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Notable Feast Days this Week:

October 2 - Damaris of Athens, Acts 17:34 (Eastern)
October 3 - Rosh Hashana (OT New Year)
October 4 - Francis of Assisi, 1226 (Western)
October 5 - First Day of Succoth (OT Feast of Booths) 15 Tishri
October 6 - St. Thomas, Apostle (Eastern)
October 7 - Osyth, England, 675
October 8 - 4th Ecumenical Council convened, 451 (Chalcedon)

Revised Common Lectionary

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Psalm 19
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80:7-15
Philippians 3:4b-14
Matthew 21:33-46

Daily Readings
Liturgical Color - Green

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Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost October 8, 2017 (Year A)

The Beauty of Righteousness and Faith in Christ

God gave the law through Moses so that we would learn to honor Him as the true God, and find rest and freedom living according to His word (Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20). We can see that God created the universe by looking at the beauty of His creation and meditating on His words (Psalm 19). God has provided salvation for us in spite of our unfaithfulness (Psalm 80:7-15). In response, we are called to live in faith, knowing that our righteousness is only found in Christ (Philippians 3:4b-14). He is the only sure foundation for a fruitful life (Matthew 21:33-46).

Psalms of the Week

Scripture Readings

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth...

Psalm 80:7-15

Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches...

Commentary on Psalm 19
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon,
John Paul II, Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Psalm 80
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon,
John Paul II

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The commandments given at Sinai

Isaiah 5:1-7
The song of the vineyard

Philippians 3:4b-14
Nothing surpasses knowing Christ

Matthew 21:33:46
The parable of the vineyard owner's son

Audio
Matthew 21, Exodus 20, Isaiah 5, Philippians 3, Psalm 19, Psalm 80

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year

Chronological

Further Resources

Video Overviews: Matthew 14-28, Philippians, Exodus 19-40 - The Bible Project
Commentary: Matthew 21:33-46, Philippians 3:4b-14, Exodus 20 - The Sermon Writer
The Bible in Context: Plot in Biblical Narrative - The Bible Project
Songs and Artwork: Psalm 19:9-11, Psalm 19:7-8, Philippians 3 - The Verses Project

Prayer

"Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen." - The Book of Common Prayer

Contemplative Prayer (Click to View)

Morning Prayer (Click to View)

Spotify Playlist

Singing Psalms and Hymns

Hymn Suggestions for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost from Hymnary.org

Hymns for Matthew 21:33-46, Philippians 3:4b-14, Exodus 20 | The Sermon Writer

Free PDF Download of the songbook from the 2017 Getty Worship Conference

Most Merciful God | by Chris Pearse | Leadsheets

The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19) | by Bruce Benedict | Leadsheet

Psalm 19 (The Heavens Declare) | by Chad Randall and Shane Heilman | Leadsheet

Psalm 19 (SATB) | Harmony by David Peebles / Text by Thomas Sternhold | Leadsheet

Psalm 19 Refrain (Lord You Have the Words) | by Ann Celeen Dohms | Refrain + Cantor on pg. 100 of Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship

Restore Us O God (Psalm 80) | by Greg Scheer & Naaman Wood | Leadsheet

Psalm 80 (Tune: Bryn Calfaria) | Music by William Owen 1852 | Leadsheet |Leadsheet (Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor)

Restoration (Psalm 80) | by James Block | Chords on pg. 4

Psalm 80 | by Sons of Korah | Chord Chart

Psalm 19 Refrain | from The Emergent Psalter | Leadsheet

Psalm 80 Refrain | from The Emergent Psalter | Leadsheet

Psalm 19 and 80 Anglican Chant | Anglican Chant Psalter

Psalm 19 Metrical Options

Psalm 80 Metrical Options

Commentary on Matthew 21:33-46

"Observe the great care that the owner took with this place and the extraordinary recalcitrance of the people. He himself did the work the tenants should have done. It was he who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a winepress in it and built a tower. He left little for them to do. All they had to do was take care of what was there and to preserve what was given to them. Nothing was left undone but all accomplished. But they made little effort to be productive, even after they had enjoyed such great blessings from him." -Chrysostom

More Historical Commentary
(View and Download)

Music for Listening

Thematic Art

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