Deuteronomy | Confident.Faith: Recent Episodes
Confident.Faith
Readings* Deuteronomy 7:6–9 * Psalm 125 * Romans 8:28–39 * Matthew 13:44–52 Homily TranscriptScripture is full of metaphor, analogy, symbolism, and dozens of other such rhetorical devices and figures of speech. This is, of course, not to say that there are not parts of Scripture that are simply literal — we do not want to wander off into the desert with those who try to torture everything into symbolism — or allegory. And yet we must recognize symbolism when and where God has employed it and then endeavor correctly to exegete and understand it. And so we must discuss ‘Jerusalem’.
First, there is not one Jerusalem — there are two:
Galatians 4:21–31 (ESV):
»21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.«
Second, the Jews are children of the slave woman, of the earthly Jerusalem, and we, the Elect, are children of the free woman, of the heavenly Jerusalem. Third, the heavenly Jerusalem is the eternal city, the city spoken of in Revelation; ultimately and truly, the heavenly Jerusalem is Paradise itself, for that is the eternal home of the Elect. We should expand these a bit.
I want you to look at Psalm 125 in your Bibles. Unless you have acquired and are using a Septuagint (which you should do), then the second clause speaks of Mount Zion as being immovable, but that is not what God actually said, for the true referent, as we see in the Greek, is the same as that of the first clause: He who ‘inhabits Jerusalem’ is he who trusts in the Lord, is he who will never be shaken. This verse is comfort for the Elect; it has nothing to do with the earthly Jerusalem. In their great wickedness, the Jews altered this verse in their so-called ‘Masoretic Text’ and attempted to transfer a promise from the Elect to themselves. They truly are, as Christ called them, children of their father below, who is a murderer, a liar, and a thief. The earthly Jerusalem is just a city, like any other earthly city, and the earthly Mount Zion is like any other earthly mountain (really more a hill in this case) and both will pass away along with the rest of this Creation — they have no relevance to future prophecy or anything of that sort except for their use as symbols. All forms of Millenarianism are heresy.
The issue of the Jews is certainly a tired one, but a patient with cancer cannot reasonably expect to stop hearing about that disease just because he is tired of it, and so we must discuss wickedness and heresy. It was the Jews that led the so-called ‘civil rights movement’ that tore our country apart and destroyed our national fabric. It was the Jews that spied for the Communists (and gave them nuclear weapons) and led the Communist groups in the US. It was the Jews that overturned our blasphemy, anti-sodomy, and obscenity laws. It was the Jews that pushed to legalize abortion, and they are vastly overrepresented as ‘doctors’ in that field. It was the Jews that pushed for the legalization of all manner of drugs. It is the Jews that own and promote the pornography ‘industry’. Hear the Word of the Lord:
The Jews killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and they have persecuted His disciples; the Jews please not God, and are contrary to all men.
And yet there are many who claim the name of Christ and rabidly support the Christ-killing Jews. And if you recoil in the slightest from calling the Jews Christ-killers, then I encourage you to examine yourself to know the state of your heart; hear the Word of the Lord:
The God of our fathers raised Jesus, Whom you (Jews) killed by hanging Him on a tree.
Was Peter speaking to the ‘Jewish leaders’ as modern eisegetes would tell you? No, he was speaking to a crowd of ordinary Jews. The Jews are Christ-killers and this enormous sin, this incomprehensible wickedness will follow their race unto eternity. We leave the eternal disposition of those who dedicate themselves to the Jews to the perfect justice of God, but we also surely know that He will not commend as faithful servant those who serve the very men who murdered Him. For our part, we might call that ‘aiding and abetting’.
At least in some ways worse are those who rabidly — and heretically — insist that the Jews are ‘chosen’. Well, we should examine that term: What does it mean to be chosen? There are two senses; we will categorize them with two Greek verbs: προαιρεω and καλεω. The first verb appears in our first reading as ‘chosen’ and the second (in adjectival form) appears in our Epistle reading as ‘called’. Pharaoh was chosen, or, in the words of Romans 9:17:
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
in the waters of Holy Baptism, you were called — more, you were called by name, for the Good Shepherd Who numbered and named all the stars in the sky knows also all His sheep by their names (and so καλεω truly means). Would you rather be προαιρεω pharaoh or a καλεοω child of God (please forgive me the bad grammar for the sake of the point)? Perhaps I am somewhat partial because Romans 8:28 is my Confirmation verse, but I would strongly prefer, if asked to choose, to be chosen in the sense of καλεω (called) instead of merely chosen in the sense of προαιρεω (‘chosen’ for a specific purpose). This is, of course, not to even imply that these categories are mutually exclusive; pharaoh was chosen, but not called, but, to pick just a few, Moses, David, and Mary were all both chosen and called. The error that we must avoid here is the conflation of the Zionist and the heresy of the Dispensationalist: The Jews are not, by virtue of their descent from Abraham, chosen in the sense of called:
For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
If anything, the unbelieving Jews are all the more damned for rejecting the Scriptures that God entrusted to them and the Christ Who came from their line; it is far worse to know God and explicitly reject Him than simply to be an ignorant heathen. The nation of Ancient Israel was chosen for the specific purpose of being the line from which the Christ would descend, but this affords them no advantage before God’s tribunal. We are bound to ask how any Christian would miss the clear heresy of any system that would even hint at another path to the Father. ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ The Jews do not have some ‘second way’. Adam was the first Christian, and he entered Paradise long before Moses, to whom God entrusted the Law to be protected and spread by Ancient Israel, was even born. It has only ever been by faith in the Christ that one may be called. May the Lord God erase both Zionism and Dispensationalism from the Earth and thereby defend His great Name. Amen.
We do not look forward to the earthly restoration of any particular nation to any particular chunk of territory. We do not pin our hope on an earthly mountain, city, or hill. The only hill to which we (symbolically) assign any abiding hope is Golgotha, but our hope in Christ crucified exists because we believe in Christ raised. The existence of modern ‘Israel’ is a matter of geopolitics and corruption, not a matter of prophecy, for we know that it is only the Israel of God (i.e., the Church) and the heavenly Jerusalem (i.e., Paradise) that have any promises or ultimate meaning. The earthly Jerusalem will pass away in fire; the heavenly Jerusalem will endure for eternity with her lord and Savior as a light to all the Elect from every nation and language.
None of this should be taken to diminish or demean and certainly not to denigrate the importance of the here and now. What you do in this life not only echoes in eternity, but decides your eternity. Certainly, we are saved — alone — by the free gift of faith in the forgiveness of sins won for us by the perfect work of the Christ Who lived and died for us, fulfilling the righteous demands of the Law that we could never fulfill, but there are two judgements: There is the Judgement, which asks if you are or are not in Christ, and there is the judgement of works.
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
— Matthew 16:27
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For God will bring every work in judgment, in everything overlooked, whether good or evil.
— Ecclesiastes 12:14
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He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
— Romans 2:6–8
Your works cannot save you (and for that we cannot thank God enough), but just as certainly God will judge every deed you did or failed to do and every word you spoke or failed to speak. Anyone who think this life does not matter because the ultimate battle is already won would do well to examine himself and take heed lest he fall; God will not be mocked, and He sees, hears, and knows all. Again, you must not — and should not — fear for your eternity, for that was already won for you, your name inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and your status as a child of the Father signed and sealed in the waters of Holy Baptism; in fact, you were foreknown by God in eternity past before ever there was an Earth or a Jerusalem or a Golgotha, and your name was written in the Book of Life before your parents named you, before Adam named the animals, before God made and named the stars. You were called by the very name God inscribed in His Book of Life before time itself had even begun to run. You were called — καλεω — in eternity past when God foreknew you and here in time when you were pulled from the waters of Baptism as a child or an adult or sprinkled with the water of Baptism as an infant. And the infant truly is the better picture, for he can neither ‘consent’ (for whatever that means) nor truly object (save, perhaps, some crying if the water is cold); the infant must rely — entirely — on those around him and receives Baptism, and the forgiveness of sins and the salvation therein offered, as we are all commanded to receive the Kingdom of God: as little children, free from guile, objection, squabbling, or doubt. If you were an adult when you were baptized, then you still added nothing to the process, for the Sacrament relies upon God and not upon you. Truly blessed are those who receive so great a gift from God in the most worthy manner fallen man may muster: that of the trusting infant.
As Christians, as called sons and daughters of God, we must not look upon this life as misery or suffering or any such thing (although it certainly will contain those in this fallen world), and we must certainly not look upon this life as meaningless or irrelevant: Our heavenly Father has prepared beforehand good works that we should walk in them. The Cross conquered sin, death, and the devil, but there is much work left to be done here in time. We have duties to family, to nation, which is to say to race, and to neighbor. This world is perishing, and so are all who do not know the Lord. Noah was saved from a drowning world, and instructed not to draw any more into the Ark; we have a better promise than he, for we are instructed to bring as many into the new and better Ark — the Church — as possible; in the words of the parable:
And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
We must fill our Father’s House, the Jerusalem above, Paradise.
But this is not done simply by sharing, spreading, or teaching or preaching the Gospel. The Christian life is much more than the Proclamation. The Christian life is a life of deeds and not mere words; it is lived out both in accordance with God’s law and in service to neighbor. In fact, you cannot serve God directly — He needs nothing from you or from anyone else; your neighbor, however, needs food, clothing, shelter, and all manner of such things; you serve God by serving your neighbor — those are the very good works that God prepared beforehand that you should walk in them. And your neighbor is not some abstraction, and nor does he represent every man on Earth. Your neighbor is a concrete; he is flesh and blood; in fact, he is your flesh and blood, for you owe your loyalty, your duty, and your time, resources, and efforts first and foremost and even to the exclusion of all others to those God has placed closest to you. Family, tribe, race, and nation are not incidental, accidental, or human constructs or fictions. You are who and what you are by essence, and God created that essence. Your people need you; you serve God by serving your people of whom God has made you part; you serve Satan by denying your own people, of whom God has made you part, to preference the alien, whom God has not made part of your people. Or do you believe God was wrong to include the Table of Nations and the genealogies in Scripture and to create man as a social animal enmeshed in concentric circles of relatedness and duty? Or do you believe the Marxists — almost exclusively Christ-denying and Christ-murdering Jews — knew better than God? For they are the very men (to abuse the term via over-inclusion) you are following when you deny the reality of sex, of race, of nation, of family. And make no mistake: To deny the reality of race is actually more evil, more wicked than to deny the reality of biological sex. Satan knows full well that all of these things are real and are good creations of God — that is why he wants you to deny them. The ‘Christian’ who claims Christ and yet denies Him in his acts is an unprofitable servant who may one day — in the not-too-distant future — find himself calling “Lord, Lord…”. Do not be an unprofitable servant. We live in a dying world among the dying, and yet live in it we must. Do your duty as a Christian man or woman. Serve your family; serve your tribe; serve your neighbor; serve your race. These are the realities by which God has created you and in which He has enmeshed you. Do not risk denying the Creator by denying His Creation.
As a called, elected, sealed, and confirmed son or daughter of the Father, you have absolute certainty of your eternity, for you are in Christ and He will lose none from His hands. So comport yourself with the behavior befitting a son or a daughter of the King. He has given you work to do; do not rest on Christ’s laurels. Your people are perishing, pull them into the Greater Ark before they slip beneath the waves and are forever out of reach.
Amen.
