Readings for Year 3 (Luke) The preaching texts are always listed first. From September through the Third Sunday of Advent, the preaching texts are taken from the Old Testament and a brief selection from the Gospel of Luke is noted in parentheses as an additional reading. From Christmas until Easter, a corresponding psalm and psalm verse are noted in parentheses. These accompanying readings are optional. September 9 Fifteenth Sunday after Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8 Creation, Garden of Eden, fall into sin (Luke 11:4, forgive our sins, save us from the time of trial) September 16 Sixteenth Sunday after Genesis 15:1-6 God promises Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars. Abraham believed the Lord and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Luke 3:8, People are to bear the fruit of repentance, for God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones) September 23 Seventeenth Sunday after Genesis 37:3-8, 26-34; 50:15-21 Joseph s dreams lead to family conflict and he is sold into slavery. Yet in the end Joseph forgives. Behind the scenes God works for good. (Luke 6:35, Love your enemies and you will be children of God, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked) September 30 Eighteenth Sunday after Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8 Passover: the blood of the lamb and unleavened bread signify God s sacrifice of the lamb God s deliverance (Luke 22:14-20, Jesus words at Passover, bread and cup are his body and blood)
October 7 Nineteenth Sunday after Exodus 32:1-14 Golden calf shows unfaithfulness at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses intercedes and God forgives. (Luke 23:34, Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing ) October 14 Twentieth Sunday after 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20; 2:1-10 Samuel s birth as God s answer to Hannah s prayer. She sings of God s care for the needy. (Luke 1:47-55, Mary s magnificat echoes Hannah s song) October 21 Twenty-First Sunday after 2 Samuel 7:1-17 God s promise to David concerning his heir, who will be God s Son and whose kingdom will endure forever (Luke 1:30-33, The angel tells Mary that she will bear the one who will receive the throne of his ancestor David) October 28 Twenty-Second Sunday after 1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:27-30, 41-43 Solomon fulfills the promise to David and builds the temple. It is a place of prayer for all nations (Luke 19:45-46, Jesus says the temple is to be a house of prayer; he cleanses it) November 4 Twenty-Third Sunday after 1 Kings 17:1-16 (or 17:1-24) Elijah and the widow; God s care for those on the margin (Luke 4:24-26, Jesus sermon about Elijah and the widow: God s mercy to an outsider) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 2
November 11 Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Jonah 1:1-17; 3:1-10 (4:1-11) Jonah s attempted escape from God, God s mercy on the repentant at Nineveh (Luke 18:3, Lord be merciful to me, a sinner) November 18 Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Isaiah 6:1-8 Call of Isaiah: Holy, holy, holy is God; the prophet s sin, cleansing, and sending (Luke 5:8-10, Peter says depart from me for I am a sinful man; Jesus says Peter will be catching people) November 25 Christ the King Sunday Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28; then 31:31-34 December 2 First Sunday of Advent Daniel 6:6-27 Jeremiah s words are written on a scroll. He calls for repentance, but the king burns the scroll and Jeremiah must produce another. His message promises a new covenant. (Luke 22:19-20, At the last supper: This cup is the new covenant in Jesus blood) Daniel in the lions den; deliverance; hope for God s kingdom which shall never be destroyed (Luke 23:1-5, False charges against Jesus. Pilate says Jesus is innocent, but the charges lead to condemnation) December 9 Second Sunday of Advent Joel 2:12-13, 28-29 Turning to a merciful God, promise of the Spirit (Luke 11:13, God s gift of the Spirit to people) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 3
