A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART      

Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Read Matthew 12:1-8)   

The Pharisee’s called out the behavior of Jesus’ disciples. They were guilty, said the Pharisees, of breaking the Sabbath law. They were “harvesting” and eating grain from the field through which they were walking. Doing so, they were failing to honor the second commandment.   

St. Paul wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17) Jesus fulfilled the law for all people. He introduced a new covenant without ceremonies. With His death on the cross no further atonement sacrifices were needed.   

Through Jesus, believers in Him (Christians) are free to choose the day to worship. They are also free to choose the way in which they use God’s Word in public. They determine what constitutes proper order to their worship of the Lord.   

Worship of the Lord is from the heart. It is not brought about by laws, rules, and regulations. It comes from the freedom to give honor, praise, and glory to almighty God. Therefore, the number of hymns or songs sung, the placement of prayers, the length of a sermon or how many times a month Holy Communion is celebrated is determined by God’s people rather than following prescribed laws. 

Luther wrote in the Large Catechism, “. . . one’s mouth reveals what is in one’s heart.” And, He further wrote, “. . .the proper use of God’s name amounts to a posture of unceasing worship and participation in a faith community. . . in prayer, , hymns and Divine Service, we have repeated opportunities to express our dependence on and trust in God, to call upon Him, to praise and bless His name, and in love to proclaim God’s truths to one another.” (Ruth Ang-Onn Whiteford, Large Catechism with annotations. Pages 199-201) 

Prayer: Holy Spirit lead and guide me in my worship of Yahweh. Amen. 

O worship the King, all-glorious above.   
O gratefully sing His pow’r and His love;
Our shield and defender, The Ancient of Days,
 Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. 

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,   
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;   
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form.  
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm. 

This earth, with its store of wonders untold,  
Almighty, Thy pow’r hath founded of old.    
Established it fast by a changeless decree,  
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea. 

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?  
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light,  
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,  
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 

Frail children of dust and feeble as frail,  
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail.  
Thy mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,  
Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend!   

O measureless Might, ineffable Love,  
While angels delight to hymn Thee above,  
Thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays,  
With true adoration shall sing to Thy praise.   

O Worship the King // LSB 804