Deuteronomy 29–31
Covenant and Imprecations; Warnings against Apostasy; Moses and Joshua
Deuteronomy 23–26
Laws for the Assembly; Laws for Cleanness; Laws for Vows; Laws for Debts; Law for Childless Widows; Laws for Tithes
Deuteronomy 20–22
Rules for Warfare; Command to Genocide Canaanites; Law for Homicides; Rules for Captive Women; Right of the Firstborn; Law for the Hanged Man; Laws for Found Property; Law of the Distinction of the Sexes; Laws of Virginity and Sexual Relationships and Crimes
Deuteronomy 17–19
Punishment for Idolators; Provision for a King; Rules for the Levites; Prophets and False Prophets; Cities of Refuge; Borders; Lex Talionis
Deuteronomy 14–16
Dietary Laws; Tithes; Jubilee; Rules for Slaves; Sacrifices of Firstborn; Feasts; Worship Restrictions
Deuteronomy 08–10
Blessings for Obedience; Curses for Disobedience; Recounting Israel’s Disobedience and Wickedness
Deuteronomy 05–07
The Ten Commandments; the Greatest Commandment; Warnings about Disobedience; Command to Exterminate the Canaanites
Numbers 36 — Deuteronomy 02
Laws for Inheritance; Recounting of Wandering in the Wilderness; Lands Allotted to Israel’s Cousins; Destruction of Sihon
Readings* Deuteronomy 8:1–10 * Psalm 67 * Philippians 4:6–20 * 1 Timothy 2:1–4 * Luke 17:11–19
Readings* Psalm 150 * Psalm 147 * Deuteronomy 34:1–12 * Matthew 21:1–22 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:27–29 FeastToday we celebrate the Feast of All Souls’ Day. All Souls’ Day is the first of two days in the season of Allhallowtide (which began yesterday on Halloween). Where All Saints’ Day is a joyous celebration of the resurrection of all who believe in Christ, All Souls’ Day is a somber contemplation of sin and mortality. The Festival of All Souls’ Day is rightly observed with fasting and prayer, both as individual Christians and as Christian nations.
Readings* Psalm 46 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 32:28–52 * Matthew 20:17–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:22–26 FestivalToday we celebrate the festival of Reformation Day and the beginning of the three-day season of Allhallowtide (also known as Halloween). On 31 October 1517, an Augustinian monk nailed ninety-five theses, points for discussion, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. Dr. Martin Luther did not, at the time, intend a break with the Roman church; rather, he sought only to address a number of pressing matters, among them indulgences. Rome, however, wanted nothing of Luther’s suggested discussion, and would eventually excommunicate him, declare him a heretic, and seek his death. Refusing to compromise on the rediscovered Gospel, Luther would go on to translate the New Testament, publish numerous works, and, above all, spark a Reformation that would see the restoration of Christ’s Church, over and against the heresies of Rome. We celebrate Reformation Day in remembrance of God’s great mercy and His steadfast love, of His work through Martin Luther that rescued the Gospel, enabling us to stand and, with Luther, declare of the Truth:
“Hier stehe ich — ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen.”
Or, in English:
“Here I stand — I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
Readings* Psalm 90 * Deuteronomy 31:30—32:27 * Matthew 20:1–16 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:16–21
Readings* Psalm 56 * Psalm 58 * Deuteronomy 31:1–29 * Matthew 19:16–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:9–15
Readings* Psalm 127 * Psalm 132 * Deuteronomy 30:1–20 * Matthew 19:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:1–8
Readings* Psalm 20 * Psalm 25 * Deuteronomy 29:1–29 * Matthew 18:21–35 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:60–71
Readings Psalm 12 * Psalm 9 * Deuteronomy 28:1–68 * Matthew 18:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:50–59 CommemorationToday we commemorate Philipp Nicolai, Johann Heermann, and Paul Gerhardt, Hymnwriters*. Philipp Nicolai was a German pastor who lived through the Great Plague, which took the lives of thirteen hundred members of his parish. Despite hardships, he contributed hymns which the Church uses to this day — among them, “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying” and “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”. Johann Heermann was a German pastor who lived through the Thirty Years’ War, and contributed a number of hymns to the corpus. Paul Gerhardt was a German pastor who also lived through the Thirty Years’ War, lost his pastoral position for refusing to compromise his beliefs, and wrote over one hundred hymns; he is regarded as one of Lutheranism’s finest hymnwriters.
Readings* Psalm 93 * Psalm 87 * Deuteronomy 27:1–26 * Matthew 17:14–27 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:40–49
Readings* Psalm 99 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 25:17—26:19 * Matthew 17:1–13 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:28–39
Readings* Psalm 107 * Deuteronomy 24:10—25:10 * Matthew 16:13–28 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:18–27
Readings* Psalm 62 * Psalm 119:137–144 * Deuteronomy 21:1–23 * Matthew 16:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:7–17
Readings* Psalm 142 * Psalm 91 * Deuteronomy 20:1–20 * Matthew 15:21–39 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:1–6
Readings* Psalm 138 * Psalm 140 * Deuteronomy 19:1–21 * Matthew 15:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXII:9–17
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 18:1–22 * Matthew 14:22–36 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXII:1–8
Readings* Psalm 75 * Psalm 77 * Deuteronomy 17:1–20 * Matthew 14:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:38–44 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of St. Luke, Evangelist. A traveling companion of St. Paul, St. Luke was a Greek physician, who would author one of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts. It is Luke who gives us details of Christ’s birth and many other events. Taken together, The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts comprise over a third of the New Testament.
Readings Psalm 39 * Psalm 38 * Deuteronomy 15:19—16:22 * Matthew 13:44–58 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:31–37 CommemorationToday we commemorate Ignatius of Antioch, Pastor and Martyr. Serving as bishop of Antioch in the beginning of the second century AD, Ignatius was a proponent of orthodox Christian doctrine. Arrested under Emperor Trajan, Ignatius, like Paul, was taken in chains to Rome, where he was executed by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena. In his letters, written on the way to Rome, Ignatius warned against false teachings, encouraged his fellow pastors, emphasized Christ’s full humanity and* full deity, defended the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, and stressed the unity of the Church (being the first to use the term “catholic” in describing her). Ignatius left behind a lasting legacy for the Church.
