Daily Readings - Sun Jul 24 2022

²⁰And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;²¹I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.²²And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.²³And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?²⁴Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?²⁵That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?²⁶And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.²⁷And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:²⁸Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.²⁹And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.³⁰And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.³¹And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.³²And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Colossians

Chapter 2

¹²Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.¹³And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Luke

Chapter 11

¹And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.²And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.³Give us day by day our daily bread.⁴And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.⁵And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;⁶For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?⁷And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.⁸I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.⁹And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.¹⁰For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.¹¹If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?¹²Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?¹³If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on prayer, mercy, and our relationship with God. In the first reading from Genesis, Abraham intercedes with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, negotiating for the lives of the just. This passage highlights Abraham’s compassion and his boldness in prayer, showing that even the righteous can plead for others. It also reveals God’s willingness to listen and show mercy, even in the face of great sin. The second reading from Colossians reminds us of the transformative power of baptism and faith. Through Christ’s resurrection, we are forgiven and set free from the burdens of sin. This passage encourages us to live in the light of our new life in Christ, trusting in His mercy and grace. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray with confidence and persistence. The Lord’s Prayer, which He gives us, is a model of humility, trust, and dependence on God. The parable of the persistent friend at midnight reminds us that God, unlike the reluctant friend, is always ready to respond to our needs. Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father, who is infinitely good, will give us what we need when we ask with faith. These readings teach us to approach prayer with boldness and trust, knowing that God is always listening. They also remind us of the importance of interceding for others, as Abraham did, and of living with gratitude for the mercy and forgiveness we have received through Christ. Let us pray with persistence, trust in God’s goodness, and live as people who have been transformed by His grace.