AME Zion Universal Reading December 30th, 2024

Luke 18:35–43 (NLT):

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene* was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.

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

40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

Monday

Luke 4:14–21 (NLT):

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.*”

20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Tuesday

Luke 6:27–36 (NLT):

Love for Enemies

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Wednesday

Micah 7:14–20 (NLT):

The Lord’s Compassion on Israel

14 O Lord, protect your people with your shepherd’s staff;

lead your flock, your special possession.

Though they live alone in a thicket

on the heights of Mount Carmel,*

let them graze in the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead

as they did long ago.

15 “Yes,” says the Lord,

“I will do mighty miracles for you,

like those I did when I rescued you

from slavery in Egypt.”

16 All the nations of the world will stand amazed

at what the Lord will do for you.

They will be embarrassed

at their feeble power.

They will cover their mouths in silent awe,

deaf to everything around them.

17 Like snakes crawling from their holes,

they will come out to meet the Lord our God.

They will fear him greatly,

trembling in terror at his presence.

18 Where is another God like you,

who pardons the guilt of the remnant,

overlooking the sins of his special people?

You will not stay angry with your people forever,

because you delight in showing unfailing love.

19 Once again you will have compassion on us.

You will trample our sins under your feet

and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love

as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

Thursday

Psalm 25:1–10 (NLT):

1 O Lord, I give my life to you.

2 I trust in you, my God!

Do not let me be disgraced,

or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.

3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,

but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

4 Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,

for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you.

6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord.

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Friday

Psalm 25:11–22 (NLT):

11 For the honor of your name, O Lord,

forgive my many, many sins.

12 Who are those who fear the Lord?

He will show them the path they should choose.

13 They will live in prosperity,

and their children will inherit the land.

14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.

He teaches them his covenant.

15 My eyes are always on the Lord,

for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

16 Turn to me and have mercy,

for I am alone and in deep distress.

17 My problems go from bad to worse.

Oh, save me from them all!

18 Feel my pain and see my trouble.

Forgive all my sins.

19 See how many enemies I have

and how viciously they hate me!

20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them!

Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.

21 May integrity and honesty protect me,

for I put my hope in you.

22 O God, ransom Israel

from all its troubles.

Saturday

Luke 18:1–14 (NLT):

Parable of the Persistent Widow

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man* returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer*: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”