Readings* Psalm 37 * Deuteronomy 14:1—15:15 * Matthew 13:24–43 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:21–30
Readings* Psalm 119:33–40 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 13:1–18 * Matthew 13:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:14–20
Readings* Psalm 114 * Psalm 124 * Deuteronomy 12:13–32 * Matthew 12:38–50 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:1–13
Readings* Psalm 111 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 11:26—12:12 * Matthew 12:22–37 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XX:86–92
Readings* Psalm 119:97–104 * Psalm 146 * Deuteronomy 11:1–25 * Matthew 12:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XX:78–85
Readings* Psalm 23 * Psalm 114 * Deuteronomy 9:23—10:22 * Matthew 11:20–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVIII:67–76, XIX:77 CommemorationToday we commemorate Philip the Deacon. One of the seven men appointed to help the Apostles handle the work of the rapidly expanding Early Church by overseeing the distribution of food to the poor, Philip would go on to work as an evangelist in Samaria. Pursuant to the word of God brought to him by an angel, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, an official in the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, on the road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza. In preaching the Good News to this man (and baptizing him), Philip became indirectly responsible for transmitting the Gospel to the continent of Africa.
Readings* Psalm 106 * Deuteronomy 9:1–22 * Matthew 11:1–19 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVI:61–65, XVII:66
Readings* Psalm 103 * Deuteronomy 8:1–20 * Matthew 10:24–42 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVI:53–60 CommemorationToday we commemorate Abraham. Selected from among the nations and called by God to become the father of a great nation, Abraham left his home and all that he had ever known, at the age of seventy-five, and moved to the land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (a promise fulfilled under the reign of Israel’s monarchs). At the age of one hundred, Abraham had Isaac with his wife Sarah — a miraculous birth according to the promise from God. Demonstrating his obedience to and trust in God in his willingness to sacrifice Isaac (a sacrifice God stopped by speaking from Heaven and providing a ram), Abraham is commended for his trusting faith in God and His promises. Through the Seed of Abraham, that is Jesus Christ, all nations have been blessed.
Readings* Psalm 126 * Psalm 141 * Deuteronomy 7:1–19 * Matthew 10:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:45–52
Readings Psalm 121 * Psalm 131 * Deuteronomy 6:10–25 * Matthew 9:18–38 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:31–44 CommemorationToday we commemorate Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg, Pastor*. Born in Einbeck, Germany, in 1711, Mühlenberg moved to the American colonies in 1742. Helping to found many Lutheran congregations through tireless travel, Mühlenberg would become the guiding force behind the formation of the first Lutheran Synod in North America — the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. Remembered as a church leader, liturgist, and pastor, when Mühlenberg died in 1787, he left behind not only a large extended family, but also a lasting heritage: American Lutheranism.
Readings* Psalm 91 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 5:22—6:9 * Matthew 9:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:22–30
Readings* Psalm 86 * Deuteronomy 5:1–21 * Matthew 8:18–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:13–21
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 4:21–40 * Matthew 8:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:1–12
Readings* Psalm 119:9–16 * Psalm 125 * Deuteronomy 4:1–20 * Matthew 7:13–29 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIV:24–28
Readings* Psalm 3 * Psalm 2 * Deuteronomy 3:1–29 * Matthew 7:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII:14–23
Readings* Psalm 130 * Psalm 51 * Deuteronomy 2:16–37 * Matthew 6:16–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII:1–13
Readings* Psalm 119:161–168 * Psalm 63 * Deuteronomy 1:37—2:15 * Matthew 6:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIB:77–81
Readings Psalm 19 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 1:19–36 * Matthew 5:21–48 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIIB:67–76 FeastToday we celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels*. One of the archangels, tradition names Michael as patron and protector of the Church and of Christians. Mentioned in the Biblical books of Daniel, Jude, and Revelation, Michael leads the hosts of Heaven into battle against Satan and his demons — a victory assured by the blood of Christ, and announced in Revelation 12:10 by a voice from Heaven:
“Now the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down[.]”
Readings* Psalm 145 * Deuteronomy 1:1–18 * Matthew 5:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIIB:58–66
Readings* Deuteronomy 32:36–39 * Psalm 118:19–29 * Psalm 31:9–16 * Philippians 2:5–11 * John 12:12–43 * Luke 22:1—23:56
Numbers 35 — Deuteronomy 3:11
Cities of Refuge and for the Levites through Defeat of Sihon and Og
Readings* Deuteronomy 8:1–10 * Psalm 67 * Philippians 4:6–20 * 1 Timothy 2:1–4 * Luke 17:11–19
Readings* Psalm 150 * Psalm 147 * Deuteronomy 34:1–12 * Matthew 21:1–22 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIV:27–29 FeastToday we celebrate the Feast of All Souls’ Day. All Souls’ Day is the first of two days in the season of Allhallowtide (which began yesterday on Halloween). Where All Saints’ Day is a joyous celebration of the resurrection of all who believe in Christ, All Souls’ Day is a somber contemplation of sin and mortality. The Festival of All Souls’ Day is rightly observed with fasting and prayer, both as individual Christians and as Christian nations.
Readings* Psalm 46 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 32:28–52 * Matthew 20:17–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:22–26 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of Reformation Day and the beginning of the three-day season of Allhallowtide (also known as Halloween). On 31 October 1517, an Augustinian monk nailed ninety-five theses, points for discussion, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. Dr. Martin Luther did not, at the time, intend a break with the Roman church; rather, he sought only to address a number of pressing matters, among them indulgences. Rome, however, wanted nothing of Luther’s suggested discussion, and would eventually excommunicate him, declare him a heretic, and seek his death. Refusing to compromise on the rediscovered Gospel, Luther would go on to translate the New Testament, publish numerous works, and, above all, spark a Reformation that would see the restoration of Christ’s Church, over and against the heresies of Rome. We celebrate Reformation Day in remembrance of God’s great mercy and His steadfast love, of His work through Martin Luther that rescued the Gospel, enabling us to stand and, with Luther, declare of the Truth:
“Hier stehe ich — ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen.”
