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October 4, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 22:34-46 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:21-40; Matthew 8:1-17 “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.’” (Matthew 22:36-28) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Jesus, tell us, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Who’s asking and why? The question comes from a so-called “expert” in the Law, he’s a lawyer from the Pharisees. Why does he ask? Is he testing Jesus to see if he remembers what he was taught in his Torah classes? Or is the question digging at something deeper? Is the lawyer trying to satisfy Old Adam’s attempt at keeping laws to gain God’s approval? “Give me the greatest law, Jesus, and I’ll focus on keeping that!” Boil all the commandments down to one; surely, I can keep one, right?  Can you hear it? The voice of Old Sinner wants to prove himself to God. “Give me the greatest commandment, and if I can keep that one, the rest should be easy.” Oh, how we all love to turn the law into a ladder. Each rung, each step, is a step closer to God. We are wired to think this way. Man-made religions are built to operate this way. Give me a list, give me something to do, give me a ladder to climb, and with a determined will, up we go. The problem is, if we take Jesus at his word, we can’t even get off the ground. If the first step up the ladder to heaven is the “great commandment,” who are we kidding?  Why is loving “God with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind” such an insurmountable step? The simple answer is that our hearts, souls, and minds are diseased by sin. Not only do we not want to love God in such an all-encompassing way, but we also can’t. Our love is naturally bent inward on ourselves. We love ourselves above God and above others. That’s the hard facts. The truth is, the only way forward is going to require a death. Our old self must die. Who wants to do that?  The one who answered that lawyer’s question is also the one who came to die. Jesus came down from heaven, knowing you could not climb up. God has first loved you, so now in Christ, you may freely love him back - not to earn anything from God or climb some ladder, but to live as one loved by Jesus. Faith can’t help but love him back, and that love is well-pleasing to God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live; The Law no peace can ever give (LSB 555:8) Rev. Darrin Sheek, pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Anaheim, CA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

October 3, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 18 - Psalm 122:1, 6, 8-9; antiphon: Liturgical Text Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:1-20; Matthew 7:13-29 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we come to the end of a week reflecting on God’s Word regarding the virtue of humility, we can’t forget the time where we receive from the Giver of every good Gift.  What do you spend time doing? You might watch a game, read a book, take a walk, or talk to friends and family. With any of these activities, you’re choosing how to spend your time. The game is important to you, so you focus on it. You could do something else, but you’ve chosen to watch the game. Then, how annoying is it when something else interrupts your time? We get frustrated or angry when we’ve sat down to spend our time, and someone else “gets in the way.” Why? Pride, most often.  Sinfully, we don’t recognize that our time belongs to God. Instead, we see it as our time, and we choose how to spend it. We feel robbed when someone takes up our time! But every moment, each minute, heartbeat to heartbeat, is a Gift of God. You and I don’t deserve a single minute, but God has blessed me, and God has surely blessed you. You receive from God the opportunities to enjoy His creation. God gives you the breath you need to enjoy a walk, speak with family and friends, or even to find joy in great stories. God is the Giver of all good Gifts. He’s given you the Gift of time, the moments and minutes you spend in His marvelous world. Humility recognizes time as a gift. Taking time to go to the house of the Lord is not some sort of “break” from your “real time” in the world. Rather, our time in the House of the Lord is some of the best time we have in the world. His House is where you go to hear God’s Word read, prayed, and preached. God’s House is where you remember you are a creature who has received the blessed Gift of the forgiveness of sins through the Gospel of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Christ’s Church is where you were baptized, catechized, and where the food of faith is given as God has stepped into time to feed your soul. We are mere beggars before such a gracious God, but His doors are open and He wants you to come and hear the Word, be forgiven, and enjoy here in time what you’ll enjoy forever in a world without end. Humility reminds you how God who is over all, is the Giver of every good Gift. So let us go to the house of the Lord. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “The Lord, my God, be praised, My trust, my life from heaven, The Father's own dear Son, Whose life for me was given, Who for my sin atoned With His most precious blood And gives to me by faith The highest heav'nly good.” (LSB 794:2) Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

