22 February 2015

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 22 February 2015

Happy Sunday to all.
Sitting home today.  We had that predicted "warming trend" yesterday.  Nice to have a day when the "high" temperature was not in the low single digits.  Unfortunately, that "warm" also made possible a horrid snowstorm, which hit us most all day and much of the night as well. Church services were cancelled for us, and I've heard similar stories all the way down into eastern Tennessee.  Snow, blowing and drifting snow, ice and slush and LOTS of traffic accidents.  News out of NE Tennessee yesterday was that there are tens of thousands of people in two counties (at least) who are without electric power and may well be so for at least a week.  Something about ice one power lines breaking under the weight and ice-covered trees and tree limbs falling onto lines and breaking them.  We have power and heat at least, and after having had frozen lines here, yesterday we had finally enough of a thaw to run the washer and to take a shower!  The lines to the shower were thawed by noon or so, it took until around 3:30 for the drain to thaw.  So we quickly caught up on laundry, amazing what you can build up in just 5 days.
So we're sitting tight.  Weather outlook for the next 10 days has three or four nights below zero, but none lower than around -4, which is not great, but a whole lot better than the -14 we had the other night. 
And it's the last week of February.  A week from today is March 1st, and a week later is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, which is a mile marker if nothing else.  Spring should get here, eventually.
The good thing, the funny thing, in all of this has been the chance to mock and ridicule all of the Global Warming panic-types.  By this time, per the shouted predictions of not that many years ago, snow would be a thing of the past and all of that.  Compare that to the freighter up in Lake Erie, not that far from here actually, that is mired in the ice.  That ice is at least TEN FEET THICK!, has turned back one Coast Guard icebreaker ship already, and no relief in sight.  I realize that even if -- God forbid! -- we have glaciers forming and Toledo and Cleveland under 80 feet of ice, we'll still hear the shouts of the global warming / climate change / climate disruption fools, all claiming it's due to SUV's and cow flatulence.

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The Old Testament reading is chapter 7 of Numbers.  This is the account of the dedication of the Tabernacle, which represents an advance in their system of worship.  And the Lord was there.


1
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
2
That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:
3
And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
4
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
5
Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
6
And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
7
Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
8
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
9
But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
10
And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.
11
And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
12
And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
13
And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
14
One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
15
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
16
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
17
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
18
On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer:
19
He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
20
One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense:
21
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
22
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
23
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
24
On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
25
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
26
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
27
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
28
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
29
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
30
On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:
31
His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
32
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
33
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
34
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
35
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
36
On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
37
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
38
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
39
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
40
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
41
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
42
On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:
43
His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
44
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
45
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
46
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
47
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
48
On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
49
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
50
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
51
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
52
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
53
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
54
On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:
55
His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
56
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
57
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
58
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
59
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
60
On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
61
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
62
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
63
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
64
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
65
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
66
On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:
67
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
68
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
69
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
70
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
71
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
72
On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
73
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
74
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
75
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
76
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
77
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
78
On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
79
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
80
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
81
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
82
One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
83
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
84
This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:
85
Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
86
The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.
87
All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.
88
And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
89
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim: and he spake unto him.





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The New Testament reading is verses 21-41 of the 4th chapter in the Gospel of Mark.

21
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
22
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35
And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36
And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?


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