Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Verse 34. “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. Verse 35. “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. Verse 36. My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns. Verse 37. My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, Verse 38. but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’ Verse 42. So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! Verse 43. Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ Verse 44. and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son. Verse 45. And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ Verse 46. She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Verse 47. Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. Verse 48. Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. Verse 49. Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.” Verse 58. They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied. Verse 59. So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. Verse 60. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” Verse 61. Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. Verse 62. Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev. Verse 63. Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching. Verse 64. And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel Verse 65. and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Verse 66. Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done. Verse 67. And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

PSALM

Psalm 45:10-17

Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house,

and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord.

The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor.

All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.

In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you.

They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.

Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land.

I will commemorate your name through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.

PSALM

Song of Solomon 2:8-13

Listen! My beloved approaches. Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.

My beloved calls to me, “Arise, my darling. Come away with me, my beautiful one.

For now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.

The flowers have appeared in the countryside; the season of singing has come, and the cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.

The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come away, my darling; come away with me, my beautiful one.”

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Zechariah 9:9-12

Verse 9. Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Verse 10. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. Verse 11. As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. Verse 12. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double.

PSALM

Psalm 145:8-14

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.

The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.

All You have made will give You thanks, O LORD, and Your saints will bless You.

They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might,

to make known to men Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful in all His words and kind in all His actions.

The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

SECOND READING

Romans 7:15-25a

Verse 15. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. Verse 16. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. Verse 17. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Verse 18. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Verse 19. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Verse 20. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Verse 21. So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. Verse 22. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. Verse 23. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. Verse 24. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Verse 25. Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

GOSPEL

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Verse 16. To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: Verse 17. ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ Verse 18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ Verse 19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.” Verse 25. At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Verse 26. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. Verse 27. All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Verse 28. Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Verse 29. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Verse 30. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”