for any time
in Ordinary Time
[ 3 voices ]
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Paul's exuberant declaration, however, is accompanied by a warning: do not accept this grace and gift of new life in vain. Embrace it. And as new creatures, Paul calls the Corinthians to be God's agents of reconciliation, God's righteousness in the world.
This choral reading was composed to be performed as a "blast" of Scripture intended to ring in the listeners' ears [and hearts]. It takes these seven verses from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians and explodes them with resonance through other parts of Scripture. Interweaving with the Second Corinthians text are references from Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Hebrews, 2 Timothy, 2 Peter and Revelation. So the pace is meant to be fast and tight, the tone — bright and exuberant. The occasional joyous outburst would not be inappropriate.
Presentation time: 3-1/2 minutes
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The Reading
| A | So if anyone is in Christ | |
| B | in Christ | |
| C | in the body of Christ | |
| B | in the truth of Christ | |
| C | in the freedom of Christ | |
| B | in the love, hope and grace of Christ | 2 Timothy 2.1 |
| A B C | in Christ | |
| A | If anyone is in Christ | |
| B | there it is | |
| C | look | |
| B | look again | |
| C | there it is | |
| A | — new creation | |
| B | new | |
| C | creation [ | |
| B | Like the first creation | |
| C | when God the Spirit hovered over the waters | |
| B | first creation | |
| A | light where there was darkness life where there was chaos breath into flesh | Genesis 2.7 |
| B | first creation | |
| A | Only now everything old | |
| C | the old order of things | |
| A | has passed away | |
| B | Look | |
| A | Everything has become new! | |
| B | Look again | |
| A | What is new has arrived! | |
| C | No need to remember past events No need to think what was before | Isaiah 43.18 |
| A | A new heaven and a new earth | Revelation 21.1 |
| B | the place where righteousness will be at home | 2 Peter 3.13 |
| C | A taste of the time | |
| B | when hunger and thirst | Isaiah 49.10 |
| death and mourning and crying and pain | ||
| A B C | are no more | Revelations 21.4 |
| B | are swallowed up | 1 Corinthians 15.54 |
| [ | ||
| C | All this comes from God the author and finisher of our faith | Hebrews 12.2 |
| B | the fountain of life | Psalm 36.9 |
| C | of living waters | Jeremiah 2.13 |
| A | our refuge | Psalm 62.8 | our rock and our salvation | Psalm 62.2 |
| C | All this comes from God | |
| A | in God | |
| B | in Christ | |
| [ | ||
| A | And so now | |
| C | now is the day of salvation | |
| A | as new creatures in Christ | |
| B | as reconciled to God through Christ | |
| A | Now in Christ Jesus | |
| B | as you who were once far away have been brought near to God through Christ | Ephesians 2.13 |
| C | when he made peace | Colossians 1.20 |
| he himself is our peace | Ephesians 2.14 | |
| B | becoming sin who knew no sin | |
| C | by his death on the cross | Colossians 1.20 |
| A | This is the righteousness of God | |
| B | the righteousness that is of God the righteousness that comes from God | Philippians 3.9 |
| C | As new creatures in Christ | |
| B | we are now ambassadors for Christ | |
| A | appointed and anointed agents trusted agents | |
| B | called in righteousness | Isaiah 42.6 |
| A | given the ministry of reconciliation | C | to be a covenant for the people | Isaiah 49.8 |
| [ | ||
| B | And so now that we are reconciled we are called to reconcile | |
| C | We urge you | |
| A B C | Be reconciled to God | |
| B | as we work together with him | |
| A B C | Accept this grace of God | |
| C | Now is the day of salvation | |
| B | as we become ambassadors for Christ | |
| A | standing firm in Christ | 2 Corinthians 1.22 |
| C | as God’s righteousness as God’s handiwork | Ephesians 2.10 |
| B | making God’s appeal through us | |
| C | God’s ambassadors | |
| A | Now is the day of salvation [ | |
| C | God is in you | |
| B | re-creating you in Christ | |
| A | Now is the day of salvation | |
| C | All this comes from God [ | |
| B | New creation | |
| A | New creatures in Christ | |
| A B C | All this comes from God | |
| Amen |