AME Zion Universal Reading October 31st 2021

Sunday School Zoom Link

Psalm 149:1–150:6 (NLT):

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.

Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.

O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.

3 Praise his name with dancing,

accompanied by tambourine and harp.

4 For the Lord delights in his people;

he crowns the humble with victory.

5 Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.

Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths,

and a sharp sword in their hands—

7 to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with shackles

and their leaders with iron chains,

9 to execute the judgment written against them.

This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heaven!

2 Praise him for his mighty works;

praise his unequaled greatness!

3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;

praise him with the lyre and harp!

4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;

praise him with strings and flutes!

5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;

praise him with loud clanging cymbals.

6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 23

1And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.2And Sarah died in Kiriath arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her.3And Abraham arose from before his dead, and he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,4"I am a stranger and an inhabitant with you. Give me burial property with you, so that I may bury my dead from before me."5And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,6"Listen to us, my lord; you are a prince of God in our midst; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead. None of us will withhold his grave from you to bury your dead."7And Abraham arose and prostrated himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.8And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your will that I bury my dead from before me, listen to me and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar.9That he may give me the Machpelah (double) Cave, which belongs to him, which is at the end of his field; for a full price let him give it to me in your midst for burial property."10Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying,11"No, my lord, listen to me. I have given you the field, and the cave that is in it, I have given it to you. Before the eyes of the sons of my people, I have given it to you; bury your dead."12And Abraham prostrated himself before the people of the land.13And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "But, if only you would listen to me. I am giving the money for the field; take [it] from me, and I will bury my dead there."14And Ephron replied to Abraham, saying to him,15"My lord, listen to me; a [piece of] land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is it between me and you? Bury your dead."16And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, accepted by the merchant.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 23

17And so the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, facing Mamre, was established (as Abraham's possession). [This included] the field and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within its entire border around.18[It was] to Abraham as a possession before the eyes of the sons of Heth, in the presence of all who had come within the gate of his city.19And afterwards, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.20And the field and the cave within it were established to Abraham as burial property, [purchased] from the sons of Heth.

Genesis Chapter 24

1And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and the Lord had blessed Abraham with everything.2And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that was his, "Please place your hand under my thigh.3And I will adjure you by the Lord, the God of the heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I dwell.4But you shall go to my land and to my birthplace, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Isaac."5And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not wish to go after me to this land. Shall I return your son to the land from which you came?"6And Abraham said to him, "Beware, lest you return my son back there.7The Lord, God of the heavens, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and Who spoke about me, and Who swore to me, saying, 'To your seed will I give this land' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.8And if the woman will not wish to go after you, you will be absolved of this, my oath; only do not return my son back there."9And the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter.

Monday

Psalm 147:1–7 (NLT):

1 Praise the Lord!

How good to sing praises to our God!

How delightful and how fitting!

2 The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem

and bringing the exiles back to Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

and bandages their wounds.

4 He counts the stars

and calls them all by name.

5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!

His understanding is beyond comprehension!

6 The Lord supports the humble,

but he brings the wicked down into the dust.

7 Sing out your thanks to the Lord;

sing praises to our God with a harp.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

10And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and he went, and all the best of his master was in his hand; and he arose, and he went to Aram naharaim, to the city of Nahor.11And he made the camels kneel outside the city beside the well of water, at eventide, at the time the maidens go out to draw water.12And he said, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please cause to happen to me today, and perform loving kindness with my master, Abraham.13Behold, I am standing by the water fountain, and the daughters of the people of the city are coming out to draw water.14And it will be, [that] the maiden to whom I will say, 'Lower your pitcher and I will drink,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels,' her have You designated for Your servant, for Isaac, and through her may I know that You have performed loving kindness with my master."15Now he had not yet finished speaking, and behold, Rebecca came out, who had been born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, and her pitcher was on her shoulder.16Now the maiden was of very comely appearance, a virgin, and no man had been intimate with her, and she went down to the fountain, and she filled her pitcher and went up.17And the servant ran toward her, and he said, "Please let me sip a little water from your pitcher."18And she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hastened and lowered her pitcher to her hand, and she gave him to drink.19And she finished giving him to drink, and she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they will have finished drinking."20And she hastened, and she emptied her pitcher into the trough, and she ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.21And the man was astonished at her, standing silent, [waiting] to know whether the Lord had caused his way to prosper or not.22Now it came about, when the camels had finished drinking, [that] the man took a golden nose ring, weighing half [a shekel], and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten gold [shekels].23And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there place for us for lodging in your father's house?"24And she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."25And she said to him, "Both straw and fodder are plentiful with us; [there is] also a place to lodge."26And the man kneeled and prostrated himself to the Lord.

