|
Third
Sunday of Easter |
|
Jesus Appears to the Seven
Disciples |
O God, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the
breaking of bread: Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may
behold him in all his redeeming work; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ
our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
|
|
Lesson - Acts 9:1-19a or Jeremiah 32:36-41 |
The Conversion of Saul
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the
Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at
Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he
might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he journeyed he approached
Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to
the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting; but rise and enter the city, and you will be told
what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground; and when
his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and
brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and
neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as.
The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am,
Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight,
and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for
behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay
his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Anani'as answered,
"Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to
thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to
bind all who call upon thy name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a
chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and
the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake
of my name." So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his
hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on
the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and
be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell
from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, and
took food and was strengthened.
or
"Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city
of which you say, `It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by
sword, by famine, and by pestilence': Behold, I will gather them from all
the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great
indignation; I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them
dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I
will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for
their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with
them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to
them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn
from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this
land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.
|
|
Epistle - Revelation 5:6-14 or Acts 9:1-19a |
The Lamb
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I
saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with
seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth;
and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on
the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and
the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and
with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; and
they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to
open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for
God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a
kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth." Then I
looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the
elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands
of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and
blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the
earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, "To him who sits upon the
throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever
and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell
down and worshiped.
or
The Conversion of Saul
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the
Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at
Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he
might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he journeyed he approached
Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to
the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting; but rise and enter the city, and you will be told
what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground; and when
his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and
brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and
neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as.
The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am,
Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight,
and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for
behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay
his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Anani'as answered,
"Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to
thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to
bind all who call upon thy name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a
chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and
the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake
of my name." So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his
hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on
the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and
be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell
from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, and
took food and was strengthened.
|
|
Gospel - John 21:1-14 |
Jesus Appears to the Seven Disciples
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of
Tibe'ri-as; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called
the Twin, Nathan'a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zeb'edee, and two
others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going
fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got
into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking,
Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No."
He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will
find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for
the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is
the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his
clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the
other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they
were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out
on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So
Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a
hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net
was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the
disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus
came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was
now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was
raised from the dead.
|
|
