WELS Family Devotion

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“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. The parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! Ezekiel 18:1-4,30,32

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You can’t blame others for the wrong things you do. Well, that isn’t entirely true. You can—and you do. We all do. It sounds like, “They started it.” Or, “She was frustrating me.” Or maybe, “What they did was far worse.” When we are caught sinning, we naturally make excuses. We quickly point a finger at a sibling, friend, parent, or even a teacher.

When we blame others, we are doing what sinners have done since sin first entered our world. When God asked Adam if he had eaten fruit from the one tree in the garden he was not supposed to eat from, Adam’s response was to blame someone else. “The woman you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12).

The Israelites in Ezekiel’s day had a similar attitude. “The parents eat the sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge” was their way of saying, “Our problems are our parents’ fault.” Point the finger. Shift the blame. Excuse your sin. That attitude probably feels familiar.

Through the prophet Ezekiel, our just and loving God tells us to stop blaming and start confessing. In Sunday worship, we admit, “I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. We have done those things that we should not have done, and we have not done those things which we should have done.” No blaming others. We honestly confess it to our holy God.

Why does God call us to repent? Because he doesn’t want sin to destroy us. He says, “I take no pleasure in the death of anyone . . . repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32). God wants us to confess our sins and receive the forgiveness Jesus won for us by his perfect life and innocent death. Jesus accepted the blame and punishment for every sin—even the sins for which we blame others.

So when you do something wrong, you don’t need to hide behind an excuse. Confess it. Jesus has taken your blame away. You are forgiven! Now live freely and confidently as God’s forgiven child.

Dear God, forgive us for blaming others instead of confessing our sins. Help us to live in faithful confidence of our forgiveness. Thank you for your faithful love that never fails. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? Matthew 20:15

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What would you buy if you had eight billion dollars? A mansion? A private airplane? An entire amusement park?

Chuck Feeney had that much money. But instead of spending it on himself, he quietly gave more than eight billion dollars away. He helped build hospitals and schools and helped people around the world. After giving away nearly all his fortune, the former billionaire didn’t even own a home. He lived in a rented apartment. Chuck Feeney was amazingly, extraordinarily, unbelievably generous.

The owner of the vineyard in Jesus’ story was amazingly, extraordinarily, and unbelievably generous. At first, he seemed like an ordinary boss. He promised to pay his workers a fair wage. But at the end of the day, workers who had labored for only one hour received a full day’s pay. That frustrated those who had worked all day in the hot sun. But the owner had not cheated them. They received exactly what he had promised. He simply decided to be amazingly generous with the workers hired last.

Sometimes a person follows Jesus throughout life, while someone else lives far from God but is brought to faith near the end of life. It can seem unfair that both receive the same eternal life. We are tempted to think: “We followed you all these years, Jesus, and they didn’t. That’s unfair!” It may feel unfair, but God has not taken anything away from us. He is simply being amazingly generous with them.

Even Christians who go to church every Sunday haven’t earned heaven. Believing in Jesus for many years does not make us more deserving than someone brought to faith near the end of life. We have all sinned and deserve God’s punishment.

The only reason any of us can go to heaven is God’s undeserved generosity. He gave his own Son for us. Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live and died the innocent death that saved us. In him, God gives us forgiveness and eternal life as a gift.

God is amazingly generous to those who come to believe at the end of their lives. Celebrate God’s generosity when he brings someone to faith—even at life’s last hour. God gives every believer more than what is fair!

Dear God, thank you for being amazingly, extraordinarily, and unbelievably generous to us. Help us celebrate when you show that same generosity to others. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:14-16

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dogs are smart animals. They can understand simple commands like sit, roll over, and lie down. They understand when you tell them it’s time to eat or time to go outside. A dog learns to depend on its owner for food, protection, and care.

But have you ever tried to teach your dog algebra? He’ll tilt his head, stare at you blankly, or jump up and lick your face. Compared to our brains, dogs’ brains are much smaller and simpler. Even the best-trained dog cannot understand everything its loving owner does. Its owner understands things that are simply too big for the dog’s brain.

In today’s reading, the apostle Paul talks about something our brains can’t fully understand: Why do some people believe in Jesus while others reject him? The Bible gives us two clear answers. First, nobody gets to go to heaven because they have earned it or deserved it. We can’t work our way to heaven. It is only because of Jesus that we can go to heaven. We are saved only because of God’s mercy. God’s mercy is his forgiving love. God loves all people. Jesus died for all people and offers forgiveness and heaven to all people.

