Lectionary Guide
In January-March 2012, our lectionary passages span from the season of Epiphany through the end of Lent. Christ, who was made manifest to the rest of the world for the first time through the visit of the wise men from the East, grows up from childhood to adulthood. As Simeon predicted in the temple, Jesus reveals himself to be the light of the world and is on the path to the cross. As Simeon added, the death of the son will pierce the heart of the mother Mary, but his precious sacrifice will bring rest and salvation to the world bending low under life’s crushing load. The Annunciation on March 25, which coincides with the Fifth Sunday in Lent this year, reminds us again that Christ who died on the cross came to us as a baby in Mary’s womb.
Epiphany of the Lord: January 6, 2012
Isaiah 60:1-6. Second Isaiah prophesies about the imminent end of the exile. A future that they could not have imagined was on the horizon. Their restoration will have an impact upon many nations, who will join their praise of God.
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14. One of the two psalms marked as Of Solomon in the superscription, this psalm prays for the king’s rule of justice and wisdom (2 Chron 1:10-12). It invites the congregation to dwell on the reign of righteousness of the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 3:1-12. The “mystery” of God’s promise to unite Jew and Gentile in open access to God through Christ has been revealed through apostles and prophets like Paul. The church is the present-day vehicle of God to proclaim this divine wisdom.
Matthew 2:1-12. After speaking to Herod, three Magi find Jesus and offer him gifts. Warned in a dream, they do not return to Herod.
Baptism of the Lord: January 8, 2012
Genesis 1:1-5. God’s creation brings order to the world of chaos represented by the mythical watery powers. The first day of creation features light that transforms darkness into luminescence.
Psalm 29. This hymn celebrates God’s supremacy over nature. The majestic voice of the Lord proclaims the divine power that promises peace for the people of God.
Acts 19:1-7. Followers of John the Baptist had not heard that the one John had foretold had indeed come. They needed to be baptized under the authority of that new Lord, Jesus. Paul does so and the new believers experience the Spirit of Pentecost as Jesus’ disciples did in Acts 2.
Mark 1:4-11. John the Baptist, identified as a prophet by his clothing, baptizes Jesus in the Jordon and God proclaims Jesus as his beloved son.
Second Sunday after Epiphany: January 15, 2012
1 Samuel 3:1-10. (11-20). The call of Samuel, who was yet too young to recognize the origin of the voice calling him, marks a new juncture in the history of Israel that was emerging out of the turbulent times described in the Book of Judges.
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18. The psalmist portrays God who knows all about humans, marveling at the wondrous ways God created them.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Whether by avoiding the wrong food or illicit sex, the body must be taken care of by avoiding sins against a “temple of the Holy Spirit,” our physical selves Christ’s bodily sacrifice speaks to the need to “glorify God” with our bodies.
John 1:43-51. After being called by Jesus, Philip tells his brother Nathanial that he has found the Messiah, and Nathanial wonders what good could come from Nazareth.
Third Sunday after Epiphany: January 22, 2012
Jonah 3:1-5, 10. Though Jonah’s story begins as the journey of a recalcitrant prophet, his single-sentence sermon produces a huge impact that leads to the repentance and forgiveness of Nineveh.
Psalm 62:5-12. The psalmist calls upon the congregation to acknowledge God’s great power that offers hope and deliverance. The theme of waiting serves as a refrain of the psalm.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31. For Paul, the impending return of the Lord Jesus meant that believers needed to put all else, whether marriage relations, the joys and sorrows of life, personal possessions or worldly interactions, in their proper perspective.
Mark 1:14-20. Jesus calls his first 4 disciples to let go (afiemi) of their occupations and families and follow him.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: January 29, 2012
Deuteronomy 18:15-20. The passage defines the prophet as the spokesperson of God and lifts up Moses as the quintessential model of a prophet.
Psalm 111. In this acrostic psalm, which must have been designed as a teaching tool, the psalmist offers a series of thoughts on what one ought to know about the Lord.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13. In Corinth, well-to-do believers participate in dinner parties celebrated in honor of temple gods, without regard to the faith of those too poor to participate and who wonder about the propriety of such practices. Paul decries the division this brings in the Christian community of Corinth.
Mark 1:21-28. In Capernaum, Jesus preaches in the synagogue and casts an unclean spirit out of a man to the amazement of the crowd.
Presentation of the Lord: February 2, 2012
Malachi 3:1-4. God announces that “my messenger” (the literal meaning of the name Malachi) will come and purify the worship of the people of God by demanding that righteousness accompany their offerings.
Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10. In Psalm 84, the psalmist says the prayer of a pilgrim longing to be in God’s presence. Psalm 24 welcomes the coming of the Lord with jubilation.
Hebrews 2:14-18. The humanity of Jesus adds to his identification with those for whom he died. His suffering and death makes him a true high priest, one who authentically stands with God’s children–the brothers and sisters of Christ.
Luke 2:22-40. Jesus is brought to the temple and two doves and pigeons are sacrificed—a sign of their poverty. A man named Simeon and the prophetess, Anna, praise Jesus as a light to the Gentiles and a sign for those looking for the redemption of Israel.
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany: February 5, 2012
Isaiah 40:21-31. Second Isaiah bears testimony to God, who created the universe and rules over the course of history. The prophet proclaims that this God will also give strength to the powerless, so that they may continue the work that they are commissioned to do.
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c. The psalmist praises God the Creator, who will display power through rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering the scattered people of God.
1 Corinthians 9:16-23. Paul affirms that he will adjust to social or religious contexts as needed in order to fulfill his “obligation”–the call to proclaim the gospel to people from all walks of life.
Mark 1:29-39. Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law and a multitude that are brought to him. After Jesus goes to the wilderness to pray, he takes the disciples into the surrounding villages to preach.
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany: February 12, 2012
2 Kings 5:1-14. Naaman, the foreign general of an enemy nation, finds healing from his leprosy through the intermediating word of a captive girl and the healing instruction of the prophet Elisha.
Psalm 30. The psalmist gives thanks for deliverance from illness that threatens to bring him death. God’s redemption enables him to continue his praise. The superscription, though not read in the lection, indicates that the psalm was later appropriated as a communal thanksgiving reading.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Faith and its rewards call for discipline, consistency, and endurance, just like with athletes. The preacher in particular has to be careful to keep a balance in his or her life, lest he or she lose their way.
Mark 1:40-45. Jesus cures a leper and after telling him to say nothing, sends him to the temple according to the Law of Moses. Instead, the cured man goes out proclaiming freely, spreading Jesus’ fame and making it difficult for him to go out.
Transfiguration Sunday: February 19, 2012
2 Kings 2:1-12. Elisha, who asks for the double portion of Elijah’s spirit (an expression that means he wanted to be his successor), watches him ascend to heaven. Elisha will continue Elijah’s ministry.
Psalm 50:1-6. This psalm delivers the demand of justice from God who calls the people of the covenant to stay on the course of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 4:3-6. Paul contrasts the veiling of the truth of the gospel to unbelievers by the powers of this world with the revealed light that is the gospel of Christ. This light that shines in the darkness, the knowledge of Jesus Christ, is what we proclaim.
Mark 9:2-9. Jesus takes his disciples to the top of a mountain where his robes became gleaming white. Elijah and Moses appear, and the voice of God comes out of a cloud proclaiming Jesus as his beloved son.
Ash Wednesday: February 22, 2012
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12. Joel announces the day of the Lord. Though the day will be one of darkness and doom, the prophet alludes to the chance of repentance and deliverance, though the decision is God’s alone.
Psalm 51:1-17. Probably the best known psalm of penitence, Psalm 51 conveys the deep sense of guilt and an equally profound sense of trust in God who will forgive a contrite heart.
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10. Paul calls his readers to reconciliation with God and acceptance of the true marks of ministry, which include both hardships and triumphs.
Matt 6:1-6, 16-21. Jesus teaches against false piety that is practiced in order to be seen by others and in favor of alms, prayer and fasting done in secret to be seen only by God.
First Sunday in Lent: February 26, 2012
Genesis 9:8-17. In this moving story about the origin of the rainbow, God the divine warrior who had to judge the sinfulness of the earth puts away the bow. God gives an everlasting promise that the world will never see the devastation of the flood again.
Psalm 25:1-10. The psalmist prays for God’s protection, expressing trust in God and his desire to learn the Lord’s path of steadfast love and faithfulness.
1 Peter 3:18-22. Christ’s suffering and death is presented as necessary for bringing humanity closer to God, and his resurrection assures an authoritative proclamation to people everywhere.
Mark 1: 9-15. Jesus is baptized by John and immediately enters the wilderness to fast and be tempted by Satan. After the death of John, Jesus begins his Galilean ministry.
