The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, September 17, 2023

The Collect:
O God of Joseph and all his brothers, your forgiveness transcends whatever wrong exists between us. Grant us the courage to forgive others, and to practice reconciliation by the kindness of our speaking, the sharing of our resources, and the honoring of your desire for good. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Genesis 50:15-21 KJV
¹⁵ And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
¹⁶ And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
¹⁷ So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
¹⁸ And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
¹⁹ And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
²⁰ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
²¹ Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

The Psalm:
Psalm 103:1-13 KJV
Bless the Lord, O my soul:*
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,*
and forget not all his benefits:
³ Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;*
who healeth all thy diseases;
⁴ Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;*
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
⁵ Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;*
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
⁶ The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment*
for all that are oppressed.
⁷ He made known his ways unto Moses,*
his acts unto the children of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious,*
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
⁹ He will not always chide:*
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
¹⁰ He hath not dealt with us after our sins;*
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as the heaven is high above the earth,*
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
¹² As far as the east is from the west,*
so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children,*
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

The Epistle:
Romans 14:1-12 KJV
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
² For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
³ Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
⁴ Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
⁵ One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
⁶ He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
⁷ For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
⁸ For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
⁹ For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
¹⁰ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
¹¹ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
¹² So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

The Gospel:
Matthew 18:21-35 KJV
²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
²⁶ The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
²⁷ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
²⁸ But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
²⁹ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
³¹ So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
³² Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
³³ Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.