Daily Readings - Sun Mar 09 2025
Deuteronomy
4And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.5And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:6And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:7And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:8And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:9And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.10And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:
Romans
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Luke
1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through themes of remembrance, faith, and trust in God. The first reading from Deuteronomy invites us to reflect on the Israelites' history, emphasizing gratitude for God's deliverance and provision. This act of bringing first fruits is not just a ritual but a profound expression of trust in God's faithfulness. The second reading from Romans expands this idea, highlighting that faith in Jesus Christ is universal, transcending boundaries, and leading to salvation. Here, Paul underscores that faith is both a heartfelt belief and a confessed truth.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus as the embodiment of this faith. Faced with temptation, Jesus relies on Scripture to resist the devil, demonstrating unwavering trust in God's plan. His responses show that true strength lies not in power or comfort but in fidelity to God's word.
These readings weave together a narrative of trust and faith. Just as the Israelites remembered God's actions, we too are called to recall His blessings. Like Paul, we are reminded that faith in Jesus is accessible to all. And as Jesus exemplified, our trust in God must guide us through life's challenges. In our daily lives, let us embrace this trust, standing firm against temptations and nurturing our faith through prayer and reflection. May we, like Jesus, find strength in God's word, remembering His faithfulness and confessing our faith boldly.