Sunday in Week 8 of Pentecost
Daily readings
Numbers 27:12-23 Acts 19:11-20 Mark 1:14-20Numbers, Moses is ordered to go up on the mountain to look a the Promised Land that he will not be allowed to enter. Then he commissions Joshua to take his place as leader of the people because God has said he will be "gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was."
This portion of Acts is full of strange things, demons beating up exorcists who don't know Jesus, handkerchiefs from Paul healing people and book burnings... all the sorts of things fundy nut cases like to latch onto as the way to act as Christians. While these things happened they are clearly peripheral to the core teaching of Paul and the apostles, Christ and him crucified.
In Mark Jesus begins to proclaim the gospel,
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Collect of the Day (LSB)O God, whose never-failing providence orders all things both in heaven and earth, we humbly implore You to put away from us all hurtful things and to give us those things that are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.