Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity (2023-10-01)

Proverbs 25:6–14
Psalm 2
Ephesians 4:1–6
Luke 14:1–11

Whoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted

“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence” (Prov. 25:6–14). Rather, take the lowest position at the table. Humble yourself before Him. For your place is not for you to take but for Him to give. Conduct yourself with all lowliness and gentleness, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:1–6), that the King may give you glory in the presence of those at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:1–11). Is this not the way of Christ? He is the one who took the lowest place, who humbled Himself even to the point of death for us. He is now exalted to the highest place at the right hand of the Father that penitent believers may be exalted together with Him in the resurrection. To the humble at His Supper He says, “Friend, move up higher,” giving you His very body and blood for your forgiveness that you may ascend to take part in the great wedding feast which has no end.

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Memory Verse:

Week of October 1, 2023
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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From Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray”

First, I read and consider what God is teaching me.
Second, I thank God for what He has done according to the text.
Third, I confess my sin based upon the text.
Fourth, I say a prayer using the text.

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Family Devotions: A How-To

Pastor Sean Daenzer, Chaplain of the LCMS International Center, explains and models family devotions:

Chaplain Daenzer shares how to do family devotions at home

Chaplain Daenzer models family devotions at home.

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Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (2023-09-24)

Deuteronomy 10:12–21
Psalm 34:8-22
1 Corinthians 1:(1–3) 4–9
Matthew 22:34–46

In Life and Death, Christ Fulfills the Law of God

The Pharisees ask a Law question. Jesus asks a Gospel question. The Pharisees seek to test Jesus in His own words. Jesus seeks to “test” them in the saving reality of who He is as the Messiah (Matt. 22:34–46). The Law requires you to “fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” and to “love the sojouner” (Deut. 10:12–21). Failure to keep the Law perfectly brings judgment. On the other hand, the Gospel brings the grace of God given by Jesus Christ, that you may be blameless in the day of His return (1 Cor. 1:1–9). Jesus is David’s Son yet David’s Lord, true God and true man. He is Love incarnate who fulfilled all the demands of God’s Law on our behalf, that we might be saved from the Law’s condemnation and sanctified in the Gospel’s forgiveness. Thereby we see that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9).

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Memory Verse of the Week:

Week of September 24, 2023
Psalm 91:11–12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

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From Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray”

First, I read and consider what God is teaching me.
Second, I thank God for what He has done according to the text.
Third, I confess my sin based upon the text.
Fourth, I say a prayer using the text.

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Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity (2023-09-17)

1 Kings 17:8–16
Psalm 146
Galatians 5:25—6:10
Matthew 6:24–34

Anxious Bondage vs. Confident Trust

“You cannot serve God and money” (Matt. 6:24–34), for they require two contrary forms of service. Worry is the worship given to the false god of mammon, an unbelieving anxiousness and focus on the things of this world. Faith is the worship of the true God, a confident trust that He is a loving Father who will care for all of our needs in both body and soul. The widow of Zarephath served God— that is, she believed the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah that the bin of flour would not be used up nor would the jar of oil run dry (1 Kings 17:8–16). He who feeds the birds and clothes the flowers will certainly provide for our daily needs. For He has already provided for our eternal needs, clothing us with Christ’s righteousness in Baptism and feeding us His body and blood for our forgiveness. With such confidence we are liberated from worry and freed to do good with our material resources, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Gal. 5:25–6:10).

From Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray”

First, I read and consider what God is teaching me.
Second, I thank God for what He has done according to the text.
Third, I confess my sin based upon the text.
Fourth, I say a prayer using the text.

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Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity (2023-09-10)

Proverbs 4:10–23
Psalm 119:9-16
Galatians 5:16–24
Luke 17:11–19

The Cry of Faith: Lord, Have Mercy

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Prov. 4:10–23).

From Martin Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray”

First, I read and consider what God is teaching me.
Second, I thank God for what He has done according to the text.
Third, I confess my sin based upon the text.
Fourth, I say a prayer using the text.

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