October 2, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 7:1-12 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 3:1-29 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We're nearing the end of a week in which we’ve been reading God’s Word and seeing the virtue of humility. Today, God’s Word examines judgment and humility. Judgment and humility seem totally different. Our world doesn’t like “judgment.” One of the worst things you can be is judgmental. For proclaiming God’s truth, some will label you as hateful, unloving, or un-Christian. Even someone who knows nothing about God’s Word or God may still quote part of Matthew 7:1 as they say, “Don’t judge!” Don’t miss how they’re willing to judge you and God’s Word. It’s hard when celebrities you admire, or people you love, speak against God’s Word, and everyone agrees with them. Yet we need to ask, “Is that what God’s Word really says?” It matters more for us to know the Scriptures and its power. Judgment isn’t the issue. It’s prideful judgment that makes you feel like you are perfect, while your brother is the only one with a problem. Do you judge by the Law with no chance or opportunity for forgiveness? If so, then you’re guilty by the same standard. Yet, what Christian would do that? Humbly, you know you’re also a sinner, and the Law leads you to pass judgment on your sin according to God’s Word, repent of it, and believe in the Gospel.  Turns out, the pride of the world wants to get rid of judgment completely because it doesn’t want to repent, but sin is condemned. Christians know God forbids changing His Word. Humbly, you submit yourself to God’s Word, which means you’ll judge a sin a sin and call for others to repent and find forgiveness in nobody else but Jesus. After all, that’s the measure you want for yourself, and you definitely want that for your neighbor as well. It’s humble for you to search the Scriptures and understand how God has made the World, submit yourself to His judgments, and repeat those judgments to the world. Yes, you’ll be judgmental, but only so far as you’re judging things rightly, according to God’s Word. Rather than pridefully ignoring God’s world as non-Christians try to tell you how to properly be Christian, true humility is content with the judgments of God’s Word. Humility is grateful for the Gospel, which has the final word for God’s people. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “The Law is good; but since the fall Its holiness condemns us all; It dooms us for our sin to die And has no pow’r to justify. To Jesus we for refuge flee, Who from the curse has set us free, And humbly worship at His throne Saved by His grace through faith alone.” (LSB 579:6-7) Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

October 1, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: Daily Prayers: Asking a blessing & Returning Thanks Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 2:16-37; Matthew 6:16-34 The eyes of all look to You, O LORD, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Ps. 145: 15–16) (Luther’s Small Catechism “Asking a Blessing”) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we’ve been discussing humility this week, we’ve talked about repentance, angels, and how we bear with one another. Today, God’s Word helps us consider the Gift of prayer in our lives. Prayer is part of the life of God’s people. We should pray at all times and in all places (Luke 18:1, 1 Timothy 2:8). Perhaps you pray every morning and evening during family devotions. You pray at the beginning or end of personal devotions. Before every meal, you pray, as the Small Catechism teaches us. Creating a continual habit of prayer is good. God desires to hear your prayers, and Jesus even taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer is also a good exercise in humility. If you could do whatever you wanted, you wouldn’t ask anyone for anything. You’d never need to look to anybody else for help or call on someone in every trouble. Definitely, you wouldn’t need to praise anyone, since you’d be able to do everything alone. Of course, you know you can’t do everything. Prayer reminds us of this every time.  When we ask for a blessing, we remember God is the one we’re looking to. God alone is in control of every single moment and minute of this marvelous miracle called life. Before we eat, we remember that this food is a gift from God Himself, who has opened His hand to satisfy our desires and the desires of every living thing. You’re humbling yourself to acknowledge how God is satisfying your desires. God is taking care of every living being, true enough, but take a moment and realize how amazing it is that God is taking care of you in this moment of prayer. He has put the food on your table. Not only does God know you need food, but God has provided for you in this moment. Prayer is humility in action, and it’s a good discipline to practice at all times and in all places. May you continually look to God in prayer, who provides the needs of body and soul through your daily bread, but most importantly in His Word and Sacraments. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Hear us, dear Father, when we pray For needed help from day to day That as Your children we may live, Whom you baptized and so received” (LSB 865:3) Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 30, 2026 Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15; Matthew 6:1-15 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we’ve been going through the Word this past week, we’ve been examining the virtue of humility. Today, God’s Word leads us to consider how humility helps us in our relationships. People are complicated and frustrating. You’ve worked on a class project all week, but one member of the group shows up on the day of the presentation completely unprepared. When you thought you did a great job on a paper, it comes back covered in red marks. Your brothers and sisters are getting on your nerves for the ten-thousandth time. While you were doing okay, your parents seemed judgmental. Sometimes, your own thoughts and self-talk are awful, as even you seem to be your own worst enemy. People can be frustrating, and the world's answer is to simply cut them off, make yourself feel better, and only do what makes you happy. It’s tempting some days more than others, but it’s a lie. This lie is the call of pride, which makes you see the faults of others while you seem so perfect. The call of pride says, “When you make mistakes, there was a reason for it,” or “You know better.” Dear Christian, you’ve been called to something more. By the Holy Spirit, you’re a Christian. In your Baptism, the pastor put the sign of the cross upon your forehead and your heart to mark you as one for whom Christ was crucified. You have the name of Christ on you; do not take that lightly. Called, gathered, and kept by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel, you aren’t meant to walk in the ways of the world. Pride makes you think you’re so high and mighty when others make mistakes, but humility and the Word of God remind us of our own sin. You are complicated and frustrating. You make mistakes, get on your siblings’ nerves, and are judgmental. Lord, have mercy. Humility and gentleness should mark our attitudes as we are patient with one another, bearing with each other in love. Humility helps you to esteem others more highly than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Humility helps you to remember your own imperfections and helps you bear with the faults of others. This is what it means to walk with Jesus in the manner He’s called us. May God bless you as you, through the Holy Spirit, seek to walk in the manner of a Child of God and follow His Word humbly and gently.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “Forgive we now each other’s faults As we our faults confess, And let us love each other well In Christian holiness” (LSB 845:3) Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 29, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 18:1-11 or Luke 10:17-20 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:19-36; Matthew 5:21-48 “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. As we are going through God’s Word this week, we have been focusing on humility. Today, as the church celebrates the festival of St. Michael and All Angels, we look towards the spiritual war our Lord has won. Throughout the Gospels, we see multiple times where demons harass and harm humans. Humans can’t resist these demons who harm, kill, and destroy. Can you imagine the power the disciples must have felt? Having been sent out as servants of Christ, the seventy-two come back to the Lord and proclaim awe and amazement. Even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus! Demons that oppress and distress humanity can leave us mere mortals in terror. Now, the disciples are filled with joy, having been given authority over the demons. They have the tools to fight the demons and devils of this world! Except that’s not what Jesus wants them to rejoice in. Yes, Jesus has given them great authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, without the threat of harm. However amazing this power might be here in the world, the only victory that matters belongs to Jesus Christ. His victory places Christians in heaven for all eternity. Only by the Savior’s power can mankind have any authority over the demons. As powerful as St. Michael and all the angels may seem, they are properly ordered as humble servants of God. After all, we pray, “Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me,” in Luther’s Evening prayer. Humility clings to Christ, who has victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. Humble prayer calls on God to send His servants to protect us. It isn’t about our power, but what Christ has done for us to overcome the Evil One. St. Michael and all the angels watch over and protect the people of God by order of Christ. It’s amazing how God cares for us! Humbly, we continue to pray for the angels of God to watch over us as we live in this world, rejoicing that Christ has written our names in the Book of Life through the waters of Holy Baptism. May God send His holy angels to watch over you as we humbly wait for our returning King. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Everlasting God, You have ordained and constituted the service of angels and men in a wonderful order. Mercifully grant that, as Your holy angels always serve and worship You in heaven, so by Your appointment they may also help and defend us here on earth; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 28, 2026 Today's Reading: Proverbs 25:6-14 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:1-18; Matthew 5:1-20 “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” (Proverbs 25:6-7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Throughout the book of Proverbs, God gives His people wisdom regarding humility. This week, God’s Word offers an opportunity to reflect on humility as defined by God. Today, we focus on repentance as a Gift of humility given by the King. There is only one King. God Himself is the Maker of the universe and is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. Here, many of us trip up because of our Old Adam. Simply put, we don’t like being told what to do. This is the sin we’ve inherited from Adam and Eve, who rebelled at the urging of Satan to be “like God” (Genesis 3:5). Rebelling against God, Adam and Eve sought a “higher” place than what they’d already been given. Pride blinded them to the fact that God had already put them as the crown jewel of creation! Yet, it wasn’t enough. The tempting serpent led them to rebel against God as they put themselves forward to stand in the place of the Greatest King. Afterward, they try to hide, but are called to account for their sin. Finally, Adam and Eve are cast out of the Garden, far away from their previous place of honor as “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”(Proverbs 16:18).  