Daily Liturgy and Scripture
By Alex Parrish
Daily Liturgy and ScriptureMar 24, 2024
May 9: Psalms 21 and 24, Hebrews 8, Luke 24:44-53 (Ascension Day)
"He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father." This is part of the Creed we recite, and today we commemorate that portion. Jesus ascended into Heaven, not to escape us, but to become our High Priest at the right hand of the Father, the position of favor. He remains our advocate and the member of the Trinity who knows our experience directly.
May 8: Psalm 18:21-50, Job 36, and 1 Peter 5
Humility is a characteristic of Christ himself, and Christian leaders must be careful that it is one of their own chief qualities. Using our own power is our first response when we're stressed, but Peter recommends instead that we also remember that God is our help, and turning to him in times of trouble is our best option.
May 7: Psalm 17, Job 35, and 1 Peter 4:7-19
The bit of Job today that says, "If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people." This is an interesting idea to bridge both our Old and New Testament readings today, because indeed our goodness is not to flatter God, but to obey God and bring goodness to the humanity God has made.
May 6: Psalms 15 and 16, Job 34, and 1 Peter 3:8-4:6
Discipleship is an upside down world. We do not repay evil with evil, but we seek good as Jesus did, forgiving even those who crucified him. His model of suffering though innocent is a tough road to follow, but it it the thing that makes the path narrow.
May 5: Psalm 10, Job 33, and 1 Peter 2:11-3:7
The voluntary humility Christ showed is an important characteristic in followers of Christ. Peter uses it as a way that a believer married to an unbeliever might help them understand the way Jesus taught, in lessons that speak louder than words.
May 4: Psalm 7, Job 32, and 1 Peter 1:22-2:10
The foundation that has been built by Christ and forms our spiritual house makes the place where we continue building by love and obedience. We are building it too, because we are partners with God in the building of the Kingdom of Jesus.
May 3: Psalms 3 and 4, Job 31:1-23 and 35-40, 1 Peter 1:1-21
Another letter for the Jews, the apostle Peter addressed those who were scattered by the many factors of the ancient world. Though they were separated, they were brought back together under the same promise of Jesus, the High Priest who unifies all of God's people.
May 2: Psalm 148, Job 30, and James 5
The power that we have is not money, that is to be shared. It is not in oaths, because we have the bond of the Spirit. Our power is in prayer and coming into the throneroom of God, where our true power and identity lie.
May 1: Psalm 146, James 4, and John 1:43-51 (Feast of Phillip and James)
For the Feast of Phillip and James, we are focusing in the book of John on a scene with Phillip, bringing other apostles to Jesus. This is basic apostolic work: to follow Jesus and help others do the same. This line of followers ends with Jesus, but it is still our responsibility to follow well.
April 30: Psalm 144, Job 29, and James 3
What we say matters, and we can use our words to either build up or tear down. James isn't writing about the things that give us Salvation (that's God's work, not ours), but he's reminding the young church that the love they should show one another is important, and it plays out in many ways.
April 29: Psalm 140, Job 28, and James 2:14-26
It's not the purpose of growing in faith to keep it to ourselves. The faith we have is for bringing wholeness to to the world and the lives of others. This is the life of the Kingdom of Jesus.
April 28: Psalm 139, Job 27, and James 2:1-13
Working out the love that flows between God and his people, and also between the people themselves, can take some work. Some things that might flatter our own ego, like catering to the wealthy, work against the intention of the Kingdom of Jesus.
April 27: Psalm 136, Job 25 and 26, James 1
The book of James is sort of the Proverbs of the New Testament talking about a way to conduct ourselves. This isn't a new attempt to create a Law that brings back the old covenant, but rather shows us what lives transformed by Christ should look like.
April 26: Psalm 132 and 133, Job 24, and Hebrews 13
The new priest and the new covenant are close fellowship with God, and God will not leave his people. There are leaders within the Kingdom, but Christ is our ultimate head and guide. The fruit of whole lives, helping others to live a whole life, is the abundant gift we are given from our Lord.
April 25: Psalm 127 and 128, Job 23, and Hebrews 12:18-29
The priesthood of Christ seems to come now to something VERY sacred in the Jewish history books: the mountain of God. This was the place where God instituted his sovereignty, where Moses brought the Law to them. Now Jesus brings a new covenant, and a new Kingdom.
April 24: Psalms 122 and 123, Job 22, and Hebrews 12:1-17
The Jewish audience had heard about the new High Priest, the new sacrifice, and the new temple. Now the writer of Hebrews brings it together: because Jesus fills the role of High Priest, we are sons and daughters, but this also means we are held accountable when we hold that honor. We have been made whole, and wholeness should be something we give to others.
April 23: Psalm 118, Job 21, and Hebrews 11
Not to separate the new priesthood of Christ away from the tradition of the Jews, the writer of Hebrews now brings the narrative back to Jewish history, but with an emphasis on faith. This is not a reliance on the Law of old, but on the way of new believers and previous believers alike, united with a history of the faithful established by God.
