La Trinidad United Methodist Church

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 (top)

 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.

 3 Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

12 Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.”

   “I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied.

 14 “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along,” Jacob said. “Then come back and bring me a report.” So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron.

 15 When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. “What are you looking for?” he asked.

 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?”

 17 “Yes,” the man told him. “They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.

 21 But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22 “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.

 23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.

 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? His blood would just give us a guilty conscience. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt. 

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45 (top)

1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
      Let the whole world know what he has done.
 2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
      Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
 3 Exult in his holy name;
      rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
 4 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
      continually seek him.
 5 Remember the wonders he has performed,
      his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
 6 you children of his servant Abraham,
      you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

16 He called for a famine on the land of Canaan,
      cutting off its food supply.
 17 Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—
      Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
 18 They bruised his feet with fetters
      and placed his neck in an iron collar.
 19 Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
      the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
 20 Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free;
      the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
 21 Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household;
      he became ruler over all the king’s possessions.
 22 He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased
      and teach the king’s advisers.

45 All this happened so they would follow his decrees
      and obey his instructions.

   Praise the Lord!

Romans 10:5-15 (top)

   “The message is very close at hand;
      it is on your lips and in your heart.”

   And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Matthew 14:22-33 (top)