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. Click 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 Collect Proper 5 O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect Proper 5

The collect is a general prayer for right thinking and the ability to put it into action. The readings in three years offer a mix of positive and negative illustrations of this trait. The positive illustrations for RCL A is Abraham's obedience to God’s directive to leave his country, or the tax collector Matthew’s acceptance of the call by Jesus to follow. In RCL C in 1 Kings Elijah’s obedience to God’s directive to go to Zarephath and in Galatians the story of Paul’s conversion and proclamation as illustrated there.

Collect Proper 5 The negative illustrations in RCL B relate to the people’s request for a King against God’s will in 1 Samuel or in the alterative the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden in Genesis. The collect then is a request for right thinking and action and a series of illustrations of just how difficult that may be but with great rewards for success. Follow Me And Be Made Whole

God’s Call to us

Genesis 12:1-9 Part 1 The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-9 Part 2So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh.

Genesis 12:1-9 Part 3 At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb. The start of the Abram Saga. After Noah from last week’s reading, we have skipped over the tower of Babel. The genealogy continues and ends with Terah, father of Abram, Nahor and Haran, father of Lot. Lot’s father passed away before Terah. Terah, Abram, including Sari, and Lot moved to Haran, where Terah died at 250 years of age. It is at this point that our readings begins. God's call of Abraham. The background of God’s call is of a broken, divided humanity. Israel, represented by Abraham and Sarah, is chosen to play a decisive role in God's historical purpose. The promise includes receiving a land, becoming a numerous people, and having a relationship with God that will benefit other human families. The language—great nation instead of “people“ reflects the national consciousness of the early monarchy, when the story was retold. Abraham. Abraham is the earliest biblical character who is delineated clearly enough to be correlated, to a limited extent, within world history. His homeland on the Fertile Crescent and movements southeast toward Chaldean Ur, then west to Canaan and Egypt, correspond to known Amorite migratory and commercial routes. He may have been a caravan merchant, though the Bible presents him only as a pastoralist. Some doubtfully claim him as a contemporary with Hammurabi. Hosea 5:15-6:6 Thus says the Lord, "I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favor, saying, 'Come, let us return to the LORD; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD;.' Hosea 5:15-6:6his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.' What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." Introduction to Hosea. Hosea is a part of the Book of the Twelve, also known as the Minor Prophets because of the brevity of the books. Hosea lived in a period of war and anarchy in the middle of the 8th century BC. Hosea took as his wife a prostitute who had three children by others and then left him. But Hosea brought her back publicly and took her again to himself. At the heart of Hosea's preaching is a gospel of redeeming love. What the Lord Wants . . . In this reading the Lord speaks with a message that if Israel will but return to the Lord, God will heal and revive Israel. Image of Spring rains is of the rebirth of the earth after the Spring rain. The comment about what the Lord really desires being steadfast love and knowledge of God is a central theme of Hosea. And is echoed in among other passages our day’s Gospel reading Matthew 9.13 and the Psalm. On the third day what? “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. . . “ This is an apparent and striking parallel with the resurrection of Jesus.

Duccio, Hosea, 1308-11. Tempera on wood, 42,5 x 16 cm. Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena. Hosea's roll gives the following comment on the scene Flight into Egypt: "Ex Egipto vocavi filium meum" (Hosea 11, l: I have called my son out of Egypt). Raphael, The Prophets Hosea and Jonah, c. 1510. Ink, wash, & chalk drawing, 10 5/16 x 7 7/8 in. National Gallery Washington.

Psalm 50:7-15 Deus deorum7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak: "O Israel, I will bear witness against you; * for I am God, your God. 8 I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; * your offerings are always before me. 9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, * nor he-goats out of your pens; 10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine, * the herds in their thousands upon the hills. Psalm 50:7-15 Deus deorum 11 I know every bird in the sky, * and the creatures of the fields are in my sight. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, * for the whole world is mine and all that is in it. 13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, * or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving * and make good your vows to the Most High. 15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; * I will deliver you, and you shall honor me." Psalm 50: A liturgy of divine judgment.

The particular part chosen for the reading concerns sacrifices. The people have brought sacrifices in abundance, but this is not what God wants. God’s demand is rather for thanksgiving and prayer.

Romans 4:13-25

The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they would inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations“)

Romans 4:13-25

-- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old.)

Romans 4:13-25 or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. Paul’s argument continues. This week as last, Paul continues his argument that it is faith and not the law or works that leads to Salvation. His example is Abraham, who was righteous at a time before the Law. It was his faith and not adherence to the Law that led to his salvation. Abraham Justified By Faith, Not By Works. Paul's understanding of Genesis is that Abraham's faith in God was credited to him as righteousness. God's blessing belongs not to those who perfectly obey the law – not possible - but to those who in faith accept God's free gift of forgiveness. This justification of Abraham occurred before he was circumcised and therefore cannot have been dependent upon circumcision but only upon faith. The true descendants of Abraham are those who have faith in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles. Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said,

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself,

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district. Jarius’ Daughter. The Action. The action here is complex. Healings. The healings here echo those in Hosea. Note: one is in response to the request of an official. The other is an ill woman in the street. Social opposites. Both are uncharacteristically public. The Calling of Matthew.

Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600. Oil on canvas, 322 x 340 cm. Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome. This is one of Caravaggio’s most famous works, in a chapel devoted to S. Matthew. Opposite it is the Martyrdom of S. Matthew. Caravaggio is noted for his use of extreme light and dark, and for the “realism” of the various characters other than Jesus and Peter. Note the contemporary costumes except for the robes of Jesus and Peter. The setting is thought to be like a basement level tavern common in 17th c. Rome. The arm and hand gestures of Jesus and Matthew imitate those of God and Adam in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam from the Sistine Ceiling. Hendrick Terbruggen, The Calling of St Matthew, 1621. Oil on canvas, 102 x 137 cm. Centraal Museum, Utrecht. Terbruggen was a member of the “Utrecht School” of artists in Holland who imitated the style of Caravaggio with its strong contrast of light and dark and population of earthy characters.