Verse for the week: “Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.” Psalm 25.6
Prayer for the week: “Lord God, you know our
frailties and our failings. Remember your mercy and your steadfast love; lead
us in your truth and teach us the way of salvation; through your Son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
Bible reading for the day: Matthew 21.23-32 (It is the final week, the
passion week of Jesus ministry. He has come to Jerusalem to be obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross.)
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief
priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching,
and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you
this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I
also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will
tell you by what authority I do these things.25 The
baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from
man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From
heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But
if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that
John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered
Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by
what authority I do these things.
28 “What do you think? A
man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work
in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I
will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And
he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but
did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his
father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to
you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom
of God before you. 32 For John came to you in
the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax
collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did
not afterward change your minds and believe him.
prayer(based on the TRIP* method): Gracious
and almighty Father, thank you for sending Jesus to do these things: to preach,
forgive, heal, and change sinners. Thank
you! Repent me and your church of the
arrogance that questions your authority…and of the subtle pride that fails to
trust you. Each day, work in us the new obedience that not only talks the talk
but walks the walk…walks right to work in your vineyard…and into your kingdom,
side by side with the tax collectors and prostitutes. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a contemporary rendition of
a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation the
Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Byp7aK2DA
“Thy kingdom come…
What does this mean?
The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our
prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.
How is this done?
God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his
Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly
life now and in eternity. (from The
Small Catechism, ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: May
the God of peace himself grow you in his will entirely; and may your spirit and
soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The one who calls you is
faithful, and he will do this.
Amen. I Thess 5.23
*The
T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught
others to pray. It was later developed
by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries
(Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com).
The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
T: thanksgiving
R:
regret (repentance)
I:
intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P:
plan or purpose
Reading a
biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to
form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully
reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.
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