This is the sin you’ve inherited, along with all mankind. Own up to the fact that this sin is a deadly sin that infects our thoughts, words, and deeds. Repent of pride, which is always present in our lives. Confess and receive the Absolution of the King. In our confession, we place ourselves rightly in the order of the universe; we admit what we deserve as we petition the King for mercy. God gives it freely and richly. Repentance is that gift of Spirit: humility. Through the Holy Spirit, cultivate a repentant heart, read God’s Word, see how the King establishes the universe, and acknowledge how far we fall short. The Holy Spirit enables you to desire the better things God has for you, not what your sinful heart chases after. Repent, believe in the Gospel, and follow the King. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. “To Thee, omniscient Lord of all, In grief and shame I humbly call; I see my sins against Thee, Lord, The sins of thought, and deed, and word. They press me Sore; I cry to Thee: O God, be merciful to me!” (LSB 613:1) Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 27, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 14:1-11 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 3:6-4:6; Matthew 4:12-25 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Notice the certainty of Jesus, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus wants you to have humility. One way or another, it’s going to happen. You can either have humility or be humbled. For the Pharisees, it was important to make sure everyone saw them as someone worthy of praise and honor, even if they had to fight to shuffle around for the best seats. In the end, their own pride makes them enemies of Christ. We can be tempted to do the same in our own pride. Many have pride overtake them as they place the praise of men above the Word of God. Adjusting the Scriptures to fit modern ideas, such people place themselves above the authority of God to keep their seat of honor in the world. They enjoy their time of public approval from a world that does not want the truth. Jesus promises that such exaltation will end with humbling. The antidote to pride is humility given by the Holy Spirit through faith. Baptized into the Triune Name of God, you have been bound up in Christ. You have died to the desires of the devil, the world, and your sinful nature. Pride is always seeking a way in, but it has been drowned. Humbling yourself comes by remembering how much of your life is a gift. God is the one who fashioned us (Psalm 139:13-14). God provides for our daily bread, even the daily needs of the wicked, as explained by the Fourth Petition to the Lord’s Prayer. Most importantly, God provides you with faith to cling to the promises of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting. Christ rescued you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Did you earn this? Do you deserve it? Not a bit. What we deserve is death, Hell, and damnation. Instead, Christ cleanses us, and when God sees you, He doesn’t see your imperfect sins; He sees Jesus. Therefore, one day you will be in Paradise in the house of the King.  This week, God’s Word will cause us to think about humility. As you read His Word, pray for this virtue to be cultivated in you through the Holy Spirit, which has already been poured out on you. You aren’t playing some “game” where you pretend to be humble in order to get the better seat; instead, you can recognize that God has already given it to you by grace through faith.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Lord, we implore You, grant Your people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow You, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

September 26, 2026 Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 17 - Psalm 119:1-2, 5-6; antiphon: Psalm 119:137, 124 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 2:1-3:5; Matthew 4:1-11 “Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:137, 124) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You have heard the famous question about the chicken and the egg: which one came first? The same could be asked about the law and the gospel. The problem is that what can be a fun thought exercise when it comes to poultry is of almost no use when it comes to the things of God. Asking which came first, the law or the gospel, does not help to properly distinguish between them, understand them, or apply them to your life. Look at the words quoted above from Psalm 119. The Psalmist confesses that God and His rules are just and righteous, but at the same time does not want God to deal with him according to those rules. Instead, he asks that God deal with him according to His steadfast love and teach him his statutes. If God upholds his just decrees, then there is no hope for us. If God ignores our sins, then His righteousness is called into question.  