United
Presbyterian Church
2360
Longwood Ave., Reedsport, OR 97467 (541) 271-3214.
Pastor:
(541) 218 7657
Sunday Service:
10:30. Office
and Pastor's Hours:
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 til 2:00;
Saturday from 9:00 to 11:30.
Last updated:
03/29/2023
This Week's Lay Leader:
Leo
GOSPEL: Matthew 27:11-31
Leo: 11. Jesus, then, was
brought before the governor, and the governor put to him this question, “Are
you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “It is you who say it.” 12. But
when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders he refused to answer
at all. 13. Pilate then said to him, “Do you not hear how many charges they
have made against you?” 14. But to the governor's amazement, he offered not
a word in answer to any of the charges.
15. At festival time it was
the governor's practice to release a prisoner for the people, anyone they
chose. 16. Now there was then a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
17. So when the crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, “Which do you want me
to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18. For Pilate
knew it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over.19. Now as he was
seated in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing
to do with that upright man; I have been extremely upset today by a dream
that I had about him.”
20. The chief priests and the elders,
however, had persuaded the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the
execution of Jesus. 21. So when the governor spoke and asked them, “Which of
the two do you want me to release for you?” they said, “Barabbas.” 22.
Pilate said to them, “But in that case, what am I to do with Jesus who is
called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23. He asked, “But
what harm has he done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Let him be
crucified!” 24. Then Pilate saw that he was making no impression, that in
fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his hands in front
of the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man's blood. It is your
concern.” 25. And the people, every one of them, shouted back, “Let his
blood be on us and on our children!” 26. Then he released Barabbas for them.
After having Jesus scourged he handed him over to be crucified.27.
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and
collected the whole cohort round him. 28. And they stripped him and put a
scarlet cloak round him, 29. and having twisted some thorns into a crown
they put this on his head and placed a reed in his right hand. To make fun
of him they knelt to him saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30. And they spat
on him and took the reed and struck him on the head with it. 31. And when
they had finished making fun of him, they took off the cloak and dressed him
in his own clothes and led him away to crucifixion.
BUCK: 32. On their way out, they came across a man from Cyrene,
called Simon, and enlisted him to carry his cross. 33. When they had reached
a place called Golgotha, that is, the place of the skull, 34. they gave him
wine to drink mixed with gall, which he tasted but refused to drink. 35.
When they had finished crucifying him they shared out his clothing by
casting lots, 36. and then sat down and stayed there keeping guard over him.
37. Above his head was placed the charge against him; it read: “This is
Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38. Then two bandits were crucified with him,
one on the right and one on the left.
39. The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their
heads 40. and said, “So you would destroy the Temple and in three days
rebuild it! Then save yourself if you are God's son and come down from the
cross!” 41. The chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him in the
same way, 42. with the words,
“He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel; let him
come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43. He has put his
trust in God; now let God rescue him if he wants him. For he did say, `I am
God's son.’” 44. Even the bandits who
were crucified with him taunted him in the same way.
45. From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land
until the ninth hour. 46. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a
loud voice, `Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, `My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?” 47. When some of those who stood there heard this, they
said, “The man is calling on Elijah,”
48. and one of them quickly ran to get a sponge which he filled with
vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink. 49. But the rest of
them said, “Wait! And see if Elijah will come to save him.” 50. But Jesus,
again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit. 51. And suddenly,
the veil of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth
quaked, the rocks were split, 52. the tombs opened and the bodies of many
holy people rose from the dead, 53. and these, after his resurrection, came
out of the tombs, entered the holy city and appeared to a number of people.
54. The centurion, together with the others guarding Jesus, had seen the
earthquake and all that was taking place, and they were terrified and said,
“In truth this man was son of God.”
55. And many women were there, watching from a
distance, the same women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked
after him. 56. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and
Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.