant of David.  The temple had been plundered and burned in 587 B.C.  The new temple was to be more splendid than the old. When the foundation of the temple is laid, God will bless this needy, obedient people.  When the Lord establishes the kingdom, Zerubbabel will be the messiah.  The Christian view New Testament Christians entirely re-interpreted these writings. Christians see a different Messiah.  This section is partially quoted in Hebrew 12:26 as Paul’s closing to his long argument that the new covenant through Jesus is superior to the old covenant through the law. “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.”  A message of hope for us now that the future will be better even than our fondly remembered past. In Short Advent is coming! Giovanni Pisano,
The Prophet Haggai, c. 1325-45
Marble, Victoria & Albert Museum
Originally top part of a life-size statue of prophets for the façade of Siena Cathedral. The Response Psalm 145:1-5, 18-21, Page 801, BCP Exaltabo te, Deus 1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.  2 Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.  3 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to his greatness.  4 One generation shall praise your works to another * and shall declare your power.  5 I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty * and all your marvelous works.  Psalm 145:1-5, 18-21, Page 801, BCP Exaltabo te, Deus 18 The LORD is righteous in all his ways *
and loving in all his works.  19 The LORD is near to those who call upon him, *
to all who call upon him faithfully.  20 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; * he hears their cry and helps them. 21 The LORD preserves all those who love him, *
but he destroys all the wicked.  Psalm 145:1-5, 18-21, Page 801, BCP Exaltabo te, Deus This is a Hymn epitomizing the character of the God of Israel.  An acrostic psalm, each new verse beginning with the next letter in order of the Hebrew alphabet. A considerable part is omitted.  The section we have is entitled ‘God’s providential care for his creatures.’ or Psalter of Duke Jean de Berry, 1380-1420
Bibliotheque nationale de France Psalm 98, Page 727, BCP Cantate Domino 1 Sing to the LORD a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.  2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.  3 The LORD has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.  4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, * and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.  Psalm 98, Page 727, BCP Cantate Domino 5 Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.  6 Sing to the LORD with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.  7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the LORD Psalm 98, Page 727, BCP Cantate Domino 8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.  9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth.  10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.  Psalm 98, Page 727, BCP Cantate Domino This is a Hymn proclaiming the future establishment of God’s kingship on the earth.  Although the verbs are past tense, the reference is to a future event. The language similar to passages in Isaiah Isaiah 55.12) For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Job 19:23-27a Job said, "O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another."  The Book of Job  This is a book that has led to many questions over the years from believers and nonbelievers alike. The suffering of Job seems may seem to be pointless, to others it reinforces the notion that God will make the Godly prosper.  The story of Job is simple. Job is a rich and satisfied man, proud of his children with the respect of the community. He is held up as an example of piety by God himself in the heavenly court [court in the sense of a royal court rather than a legal one].  The Book of Job Satan, disputes the sincerity of Job and then with God’s permission causes a series of calamities to take away his wealth, children, the respect of the community and his health.  The issue: Is Job faithful only because of the good things he has been given? At the end, God reveals himself to Job and Job is satisfied. But then Job is ultimately restored to his former position. If the book seems to be contradictory and inconsistent, don’t worry it seems that way because it is in fact inconsistent and contradictory.  The Book of Job
When? Some sources date the Book between the Fifth and third centuries.  In the ancient world there was a Golden age of intellectual accomplishment in the third through fifth centuries B.C. such as Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius and Gautama Buddha. The Book of Job is thought to be ‘of’ this period.  Job may also be part of an older tradition at the time of Solomon was known as a great intellectual even in his time about 900 B.C. Context The reading is an “introduction” type section rather than a substantive one, and it is unclear whether it refers to the argument Job has just made, or what he is about to say. Chapter 19 as a whole is entitled “Job Replies: I know that my redeemer Lives.” The reading relates to this title. Oxford Annotated Bible Footnotes There is no certain translation of these difficult, probably textually corrupt, verses. Here “Redeemer” is better translated as “Vindicator.”  In Hebrew the word ‘vindicator’ means a kinsman who will avenge one's honor or stand good for one's debts. The word may also mean a mediator or heavenly witness. Oxford Annotated Bible Footnotes The meaning of Job 19.26 is too uncertain to base a firm conclusion. The rendering of this verse in the NRSV would allow the possibility of a resurrected Job.  The doctrine of the resurrection, however, appears late in Hebrew thought and nowhere in the rest of the book does Job seriously consider the possibility  The emphasis is on being vindicated on high, and upon seeing God -a theme that will be all important later in of Job 35-42. Giovanni Bellini, San Giobbe Altarpiece, c. 1487 Oil on panel, 471 x 258 cm, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice Left side: Sts Francis, John the Baptist and Job Right side: Sts Dominic, Sebastian and Louis of Toulouse This was one of the earliest oil paintings done by an Italian artist. Psalm 17:1-9, Page 600, BCP Exaudi, Domine 1 Hear my plea of innocence, O LORD;
give heed to my cry; *
