Color: Green\r\rOld Testament: Zephaniah 1:7–16\rPsalm: Psalm 90:1–12; antiphon: v. 17\rEpistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11\rGospel: Matthew 25:14–30\rIntroit: Psalm 143:2, 5–6, 10–11; antiphon: v. 1\rGradual: Revelation 7:14b; Psalm 84:5\rVerse: Matthew 25:29a\r\rGod’s Gift of Forgiveness Engenders Our Forgiveness of Others\r \rThe Day of the Lord is “near and hastening fast,” and it will be “a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation” (Zeph. 1:14, 15). The Lord will search out and punish “the men who are complacent” concerning His Word, “who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud” (Zeph. 1:9, 12). Then all their works and efforts will be for nothing: “Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them” (Zeph. 1:13). But those who fear, love and trust in the Lord are “good and faithful” stewards of His property (Matt. 25:21). They live by faith in His free gift of forgiveness, and they multiply His goods in the loving forgiveness of their neighbor, and “the master of those servants” settles His accounts with them by the gracious reckoning of His Gospel (Matt. 25:19). Likewise, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9). Therefore, let us also “put on the breastplate of faith and love” in our dealings with one another (1 Thess. 5:8). \r\rLectionary summary © 2021 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Used by permission. http://lcms.org/worship