Confident.Faith

Readings Psalm 131 Psalm 77 2 Kings 4:38—5:8 Ephesians 6:1–24 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:262–268

Job 04–09

Readings Psalm 119:57–64 Psalm 108 1 Kings 19:1–21 Ephesians 3:1–21 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:235–240 Commemoration Today we commemorate Gregory the Great, Pastor. Gregory served both as mayor and, later, as bishop of Rome. Before entering full-time service in the Church, Gregory helped to strengthen a Rome weakened by enemy invasions and plague, and sold his considerable possessions and donated the proceeds to help the poor. As bishop of Rome, Gregory contributed to the Church by establishing a Church Year calendar, which some church bodies still use to this day, and overseeing musical and liturgical development, advancing missionary work in Northern Europe, and composing a book on pastoral care that would long serve as a standard in the Church.

Readings Psalm 47 Psalm 8 1 Kings 18:1–19 Ephesians 1:1–23 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:213–222 Commemoration Today we commemorate Joshua (the same name in Greek as Jesus), son of Naue, of the tribe of Ephraim. Most noted for his succession of Moses as Israel’s commander-in-chief, Joshua led a life of devotion to and faith in God. From defeating the Amalekites and being in charge of the tent of meeting to scouting the land of Canaan and leading Israel across the Jordan, Joshua showed steadfast faith in God and His promises. Joshua is especially noted for his final address, in which he, like Moses before him, presented the Israelites with the path of life and the path of death, the path of obedience to God and the path of rebellion, and in which he spoke his most famous words: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Proverbs 26–31

Readings Psalm 29 Psalm 75 1 Kings 12:20—13:34 2 Corinthians 8:1–24 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:195–204

Readings Psalm 72 1 Kings 9:1–9—10:1–13 2 Corinthians 5:1–21 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:177–182 Commemoration Today we commemorate Monica, Mother of Augustine. Despite being widowed at a young age, Monica devoted herself to the welfare, spiritual and physical, of her children. Monica would follow her son, Augustine, to Rome and then to Milan, where she would finally see the fruit of her efforts (and the Holy Spirit’s work) as Augustine converted to Christianity.

Proverbs 10–13

Proverbs 05–09

Readings Psalm 27 1 Kings 5:1–18 2 Corinthians 1:23—2:17 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:160–166 Festival Today we celebrate the Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle. Called by Christ in Galilee (in the town of Cana, where Christ performed His first miracle), Bartholomew would become one of the first of Jesus’ twelve disciples. According to Church tradition, Bartholomew brought the Gospel to Armenia, where he was martyred.

Readings Psalm 111 Psalm 49 1 Kings 3:1–15 2 Corinthians 1:1–22 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:153–159

Readings Psalm 97 1 Kings 2:1–27 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:148–152

Prayer of Manasses; Proverbs 1–4

Readings Isaiah 51:1–6 Psalm 138 Romans 11:33—12:8 Matthew 16:13–20

Psalm 139–151

Readings Psalm 51 2 Samuel 12:1–25 1 Corinthians 12:1–13 Apology of the Augsburg Confession V:140–143 Commemoration Today we commemorate Samuel. Last among the judges and first among the post-Moses prophets, Samuel lived a life of devotion to God. Samuel, at God’s command, would anoint both Israel’s first king — Saul — and her second — David.

Psalm 127–138

Psalm 118:73–126

Readings Psalm 63 Psalm 149 1 Samuel 9:1–27 Acts 21:37—22:16 Apology of the Augsburg Confession IV:75–85 Festival Today we celebrate the Festival of St. James the Elder, Apostle. St. James, and his brother St. John, sons of Zebedee, were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Together with St. Peter and his brother St. Andrew, James and John were called to be disciples of Christ. Along with Peter and John, James formed a sort of ‘inner circle’ amongst the Twelve. In Acts, it is recorded that James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I, thus making James the first among the Twelve to die a martyr.

Readings Psalm 119:57–64 Psalm 115 1 Samuel 3:1–21 Acts 16:1–22 Apology of the Augsburg Confession IV:12–21 Commemoration Today we commemorate Elijah. Prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, largely during the reign of Ahab, Elijah condemned the Baal worship that had been promoted by Ahab’s wife, Jezebel. Through Elijah, God performed many miracles, demonstrating both Elijah’s status as a true prophet and the truth of Elijah’s message condemning Israel’s idolatry. At the end of his earthly life, Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a fiery chariot.

