Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Jeremiah 3:1-14

Verse 1. “If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers — and you would return to Me?” Verse 2. “Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. Verse 3. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed. Verse 4. Have you not just called to Me, ‘My Father, You are my friend from youth. Verse 5. Will He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?’ This you have spoken, but you keep doing all the evil you can.” Verse 6. Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there. Verse 7. I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. Verse 8. She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. Verse 9. Indifferent to her own infidelity, Israel had defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. Verse 10. Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD. Verse 11. And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than unfaithful Judah. Verse 12. Go, proclaim this message toward the north: ‘Return, O faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will no longer look on you with anger, for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will not be angry forever. Verse 13. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” Verse 14. “Return, O faithless children,” declares the LORD, “for I am your master, and I will take you — one from a city and two from a family — and bring you to Zion.

PSALM

Psalm 58

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.

Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,

refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.

O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.

May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.

Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.

Before your pots can feel the burning thorns— whether green or dry— He will sweep them away.

The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Isaiah 2:12-17

Verse 12. For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted— it will be humbled— Verse 13. against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan, Verse 14. against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills, Verse 15. against every high tower, against every fortified wall, Verse 16. against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel. Verse 17. So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

PSALM

Psalm 119:65-72

You are good to Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word.

You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.

Their hearts are callous and insensitive, but I delight in Your law.

It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

SECOND READING

Titus 1:1-9

Verse 1. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, Verse 2. in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Verse 3. In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior. Verse 4. To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Verse 5. The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Verse 6. An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. Verse 7. As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach — not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Verse 8. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. Verse 9. He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.