Verse for the week:
“You are not your own; you were bought with a price.” I Cor
6.19-20
Prayer for the week:
O Lord, teach us how to pray. Direct the lives of your servants toward
the goal of everlasting salvation, that, surrounded by all the changes and
uncertainties of life, we may be defended by your gracious and ready help in
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (adapted from Lutheran
Book of Worship, Minister’s Desk edition, p.113.)
Bible reading for the day: John 3.1-21
1 Now there was a man of the
Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This
man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that
you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you
do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered
him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[1] he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus
said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time
into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus
answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That
which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit.[2] 7 Do
not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[3] must
be born again.’ 8 The
wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not
know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born
of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to
him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus
answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not
understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to
you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen,
but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If
I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I
tell you heavenly things? 13 No one
has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son
of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that
whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in
him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order
that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of
God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light
has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the
light because their works were evil. 20 For
everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the
light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But
whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be
clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Prayer (based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you
for sending your only Son, for speaking to us through him, and for sending your
Holy Spirit right in Christ’s speech… so that sinners like me may not perish
but have faith and life. Thank you! We can no more control your Holy Spirit
than we can manipulate the wind; so repent me and my congregation of the pride
that clogs our ears and reduces faith to our project, our decision. Keep on
speaking Lord and give us ears to hear… ears that take you at your word rather
than our own. In Jesus’ name I pray, 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=RvDUayhdPd4
“I believe in the Holy Spirit...”
What does this mean?
I believe that I
cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to
him; but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with
his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith. In the same way,
he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on
earth, and preserves it in unity with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In
this Christian church, he daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of
all believers. At the last day, he will raise me and all the dead and will
grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most
certainly true! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)
Benediction: Now
to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far
more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)
*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 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.
[2]
The same Greek word means both wind and spirit; also
in verse 8
[3]
The Greek for you is plural here and four times in verse 11
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