listen to my prayer, which does not come from lying lips.  2 Let my vindication come forth from your presence; * let your eyes be fixed on justice.  3 Weigh my heart, summon me by night, *
melt me down; you will find no impurity in me.  4 I give no offense with my mouth as others do; *
I have heeded the words of your lips.  Psalm 17:1-9, Page 600, BCP Exaudi, Domine 5 My footsteps hold fast to the ways of your law; * in your paths my feet shall not stumble.  6 I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me; * incline your ear to me and hear my words.  7 Show me your marvelous loving-kindness, *
O Savior of those who take refuge at your right hand from those who rise up against them.  8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; *
hide me under the shadow of your wings,  9 From the wicked who assault me, *
from my deadly enemies who surround me.  Not a Song Unlike many of the Psalms we have read this one is styled not as a song but as a prayer. Psalm 17 “Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors” A Prayer of David. The author’s claims of purity are hard to reconcile with what we know of the life of David. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?  But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 [omitted section]  6 And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. …. 9 The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, 10 and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. …. Luke Timothy Johnson  This is probably the beginning of Christian Literature. Both letters already show the characteristics of Paul’s mission correspondence. This second letter cannot be understood without reference to the first.  In the first letter Paul assured the members that those Christians who had died, were at no disadvantage to those who remained alive at the time of the Lord’s return. This young church formed by Paul, enthusiastically received his message but did not necessarily thoroughly grasp it.  In short they misunderstood the first letter and thus the need for this letter. The Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians The questions in these letters surround the promise that Jesus would return. The response to the first question was what happened to those who died before the return, were they lost. The answer was that they would be at no disadvantage. But the answer also resulted in a belief that the ‘day of the Lord’ had already come. Meaning? The day of the Lord The rebellion . . . and the lawless one will precede the second coming of Christ.  The day of the Lord will be preceded by persecutions, false prophets, and a “desolating sacrilege.”  The lawless one has not yet come because something is restraining him. Paul assumes that his readers understand this reference, but we do not.  There are three main conjectures about this ‘restraint’, none of which is entirely satisfactory:  (a) The Roman empire and emperor;  (b) A supernatural power;  (c) Satan himself.  The Point The return of the Lord, will be announced and thus be clear. So, those claiming secret knowledge may not be believed.  The Church is: warned against false doctrine. told to wait patiently. They like we are to live in anticipation of the return of Jesus. Albrecht Durer, The Four Apostles, 1526
Oil on lindenwood, 215 x 76 cm (each panel)
Alte Pinakothek, Munich
John, Peter, Mark, and Paul
Durer donated this work to the city of Nuremberg, and it has been seen as a work that, with its emphasis on Paul, is a document of the Protestant Reformation.  Luke 20:27-38 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” Luke 20:27-38 Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." Context The reading has now jumped ahead past the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the cleansing of the temple and other incidents. Jesus at this point in Luke, has been in the city for some time. When He has the encounter with the Sadducees today’s reading. Sadducees The Sadducees were one of the Jewish parties referred to by Josephus whose rivals were the Pharisees. Their power was based on control of the temple while the Pharisees worked to decentralize ritual. the Sadducees disappeared after 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple. This is a trick question The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection and the question is actually an argument against resurrection which they believe is fool proof! They think that Jesus will either look foolish in his answer or will commit some form of heresy. Either way they will discredit Him. But, the joke is turned on them as His answer takes a completely unexpected turn. The Text The reading is entitled “Question about the resurrection.” Luke here makes the same point as Matthew and Mark that human relations will be different after death.  Jesus distinguishes two ages and kinds of existence. Mortals by birth, and citizens of the age to come by resurrection.  God is not frustrated by physical death. Mark 12:18 The question is the same, the response is: “Jesus said to them, "Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong." Compare Looking at the different answers to the same question in Mark and Luke: Do the differences suggest a different understanding of eternity? What do you think we are being told about eternity? Heaven Part 1 In the OT "heaven," sometimes "the heavens“ is described as the expanse in which the birds fly and at times the starry heavens and at other times still to the highest heaven above the firmament .  In the Hebrew Bible for the most part the fate of everyone, good or bad, was the shadowy realm of Sheol (See Hell).  After the exile the doctrine of resurrection was at first associated with the hope of life on a renewed earth . By the Roman period, a blessed future holds a sure place in Jewish thinking, particularly among the Pharisees; the Sadducees retained the conception of a universal Sheol. Heaven Part 2 In the New Testament generally, the servants of God are encouraged to look forward to a blissful eternity with God the word "heaven" is used sparingly. Other terms such as "eternal life," "glory," "my Father's house," being preferred.  There is more about heaven in the book of Revelation than in any other book of the Bible, and vivid pictures are given of the throne of God and the Lamb, with living creatures and elders, angelic hosts and multitudes of the redeemed, drawn from every nation, bringing homage and praise. Popular conceptions of heaven have been derived largely from the imagery of this book.