April 22: Psalm 119:129-152, Job 20 and Hebrews 10:19-39
The end result of this reframing of Jesus as both sacrifice and high priest is this: we have great hope in the future with a God who is near, and enduring persecution cannot remove us from him. This was important to the early church, and it remains our promise.
April 21: Psalm 119:89-104, Job 19, and Hebrews 10:1-18
The sacrifice offered by the priest was also a central tenet of Jewish belief, and that comes to the forefront in this section. Not only is Christ's sacrifice the final sacrifice because it satisfies the full offering forever, it is also the dawn of a new covenant in the Sprit, where God's Word is written on our heart as his people.
April 20: Psalm 119:49-72, Job 18, and Hebrews 9:15-28
Christ is the high priest and the fulfiller of the covenant, which was put into effect at his death. That death was also the final sacrifice which ended sin's bondage.
April 19: Psalm 119:1-24, Job 17, and Hebrews 9:1-14
With Jesus as the High Priest, a re-imaginging of the temple is also necessary. The holy place where the high priest once entered required the transporting of the sacrificial blood as well, but Christ is both priest and the carrier of the sacrifice. We are freed by his sacrifice to enter the presence of God boldly.
April 18: Psalm 115, Job 16, and Hebrews 8
Jesus is established as a high priest in an order that precedes Aaron, and his priesthood includes a new covenant that establishes a new fellowship with God. Through our connection to Christ, we are part of the work of that priesthood and heirs of his promise.
April 17: Psalms 111 and 112, Job 15, and Hebrews 7
To trace Jesus as a priest in the order of Melchizedek is to connect him with more than the line of Abraham. The Abraham line establishes the Jewish people, but being a priest before that line existed makes the priesthood for all people. This was important because Jesus as a priest doesn't come away from the Jewish people to join the rest of the world, but he is part of a priesthood that already existed for the world.
April 16: Psalms 108 and 110, Job 14, and Hebrews 5:11-6:20
The writer of Hebrews has covered Jesus's status as a high priest, but here we return, confirming the salvation that Jesus truly brings. His assurance is our motivation to love and serve the body of Christ, and imitating those already at work is how our faith is passed on.
April 15: Psalm 107:1-22, Job 13, and Heb. 4:14-5:10
A Jewish audience would have been very intrigued by this description of Jesus, their new high priest. Sacrifice and priest come together in him, and God's covenant is fulfilled in that sacrifice.
April 14: Psalm 106:1-18, Job 12, and Hebrews 4:1-13
The writer of Hebrews brings another important factor in Jewish life into the discussion: Sabbath. Resting is an act of God, and it should be a time of true renewal. Making things new again is God's ultimate goal, and refreshing creation starts from a place of renewed people.
April 13: Psalm 105:1-22, Job 11, and Hebrews 3
Once again for the benefit of the Jewish audience, the author of Hebrews brings important points to bear. This time, he talks about the Moses tradition and Jesus in comparison, who is greater than Moses and therefore the tradition Moses represents. This means that God has not rendered the Moses tradition as invalid, but that God has done a greater work to continue his own story.
April 12: Psalm 103, Job 10, and Hebrews 2
Since Hebrews as written to a Jewish audience, the author is covering some pretty important pieces that relate directly to the Jewish experience: the humanit of God becoming man, Jesus joining the human experience, and becoming the high priest for all of us. A high priest was human, so it was critical that the audience understand that God had both fulfilled his promise in Jesus and charted a new future because Jesus is now Lord.
April 11: Psalms 99, 100, and 101; Job 9; Hebrews 1
Jesus is not an angel, because he is higher than the angels. Jesus is the Son of God, and is God. If he were an angel or a man who was remade into a new being, he could not have been our Savior.
April 10: Psalms 95 and 96, Job 8, 2 Tim. 4
The reasons for the standard to which ministers are held is finally revealed: because these leaders will endure with their churches, working together through hard times. Paul seems to have hit a few of his own, having been abandoned and in need of friends who were far away.
April 9: Psalms 92 and 93, Job 7, and 2 Timothy 3
There is a big difference between someone who is conforming their life to follow Jesus and someone who isn't. Paul seems to indicate that even when the example of Christ is before us, some will still follow their own way.
April 8: Psalm 90, Job 6, and 2 Tim. 2
Reproducing ministry is more than just finding people who are willing to do the work, it also requires a standard to which those working can be held. Not because they are better than those to whom they minister, but because to represent Christ in his ministry is to act like Christ would act.
April 7: Psalm 89:1-18, Job 5, and 2 Timothy 1
Perhaps one of the most important pieces of 2 Timothy 1 is the phrase, "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus." This is a pretty good encapsulation of what religion should be in the Kingdom of Jesus: what came from Jesus, passed through the disciples, and continued being handed along through generations is that same pattern of sound teaching we pursue today. And of course, the working of the Spirit is part of that.