So, why do some people believe while others reject God’s promise?

Here is the second clear answer: when someone is saved, God gets all the credit. When someone rejects Jesus, that person is responsible. We must not change either truth to make them fit neatly inside our minds.

Just as people understand far more than dogs do, God’s understanding is infinitely greater than ours. We can’t understand everything God has revealed about himself. But we can trust everything he says because he never lies or makes a mistake.

Your faith is not something you earned or created. God brought you to Jesus through his Word and Baptism. He gave you his promises and made you his child. Your salvation does not rest on how smart, strong, or faithful you are. It rests entirely on God’s mercy. Some truths about God are bigger than our brains—but his promises are always big enough to trust.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me faith and saving me by your mercy. When your Word is bigger than my brain, help me humbly trust everything you say. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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The LORD replied [to Jonah], “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:4

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jonah was acting like a baby. He sat outside Nineveh on the desert sand, crossed his arms, and pouted. He was angry that God had spared the city. Jonah hated the people of Nineveh. They belonged to a nation known for treating its enemies cruelly. That’s why he ran away all those months before when God called him to preach to the people of Nineveh. He knew they might turn away from their sins and seek God’s mercy.

And Jonah knew what God would do—what God always does when people tell him they are sorry for their sins. He forgives sinners who turn to him for mercy. And Jonah didn’t want that. He wanted God to destroy Nineveh.

As Jonah sat in the hot sun, God caused a huge, leafy plant to give him shade. Jonah appreciated the cool shade and started feeling better. But then God sent a worm to chew the plant, so it withered and died.

Again, Jonah crossed his arms and pouted. “Jonah,” God said, “you have been concerned about the plant that grew one day and died the next. Shouldn’t I be concerned about the 120,000 people living in Nineveh?” Jonah cared more about losing his comfortable shade than he did about thousands of people who needed God’s mercy.

You see, God loves all people. He wants everyone to believe in him and be saved. And he wants us to love everyone—even our enemies and those who treat us badly. That’s hard to do. But God did not stop loving us when we were his enemies. He sent Jesus to save us. Remembering that love helps us love people who are hard to love.

Loving our enemies does not mean pretending that evil is acceptable or that wrongdoing should have no consequences. We can ask God and earthly authorities for justice without seeking revenge or wanting anyone to be eternally lost.

Don’t be a Jonah who wanted his enemies destroyed! Love your enemies. Pray for those who are mean to you. And when mercy makes you mad, remember the mercy God has shown you!

Dear God, thank you for loving me and showing me mercy through Jesus. Help me love my enemies, pray for them, and want them to know your saving love. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. A man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. Matthew 18:21-35 (selected verses)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Andy wasn’t trying to break the window. Every day, he walked by the old warehouse. Beneath its tall windows were wide brick ledges. Andy and his friends often tossed stones toward the ledges to see if they could land them there.

One day, Andy threw a little too hard. The stone crashed through a window. A security guard ran out and grabbed Andy by the arm. “You are going to have to pay for that,” he said.

Andy arrived home in tears. He told his dad what had happened. The new window would cost $500, but Andy only had $10 in his piggy bank.

Andy and his father went to talk to the building owner. Andy quietly held out his ten-dollar bill. “I promise I will pay you the rest one day,” he said, looking at the ground. The owner looked at the sad little boy holding the money up to him. “Keep your money,” he said. “You don’t have to pay. Just please don’t throw any more rocks at my windows.” It would have taken Andy years to pay that debt. Can you imagine how relieved he must have felt when the owner canceled it?!

That’s how the servant in Jesus’ story must have felt—relieved, excited, thankful. He owed the king more than he could ever repay. Sadly, after the king canceled his enormous debt, the servant refused to forgive another servant’s much smaller debt.

The king in Jesus’ story helps us understand God. We are like the servant with the enormous debt—ten thousand bags of gold. We have sinned against God in more ways than we can count—in what we think, say, and do. Our debt of sin is something we could never pay.

But God did not simply pretend that our debt did not exist. Jesus paid it completely by suffering our punishment on the cross. Because Jesus paid everything, God tells us, “You don’t have to pay.” God forgives us like the king in the story and like the owner who didn’t make Andy pay for the window. But he did ask Andy to stop throwing rocks—it was the right thing for Andy to do.

God’s forgiveness changes how we treat people who sin against us. So be relieved. Be excited. Be thankful. Then share with others the mercy God has shown you.

Dear Jesus, thank you for paying the debt I owe for all my sins. Help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 4:32; 5:1-2

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do you resemble anyone in your family? Brothers and sisters often resemble each other. A child might have his dad’s nose, his mom’s smile, his grandpa’s laugh, or even the same way of walking. Sometimes we sound or act just like our parents. People might say, “You can certainly tell whose child you are!”

Can people tell whose child you are by the way you live?

Honestly, because of sin, we don’t always resemble our heavenly Father. Our words and actions are often cruel, selfish, and unforgiving. But in our baptism, God washed away our sins and adopted us as his sons and daughters. Through faith in Jesus, we are children of God, fully forgiven and made heirs of heaven.

But can people see the family resemblance? Can they tell whose children we are by the way we act? Young children often copy everything: the way their parents talk on the phone, the way they fold their arms, the way they cook or clean or cheer during a football game. In today’s reading, Paul tells us to follow the example of God our Father as his dearly loved children.

God wants us to speak as he speaks and act as he acts. Just as he is kind and compassionate to us, just as he loves and forgives us—so he wants us to love and forgive those around us. We imitate him because, through Jesus, we already are his children. That is who God made us to be in our baptism. His forgiveness changes us; it leads us to be like him. Dearly loved children show love. Forgiven children become forgivers.

So, follow your Father. Imitate him and let your family resemblance show. When people see kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in you, they are catching a glimpse of your heavenly Father. May they look at you and say, “I can certainly tell whose child you are!”

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for washing, forgiving, and adopting me in my baptism. Help me to resemble you in everything I say and do. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“But that’s not fair,” Billy said, fighting back tears. “He doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.” Billy’s face was scratched and his elbow was bleeding as he sat in the pastor’s office. He was right. Joey had started it. He pushed Billy down during a game at vacation Bible school. Joey said he was sorry, but that didn’t make what he did okay.

“He doesn’t deserve to be forgiven,” Billy repeated. Billy was right. Think about the bully who was mean to you, the teacher who was unfair to you, or your sister who lied about you to your parents. None of them deserve to be forgiven.

Joseph’s brothers didn’t deserve to be forgiven. They were cruel to him. They planned to kill him and then sold him into slavery. Because of his brothers, Joseph spent years as a slave in Egypt and then many more as a prisoner in a dark dungeon. Now Joseph held a powerful position in Egypt—and his brothers’ lives were in his hands. They begged him not to punish them. It wasn’t fair.

But do we really want what is fair? Fair means getting what we deserve. Because of our sins, we deserve God’s punishment forever in hell.

We don’t want fair; we want mercy.

And that’s exactly what God gives us. God did not ignore our sins. In his great mercy, Jesus suffered what wasn’t fair in our place so we could be forgiven. Forgiveness is never fair. Fair would mean that we would suffer the punishment Jesus suffered for us.

But God has treated us in the most wonderfully unfair way. He forgives us, even though we don’t deserve it. Forgiving someone does not mean pretending that the wrong was okay or that there should never be consequences. It is mercy we share because God first showed mercy to us. And when we see God’s undeserved, unfair, unending forgiveness for us, it helps us to do the hard work of forgiving others.

That’s how Joseph could forgive his brothers. That’s how Billy could learn to forgive Joey. That’s how you can forgive those who do you wrong, even though they don’t deserve it.

Dear Jesus, please forgive me even though I don’t deserve it and help me to forgive those who don’t deserve my forgiveness. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 2:11-16 (selected verses)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This week, we have seen how God calls Christians not to be tattletales but also to watch out for others who are heading toward spiritual danger. Jesus says that the goal is to win a person over—to lead that person away from sin and back to Jesus and his forgiveness. Knowing when and how to speak can feel like walking on a balance beam. It’s hard!

Paul knew how hard this could be. Paul had to point out to Peter—also called Cephas—that Peter had given in to peer pressure. Peter had been eating with Gentile Christians. But when certain Jewish Christians arrived, Peter separated himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of what others would think.

Peter’s actions sent a dangerous message. They suggested that faith in Jesus was not enough and that Gentile Christians also needed to follow Jewish customs to belong in God’s family. Other Christians followed Peter’s bad example. Even Barnabas was led astray. Because Peter’s actions were public and were hurting many people, Paul corrected him publicly. Paul showed Peter that his actions did not match “the truth of the gospel.”

What is that truth? Paul explained that no one is justified by obeying God’s law. To be “justified” means that God has declared us not guilty. We cannot earn that verdict by being good enough, following enough rules, or belonging to the right group. God declares sinners not guilty through faith in Jesus Christ.

