Readings
Exodus 33:12-23: Moses pleads with God for God’s presence to go with the Israelites, which is what will distinguish them from other nations, and God promises to do so. Then Moses asks to see God’s glory and God agrees to pass by Moses, speaking God’s name, while hiding Moses in a cleft in the rock, and then to then allow Moses to see God’s back, but not God’s face.
OR Isaiah 45:1-7: A prophecy about Cyrus and how God has prepared his way and given him power and position for the sake of God’s people, though he does not know God, and God has strengthened him so that the whole world will know that God is God.
Psalm 99: A call to honour and worship God, because God is holy and mighty, and has answered Moses, Aaron and Samuel when they prayed, and has shown that God is forgiving and just.
OR Psalm 96:1-9 (10-13): A call to sing to God and praise God’s name, because God is mighty, majestic and beautiful and God deserves to be worshipped, and God is coming to judge the earth justly with righteousness and truth.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10: Paul expresses his joy and gratitude for the Thessalonian church, for their faith, hope and love, and for the way they have witnessed to Christ in their part of the world, spreading the word they received in the Holy Spirit’s power, in spite of their suffering.
Matthew 22:15-22: The religious leaders try to trap Jesus by asking him whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus responds by asking for a coin, and asking whose inscription is on it. When they reply that it is Caesar’s, Jesus tells them to give Caesar what is Caesar’s and to give God what is God’s.
(Summary of Bible readings by John van de Laar, Sacredise)
Church of Scotland Weekly Worship resources
