1. Lutherans For Life National Conference
Laura Davis, Director of Y4Life, and Rev. Scott Licht, National Director Lutherans For Life (LFL), talk about the upcoming LFL National Conference.
3. Witness Wednesday
Each Wednesday, Rev. Mark Wood, director of LCMS Witness & Outreach, shares tips and ideas on witnessing in everyday life. Hear what he has to talk about today!
4. Daily Lectionary
Rev. Dan Johnson of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hillsdale, MI looks at Matthew 6:16-34 “Lay Up Treasures in Heaven”. (Scroll down to read today’s text.)
5. Matins Sermonette
Today’s sermonette is by Rev. Dan Johnson of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hillsdale, MI.
Matthew 6:16-34
Fasting
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.[b]
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[c] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Footnotes:
- Matthew 6:19 Or worm; also verse 20
- Matthew 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
- Matthew 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