Or, in English:
“Here I stand — I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
Readings* Psalm 90 * Deuteronomy 31:30—32:27 * Matthew 20:1–16 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:16–21
Readings* Psalm 56 * Psalm 58 * Deuteronomy 31:1–29 * Matthew 19:16–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:9–15
Readings* Psalm 127 * Psalm 132 * Deuteronomy 30:1–20 * Matthew 19:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:1–8 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles. Simon and Jude are typically listed tenth and eleventh when the Apostles are named; Simon is called “the Zealot” and Jude is also known as Judas (not Iscariot) or Thaddeus. According to tradition Simon and Jude, together, spread the Gospel to Persia, where they were martyred, hence we commemorate them on the same day.
Readings* Psalm 20 * Psalm 25 * Deuteronomy 29:1–29 * Matthew 18:21–35 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:60–71
Readings* Psalm 12 * Psalm 9 * Deuteronomy 28:1–68 * Matthew 18:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:50–59
Readings Psalm 93 * Psalm 87 * Deuteronomy 27:1–26 * Matthew 17:14–27 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII:40–49 CommemorationToday we commemorate Dorcas (also known as Tabitha), Lydia, and Phoebe, Faithful Women*. These three faithful women exemplified what it means to live a Christian life. Tabitha is remembered for her charitable acts in Joppa, particularly for making clothing for the poor. When Tabitha died suddenly, Peter came from nearby Lydda and raised her from the dead. Lydia was a dealer in purple dye, an expensive and in-demand product in the ancient world; converted to Christianity by Paul’s preaching, Lydia became a patron of the church in Philippi. Phoebe was a servant of the church in Cenchreae who delivered Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, in which Paul praises her support of the Church.
Readings* Psalm 99 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 25:17—26:19 * Matthew 17:1–13 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:28–39
Readings* Psalm 107 * Deuteronomy 24:10—25:10 * Matthew 16:13–28 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:18–27 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr. Also known as “James the Just”, St. James of Jerusalem did not believe in the divinity of Christ until after the Resurrection. After converting, James became a leader in the early Christian community, and, after Peter’s departure from that city, James became bishop of the Church in Jerusalem. According to Josephus, James was stoned to death by the Sadducees in AD 62. James authored the Epistle that bears his name and exhorts Christians to remain in and live out the one true Faith.
Readings* Psalm 62 * Psalm 119:137–144 * Deuteronomy 21:1–23 * Matthew 16:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:7–17
Readings* Psalm 142 * Psalm 91 * Deuteronomy 20:1–20 * Matthew 15:21–39 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIII:1–6
Readings* Psalm 138 * Psalm 140 * Deuteronomy 19:1–20 * Matthew 15:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXII:9–17
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 18:1–22 * Matthew 14:22–36 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXII:1–8
Readings* Psalm 75 * Psalm 77 * Deuteronomy 17:1–20 * Matthew 14:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:38–44 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of St. Luke, Evangelist. A traveling companion of St. Paul, St. Luke was a Greek physician, who would author one of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts. It is Luke who gives us details of Christ’s birth and many other events. Taken together, The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts comprise over a third of the New Testament.
Readings Psalm 39 * Psalm 38 * Deuteronomy 15:19—16:22 * Matthew 13:44–58 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:31–37 CommemorationToday we commemorate Ignatius of Antioch, Pastor and Martyr. Serving as bishop of Antioch in the beginning of the second century AD, Ignatius was a proponent of orthodox Christian doctrine. Arrested under Emperor Trajan, Ignatius, like Paul, was taken in chains to Rome, where he was executed by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena. In his letters, written on the way to Rome, Ignatius warned against false teachings, encouraged his fellow pastors, emphasized Christ’s full humanity and* full deity, defended the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, and stressed the unity of the Church (being the first to use the term “catholic” in describing her). Ignatius left behind a lasting legacy for the Church.
Readings* Psalm 37 * Deuteronomy 14:1—15:15 * Matthew 13:24–43 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:21–30
Readings* Psalm 119:33–40 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 13:1–18 * Matthew 13:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:14–20
Readings* Psalm 114 * Psalm 124 * Deuteronomy 12:13–32 * Matthew 12:38–50 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 1–13a
Readings* Psalm 111 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 11:26—12:12 * Matthew 12:22–37 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 86–92
Readings* Psalm 119:97–104 * Psalm 146 * Deuteronomy 11:1–25 * Matthew 12:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 78–85
Readings* Psalm 23 * Psalm 114 * Deuteronomy 9:23—10:22 * Matthew 11:20–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVIII, 67–76; XIX, 77 CommemorationToday we commemorate Philip the Deacon. One of the seven men appointed to help the Apostles handle the work of the rapidly expanding Early Church by overseeing the distribution of food to the poor, Philip would go on to work as an evangelist in Samaria. Pursuant to the word of God brought to him by an angel, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, an official in the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, on the road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza. In preaching the Good News to this man (and baptizing him), Philip became indirectly responsible for transmitting the Gospel to the continent of Africa.
Readings* Psalm 106 * Deuteronomy 9:1–22 * Matthew 11:1–19 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 61–65; XVII, 66
Readings* Psalm 103 * Deuteronomy 8:1–20 * Matthew 10:24–42 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 53–60 CommemorationToday we commemorate Abraham. Selected from among the nations and called by God to become the father of a great nation, Abraham left his home and all that he had ever known, at the age of seventy-five, and moved to the land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (a promise fulfilled under the reign of Israel’s monarchs). At the age of one hundred, Abraham had Isaac with his wife Sarah — a miraculous birth according to the promise from God. Demonstrating his obedience to and trust in God in his willingness to sacrifice Isaac (a sacrifice God stopped by speaking from Heaven and providing a ram), Abraham is commended for his trusting faith in God and His promises. Through the Seed of Abraham, that is Jesus Christ, all nations have been blessed.
