St. Martin's Church

Prime Timers

The Prime Timers were a Bible study group at St. Martin's for eight years. One of the goals of our founder Jackie Rose was to have a weekly web page for the group and all the pages are still online here. The group disbanded but the readings below are being kept up to date.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, October 25 are from the Lectionary Year A Proper 25: Track 1: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 or Track 2: Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18; Psalm 1 and for both: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and Matthew 22:34-46. The text is from the Bible Study Tools - New International Version.

Track 1:

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

¹ Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, ³ the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. ⁴ Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” ⁵ And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. ⁶ He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. ⁷ Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. ⁸ The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

⁹ Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, ¹¹ who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. ¹² For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling place
     throughout all generations.

² Before the mountains were born
     or you brought forth the whole world,
     from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You turn people back to dust, saying,
     “Return to dust, you mortals.”

⁴ A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by,
     or like a watch in the night.

⁵ Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
     they are like the new grass of the morning:

⁶ In the morning it springs up new,
     but by evening it is dry and withered.

¹³ Relent, LORD! How long will it be?
     Have compassion on your servants.

¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
     that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
     for as many years as we have seen trouble.

¹⁶ May your deeds be shown to your servants,
     your splendor to their children.

¹⁷ May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
     establish the work of our hands for us—
     yes, establish the work of our hands.

or Track 2:

Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18

¹ The LORD said to Moses,

² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

¹⁵ “ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. ¹⁶ “ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.

¹⁷ “ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. ¹⁸ “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
     or stand in the way that sinners take
     or sit in the company of mockers,

² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
     and who meditates on his law day and night.

³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
     They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
     nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
     but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

and for both:

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

¹ You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. ² We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. ³ For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. ⁴ On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. ⁵ You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. ⁶ We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. ⁷ Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, ⁸ so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Matthew 22:34-46

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. ⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

    ⁴⁴ “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
       “Sit at my right hand
        until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

⁴⁵ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Thanks to Bible Study Tools for today's text.