The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

September 25, 2023

September 24, 2023 September 26, 2023

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.

Malachi 1:1-14

11An oracle.[] The word of the Lord to Israel through[] Malachi.
An Oracle From the Lord: God's Love for Israel
2I have loved you, says the Lord.
But you say, “How have you loved us?”
Was not Esau Jacob's brother? declares the Lord. I loved Jacob, 3but I hated Esau. I turned Esau's mountains into a desolate place, and I turned the territory he possessed over to the wild jackals.
4Edom will certainly say, “We have been beaten down, but we will return, and we will rebuild the ruins.”
This is what the Lord of Armies says. They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. Edom will be called a wicked territory, and the Edomites will be called the people whom the Lord has denounced forever. 5Your eyes will see this, and you will say, “The Lord is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”
An Oracle From the Lord: Improper Sacrifices Insult God
6A son honors his father. A servant honors his master. If I am a father, where is my honor? If I am master, where is the reverence owed to me?
This is what the Lord of Armies says to you. The priests are the ones who despise my name. You say, “How have we despised your name?” 7You despise my name by bringing defiled food to my altar. But you say, “How have we defiled you?” You defile me when you say, “The Lord's table deserves no respect.” 8When you bring a blind animal as a sacrifice, isn't that evil? When you bring something lame and sick, isn't that evil? Try bringing that to your governor. Would he be pleased with you? Would he receive you with favor? This is what the Lord of Armies says.
Interjection by Israel
9Now ask for God's favor so that he may be gracious to us.
An Oracle From the Lord: Improper Sacrifices Insult God
With offerings like this from your hand, will he receive you with favor? This is what the Lord of Armies says. 10I wish there was someone among you who would shut the temple doors so you would not keep lighting useless fires on my altar! I find nothing pleasing about you, says the Lord of Armies. I am not pleased with an offering from your hand.
11Yes, from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, my name will be great among the nations! In every place incense and a pure offering will be presented to my name, because my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of Armies.
12But you are profaning my name when you say, “The Lord's table is polluted, and we despise the things offered on it, the food on it.” 13You also say, “What drudgery!” and you snort at it with contempt, says the Lord of Armies. You bring something torn,[] something lame, something sick, and present it as an offering. Should I be pleased with something like that from your hand? says the Lord.
14Cursed is the cheater who vows to offer a male animal from his flock, but then he sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord instead. Indeed, I am a great king, says the Lord of Armies, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Matthew 3:1-17

John the Baptist Prepares the Way
(Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:19-28)
31In those days, John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, 2“Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near!” 3Yes, this is he of whom this was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”[]
4John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him. 6They were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Therefore produce fruit in keeping with repentance! 9Do not think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10Already the ax is ready to strike[] the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11I baptize you with water for repentance. But the one who comes after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
John Baptizes Jesus
(Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; compare John 1:29-34)
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John at the Jordan. 14But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”
15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, because it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John let him. 16After Jesus was baptized, he immediately went up out of the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him! He saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove and landing on him, 17and a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him.”