Readings* Psalm 126 * Psalm 141 * Deuteronomy 7:1–19 * Matthew 10:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 45–52
Readings* Psalm 121 * Psalm 131 * Deuteronomy 6:10–25 * Matthew 9:18–38 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 31-44
Readings* Psalm 91 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 5:22—6:9 * Matthew 9:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 22–30
Readings* Psalm 86 * Deuteronomy 5:1–21 * Matthew 8:18–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 13–21
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 4:21–40 * Matthew 8:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 1–12
Readings* Psalm 119:9–16 * Psalm 125 * Deuteronomy 4:1–20 * Matthew 7:13–29 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIV, 24–28
Readings* Psalm 3 * Psalm 2 * Deuteronomy 3:1–29 * Matthew 7:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIII, 14–23
Readings* Psalm 130 * Psalm 51 * Deuteronomy 2:16–37 * Matthew 6:16–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIII, 1–13
Readings* Psalm 119:161–168 * Psalm 63 * Deuteronomy 1:37—2:15 * Matthew 6:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIb, 77–81
Readings Psalm 19 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 1:19–36 * Matthew 5:21–48 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIb, 67–76 FeastToday we celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels*. One of the archangels, tradition names Michael as patron and protector of the Church and of Christians. Mentioned in the Biblical books of Daniel, Jude, and Revelation, Michael leads the hosts of Heaven into battle against Satan and his demons — a victory assured by the blood of Christ, and announced in Revelation 12:10 by a voice from Heaven:
“Now the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down[.]”
Readings* Psalm 145 * Deuteronomy 1:1–18 * Matthew 5:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIb, 58–66
Readings* Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9 * Psalm 119:129–136 * Ephesians 6:10–20 * Mark 7:14–23
Readings* Deuteronomy 8:1–10 * Psalm 67 * Philippians 4:6–20 * 1 Timothy 2:1–4 * Luke 17:11–19
Readings* Psalm 150 * Psalm 147 * Deuteronomy 34:1–12 * Matthew 21:1–22 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 27–29 FestivalToday we celebrate the feast of All Saints’ Day. As Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ, so All Saints’ Day celebrates the resurrection of all those who believe in Him. On this day, we contemplate the scope and scale of Christ’s work — winning for His Kingdom men, women, and children from every tribe and nation. We are, indeed, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. It is such resurrection that allows us to confess that “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed”. Today we celebrate with the entire Church catholic the coming eternal Kingdom and the consummation of all things.
Readings* Psalm 46 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 32:28–52 * Matthew 20:17–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 22–26 FestivalToday we celebrate the festival of Reformation Day. On 31 October 1517, an Augustinian monk nailed ninety-five theses, points for discussion, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. Dr. Martin Luther did not, at the time, intend a break with the Roman church; rather, he sought only to address a number of pressing matters, among them indulgences. Rome, however, wanted nothing of Luther’s suggested discussion, and would eventually excommunicate him, declare him a heretic, and seek his death. Refusing to compromise on the rediscovered Gospel, Luther would go on to translate the New Testament, publish numerous works, and, above all, spark a Reformation that would see the restoration of Christ’s Church, over and against the heresies of Rome. We celebrate Reformation Day in remembrance of God’s great mercy and His steadfast love, of His work through Martin Luther that rescued the Gospel, enabling us to stand and, with Luther, declare of the Truth:
“Hier stehe ich — ich kann nicht anders. Gott helfe mir. Amen.”
Or, in English:
“Here I stand — I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
Readings* Psalm 90 * Deuteronomy 31:30—32:27 * Matthew 20:1–16 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 16–21
Readings* Psalm 56 * Psalm 58 * Deuteronomy 31:1–29 * Matthew 19:16–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 9–15
Readings* Psalm 127 * Psalm 132 * Deuteronomy 30:1–20 * Matthew 19:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 1–8 FestivalToday we celebrate the festival of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles. Simon and Jude are typically listed tenth and eleventh when the Apostles are named; Simon is called “the Zealot” and Jude is also known as Judas (not Iscariot) or Thaddeus. According to tradition Simon and Jude, together, spread the Gospel to Persia, where they were martyred, hence we commemorate them on the same day.
Readings* Psalm 20 * Psalm 25 * Deuteronomy 29:1–29 * Matthew 18:21–35 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 60–71
Readings Psalm 12 * Psalm 9 * Deuteronomy 28:1–22 * Matthew 18:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 50–59 CommemorationToday we commemorate Philipp Nicolai, Johann Heermann, and Paul Gerhardt, Hymnwriters*. Philipp Nicolai was a German pastor who lived through the Great Plague, which took the lives of thirteen hundred members of his parish. Despite hardships, he contributed hymns which the Church uses to this day — among them, “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying” and “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”. Johann Heermann was a German pastor who lived through the Thirty Years’ War, and contributed a number of hymns to the corpus. Paul Gerhardt was a German pastor who also lived through the Thirty Years’ War, lost his pastoral position for refusing to compromise his beliefs, and wrote over one hundred hymns; he is regarded as one of Lutheranism’s finest hymnwriters.
Readings Psalm 93 * Psalm 87 * Deuteronomy 27:1–26 * Matthew 17:14–27 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 40–49 CommemorationToday we commemorate Dorcas (also known as Tabitha), Lydia, and Phoebe, Faithful Women*. These three faithful women exemplified what it means to live a Christian life. Tabitha is remembered for her charitable acts in Joppa, particularly for making clothing for the poor. When Tabitha died suddenly, Peter came from nearby Lydda and raised her from the dead. Lydia was a dealer in purple dye, an expensive and in-demand product in the ancient world; converted to Christianity by Paul’s preaching, Lydia became a patron of the church in Philippi. Phoebe was a deaconess in Cenchreae who delivered Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, in which Paul praises her support of the Church.
Readings* Psalm 99 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 25:17—26:19 * Matthew 17:1–13 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 28–39
Readings* Psalm 107 * Deuteronomy 24:10—25:10 * Matthew 16:13–28 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 18–27 FestivalToday we celebrate the Festival of St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr. Also known as “James the Just”, St. James of Jerusalem did not believe in the divinity of Christ until after the Resurrection. After converting, James became a leader in the early Christian community, and, after Peter’s departure from that city, James became bishop of the Church in Jerusalem. According to Josephus, James was stoned to death by the Sadducees in AD 62. James authored the Epistle that bears his name and exhorts Christians to remain in and live out the one true Faith.