December 16 Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 61:1-11 December 23 Fourth Sunday of Advent Luke 1:26-49 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the oppressed, liberty to the captives, to make an everlasting covenant (Luke 4:16-21, Jesus sermon at Nazareth: Isaiah 61 is fulfilled in him) Announcement of Jesus birth to Mary; he will receive the throne of David and be Son of God (Psalm 113 or 113:9) December 24 Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-14 (or 2:1-20) Birth of Jesus (Psalm 96 or 96:3) December 25 Christmas Day Luke 2:8-20 Shepherds visit the infant Jesus or Matt 2:1-12, The Magi (Psalm 123:1-2 or 123:2) December 30 First Sunday of Christmas Luke 2:21-38 Simeon and Anna, Lord now you let your servant depart in peace, my eyes have seen your salvation (Psalm 131 or 131:3) January 6 Epiphany Luke 3:1-22 John baptizes, bear fruit worthy of repentance, share what you have (Psalm 51:6-17 or 51:13) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 4
January 13 Second Sunday after Epiphany Luke 4:14-30 Sermon at Nazareth (Isaiah fulfilled, Elijah and widow, Elisha and Naaman) (Psalm 146 or 146:7b-8) January 20 Third Sunday after Epiphany Luke 5:1-11 Great catch of fish, Peter will fish for people (option: 5:12-16, Healing a leper) (Psalm 90:14-17 or 90:17b) January 27 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Luke 6:1-16 Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (plucking grain, healing a man) and call of disciples (Psalm 92 or 92:4) February 3 Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Luke 7:1-17 February 10 Transfiguration Luke 9:28-45 Healing the centurion's slave by a word and raising the widow's son at Nain (Psalm 119:105-107 or 119:107) Transfiguration, healing a boy with a demon, passion prediction (Psalm 36:5-10 or 36:9) February 13 Ash Wednesday Luke 9:51-62 Jesus starts for Jerusalem, rejected in Samaria, Don t put your hand to the plow and turn back (the challenge of following Jesus) (Psalm 5:7-8 or 5:8) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 5
February 17 First Sunday in Lent Luke 10:25-42 Parable of the Good Samaritan (Psalm 15 or 15:1) February 24 Second Sunday in Lent Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 The tower in Siloam and need for repentance, parable of fig tree that bore no fruit, lament over Jerusalem (Psalm 122 or 122:6) March 3 Third Sunday in Lent Luke 15:1-32 March 10 Fourth Sunday in Lent Luke 16:19-31 Parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, Prodigal Son (Psalm 119:167-176 or 119:176) Parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Psalm 41:1-3 or 41:1) March 17 Fifth Sunday in Lent Luke 18:31-19:10 March 24 Palm Sunday Luke 19:29-44 Healing a blind man, meeting Zacchaeus. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Psalm 84:1-4, 10-12 or 84:10) Triumphal entry, weeping over the city because it does not know what makes for peace (Psalm 118:19-23 or 118:20) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 6
March 28 Maundy Thursday Luke 22:1-27 Preparation for the Last Supper, Words of Institution, Jesus is one who serves (Psalm 34:8-10 or 34:8) March 29 Good Friday Luke 23:32-47 Crucifixion, Father forgive them, Today in Paradise, Into your hands I commend my Spirit (Psalm 31:5-13 or 31:5a) March 31 Easter Luke 24:1-16 April 7 Second Sunday of Easter Luke 24:13-35 Empty tomb, women perplexed, bring the message. (Psalm 118:17, 21-24 or 118:22) Emmaus road, Our hearts burned along the road, as he opened to us the Scriptures (Psalm 30 or 30:11) April 14 Third Sunday of Easter Acts 6:1 7:2a, 44-60 Controversy in the early church; some set aside for service. Stephen forgives and is martyred. (Luke 23:33-34a, 46; Jesus said Father forgive them and Into your hands I commit my spirit ) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 7
April 21 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 8:26-39 April 28 Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 15:1-17 Ethiopian reads the Scriptures, comes to believe (Luke 24:44-47, Jesus opened the Scriptures; forgiveness to be preached to all nations) Council at Jerusalem, Faith gives identity to both Jews and Gentiles (Luke 2:29-32, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of God's people Israel) May 5 Sixth Sunday of Easter Galatians 1:13-17; 2:11-21 Paul s former life Conflict with Peter at Antioch Justification by faith, living by faith (Luke 18:9-14, the tax collector who desires mercy is justified) May 12 Seventh Sunday of Easter Galatians 3:1-9, 23-29 Neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; one in Christ (Luke 1:68-73, God keeping his promise to Abraham) May 19 Acts 2:1-4; Galatians 4:1-7 ; God pours the Spirit into our hearts so we can call on God as Father. and/or Galatians 5:16-26 Fruit of the Spirit (Luke 11:11-13, God gives the Holy Spirit to his children) Rev. March 6, 2013 http://www. narrativelectionary.org 8