Second Sunday in Lent: March 4, 2012
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. El Shaddai (traditionally translated as God Almighty) appears to Abram and Sarai and changes their names to Abraham and Sarah. God promises them that they will be the progenitors of a multitude of nations. God gives them and their descendants an everlasting covenant–never to be annulled.
Psalm 22:23-31. The psalmist is grateful to God who delivers him or her from adversities. The whole community of faith (“those who fear the Lord”) is invited to join their thanksgiving.
Romans 4:13-25. Paul presents the faith that Abraham had in God’s promises to create nations of believers against all odds as the faith that justifies us. Law signals human frailty; faithfulness, even to the point of death, like of that of Jesus the Christ, overcomes sin and death, as exemplified by the resurrection of Jesus, which God made possible to signal new life for all.
Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9. In the former pericope, Jesus openly foretells his own death and resurrection, and rebukes Peter as Satan. Jesus tells the crowd that they will save their lives by losing them for his sake. In the latter pericope, Jesus takes his disciples to the top of a mountain where his robes became gleaming white. Elijah and Moses appear, and the voice of God comes out of a cloud proclaiming Jesus as his beloved son.
Third Sunday in Lent: March 11, 2012
Exodus 20:1-17. In this classic formulation of the stipulations of the covenant, the people are to keep them based on God’s act of deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.
Psalm 19. The psalmist juxtaposes the wonder of God’s creation with the delight of God’s teaching. Locating his or her place in the vast universe, the psalmist humbly recognizes the demand of God’s precepts and prays to be kept pure and away from sin.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25. Some in Corinth argue that to believe in a crucified Messiah is foolishness, but Paul counters that the wisdom of God lies in an ultimate sacrifice, the cross of Christ.
John 2: 13-22. Jesus drives the sellers of animals and the money changers out of the temple, and claims that if the temple were destroyed he would raise it up in three days.
Fourth Sunday in Lent: March 18, 2012
Numbers 21:4-9. The people who complain of paucity of food and water and of the poor quality of provisions are punished for their murmurings. Upon their repentance, the Lord institutes a means of healing through the bronze serpent. The image of a serpent represents healing in many cultures of antiquity.
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22. The Lord delivers the people of God and gathers them from all directions. Those who were punished for their sins will also find forgiveness and offer joyful thanksgivings.
Ephesians 2:1-10. Given the sinful human condition, it is only by the grace of God that we can have a new life in Christ. We don’t earn this grace by good works but do respond to it by doing good works that God has prepared beforehand for our new way of living in faith.
John 3:14-21. God sent the light into the world out of love for humanity and those who love the darkness instead of the light fear that the light will reveal their evil deeds.
Annunciation of the Lord: March 25, 2012
Isaiah 7:10-14. In spite of Ahaz’s banal attitude, Isaiah delivers God’s sign of hope. A young woman will give birth to a baby, who will be called Immanuel: “God is with us.” The Hebrew construction of the name Immanuel presupposes a question “Who is with us?”
Psalm 45 or Psalm 40:5-10. Psalm 45 celebrates a royal wedding, envisioning the reign of the king who administers justice and is found worthy of praise among the nations.
Hebrews 10:4-10. Citing the Psalmist and others of Israel’s Scriptures, in the Greek version, the author has Jesus pronounce words about the inefficacy of ancient animal sacrifices to eradicate sin. Instead, the body of Jesus, in obedience to God’s will, has been sacrificed once and for all to sanctify all of God’s people.
Luke 1:26-38. The angel Gabriel tells Mary that, although a virgin, she will bear a child, and that her aged relative, Elizabeth, although considered barren, is pregnant.
Fifth Sunday in Lent: March 25, 2012
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The prophet announces a new covenant, whose terms will be inscribed on the hearts of the people. They will know from their heart what they are supposed to do. Their sins will be completely erased.
Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16. Concerning Psalm 51, please see the comment for Ash Wednesday. Psalm 119:9-16 acknowledges the power of God’s word that keeps one pure and petitions that God teaches him or her God’s laws in which he or she delights.
Hebrews 5:5-10. Christ’s appointment by God as both Son and high priest–intermediary–for our salvation does not preclude suffering and the need for obedience in the midst of suffering on his part. That’s what made him a complete and eternal high priest, like the ancient and long-lasting priest/king, Melchizedek.
John 12:20-33. The arrival of Greeks seems to signal the hour when the Son of Man is to be glorified through death and resurrection, as a seed must die in order to grow into a plant.
