Lee Daniel Johnson

Luke 13: 1-9

13 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God. whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Luke 13:31-35

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Philippians 3:17-4:1

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Jeremiah 26:8-15

8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Psalm 4

4 

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
    You have given me relief when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

2 

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

3 

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 

Be angry, and do not sin;
    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

5 

Offer right sacrifices,
    and put your trust in the Lord.

6 

There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
    Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

7 

You have put more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8 

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Reminiscere 

Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy loving-kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.  Psalm 25:6

Let not mine enemies triumph over me; God of Israel, deliver us out of all our troubles Psalm 25: 2

(Ps. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I left up my soul: O my God, I trust in Thee; let me not be ashamed.”) Psalm 25:1

7 

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Luke 13:31-35

Lament over Jerusalem

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Psalm 91:1-13

91 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 

He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 

You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 

A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.

8 

You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge[b]—

10 

no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

11 

For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.

12 

On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 

You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

A mighty fortress is our God

1 A mighty fortress is our God,

a trusty shield and weapon;

he helps us free from ev’ry need

that has us now o’ertaken.

The old evil foe

now means deadly woe;

deep guile and great might

are his dread arms in fight;

on earth is not his equal.

2 With might of ours can naught be done,

soon were our loss effected;

but for us fights the valiant one

whom God himself elected.

You ask, “Who is this?”

Jesus Christ it is,

the almighty Lord,

and there’s no other God;

he holds the field forever.

3 Though devils all the world should fill,

all eager to devour us,

we tremble not, we fear no ill:

they shall not overpow’r us.

This world’s prince may still

scowl fierce as he will,

he can harm us none.

He’s judged; the deed is done;

one little word can fell him.

4 The Word they still shall let remain

nor any thanks have for it;

he’s by our side upon the plain

with his good gifts and Spirit.

And take they our life,

goods, fame, child, and wife,

though all may be gone,

our victory is won;

the kingdom’s ours forever!

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength

By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault

and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Luke 13:31-35

Lament over Jerusalem

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Luke 4:1-13

The Temptation of Jesus

4 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
    and him only shall you serve.’”

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    to guard you,’

11 and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O Lord God. You led Your ancient people through the wilderness

and brought them to the promised land. Guide the people of Your Church that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world toward the glory of the world to come;

through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen

Romans 10:8-13

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O Lord God. You led Your ancient people through the wilderness

and brought them to the promised land. Guide the people of Your Church that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world toward the glory of the world to come;

through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen