The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

January 22, 2019

January 21, 2019 January 23, 2019

These daily readings from the EHV follow the one-year daily lectionary provided in Christian Worship: Hymnal, the Lutheran Service Book, and the Treasury of Daily Prayer. In this lectionary, two readings of 15-25 verses each are provided for each day. Under this plan, nearly all of the New Testament and approximately one-third of the Old Testament are read each year. These readings fit well within the daily offices of Matins, Vespers, or Compline as daily family devotions.

Joel 2:1-17

Announce the Day of the Lord
21Blow the ram's horn in Zion.
Sound the alarm on my holy mountain.
Let all who live in the land tremble with fear,
for the Day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
2a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and frightening darkness.
A Description of the Locust Army
Like dawn[] spreading across the mountains,
a large and mighty people is coming.
There has been nothing like it from ancient times,
nor will there ever be again for generations to come.
3In front of them, fire devours.
Behind them, a flame blazes.
In front of them, the land is like the Garden of Eden.
Behind them, it is a desolate wilderness.
There is no escaping them.
4They look like horses.
They charge like cavalry.
5With a noise like chariots
they bounce over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire consuming stubble,
like a powerful army lined up for battle.
6At the sight of them, peoples are in anguish.
Every face becomes flushed.[]
7They charge like strong warriors.
They climb over walls like soldiers.
They all march in formation.
They do not turn aside from their path.
8They do not collide with each other.
Each marches straight ahead in his position.
They pierce through defenses without hesitating.[]
9They rush into the city.
They run along the city wall.
They climb into the houses.
Like thieves they enter through the windows.
10In front of them the earth quakes.
The sky shudders.
The sun and moon become dark,
and the stars stop shining.
Announce the Day of the Lord
11The Lord shouts at the head of his army.
His forces are very numerous,
and those who obey his command are powerful.
The Day of the Lord is great. It is terrifying.
Who can endure it?
Call to Repentance and Closing Prayer
12Even now, declares the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and grief.
13Tear your heart and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy,
and he relents from sending disaster.
14Who knows?
He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
15Blow the ram's horn in Zion.
Set aside a day for fasting.
Call a solemn convocation.
16Gather the people.
Consecrate the assembly.
Bring together the elders.
Gather the children, even those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say:
Have compassion on your people, O Lord.
Do not subject the inheritance you have given us to the scorn of the nations.
Do not make us notorious among the nations as an object of ridicule.[]
Why should they say among the peoples,
“Where is their God?”
A Dialogue Between the Lord and the Prophet
Lord

Romans 11:1-24

God Graciously Chose a Remnant
111So I say, did God reject his people? Absolutely not! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not reject his people whom he foreknew—or don't you know what Scripture says about Elijah, how he was pleading with God against Israel: 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life.”[] 4But what did God's answer tell him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[]
5So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.[] 6Now if it is by grace, then it is not the result of works—otherwise grace would no longer be grace.[]
God Planned a Way to Recover Some of the Hardened Jews
7What then? Israel did not receive what it was striving to get. The elect did, but the rest were hardened. 8Just as it is written:
God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear,
right up to the present day.[]
9And David says:
Let their table be a trap and a net,
and a snare and a retribution for them.
10Let their eyes be darkened so they do not see,
and let their backs be always bent.[]
11So I ask, “Did they stumble in order to fall permanently?” Absolutely not! Rather, by their trespass, salvation came to the Gentiles to make the Israelites jealous. 12Now if their trespass meant riches for the world, and their failure meant riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean!
13I am speaking to you Gentiles. For as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I am going to speak highly of my ministry. 14Perhaps I may make my own people jealous, and so save some of them. 15For if their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, what does their acceptance mean other than the dead coming to life?
Gentiles Should Not Become Proud
16If the part offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you—a wild olive branch—were grafted in among them and share in the rich sap from the root of the olive tree, 18do not boast that you are better than the branches. If you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, but the root is supporting you. 19Then you will say: “Branches were broken off so that I am grafted in.” 20That is true, but remember that they were broken off because of unbelief, and you remain in place by faith. Do not be conceited, but stand in awe. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you. 22So take note of God's kindness and his severity: severity on those who have fallen, but God's kindness on you, if you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you also will be cut off.
Some Jews Will Be Grafted in Again
23And if they do not remain in unbelief, those branches will be grafted in again, because God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut off from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?