Confident.Faith

Readings Psalm 46 Psalm 115 Deuteronomy 32:28–52 Matthew 20:17–34 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:22–26 Festival Today 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 Revelation 7:2–17 Psalm 149 1 John 3:1–3 Matthew 5:1–12

Amos 9 — Micah 4 Amos 9 through Micah 4

Readings Psalm 90 Deuteronomy 31:30—32:27 Matthew 20:1–16 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:16–21

Amos 1–8 Amos 1 through 8

Readings Psalm 56 Psalm 58 Deuteronomy 31:1–29 Matthew 19:16–30 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:9–15

Hosea 10 — Joel 3 Hosea 10 through Joel 3

Readings Psalm 127 Psalm 132 Deuteronomy 30:1–20 Matthew 19:1–15 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXIV:1–8

Daniel 12—Hosea 9 Daniel 12 through Hosea 9

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 Commemoration Today 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 Revelation 14:6–7 Psalm 46 Romans 3:19–28 Matthew 11:12–19 John 8:31–36

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 Festival Today 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.

Daniel 7–11 Daniel 7 through 11

Readings Psalm 39 Psalm 38 Deuteronomy 15:19—16:22 Matthew 13:44–58 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:31–37 Commemoration Today 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 Genesis 32:22–30 Psalm 121 2 Timothy 3:14—4:5 Luke 18:1–8

Daniel 3–6 Daniel 3 through 6

Readings Psalm 37 Deuteronomy 14:1—15:15 Matthew 13:24–43 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:21–30

Ezekiel 46 — Daniel 2 Ezekiel 46 through Daniel 2

Readings Psalm 119:33–40 Psalm 34 Deuteronomy 13:1–18 Matthew 13:1–23 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:14–20

Ezekiel 41–45 Ezekiel 41 through 45

Readings Psalm 114 Psalm 124 Deuteronomy 12:13–32 Matthew 12:38–50 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XXI:1–13

Ezekiel 37–40 Ezekiel 37 through 40

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 Commemoration Today 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.

Ezekiel 33–36 Ezekiel 33 through 36

Readings Psalm 106 Deuteronomy 9:1–22 Matthew 11:1–19 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVI:61–65, XVII:66

Readings Ruth 1:1–19a Psalm 111 2 Timothy 2:1–13 Luke 17:11–19

Ezekiel 28–32 Ezekiel 28 through 32

Readings Psalm 103 Deuteronomy 8:1–20 Matthew 10:24–42 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XVI:53–60 Commemoration Today 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.

Ezekiel 23–27 Ezekiel 23 through 27

Readings Psalm 126 Psalm 141 Deuteronomy 7:1–19 Matthew 10:1–23 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:45–52

Ezekiel 19–22 Ezekiel 19 through 22

Readings Psalm 121 Psalm 131 Deuteronomy 6:10–25 Matthew 9:18–38 Apology of the Augsburg Confession XV:31–44 Commemoration Today 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.

Ezekiel 14–18 Ezekiel 14 through 18

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