responsive Readings of the Law
For those who wish to use responsive readings of the
Law before the prayer of confession, those readings will prove useful. I believe they may have originally come from
the Christian Reformed Church.
When I served in the OPC we always read the Law,
(following Calvin), before the prayer of confession. We had a pattern where we used these or
similar readings on alternative weeks, the other weeks we used a series of
readings on individual commandments based on the Heidelberg and Shorter
catechisms. You can of course adjust to your preferred Bible translation.
Thus the pattern was that every second week we were
confronted by the whole Law, in the following week there was a sharpened focus
on one particular commandment. Nothing
like reading and responding to the Word to make us aware of the sinfulness of
sin!
(1) Words of Jesus from the Gospels
Leader: You shall have no other gods before me.
People: It is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.
People: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
People: "Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool. . . . Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
People: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother.
People: For God said, "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death."
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery . . . theft . . . . These are what make a man "unclean."
Leader: You shall not give false testimony.
People: For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. . . . For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Leader: You shall not covet.
People: Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
People: It is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.
People: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
People: "Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool. . . . Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
People: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother.
People: For God said, "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death."
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery . . . theft . . . . These are what make a man "unclean."
Leader: You shall not give false testimony.
People: For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. . . . For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Leader: You shall not covet.
People: Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
(2) From the Epistles
Leader: You shall have no other gods before me.
People: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.
People: In Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
People: Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.
People: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
People: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his hands, so that he may have something to share with those in need.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
People: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Leader: You shall not covet your neighbour's house or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
People: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol.
People: In Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
People: Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.
People: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
People: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his hands, so that he may have something to share with those in need.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
People: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Leader: You shall not covet your neighbour's house or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
(3) From the Psalms
Leader: And God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God . . . . You shall
have no other gods before me.
People: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol . . . . You shall not bow down to them or worship them.
People: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
People: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
People: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother.
People: Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: Have mercy on me, O God . . . blot out my transgressions.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
People: Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.
Leader: You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Save me from all my transgressions.
Leader: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
People: My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
People: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.
Leader: You shall not make for yourself an idol . . . . You shall not bow down to them or worship them.
People: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
People: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Leader: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
People: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother.
People: Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: Have mercy on me, O God . . . blot out my transgressions.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
People: Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.
Leader: You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Save me from all my transgressions.
Leader: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
People: My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
(4) As a Teacher of Sin
Leader: Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.
People: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Leader: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands!
People: Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Leader: And God spoke all these words:
People: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Leader: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands!
People: Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Leader: And God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of
slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in
heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow
down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth
generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of
those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will
not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour
and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On
it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your
manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that
is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and made it holy.
People: Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from sin. For I know my
transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
Leader: Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
(5) As a Rule of Gratitude
Leader: Hear, O people of God, the law which the Lord speaks in your hearing
this day, that you may know his statutes and walk according to his ordinances.
People: Teach us, O Lord, the grace of your law, and give us life by your Word.
Leader: The God who saved us in Jesus Christ gave this law, saying: I am the Lord your God! You shall have no other gods before me.
People: We will worship the Lord our God and serve only him.
Leader: You shall not make yourself an image of anything to worship it.
People: Living no more in bondage to earthly gods, we will worship the Lord our God in spirit and in truth.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
People: We will use the holy name of God with reverence, praising him in everything we do and say.
Leader: You shall observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy, for in six days you shall labour and do all your work.
People: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Leader: The first part of the law is this great commandment:
People: That we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength.
Leader: The second part of the Law is similar to the first: you shall honour your father and mother, that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
People: As children we will be obedient to our parents in the Lord; as parents we will correct our children and guide them in the training and instruction of the Lord; we will respect the lawful authorities appointed by God.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: We will be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: We will use our bodies in ways that are holy and honorable, and abstain from immorality and impurity.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: We will do what we can for our neighbour's good, and work faithfully so that we may share with the poor.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
People: We will speak the truth with our neighbour in love, render judgments that are true and make for peace, and not devise in our hearts any evil against anyone.
Leader: You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: We will be content whatever the circumstances through the strength of Christ within us.
Leader: Thus we must love our neighbour as ourselves.
People: For the Lord requires of us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Amen!
People: Teach us, O Lord, the grace of your law, and give us life by your Word.
Leader: The God who saved us in Jesus Christ gave this law, saying: I am the Lord your God! You shall have no other gods before me.
People: We will worship the Lord our God and serve only him.
Leader: You shall not make yourself an image of anything to worship it.
People: Living no more in bondage to earthly gods, we will worship the Lord our God in spirit and in truth.
Leader: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
People: We will use the holy name of God with reverence, praising him in everything we do and say.
Leader: You shall observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy, for in six days you shall labour and do all your work.
People: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Leader: The first part of the law is this great commandment:
People: That we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength.
Leader: The second part of the Law is similar to the first: you shall honour your father and mother, that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
People: As children we will be obedient to our parents in the Lord; as parents we will correct our children and guide them in the training and instruction of the Lord; we will respect the lawful authorities appointed by God.
Leader: You shall not murder.
People: We will be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us.
Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: We will use our bodies in ways that are holy and honorable, and abstain from immorality and impurity.
Leader: You shall not steal.
People: We will do what we can for our neighbour's good, and work faithfully so that we may share with the poor.
Leader: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
People: We will speak the truth with our neighbour in love, render judgments that are true and make for peace, and not devise in our hearts any evil against anyone.
Leader: You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour.
People: We will be content whatever the circumstances through the strength of Christ within us.
Leader: Thus we must love our neighbour as ourselves.
People: For the Lord requires of us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Amen!
(6) As Summarized by Christ
Leader: What is the great and first commandment?
People: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Leader: What is the second commandment like it?
People: Love your neighbour as yourself.
Leader: What does this mean?
People: Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Leader: To what does this call us?
People: To a life of faith working through love.
People: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Leader: What is the second commandment like it?
People: Love your neighbour as yourself.
Leader: What does this mean?
People: Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Leader: To what does this call us?
People: To a life of faith working through love.
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