That’s what we call “the gospel.” The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ free forgiveness, and we use the gospel to win others over to Jesus. We will never win people over by only pointing a finger at them. God calls us to point out sin truthfully and then point sinners to Jesus. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to lead people to repentance and strengthen their faith.

It can be scary to speak to someone about sin. But the goal is not to win an argument. The goal is for the gospel to win—to bring a brother or sister back to the forgiveness that is already theirs in Jesus.

Lord, make me strong enough to overcome peer pressure and to stand firm in your Word. But also make me gentle when I speak to others about sin. Above all, help me point them to the forgiveness Jesus freely gives. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” Ezekiel 33:7,11

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may be familiar with the cartoon TV series Paw Patrol. A group of dogs serve as emergency first responders. A human named Ryder leads them. If someone in Adventure Bay needs help, they call Ryder. Then Ryder sends the Paw Patrol from their lookout tower to rescue the person in danger.

If you have seen the show, it is impossible to imagine Ryder or the pups hearing about someone in danger and saying, “That’s not our problem.”

Imagine how shocking it would be if a firetruck drove away from a burning house, a police officer covered his eyes during a bank robbery, or an ambulance sat at the station instead of going to a bad car accident! First responders are responsible for noticing danger and helping people.

God gave Ezekiel a similar responsibility. Ezekiel was a spiritual watchman. God told him to warn the Israelites about the deadly danger of continuing in sin. God gives us opportunities to watch out for people, too. God does not want tattletales. He does not want us snooping around, hoping to catch someone in sin. But when someone we love is heading toward spiritual danger, we should not simply say, “That’s not my problem.” That would be like the Paw Patrol sitting on their paws or firefighters, police officers, or ambulance drivers not doing their job.

Sin is even more dangerous than a fire or accident. Unrepented sin separates people from God and leads to eternal death. Yet God does not enjoy punishing sinners. He says, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” God wants them to turn from sin and receive life from him.

So, God puts Christians in positions to help watch over one another and to help each other be turned away from sin. Parents watch over their children. Pastors watch over their congregations. Teachers watch over their students. Christian friends and family members lovingly watch out for one another.

How do we recognize spiritual danger? We listen to God’s Word—not merely our own opinions. Then we lovingly share what God says. God uses his Word to expose sin, lead people to repentance, and show them their Savior. Jesus carried every sin to the cross so that sinners could be forgiven and live.

God puts Christians on the case—but God’s powerful Word performs the rescue!

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for putting people in my life who watch over me and lovingly warn me about sin. Help me to take their words to heart. Give me the courage to help rescue others from their sin. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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[Jesus said] “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” Matthew 18:15

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

How many brothers and/or sisters do you have? Whatever that number is—whether zero, one, two, or five—Jesus adds to that number. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about your brothers and sisters. But he is not talking about the children in your earthly family. He is talking about your spiritual family—your fellow Christians.

Why are Christians your spiritual siblings? Because, just like you, God has made them his children through faith in Jesus. You share the same heavenly Father and the same Savior. Jesus is your brother. That makes you family.

In your earthly family, perhaps you have a rule against tattling. Tattling means spreading the news about something wrong another person did—not because someone needs protection, but because you want to get that person in trouble.

Jesus does not want Christians to tattle on each other. Simply telling other people what someone did wrong does not solve the problem. It can hurt that person and divide God’s family even more.

So, Jesus gives us a powerful tool to use. Jesus knows that earthly families will sin against each other. He also knows that members of his spiritual family will sin against each other. So, Jesus gives us the power and authority to forgive sins! He teaches us to speak lovingly and privately with someone who has sinned—perhaps even against you. Jesus gives every Christian the right to approach that person and say, “What you did was wrong and sinful. It hurt someone else.”

That’s not the same thing as tattling. We do not approach the person to embarrass or defeat them. We want to “win them over”—to restore a brother or sister. It’s like welcoming them back as family. The goal is to hear them confess their sin, so that we can say, “I forgive you! And God forgives you, too!”

Tattling pushes people away. Forgiveness sends sin away and welcomes people back—like family! Because Jesus has forgiven you and made you a part of his family, you can lovingly help restore a brother or sister.

Jesus, thank you for forgiving my sins and sending them far away. Give me the love and courage to speak gently when someone sins against me. Help me forgive as you have forgiven me and strengthen your spiritual family. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

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