AME Zion Universal Reading September 19th 2021

Sunday School Zoom Link

Sunday

Mark 10:46–52 (NLT): Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

Monday

Isaiah 35:1–6 (NLT): Hope for Restoration

1 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.

The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.

2 Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers

and singing and joy!

The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,

as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.

There the Lord will display his glory,

the splendor of our God.

3 With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,

and encourage those who have weak knees.

4 Say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, and do not fear,

for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.

He is coming to save you.”

5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind

and unplug the ears of the deaf.

6 The lame will leap like a deer,

and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!

Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,

and streams will water the wasteland.

Tuesday

Psalm 96:1–13 (NLT): 1 Sing a new song to the Lord!

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!

2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name.

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

He is to be feared above all gods.

5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,

but the Lord made the heavens!

6 Honor and majesty surround him;

strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;

recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.

8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!

Bring your offering and come into his courts.

9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.

Let all the earth tremble before him.

10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

He will judge all peoples fairly.

11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!

Let the trees of the forest sing for joy

13 before the Lord, for he is coming!

He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with justice,

and the nations with his truth.

Wednesday

Psalm 115:1–18 (NLT):

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,

but to your name goes all the glory

for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

2 Why let the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in the heavens,

and he does as he wishes.

4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,

shaped by human hands.

5 They have mouths but cannot speak,

and eyes but cannot see.

6 They have ears but cannot hear,

and mouths but cannot breathe.

7 They have hands but cannot feel,

and feet but cannot walk,

and throats but cannot make a sound.

8 And those who make idols are just like them,

as are all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

10 O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

11 All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!

He is your helper and your shield.

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.

He will bless the people of Israel

and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,

both great and lowly.

14 May the Lord richly bless

both you and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

16 The heavens belong to the Lord,

but he has given the earth to all humanity.

17 The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord,

for they have gone into the silence of the grave.

18 But we can praise the Lord

both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!

Thursday

Mark 10:17–22 (NLT): The Rich Man

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Friday

Mark 10:42–45 (NLT):

42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Saturday

Psalm 146:1–10 (NLT):

1 Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live.

I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

3 Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;

there is no help for you there.

4 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,

and all their plans die with them.

5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He made heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them.

He keeps every promise forever.

7 He gives justice to the oppressed

and food to the hungry.

The Lord frees the prisoners.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.

The Lord loves the godly.

9 The Lord protects the foreigners among us.

He cares for the orphans and widows,

but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10 The Lord will reign forever.

He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord!