Readings for Revised Common Lectionary, Cycle A

September 24, 2017 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20, Lectionary 25)

The semi-continuous alternative First Reading and associated Psalm appear after the Gospel.

FIRST READING: Jonah 3:10 – 4:11

10When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned. 4:1Jonah was really upset and angry. 2So he prayed: "Our LORD, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn't destroy Nineveh. That's why I left my own country and headed for Spain. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone, not even foreigners. "3Now let me die! I'd be better off dead. 4The LORD replied, "What right do you have to be angry?" "5Jonah then left through the east gate of the city and made a shelter to protect himself from the sun. He sat under the shelter, waiting to see what would happen to Nineveh. "6The LORD made a vine grow up to shade Jonah's head and protect him from the sun. Jonah was very happy to have the vine, 7but early the next morning the LORD sent a worm to chew on the vine, and the vine dried up. 8During the day the LORD sent a scorching wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head, making him feel faint. Jonah was ready to die, and he shouted, "I wish I were dead!" "9But the LORD asked, "Jonah, do you have the right to be angry about the vine?" ""Yes, I do," he answered, "and I'm angry enough to die." "10But the LORD said: "You are concerned about a vine that you did not plant or take care of, a vine that grew up in one night and died the next. 11In that city of Nineveh there are more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot tell right from wrong, and many cattle are also there. Don't you think I should be concerned about that big city?

PSALMODY: Psalm 145:1-8

1I will praise you, my God and King, "and always honor your name. "2I will praise you each day and always honor your name. "3You are wonderful, LORD, and you deserve all praise, "because you are much greater "than anyone can understand.

"4Each generation will announce to the next "your wonderful and powerful deeds. "5I will keep thinking about your marvelous glory "and your mighty miracles. "6Everyone will talk about your fearsome deeds, "and I will tell all nations how great you are. "7They will celebrate and sing "about your matchless mercy and your power to save.

"8You are merciful, LORD! "You are kind and patient and always loving.

SECOND READING: Philippians 1:21-30

"21If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. 22I don't know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful. 23It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better. 24-25But I know that all of you still need me. That's why I am sure I will stay on to help you grow and be happy in your faith. 26Then, when I visit you again, you will have good reason to take great pride in Christ Jesus because of me. "27Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and that you are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news. "28Be brave when you face your enemies. Your courage will show them that they are going to be destroyed, and it will show you that you will be saved. God will make all of this happen, 29and he has blessed you. Not only do you have faith in Christ, but you suffer for him. 30You saw me suffer, and you still hear about my troubles. Now you must suffer in the same way.

GOSPEL: Matthew 20:1-16

As Jesus was telling what the kingdom of heaven would be like, he said: "Early one morning a man went out to hire some workers for his vineyard. 2After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day's work, he sent them off to his vineyard."3About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do. 4He said he would pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard. 5So they went. "At noon and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were loafing around with nothing to do. "6Finally, about five in the afternoon the man went back and found some others standing there. He asked them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?" "7"Because no one has hired us," they answered. Then he told them to go work in his vineyard. "8That evening the owner of the vineyard told the man in charge of the workers to call them in and give them their money. He also told the man to begin with the ones who were hired last. 9When the workers arrived, the ones who had been hired at five in the afternoon were given a full day's pay. "10The workers who had been hired first thought they would be given more than the others. But when they were given the same, 11they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard. 12They said, "The ones who were hired last worked for only one hour. But you paid them the same that you did us. And we worked in the hot sun all day long!" "13The owner answered one of them, "Friend, I didn't cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on. 14Take your money now and go! What business is it of yours if I want to pay them the same that I paid you? 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you be jealous, if I want to be generous?" "16Jesus then said, "So it is. Everyone who is now first will be last, and everyone who is last will be first."

Semi-continuous alternative First Reading and associated Psalm FIRST READING: Exodus 16:2-15

2There in the desert they started complaining to Moses and Aaron, 3"We wish the LORD had killed us in Egypt. When we lived there, we could at least sit down and eat all the bread and meat we wanted. But you have brought us out here into this desert, where we are going to starve." "4The LORD said to Moses, "I will send bread down from heaven like rain. Each day the people can go out and gather only enough for that day. That's how I will see if they obey me. 5But on the sixth day of each week they must gather and cook twice as much." "6Moses and Aaron told the people, "This evening you will know that the LORD was the one who rescued you from Egypt. 7And in the morning you will see his glorious power, because he has heard your complaints against him. Why should you grumble to us? Who are we?" "8Then Moses continued, "You will know it is the LORD when he gives you meat each evening and more than enough bread each morning. He is really the one you are complaining about, not us"we are nobodies"but the LORD has heard your complaints." "9Moses turned to Aaron and said, "Bring the people together, because the LORD has heard their complaints." "10Aaron was speaking to them, when everyone looked out toward the desert and saw the bright glory of the LORD in a cloud. 11The LORD said to Moses, 12"I have heard my people complain. Now tell them that each evening they will have meat and each morning they will have more than enough bread. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God." "13That evening a lot of quails came and landed everywhere in the camp, and the next morning dew covered the ground. 14After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost. 15The people had never seen anything like this, and they started asking each other, "What is it?" "Moses answered, "This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

PSALM: 105:1-6, 37-45

1Praise the LORD and pray in his name! "Tell everyone what he has done. "2Sing praises to the LORD! Tell about his miracles. "3Celebrate and worship his holy name with all your heart.

"4Trust the LORD and his mighty power. "5Remember his miracles and all his wonders "and his fair decisions. "6You belong to the family of Abraham, his servant; "you are his chosen ones, the descendants of Jacob.

""37When God led Israel from Egypt, "they took silver and gold, and no one was left behind. "38The Egyptians were afraid and gladly let them go. "39God hid them under a cloud "and guided them by fire during the night.

"40When they asked for food, "he sent more birds than they could eat. "41God even split open a rock, "and streams of water gushed into the desert. "42God never forgot his sacred promise " to his servant Abraham.

"43When the LORD rescued his chosen people from Egypt, "they celebrated with songs. "44The LORD gave them the land "and everything else the nations had worked for. "45He did this so that his people "would obey all of his laws. "Shout praises to the LORD!