Readings* Psalm 62 * Psalm 119:137–144 * Deuteronomy 21:1–23 * Matthew 16:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 7–17
Readings* Psalm 142 * Psalm 91 * Deuteronomy 20:1–20 * Matthew 15:21–39 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 1–6
Readings* Psalm 138 * Psalm 140 * Deuteronomy 19:1–20 * Matthew 15:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXII, 9–17
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 18:1–22 * Matthew 14:22–36 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXII, 1–8
Readings* Psalm 75 * Psalm 77 * Deuteronomy 17:1–20 * Matthew 14:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 38–44 FestivalToday we celebrate the festival of St. Luke, Evangelist. A traveling companion of St. Paul, St. Luke was a Greek physician, who would author one of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts. It is Luke who gives us details of Christ’s birth and many other events. Taken together, The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts comprise over a third of the New Testament.
Readings Psalm 39 * Psalm 38 * Deuteronomy 15:19—16:22 * Matthew 13:44–58 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 31–37 CommemorationToday we commemorate Ignatius of Antioch, Pastor and Martyr. Serving as bishop of Antioch in the beginning of the second century AD, Ignatius was a proponent of orthodox Christian doctrine. Arrested under Emperor Trajan, Ignatius, like Paul, was taken in chains to Rome, where he was executed by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena. In his letters, written on the way to Rome, Ignatius warned against false teachings, encouraged his fellow pastors, emphasized Christ’s full humanity and* full deity, defended the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, and stressed the unity of the Church (being the first to use the term “catholic” in describing her). Ignatius left behind a lasting legacy for the Church.
Readings* Psalm 37 * Deuteronomy 14:1—15:15 * Matthew 13:24–43 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 21–30
Readings* Psalm 119:33–40 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 13:1–18 * Matthew 13:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 14–20
Readings* Psalm 114 * Psalm 124 * Deuteronomy 12:13–32 * Matthew 12:38–50 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 1–13
Readings* Psalm 111 * Psalm 115 * Deuteronomy 11:26—12:12 * Matthew 12:22–37 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 86–92
Readings* Psalm 119:97–104 * Psalm 146 * Deuteronomy 11:1–25 * Matthew 12:1–21 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 78–85
Readings* Psalm 23 * Psalm 114 * Deuteronomy 9:23—10:22 * Matthew 11:20–30 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVIII–XIX CommemorationToday we commemorate Philip the Deacon. One of the seven men appointed to help the Apostles handle the work of the rapidly expanding Early Church by overseeing the distribution of food to the poor, Philip would go on to work as an evangelist in Samaria. Pursuant to the word of God brought to him by an angel, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, an official in the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, on the road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza. In preaching the Good News to this man (and baptizing him), Philip became indirectly responsible for transmitting the Gospel to the continent of Africa.
Readings* Psalm 106 * Deuteronomy 9:1–22 * Matthew 11:1–19 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 61–65, & XVII
Readings* Psalm 103 * Deuteronomy 8:1–20 * Matthew 10:24–42 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 53–60 CommemorationToday we commemorate Abraham. Selected from among the nations and called by God to become the father of a great nation, Abraham left his home and all that he had ever known, at the age of seventy-five, and moved to the land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (a promise fulfilled under the reign of Israel’s monarchs). At the age of one hundred, Abraham had Isaac with his wife Sarah — a miraculous birth according to the promise from God. Demonstrating his obedience to and trust in God in his willingness to sacrifice Isaac (a sacrifice God stopped by speaking from Heaven and providing a ram), Abraham is commended for his trusting faith in God and His promises. Through the Seed of Abraham, that is Christ Jesus, all nations have been blessed.
Readings* Psalm 126 * Psalm 141 * Deuteronomy 7:1–19 * Matthew 10:1–23 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 45–52
Readings* Psalm 121 * Psalm 131 * Deuteronomy 6:10–25 * Matthew 9:18–38 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 31–44
Readings* Psalm 91 * Psalm 97 * Deuteronomy 5:22—6:9 * Matthew 9:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 22–30
Readings* Psalm 86 * Deuteronomy 5:1–21 * Matthew 8:18–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 13–21
Readings* Psalm 80 * Deuteronomy 4:21–40 * Matthew 8:1–17 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 1–12
Readings* Psalm 119:9–16 * Psalm 125 * Deuteronomy 4:1–20 * Matthew 7:13–29 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIV, 24–28
Readings* Psalm 3 * Psalm 2 * Deuteronomy 3:1–29 * Matthew 7:1–12 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIII, 14–23
Readings* Psalm 130 * Psalm 51 * Deuteronomy 2:16–37 * Matthew 6:16–34 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIII, 1–13
Readings Psalm 119:161–168 * Psalm 63 * Deuteronomy 1:37—2:15 * Matthew 6:1–15 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIB, 77–81 CommemorationToday we commemorate Jerome, Translator of Holy Scripture*. Beginning his studies in Rome, Jerome would choose a monastic life and spend five years in the Syrian desert, there learning Hebrew. After settling in Bethlehem, Jerome set about translating Scripture into Latin, a task that would produce the Vulgate — the authoritative translation used by the Western Church for over a thousand years. Originally buried in Bethlehem, Jerome’s remains were moved and now reside in Rome.
Readings Psalm 19 * Psalm 34 * Deuteronomy 1:19–36 * Matthew 5:21–48 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIB, 67–76 Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels*. One of the archangels, tradition names Michael as patron and protector of the Church and of Christians. Mentioned in the Biblical books of Daniel, Jude, and Revelation, Michael leads the hosts of Heaven into battle against Satan and his demons — a victory assured by the blood of Christ, and announced in Revelation 12:10 by a voice from Heaven:
“Now the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down[.]”
