Verse for the week: “The Son of Man came to seek
and save the lost.” (Luke 19.10)
Prayer for the week:
“Almighty and merciful God, you are not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Grant that by your word we may again and again be convicted of our sin
and also fervently grasp anew the comfort of your Spirit and of faith, in order
that we may be justified in your Son and be saved through him, Jesus Christ our
Lord. (Kirchenbuch für die Gemeinde (Isenhagen),
quoted in Orate Fratres, Gebetsordnung für evangelische-lutherische Pfarrer,
Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 1952, p. 76)
Bible reading for the day: Luke 10.1-20 (note: Having set his face to go
to Jerusalem in order to pitch a fight to the death, Jesus now enlists his
troops and briefs them.)
After this the Lord
appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two
by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And
he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are
few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your
way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry
no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever
house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And
if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it
will return to you.7 And remain in the same house,
eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages.
Do not go from house to house.8 Whenever you enter a
town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal
the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to
you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do
not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even
the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.
Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I
tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for
that town.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin!
Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done
in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth
and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the
judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And
you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down
to Hades.
16 “The one who hears you
hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who
rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
17 The seventy-two returned
with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your
name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold,
I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless,
do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice
that your names are written in heaven.”
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for
pitching the battle against the devil, the world, and my sin. In my Good
Shepherd’s name and protection, I need have no fear of these three wolves. Who
hears you and who rejects you is your business, not mine. Each day, keep on
being our Lord and keep sending me and my congregation into the harvest with
the living Word of your peace and your reign for those who will hear it. Thank
you that Christ has written my name in your kingdom; amen.
Hymn: follow this
link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with
the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkL3MOfJ0S8
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord…
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ — true God, begotten of the
Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary — is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, and has freed me from sin,
death, and the power of the devil, not with silver and gold, but with his holy
and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. He has done all this
in order that I might be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him
in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as he is risen
from the dead and lives and reigns for all eternity. This is most certainly
true! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources,
Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The
God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in
hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. (Romans 15.13)
*There are many patterns for devotions. This pattern has been followed by God’s
people for centuries.
**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
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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