Tuesday

1 Samuel 16:14–23 (NLT): David Serves in Saul’s Court

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.

15 Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

17 “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.”

18 One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.”

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.” 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

21 So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

27And he said, "Blessed is the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, Who has not forsaken His loving kindness and His truth from my master. As for me, the Lord led me on the road to the house of my master's kinsmen."28And the maiden ran, and she told her mother's house what had happened.29Now Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran to the man outside, to the fountain.30And it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebecca, saying, "So did the man speak to me, " that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing over the camels at the fountain.31And he said, "Come, you who are blessed of the Lord. Why should you stand outside, when I have cleared the house, and a place for the camels?"32So the man came to the house and unmuzzled the camels, and he gave straw and fodder to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.33And [food] was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have spoken my words." And he said, "Speak."34And he said, "I am Abraham's servant.35And the Lord blessed my master exceedingly, and he became great, and He gave him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, man servants and maid servants, camels and donkeys.36And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master after she had become old, and he gave him all that he possesses.37And my master adjured me, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.38Instead, you must go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.'39And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me?'40And he said to me, 'The Lord, before Whom I walked, will send His angel with you and make your way prosper, and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.41You will then be absolved from my oath, when you come to my family, and if they do not give [her] to you, you will be absolved from my oath.'42So I came today to the fountain, and I said, 'O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if You desire to prosper my way upon which I am going43Behold, I am standing by the water fountain. When a maiden comes out to draw [water], I will say to her, 'Please, give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.'44And [if] she will say to me, 'You too may drink, and I will also draw water for your camels,' she is the woman whom the Lord has designated for my master's son.'45I had not yet finished speaking thus in my heart, and behold, Rebecca came out with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me to drink.'46And she hastened and lowered her pitcher from upon her, and she said, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.47And I asked her, and I said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' And I placed the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands.48And I kneeled and prostrated myself to the Lord, and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, Who led me on the true path, to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.49And now, if you will do loving kindness and truth with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left."50And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The matter has emanated from the Lord. We cannot speak to you either bad or good.51Behold Rebecca is before you, take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, as the Lord has spoken."52Now it came to pass when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he prostrated himself on the ground to the Lord.

Wednesday

Acts 16:22–26 (NLT):

23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 24

53And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebecca, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother.54And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and they lodged, and they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."55And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us a year or ten [months]; afterwards she will go."56But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my way prosper. Send me away, and I will go to my master."57And they said, "Let us call the maiden and ask her."58And they summoned Rebecca, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."59So they sent away Rebecca their sister and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men.60And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies."61And Rebecca and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rebecca and left.62Now Isaac was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south.63And Isaac went forth to pray in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching.64And Rebecca lifted her eyes, and saw Isaac, and she let herself down from the camel.65And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself.66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.67And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted for [the loss of] his mother.

Thursday

Psalm 148:1–14 (NLT):

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens!

Praise him from the skies!

2 Praise him, all his angels!

Praise him, all the armies of heaven!

3 Praise him, sun and moon!

Praise him, all you twinkling stars!

4 Praise him, skies above!

Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!

5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,

for he issued his command, and they came into being.

6 He set them in place forever and ever.

His decree will never be revoked.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,

you creatures of the ocean depths,

8 fire and hail, snow and clouds,

wind and weather that obey him,

9 mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all livestock,

small scurrying animals and birds,

11 kings of the earth and all people,

rulers and judges of the earth,

12 young men and young women,

old men and children.

13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.

For his name is very great;

his glory towers over the earth and heaven!

