Color: Red\r\rOld Testament: Ezekiel 2:8—3:11\rPsalm: Psalm 119:33–40; antiphon: v. 35\rEpistle: Ephesians 4:7–16\rGospel: Matthew 9:9–13\rIntroit: Psalm 92:1–5; antiphon: Matthew 9:13b, c\rGradual: Psalm 119:105, 103; 45:1a, c\rVerse: Matthew 28:19a, 20b\r\rSt. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist\r \rOur ascended Lord gives “gifts” to His Church. In particular, He gave apostles and evangelists like St. Matthew, prophets like Ezekiel, and still gives pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:8, 11). All are “for the common good … empowered by one and the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:7, 11). They speak Christ’s “truth in love” to wind- and wave-tossed children so that the saints may be equipped, served and built up as the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:12–15). Christ is not only the head of this body, He is her Good Physician (Matt. 9:9–13). He has come not for the well but for the sick, not for “the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13) — even notorious tax collectors like Matthew. Christ’s team of spiritual physicians must serve faithfully. Their instrument is “thus says the Lord God,” to be spoken “whether they hear or refuse to hear” (Ezek. 3:11). To those stubborn, rebellious patients who believe they need no physician, the word “of lamentation and mourning and woe” must be fearlessly spoken: God’s Law calls to repentance (Ezek. 2:10). To those who recognize their trouble and sickness, the salve of the Gospel is to be applied. So Christ works to save us, as Matthew’s Gospel records.\r\rLectionary summary © 2021 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Used by permission. http://lcms.org/worship

Color: Green\r\rOld Testament: Proverbs 25:6–14\rPsalm: Psalm 2; antiphon: v. 11\rEpistle: Ephesians 4:1–6\rGospel: Luke 14:1–11\rIntroit: Psalm 119:1–2, 5–6; antiphon: vv. 137, 124\rGradual: Psalm 33:12, 6\rVerse: Psalm 116:1\r\rWhoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted\r \r“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence” (Prov. 25:6–14). Rather, take the lowest position at the table. Humble yourself before Him. For your place is not for you to take but for Him to give. Conduct yourself with all lowliness and gentleness, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:1–6), that the King may give you glory in the presence of those at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:1–11). Is this not the way of Christ? He is the one who took the lowest place, who humbled Himself even to the point of death for us. He is now exalted to the highest place at the right hand of the Father that penitent believers may be exalted together with Him in the resurrection. To the humble at His Supper He says, “Friend, move up higher,” giving you His very body and blood for your forgiveness that you may ascend to take part in the great wedding feast which has no end.\r\rLectionary summary © 2021 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Used by permission. http://lcms.org/worship

Color: Green\r\rOld Testament: Deuteronomy 10:12–21\rPsalm: Psalm 34:8–22; antiphon: v. 19\rEpistle: 1 Corinthians 1:1–9\rEpistle: 1 Corinthians 1:4–9\rGospel: Matthew 22:34–46\rIntroit: Psalm 122:1, 6, 8–9; antiphon: Liturgical Text\rGradual: Psalm 122:1, 7\rVerse: Psalm 117:1\r\rIn Life and Death, Christ Fulfills the Law of God\r \rThe Pharisees ask a Law question. Jesus asks a Gospel question. The Pharisees seek to test Jesus in His own words. Jesus seeks to “test” them in the saving reality of who He is as the Messiah (Matt. 22:34–46). The Law requires you to “fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” and to “love the sojouner” (Deut. 10:12–21). Failure to keep the Law perfectly brings judgment. On the other hand, the Gospel brings the grace of God given by Jesus Christ, that you may be blameless in the day of His return (1 Cor. 1:1–9). Jesus is David’s Son yet David’s Lord, true God and true man. He is Love incarnate who fulfilled all the demands of God’s Law on our behalf, that we might be saved from the Law’s condemnation and sanctified in the Gospel’s forgiveness. Thereby we see that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9).\r\rLectionary summary © 2021 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Used by permission. http://lcms.org/worship

Color: White\r\rOld Testament: Daniel 10:10–14; 12:1–3\rPsalm: Psalm 91; antiphon: v. 11\rEpistle: Revelation 12:7–12\rGospel: Matthew 18:1–11\rGospel: Luke 10:17–20\rIntroit: Psalm 103:20–22; antiphon: v. 1\rGradual: Psalm 91:11; 103:1\rVerse: Revelation 12:11\r\rOur Father in Heaven Protects His Children by Giving His Holy Angels Charge Over Them\r \rWe live in “a time of trouble” (Dan. 12:1), in the midst of great tribulation. Satan and his wicked angels have been thrown out of heaven and have come down to earth “in great wrath,” with woeful “temptations to sin” and with constant accusations (Rev. 12:8–12; Matt. 18:7). Even so, we are encouraged by the presence and protection of St. Michael and the holy angels, whom God sends to help us in the strife (Dan. 10:11–13). By “the authority of his Christ,” His holy angels guard and keep us in body and soul. These heavenly servants of God preserve His human messengers on earth, the ministers of “the blood of the Lamb,” against all the power of the enemy, for by “the word of their testimony,” the Church is saved and the devil is defeated (Rev. 12:10–11; Luke 10:18–19). By their preaching and Baptism of repentance, the old Adam and the old evil foe are “drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6). As God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, so are His people delivered and raised from the dust of the earth through the forgiveness of their sins (Dan. 12:1–3).\r\rLectionary summary © 2021 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Used by permission. http://lcms.org/worship