Home > Reading > Daily Reading – May 22, 2020

Jer. 2:29–3:5

2:29 Why do you try to refute me?

All of you have rebelled against me,”

says the Lord.

30“It did no good for me to punish your people.

They did not respond to such correction.

You slaughtered your prophets

like a voracious lion.”

31You people of this generation,

listen to the Lord’s message:

“Have I been like a wilderness to you, Israel?

Have I been like a dark and dangerous land to you?

Why then do you say, ‘We are free to wander.

We will not come to you anymore?’

32Does a young woman forget to put on her jewels?

Does a bride forget to put on her bridal attire?

But my people have forgotten me

for more days than can even be counted.

33“My, how good you have become

at chasing after your lovers!

Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!

34Even your clothes are stained with

the lifeblood of the poor who had not done anything wrong;

you did not catch them breaking into your homes.

Yet, in spite of all these things you have done,

35you say, ‘I have not done anything wrong,

so the Lord cannot really be angry with me any more.’

But, watch out! I will bring down judgment on you

because you say, ‘I have not committed any sin.’

36Why do you constantly go about

changing your political allegiances?

You will get no help from Egypt

just as you got no help from Assyria.

37Moreover, you will come away from Egypt

with your hands covering your faces in sorrow and shame

because the Lord will not allow your reliance on them to be successful

and you will not gain any help from them.

3:1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife,

he may not take her back again.

Doing that would utterly defile the land.

But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods.

So what makes you think you can return to me?”

says the Lord.

2“Look up at the hilltops and consider this.

Where have you not been ravished?

You waited for those gods like a thief lying in wait in the wilderness.

You defiled the land by your wicked prostitution to other gods.

3That is why the rains have been withheld

and the spring rains have not come.

Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute.

You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.

4Even now you say to me, ‘You are my father!

You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.

5You will not always be angry with me, will you?

You will not be mad at me forever, will you?’

That is what you say,

but you continually do all the evil that you can.”

(NET Bible)

Ps. 119:97–104

119:97 מ (Mem)

O how I love your law!

All day long I meditate on it.

98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of them.

99I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your rules.

100I am more discerning than those older than I,

for I observe your precepts.

101I stay away from every evil path,

so that I might keep your instructions.

102I do not turn aside from your regulations,

for you teach me.

103Your words are sweeter

in my mouth than honey!

104Your precepts give me discernment.

Therefore I hate all deceitful actions.

(NET Bible)

Luke 24:13–35

24:13 Now that very day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. 15While they were talking and debating these things, Jesus himself approached and began to accompany them 16(but their eyes were kept from recognizing him). 17Then he said to them, “What are these matters you are discussing so intently as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19He said to them, “What things?” “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied, “a man who, with his powerful deeds and words, proved to be a prophet before God and all the people; 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Not only this, but it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back and said they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25So he said to them, “You foolish people—how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures.

28So they approached the village where they were going. He acted as though he wanted to go farther, 29but they urged him, “Stay with us because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.” So he went in to stay with them.

30When he had taken his place at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished out of their sight. 32They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” 33So they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered together 34and saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

(NET Bible)

[Luther writes,] “What else can Solomon intend with so many words (Prov. 4:24-27), do you think, than to keep us on the straight (schnurgleichen) path, that only God’s Word and way may stand out before our eyes, and no bypath, be it to the right or to the left, good or bad. But now man’s teachings are but mere bypaths and not the divine way (Richtstrasse).” (21)

–Johann Michael Reu, Luther on the Scriptures

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

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