14 He has made his people strong,

honoring his faithful ones—

the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

1And Abraham took another wife and her name was Keturah.2And she bore him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Jishbak and Shuah.3And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were Ashurim, Letushim, and Leumim.4And the sons of Midian [were] Ephah and Epher and Enoch and Abida and Elda'ah; all these were the sons of Keturah.5And Abraham gave all that he possessed to Isaac.6And to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from his son Isaac while he [Abraham] was still alive, eastward to the land of the East.7And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life that he lived: one hundred years and seventy years and five years.8And Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people.9And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the Cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which faces Mamre,10The field that Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried.11Now it came to pass after Abraham's death, that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac dwelt near Be'er Lachai Ro'i.

Friday

Colossians 3:13–17 (NLT):

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

12Now these are the generations of Ishmael the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, bore to Abraham.13And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names, according to their births: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, and Kedar and Adbe'el and Mibsam,14And Mishma and Dumah and Massa,15Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedmah.16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations.17And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people.18And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Saturday

Psalm 149:1–9 (NLT):

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.

Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.

O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.

3 Praise his name with dancing,

accompanied by tambourine and harp.

4 For the Lord delights in his people;

he crowns the humble with victory.

5 Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.

Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths,

and a sharp sword in their hands—

7 to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with shackles

and their leaders with iron chains,

9 to execute the judgment written against them.

This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 25

16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations.17And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people.18And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Haftarah

I Kings Chapter 1

1And king David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed.2And his servants said to him, "Let them seek for my lord the king a young girl, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and she shall be to him a warmer, and she shall lie in your lap, and it shall be warm for my lord the king."3And they sought a beautiful young girl throughout the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunemitess and brought her to the king.4And the young girl was very beautiful, and she was a warmer to the king, and she ministered to him, but the king did not know her.5And Adoniahu the son of Haggith exalted himself saying: 'I will be king,' and he made for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.6And his father had not angered him all his days saying, "Why have you done so?" And he too was of very handsome appearance, and she bore him after Absalom.7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they helped [by following] after Adoniahu.8And Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mighty men, who were with David, were not with Adoniahu.9And Adoniahu slew sheep and oxen and fatlings, by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside En-Rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the kings servants.10And Nathan the prophet and Benaiahu and the mighty men and his brother, Solomon, he did not call.11And Nathan said to Bath-Sheba, Solomon's mother, saying, "You have surely heard that Adoniahu the son of Haggith has reigned, and our lord, David, did not know [it].12And now come and I shall council you with advice, and you shall save your life and the life of your son Solomon.13Go and come to king David, and you shall say to him, 'Surely, you, my lord the king, did swear to your maid saying that, 'Solomon your son will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne,' Now why did Adoniahu reign?"14Behold, you are talking there with the king, and I shall come in after you and I shall complete your words."15And Bath Sheba came in unto the king, into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunemitess ministered the king.16And Bath-Sheba bowed her head, and prostrated herself unto the king, and the king said, "What is your [wish]?"17And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maid, that, 'Solomon, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'18And now, behold Adoniahu has reigned, and now my lord the king, you did not know.19And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance and he called all the king's sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the general of the army, but Solomon, your servant, he did not call.20And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them, who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.21And [otherwise] when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, and I and my son Solomon shall be [considered] offenders."22And behold, she was still speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came.23And they told the king saying, "Behold, Nathan the prophet." And he came in before the king and he prostrated himself unto the king upon his face, to the ground.24And Nathan said, "My lord the king, did you say 'Adoniahu shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne?'"25For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he called all the King's sons, and the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and behold they eat and drink before him, and they said, "Long live King Adoniahu."26And me, [even] me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Yehoiada and Solomon, your servant, he did not call.27If this matter stems from my lord the king, [I wonder that] you have not informed your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.28And king David answered and said, "Call Bath Sheba to me. And she came before the king and stood before the king.29And he swore and said, "[I swear as] God lives who redeemed my soul from all distress.30Indeed, as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel saying, 'Surely Solomon, your son, shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne in my stead,' surely, so will I do this day."31And Bath-Sheba bowed [her] face to the earth, and she prostrated herself to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live forever."