Scripture Readings September 24, 2017

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in exchange for an exclusive blessing,. Rebekah's feelings turn into action. Scripture Readings. September 24, 2017. The
Waterford Congregational

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Scripture Readings September 24, 2017 The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost About the text

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the same way. Ishmael, Isaac, Rebekah, the twins Esau and Jacob—nomads and adventurers finding their way in a world where the prosperity promised to Abraham and Sarah seemed elusive. Rebekah’s pregnancy had been a nightmare of squirming and discomfort. The firstborn, Esau, was rough and contrary, so she favored the studious Jacob. Esau’s marriage to two women who made her life miserable didn’t help. His ease in shoving aside her Jacob in Isaac’s affections drove her to distraction and insecurity. When Isaac is on his deathbed, and asks Esau to bring him a tasty morsel in exchange for an exclusive blessing, Rebekah’s feelings turn into action. ou would have felt

New Revised Standard

The Message

Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17 1   When Isaac was old and his

eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2  He said, “See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. 4 Then prepare for me savory food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.” 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; 16 and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she handed the savory food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob. 18   So he went in to his father, and said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” 21  Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who

1   When Isaac had become an

old man and was nearly blind, he called his eldest son, Esau, and said, “My son.” “Yes, Father?” 2   “I’m an old man,” he said; “I might die any day now. 3 Do me a favor: Get your quiver of arrows and your bow and go out in the country and hunt me some game. 4  Then fix me a hearty meal, the kind that you know I like, and bring it to me to eat so that I can give you my personal blessing before I die.” 15   Rebekah took the dress-up clothes of her older son Esau and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She took the goatskins and covered his hands and the smooth nape of his neck. 17 Then she placed the hearty meal she had fixed and fresh bread she’d baked into the hands of her son Jacob. 18   He went to his father and said, “My father!” “Yes?” he said. “Which son are you?” 19   Jacob answered his father, “I’m your firstborn son Esau. I did what you told me. Come now; sit up and eat of my game so you can give me your personal blessing.” 20   Isaac said, “So soon? How did you get it so quickly?” “Because your GOD cleared the way for me.” 21   Isaac said, “Come close, son; let me touch you—are you really my son Esau?” 22   So Jacob moved close to his

New Revised Standard

The Message

felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.

father Isaac. Isaac felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23[a] He didn’t recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s.

28:10   Jacob left Beer-sheba and

went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12  And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13  And the LORD stood beside him and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15 Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16  Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!” 17 And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house 11 

28:10   Jacob left Beersheba and

went to Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it. 13   Then GOD was right before him, saying, “I am GOD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I’m giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. 14  Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they’ll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. 15 Yes. I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you wherever you go, and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you.” 16   Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, “GOD is in this place—truly. And I didn’t even know it!” 17 He was terrified. He whispered in awe, “Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God’s House. This is the Gate of Heaven.”

New Revised Standard

The Message

of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

John 1:50-51 50 Jesus answered, “Do you be-

lieve because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51  And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

50   Jesus said, “You’ve become

a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven’t seen anything yet! 51 Before this is over you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.”

The Narrative Lectionary presents the story of God’s work in humanity through a single Gospel each year. This is Year 4: The Year of John.