2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Psalms 103:1-4, 8-9, 11-12
Matthew 5:33-37
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
14 For the love of Christ overwhelms us when we consider that if one man died for all, then all have died; 15 his purpose in dying for all humanity was that those who live should live not any more for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life. 16 From now onwards, then, we will not consider anyone by human standards: even if we were once familiar with Christ according to human standards, we do not know him in that way any longer. 17 So for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old order is gone and a new being is there to see. 18 It is all God’s work; he reconciled us to himself through Christ and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 I mean, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding anyone’s faults against them, but entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were urging you through us, and in the name ofChrist we appeal to you to be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made the sinless one a victim for sin, so that in him we might become the uprightness of God.
Psalms 103:1-4, 8-9, 11-12
1 [Of David] Bless Yahweh, my soul, from the depths of my being, his holy name;
2 bless Yahweh, my soul, never forget all his acts of kindness.
3 He forgives all your offences, cures all your diseases,
4 he redeems your life from the abyss, crowns you with faithful love and tenderness;
8 Yahweh is tenderness and pity, slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
9 his indignation does not last for ever, nor his resentment remain for all time;
11 As the height of heaven above earth, so strong is his faithful love for those who fear him.
12 As the distance of east from west, so far from us does he put our faults.
Matthew 5:33-37
33 ‘Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I say this to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; 35 or by earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King. 36 Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. 37 All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.