Readings Psalm 71 Judges 13:1–25 Galatians 2:1–21 Augsburg Confession, Conclusion

Readings Psalm 5 Judges 6:25–40 Acts 15:6–21 Augsburg Confession XXVIII:43–60

Nehemiah 01–03 Nehemiah Asks the King to Let Him Rebuild Jerusalem; Nehemiah Sets about Rebuilding Jerusalem

Readings Isaiah 55:10–13 Psalm 65 Romans 8:12–17 Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

Ezra 09–10 Ezra Laments Israel’s Sinful Miscegenation; Listing of Men with Foreign Wives

2 Chronicles 13–16 Abia Reigns over Judah and Defeats Israel; Ethiopia Attacks Judah and Is Defeated; Asa Dies

2 Kings 21–23 Manasseh Rebels against God; Josias Discovers the Book of the Law; Josias Removes Idolatry from Judah

Readings Psalm 36 Psalm 44 Proverbs 5:1–23 John 12:20–36a Small Catechism III

2 Kings 15–17 Israel Has More Wicked Kings; Syria and Israel Wage War against Judah; Achaz Leads Judah into Idolatry

2 Kings 12–14 Joas Repairs the Temple; Syria Oppresses Israel; Elisha Dies; Israel Defeats Judah

Readings Psalm 61 Psalm 27 Ecclesiastes 12:1–14 John 11:1–16 Small Catechism, Preface: 9–18

2 Kings 09–11 God Ordains Jehu; Jehu Destroys the House of Ahab; Jodae Makes Joas King of Judah

Readings Psalm 77 Psalm 82 Ecclesiastes 11:1–10 John 10:22–42 Small Catechism, Preface: 1–8

2 Kings 06–08 Elisha Performs More Miracles; Syria Besieges Israel; God Drives Syria from Israel; Edom Rebels against Judah

Readings Psalm 9 Psalm 23 Ecclesiastes 10:1–20 John 10:1–21 Augsburg Confession, Preface

2 Kings 03–05 Moab Rebels against Israel; Elisha Performs Miracles; Elisha Cures the Leprosy of Naiman the Syrian

Readings Psalm 97 Psalm 115 Ecclesiastes 9:1–17 John 9:24–41 Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope 68–82 Commemoration Today we commemorate Justin, Martyr. Raised in a pagan family, Justin was a convert to Christianity who would become a Christian teacher in Ephesus and Rome. Arrested due to his refusal to make pagan sacrifices, Justin was tried and executed along with six other Christians. The record of the trial proceedings before Rusticius, a Roman prelate, documents Justin’s confession of faith, and served as a source of great encouragement for other believers.

Readings Psalm 46 Numbers 35:9–30 Luke 24:28–53 the Three Ecumenical Creeds

Readings Psalm 97 Psalm 85 Numbers 32:1–27 Luke 24:1–27 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XII:39–40

1 Kings 22 — 2 Kings 2 Ahab Dies; Israel Continues to Sin against God; Elisha Succeeds Elijah

Readings Psalm 132 Psalm 38 Numbers 27:12–23 Luke 23:26–56 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XII:28–38

1 Kings 20–21 Naboth’s Vineyard; Israel Defeats Syria

Readings Psalm 1 Psalm 37 Numbers 24:1–25 Luke 23:1–25 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XII:1–27

1 Kings 17–19 Elijah Speaks God’s Curse on the Land; Elijah and the Widow; Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

Readings Psalm 22 Psalm 102 Numbers 23:4–28 Luke 22:47–71 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XI:94–96

1 Kings 14–16 Roboam Leads Judah into Idolatry; Judah and Israel Have Mostly Unfaithful Kings

Readings Psalm 94 Psalm 149 Numbers 22:21—23:3 Luke 22:24–46 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XI:87–93

1 Kings 12–13 Roboam Accepts Foolish Advice; Israel Breaks Away from Judah; Jeroboam Leads Israel into Idolatry; God Sends a Prophet to Warn Jeroboam; Jeroboam Does Not Repent

Readings Psalm 128 Psalm 72 Numbers 22:1–20 Luke 22:1–23 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XI:76–86 Commemoration Today we commemorate Bede the Venerable, Theologian. Bede was the last of the Early Church Fathers. Placed in a monastery at the age of seven, Bede rarely left his monastery home and devoted his life to teaching and writing. A prolific writer, Bede produced both histories and theological works — his commentaries are still used today. Bede’s most well-known disciple, Cuthbert, reported that Bede was working on translating the Gospel of John at the time of his death. Bede is buried in Durham Cathedral.

Readings Psalm 135 Psalm 58 Numbers 21:10–35 Luke 21:20–38 Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration XI:65–75