April 6: Psalm 86 and 87, Job 4, and Titus 3
Paul seems to have concerns for his leaders' development, even about trivial things such as quarrels about the law and also more serious topics such as enslavement to passions. The end result is leaders who are willing to be set apart, who will model what citizens of Jesus's Kingdom look like in person.
April 5: Psalm 84, Job 3, and Titus 2
God has ordered the universe, and so the Kingdom which Jesus established will also be ordered. This means the chaos humans a capable of creating should not be its defining quality, but a more thoughtful approach to how we behave.
April 4: Psalm 81, Job 2, and Titus 1
How do you know the person that should be leading your church? Paul gave Titus one good way to find them: look to their families. Titus apparently lived among a people that were known for being craven, so a person with a family that didn't fall prey to that would have been an exceptional example.
April 3: Psalm 78:41-72, Job 1, and 1 Timothy 6
Human tensions can cloud divine intentions. God has included the complicated and contentious human race in his plan, which certainly complicates the march of heavenly progress. And yet, we are still part of that plan, so learning ot live with one another in a way that honors God is critically important.
April 2: Psalm 78:1-18, Prov. 31, and 1 Tim. 5
We need a spiritual family. We need spiritual parents who lead us, spiritual siblings who walk with us, and spiritual children that we mentor. This structure is what helps us hear from God and one another, and this is a healthy Body of Christ.
April 1: Psalms 75 and 76, Prov. 30, and 1 Tim. 4
Paul is training Timothy as a pastor, and he was apparently quite young compared to many who entered into the vocation. Paul moves past this issue and encourages Timothy in the things which are more important than age, such as discipleship and godly living. This had to come first if it was to be taught to others.
March 31: Psalms 111, 113, and 114; Romans 6; Luke 24:13-43 (Easter)
Christ is risen! The promise of resurrection is for more than just the Son of God, it is for all of us. Jesus set the stage for the future that will be ours, and the future of our glorified bodies will be also fellowship with him.
March 30: Psalm 91, 1 Peter 4:1-8, Luke 23:50-56 (Holy Saturday)
The reality of Jesus dying is important, because resurrection is part of our own future. Jesus was the first to show what God has for the future, and that is also true of victory over death. The victory belongs to him, and we follow in his footsteps, just as we follow him in life.
March 29: Psalm 102, 1 Peter 2:11-25, and Luke 23:18-49 (Good Friday)
The idea of this Friday being good seems ironic. It is the remembrance of Jesus's death, and on the surface it seems tragic, not good. But this is the work of God, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the victory over sin and death, which is certainly good news.
March 28: Psalms 142 and 143, 1 Cor. 10:1-22, John 13:21-38 (Maundy Thursday)
Today, we remember the day that Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples. There had no doubt been many before, but this one was significant: it included an invitation even to his betrayer. Eating with enemies is not our practice, but it seems to have been Jesus's.
March 27: Psalm 68:1-18, Prov. 25, and Eph. 6:1-9
Being part of the Kingdom of Jesus requires humility from all. Nobody is higher than anyone, and all are subject to Christ. this requires mutual respect, and Paul breaks that down to everyone -- even slaves and masters -- who wishes to follow Jesus.
March 26: Psalms 61 and 62, Prov. 24, and Eph. 5:18-33
Submitting to one another is an act that signifies humility. Husbands and wives practice this to honor one another, passing the love that has been given us by Christ. Practicing that love which is of Christ is part of following him.
March 25: Psalms 113 and 138, Prov. 23, Eph. 5:1-17
Why all these rules for holy living? The conduct of the early church was certainly observed by those around them, because the world was watching as a new Kingdom unfolded. The way they composed themselves was a reflection of that new Kingdom, and God was growing it.
March 24: Psalm 59, Prov. 22, and Eph. 4:17-32
Paul continues giving the characteristics of a community governed by Christ, and they very much have the traits of Christ himself: being truthful with one another, but not pacifying one another. Unity, care for one another, and self-denial for the benefit of others. If we are the body of Christ, this is his DNA.
March 23: Psalms 56 and 57, Proverbs 21, and Eph. 4:1-16
When we talk about the Body of Christ, this is what it looks like. We are unified to God through baptism (which is a recognition of work already done by the Spirit), and we are equipped for work to do the work which is God's. All parts are important, there are no kings in this Kingdom except Jesus.
March 22: Psalms 52, 53, and 54; Proverbs 20; Ephesians 3
The mystery of Christ has been revealed through the history of God with his people, the Jews. Now that Christ has come, that mystery has a life that lived among us to follow. That eternal purpose is now our purpose, and God continues his work through the Church and the Spirit.
March 21: Psalm 50, Prov. 19, and Eph. 2:11-22
Christ does more than bring together Jews and Gentiles he brings peace. Not only between people and other people, but between people and God. His humanity reconciles the fallenness of humanity and creates a new Kingdom of co-heirs with him.