Readings* Psalm 145 * Deuteronomy 1:1–18 * Matthew 5:1–20 * Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIIB, 58–66
Readings* Deuteronomy 30:15–20 * Psalm 119:1–8 * 1 Corinthians 3:1–9 * Matthew 5:21–37 PodcastOvercastApple PodcastsSpotify
- Psalm 150
- Psalm 147
- Deuteronomy 34:1–12
- Matthew 21:1–22
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 27–29
- Psalm 46
- Psalm 115
- Deuteronomy 32:28–52
- Matthew 20:17–34
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 22–26
- Psalm 90
- Deuteronomy 31:30—32:27
- Matthew 20:1–16
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 16–21
- Psalm 56
- Psalm 58
- Deuteronomy 31:1–29
- Matthew 19:16–30
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 9–15
- Psalm 127
- Psalm 132
- Deuteronomy 30:1–20
- Matthew 19:1–15
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIV, 1–8
- Psalm 20
- Psalm 25
- Deuteronomy 29:1–29
- Matthew 18:21–35
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 60–71
- Psalm 12
- Psalm 9
- Deuteronomy 28:1–22
- Matthew 18:1–20
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 50–59
- Psalm 93
- Psalm 87
- Deuteronomy 27:1–26
- Matthew 17:14–27
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 40–49
- Psalm 99
- Psalm 97
- Deuteronomy 25:17—26:19
- Matthew 17:1–13
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 28–39
- Psalm 107
- Deuteronomy 24:10—25:10
- Matthew 16:13–28
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 18–27
- Psalm 62
- Psalm 119:137–144
- Deuteronomy 21:1–23
- Matthew 16:1–12
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 7–17
- Psalm 142
- Psalm 91
- Deuteronomy 20:1–20
- Matthew 15:21–39
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXIII, 1–6
- Psalm 138
- Psalm 140
- Deuteronomy 19:1–20
- Matthew 15:1–20
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXII, 9–17
- Psalm 80
- Deuteronomy 18:1–22
- Matthew 14:22–36
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXII, 1–8
- Psalm 75
- Psalm 77
- Deuteronomy 17:1–20
- Matthew 14:1–21
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 38–44
- Psalm 39
- Psalm 38
- Deuteronomy 15:19—16:22
- Matthew 13:44–58
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 31–37
- Psalm 37
- Deuteronomy 14:1—15:15
- Matthew 13:24–43
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 21–30
- Psalm 119:33–40
- Psalm 34
- Deuteronomy 13:1–18
- Matthew 13:1–23
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 14–20
- Psalm 114
- Psalm 124
- Deuteronomy 12:13–32
- Matthew 12:38–50
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XXI, 1–13
- Psalm 111
- Psalm 115
- Deuteronomy 11:26—12:12
- Matthew 12:22–37
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 86–92
- Psalm 119:97–104
- Psalm 146
- Deuteronomy 11:1–25
- Matthew 12:1–21
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XX, 78–85
- Psalm 23
- Psalm 114
- Deuteronomy 9:23—10:22
- Matthew 11:20–30
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVIII, 67–76, & XIX, 77
- Psalm 106
- Deuteronomy 9:1–22
- Matthew 11:1–19
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 61–65, & XVII, 66
- Psalm 103
- Deuteronomy 8:1–20
- Matthew 10:24–42
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XVI, 53–60
- Psalm 126
- Psalm 141
- Deuteronomy 7:1–19
- Matthew 10:1–23
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 45–52
- Psalm 121
- Psalm 131
- Deuteronomy 6:10–25
- Matthew 9:18–38
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 31–44
- Psalm 91
- Psalm 97
- Deuteronomy 5:22—6:9
- Matthew 9:1–17
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 22–30
- Psalm 86
- Deuteronomy 5:1–21
- Matthew 8:18–34
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XV, 13–21
- Psalm 80
- Deuteronomy 4:21–40
- Matthew 8:1–17
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XI, 1–12
- Psalm 119:9–16
- Psalm 125
- Deuteronomy 4:1–20
- Matthew 7:13–29
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIV, 24–28
- Psalm 3
- Psalm 2
- Deuteronomy 3:1–29
- Matthew 7:1–12
- Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XIII, 14-23
Deuteronomy 30:15–20 Psalm 119:1–8 1 Corinthians 3:1–9 Matthew 5:21–37
The great ‘promise’ of the Law is ‘if…, then…’. “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, / who walk in the Law of the Lord!” “Blessed are those” who are “blameless”, “who keep His testimonies”, “who seek Him with their whole heart”, “who … do no wrong”, and who “walk in His ways”. But what are His testimonies? The Jews contend that there are six hundred and thirteen mitzvot — commandments — in the Torah, but let us not concern ourselves with such enumerations, for God Himself provides us a full statement of His Law in the Ten Commandments.
Thou shalt have no other gods. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord, thy God, in vain. Thou shalt sanctify the hold day. Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house. Thou shalt not cover thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
You may be thinking ‘So far, so good. I have neither murdered, committed adultery, nor borne false witness against my neighbor.’ Surely blessing and abundance will be ours for our great obedience! But wait. Does not Christ speak of these commandments?
Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV): ““You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
How fares your obedience to the Fifth Commandment?
Matthew 5:27–28 (ESV): “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
How fares your obedience to the Sixth Commandment? Have you divorced or married a spouse who was divorced?
Matthew 5:31–32 (ESV): “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
How fares your obedience to the Sixth Commandment?
Matthew 5:33–37 (ESV): “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Have you ever failed to keep your promises? Have you ‘merely’ failed to do what you said you would do? perhaps even failed to do what you told God you would do? How fares your obedience to the Eighth Commandment? Perhaps you yet believe that you have kept one of the other commandments. But what does Christ command? ‘Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.’ The law demands perfect obedience. The ‘promise’ of ‘if…, then…’ is no promise at all, for the “if” is “if you are perfect”, but ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ and ‘none is righteous, no not one’. Therefore, the cry of the psalmist is practically a lament, a cry for mercy:
Psalm 119:8 (ESV): I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
The Law always kills. You will find neither peace in nor comfort under the Law.
Romans 2:12 (ESV): For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
Romans 3:20 (ESV):