The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

September 29, 2023

September 28, 2023 September 30, 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.

Deuteronomy 1:19-36

19Then we journeyed from Horeb, and we walked through that whole vast and terrifying wilderness that you saw on the road to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us to do. When we came to Kadesh Barnea, 20I said to you, “You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21Look now, the Lord your God has given you the land ahead of you. Go up, take possession of it, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said to you. Do not be afraid and do not be overwhelmed.”
22Then all of you approached me and said, “Let us send out some of our men so that they can scout the land for us and bring us a report about the route that we should take and the cities that we will reach.”
23The plan seemed good to me, so I selected from you twelve men, one man from each tribe. 24They set out and went up to the hill country and came to the area of the Valley of Eshcol and spied on it. 25They took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it back to us and brought us a report that said, “The land that the Lord our God is giving us is good.”
26Still you were not willing to go up, and you rebelled against the order of the Lord your God. 27You complained in your tents and said, “Because the Lord hates us, he brought us out of the land of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us. 28Where are we going? Our brothers have made our hearts melt by saying, ‘People there are stronger and taller than we are! There are large cities with fortified walls up to the skies! Also, we have seen the descendants of Anak there!’”
29So I said to you, “Do not be overwhelmed and do not be afraid of them. 30The Lord your God, who is going ahead of you, will fight for you, exactly as he did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes, 31and just as he did in the wilderness, where you saw that the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son, on the entire way that you walked until you came to this place.” 32Yet even with this, you did not believe the Lord your God, 33who went ahead of you on the journey to search out a place for you to camp. He showed you the way that you should travel, by fire during the night and by a cloud during the day.
34When the Lord heard the tone of your words, he was angry, and he swore an oath: 35“Not one of these people from this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give the land on which he walked to him and his children, because he has fully followed the Lord.”

Matthew 5:21-48

Sinful Anger
21You have heard that it was said to people long ago, “You shall not murder,[] and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.” 22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause[] will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, “Raca,”[] will have to answer to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, “You fool!” will be in danger of hell[] fire.
23So if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift.
25If someone accuses you, reach an agreement with him quickly, while you are with him on the way. Otherwise your accuser may bring you to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Amen I tell you: You will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Lust
27You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[] 28but I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to fall into sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30If your right hand causes you to fall into sin, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Divorce
31It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.”[] 32But I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to be regarded as an adulteress. And whoever marries the divorced woman is regarded as an adulterer.
Oaths
33Again you have heard that it was said to people long ago, “Do not break your oaths, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.”[] 34But I tell you, do not swear at all: not by heaven, because it is God's throne; 35and not by earth, because it is his footstool; and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36And do not swear by your own head, since you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Instead, let your statement be, “Yes, yes,” or “No, no.” Whatever goes beyond these is from the Evil One.
Love Your Enemies
(Luke 6:27-36)
38You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.”[] 39But I tell you, do not resist an evildoer. If someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40If anyone wants to sue you to take away your shirt, give him your coat too. 41Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor[] and hate your enemy.” 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46Indeed if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even tax collectors do that, don't they? 47If you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the unbelievers do that? 48So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.