Here, it does not matter which one came first. In fact, that question is irrelevant to how they function. The interplay between law and gospel is complex and does not depend on which one came first. Absent the gospel, the law can only bring despair, while absent the law, the gospel is almost meaningless. The law cannot give life, and the gospel makes no demands. The question of which one came first is of no help in making sense of either one.  The Psalmist understands this, and this is why he can at the same time call God righteous and ask that God deal with him according to his steadfast love. He asks that God deal with him according to the gospel and not the law. This is the same kind of language that Paul uses in Romans 3:26, where he calls God just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Here is the great truth of what Jesus did for you on the cross. The law has been fulfilled, and your relationship with it has changed. Jesus silenced the accusing voice of the law. God has dealt with you according to His steadfast love, and you can learn his statutes. Because of Jesus, your ways are steadfast, and you shall not be put to shame.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode. (LSB, 925:9) Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA. Where are you looking for meaning? In Lift Your Eyes: How to Live Outside Yourself author Joshua Pfeiffer charts a compelling path outward: upward to God in faith and gratitude, outward to our neighbors in love and service, and forward in joyful anticipation of resurrection.

Today's Reading: Matthew 3:1-17 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 1:1-14; Matthew 3:1-17 “and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Israel, as God’s people, never held up their end of the bargain. They said they would do all the things that God had asked them to do, and they did not. They were warned repeatedly and fell short each and every time. The reading from Malachi contains a very sharp criticism of the religious leadership of Israel. They are called ‘priests who despise my name’ and are accused of offering polluted food on the altar. In our reading from Matthew, the Jewish leadership faces similar criticism from John, who calls them a brood of vipers and questions the status of their salvation. Their ethnic connection to Abraham is of no help. When it comes to God, there is no family hook-up.  The same critique can be made for each of us. We do not keep our promises to God, and we constantly fall short of the standards that He has set out for us. We have a lot in common with priests in Malachi and the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ time. We do not give our best to God and only begrudgingly offer him what is blemished. All too often, we do not bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Left to ourselves, God is not pleased with us. By ourselves, we are nothing more than a brood of vipers.  This is what makes the Baptism of Jesus so significant. He begins his public ministry standing in a place meant for sinners. The one who had no need to repent receives a Baptism for repentance. Where the people of God fell short, Jesus will not. Where Israel failed, Jesus will not. He is Israel reduced to one. Where Israel did not do what they said they would, Jesus will. Where Israel was critiqued by God’s accusatory voice, Jesus is hailed as ‘my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.’ Jesus now stands in Israel’s place, and because of Jesus, all Israel’s shortcomings are forgotten. When God looks at His people now, he does not see their sins; He only sees Jesus. Because God is pleased with Jesus, He is pleased with you. Your sins, your failures, and your shortcomings have all been washed away in the waters of Baptism.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. These fruits on Jordan’s banks were shown By mighty word and wonder. The Father’s voice from heav’n came down, Which we do well to ponder: “This man is My beloved Son, In whom My heart has pleasure. Him you must hear, and Him alone, And trust in fullest measure The word that He has spoken.” (LSB 407:3) Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 24, 2026 Today's Reading: Catechism: Daily Prayers: Morning & Evening Prayer Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:22-38; Nehemiah 10:1-13:31; 1 Timothy 6:3-21 In the morning when you get up/In the evening when you go to bed, make the sign of the holy cross and say: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The catechism tells us to start and end our day in the same way, in prayer. In addition, both the Morning and Evening Prayers share similar content. Both begin with thanksgivings to God for what He has done, then look forward with requests for further protection during the day to come or forgiveness for sins committed during the day just past. In both cases, the prayer acknowledges God as the one who both keeps His people safe and forgives them where they have fallen short. Both prayers also ask for protection from the evil one. Both prayers confess that the Christian is never left alone.  That being said, these prayers are not so much about what a person may or may not have done during the day just past, or what they may or may not do during the day that is to come, or even what they might need protecting from. In fact, these prayers go beyond just a good discipline for the Christian to practice. They are more than just something that is good to do at the beginning and end of the day. These prayers are not about self-care. These prayers are not about the actions of the individual as much as they are about the identity of the one doing the praying. Both the Morning and Evening Prayers are about you as a baptized child of God.  This is why each prayer begins with the Trinitarian invocation. You start each prayer with the words of your Baptism. You can only pray the Morning and Evening Prayers because you are baptized. You can only expect God to keep, guide, protect, and forgive you because you are already one of His children. You can only pray to God for these things because He has already promised you these things in the water of Baptism. There, in the water of the font, is where the benefits of the cross were applied to you personally. You were recreated in the font as a child of God. In the water and word promises were made to you, and you can pray to God each morning and evening because He keeps His promises.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Come pray with me the prayer I need this day; Help me to see Your purpose and Your will–Where I have failed, what I have done amiss; Held in forgiving love, let me be still. (LSB 769:2) Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 23, 2026 Today's Reading: Ephesians 3:13-21 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:1-21; 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 “So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.” (Ephesians 3:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The presence and actions of God in someone’s life are sometimes hard to understand. This is especially true during the more difficult times that everyone must face. In other words, faith can be challenged during times of suffering. This is why Paul writes the way he does in Ephesians. He is writing from prison, and the very fact that he is in trouble may have caused some Christians to have doubts about their own status before God. How could what Paul preached be true if he was suffering? How could Paul preach an all-powerful God if the authorities were able to put him into prison? These kinds of questions are to be expected. We like to see a direct line between the circumstances of our lives and the truth of our faith. This is exactly how many present Christianity to others. They promise that once you become a Christian, all of life’s troubles will be in the rear-view mirror. Suffering is for unbelievers and sinners. Faith is the guarantee of a good life. The truth about suffering in the life of a Christian is far more complex than that, and there is no direct line between your faith and the circumstances of your life.  This is why Paul offers up the prayer that he does in our reading. God’s presence and actions in the lives of His people, even as His people suffer, are beyond human expectations or knowledge. What this means is that you can be going through a hard time and still be one of God’s people. Difficulties in life do not mean that the gospel is not true or that God has abandoned you. Faith is not something that helps you avoid hard times; faith is what helps you to endure them. Christ dwells in you, and that does not change because things are hard. Difficult times do not change the truth of your baptismal identity. Jesus is with you in good times and bad. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.”  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In suff’ring be Thy love my peace, In weakness be Thy love my power; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy side! (LSB 683:4) Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 22, 2026 Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 7:1-4; 8:1-18; Ezra 1:1-10:19; 1 Timothy 5:1-16 “And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.’ And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.’” (1 Kings 17:23-24) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Some people think that God only pays attention to us when we do bad things. Their idea of God is that he is up in Heaven making threats and saying, “Don’t make me come down there.” For these people, God only shows up to punish. God is seen as wrathful, vengeful, and concerned only with giving people what they deserve when they sin and ignoring them when they do good. This seems to be what the widow was thinking when she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son.” Notice that she does not think that Elijah is being unfair. She knows that she is a sinner and she acknowledges that she deserves to be punished. She expects nothing else from God. She does not truly know Him.  Then Elijah does the unexpected and returns the woman's son to her alive. The actions of God through Elijah elicit a response from the woman, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is true.” God’s actions changed the woman. God is not as the woman believed Him to be. What she expected was a God of wrath, but what she experienced was a God of mercy. What she expected was the law, what she received was the gospel, and through God’s act of mercy, she came to know HIm as He is and to believe what Elijah said about Him. Our God is primarily a God of mercy. What was revealed to the woman through Elijah has now been revealed even more explicitly through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The cross shows that God is a God of mercy who does not give us what we deserve because of sin. Instead, He sent His Son to take his judgment on sin in our place. The woman’s son lived because of God’s mercy. You live because of God’s mercy. In Christ, God has returned you alive. You were moved from life to death in Baptism, and someday you will rise from the grave itself because death cannot hold you. The word of the Lord is true.