Saturday in Advent — Open Word

FIRST READING

Ezekiel 36:24-28

Verse 24. For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land. Verse 25. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. Verse 26. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Verse 27. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. Verse 28. Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.

PSALM

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. You showed favor to Your land, O LORD; You restored Jacob from captivity.

You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin.

I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.

Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together; righteousness and peace have kissed.

Faithfulness sprouts from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed provide what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps.

SECOND READING

Mark 11:27-33

Verse 27. After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him. Verse 28. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?” Verse 29. “I will ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. Verse 30. John’s baptism — was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!” Verse 31. They deliberated among themselves what they should answer: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ Verse 32. But if we say, ‘From men’ ...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet. Verse 33. So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”