Train Us for Your Kingdom, God--Nov. 7, 2017

With songs of praise and thanksgiving

we rejoice in you, O God,

for you will reign forever and ever.

Train us for your kingdom,

to find its treasure for our lives,

learning from what is new

and from what is old,

but remembering always

that part of being in your kingdom

is seeking justice for the oppressed

and feeding the hungry.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133

Neh. 12:27-31a, 42b-47

Rev. 11:1-19

Matt. 13:44-52

Selected Verses

Ps. 146:5a, 7

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, … 

          who executes justice for the oppressed;
          who gives food to the hungry.

Neh. 12:27, 46

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.  …For in the days of David and Asaph long ago there was a leader of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 

Rev. 11:15

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
     "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord 
          and of his Messiah,
          and he will reign forever and ever."

Matt. 13:52

And [Jesus] said to [his disciples], "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."