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave And at death no longer tremble; He the Lord, who came to save Will at last His own assemble. They will go their Lord to meet. Trending death beneath their feet. (LSB 741:7) Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 21, 2026 Today's Reading: Matthew 9:9-13 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 5:1-16; 6:1-9, 15-16; 1 Timothy 4:1-16 “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.” (Matthew 9:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Tax collectors were not the most popular people in the ancient world. They were thought of as corrupt because they collected more taxes than were owed and kept the extra for themselves. In other words, they were people with your money on their minds and their minds on your money. For Jesus to be in their company would have been to cast doubt on everything he taught. They were untrustworthy, and by association, so was he. The Pharisees believed that unrighteousness was contagious, and just being near an unrighteous person could cause their guilt to pass to them. This was even more true if food was involved, which is why they ask the disciples why Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners.  Tax collectors and sinners were considered by the Pharisees to be unworthy of attention. They were outside of the realm of salvation and were to be avoided or ignored. Instead, Jesus lets them know that they are precisely the kind of people that he has come to serve. This is what lies behind his language about mercy and sacrifice. The Pharisees thought that they were deserving because of what they did to fulfill the demands of the law. Jesus makes it clear that he is all about mercy. He has come to show mercy to the sinner and not to reward the righteous. The call of Jesus turns Matthew from a tax collector into an apostle and evangelist. Someone who was all about other people’s money became concerned with other people’s salvation.  The gospel that Matthew wrote makes it clear that the mercy that he received is for all people. The call he received to follow Jesus is a call that continues to go forth today. Not everyone is a tax collector, but everyone is a sinner, and Jesus still calls people to follow him. You were born a sinner, but the mercy of Jesus is for you just as much as it was for Matthew. He wrote his gospel with you in mind. You have been invited to dinner with all the other tax collectors and sinners. There is a place at the table for you with Jesus.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. O Son of God, our blessed Savior Jesus Christ, You called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist. Through his faithful and inspired witness, grant that we also may follow You, leaving behind all covetous desires and love of riches; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.

September 20, 2026 Today's Reading: Luke 7:11-17 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 4:7-23; 1 Timothy 3:1-16 “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has arisen among us!’ and ‘God has visited his people!’” (Luke 7:16) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever had to clean up your room before someone comes to visit? Maybe you were told to, or even wanted to, get things ready so you could impress whoever was coming. Either way, there are things that are usually done in preparation to receive a visitor. Things get put away, things get straightened up, and the space is made ready for the visitor. What happens when the visitor is God Himself? Are the things that we do to receive family and friends worthy things to do before receiving the creator of the universe? Can you get things clean enough for God to visit? The truth is that this kind of question is the wrong place to start when it comes to Jesus. In today’s reading, Jesus arrives at a town, and nothing has been done in preparation for his arrival. In fact, when he gets close to the gate of Nain, he finds a funeral is taking place, and the dead son of a widow is being carried out. Things had not been cleaned up for Jesus; the presence of a dead body even made things manifestly unclean. This does not bother Jesus. He immediately tells the mother not to weep, then actually touches the bier holding the body, raises the man from the dead, and gives him back to his mother. In other words, Jesus did not need things to be changed because of his presence; instead, his presence changed things. Jesus gets right in the middle of the mess and makes things better. Nothing is too unclean for Jesus. So it is with you. There is nothing that you need to clean up for the presence of Jesus. His presence is what makes you clean. His presence is what makes you worthy for His visitation. Jesus comes into the uncleanliness of your sin and washes it away. You are dead in trespasses and sin, and He cleanses you, raises you to new life, and makes you worthy to receive Him. This happened in your Baptism and continues to happen in every Divine Service at your church. Every time you hear the Absolution, receive Communion, or remember your own Baptism, God has visited you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Oh Lord, we pray that Your grace may always go before and follow after us, that we may continually be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Rev. Grant Knepper, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Modesto, CA.